How Authentic Is Your Employee Value Proposition (EVP)?

Marketing has become an integral part of talent strategy. The use of messages and branding to foster engagement, attract candidates and retain employees have resulted in some organizations thoughtfully and others inadvertently, developing Employee Value Propositions (EVP’s). EVP’s are messages that articulate what an employee can expect when they work for the company. The promises. Most of the messages, in one way or another, tend to emphasize employee development and career progression (like the image above). Branding supplements the message by offering  visual images of what an employee can experience when they’re in the organization.

The ability to deliver against EVP’s can have a tangible impact on both talent sourcing and retention. Talent functions must realize the authenticity of an EVP will be compared to real employee experiences through social media channels. Research has shown there is a direct correlation between employee reviews on social media and job application follow through. In a recent US study of more than 4,600 job seekers; almost 50% of them used social sites like Glassdoor to research the company as part of their job search strategy¹. Employee reviews have greater influence on which companies candidates will choose that more closely aligns with their values. In the example below the EVP advertised career progression, but the employee review exposed this as a misrepresentation. Candidates who value career advancement may choose not to apply to that company based on the review.

EVP is important to retain your current talent bench. Consider the following true story and how it reflects on the genuineness of the EVP.

A friend of mine choose to work at a company that articulated messages of career progression and development in the job description, website, branding and interview processes. As an employee, she worked hard to build great relationships and develop her skill set. Messages about commitment to career development and progression were continuously communicated in town halls, intranet sites, emails and corporate communications. After a few years she felt ready to move to the next level within her career tract. With consistently great performance reviews, she anticipated an easy conversation with her Manager on formulating a plan. She raised the subject about career advancement. Her boss listened to her and after a brief pause said; “You’ll need some of these first (pointing to her grey hair) if you want to move up.” In one short sentence the conversation had ended. The employee had taken her Manager’s comments as a clear message that seniority was equal to age. She knew she would not be advancing anytime soon.

Completely disengaged, within three months she resigned and went to a direct competitor.

Of course not every employee is pegged for progression. However, this story is reflective of a top performer who believed the company was committed to advancement, irrespective of age. The revelation that the EVP was false (from her perspective) resulted in her becoming disconnected, disengaged and demotivated. No surprise, she does not endorse this company as a great place to work to her network or family. This is a tangible example that the smaller the gap between your EVP promise and delivery; the higher your retention rate can be.

Now that we’ve seen authenticity matters, what can your organization do to create a genuine EVP’s?

• Solicit feedback/crowdsource regularly to understand what works and what can be improved – Don’t rely on annual engagement surveys to assess how people feel. Solicit genuine feedback regularly through different mediums. Highlight what is working and document what could be improved.

•  Action feedback to address gaps – I can’t stress this enough. Feedback is abundant on ways to improve. Yet so often nothing is done to actually address it. Demonstrate you are listening to your employees by actioning feedback. If you don’t it will be seen as disingenuous.

• Update your EVP with endorsed content – Your EVP is only genuine if your employees endorse it. Update it with validated content so it is authentic.
  

• Revisit your EVP every 3-5 years to align it to your strategy – The workforce is changing. Your strategy changes. Your EVP should be reflective of your strategy.

•  Use employees to promote genuine EVP messages through social media channels – Many companies are afraid of employee reviews on social media sites. They tend to want to “shut it down” or ignore it, hoping it will go away. Instead embrace social media sites and build it into your strategy. Provide alternative, genuine experiences on sites like Glassdoor and Indeed to help job seekers make an informed decision about your company.

There are lots of opportunities to build genuine EVP’s. I hope these few ideas will help you to start thinking about ways to develop authentic messages!

I would love to hear from you. Feel free to contact me @annzalie.barrett or LinkedIn.

 

[1] http://recruitingdaily.com/glassdoor-reviews/

What Will Be the Title of Your 2014 Chapter?

First, I want to start off by wishing all of you a very happy, safe, healthy and prosperous New Year. As the New Year begins, it provides a sense of optimism, opportunity and possibilities. I like to think of it as ending the chapter of the previous year and starting a new chapter charting your course for the year ahead.  So what will the  title of your 2014 chapter be? For some the chapter may contain goals for a new job, home, travel, more money, etc. The title of your chapter can guide you on creating a plan to help you achieve those goals. It can serve as an anchor to remind you what you set out for the year.

If your 2014 chapter has aspirations for a promotion or career change (and of course more money), consider exploring development opportunities that may be available to you through your company’s eLearning tool or education/training programs. Social networking tools such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Google+ also have free groups you can join to participate in conversations, projects, webinars, events and industry discussions. Upgrading your skills in an evolving market is always a good idea.

