Blogging4Jobs

Human Resources practioners who are working in the trenches need access to information, advice, and data immediately outside of HR associations like SHRM and ASTD.  Thankfully, there are HR bloggers, communities, and websites that are providing HR pros with real time information and resources.  Here are a handful of resources, in fact Six resources that I recommend HR professionals add to their RSS readers or bookmark.

• The Human Race Horses.  An HR blog managed by Mike Vandervort.  Mike discusses Human Resource topics, Labor Relations and a mix of social media.

• TNLT.  An HR extension of the popular Electronic Recruiting Exchange or ERE, TNLT is a new network of HR related blog posts and articles.

• LinkedIn HR.  Almost 300,000 members strong.  This is a valuable resource and LinkedIn Group to build connections, ask questions, and learn about news and information concerns the HR Practioner.

• SmartBrief Workforce.  An amazing email newsletter and resource with a collection of leading HR bloggers and practioners.  Last week’s announcement of their new editor and former COO of SHRM, China Gorman is a smart move for this publication.

• HR Fishbowl.  Charlie Judy is a senior level HR practioner and one of my favorite new and upcoming HR bloggers.  He is focused on HR issues and provides an experienced point of view with a focus on strategic and feet on the street human resources.

• The HR Net.  Steve Browne, an HR Practioner from Ohio who has created an amazing HR Forum that is free and available for anyone to join called The HR Net.  He sends weekly updates to members of the forum who are able to post HR questions and comments anonymously.  Connect with Steve directly to learn more at sbrowne@larosas.com.
  

Do you have a great Trench HR Resources you care to share?  Leave a comment let the Blogging4Jobs readers know.

Photo Credit Dry Icons.

Last night, I had the pleasure of attending the Business Network Chicago After Hours Event, which included a terrific, informative presentation on social media by my new friend Dean DeLisle (www.forwardprogress.net or @deandelisle) and my first experience with speed networking. I’ve been to regular networking events before, but speed networking was completely new to me.

The schedule of the event was pretty standard: check-in/network, first session/network, break/network, second session/network, go home and follow up with your new friends. There were people from almost every industry there, employed and in-transition. As such, the evening totally met my expectations…until we got to the speed networking session. Now, it’s not that my expectations changed for the speed networking session – I just didn’t have any, because I had no idea how speed networking worked! I’d never done speed dating either, so the only thing I knew of the concept was the speed dating scene from The 40-Year-Old Virgin, and I was praying that speed networking wouldn’t be that awful. Fortunately, my prayers were answered, and the speed networking session proved to be outstanding.

There were 8 tables of 6, and we were randomly assigned a four-table sequence for the duration of the session. I went from table E to B to E to H and was lucky enough to meet new people every time. The process at each table was as such: trade business cards (see my post about networking), then give your elevator speech, explain why you attended the event, then work the connections you’ve made at the table until the moderator says it’s time to switch. 15 minutes was usually long enough for the aforementioned process to occur, and just short enough to consider it “speed” networking. Honestly, I was a little rusty at the first table, but as the session went on, I found my groove. By the end of the hour, I was a speed networking pro. And I had 20 new connections to prove it. (Math guy says: 6 people/table (minus the Author, so 5 people) x 4 tables = 20 people.) Sure, not everyone was “the perfect” connection, but you never know. I came home and immediately connected with those people I knew were the best connections for me. FYI, I’ve been corresponding with those new people all day. My LinkedIn stats prove it.

For those of you who are curious about speed networking, try it. It’s a very quick way to expand your network. You never know who you’ll meet! Maybe you’ll meet me.

So maybe it wasn’t Maverick and Goose launching F-14’s from an aircraft carrier to take down the enemy, but it was 3 hours very well spent. I have another speed networking event in a couple weeks with the Loyola Alumni Association, and I’m VERY excited for that one.  I think I’ll continue to look for more speed networking events, because I feel the need…the need for speed (networking)!

Jonathan Krass is our latest entry for the Job Search Blogger Contest.  Vote for his blog post by leaving a comment below.  Contest ends on May 11th.

Your business card is an important part of you and your company’s brand. It’s an essential part of the business networking process. A good business card can say a great deal about you above and beyond the basic website and contact information. Done correctly a business card can to elevate your status and make you memorable with whomever you come into contact with.

