Mistakes in Social Media Recruiting

Here's an interesting one from Dr. John Sullivan (from Feb. 2011).

Attempting to reach active candidates by posting job announcements is the #1 most common error. As a microcosm of society, most online communities are full of people not actively looking for a job, so broadcasting announcements to them is both annoying and ineffective. Social media is a great tool to identify and build relationships with employed top performers who are not actively looking for a job at this time. Ninety-nine percent of your focus should be on recruiting people who cannot be found on job boards or your corporate careers site.

Excerpt from best cover letter in years.

Just when I thought - and I do - that cover letters are not particularly valuable to the corporate recruiting function, I read an interesting one today. I will still only move forward to a live connect if the applicant's experience is at least a reasonable match to the position, but do like what was written in the cover.

Let's face it, you're tasked with one of the greatest challenges there is: finding the right person for the job. Not just good people, or even great people, this person has to be the right fit on so many different levels.

When you stop and think about some of the key individuals in your organization, each has their own unique story of development and growth in their career. It's not likely that they are the same person today as they were when they first walked in the door and even the most accomplished individual will express how much learning they've done and will continue to do. So perhaps instead of looking for the proverbial "round peg"; we should be looking for the right type of "clay" as the spot we are trying to fill will continue to change shape as today's business world continues its rapid evolution.

Business vs. Corporate HR?

Disclaimer: This is not going to be a Jerry Maguire rant about fewer requisitions and fewer candidates. Nor is it a finger pointing exercise against the business, who is simply trying to secure the resources required to achieve their goals.

I often joke with colleagues on the business side that I am in recruiting, not HR (it's one inside the other, for those who aren't sure). When I reflect on why I make that distinction, the first thing I touch on is that - like many people - I have a desire to be liked. Not due to low self-esteem, mind you, but wrapped around wanting to do what an informed, reasonable person would identify as "the right thing."

- Payroll occasionally makes errors on paychecks and commission payments.
- Immigration/Legal can delay visa processing due to errors, omissions or a general lack of urgency (possibly due to being risk averse, which is an important part of their job, but a delay, nonetheless).
- HR business partners often have to say 'no' to the business on a variety of requests.

I imagine they all get used to their role and the stigmas that can go with it, but I cannot. Does that mean I am in the wrong position? Or is my dramatic/romantic notion of 'fighting the good fight' ill placed? Most likely, I simply have to get used to not being liked.

A Byte of Resume Advice – It’s Only Wafer Thin

Amidst the virtual ocean of online resume advice available for job seekers and career enhancers, I’ll add precious few drops. As one who reads/skims 30 - 50 resumes a day, I’ll share my thoughts on the quickest and possibly easiest way to boost effectiveness of resume organization and – in particular – applications to specific job postings.

Those who know me know my mantra is “friends don't let friends write [resume] objectives.” Deleting that line or paragraph, moving everything up a cm or two on page one is the easiest, arguably best thing you can do. Trust me. Corporate recruiters either don't read or don't believe anything they read in objectives. Please don't tell us your objective is ‘to drive value for our respected organization’ or any other platitude. Also please don't tell us that your objective is to be the exact position we have advertised (worse yet is not replacing the title from your previous application with another employer – this happens at least once a day).

Every word on your resume must add value. If it doesn't, delete it. White space or a 1/3 of a page less is more.

If you absolutely must include an objective, make it interesting. If you are junior or intermediate in your career, why not sketch your 5 or 10 year plan? I’d much rather read that an SAP Consultant’s long term objective is ‘to work towards a career as a project manager of cross functional ERP experts’ than that their immediate objective is ‘to be an SAP FI Consultant in your company.’ I actually get that; he/she applied for the position, after all!
Again, every line, every word must add value.

Professional help for jobseekers

Career Search 2.0

When you submit a résumé, three things happen. The hiring manager will look for you on LinkedIn to see what kind of endorsements you have. They’ll look on Facebook for pictures of you at drunken parties. And they’ll ‘Zillow’ your address to see where you live, the value of your property, how long you’ve lived there & if you can reasonably commute to a job.

So says Dan Voelpel. Read more.

