Evaluating People

I recently reconnected with an old friend on Facebook. Her page is simple, clean, to the point. She has just one quote at the top, which inspired me to write this.

“In evaluating people, you look for three qualities: Integrity, Intelligence and Energy. The most important is Integrity. If they don’t have that, the other two qualities, intelligence and energy, are going to kill you.” - Warren Buffett

Being in search and recruiting for nearly 20 years, I evaluate people for my life’s work. We all “read” people in our own way, every day. I think I’ve developed a keen sense of reading between the lines, sniffing out what’s real, and finding the diamonds. Buffet’s quote speaks the simple truth.

The definition of integrity is “adherence to ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty.”

Integrity to me means you do what you say you’re going to do. It also means being authentic and consistent. People who have integrity earn respect of both peers and management. They move faster in their careers. It’s the stuff leaders are made of.

What to Look For in a Resume or Online Profile

How to identify integrity? When I read a resume or online profile, I look for two primary factors: 1) Track Record and 2) Performance.

For track record, I’m looking for job stability, promotions, career progression. If a person works one year here, two years there, I want to know the story. Why did you make moves at points in time?

For performance, I look for achievements and accomplishments. I want to see the numbers and how they were achieved. For example, “increased revenues by….” or “streamlined expenses through…” or “drove profitability in…” Education, advanced training and/or certifications tells about a person’s brainpower and drive. As Buffet says, their intelligence and energy.

Together, track record and performance offer insight into a person’s inventiveness, resourcefulness, and ability to overcome obstacles to achieve results. These are the people great companies are made of.

What to Look For in a Phone Conversation

Talking on the phone for 20 years has finely tuned my ears. I find it fascinating to discuss careers – people’s hopes, fears and aspirations.

People who communicate effectively on the phone and can carry a good conversation tells about a person’s confidence and ability to think under pressure. Quickly you can get a sense of someone’s energy, enthusiasm and personality style. I much prefer talking with people who look at the glass half-full with a “can-do” attitude.

In my experience, a person who speaks well on the phone usually presents well in person. If a person has successfully interviewed at prior employers and can articulate what they’ve accomplished and what they want to do now, they are ahead of 90% of the pack.

I’ll ask both HR-oriented and technical questions. Some of the “softer” questions:
- Why are you looking to make a career move? Why now?
- Why did you decide to make moves at points in time?
- Are there any changes in your job or life that you anticipate over the next 90 days?
- And, behavior-based questions. For example, “Tell me about a time when you…” and “If X were to happen, how would you…”

There’s so much material on this subject. Volumes have been written on resume writing, interviewing, evaluation/testing and “How to Win the Job You Want”. I hope I’ve shed some light on what people evaluating others for a job look for.

The two take-aways here:

1) Your resume and online profile together with phone skills usually reflect how you will perform on an interview. If you’re looking for a new job, I’d suggest to sharpen up both.

2) Be a person of integrity. Online and in-person, be consistent and authentic. Do what you say you will do. Because without integrity, intelligence and energy won’t matter.

In future posts, I’ll continue to write about:
- What to Look for After the Phone Conversation
- What to Look for in a Meeting
- Other topics you’d like to know about this?

Your World 2010

We’re entering the second decade of the 21st century. The future is here.

If you could create your ideal world, what would that look like? With new online tools today, it’s becoming ever more possible. The creation of your world depends on you – defining what you want and your efforts.

For better or worse, 2009 will go down in the history books as a year of transformation. The very fabric of our lives – careers, relationships, money, healthcare – is being torn up and resewn. At the center are three forces: 1) economic compression 2) the speed of change in technology 3) global communication.

About 14 years ago on December 4, 1995, Business Week ran this story: “The Software Revolution. The Internet changes everything. Coming soon: Cheap, Web-ready mini-programs. No wonder the giants are jumpy.”

Sound familiar? Now the giants are jumpier than ever, because business power is shifting to the people, into the hands of employees and consumers. This affects every industry from training to jobs to pricing to marketing.

Social Media is changing everything again.
SOCIAL: people, relationships, fun. MEDIA: broadcast, exposure, recognized.