The first recorded use of business cards dates back to the 15th century in China seen as a visiting card or calling card among business men.  While in Europe, this calling card was introduced in the 17th Century and was used as a form of advertising for trade merchants that often included a map and directions of where the vendor’s product or service cart was located.  As printing became more popular in the 1800′s the business card finally reached the United States quickly becoming a popular form of advertising and networking among businessmen and the public.

As the business card gained in popularity, there became two distinct types of uses: visiting cards and business cards.  In the 19th Century in the United States, visiting cards were used primarily by individuals as a way to establish social obligations.  A stack of cards would be housed in the hallway and became a catalogue of visitors as an early form of “While You Were Out” phone messaging that we are familiar with today.  Business cards were widespread among men and women and across classes.  People were looked up on in poor taste if they visited or attended an event or made a social call without one.

As our lives have become more virtual and networked based, our vision and idea of the business card has continued to evolve.  The traditional paper business card still holds true but the rise in popularity of iPhones and mobile devices has changed the way in which we exchange our contact information.  Popular iPhone virtual business card applications like Hoccer, Bump, and others have begun to take the place of the traditional business card.

• Hoccer. A free downloadable iPhone application offers the ability to exchange your contact information with a simple throwing gesture.  The application must be opened by both parties who must complete a throwing motion to exchange their information.

• Bump. With over 10 million downloads, Bump is one of the most popular iPhone contact exchange applications. Two people open the application and bump their iPhones with their hands.  After only a short setup, all your contact information is easily transferred.

• LinkedIn. With their most recent iPhone upgrade, LinkedIn now offers a contact information transfer service.  Both parties must have their bluetooth activated on their iPhone in order to exchange their contact information.  While in London, I was able to quickly exchange contact information by just sitting next to someone during a conference or dinner.

For non-iPhone users there are also alternatives to exchanging virtual contact information as well.

• Business Card Readers. Blackberry and iPhone users can use a data capture application that takes a picture or scans the business card right from your mobile device.  Another great application for this and other data capture purposes is Ever Note.

• SnapDat.  Create and exchange a virtual business card online with anyone.  In a matter of minutes, you can create a very professional business card to exchange on social media networks and other online communities.

• Pokens. Pokens are the social business card and aren’t we all about social these days?  After selecting a poken and setting it up, you are able to quickly exchange contact information with other poken users quickly and are able to upload the contact information by inserting the USB from the poken into your computer.  These are great for large events and conferences where you can connect with a large number of people very quickly.

My friend, @pokengirl has graciously provided a number of pokens as part of the promotion for my Tweet This! Launch Party last month and is also offering a15% discount to my readers.  Visit her website at www.PokenGirl.com, purchase a poken, and use the discount code, Blogging4Jobs to receive a discount of 15% off your order.  This offer expires on March 31, 2010 so don’t delay.

Photo Credit Create It Displays and You Renew.

FTC Disclosure:  All products and applications listed and reviewed in this blog post were purchased and paid by Xceptional HR.  I did not receive them as a gift with the exception of the Poken.

I would like to begin by thanking my lucky stars that, in this economy, I have had the good fortune of being gainfully employed for the past two years since graduating college. But, as I start a new chapter in my life, one that I hope turns out to be about a fabulous new career in a wonderful new city, I can’t help but compare my job search today with that of two years ago. So much has changed in so little time, so I want to pass along the little bit of knowledge I’ve gained over the past few months of job searching. I hope this advice resonates with those of you who are looking for employment for the first time in years and may be feeling a little lost.

1. Social Media Isn’t Just For College Kids Anymore

If you hadn’t heard, social media is all the rage now. (By the way, if you really hadn’t heard, you may want to climb out from under that rock and join us all in 2010.) There are so many choices for social media, but the three most common sites for those looking to network during a job search are Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

If you don’t have a profile/account on these sites, I really recommend you check them out. Click on the respective logos below for some great tips from some folks with much more expertise (Mashable, Forbes, and ICT-Guru) on how to use these sites effectively to make professional contacts.

2. “To Whom It May Concern” is the Kiss of Death

Remember the good ol’ days when you mailed your resume and cover letter in, via snail mail? Ok, to be fair, I don’t even remember that, but I heard it happened. What I do remember is actually getting my current job two years ago by, *gasp*, faxing my cover letter and resume to a complete stranger. Unfortunately, gone are the days when just anyone has a shot. It seems that if you want to even be considered for a job, you must know someone. To get an interview with a company to which you have zero personal connections is nearly unheard of.

