Tag Archives: Social Networking

Social Media Recruitment With More Than LinkedIn

Posted on 8 November 2011 by Wendy Mason | 1 Comment

Today’s guest post comes to you from Cashier Live who provide point of sale software for small businesses

Social Media Recruitment with More Than Just LinkedIn

There are various avenues through which to recruit employees online, obviously one of the largest being LinkedIn. However, while the long reach and general quality of LinkedIn should not be ignored, there are plenty of other social media outlets to consider. Many job recruiters have produced great results by effectively utilizing other social media, and it is of note that the hungry and eager job market is extremely willing to use alternative ways to seek out jobs. Here are some other social media outlets to consider:

Various Blogs in your Niche

Blogs are typically forgotten as a source of classified job recruiting but more recently, some of the larger blogs have begun to incorporate “job banks” into their website using various third-party software applications. GigaOM, Guy Kawasaki’s blog, and Jeremiah Owyang’s blog have all started to add a career hunting aspect to their websites. Employers now have the opportunity to use existing blogs such as these as recruiting possibilities, or duplicate these models in their own effort to secure employment.

Some recruiters may even use guerilla tactics such as commenting on reputable blogs relevant to the job position in order to market his or her position as an alternative.

Online Video Sites (YouTube)

With online video being so conducive to the younger generation, more and more prospective employees have begun to create “video resumes” and post them on video sharing websites such as YouTube. These resumes provide the employer with a unique perspective into the applicant before even having to interview them! With such a multi-dimensional resume, one can evaluate an applicant’s verbal and interpersonal skills, as well as any other attributes that translate more clearly on video than paper. For job hunters, YouTube provides a clear way to stand out from the pack, whereas if they can aptly demonstrate their abilities on video, they can leverage a significant advantage from the “video interview.” Not only does this help to expedite the hiring process, but it can also make it less costly.

Smartphone Job Apps

According to a recent survey by LinkUp, 20% of job hunters are using their smartphones to look for jobs. With such a significant portion of the employee market eating up cell phone minutes, it makes sense to take advantage of the app friendly community. Smartphone apps such as JobCompass, Careerbuilder, BusyBee, and Monster provide recruiters with a platform on which to advertise customized jobs to the users who are searching the app. In addition, the apps permit recruiters to utilize the RSS or notification features that the phone is capable of. Using these apps, recruiters can have more control and selection over who they choose to interview or hire.

Twitter

One of the key features of Twitter is that it enables users to reach people that they do not know using a combination of keywords and common interests. Job recruiters can actually target Twitter users to advertise to based on the things that they do or say on their Twitter account. In this way, job recruiters are likely to have a wealth of prospective users to target. Twellow, a third-party Twitter tool searches user biographies and URL’s within the bio. By finding matching job hunters, recruiters can then send 140 character messages to the users. Then, through a series of responses to the posting, it can take on a snowball effect as more and more users who “follow” each other are exposed to the job posting. In this way, Twitter messages can become truly viral.

On the other end, Twitter is extremely useful to the job seeker. Numerous job search engines and classified services are available through the social networking giant and can perform comprehensive job searches. For instance, TwitterJobSearch.com allows you to search Twitter messages for job postings simply by using keywords. By utilizing the wealth of tools available on Twitter, recruiters and job seekers alike can greatly improve their chances of finding new opportunities.

At the end of the day, it is beneficial to recognize that there are more types of social media with which to recruit through. With just a little extra creativity, job recruiters can reach an enormous amount of prospects through several easily accessible avenues.

About Cashier Live

Cashier Live provides pos systems for small businesses, from antique to grocery POS software. Whether you’re looking to have an easier checkout, analyze checkout data, or find new hardware pieces, Cashier Live is a solution for all your POS software and hardware needs.

Twitter 101 for Job Seekers (biojobblog.com)
Are You Afraid to Use Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube) in Your Job Search? Just Stop It! (carolhbates.com)
Be social: Recruiting using social media (marketing.yell.com)

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Posted in Networking

Tagged Cashier Live, find a job, Guy Kawasaki, Job Search, JobCompass, LinkedIn, Point of sale, recruitment, Social Media, Social Networking, Twitter, YouTube

Social Media Recruitment With More Than LinkedIn

Posted on 8 November 2011 by Wendy Mason | Leave a comment

Today’s guest post comes to you from Cashier Live who provide point of sale software for small businesses

Social Media Recruitment with More Than Just LinkedIn

Various Blogs in your Niche

Some recruiters may even use guerilla tactics such as commenting on reputable blogs relevant to the job position in order to market his or her position as an alternative.

Online Video Sites (YouTube)

Smartphone Job Apps

Twitter

About Cashier Live

Twitter 101 for Job Seekers (biojobblog.com)
Are You Afraid to Use Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube) in Your Job Search? Just Stop It! (carolhbates.com)
Be social: Recruiting using social media (marketing.yell.com)

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Networking

Tagged Cashier Live, find a job, Guy Kawasaki, Job Search, JobCompass, LinkedIn, Point of sale, recruitment, Social Media, Social Networking, Twitter, YouTube

Danger – Spontaneity Ahead! Why You Need a Communications Strategy for Social Media.