Look at the phenomenon of reality TV. People create the content and, in doing so, they determine the success of the show. Big media is dwindling. The rise of people media is coming fast. Case in point: NBC was sold to Comcast. And, Oprah Winfrey is starting her OWN cable network.

Indeed, these are revolutionary times. It’s truly amazing that we can now work and play from any location with mobile computing power and wireless networks, and then broadcast our thoughts about any subject worldwide.

With the right approach and focus, the new world of social media offers unprecedented opportunities, not just for business – but for you.

To see the way forward, one only has to look at Google, the company. Working on a campus. Collaborating in teams. Organizing information. Inventing tech tools. Offering customers global exposure.

Content creation and “the message” reign in the new world.
Everyone can participate with low-cost, content distribution.

How can you harness these new tools? You can create your own content and then spread your message. You are your own media company. To do it effectively, think globally and act locally.

In your world, what are you looking to achieve in 2010? If it’s a new job, finding one is about marketing, advertising and selling yourself. You are the product.

Follow these 12 steps in your 2010 job search:
1.  Define your world. Profession. Geography. People. Take stock of your experience and skill set. Your likes and dislikes.
2.  Research and discover what you want. The Internet is the free world library.
3.  Write your goals. Be specific and realistic. Crystallize in your mind what you want.
4.  Build your digital footprint. Post your professional bio and photo on social media sites starting with LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook. Interact and share what position you’re seeking.
5.  Network on Social Media sites. Use job search capabilities and broadcast the position you’re seeking.
6.  Turn your online social relationships into phone calls. Proactively contact and talk with others. Let your enthusiasm and expertise shine through.
7.  Track your activities. Always thank people and return the favor whenever possible.
8.  Seek feedback and don’t take drawbacks personally. Fine-tune your approach and move forward.
9.  Build critical mass. 10 new contacts per week, 40 per month, 120 in three months.
10.  For interviews with employers, do your research and prepare for interviews.
11.  Use social media sites and online tools to follow up professionally.
12.  When possible, use the services of a career coach or search consultant who specializes in your field to assist with the interview and job search process.

You are the broadcaster of your job search with your own media network.

The objective in creating your world in 2010 is to create and manage your own brand, “You Inc.” Build mindshare with hiring managers through your online presence and professional follow-up. What do people think of when they think of you? When there is an opening for a position that matches what you’re looking for, will they think of you – and call you?

The mix of Social Media, old-fashioned networking and professional follow-up is the winning combination for a job search today. Once you secure your next job, don’t stop. Many more opportunities abound!

Marketing, PR & Social Media

We live in exciting times.  Remember 1999 when the Internet was growing astronomically?  It opened up the world with speed of communication and spread of information.  The Internet continues to transform the way people live and how businesses operate, including ours – search, recruiting and staffing.  Now we manage databases and use new tools to efficiently prospect, manage relationships and deliver for our clients and candidates.

After the Internet boom, media stories were written about what would be the next “Big Thing.”  Well, we have two big things happening now, in my view.  The first is about energy and its effect on the environment.  We can’t live without it and must find new sources of clean energy to satisfy increasing demand while protecting natural resources.  This is a topic for other experts.

The “Big Thing” now – in recruiting and staffing – is Social Media,
and how it will increasingly change the way we do business.

Businesses are in the midst of great transformation.  All centers around information; how to find it, manage it and communicate it effectively.  We in recruiting, staffing and human capital management are at the epicenter.

How we communicate in the beginning of the recruitment process – finding and engaging clients and candidates – will always be a key to success.  Before the Internet, recruiting was about building a rolodex, mainly through cold-calling. It still is, but to a lesser degree.  E-mail and websites changed that first, allowing us to touch greater numbers in less time.  Now with the interactive web, two way communication is changing the game dramatically.

It’s not about who you know anymore, it’s about who can find you.

In my firm until about two years ago, the first step in the marketing and recruiting process was gathering quick information; name, company and phone number.  Then we would make the call, using techniques to “overcome objections.”  After all, we were originally trained that recruiting was about the numbers.

In the last two years, my firm has shifted our approach.  We do significantly more before the initial contact.  A key objective is to brand – by planting “impression seeds.”  This is done with a combination of marketing, PR and social media.