So what does this mean? You have to make personal connections with people.  Join a local networking group. Make meaningful contacts online via social media. Do whatever it is you need to do to build your personal and professional network because someday soon you will need them to help you get your foot in the door somewhere.

3. What’s So Special About You?

Ok, back to the economy. We all know it’s in shambles and that unemployment is higher than it’s been in years, but there are jobs out there! The competition is tougher, but they exist. So what are you going to do to stand out of the hundreds, or dare I say thousands, of applicants vying for your dream job? You are unique and offer your very own perspective to whatever position you apply for, so come up with a plan. Not a cheesy gimmick, but something that will make yourself known and illustrate your tremendous value to a future employer: whatever it takes to get noticed as the competent professional you are. Avoid becoming a wallflower in your job search!

I’m not an expert on finding a job, but I am a careful observer of all things job search related because I am in the throes of my very own job hunt. I hope some of these tips help for now, because in another two years, this advice will be moot and we will all be looking for some more sage advice!

Photo Credit

Ashley Campbell is an association professional whose organization supports women in business. She has a healthy obsession with social media for its unyielding ability to create amazing connections and opportunities for people and hopes to someday move from the Midwest to NYC to pursue a career in the non-profit arena. To learn more about Ashley and connect with her, visit her blog, Entry Level Observations, which highlights the unique experiences of Gen Y professionals.  Don’t forget her Twitter & LinkedIn.

Keywords should be an extremely important component of both your online social media profiles as well as your resume.  These keywords can be a difference maker in getting your resume front and center and in front of a recruiter. I had the pleasure of having Jennifer Scott, the President of Hire Effect on my job search webshow every Sunday, at 9:00 PM EST on MomTV.

Jennifer has over 15 years experience working as a recruiter both as a corporate recruiter and third party and human resource professional.  These experiences allow Jennifer some great insight into the world of hiring and talent management.

• Include 20-30 Different Keywords. Use keywords from the job description and job posting in your profile or resume.  These are words that will most likely be used by recruiters to search for on job boards or the company’s applicant tracking system.
• Research. Visit industry white pages, leaders within your field and aggregators like Indeed.com to research common keywords used within your field of choice.
• Acronyms. Jennifer recommends including both the shortened acronym as well as spelling them out.  (e.g. SHRM and Society for Human Resource Management)
• Avoid Text Boxes. ATS and the internet don’t often recognize words or information placed in text boxes on your resume.  If you must use text boxes, I recommend converting your word document to pdf format for easier viewing.
• Don’t Overlook Online Profiles. LinkedIn is the first place recruiters go to to look for qualified candidates.  Make sure to include keywords, skills, and qualifications from your profile on your resume.  The same holds true for your FaceBook and Twitter profiles.  Don’t miss an opportunity to make an impression.

Jennifer has been gracious enough to provide us with a downloadable copy of her Keyword Tips (click on the link to the left). You can visit Jennifer’s website Hire Effect and don’t forget to connect with her on Twitter.

Photo Credit by Rise Interactive.

Last week marked the two-month anniversary of my arrival to Oklahoma.  After being in California six months, missing home and nowhere to use my degree in communication, it seemed best to go back to the 405.

Leaving California with just a pocket full of money, no job, and nowhere to live, I certainly had my work cut out for me.  Prior to coming back to Oklahoma, I spoke to a friend about my job concerns.  She told me her boyfriend was on a website called Linkedin and had success with it.  Having never heard of the site, I dismissed the idea of checking it out.

Putting in applications at retail stores and call centers got old after a few weeks and I finally decided I needed to up my game and start thinking outside the box.  On a whim, I decided to check out LinkedIn to see what my friend was talking about. Being an amateur on the site, I just browsed for a few days and slowly built my professional profile.  I posted a message that I was looking for a networking event to go to in a group called Freedom Networkers.  Frustration was starting to take over and I needed a different way to meet potential employers.

Members of the group emailed me a schedule of events. I attended my first event on a Thursday and before I knew it, I was a networking machine.  During my first week, I attended nine events (four in one day!) and met as many people as possible. I began to tailor my pitch as far as what kind of job I was searching for and really began to build a rapport with the people I was seeing frequently.

Presently, I am working for myself as a Social Network Developer and met my first client while at an Oklahoma networking event.  I also have contacts that refer their clients to me for their social media needs, all because of networking.  They say it’s not what you know; it’s who you know and now I am living proof!