Posted on 30 March 2011 by Wendy Mason | 2 Comments

Image representing LinkedIn as depicted in Cru...

We live in a complex but highly networked world!

Never before have so many people had the ability to communicate cheaply with each other, and the rest of the world, at length!

You can broadcast and you can have conversations through networking sites like Facebook, Twitter etc and through messaging services!
You can publish and broadcast if you choose through blogs, and through sites like YouTube.
You can produce your own radio programmes and even become a DJ through music sites like Blip.fm sitting at home and on the move!
Increasingly LinkedIn is a key tool in professional networking and recruitment.

A little while ago this digital world belonged to techies and school kids. Now it can belong to all of us.

Increasingly, it will play a role in both career and business survival. A little while ago all you needed to know was how to surf the net to find and download information. Now you need to know how to put it back up there so that you can control and develop your personal brand.

Messages flow fast! Once you have sent them, they continue to exist on the web for a very long time. So to be purely spontaneous is to take a risk. If you are in business or hoping to develop your career, you need a strategy for your communications.

Before you start here are a few tips.

1. Integrate online and offline.

Your communication’s strategy needs to cover both your offline and online activities!

If you meet up with contacts you have made on the web, will they know who you are? No, I’m not talking about having a photo that bears some relationship to how you look today. (Although, it makes sense to choose a flattering photo that does you justice, have a care if you want to avoid embarrassment)

What I’m talking about is authenticity and integrity. Don’t express views on line that you don’t really hold, or that you wouldn’t be prepared to express in public, to your boss, your work mates, your neighbours and, of course, your customers! You’d be surprised what people remember and what people find on the web!

2. Start with a plan!

Before you jump in, make sure you have a plan! Think about who you are trying to influence. Who has an interest in you, your business or your career and what you do?

List them and then decide how important they are and how much influence they have over your future! What heading will you put them under? For example;

government
your sector
customers and potential customers
shareholders
potential business partners
board/top management
suppliers and potential new suppliers,
managers,
staff,
trade unions
wider sector interests,
personal contacts
family,
your community
interest groups

You can take it as far as you wish!

Who has the priority? You can score them out of five under each heading!

Those with the highest score are the people to concentrate on.

For social media you are usually looking at communities – what communities are you going to engage in?

Now how will you engage and what will that engagement look like?

What is the message and where are you going to communicate it – blogs, social network sites, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook etc.?

How much time have you got and how many resources do you have available? Do you have resources available to take professional advice?

3. Engage in Conversations.

Remember although organisations use social media to broadcast, that isn’t how they are best used.

When you use social media, it’s important to engage in conversations and get to know people just like in the offline world.

Don’t just get in there and start pitching – it will just put people off! And on social media sites people get put off pretty quickly. You’d be surprised how quickly they can switch you off!

Don’t be anxious to promote yourself or your business at first! You have to give, to get. Add value and expertise and win respect in your conversations. You need to win the right to pitch!

The courtesies are just as important as they are in the off line world! Say please and thank you and acknowledge when someone has bothered to spend time with you or done you a favour!

If you are polite and engage in real conversations, relationships will begin to form. You will see opportunities open up to talk about you and what you want to offer!

4. Monitor your “Brand”

Use tools like Google Alerts, and Yahoo Alerts to monitor what’s being said about you, your organisation, others in your sector and the market you are targeting.

Knowing what is being said about you and/or your brand can make you aware of your impact. Knowing what’s being said about your sector, your competitors and your market can also make you more competitive.

I use Google Alerts as well to find out about the latest developments in my professional discipline.

But simply putting your name and the name of your organisation into a search engine regularly will tell you a lot about your web presence!

5. Focus and Ignore the Noise

There are so many conversations taking place and so much interesting content that it is easy to be distracted.

I have to work very hard each morning to switch off from Twitter to concentrate on my in-tray! This is where your plan comes in! Remind yourself what you are trying to say and the communities you want to address.

Stick to the plan!

But review it at regular intervals as you get to understand more about social media. You can streamline your plan to better target individuals and the communities that you need to be a part of, as you gain experience and knowledge.

Streamlining saves time – as I’ve hinted above, social media is so enjoyable that it can be the greatest time waster in the world!

Above all remember: “If content is king, then conversation is queen.” – John Munsell, CEO of Bizzuka.

I would love to hear about your own experience of social media and if you need any help please get in touch!

A shorter version of this post was posted here in June 2009. I’ve revised and expanded it based on my own experience of social media.

Why Use LinkedIn? (brighthub.com)
5 tips to build your personal brand with social media (xpressartuk.wordpress.com)

Wendy Mason works as a consultant, business coach and blogger. Adept at problem solving, she is a great person to bring in when that one thing you thought was straightforward turns out not to be! If you have a problem talk to Wendy – she can help you – email her at wendymason@wisewolfconsulting.com or ring ++44(0)7867681439

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Posted in Branding, Social Media

Tagged Bizzuka, Conversation, Facebook, Google Alert, LinkedIn, MySpace, networking, Personal Branding, Social Media, social network marketing, Social Networking, Twitter, Yahoo Alerts, YouTube

Don’t tell me you love me if you are not prepared to look me in the eye – getting your message across!

