alstin communications

Many in the medical profession are required to take continuing education credits to keep up with new advances in medicine. Is this a good idea for the rest of us? How does heading back to school sound to you?

To the Obama administration, workforce education is an essential part of the economic recovery plan. There’s 3.5 billion stimulus dollars dedicated to job training. The administration has further revised rules to now allow the unemployed to continue collecting benefits while attending school. The prior rules stated that someone collecting unemployment must actively look for a job, forcing the person to give up their unemployment benefits if they were to continue their education. “The idea here is to fundamentally change our approach to unemployment in this country so that it’s no longer just a time to look for a new job, but is also a time to prepare yourself for a better job,” Obama said.

For those who are still employed and want to update their skills or learn something new, the government also offers substantial tax credits.

Our clients who are on the front lines of recruiting talent know that an investment in education can equal a career with more opportunities, better pay and job security. For more information about the administration’s education plan and the available options check out opportunity.gov.

While Will Ferrel may have “lost” his edge with Land of the Lost this summer, the clip you are about to see (admittedly from another easily forgotten comedy) is for those of us out there who interview candidates on a regular basis.

In today’s changing economy and with the increasing differences in the U.S. population, your organization’s competitiveness and success depend on the ability to welcome diversity and embrace it.

Welcoming diversity comes down to how diverse employees are represented in positions, opportunities, advancement levels, training, performance acknowledgement, and financial growth in your organization. It’s how diverse candidates are received in interviews, correspondence, and on-boarding. And believe me, candidates will talk about their experiences and communicate their thoughts to others in the industry. That’s where social media comes into play – in 2009, welcoming diversity also means welcoming social media into your overall strategy.

I personally believe that capitalizing on diversity in the workplace is an important issue for management to recognize the need for, and approach effectively through communication, adaptation, and an open mind for change. The most successful organizations are those that are genuinely planning and allocating their resources on diversity management.

We can all recognize that effective diversity recruitment requires more than a legal sounding EOE statement and the use of multicultural photos in a campaign. It requires managers, recruiters and other staff to become culturally aware and to spread the word of how great it is to work for your organization via branded company pages on top social networking sites, gathering a following of diverse populations through blogging, advertising on targeted blogs/websites, hosting social networking events, ultimately increasing your competitive edge, and bolstering your company image as an employer of choice.

Diversity can be defined as…
Acknowledging, understanding, accepting, valuing, and celebrating differences among people with respect to race, age, class, ethnicity, gender, physical and mental ability, sexual orientation, spiritual practice, socio-economic, status political beliefs, or other ideologies.

I couldn’t agree more. Make 2009 the time to upgrade your diversity strategy. We are personally and professionally connected to each other 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week. A strong diversity message is needed, and today, make sure that your message is carried out in a more interactive – and social – style

I’m often surprised at the reasons for which some pitches (initially) get rejected. It’s not often that the artists end up going to client meetings, but we’ll get the reports when our AEs come back. While I am happy to report to you that the feedback is typically positive, there’s usually some give and take before the final campaign is nailed down.

Critiques can range the gamut, but we do hear things like design #1 didn’t work because it had a lot of blue in it and the lead on the client side hates blue, or that #2 was rejected because the guy in the photo we selected just wasn’t right for some reason or another, or perhaps that #3 failed because the client isn’t a fan of sans serif fonts.

It’s our job to keep the client focused on the fact that not much is set in stone in terms of the look. We’re not called the “Creative Department” for nothing. Variations in color needed? Want to change the emotional feel, or even the head on the guy in the back of the shot? Just ask! You’d be surprised at what can be done.

I have found that the best types of suggestions are open ones that allow the designers and copywriters to come up with a cohesive feel for the piece. We’re trained professionals here (stand back!) so I encourage clients to resist the urge to micromanage the piece.

One aspect of an idea that should never be chopped up and changed is the concept. If you don’t like it, let it go! Trying to change too much will result in a direction that doesn’t make any sense. For example, we could present (but we wouldn’t) a picture of a dog chewing a bone and the headline might reference the “dog days of summer”. Those designs could get passed around an office and by the time they get back to us, we’re told to 1) keep the headline, but change the dog to a roller coaster, or 2) keep the dog, but change the headline to “make waves!”. These examples may seem silly to you, but keep them in mind. They’re not far off! – j

By the looks of this blog, you might think we over here at Alstin eat, breathe and sleep all that is recruitment and retention. Every so often we’ll stray from the HR talk and bring you more on some of our favorite things, places and activities that also populate our daily lives.