It demonstrates your willingness to learn new things and keep relevant. Take a few moments to think about what new skills or training you would like to acquire and how that may help you align with your holistic career plan.

Maybe you’re quite happy win your job but would like to get a better sense of what’s happening within your company or out there (in your industry). The start of the new year should also be the start of new relationships. Take some time to build networks both within and outside your organization. I am a firm believer that different perspectives can help you make a more informed decision about what’s happening both beside you and around you. How about making a goal to network with six people this year? That’s one every two months.  Perhaps three people internally and three people externally. Maybe they’re acquaintances that you casually interact with that you would like to get to know better. Build you networks through LinkedIn, Twitter and/or Google+. Pick a few people and reach out to them. If  you can’t meet in person, set up a virtual coffee. Building and cultivating your network can be an important step in helping you make connections to realize your end goals.

Regardless of your end goals. as I wrote in my last blog post How to Articulate Your Accomplishments for Your Performance Review, make a point of updating your online profiles to include accomplishments, skills and projects you completed. Having an updated profile helps build your brand and showcase your updated skills.

Finally, and most importantly, incorporate your personal goals and objectives into your 2014 chapter. The way we feel is the foundation of

how we project ourselves to our family, friends and work colleagues. Feeling positive about you should be your number one priority. Maybe it’s time to take up a new hobby or start an exercise routine. Having balance helps put you into the right frame of mind to focus and achieve your goals.

As for me…the title of my 2014 chapter will be an expansion of my 2013 continuous improvement philosophy, simply: “Expanding My Perspectives Through learning”.That will include both professional and personal goals.

I look forward to hearing what titles you come up with for this year. I wish you every success in achieving your goals. Tweet me @annzaliebarrett !

How To Articulate Your Accomplishments for Your Performance Review

It’s hard to believe we’re nearing the end of the year. For me, it seems like just yesterday it was the end of summer and fall was in the air. Reality check; it’s December and that typically means annual performance review time.

For most of us, this time of year can be stressful as we try to document our performance by reflecting back on our contributions and accomplishments. In larger organizations it doesn’t just stop at individual performance assessments. Calibration sessions are held to compare you against others across departments to justify ratings. So it’s important to take time to clearly and succinctly illustrate how you delivered against your goals. One of the most important questions you, as an employee, need to be able to answer during your performance review is…Why should you get the rating you are asking for? If you are self-managed, a Telecommuter,  or didn’t have an “active” Manager work with you through the year, it’s even more important to use examples to build your case. Managers don’t always have insight into your accomplishments or remember feedback from others. It’s up to you to weave them into your performance assessment in a meaningful and appropriate way.

Here are a few suggestions to help you document your annual accomplishments and deliverables to position the rating you want:

1. Build a habit of documenting your accomplishments throughout the year: As an employee it’s a good practice to keep track of the work and successes you’ve had throughout the year. If you wait until mid-year or year end to try and recall your deliverables you may forget important accomplishments. Here are few things you can do track throughout the year:
   1. Use Email Folders: If you get feedback via email take moment to create a performance folder in your email system. That way you can file your feedback through the year and pull it out to refresh your memory when you’re ready to start writing your assessment.
   2. Use your Performance system: If you have an ERP/performance system, book a 15 minute meeting in your calendar each month to update accomplishments against your goals. You can then pare down your contributions during your mid-year and annual review.

    

2. Use specific examples to articulate how your work mapped back to your goals: Goals are formulated according to 

S.M.A.R.T (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timely) principles. As such they are typically broad. Use specific examples of your deliverables (specific results) as evidence on how you met and/or exceeded your goals. Let’s look at an example:

Goal: Expand Managers knowledge of social media sourcing options

Documenting deliverable option 1: Through conversations with Managers I spoke with them about social media to help educate them on sourcing effectiveness. Many of the Managers I work with now use social media as a sourcing option for their vacancies.

Documenting deliverable option 2: During my intake conversations with Managers I took some time to speak to them about using social media as a viable sourcing option. I used a variety of approaches to help show them why social media was an important avenue to source. An example of how I achieved this was working with Manager X for the RequisitionTitle.