To learn more about guest blogger, Tess Mack, visit her blog and follow her networking travels in Oklahoma and Texas at Life on the O List.  You can also check out Oklahoma networking events at Freedom Networkers.

The job search is all about a little luck in finding that right opportunity. It’s challenging in these current economic times to keep your name at the forefront of a hiring manager and recruiters mind. Creative and out of the box thinking with a few inexpensive ideas can go a long way.

• Marketing Materials Box. Leave a lasting impression by providing colorful and creative marketing materials during your interview. Go the extra mile by placing them in a colorful and tasteful box. Managers will place this box on their desk and constantly be reminded about you and your creativity.
• Thank you notes. These are very important in making a good impression. A great way to do this is to leave a thank you note with the receptionist upon leaving the interview. Take a moment to write a handwritten and custom note.
• Colorful Business Cards. Professional business cards with your personal information are a great way to get your name and contact information in the hands of a hiring manager. I regularly “shop for candidates” during the evening and weekend hours at various events. Have your personalized business card ready. Include your blog, website address, or linkedin profile url to make a lasting impression.
• Props. These are another great way to make a memorable impression in the interview depending on the type of position you are interviewing for. Use great caution when deciding if and when to use these. I recommend tasteful props during the second or final interview especially for a marketing, public relations, or media positions.
• Web or YouTube Video. Depending on the type of company you are interviewing for, a thank you note via a web video is a great way to make a memorable impression. Thank the hiring manager for their time and give your 15 second elevator pitch. I recommend your video be no longer than 60 seconds.

With the increased competitiveness in the job market, job seekers need to take advantage of every opportunity to follow a job lead and make a good first impression. One of the easiest ways to engage recruiters and hiring managers is through the group function of LinkedIn.

• Group Keyword Search. Use the search keyword search function to search for groups geographically and by industry.
• Join Large Groups. Once you conduct a keyword group search, groups are listed by those with most members first. LinkedIn allows basic users to join a total of 50 groups. I recommend taking advantage of this free, networking service and join all available groups.
• Personal Group Settings. LinkedIn allows you to control the number of updates you receive from the group administrator and if you prefer the group logo displayed on your page. Keeping the group logo confidential helps in keeping your job search under wraps.
• Leave comments frequently. Leave interesting comments, tidbits, and other information on a regular and frequent basis that are professional and related to the group you are member of.
• Take advantage of free messaging. Messages between group members are free. You need not be part of their network to contact them directly. Unlike inmails there are no monthly limits. Make sure to reference the group you are both a member of when contacting them directly.
• Create your own Group. Take control of your networking and create your own group allowing you to control the content and members.

LinkedIn groups are another great way to develop your online brand presence in addition to the traditional uses and features of LinkedIn. Keep your name and professional profile fresh in the minds of business managers by utilizing this great LinkedIn feature.

It’s no secret that the job market is flooded with qualified professionals who are eager to work. Earlier today I received an interesting email from a first level LinkedIn contact who is currently in the job search. Receiving an email like this is not unusual given my profession, however, this particular communication caught my attention.

Hello – You are receiving this email because you are on my first level of LinkedIn connections. I am looking for a new career opportunity and I’d like to ask for your help to reach beyond my network to find it. I am offering a reward of $250 to the person that finds me the job I land as an expression of my gratitude for your help. Just refer me to an opening, introduce me to the hiring manager, or get my foot in the door somehow and when I land the job you get the $250 reward.

With the current market, I ask, is $250 really enough? Done correctly, an email like this could really make an impression to someone you network with virtually that you may not have had a personal face to face relationship with. Readers, what are your thoughts? How are you using your social media networks while in the job search? Leave your comments below.

Do a search on this blog and you will see that I am a huge fan of LinkedIn in using the tool as part of your job search, (LinkedIn Experiment. 10/08.). As of recent, LinkedIn has changed some of their policies and procedures possibly limiting the depth of network a LinkedIn member may have when they conduct a member search.

Previously, as a free member of LinkedIn, a person could conduct a member search for a keyword like Accountant and receive a list of those with the word Accountant in their profile but only within your network of connections. Those with a small network suffered since they had less connections resulting in a smaller number of results. And those with a large network, had more results without having to pay for the LinkedIn Gold and Platinum services that range from $50-500 a month. The paid services center around the ability to increase your search capabilities along with the ability to send a designated number of InMails each month outside of your network of contacts.