Wine is constant proof that God loves us and loves to see us happy.
- Benjamin Franklin

Winery of the Year.
45 acres of estate vineyards.
All told, more than 200 awards and medals.

Sonoma County? Napa? Nah! New Jersey. Yea, that’s right Jersey.

Just off the Delaware River in Musconetcong Valley (Huh, Musconetcong Valley? Click here for directions.) rests Alba Vineyard. A place I’ve returned to again and again after discovering their wines about three years ago. This day trip just north of Philly offers worthy pit stops along the Delaware – New Hope, Lambertville and Frenchtown for sure – to a beautiful hillside setting (where I saw my first Orchard Oriel -I’m such a nerd a bird watcher) and 1805 barn turned tasting room. The journey in and of itself is great, but it’s the wines that will keep bringing you back.

2009 marks the third time in five years that Alba’s been honored as “New Jersey’s Winery of the Year” by the NJ State Wine Competition. In addition to scooping up 15 more medals, the winery also took home the “Best State Vinifera” for their 2007 Estate Reserve Chardonnay – my favorite Chardonnay of the moment. Really, it’s that good. So happy trails to you wine-lovers out there in the Delaware Valley – get on the road to Alba Vineyard, you will be glad you did.

Every Monday morning I go in the 7-11, grab my coffee (heavy on the French Vanilla creamer) and get a quart of milk for my weekly cereal breakfasts. Whenever I pick up the milk, I notice the expiration date (one week I got a bad carton and it scarred me for life) and was shocked to see that it had 7/2/09 as the expiration date. July??? Where did June go? Here in Philly, I think we’ve had rain everyday for the entire month of June so it hasn’t really felt like the beginning of summer at all. And, now July is just around the corner?? Argh!!

Why does it seem like time goes by too fast? Are we trying to cram too much into too little time?

Even with time flying by every day, I was determined to watch the live stream of the Social Media Recruiting Summit on Monday June 15th and was really pleased to see over 500 other “stream viewers” not to mention all the attendees at the sold out event. That’s a lot of people taking time out of their insanely busy schedules to watch, learn, and interact about a single topic. The mobile-to-mobile marketing presentation by Chris Hoyt and Michael Marlatt was quite informative and interesting. And, I now have a new word for my techno vocabulary: “backchannels” – kind of like the old school days of passing notes to classmates but on a business-scale that you can utilize for good (vs. the evil, which those passed notes always seemed to create in grade school).

I wished I could have attended all of the sessions at the Social Recruiting Summit, but afternoon meetings popped up on my calendar (not to mention the 100+ emails piling up in my inbox). Ah well – maybe more time will be available next year – although I’m sure the topics and trends will have changed. (And, I’ll be sure to RSVP early for a chance to visit Google’s headquarters!!)

For now, my goal is to take a deep breath at least once a day at work and unplug/disconnect/pause/logoff/shut-down/tune-out/turn off for at least an hour a day at home…which will probably occur right before I pass out at bedtime.

I came across this article the other day in the NY Times titled “On a Furlough, but Never Leaving the Cubicle” that lays out a lot of the frustration many workers feel right now about having to take time off with no pay. It appears many people are not getting the pay as promised but also not being able to take the time off due to being short staffed. Out of loyalty to their employer, fear of losing their job, and feeling guilty about strapping their co-workers with extra workload, many employees are just working whether they are getting paid or not. In this economic climate, the ‘consider yourself lucky to have a job right now’ attitude is starting to wear thin.

“Where’s Tony?”
As VP of Client Development for Alstin, I (happily) find myself on the road a lot, talking to clients, prospects, people in the media, etc.–and I attend numerous industry functions each month. On Alstin’s blog, I’ll let you know where I am and what I’m hearing in the wonderful world of recruiting.It’s only been a few weeks since I checked in, but I’ve a lot to update you on, so let’s get right to it! For this journey, we’ll make a big circle around the entire area:

Annapolis, MD: Long drive for this meeting but a beautiful venue and great people. The Kent Manor Inn in Stevensville, MD (just across the Bay Bridge from Annapolis), The occasion? The Maryland Association of Healthcare Recruiters (MAHCR) June luncheon. Beautiful waterfront views, flowers in full bloom and so close to the Chesapeake Bay you can’t help but get hungry for delicious Maryland crabs! Also, it’s not far to one of my favorite getaway places: Saint Michaels, MD

Okay, I have to be honest, this one was more fun than work; a nice luncheon, just a bit of association business, some scholarships awarded to deserving students and more. I really need to give a shout-out to the fine people at the MAHCR, because while we do business with a number of MD hospitals and related healthcare organizations, this is our first year as part of MAHCR. Amy, Nick, Bonnie and the entire group there have been so friendly, encouraging and made me feel very welcome. Click here to learn more about this fine organization.