Consider this:  With the ease and low cost of creating information today, potential clients and candidates want to feel very comfortable with you before they conduct business.  They want to trust you. 

Many times, the best way to gain new business is still through a referral.  However, for those who don’t know you, they want a professional who is credible who can deliver.  And, they will want to check you out before doing business.  What does your “electronic footprint” say about you?  Have you Googled your name lately?

We never get a second chance to make a first impression.
New objective:  Make a name for yourself before you talk to prospects.

What do public relations, marketing and social media have in common?  They all require you to be proactive and to plant the seeds.  They all require building relationships.  They all enable branding and greater name recognition.

• PR is about gaining visibility in the media; by being quoted in traditional (newspapers, magazines, TV) or new media (electronic, blogs).
• Marketing is a multi-step process to build your name in the minds of prospective clients and candidates.  Do you know it takes 6 to 8 “touches” before a client remembers you?
• Social Media involves two-way communication.  The Big Three are LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. If you connect your networks in the right ways, the branding and broadcasting capabilities have the potential to create a huge pay-off.

When used effectively together, PR, Marketing and Social Media strategies can be very powerful in building your brand and your recruiting business.  Together, all affect to increase your name as an expert in your field.  People find you. Business flows to you.  Your revenue increases.

Here’s the exciting part:  You can create and manage your brand.  What do you “say” to clients and to the media? What do you “say” on social media sites?  What do you “say” to industry partners/contacts?  Before you start spreading the word, start by securing your name on the social media sites and then post a professional profile. Because when people find you, you will want it to say the right thing.

Now more than ever, it is important to keep up with new trends and tools available to stay competitive.  Social Media and advances in the Internet are not fads.  They are here to stay.  Recruiting and staffing professionals must continue to learn, grow and evolve. 

Here is additional advice to help you. 

Together with PR Expert Susan Young, I will be hosting a new webinar, “Make More Money in 2010:  Power Marketing, PR and Social Media.

In two content-packed hours, you will learn:

• New Marketing Techniques that combine proven methods with new media.
• Proactive PR Strategies to increase your name recognition, visibility, credibility and revenues.
• Social Media Trade Secrets that are key for all Recruiting, Staffing and HR professionals to thrive in 2010.

Your choice of two dates: 12/4 or 12/10.  Register by 11/20 for 30% discount.  Approved by NAPS for continuing education credit.  For details and to register today, click here: http://bit.ly/26uIPd

The Key Ingredient for Success in Your Search

A wise mentor once said to me, “Mike, if you really, really want something and you never, ever give up, you’ll almost always get what you want.” Powerful stuff.

Recently, I wrote about the “#1 Factor of Success” which I believe is Planning. By writing a step-by-step plan (with quantifiable items and timeframes), we put ourselves on the path to achieve our goals. Each year during the Christmas-New Years season, I take time to write my annual business and personal goals for the following year. I also check off my accomplishments for the prior year. Very empowering exercise.

Planning is strategic. It creates the mental framework. To accomplish your goals you have to take action. This is the tactical side. This is the key ingredient for success in your search: Being proactive. Whether it’s a search for a job, a candidate, new clients, even a spouse, you have to be proactive.

What is being proactive? First, you have to be intrinsically motivated. What’s driving you? Do you need a job or new clients to earn money? Do you want a spouse to have a family? Second, you need to know what you want. This is the hardest part for many. Third, and most important, you need to take action (pick up the phone, go to events). It’s ok if you don’t know exactly what you want upfront. You can figure it out as you go forward. Though, the quicker you pinpoint what you want, the faster you’ll get there.

We take action in five main ways:
1) Research (Online/reading).
2) Talking to people (initiating conversations/phone calls).
3) Sending/sharing information (writing/publishing).
4) Going places. (Meetings/events/travel).
5) Follow Up. In different ways to distinguish yourself. (Making yourself memorable).

Being proactive means not waiting for others to take action. You take the first step to research, email, phone, arrange a meeting, put an idea in motion. Being proactive for many is challenging because they don’t want to be rejected. (This is a topic for another article.) Bottom line here: Don’t take rejection personally. It’s the other party’s issue.