Manager X had traditionally used job boards and staffing agencies to attract candidates for their role. Through my partnership and advice I worked with Manager X to position how we could use social media as a sourcing option for their role. During my intake conversation I worked with Manager X to get a thorough understanding of the requirements of the candidate profile. Once we had agreement, I showed them how I could generate a list of potential candidates within minutes through a LinkedIn search based on those criteria. I showed Manager X how the targeted search brought back relevant, qualified individuals rather than waiting and relying on applicants which we would later have to screen into the candidate pool. I also supplemented this approach by sharing our job aides with Manager X on how they could use their LinkedIn, Facebook and/or Twitter accounts to cross share their job to their network. I also suggested ways they could identify people within their network as viable candidates we may want to contact.

As a result of our social media approach we ended up hiring a candidate from LinkedIn. At the end of the process I asked Manager X about their experience using social media as a viable sourcing channel. They were pleasantly surprised by the results and were appreciative to learn about newer ways to find ideal candidates. Manager X is now a convert, and will use social media as viable sourcing channels for upcoming vacancies. This was also reflected in the survey feedback I received from Manager X. Manager X also sent an email (see attachment) expressing their thanks for my guidance and time in utilizing new and innovative approaches to sourcing.

So, in two examples above, the first option speaks to how the goal was met. However it doesn’t provide any specific examples on how it was met. This makes your assessment subjective. The second option provides a more detailed approach to articulating how the deliverable was met. By outlining how you approached the situation, showing the before and after, then backing it up with some  metrics/feedback, it makes your assessment objective. The last sentence also wove in the email feedback relevant to the example provided.

3.      Demonstrate how you’ve taken feedback to improve: Always make a point of regularly asking your Manager for feedback. There two reasons for this. First, if there are areas for improvement you want an opportunity to have time to address it. Secondly, if there aren’t any areas for improvement it should serve as confirmation you are carrying out your goals and deliverables well. There shouldn’t be any surprises at year-end. In your annual assessment use some specific examples to show how you’ve incorporated constructive feedback and/or coaching to improve. Not only does it show a positive attitude, it also shows your wi

4.      Showcase your star performance through your summary:  You are your best PR 

person. You have to do a good job of  selling your own performance. Managers rely on this as they need good examples to take into calibration sessions. Each year should be seen as a journey of your learning, development and accomplishments. Use the summary section of your performance assessment as a reflection of  one key item against each of these buckets during the past year. Remember use specific exampl

I hope these few tips will help you build the confidence to document your deliverables, accomplishments and fantastic feedback in an appropriate way that is easy for both you and your Manager to use in your performance review. 

I wish you good luck and all the very best for the New Year ahead!

By Ann Barrett; Director, eRecruitment & Social Media Strategy

Has Your Company Embraced Crowdsourcing to Improve Your Employee Value Proposition?

Crowdsourcing is one of the hottest conversation topics on the web. I predict it will be the most “buzzed word” of 2013. Companies are starting to pay attention to crowdsourcing as viable, cost effective ways to develop new product lines, new technologies, solve problems and improve service. Crowdsourcing is also important to HR as it can provide a wealth of knowledge in understanding employee experiences with a company’s employee

value proposition (EVP) and employment brand.

So, what exactly is crowdsourcing? The term crowdsourcing is a mix of the word “crowd” and “sourcing” first coined by Jeff Howe in a 2008 Wired magazine article “The Rise of Crowdsourcing”[1]. In essence it’s an online database where people can contribute content (written, video, pictures) by posting it in a public forum which can be viewed and shared by others. Availability on the internet makes it easier to search and find information. Integration with social media sites such as Facebook means reviews can be cross-shared to friends. Apps let you search and review on the go through mobile platforms.

To demonstrate the power and value of crowdsourcing to the business and HR, I thought I would do a cross comparison from two strategic crowdsourcing sites; TripAdvisor and Glassdoor.

 

I am an avid and loyal TripAdvisor member. Over the years I have become dependent on TripAdvisor to help me make informed decisions on what hotels to stay at when I travel. I find the reviews invaluable and will not make a decision without consulting TripAdvisor first. I also pay it forward by writing my own reviews, thus sharing my experience with others.

I was first introduced to Glassdoor through Facebook. I got a few invitations from friends in my network requesting I join.  At first glace I didn’t understand its value. However once I saw there were anonymous reviews providing real insight into the culture, work, management and environment of an organization, i was hooked.

Sites like TripAdvisor and Glassdoor are powerful because of their reach. As the stats below reveal, the traffic, membership and visibility on these sites is enormous  More importantly…they are still growing.