Marlton, NJ: Out in the Garden State updating a wonderful, long time client on our services. As you might imagine, this is a key component of my job right now. Lousy economy aside, this is absolutely one of the most exciting times to be in our industry – there are so many options and tools for recruiters, and they’re increasing and evolving so quickly. It’s safe to say that in my 20 years at Alstin, our business–and the business of recruiting–has changed more in the last 3 years than in the 17 prior. Even for the most savvy recruiter it can be overwhelming, so what we try to do is help navigate our clients toward the right solutions that meets their specific recruiting and retention goals. To put it more simply, we want our clients focused on their jobs; it’s our job to make proactive, solid and strategy-backed communication recommendations that will deliver results.

Philadelphia, PA: Finally, a presentation in the same city where I work! This was for a potentially large prospect. I’m always pleased that we get so many compliments, not only on our presentation, but our approach to working with clients and prospects. We’re recognized for being extremely proactive, diligent and truly becoming an integral part of an organization’s recruiting function, but we’re not stalkers or sharks – I promise.

The other part I always hope to convey is Alstin’s “no cookie cutter” philosophy. Every organization has their own unique recruiting challenges, budget restrictions, selling points, etc. Sounds ridiculously obvious I know, but we’re fiercely proud of our customized solutions and I often hear how other agencies give out recycled creative, canned research, and the same tired recommendations. We think there’s a much better way, and our 300+ clients agree.

Bala Cynwyd, PA: Just outside Philly for another end of year luncheon-this time for an old favorite of ours: PAAHCR, the Philadelphia Area Association of Healthcare Recruiters. As you might imagine (especially with our strong experience in healthcare), this is an organization we’ve been part of for many years, and many of the hospitals and healthcare institutions that make up PAAHCR have been clients of Alstin for 10, 15, even 20 years. Learn more about all the great work they do as well as special projects like their Adopt-a School Program by clicking here.

Okay, back to work and more training for my triathlon in early August. The weight sure comes off a lot easier in your 20s and 30s than it does in your 40s!

See you on the road!

The majority of employment marketers are simply not early innovators. Often for good reasons: The budget isn’t there, the needs are not great, and the old methods are still working fine. Why rock the boat? But, developing a social media strategy for your employment marketing isn’t about rocking the boat – it’s about not missing it.Through social media, the world is literally having a conversation. A large, loud, raucous, and incredibly varied conversation. If you are not participating in that conversation, your voice is not being heard. As a recruiter, this self-imposed silence represents a tremendous missed opportunity. Of all the possibilities that the growth of digital communications has presented to recruiters, the potential of social media may be the most powerful. Here’s why:

It’s about connecting.
Recruiting is about connecting – person-to-person. Finding the right candidate for the right position. At its heart, social media is about the same thing.

Your message adds value.
If social media contributions have no real value, they quickly become ignored or filtered out. The result? Immediate irrelevance. Employment marketers have the unique opportunity to contribute content of real value to social media. Employment messaging has never been more acutely relevant.

Timing is everything.
There are tangible advantages to entering the social media conversation sooner rather than later. Right now, early innovators are reaping the rewards of early entry. Things like desirable EM Twitter names and Facebook vanity URLs are being gobbled up as you read this. A “wait and see” approach = a lost opportunity.

Ease of Entry and Affordability.
Developing an effective Employment Marketing Social Media Strategy is not difficult or expensive. As the popularity of social media continues to grow, it’s possible, and even likely, that there will be high costs associated with content placement in the future. Right now, however, costs are minimal or non-existent.

Considered individually, the above statements present a compelling reason to plan your social media strategy now. Collectively, the message is clear. The world is waiting. The clock is ticking.

Need to find something online? Step one – Google it. But if I were to ask you what the number two search engine is, you would probably guess Yahoo, right?

Video searches on YouTube now account for a quarter of all Google search queries in the U.S. More searches are done directly on YouTube – the number two search engine – than Yahoo. There’s a video answer to pretty much anything these days.