Whether you’re looking for a job, new clients or a “significant other”, the saying rings true: “You need to kiss a lot of frogs…” In my experience, there’s no magic bullet. If you know what you want, have lots of proactive activity and stay the course, you will achieve your goals. If it’s a new job you’re seeking, you’ll obtain it by sticking to the plan with targeted proactive activity.

I’ll wrap up with a saying I carry in my wallet. It’s from a fortune cookie, “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten.” So I say: Be proactive, be positive and go after what you want.

The Heart & Soul of Everything We Do

1st the advertisement: The 2009 NAPS Annual Conference will be Sept. 30 to Oct. 3 in Las Vegas at the Red Rock Casino Resort. My session is “Power Marketing for Today’s Economy.” As the market rebounds, NAPS will be the best venue to learn the latest techniques and network with industry leaders. To view the program and to register, visit: http://www.RecruitingLife.com.

Training is one of my passions. I believe learning and development is the heart and soul of everything we do as search consultants. Success in recruiting takes tremendous energy, focus, drive and determination. It also takes know-how. We must use proven techniques and also adapt to ever-changing market conditions.

Think of the range of skills required to be successful in recruiting: Researching, sourcing/phone skills, selling, marketing, interviewing, reading people and situations, negotiating and closing skills. And now social media: Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and more.

This is why our profession captivates me: It’s challenging and the rewards – personal and financial – are unlimited.

My passion for learning and teaching comes from my upbringing. In school I was driven to achieve straight A’s. I also played team sports and took art classes. I always liked psychology and solving problems creatively.

I grew up with training and recruiting in my blood. My mom was an ex-school teacher turned recruiter turned staffing firm owner. She was an entrepreneur with vision who valued training. She’s very intuitive with a “life-of-the-party” personality. People called her the “Seminar Queen” because she attended many industry events. She bought all the training material at conferences.

My mom was a single parent who started in the staffing business at around age 40 with three kids and barely able to make the mortgage payments. Even in the toughest times, she had a positive “can-do” attitude. Around the dinner table we talked about placements and deal-making.

My mom encouraged risk-taking. There is no failure, she would say, just learning what does and does not work.

In college I travelled Europe and earned a Masters degree in International Economics & Finance. After graduating, I went to live in New York City and work in banking then advertising. I left the corporate world after six years and started my own venture. When it crashed and burned, I joined my mom’s staffing firm and we built it up. When my mom retired in the late 90’s, she cashed in big time. I started my own search and recruiting firm in 1998.

Each trainer has a story about how they became one. Here’s mine: I joined my state’s staffing association and was asked to be on the Board. I volunteered to be the Education Chair and twice taught a six week course for beginning recruiters: “The 40 Steps to Placement.” From there, I was an Event Chair and then a Conference Chair, talking with trainers from around the country. For an event, we needed an extra speaker and I raised my hand. At my 2½ hour session, I did live Internet sourcing and phone calling, both marketing and recruiting. A person who attended was the sister of well-known industry trainer. She had national contacts and wrote me a great testimonial.

Before I knew it, I was training at my first NAPS Conference. That was 2003. From there, I was asked to train in-house and at other industry events and conferences around the country. Since, I’ve designed “The Art of Search” training programs and have produced private venue events, international tele-seminars and three CD training sets: 1) Future Big Billers, 2) Take It to the Next Level, 3) Up & Over $300K. I also started this blog: “Recruiting in New World.”

Many who inquire about my training ask what makes me different. Well, I run a desk and a firm, so I’m on the line like you, day-in and day-out. I’ve been recruiting for eighteen years and training for six. All of my programs are customized for the audience and the times. I spend considerable time preparing – and aim to deliver a high impact training experience.

People who have seen me train say I’m on a quest. My mantra is “rising tides lift all boats.” By sharing best practices, I believe we raise industry standards and elevate our collective image. That’s why I’m also a big believer in the value of certification.

This is why I train: Sharing new ideas, personal growth, elevating our profession.

In search and recruiting, there are many approaches that work. As I like to say, “Two thirds I’ve learned from others and one third I’ve innovated on my own.” From my training I want each person to take away two or three “Ah-Ha’s” – ideas, techniques, ways of thinking – and take them back and put them right to work. That’s how I know I’ve been a success in my training: When I receive follow-up emails and testimonials.