	TripAdvisor (Business)	Glassdoor (HR)
Reach	World’s largest travel site[2] 50M visitors per month 20M business visitors per month 1.5 Reviews posted every second	21M registered users[3] 260K companies globally 5 company reviews A new member joins every 7 seconds
Every company has a vested interest in promoting how great they are. They want to you buy their product and/or attract top talent. Crowdsourced reviews are powerful because they are authentic. They are reflective of genuine experiences from a variety of people who have interacted with the company. 90% of consumers trust peer recommendations compared to only 14% from advertisements[4]. This has put pressure on companies to become more authentic in their brand promise and employment value proposition.
	TripAdvisor (Business)	Glassdoor (HR)
Authentic	Reviewers have actually stayed at the hotel. They have no vested interest in portraying the hotel as good or bad.	Reviewers are either current employees or former employees. Reviewers write reviews based on their employment experience. Anonymity allows for more genuine feedback without fear of reprisal.
Crowdsourced reviews are powerful because they are transparent about the brand promise. They help to answer the question, Is the company/employer genuinely delivering what the promise?
	TripAdvisor (Business)	Glassdoor (HR)
Transparent	Pictures and videos of hotel rooms, bathrooms, restaurants, etc. from reviewers provide real examples of what is delivered versus what is being advertised. Potential travellers have more realistic expectations about the product they will receive.	Viewers have more realistic expectations about day to day operations, work environment and management styles. Employees rate the employee value proposition (career progression, growth, development, compensation, benefits, etc.) against what they experienced. This helps set expectations for future prospects.
It’s my opinion that companies should be grateful for crowdsourcing through sites like TripAdvisor and Glassdoor. Think about it. Customers and employees at no cost; are providing companies with feedback on what they’re doing well and what they can improve on. Actionable Feedback. It’s a goldmine of rich data.
	TripAdvisor (Business)	Glassdoor (HR)
Actionable Feedback	Reviewers provide suggestions for improve. Reviewers provide feedback on what’s working. Companies that are focused on continuous improvements can create action plans to fix shortcoming. Positive feedback can be woven into marketing and advertising to highlight positive attributes, making the brand promise more credible.	Reviewers provide suggestions to Management on areas they can improve. Reviewers provide feedback on things that are working well. Employers can cross reference engagement results with reviews. Retention strategies can be created based on feedback. Positive feedback can be woven into employment branding and the employee value proposition messaging, making them more credible.
If you reviewed two hotels at the same price point and one had predominantly negative reviews and the other had predominantly positive reviews; which one would you choose? Crowdsourced reviews are powerful because they influence people’s opinion and ultimately impact their decision. That has a bottom line impact.
	TripAdvisor (Business)	Glassdoor (HR)
Reviews Impact Decisions	Positive reviews may yield more sales. Negative reviews may result in a loss of a sale opportunity. Companies can assess referral ratings based on reviews.	Positive reviews may attract better talent to your organization. Negative reviews may turn off top talent. Employers can assess referral ratings based on reviews.

Companies cannot ignore crowdsourcing’s impact on the bottom line any longer. Smart companies will acknowledge suggestions and make improvements to demonstrate they are listening. This willingness to change also builds credibility as reviews validate changes.

HR Departments should be conscious that employee opinions not only have a direct impact on talent sourcing strategies, but may also carry over to net promoter scores (NPS), product sales and customer retention. Dissatisfied employees may not buy or recommend company products to a friend. That impacts the bottom line.

 

 

 

 

 

By Ann Barrett, Director eRecruitment & Social Media Strategy

---

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crowdsourcing

[2] http://www.slideshare.net/eTourismAfrica/trip-advisor-2012

[3] http://www.geekwire.com/2012/glassdoor-raises-20-million-tops-14-million-registered-users/

[4] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOUZ8EddCTE

Is Technology an Enabler or a Driver?

When I first started in the field of eRecruitment the use of technology to automate forms and processes was still relatively new. If you’re thinking that was back in the 80’s or 90’s you would still be in the wrong decade. As late as the early 2000’s many companies were only using technology to enable job applications, on-line form completion and on-line pay statement reviews. Technology was regarded as an enabler to complete and facilitate processes, drive efficiency and reduce costs and administration. Organizations drove articulating specifications on how technology could enable process automation.

It’s September 2013. As I write this blog post I am in Tokyo, Japan; one of the most technologically connected and forward thinking countries

in the world. My older iPad feels like a clunky machine compared to the smaller, thinner more sophisticated  smart phones, tablets and cameras they are using. Everything here is done by technology, from animation to toilets. As I look at people on the train engrossed in their smart phones playing games, texting social networking, taking pictures, etc. it occurs to me technology has evolved to become a driver changing the way people interact and use it. You may say isn’t technology still acting as an enabler, allowing us to execute processes such as texting and gaming? My rebuttal would be, technology has become a  driver because we are adapting to it.