I go to YouTube every week to find some silliness to lighten up our blog. And in my Google searches, I’m starting to pay more attention to the fact that many of my search results come back with a link to a related video just a click away on YouTube.

Our online sources for news and information are also becoming more social. I just tweeted about an article I read this past Sunday that examined the difficult task Google has keeping pace with the flow of information on Twitter – Google is constantly checking the news feeds on Twitter, but is unable to search tweets in real time … yet.

New search engines specific to Twitter and all that is social on the web are cropping up and we’ve just been introduced to Bing. The verdict is out on whether Microsoft’s update to Live Search is up to snuff. But the $80 million in marketing will bring on visitors, searches and the reviews. (By the way, I really like this ad, the search engine – eh.)

According to stats from Google offered up in recent months, the search term “jobs” ranked sixth in the top ten search terms, above cars, games and some of the ever-popular naughty stuff. On average, more than 151 million searches are conducted each month that incorporate the key word “jobs.”

I now ask you to consider the job seeker experience as it relates to your career site(s) or jobs that you’ve strategically posted on a job board, a Twitter feed, your company’s FaceBook Fan Page, etc…  Are they turning up in search results? Google some key words and see. Wouldn’t it be great to get a search result that included your jobs, or better yet a well-done recruitment video right at the top?

If you’re not there yet, there’s an interactive recruiting solution for that – we call it applicantarrow. A little search engine optimization goes a long way and when you bring in analytics and our Interactive Services team into the mix, applicantarrow gets your career website and job postings performing at their optimum level.  Results count, so stop counting them the old-fashined way – you will discover ways to decrease your overall spend and increase the pipeline of talent.

While some of us here at Alstin really want to take Anne Hillman to the Twittersphere, we admit this clip is pretty hilarious.

Do you allow employees to go on their Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn accounts? Many employers block social networking sites for fear of losing productivity. Others allow access with the mind-set that these sites aren’t a problem just as long as the work gets done accurately and on time. We all need a little break from work, but for HR, this issue needs to be managed properly. For more on policies, practices and a survey of what other organizations are implementing, read iOnline.

What am I missing? Am I an old codger-in-training? I’m not Facebooking, Twittering or Linking In. It’s not that I’m against them as a statement of non-conformity, I just don’t care to spend the time. It’s precious, really it is. I’ve got to spend it on the people I love…I’m just able to love them more in person. Professionally, I still prefer picking up the phone and calling or meeting face-to-face. What’s wrong with me? The way I see it, nothing at all.

LinkedIn. Wow, there are 40 million active users. Facebook – over 200 million. Twitter – 40 million and each are growing at an incredible clip. I get invitations all the time to “join my professional network” on LinkedIn. Why don’t I want to network? I could reconnect with former clients. It could land me a great job offer. It could be the network I need if I were to ever put myself on the market.

The answer: while there is a big part of me that thinks this is all a giant social ponzi scheme, I’m just not interested right now. I always question, what would I really get out of it? How better am I knowing that ‘Joe hates rainy days’ or ‘Belle is going to market’.

In the social networking age, I see the formula as: Possible Reward = Less Privacy + Unwanted Acquaintances – My Free Time or PR = LP + UA – MFT.

I admit that I’m sounding a little cynical, but believe me – I am very social. I love people. I love going out and meeting up with friends and colleagues old and new. But I usually call them, make plans to meet, and then have a great time in person. It works for me that way.

At my workplace however, I’m feeling particular pressure to get “LinkedIn” – helping my clients navigate this site to make the most of it for their branding and recruiting initiatives is after all part of what I do. I am just not ready to log on. But if you’re looking for an honest answer to the question of ‘to social network or not to social network’ you can give me a ring at 215-568-3200. We can talk about it.

“It’s all about who you know.” If I had a nickel for every time I’ve heard this during my young adult life, I could’ve paid for a first-class international plane ticket by now, en route to someplace far, far away from this crazy economy. Instead, I’ll hang onto those proverbial nickels, say a prayer for the job market, and recount what I’ve experienced as an Alstin Intern – and job seeker – on an effective way to make good on a situation that needn’t be as desperate as it seems.

Spending a few months as an Intern has added invaluable dimension to my previous one-sided idea of networking. At first, I saw networking as a narrow two-way street: an awkward exchange of business cards and resumes between seasoned professionals and anxious college students, making their way through crowded job fairs and nerve-wracking interviews. When a close friend and working professional clued me into LinkedIn almost a year ago, I blindly registered and due to my narrow-minded idea of networking only displayed highlights of my resume and connected with immediate friends and family.