I’ve been told my training is interactive, motivational and innovative. Also that I’m very approachable. All true. When I train and I’m on, I get in the “flow.” It’s a term you may have heard that’s used in sports and other professions. The mind and senses align into a natural state of peak performance. Well, that’s what I feel like many times when I’m training – because it’s one of my passions.

My mom always said I might have been a teacher or professor if there was enough money in it. Maybe she’s right. For now, I want to train you in search and recruiting. So, hope to see you at NAPS. Remember to register today at: http://www.RecruitingLife.com.

Prepare to Win – In Business and In Life

Good news. Economic indicators are pointing up from here. Companies are reporting profits again and the job market will follow. 2010 will be a better year for business and jobs. Last week, I tweeted the 9.4% U.S. unemployment rate will drop to 7.5% in March, then 6% next June. Bold predictions.

Lately, I’ve been thinking about the key factors of success in business, recruiting and job searching. The tools may change (Social Media is changing “the how”) but “the what” (e.g. Covey’s Seven Habits) will stand the test of time.

In my experience, the #1 factor of success – in business and in life – is preparation. Preparation takes thinking, planning and work. If you prepare, you’ll win: a new job, new client business, financial security for you and your family.

Three examples of preparation in business: Job seekers prepare for interviews. Speakers prepare for presentations. Owners prepare for growth. Three examples in life: A couple prepares for a child. A family prepares for a vacation. A person prepares for retirement.

In third party recruiting, people who plan – prepare their daily/weekly activities – out earn those who do not by 35% on average. 35% of $100,000 is $35,000. 35% of $200,000 is $70,000.

Preparing is so important because it lays out a mental framework, a path to achieve goals. It helps to smooth out the inevitable “bumps in the road”.

Many know that planning (business and personal) is a key exercise to achieving goals. Planning involves both short term (action-oriented steps) and long-term (strategic thinking). Do you have 1 year, 5 year, 10 year, 20 year plans? Are they in writing?

7 Steps to Prepare to Win:
1. Discover what you want (the hardest part for many).
2. Envision yourself there (mental preparation).
3. Research and do your homework (learn the details).
4. Write it down (on paper).
5. Get advice from a mentor, coach or field expert (great value here).
6. Vision the day/event in your mind (mental test run).
7. Relax, be yourself and enjoy the experience.

Why preparation is so critical: Winning (achieving the result you want) has all to do with confidence. For example, when you prepare for an interview or a meeting, your confidence level increases with how well you know your subject. It’s similar to knowing the questions on the exam.

Job Seekers – How to Win the Job You Want:
- Discover the position you want.
- Research the companies you want to work for.
- Craft a custom resume.
- Get your resume into the right hands.
- Prepare for a meeting/interview.
- Follow up with decision maker. Follow up, again.
- Prepare for second/third meetings.
- Prepare for a job offer.
- Negotiate the job offer.
- Start your new job in the position and company you want.

Speakers – How to Deliver a Top Presentation:
- Find the organizations you want to speak for.
- Research the events and submit a proposal.
- Ask those attending, what they want to hear/know.
- Prepare all materials; visuals and handouts.
- Practice presentation in your office.
- Arrive at event site early and scope out room.
- Rehearse full presentation on site.
- Morning of – exercise, practice intro, shine shoes.
- Arrive early, talk to people in audience.
- Smile, be upbeat, engage audience. Deliver!

All preparation is a process. Time taken to prepare will be time well spent. You will deliver at a higher quality. Preparation builds confidence. People will gravitate to you because you know yourself and your topic. Prepare to win and you will.

Recruiting, Social Media and 2nd Life Passions

New ideas are like lightning bolts. They strike quickly, rouse the status quo and inspire new ways of doing things. History’s innovators fascinate me. They saw untapped markets and pursued their passions: Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Walt Disney, Milton Hershey. Their names became their brand.

In my post last week, I stated: “What doesn’t change about recruiting is that it’s all about the engagement of people” and that, “We’re still in the Wild West of social media.” I also wrote about the “power of brand building” and that the “$64,000 question” for social media is “winning new client business.”

