I’m giving a keynote presentation on “Building Your Client Base with Social Networks” at the upcoming IPA National Convention and wanted to share a preview here.

From the advent of Web 2.0, I was a believer. Two feet. All in. I believed that the power of the web would transform the way business operated. The key was to discover what worked and then optimize its rich business building capabilities.

Think about what the web can do. It is a global library at our fingertips! We can research people and companies fast. We can e-market, receive feedback and measure response. Through social media, we can send targeted messages, obtain exposure (free advertising) and build our brand. Distance learning and collaboration possibilities are limitless. Exposure leads to more exposure and to new business opportunities.

Here’s how it started for me. Before 2008, I wrote articles for industry publications and issued press releases. In 2009 when my social network contacts were less than 500, I was video interviewed remotely by Bill Vick. In the interview, I talked about diversifying my business, multiple streams of income and web collaboration. My video was distributed and broadcast on social networks. People online got to know who I was fast.

Fast forward three years. I have been building and connecting my LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook contacts. I have secured my vanity name for each. My blog “Recruiting in New World” is also the name for my LinkedIn group. I have a Facebook fan page which is connected to my other networks. I am ranked high in my industry in Twitter followers. I use Skype for international and video calls. I have produced on-line videos using Vimeo which is linked to my blog. I need to expand my YouTube channel and use www.oovoo.com for video collaboration and training. I have been experimenting with other online networks, including; Google Plus, Foursquare, Quora, Pinterest. I own www.MikeRamer.com.

I’m honored to be asked back to be the keynote speaker for IPA. Last year, one attendee said this (a testimonial on my LinkedIn profile):

“Mike’s presentation on Social Networking at the IPA convention was terrific. I have been to dozens of training sessions…some did a great job of reminding you of the basics, some that pumped you up for at least a couple of weeks and some that presented a surefire system … This was the first time my viewpoint has been radically changed. Paradigm shift might be a little strong but Mike helped me to see LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter in a whole new light. He enabled me to look at brand marketing seriously for the first time. I believe what I learned from Mike’s presentation will help me make more money…”
> Peter Miller, Managing Director/Owner, Peter O. Miller Executive Recruiting

In this year’s keynote, I will speak about the three elements needed to build your brand and your reputation online. I’ll talk about how to cross-market and optimize social networks. We’ll discuss best practices in LinkedIn. I’ll demonstrate specific techniques LIVE online followed by LIVE phone calling. This three hour presentation will be interactive and cutting edge!

Your smile, your voice, your humor, your personality. Yes, these can make you different – and memorable. Always leverage your assets.

If you are seeking a new job or new clients for your business, you need to know what makes you different. Then you need to research what companies you want to approach, find the “angle” and engage.

Here’s the good news: You are unique. No one else has your combination of background, work experience, education, personal experiences, special qualities and talents, likes and dislikes.

This combination of your unique background and experiences
is your competitive advantage.

Do an inventory (some call it “soul-searching”) of your history, your skills and your talents. Then, use today’s online tools to share your story with your target audience. If you’re looking for a new job, your resume is the starting point. Think of it as a marketing document that is the history of your life’s work. The format, construction and every word in your resume counts.

Less is more when marketing yourself and your services.
Be creative. Stand out.

Use fewer words to crystalize and focus your messages. Photos and video are powerful. Leverage social media and send multiple messages to your target audience. Here are some ideas that work:

- Put your LinkedIn URL on your resume.
- Make a short video, post it on YouTube, and send the link with your cover letter or business material.
- Use Twitter to share your interests, engage with like people and market your services.
- Write a blog to showcase your interests and communication skills.
- E-mail media editors and let them know you’d be a resource for future articles.
- Carefully select the photo you use and stick with it across all e-platforms.

Your approach and follow-up (your “process”) can also make you different. Here are a few tips that get response when writing e-mail:

- Use as few words as possible.
- Start with the person’s first name.
- Use bullets and white space for easy readability.
- Ask a question in the subject line.
- Use a professional, branded e-mail signature.
- If you don’t get a response, forward the same e-mail a few days later with the subject line: “Did You Receive?”