Posted on 2 March 2011 by Wendy Mason | Leave a comment

A recent post talked about wearing masks! I suppose in some ways this touches on the same subject – authenticity! Are you authentic in your conversations with others? Do you show you like them? It does help in getting the message across! But maybe not quite as much as we have been led to believe!

Are you like me? Have you spent many happy hours at seminars and training courses where the 3V (Verbal, Vocal, Visual) rule was quoted and you were told that words count for 10% or less of any face to face conversation! Well, guess what, that isn’t always true! It isn’t even what the 3V rule actually says!

The rule is based on the work of Professor Albert Mehrabian who carried out two studies in the 1960s. Those studies were about feelings and communicating emotion.

He found that our liking for the person who was communicating their feelings to us consisted of 7% Verbal Liking + 36% Vocal Liking + 55% Facial (Visual) Liking.

If you want someone to like you then make sure your words are consistent with your tone, your eye contact and your body language!

7% Verbal, 36% Vocal and 55% Visual was such a simple concept and so easy to articulate that it drifted into communications theology and became received wisdom!

In reality other studies have been quite inconsistent! And the balance between the 3Vs varies in context. For example, it is fairly obvious that if you are giving a lecture on a technical subject your words, and the precise way you use them, becomes rather more important than whether you smile.

But smiling does help!

All communication is a two-way process and people are more likely to listen to you if they like you!

So if you want to get your message across you can’t ignore Professor Mehrabian’s work on conveying genuine emotion and his 3Vs.

In one to one encounters, show genuine interest in the other person and listen closely to what they say. Smile, be warm and enthusiastic – show you care about your subject, nothing is more attractive! But don’t overwhelm them and don’t fake it!

Find something to like in your audience! If you find out enough about them, you’ll find something to like.

Professor Mehrabian’s findings may not be what we first thought they were, but they are still enormously valuable.

You can find his website at this link and I would very pleased to hear your own experiences. What works for you when you are trying to get the message across?

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Posted in Communication

Tagged 3Vs Rule, advice, Albert Mehrabian, change, communication, Job Skills, Management, Professor Mehrabian, Social Networking, verbal, visual, vocal

What is it with Networking? How should I make those vital connections?

Posted on 7 February 2011 by Wendy Mason | 7 Comments

How many times have you heard the expression ‘It’s not what you know but who you know that counts!”? Or perhaps you have heard references to the ‘Old Boy’s network’! Such a network is often blamed for an apparent high proportion of former pupils of public schools (usually male) in high status positions in government, business, and the professions. Networking has a long and somewhat chequered history.

I suppose for many of us in business, we can look back to the trade guilds for our inspiration and, of course, most of us have our professional and trade associations. Networking has clearly stood the test of time!

At the moment there are a number of well publicised business networking organizations that create models of networking activity that allow the people to build new business relationships. They are supposed to generate business opportunities at the same time. So why, oh why, do I feel so uncomfortable when attending what are advertised as networking events. I’ve thought about the issues and what would work for me and here are the rules I’m going to set myself in the future.

Values – I will be true to myself and not behave at networking events differently to how I behave in the rest of my life. I will be my usual pleasant self but I will not become an over- ebullient superwoman with a constant and somewhat inane smile on my face! I will value the people I meet and listen to them, rather than simply seeking an opportunity to promote myself!
Volume - I will attend fewer events that are focussed in my areas of interest. I will work hard to contribute to them instead of ‘doing the rounds’ like a coach tripper ‘doing’ Europe in ten days – ‘Oh dear is it Venice today or did they say Vienna?’
First View - Most people know by now that first impressions are very hard to undo! I will show up looking as good as I can. I usually turn up for work and social events that way anyway, so nothing too challenging there then. Oh yes, in future, I will trot to the washroom when I arrive to check that the hair is still in place and that I don’t have froth, from the coffee I grabbed on the journey, still on my bottom lip!
4. Verify/Research – I will do my best to research the event and who is likely to attend! If I know who is going I can work out who I would like to meet. This will save my feet and other people’s time! Meeting one or two like minded people is likely to be far more use than exchanging business cards like confetti and never following up – see below!
Vision not version – I will share who I am and, if it is appropriate, my vision for the future and what I want to deliver. I will not simply roll out a version of an advert for my services. If I think I can add value, then I will say so!
Vital – I will follow up! There is no point in spending time at networking events if you don’t actually follow up. An entry in your contacts database is of limited use! You need to reinforce your first meeting with something more substantial as a follow up. Send the contact details you mentioned! Find that book you referred to on Amazon and send the link. If nothing else, send a thank-you note for their time and the interesting conversation. Otherwise you are in danger of just becoming another name in what is probably a very long list!

So I am going to make a fresh start! I shall be out there following valiantly my list above. I hope I meet you on my travels in where was it? Vienna, Venice, Oh Dear!