My example is a simple, yet powerful one that shows how technology influenced us to adapt to it.  It’s called apps. When Apple launched the iPhone back in 2007, the concept of using third-party applications (apps) to present subsequent social networking programs and shop (iTunes) was a new and innovative concept. I would categorize it as a driver because most consumers didn’t even know they wanted it until it became available. Once people started using it, adapting to the new presentation and functionality, the demand was almost insatiable. Every company wanted to develop their own app to reach consumers to drive business. Today every mobile vendor offers apps as a standard operating feature of their phones and/or tablets. Consumers have been driven to use apps which has actually changed the way we interact with technology.

Technology is driving change. Organizations need to re-think about how they can realize its value in the marketplace. Resistance to its adoption has clear downstream bottom line impacts. Take consumers opinion on the recent bid to acquire Blackberry by Fairfax Financial. Public opinion revealed many perceived Blackberry was too slow to adopt new features onto their mobile platform which other companies such as Samsung capitalized on. The result was decreased consumer consumption and market share.

How does this impact recruitment?

Organizations also need to recognize the significance technology is playing in the attraction and retention of talent.

For example, we know that the usage of mobile devices will continue to grow as the primary way people access the internet and information. We  can infer the absence of a mobile strategy will exclude larger percentages of the population interacting with your brand. As social networking tools become a more dominant way to learn about employers, interact with them and read reviews on what others say about them, recruitment and talent functions will need to embrace these tools as a relevant and meaningful ways to engage and communicate.

If your organization isn’t doing it, your competitor will.

The Evolution of Human Capital Metrics

Last week I was privileged enough to moderate a roundtable of HR professionals at the first Indeed.com international conference. Our topic of conversation centered on big data, HR Metrics and ROI. The participants represented a variety of industries including insurance, banking, retail, IT and professional services.

The group talked about how talent strategy and recruitment has been shifting over the last couple of years due to technology innovation, mobile, social media and Millenials entering the workforce. With so much activity happening electronically the amount of data available to be captured, deciphered and analyzed can be astounding, not to mention overwhelming. Some of the participants said they had a hard time figuring out where to start. As the roundtable continued we also talked about the shift from relying on RMS data to using data warehouses and/or HRMS’ which integrate data from a variety of different sources. The focus on using big data to help articulate ROI in the form of human capital metrics was still an area all our companies continue to work through. As I reflect on our conversations I realized that human capital metrics also needs to evolve to include new skills such as engagement and collaboration to reflect the modern workforce.

Let’s start with collaboration. Not a new skill, but usually used to assess project management and IT related roles. Newer generations such as Millennials rely on collaboration and crowd sourcing techniques to complete work and build relationships. As reliance on virtual interaction and engagement play a greater role in attraction and retention, collaboration is fast becoming an essential skill for all jobs across organizations, especially leadership and management roles. Let’s look at two human capital metrics that can evolve to give credit to this skill.

• Quality of hire– measures the calibre of external new talent determined by early performance indicators with the organization.  Collaboration is gaining more industry acceptance as criteria for performance. In a recent blog post the CEB updated their definition of quality of hire to incorporate collaboration. The new definition now reads; a new hire’s current and likely future effectiveness at completing his or her individual tasks, and contributing to others’ performance and using others’ contributions to improve his or her own performance[1]. The updated definition pays homage to collaboration as an important contributor to both individual and organizational performance.

• Ready Now Candidates– Measures the number of potential successors that can be developed for managerial and leadership positions[2].  With an almost even distribution of Baby Boomers, Gen X’ers and Millennials in the workforce, engagement and collaboration are two important skills that people managers need to bring to the table in the modern workplace. Organizations should build in measures to gage how effective Managers are at collaborating below, across and above their positions. This can be done as part of an employee, manager and peer review. Managers with higher rating on collaboration can not only manoeuver within the organization, but may have a higher effectiveness in leading and managing teams.

 Engagement is a current measure in the human capital vernacular. Most organizations typically send out their engagement survey once a year to gauge how connected employees are. The outcome should be to develop an action plan to address areas where engagement is low. Through blogs, social networking channels and crowd sourcing websites (e.g. Indeed, LinkedIn groups, Glassdoor, etc.) digital dialogue, or what I call engagement; is also becoming a more relevant indicator of employee retention, performance and the employee value proposition.  