Thanks to being exposed to the latest recruiting trends here at Alstin, I can report that taking advantage of LinkedIn’s potential truly is an excellent means of networking - a plethora of opportunities to find the most appropriate talent, find decent work, expand skill sets and meet interesting people – with awkward intimidation at an all-time low.

I went ahead and added more detailed content to my profile and was thrilled when someone found me based on the information I provided. That person ultimately presented me with an opportunity to do PR work for a new non-profit. The position (which I still hold) was legitimate, interesting, and fitting for my demographic and level of experience. That single Linkedin connection immediately opened multiple doors for me while pinpointing the talent my supervisor set out to find – an overall win-win.

If Alstin wasn’t so good at retaining employees, we’d be considering Abby McKeown for our team. For the recruiters out there that may have an entry level position related to Marketing, PR or Communications, we encourage you to connect with Abby via her LinkedIn profile.

And for recruiters out there who are not sure where to begin when it comes to using LinkedIn to connect with talent, email us at blog@alstin.com.

By the looks of this blog, you might think we over here at Alstin eat, breathe and sleep all that is recruitment and retention. Every so often we’ll stray from the HR talk and bring you more on some of our favorite things, places and activities that also populate our daily lives. 

Next time you’re in town – for work or to escape it -
the Schuylkill Banks deserves an hour of your time.

Despite Philadelphia’s rank as the second-largest city on the East Coast, it’s home to a surprising number of parks and trails. One, the Schulylkill Banks, is a metropolitan version of a boardwalk. Though the wakes caused by the river’s many sculls can’t rival those made by the speedboats racing down the New Jersey shoreline, I find running along the river as stimulating (and relaxing) as I do the Atlantic Ocean.

Doublechecking my spelling on www.schuylkillbanks.org, I found more than I expected about The Banks, including a breath-defying definition of what has become my favorite Philly fitness trail: “Philadelphia’s newest riverfront destination, Schuylkill Banks is home to greenways, parks, docks, the nation’s leading educational institutions, award-winning residential developments and active industrial sites that are making way for livable spaces.” Turns out, there are kayak and river tours, outdoor movies, and a bunch of construction as the Schuylkill River Development Corporation Destination begins a flurry of “Priority Projects” that will enhance the trail’s appearance and make it more accessible to surrounding sections of the city.

Here’s my running tour of some of “The Banks” most interesting sites.

My usual run begins just after 7am outside my gym (VigorWorks on 13th & Walnut). I head up Walnut on the sidewalk for about eight blocks, jog down the winding staircase at 22nd and onto the paved path, and join a steady stream of runners, bikers (Spandexed exercisers and suited commuters), walkers, and doggy Moms and Dads making their way along the picturesque path. Here, I come across my favorite running partners – the whales that are part of the series of huge building murals done by Wyland. From there, I head through a short series of underpasses which seem to be perpetually under construction and are a great place for a short sprint. Next is the only negative of The Banks – the Trash Train. There’s a train that travels along the tracks next to the path transporting (you guessed it) trash that is quite fragrant on the days I am unlucky enough to pass it. Moving past the tracks I head up a slight incline and come upon an empty area to my right that, according to a sign that’s been there forever, is supposed to become a skatepark. I’m now a stone’s throw from the Art Museum and ready to enter an older underpass while watching out for bikers who use it as a chute of sorts (can’t blame them…it seems fast and fun). Emerging and looking to up to the right, I see the gorgeous new hillside pathways with the iron railings that leads up to picture-perfect gazebos. To the left is the fountain just before the historic WaterWorks location – now a restaurant with views to dine for. This is the part of the path that leads to the start of Boathouse Row. Though this section gets a bit busier, the flow of fine young crew team members, more mature but impressively active recreational rowers (who I’m sure at one point were fine young crew team members themselves), commuters and dog walkers give each other just enough space. Though my 28 year old brain urges me to keep going, my 39 year old body usually reminds me that I still have to run back. I spy my usual turnaround point – the Viking, tap him on the foot, take a deep breath and make my way back along The Banks, happy with the time I’ve deposited.

Last week the nation’s unemployment rate shot up to its highest level in more than 25 years – 9.4%. Paired with this news was the latest figure on job cuts for May. That number was 345,000 – the lowest we’ve seen since September. There’s good, bad and certainly ugly in those numbers, but when you get down to it, does the slower pace of job cuts offer us a glimmer of hope? Are we starting to see the first signs of recovery?

