Month: October 2011

Recruitment Pain Points (and Remedies)

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Employees. Every company needs ‘em. Whether yours is a bustling enterprise of hundreds or a smaller operation of 10 people, the quality of your hires will eventually reflect the quality of your organization. High-powered individuals make for a red-hot organization. As you build out your recruitment strategy, keep in mind these pitfalls and the best way to avoid them.

1. Small applicant sizes. You spend all day writing up a beautifully-worded job description, and the following week you receive only 4 resumes. Boo. Creating an attractive workplace starts at home. If you haven’t already, sit down and define the value you provide to employees in the form of an Employer Value Statement, or EVP. Using that as a tool, get the word out through print and online that you’re looking for the next great employee at a great place to work.

2. Falling behind on the times. New technology based around the Internet allows virtual interviews, electronic portfolios, pre-qualifiers even before potential hires arrive at the office. Technology and digital interview tactics allow you create a “short list” of candidates that reduce overhead and narrow down on quality candidates.

3. Not keeping what you’ve got. Employee satisfaction extends beyond wages and bonuses. The culture you create at the workplace and affects both retention and productivity for the years your employees call your office home. Work in the concept of flexibility. Find creative ways to reward (and not punish) hard work and keep your base engaged. Good luck!

Until next time,

Buyer Advertising
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Helping You Post Jobs to Facebook… Is Facebook.

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Facebook is huge, and it’s looking to get even bigger. As part of its joint agreement with the U.S. Department of Labor, the social media giant is looking to buff up its arsenal and service offerings by posting jobs online. The effort comes from a government-approved attempt to lower the nation’s 9.1% unemployment rate. One nice side effect (for Facebook): they’re increasing their offerings even further.
What does this mean for companies looking to recruit talented job seekers? Something to watch. Still in its formative stages, Facebook promises a “system where new job postings can be delivered virally through the Facebook site at no charge.”

It will be an interesting road ahead. This move puts Facebook in direction competition with sites such as Monster.com and LinkedIn.

Stay tuned for future developments. The infrastructure that the social network already has in place is a great vehicle for propagating hot jobs—and better yet, would do so at no cost.

Signing off for now,

Buyer Advertising
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4 ‘DON’TS’ FOR TWEETS

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Investing in your social media strategy—for recruitment or marketing initiatives—is a sound plan. Not only can you get your message out to more people in record time, social media can do it cheaper, faster, and more effectively.

The trade-off? There are a lot of pitfalls to make as a company exploring Twitter, especially those who are taking a first stab at the big blue bird. Here are 5 no-no’s to consider as you prepare to tweet.

1. Honking your own horn constantly. Good news is great. Good news 100% of the time is bad. Aim for a mix of announcements, industry information, and peeks behind your office doors. Above all, provide a reason for people to subscribe to your feed. Which leads us to number 2…

2. Not being a resource. Even though your social media output is free, provide value to your customers. Let people know what’s happening in your business, your field, and how they can improve themselves or their operation.

3. Spamming up followers’ feeds. Nothing makes netizens click “unfollow” faster than 5 tweets in one hour. Keep content brief and information moderate—a post a day, at most, will do the trick.

4. Being dull. Be confident. Be whimsical (but still professional). Mix up your messaging and use clever headlines to hook interest.

Signing off for now,

Buyer Advertising
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Steve Jobs and the Timelessness of Innovation

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Last night, the nation began mourning the loss of Steve Jobs. His personality and brand represented more than just the genesis of a successful company (Apple Computer)—his vision and pursuit of new user experiences, as well as infusing life and charm into an all-too-often dry technology sector, changed history.

But if one were to distill his legacy to tactical moves, there’s a lot to unpack. Black turtlenecks instead of suits. Revolution instead of status quo. Calm, personal speeches instead of hackneyed, over-exuberant displays that similar companies had employed in the past (cough, cough, Microsoft). Above all else, Steve employed a willingness to ignore everyone else while following a rhythm all his own.

Innovation comes in many forms. For Steve, they were in the promotion of the user experience, and a new amalgamation of great music and geek tech. For you, they can be an exploration into new arenas, a marketing message unique to your organization that’s never been heard from before. Above all else, never stop innovating and amazing results will follow.

‘Til next time,

Buyer Advertising
www.buyerads.com