 Consider that from a talent sourcing perspective, more candidates want to have a relationship with a potential employer before they make a decision on whether that employer is a good fit for them. I equate it to dating; you have to go on a few dates before you know if you’re ready to make a commitment. Let’s take a look at how two human capital metrics can evolve to include social engagement.

• Employee Engagement Index– Measures employees’ engagement in their work. Turnover may occur if employees feel disconnected between the organization’s employment offer and their own needs. Employees on-going interactions and communications will continue to shape their opinion of the organization influencing retention and commitment[3].  Organizations are challenged to find new and different ways to continuously engage with their employees to learn about, assess and identify areas for improvement. Social platform and collaboration tools for feedback and ideas with interaction can have a positive influence on the employee’s perception of the organization, impacting both commitment and retention. Organizations that only rely on annual surveys and/or do not engage in dialogue with employees risk employees, using other public avenues to share information and voice opinions about the company.

• Employee Net Promoter Score– Measures the difference between the number of employees who are “promoters” (recommend organization as an employer) and number of employees who are “detractors” (would not recommend the organization as an employer)[4].   Through crowdsourcing and social networking there is a broader forum for both detractors and promoters to make their opinions viral. Through outlets like Glassdoor and ratemyemployer.com, anonymous reviews can provide rich insight into an organizations work culture to potential job seekers. Organizations should be using technology to regularly engage employees earlier in the employee life cycle to pulse check their perceptions.

Talent sourcing has typically been the topic of attention on how social media and technology are influencing recruitment approaches. It has higher visibility because it’s a front line operational function that can measure results. Talent management also needs to embrace changes and recognize that newer generations bring different skills to the table. Using static measures that don’t incorporate or recognize these new skills can impact performance management, succession planning and retention. Employees will continue to assess their employment offer promise and evaluate how closely it aligns with reality.

By taking collaboration and engagement into consideration, how would it impact the way you view your talent pools?

By Ann Barrett, Director eRecruitment & Social Media Strategy

---

[1] CEB Corporate Leadership Council, “The Metrics Standard” (2013):

[2] Ibid

[3] Ibid

[4] ibid

Is Resistance to Social Media @ Work Futile?

SEO Manager, Community Manager, Mobile App. Developer, Virtual Lead Generator and Recruitment Optimization Specialist. Most of these jobs were unheard of ten years ago. The high rates of user adoption on social media platforms have created new jobs to support technological development and new ways of working. Traditional jobs have also evolved as social tools permeate into our day to day work. Companies have realized they need to embrace social as part of their overarching strategy in order to remain competitive in the market. Resistance to social media may not only hinder company performance, but can widen the skill gap between you and your competition in the job market.

Don’t believe me?

Let’s take a look at sales as an example. Traditionally sales people spent a significant amount of time cold calling and cultivating relationships to build their client base. There were limited ways of tracking information, let alone mapping out connections. Social media has revolutionized the approach to lead generation. Virtual networks help sales people identify, learn and connect with potential and existing clients by showing recent activity, new connections, job updates, people movements, status updates, etc. The savvy salesperson uses social media platforms (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, etc.) to market themselves, and research people they want to get in touch with before making a call. The picture above shows the correlation between social media usage and increased lead generation.

Traditional Approach                                       Savvy Approach

• Blind cold calling to generate leads      Uses social to research leads/ introductions
• Relies on paper                                      Leverages mobile to get information on the go
• Manually track clients                            Leverages social /CRM
• Not on social media                               Use social media to engage and communicate

How about Marketing? This one is a no brainer. The introduction of targeted content marketing on the internet and social platforms means messaging is reaching relevant audiences. So, if you’re a sales professional you won’t see job adverts meant for java programmers. Social media data also provides key insights to understanding consumer preferences, demographics and metrics around success/failure of targeted messaging. Content marketing has also evolved to become interactive. Savvy marketers know that fostering engagement between the company and their audience through a social forum builds brand awareness and relationships which can translate to new customers and customer retention.

Traditional Approach                                   Savvy Approach

• Relies on push content strategy          Creates an interactive strategy to foster engagement
• Limited/static social presence            Offers content types through social platforms
• No mobile strategy                              Optimizes content for mobile

Recruitment has typically been an industry leader using social media . New industry terms such as Recruitment 2.0, Social Recruiting and Social HR have emerged to describe the shifts in recruiters work and tool kit. Think about it. Job boards, applicant tracking systems and staffing vendors were key sourcing channels to generate a just in time candidate pool. However, high memberships on social platforms have resulted in a shift to proactive sourcing to seek out the best candidate instead of just relying on the applicant pool. The savvy recruiter participates in social media to promote their brand, connect, search through networks and leverage managers networks to build proactive pipelines.  Savvy campus/college recruiters understand that pro-actively cultivating relationships with students and providing a forum to interact builds an emotional connection to the company and brand.