The free fall of the job market may very well be over.  A recent survey of HR execs by Watson Wyatt noted that many companies “have done what they can in terms of using layoffs, hiring freezes and salary freezes to combat the recession.”

While more than half of the companies surveyed are not planning layoffs in the next 12 months, significant cuts on hours and pay to those who remain employed are still having a negative impact on the overall economy. The average workweek in May fell to 33.1 hours, the lowest on record since 1964, and when it comes to wages there’s only one word to describe them – stagnant.

The increase we saw in the number of unemployed may also very well be a direct result of new college grads hitting the market. Nearly 2.27 million young workers (age 20-24) couldn’t find work last month. That’s 15% of them.

There’s a lot to digest and the National Association for Business Economics  created a panel of 45 economists to analyze just what these stats mean. While the group predicts a decline in second-quarter economic activity, NABE president Chris Varcares concluded in a written statement, “The good news is that the NABE panel expects economic growth to turn positive in the second half of this year, with the pace of job losses narrowing sharply over the remainder of this year and employment turning up in early 2010.”

Although no one can predict the future, that’s good news. I for one am a believer in using a positive outlook to help create a positive outcome. Let’s keep that glimmer of hope glimmering for better days to come.

I was listening to the radio today on my way into work, not HD, not satellite – just regular old radio. The topic of conversation was focused on today’s generation and all the “old school technologies” that younger populations will never experience or even recognize. As the radio personalities discussed a variety of things like typewriters, fax machines that only processed one page at a time and used “roll” paper to print, “car phones” which had to be mounted into the car with an antenna (or worse the “mobile” phone that resembled a brick and had it’s own briefcase and shoulder strap), the first VCRs (and BETA!), “party” telephone lines that were shared, dot matrix printers, floppy disks, phones with cords and rotary dials and so many more I can’t even remember I was laughing so loud.

It’s amazing to me how far technology has changed all of our lives in recent years. It’s even more amazing to me how much technology has changed how organizations recruit. 10-15 years ago print was still king and “outside the box” ideas included radio and billboard promotion and direct mail campaigns. Today there’s text messaging, RSS feeds, Twitter channels, behavioral targeting, viral marketing, wireless networks, laptops with more GB, RAM & video capabilities than ever before, On Demand, “nudges,” virtual career fairs, status updates, advatars, gravatars, blogs and on and on. If you blink, it sometimes feels like you missed something.

I’ve led presentations on many of these “technology channels” and highlighted the strengths (and sometimes weaknesses) they represent for an organization and their recruitment strategies. Often what I’m asked is “What are the latest trends that are working?” Sometimes these tools are so new it’s often the early adopters who take the risk and reap the rewards. Risk isn’t a popular word right now in the recruiting industry, or any industry for that matter. But, sometimes those who are willing to take a different direction than the road most traveled become the innovators-the one’s leading the pack and getting the results.

I’m optimistic about the future and the economy and I honestly think that those organizations who take the time now to analyze their “old” processes and implement new technologies and methods in their recruitment tools will really come out ahead when things start picking up. And, as history has shown, they will eventually pick up. So Carpe Diem my friends! Out with the old, in with the new. Not sure what to do or where to start? Feel free to leave some comments or questions, the more the merrier…if we forge through this together we’ll all come out ahead.

Will we start to see an increase in hiring before year’s end? What do some of the promising stats mean to HR and specifically talent management? According to Mike Tedesco, Alstin’s Senior Vice President, it’s time to use this 6-month period wisely and get strategies in place for when it’s time to act. Here’s Part Two of his 10-Step Plan. (Click here for Part One.)

6. Resume Searching/Mining
Most organizations purchase access to resume databases because they see the need to proactively recruit new talent. Unfortunately, usage of this important resource is usually lacking, either through difficulty in their inherent search platforms, the complexity of setting up search agents or just having too many different databases to search.  But it doesn’t have to be so hard. We’ve come across a powerful platform that unifies search efforts and screening steps for all your sources from one single central location. It even offers automatic advice for search strings, sweeps all job board subscriptions (and free web sources), matches and ranks results and delivers them to the recruiter’s inbox. Search results can also deliver new candidates to market to – even if you don’t have a current need. That way you can build relationships with top talent that can be acted on in the future.