In 18 years in recruiting, I’ve found that two overriding factors win new client business: (1) Saying the right things to the right people at the right times and (2) Connecting with people on a personal level.

This is what’s so exciting about social media, in my view. We have the ability to create our own networked world and connect with like people in areas we’re interested in and passionate about.

The key ingredient to winning new business is passion. Passion is defined in wikipedia as “a strong feeling about a subject…usually of intense desire and attraction.” How strongly you pursue something over time shows your true interest. Like in recruiting, your passion comes through in your voice and how you engage on the phone.

Here’s my premise for recruiting, staffing and HR professionals: Through social media, we can build communities around our “2nd Life Passions.” When we’re engaged, we engage others.

Your 2nd Life Passion: What do you love to do when you’re not recruiting? If you were to start a blog or site outside of work, what would it be about? Yours could be a hobby, a sport, food, religion, politics, art, travel, cars, collecting, etc.

In sharing our passions, we gain friends and followers. New relationships develop and grow. These could become business contacts and develop into new client relationships. It’s similar to joining a club, chamber of commerce or doing business on the golf course. The difference is you are the social media leader of your passion. You become memorable because of it.

I asked HR and recruiting professionals about their 2nd life passions:
1) What’s your passion outside of work?
2) Where did it come from?
3) How do you exercise/express it?
4) Do you integrate it with recruiting? If so, how?

Michael Homula: WINE. Twitter: @MichaelHomula
- Mike started enjoying wine in college, because he loved it. “Creates conversation, shared experiences.” He says, “I’m doing it because I love it.”
- His recruiting site is: www.bearingfruitconsulting.com. He recently launched his wine site: www.pullingthecork.com.
- Mike says he could offer social media advice to winemakers and/or wineries could become his recruiting clients.

Jeff Lipschultz: BIKING. Twitter: @jlipschultz
- Jeff was an avid biker in college. Today he does it for exercise and health benefits. He’s led bike groups and rides in Colorado and Northern Italy. He’s passionate about teaching beginners to ride.
- Jeff’s recruiting site is: www.alistsolutions.com. His blog is: http://jefflipschultz.wordpress.com. His post “Ten Reasons to Take up Biking During a Job Search” is his #1 SEO.
- Jeff’s alter ego on Twitter is @Bike_Whisperer. “Teaching the world to ride a bike one kid at at time.” In business, he tells bike stories as “icebreakers” and believes in its “networking effect.”

Karla Porter: BAKING. Twitter: @Karla_Porter
- Karla has been baking since childhood with her mom and grandmother. She “invites people over to bake.” She spent 10 years in Mexico and owned a gormet coffee shop and made pastries.
- Karla’s website is: www.karlaporter.com. Colleague @BillBoorman wrote a guest blog on her site “The Art of Baking.”
- Karla says “recruiting is based on metrics” and she likes the “creative outlet” baking provides her. She meets people at “fundraisers” and “volunteer” work and talks about baking. “Her home is always open” to people who bake with her.

Jennifer McClure: HORSES. Twitter: @CincyRecruiter
- Jennifer’s love of horses came from her grandfather. She grew up on a farm in Tennessee with 22 horses. In 2002 she “reignited” her passion, bought her horse “Sarabi” and takes riding lessons twice a week.
- Jennifer’s blog is: www.cincyrecruiter.com/. She has pictures of her horse in her office and on her Twitter background and Facebook page www.facebook.com/jennifer.mcclure. She’ll be adding to her LinkedIn profile.
- Jennifer says her love of horses creates conversation and “makes me more well-rounded when I interact.” New business relationships have formed because of a mutual love for horses.

Craig Fisher aka @fishdogs on Twitter whose blog is http://blog.fishdogs.com/ says passions give us a “euphoric feeling” and “make your spine tingle.” They also “regulate stress.” What’s Craig’s passion – that’s not on his resume? He is a “voracious” mystery book reader, which came from his mother and grandmother. Many passions originate in childhood.

What 2nd life passions have in common is their global appeal to a wide audience, often across cultures and geographies. I’d venture to say that if two new sites were launched; one recruiting and one a 2nd life passion, the passion site traffic would accelerate at 5X to 10X+ the rate of the recruiting one. This can be a powerful vehicle to gain a following and create new relationships, both personal and business.