Traditional Approach                                       Savvy Approach

• Spends time screening out applicants    Pro-actively searches and engages candidates
• Requisition based searches                     Uses social to build candidate pipelines
• Relies on career centre postings             Cross promotes jobs on social networks
• Only interacts on campus                        Uses a variety of social platforms to interact
• Opts out of using social media                 Cross promotes company social channels

One last point to think about is the new work force. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that young people have the highest

uptake on social media platforms (as shown). As they enter the workforce they have an expectation they will use some sort of social media platform (internal or external) in their job to collaborate and/or communicate.  As a result companies have started to transform the way they communicate, engage and collaborate internally.

So, to stay relevant and competitive you need to be willing to embrace new ideas and adopt change.  Job descriptions now incorporate using social tools as part of day to day operations. Whichever way you look at it, social media at work, is inevitable. Which means resistance to social media in the workplace is futile.

By: Ann Barrett, Director eRecruitment & Social Media Strategy

Who’s Using Social Media Anyway?

Facebook. Twitter. Google+. Pintrest, Instagram, LinkedIn. They all have become mainstream words we use in our everyday conversation. They have penetrated all forms of media including print, TV, radio, video and digital. It would almost seem strange not to hear or see those familiar icons.

For a long time, there seemed to be a perception that only younger people (under 25) were “on” social media. So why then are companies putting so much time, effort and money into using social media platforms for marketing, branding and engagement to a small segment of the population?

Think about it:

• Almost every company, globally, is using a social media channel for branding and engagement
• News channels use Twitter to solicit questions and comments
• Commercials almost always have a “check us out on” Facebook or Twitter as part of their closing
• For reality TV shows… Twitter is a staple
• For mobile, social channels are readily available
• Many web sites enable you use your Facebook, Google+, Twitter or LinkedIn accounts to sign into other accounts such as Pinterest, TripAdvisor, etc.
• Some companies provide the ability use your social accounts such as LinkedIn to apply for jobs.

So it’s not just young people who are using social media channels.

As social media becomes more intertwined with consumer marketing, recreational activities and personal transactions (such as banking), it encourages more people across a wider demographic to use these channels. Mobile technology also offers social media as a core part of their smart phones (including tablets) which make social media channels readily accessible and easy to use on the go.

In the last two years we can see a steady increase across all demographics of people using social media.

No surprise that the highest usage is the under 25 age group. But what we are seeing is the year over year increase of people over 45 using social media. In just one year the 45-54 age group increased 10% shifting to more than half of that demographic now using social media channels. Another interesting observation is an 8% increase of those 65 and over using social media between 2011 and 2012.

The marketing of social media on traditional channels has increased conversion to use these channels and apps to engage and perform transactions. The upsurge in usage for those 55 and over may also be attributed to the way they have determined how the use social media. Research shows that as people get older they tend to take a more thoughtful approach to social media; separating their professional and personal social channels such as Facebook and LinkedIn. Friends and network connections tend to be people they know, instead of casual acquaintances.  Increased ability to control privacy settings also make people feel more secure about social networking and sharing information.

As more people start to use social media we also see them expanding and using a variety of different channels. If we think about personal usage on channels such as Facebook we can see in the chart below, there is a broad distribution of users across all demographics. If we look at LinkedIn, we can see more usage for those over 25, the highest among those in the over 55 age bracket. Twitter on the other hand has broader usage for those under 25 and the least amount of usage for those over 55. What they all have in common, are all demographics are using these channels, but at a different capacity, based on what they deem the channels are useful for. What we will start to see is a rise in channels like LinkedIn for those under 25 looking to build their professional profile.

The results show us that social media is being used by all demographics. With technology making it easier to connect we can expect to see a continued rise in the number of “older” people using social media. This is key if you are thinking about possible avenues to market your products, services and jobs.

Consider where you could source your next new hire or business opportunity from using a social media platform.

by Ann Barrett, Director eRecruitment & Social Media Strategy

Get Your Career Plan Into Shape

It’s the new year. We’ve made our resolutions, committed to losing the “holiday weight” and thought about what we will do differently this year. For many of us this includes making a career move.