7. Develop an Alumni Networking Program
This idea is referred to in many ways: ex-employee recruiting; alumni networking; boomerang employees. Whatever terminology you use, reaching out to your organization’s best former employees is a great idea. We’ve all had employees we were sad to see move on. Try to entice them back or use them for referrals. Developing an online community may not be as daunting as you think!

8. Develop a Search Engine Marketing Campaign
Although this is listed further down on my list it should definitely be top of mind. Studies have shown that tons of job searches are started from the search engines, and not with a specific site like Monster or Careerbuilder. If you’re not implementing an SEM campaign you’re missing out on a lot of talent. Purchasing search keywords from Google that are specific to your industry, region or specialty will generate clicks and spread your employment brand awareness for a surprisingly modest investment.

9. Optimize Your Career Site
You have lots of jobs that need to be filled. Trouble is, they’re buried in your ATS/TAS and only accessible to candidates if they’ve visited your site. So, a physical therapist who takes a shortcut and uses Google or Yahoo to search for jobs won’t see that you have openings. We’ve come across an ingenious solution that unlocks those jobs. Consequently, you won’t have to post all of them to job sites in order to get exposure, thus reducing your job board expenditures.

10. When You Do Advertise
Utilize job and niche boards, targeted journals and publications, newspapers for mass market appeal, job fairs, virtual fairs, and other less-traditional means to advertise your message. And, when you do, make sure you’re not using internal job descriptions. Nothing turns off a candidate more than seeing a list of core responsibilities to tertiary tasks that’s twenty items long. Instead, market to them. Let them know how the position fits into the company’s structure, why it’s critical to the organization’s success, and how it’s an entry into a lifelong career path. Just this simple change will bring more top talent to your firm.

And one last word: measure, measure, measure. Track your expenditures, advertising sources, candidates, and hires so you’ll know what’s performing and what isn’t. You’ll refine your strategies and put systems into place that will result in less expenditures.

The recession will ultimately be over. Your company will be faced with growing operations and the need for talent to move it into the next decade. For you and your company, it’ll pay great dividends to follow these sound strategies today because you and your staff will realize better tactical performance tomorrow. Your organization will expand and prosper with help from HR. And your CEO will notice.

Want more ideas, strategies and Alstin’s solutions that will help get this done? Shoot me an email at blog@alstin.com.

After a cold, rainy spring, Philly has had a long stretch of nice, sunny days (well except for yesterday and today!) and it’s been great getting out and about visiting clients and prospects, attending association meetings and talking to people in our industry.

My car trunk is packed with laptops, projectors, portfolios, and of course, my kids’ softball gloves, bats and about a dozen balls that roll around and make a racket whenever I hit a bump. Up front I have KYW on the radio – Philly’s most trusted news, weather and traffic radio station – to try to avoid traffic mishaps, my embarrassing slate of songs on my iPod (I’m beginning to realize my love of 80′s pop – like Hall and Oates - isn’t really ironic after all) and of course, lots of HonestTea. Keep reading our blog regularly and you will soon learn of my deep, semi-disturbing addiction to HonestTea.

So where have my travels taken me since last checking in? Here’s a few highlights:

• Princeton, NJ, NJAHR (NJ Area Healthcare Recruiters): The May meeting is one of the most important and well attended as George Hebert, Executive Director of  the New Jersey Board of Nursing, spoke and fielded questions about licensure, changing laws, continuing education, re-certification and so much more. While in past years the dialogue between different states’ boards and local recruiters can get heated (this one was pretty calm, drama-wise), I’m always struck by the passion and dedication both the recruiters and the boards show to the highest level of nursing care – and both groups have to achieve these goals with limited time, money and resources.

• Southern New Jersey: Alstin’s in the process of creating an employment brand for a new client just over the river. Strategic employment branding by Alstin is an amazing process – just check out the branding section of our website to view a selection of our award-winning work – and there is no shame in this plug, see for yourself! Our team presented the initial round of concepts and with some excellent feedback from the client, I can’t wait to see the final brand in action – it’s going to make a huge impact on their recruiting and retention initiatives.

