Resume or Tweet?

As a headhunter, I really want to know my candidates... I think trying to make a selection of any kind based on 140 characters is flawed. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323820304578412741852687994.html?mod=dist_smartbrief And a 6 second video doesn't do it for me either. I'm just sayin'

In vs Out part 3

Tip o' the hat to Steve Boese for a little more intelligence on another aspect of the telecommuting debate around Yahoo's policy change: http://fistfuloftalent.com/2013/04/would-say-500month-be-enough-to-get-you-to-move-closer-to-the-office.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+FistfulOfTalent+%28Fistful+of+Talent%29 I like the incentivize aspect of this idea - rather than the "thou must" approach. Work-life balance is a key idea in why people choose to work from home. And removing barriers to employee productivity are as important as providing collaboration tools that enhance productivity. All of the moving parts need to be in place to have a productive team.

Employer Branding part deux

A critical piece of employer branding is all of the moving parts that result in a new hire for an organization. So many things CAN and DO go wrong. Great article that details some of the moving parts, and some stats on the how-to's and best practices. http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/225915 If you find any of this painful in your organization, I can help. The truth is often hard to hear, but having an outsider deliver the messages can ease the process. Contact info@broadbandhr.com for more information and HR Consulting.

Software Product Managers?

We're supposed to be at the heart of Silicon Valley... where are all of the experienced, high level, strategic, enterprise-class Product Managers with software expertise gained in an agile environment? All I'm finding are newbies that have 3 years or less of solid true product experience. And they're missing any of the depth of field that's needed for the combined enterprise to mobile and cloud systems that my clients are working with/in. I need people who can manage their way out of a paper bag and into a cloud-ready environment... and that takes an understanding of multiple distributed users on a big system. These positions also require an understanding of marketing and campaigns and marketing automation. So, if any of this sounds like you and you live in the neighborhood, drop me a resume at info@broadbandhr.com and we'll talk immediately. This company is not tiny but it's not huge and it ain't Google :^) Thanks!

Hire slow - fire fast

Many companies think they do a great job hiring because they go through a lot of candidates to get to the "right one" for the particular job. Many companies are fast to fire someone who they think is not top-notch in the first 90 days. Here's the article that prompted the post: http://www.fastcompany.com/3006206/why-hire-slow-fire-fast-better-idea-you-think Both of these approaches tell me that the companies are off track. A better screening process upfront, usually run by a professional recruiter, can save huge amounts of organizational time and effort in interviewing only the few right people to form an adequate qualified pool or slate. That doesn't mean a rush to judgment, but it does mean a consistent process with a small number of well-qualified candidates. And then a review of all of the candidates to pick the winner. Both the hire slow and fire fast approach also tell me that the company doesn't invest in its people. Consistent processes which identify people who fit both the specific role and the larger company culture and its issues at the time lead to longer term employment and individual success for the candidate/employee. If I can help your company with these issues, email info@broadbandhr.com

LinkedIn Endorsements

Too much of a good thing? Like every recruiter, I look for endorsements of my candidates from people who really know their work - that is, former managers, close colleagues, long time workmates. Every time I see one of these endorsements from people I barely know, it devalues the endorsement process to me. But Kelly Dingee refutes that theory, and has another one about stickiness, the web generally, and search engine optimization ala LinkedIn. You go, smart girl... http://fistfuloftalent.com/2013/02/from-the-sourcers-desk-those-endorsements-theyre-a-good-thing.html

Do you really want to do your job search on a 3" screen?

Don't get me wrong... I use my mobile devices for more and more things these days. But if I were a job seeker, I wouldn't be relying on my iPhone as my device for my job search. It's nice that the job sites are thinking about this issue. http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/02/24/mobile-job-search/1938177/ But many companies have online application processes that don't work at all, let alone work well on a mobile small landscape screen. Most companies, even in Silicon Valley, need their online employment application reworked for ease of use. Just my 2 cents - let me know your thoughts.