Consider everything you post or send electronically as public domain. One person can refer to another and your message could be broadcast to hundreds, even thousands. Make sure your posts and messages are professional and consistent. In the new digital age, people will do web searches on you. In an instant, anyone can Google your name. Make sure what comes up is all positive.

So, where do you start?

The old-fashioned way. Sit down and put pen to paper. Write three columns:
1. My business background (education, experience, etc.)
2. My personal life (likes and dislikes, etc.)
3. My special skills (abilities, personal style, etc.)

Now write a short paragraph (your brief bio) of no more than 300 words. This is what makes you different. This is your competitive advantage. Now package it, target market and share your unique story.

Over the past two decades, the art and science of recruiting has changed dramatically. I started recruiting in the early ’90s before PCs and the Internet. On my desk was a telephone, newspapers and directories. Remember the Rolodex?

Fast forward 20 years. Today, recruiters learn about companies and people through the web and social media. Myriad technologies (job sites, social media, ATS) assist in candidate research, lead generation and tracking.

In vogue is the science of recruiting. It is easier to source in a candidate-rich market using technology and the Internet. This is changing: The rebounding economy is increasing the demand for talent at all levels.

Technology can help find potential candidates.
But it can’t evaluate, recruit and secure talent.

Relationship recruiting expertise is needed now: Direct sourcing. Referral-based networking. Engaging potential candidates. Identifying, evaluating and motivating scarce talent. This takes experience and know-how. This is the art of recruiting.
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For Your Company

If your company is seeking to engage third party recruiters, I recommend to interview them first. What is their background, experience and education/credentials? Do they recruit in your industry and for positions you are hiring? How do they find and evaluate talent? What can you expect in terms of deliverables?

Great recruiters do these 5 things for companies:

1. Deep understanding. You can tell high caliber recruiters by the questions they ask. They do research on your company, industry and competitors. They ask insightful questions about the position and your company’s culture. They listen with a consultative style.

2. Direct sourcing. Great recruiters don’t rely on “Internet resumes”. They tap into their network and cold call high potentials. They develop relationships with high performers who may be open to a career move for the right opportunity. They can identify talent.

3. Focus on your open positions. Time is limited and you have multiple priorities. The best recruiters work closely with you on your schedule. They get to know your preferences and company’s interview process. They understand urgency to fill.

4. Execute a proven process. Great recruiters know what they will need to accomplish for you: Research. Sourcing. Screening. Interviewing. Arranging interviews. Negotiation. Closing. On-boarding. Feedback and follow-up every step of the way.

5. Deliver consistently. Top recruiters work quickly and are quality-oriented. Give them exclusivity and your positions will be a high priority. They know more recruiting assignments will come when hired candidates perform and stay with your company.

Great recruiters effectively counsel on counter-offers.
They will know if the selected candidate will accept an offer, before it is made.

Executive recruiters who work on senior level positions are sometimes called search consultants. They often partner with clients on retained searches. They provide the highest levels of service including in-depth candidate evaluations and search progress reports.

Unlike contingency recruiters, retained search consultants are driven to perform for their clients every time, no matter how challenging the search. Their reputations depend on it.
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For Job Seekers

If you’re looking for a new job or open to a career move, choose a professional recruiter like you would your doctor, attorney or financial advisor. Be selective. Be sure that you have a good rapport and you can trust him/her. Interview recruiters: Ask them how they work. Keep in mind: you are not paying them and their time, expertise and contacts are valuable.

Great recruiters do these 5 things for you:

1. Listen to what you want. Recruiters are motivated to help you get a new job because this is how they earn fees. Great recruiters get to know you on a deeper level. They listen to your desires and career interests. They work closely with you to find a position that will advance your career.