LION users, also know as Open Networkers build connections within their network of contacts without having any personal or professional relationship with their connections. A member does this to enable the user and those connected to him/her to access their large network without having to pay LinkedIn to use the service. I, myself am an Open Networker and have encouraged my readers to use this tactic to increase their connections and widen their search pool when in the job hunt.

LinkedIn is now limiting the number of connections a user to 30,000 which is roughly 1% of the total number of registered LinkedIn users (Wikipedia estimates LinkedIn users to be over 30 million). I’ll explore more in later postings as further information is available.

Until then, feel free to add me to your network. Please reference blogging4jobs in your invite.

http://www.linkedin.com/in/jmillermerrell

To read more visit: http://www.cio.com

So it’s been roughly two weeks since I began my LinkedIn Experiment. Not really scientific but the point is to prove the power of LinkedIn. I had 317 contacts at the time when this journey first began. My contact now has now grown to 735 at last count, yes 735. My network is now over 9 millon linking me to recruiters, professionals, job seekers, and everyone in between. All for FREE!!

To recap, first I joined a group called Toplinked and used their new contact list to send invites to over 100 people. About 4-5 days later, someone in my network sent me a message recommending I join another open network group called All Invites Accepted. This group sends out a monthly member list using a csv file and this is where my network really took off. In just one day, my contacts grew by over 150. The awesome thing about this group is that they send a new member list monthly allowing for you to continue to grow your network by 150-200 contacts each month. Amazing!

A couple things:

• My blog traffic to this site (Bloggingforjobs) increased as a result of LinkedIn. I’m noticing on average 5-7 more visitors a day who link to my site as a result of LinkedIn.
• Direct messages and requests to be linked have increased to 1-2 per day. Either someone has read my blog, met someone at the place of business where I work, or is interested in reaching out.
• My profile views have increased to 25 per day increasing the probability of someone reaching out to me. And I’ve noticed that my profile views are not limited to one geographic area. Just yesterday, I had someone from Italy view my profile.

As you can see I’m not only increasing my online visibility but developing my personal brand as well. And once again, it was completely free except for about 20 minutes of my time each day to down the member lists and answer any invitation requests or messages. I highly recommend this method for anyone who is looking at increasing their online presence or those in the job hunt.

Check out this great slide show LinkedIn.

Happy Hunting!

Jessica

It’s been a little over 48 hours since my LinkedIn Experiment began. My current contact count is now at 432. My contact count has increased over 100 in just two days. I’ve also had 2 group invites as a result of my experiment. Additionally, yesterday I got a call from a headhunter inquiring as to my interest in entertaining a new position as a result of her finding me from my LinkedIn Account.

On another note, 25 people have viewed my LinkedIn profile in the last three days further increasing my marketability.

I’ll keep you abreast of any interesting changes or updates as a result of my LinkedIn Experiment.

Happy Hunting!

Jessica

So it’s been 24 hours since I first downloaded the contacts and added Toplinked.com to my profile headline as directed by the Toplinked website. As of 8:00 pm, I have 98 contacts more than I did yesterday. I’ve also been invited to two separate LinkedIn groups as well. Groups are great. They increase your exposure and your ability to network with others.

Currently, my contact total is 414. I’ll keep you tomorrow as to how my contact total progresses.

If you have read my blog, you will know that I am a huge fan of LinkedIn! In my opinion, it’s the most powerful networking tool someone can have in their online networking toolkit. To prove my point, I have embarked upon a little experiment.

I have been a member of many LinkedIn groups since joining LinkedIn. One such open networking group is TopLinked. TopLinked has their own website in addition to their LinkedIn group where you can use their group member list to increase your LinkedIn network base. They offer several different options either the free service where you can join the group, promote the group by including them in your headline name, and then upload their top member list and export it to LinkedIn to send invites or you can also purchase a monthly or year membership where you have access to all TopLinked members information for a low monthly fee of $9.95 or $49.95 for a year.

Open networkers accept all LinkedIn invitations even if they do not know the requestor. This increases their network size which allows for better and more in depth searches. Better searches equal greater access to contacts and their contact’s contacts.

So, at 7:00 pm on Tuesday, October 21, 2008, I logged onto TopLinked and downloaded their top member list, exported the file, and sent 134 invitations to other TopLinked open networkers. At that time I had 317 connections. To prove the power of this free service, I plan on providing daily updates on my blog as to the success of this experiment.

Stay tuned. . . More to come.