Career planning is typically treated like dieting. We only focus on it when we want to make a change. Once we achieve our goal we stop. Successful career planning shouldn’t be thought of in a just in time manner, instead it should be approached in the same way as a healthy lifestyle. We can build mental exercises  positive thinking and networking into our daily routine creating a more holistic approach to career planning. Over time this daily regiment will help us grow, develop and learn where we can shape our own career path.

Here are some quick things you can build into your everyday routine to get your career plan in shape:

Exercise Your Mind:  Getting into shape means exercising your body and mind. Your brain needs to work out to be alert and focused. The more your brain works out, the more you stimulate creativity and build memory retention. Here are two key mental exercises you can start doing today:

Read something new every day: With so many blogs, eBooks, audio books, articles and news items, there is a plethora of rich content available for consumption. Technology has made it even easier to access and read information on the go through an eReader, iPad or smart phone. Reading is an important element in development and education. It’s a way to actively listen to content being presented and form an opinion about it. Expanding the scope of what you read is also important in building your comprehension skills and getting your creative juices flowing. Keeping up to date on new developments within and outside your industry or profession will also keep you relevant and allow you to contribute new ideas and perspectives in your job.

Learn something new: Life is busy and we often get consumed by our routine to break out and try something different. Career balance is about being well rounded in a variety of areas within and outside work. Taking on something different not only challenges us to move outside our comfort zone, but may also reveal a hidden talent! Learning something new contributes to both your personal and professional growth and may help steer you in a career path you hadn’t considered before.

Socialize: Meeting new people sharpens your interpersonal and communication skills. Socializing on a daily basis is a great way to get introduced to new ideas which can energize your creative juices. Here are two ways to stay actively social:

Networking– Connecting with people within your career stream or industry on a regular basis can foster interesting discussions and ideas which you can leverage in your current or new career. Social tools such as LinkedIn make it easy to connect and participate. Why not join a group on LinkedIn and start a discussion?

Meet people in person: Can you participate in your next meeting in person? If so, take a moment to have that meeting face to face. Meeting people in person helps build relationships and trust. It also gives you an opportunity to practice and show off your communication and presentation skills. This will come in handy in your next career move!

Market Yourself: In the era of social media everyone can create their own personal brand. What do you want people to know about you as a professional? No one knows more about your accomplishments , projects you’ve worked on, awards, recognitions,  etc. than you. Update your LinkedIn profile with your projects and awards. Have you had positive feedback? Ask for recommendations or endorsements on LinkedIn. Your profile will help you to track all of your successes as they occur.

Have a positive outlook: Is your glass half empty or half full? Getting in shape means focusing on the larger plan, not only what happens today. Feel good about the work you produced. The way we feel about our successes affects our self-esteem, concentration, relationships and the way we approach our work. A healthy outlook focuses on the positive, our glass being half full.

Which of these will you start doing today?

By Ann Barrett, Director eRecruitment & Social Media Strategies

Why Every Manager Should Promote Thier Jobs Through Social Networking Platforms

Recruiting and sourcing has significantly changed over the last decade. With the invention and adoption of social networking tools such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Pintrest, Instagram, Google+, (the list goes on), more and more people are choosing to participate in these forums to share ideas, network and inevitably learn about potential career opportunities. The recruiting process has also shifted from traditional recruitment of relying on job boards, resume databases and company websites to proactively using platforms such as the Internet, LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter to market, engage and recruit.

So, why are social platforms so powerful compared to job boards? The answer is simple: the power of reach via a network. In the old days this used to be referred to as “word of mouth”. To understand the reach social networking has in broadcasting information, consider the status (in the millions):

* Data courtesy of: New Media Lab (2008) and Digital Marketing Ramblings (2-12)

In just five (5) short years the social media front has expanded moving into blogs and visual social sites such as Pintrest and Instagram. It’s a clear demonstration of the changing way people are using the internet. And let’s not forget, all of these applications are available on mobile; allowing interactions to transpire on the go. Mobile has increased accessibility to the internet.  According to eBiz MBA; the top three social sites that are accessed through mobile phones are:

With this type of reach and visibility it’s hard to ignore the marketing aspect social networking sites play in sharing and distributing information. Managers have a key role to play in the social recruiting process. By using social media sites such as LinkedIn you can leverage your network to broadcast and share information. Think about the next role you have to fill. What’s the probability that someone in your network may know someone who may be interested in the job? Once button and it’s shared to their network. Since it’s shared by a member of the network the probability someone in your network will respond and share information is much higher than a random email from someone you don’t know.

by Ann Barrett, Director eRecruitment & Social Media Strategies