2009 Recruiting Excellence Award Winners

* Best College Recruiting Program - Ernst & Young
* Best Corporate Careers Website - Yahoo
* Best Diversity Program - Microsoft
* Best Employee Referral Program - Accenture
* Best Employer Brand - Ernst & Young
* Best Retention Program/Practices - American Cancer Society
* Best Strategic Use of Technology - Microsoft
* Recruiting Department/Function of the Year - DaVita

E & Y recognized for the second or third year running. Read the story here.

Help Wanted - Looking for ERP Professionals

Hello all, I am supporting the hiring for a couple of great positions.

1. An ERP (SAP/Oracle/PeopleSoft/JDE) Manager in Calgary - @ a professional services firm
2. A Content Manager in Edmonton - @ a professional services firm
3. An SAP FI business analyst for the Washington DC area - @ a leader in pharm/biotech

If anyone reading this is interested, or knows someone that may be, please let me know - I'd be happy to share details. This is, of course, in support of my scotch and designer coffee addictions, as well as Owen & Emily's college/therapy fund! [mostly kidding]

Funny, creative work from a recent hire.

Background to the clip: The SAP team I support in Victoria has a contest of all recent hires introducing themselves. This one, by user llawliet goes way beyond the scope of most and left the team rolling in the aisles. Now watch the movie. Fantastic work, L.C.!
RMS Idol from llawliet on Vimeo.

Advice for resume writing

I've avoided giving open advice like this, up to now, but today I cannot resist. I see dozens, sometimes over a hundred, resumes a day and see a number of trends or assumptions I'd like to share my perspective on.

1. Don't write an objective. Most employers or agency recruiters will tell you what the objective is (I'm only being 1/2 sarcastic, here!). At best - well thought out and written - it could limit you from opportunities outside the target you've cited. At worst - and this is rampant, folks - it is meaningless drivel that says nothing and is an 80%+ match to all the other resume 'objectives' out there.
Friends don't let friends write an objective.

2. Suppress the urge to draft a lengthy summary or list of qualifications at or near the top of page one. A small handful of short bullet points may be acceptable, but mind the real estate it takes. If your items resemble 'punctual,' 'honest,' 'hardworking,' or 'works well independently or in groups' then please don't bother. Make them relevant to your accomplishments or skip it all together.

3. Despite the trend towards "marketing brochure" style resumes, most recruiters and employers I know still expect or prefer a traditional resume. That means in reverse chronology (starting with the present), list employers, titles and tenures in a single heading, under which responsibilities and accomplishments are documented. Use common language rather than industry jargon and avoid acronyms, unless universal.

4. Talk about your hobbies to your mom, a prospective mate or your neighbour, NOT a potential employer. A heading of 'interests' or 'community involvement' may be appropriate, but treat the description of these items as if they were part of your employment history.

5. Size matters. Shorter is better and has a better chance of being read in full. 10+ pages is never OK - no one reads it all, especially today where, prior to 2nd or 3rd round interviews, all resume reading is done electronically (i.e. not printed out on paper). Gone is the 'round file' or 'B pile' of yore, but the delete key or 'next' button is just as nasty, if not more so due to its ease of use. Two to three pages is the target for mid to senior level people; one or two for folks with under 8 years' experience. Writing about how great you are is easy [there's that sarcasm again]; the labour, the science, indeed the art is in the EDITING and paring down.
Ask someone you trust to proofread a printed version and arm them with a red pen. Tell them you'll buy/give them one drink for every word they remove that objectively doesn't need to be there. Be prepared to call them a taxi home.

6. When your masterpiece is done, share it. Whether you are, at that moment, looking for a new opportunity or not, get it out to people you trust to both look out for your interests and preserve your confidentiality/discretion. Get to know a good recruiter or two and have an updated resume on file with them for potential matches to your ideal. Give a copy to your brother, former colleague, parent on your kid's soccer team, anyone you trust, together with a brief, specific wish list of what your dream position looks like, and allow them to share it with people they trust. An astounding number of opportunities come from personal referrals (much more than from responses to online or newspaper ads). Do this before you need a job; do it when you are happy with your current situation, but conscious of wanting something different or something more.

There might be a #7, but my taxi is outside.