The larger question is branding – and becoming memorable. Ford = cars. Edison = light bulb. Disney = entertainment. Hershey = chocolate. Can a 2nd life passion be successfully married with recruiting? Social media enables us to do it now. The Wine Recruiter. The Bike Recruiter. The Baking Recruiter. The Horse Recruiter. If you can do it for your passion, new business will most certainly flow your way.

Recruiting, Social Media and Making Money

This is a big topic. I’m first to confess I’m not a Social Media Expert – just yet. I’ve been watching, participating and learning from the early adopters. What I bring to the party is a deep knowledge of third party recruiting. I’ve been at it for 18 years, 10 as a business owner and 6 as an industry trainer. I have a passion for training, marketing and client development.

This article has three parts. As this is Part I, you’ll have to come back and read more about money-making ideas. Please, post your feedback. I (and I’m sure others) are very interested in what you have to say about this subject.

The “New World” light bulb lit up for me about a year ago. Fortunately, my firm had a very good first half of ’08. When our recruiting revenue dropped last summer, we shifted our business model and diversified.

The upside to recessions is that they’re cleansing. The strong survive – and so do the innovators. This is my third recession in the recruiting business. (My first was in the early 90’s.) Each time we’ve come through, wiser with new ways of doing business. What doesn’t change about recruiting is that it’s all about the engagement of people.

Before the Internet, recruiting was primarily about sales – direct person-to-person contact. Then the PC-Internet age brought database management and e-marketing. Now, the equation is shifting again with Social Media. Most companies and people haven’t gotten religion yet – or figured out how it all works together.

I think we’re still in the Wild West of Social Media – in just the 2nd or 3rd inning of a 9 inning game. It’s exciting to take part and watch it unfold! It also has the potential to be very lucrative if you play your cards right (like the Internet boom of the mid-to-late 90’s.)

Back to my light bulb turning on last summer. As part of our “recession strategy” I knew we needed a stronger brand image and greater market exposure. Most firms pull back on advertising and marketing in a recession. We did the opposite, negotiating deep discount pricing and did more. My first tact was upgrading our website. Then, advertising in industry trade journals. Then, a full-scale effort to get press in traditional media and issuing PR releases.

Earlier this year, I trained at two recruiting conferences. (My topic was “Power Marketing for Today’s Economy.”) I was told I’d get more speaking opportunities with greater exposure in the industry. After my video interview was distributed on Twitter, the Social Media bell went off. It was clear that we needed an integrated SM branding strategy. I jumped in two feet, full-throttle.

In the beginning stages, Social Media is all about building networks: creating connections, friends and followers. The power of brand building comes from leveraging the combined networks through broadcasting features.

Once our brand and networks are more established, how do we win new client business? Not recruiting candidates, but new fee-worthy clients? That’s the $64,000 question and what I’m after here. Stay tuned for Parts II and III coming soon. Again, post your feedback! Thanks.

10 New Laws of Recruiting in New World

#1- Be unique. Define yourself and tell your story.
#2- Innovate and diversify – or perish.
#3- Aim high. Communicate with and market to highest levels.
#4- Think global. All the world’s a stage and open for business.
#5- Become a multi-expert. Go to and build the demand.
#6- Build your brand everyday. Thru PR, advertising, industry events and social media.
#7- Hone your craft. Learn each day from people, words, questioning and experimenting.
#8- Everything counts. Upgrade image. Sharpen presentation. Quality over quantity.
#9- Practice the arts of attraction and reciprocity.
#10- Share. Collaborate. Learn. Laugh.

My New Blog – Here We Go!

Welcome! I’m excited to share with you my thoughts about recruiting, careers and job searching. Social media is rapidly transforming how we connect, build relationships and interact. This will have a dramatic and far-reaching impact on everything career-related. Going forward, effective recruiting will combine proven techniques (phone/planning) with state-of-the-art tools (social media/online). I’ll be sharing some meaty stuff here. All I ask is this: Please post your feedback! I want differing opinions and will always respond to you. So, here we go “Recruiting in New World” [RNW].