2. Help with a job search plan. Top recruiters have in-depth knowledge of the job search process. From resume consulting to interview preparation to employment negotiation, they work on your behalf. The best way to communicate: Be upfront and straightforward.

3. Open doors. Great recruiters have an established network of contacts in your industry. Many times they know about choice job openings before they’re made public. Your resume is referred directly to decision makers, giving you the inside track.

4. Advise and counsel. Imagine your own job search consultant at no cost to you. Great recruiters provide valuable feedback throughout your search. They help with your resume, with interviewing techniques and with making smart career decisions.

5. Deliver consistently. You can tell top recruiters by how they respond. They are action-oriented. They offer strategic and tactical job search advice. Most importantly, they get results: Interviews, then a position, with the company you want.
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In my experience, as both an executive recruiter and industry trainer;

Great recruiters are 1 in 100.
They are consultative, intuitive and results-oriented.

The best combine the art of recruiting – the human touch
with the science of recruiting – high tech techniques.

If you want to engage a great recruiter, say, “I want to partner with you” and promise to work exclusively. Give a timeframe 60 to 90 days to produce results.

As the economy grows, great recruiters will be in demand. They can be a huge asset to you. Find one who understands your needs and stick with them. They will deliver and make you look good.

OK.  Admit it.  Who hasn’t googled an Ex?

The world is wide open now to find out the good, the bad and the ugly.  About our work lives and our personal lives.  About our likes and our dislikes.  This social openness is transforming the world. 

Transparency.  Consider everything you post as public domain.  So be thoughtful.  Looking for a new job?  Make sure your bios and profiles are up-to-date.  Professional photos count.  Grammar and spelling count.  The words you choose count.

Branding.  You can control what people see and create your our own personal brand.  Whether it be free-wheeling or conservative.  Whimsical or staid.  Dumb or intelligent.  Don’t be mistaken, people can read between the lines and get a feeling of who you are.  Every post, every photo, every tweet counts.

What do people think of when they think of you?

Back to my Ex.  Actually she’s a college girlfriend from over 20 years ago.  I have great memories of her.  She had an altruistic side and was very endearing.  Smart, driven and went to Harvard Business School.  Then started a dot com, to Ebay and now Google.  I admire what she’s accomplished in her career.  She knows internet technology and is a master marketer.  Here’s what I learned from googling her.

• Less is more.  Quality trumps quantity every time.
• Promote a professional image.  You never know who is viewing.
• Who you associate with matters.  People. Companies. Communities.
• Make friends with smart people in high places.
• Be open, yet selective.
• Share great insights.

Here’s an article about her in Fortune Magazine:  http://bit.ly/dasBim 
She lists 12 insights – lessons learned in her career.  I especially like #2, #4, #12.

1.  Hire the best talent.  Surround yourself with smarter people who have complementary skills and who challenge the status quo.

2.  Think big. Develop BHAGs:  Big Hairy Audacious Goals.  Imagine the impossible and you will be surprised how much you can accomplish.

3.  Aim to make a difference.  Make the world a better place.

4.  Say what you mean and do what you say.  Execution and follow-through are critical.  Thomas Edison said “Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.”  My father used to always remind me of this.

5.  Competition makes you stronger.  It also makes you serve your customers better.

6.  Always put the customer first.  And remember, you have to have a great product or service that is differentiated to win.

7.  Take on the hardest challenges.  Get out of your comfort zone.  If you have not failed at something, you are probably not innovating.

8.  Truth-seeking is half the battle in winning.  You need to know where you stand in the war.

9.  Move fast in a land-grab.  Get network effects first.  Remember, you need both popularity and profitability.

10.  You can be an entrepreneur in a big company.

11.  Pay it forward.  Be a mentor.

12.  If you make a mistake or fail, it’s OK. Fix it fast and move forward. But make sure to take the lessons away so you do not repeat them. Einstein said, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
__________________________

Way to go, Steph!  Next time you’re in New York, look me up!

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!

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

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.

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.

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.