• NJ State Aquarium – Camden, NJ: My first meeting in the month of June was at this awesome venue. Sponsored by our good friends at philly.com/monster.com and lead by Doug Hardy,GM/Editor of Monster Careers, the topic was Trends Driving Recruiting. While it was very hard not to stare at the sharks that were swimming in a tank ten feet from me, this was a very engaging and informative presentation. Doug talked about how smart recruiters are using the economic downturn as an opportunity to create loyalty, engagement and retention. Positive news included Monster seeing an uptick in their employment index in April, which hopefully points to a future recruiting rebound. I also learned an amazing stat about our advertising-driven culture: The average person sees a whopping 1,500 trademarks per day – unless, of course, they choose that day to go to the grocery store-then it jumps to over 35,000!

That’s all for now. I hope in a few weeks when my next blog appears, the summer-like weather will have continued (I just committed to doing a mini-triathlon in the beginning of August, so I need all the training time I can get) the economy continues to improve and I have more recruiting stories from the road for you.

“Where’s Tony?”
As VP of Client Development for Alstin, I (happily) find myself on the road a lot, talking to clients, prospects, people in the media, etc.–and I attend numerous industry functions each month. On Alstin’s blog, I’ll let you know where I am and what I’m hearing in the wonderful world of recruiting.

… don’t EVER pick up a baseball bat unless a grown-up hands one to you.

It was my opening speech to the small circle of five- and six-year old girls I am coaching this year. Yes, I had a speech. As a copywriter, communicating exactly what you want your audience to understand is key. As a coach, ensuring a concussion-free season is smart. And as much as my husband would disagree, typing up a three-page speech for t-ball players is not over thinking it.

It’s about having a plan, and plans keep me from going crazy.

In an ad agency environment, chaos is something most creatives thrive on. With the help of organized management, good account execs, and a responsive billing department, even the busiest day isn’t heart attack inducing. It’s stimulating. As much as a handful of last-minute requests or edits can stress one’s system, I actually work best when things get crazy. But I always have a to-do list.

Even when it comes to t-ball.

With an economic slow-down in progress, I figured missing a few hours in the afternoon one day a week wouldn’t kill my career. So I volunteered to be Assistant Coach for my daughter Jamie’s t-ball team. Problem was, they didn’t need an Assistant Coach. They needed a Head Coach. Being there for my daughter was something I definitely didn’t need to be convinced of. – I just wasn’t sure how it would work out in terms of balancing the coaching with working.

Thankfully, Mother Nature intervened. With a ton of rain in April and early May, our practices and games were canceled left and right. And rather than getting nervous about being a clueless coach, I got a chance to come up with a plan.

Despite that plan, and the three-page speech, I found little league wasn’t so much a lesson in playing a game, but partnering with others. It was like work, only with much more adorable clients.

What do work and little league have in common? Here’s what I’ve learned so far:

#1 – Planning is great, but be ready to improvise.
Even with the best processes in place, things can surprise you. Be prepared, but be flexible and positive about change.

#2 – It’s up to you to make things happen.
A lot of people complain that work or life isn’t fair. But if you go after what you want, you have a much better chance of getting it than you do by waiting for it.

#3 – A little encouragement goes a long way.
Hard work and a good attitude should be a universal law, but it’s not. By recognizing individual effort and enthusiasm, you show you care just as much about making the ride fun as you do the final destination.

Turns out the three page speech was a bit overzealous – running the bases at the end of each game is the girls’ favorite part of t-ball – but considering we’re still concussion-free (knock on any wooden bats you may have), I’d say it did its job.

Finding time for a webcast in the middle of a typical work day – one that’s always full of curve balls –  isn’t always easy. On June 15th though I plan to head on over to this site dedicated to the Social Recruiting Summit 2009.

Hosted by ERE from Google’s headquarters in San Diego, this conference is bringing together the people in Talent Acquision who are most active in Social Media. The team behind the summit also note that, “The focus is on REAL tactics and strategies that are already in the field and working, not pie-in-the-sky ideas.”

That’s my kind of conference and plenty of people agreed – the event is sold out. Thanks to a live stream and real-time chat on the aforementioned site we’ll all be able to participate.

Although we’ll bring you a recap and review post-event, be sure to mark your calendar for this one, it’s worth checking out.

We recently talked to you about innerviews - a great, cost effective way to bring life to your website, postings and more with audio and video. Gathering testimonials and all sorts of content during a video shoot of your fellow team members can be a fun time for all. This particular example may not be exactly what you have in mind for your next day in the life/recruiting video, but it’s definitely entertaining.

A 10-Step Plan. (In Two Parts)

Is the recession over? Depends on who you talk to or where you get your information on whether we’re seeing green shoots or just weeds. But the fact is there are indications that the worst is behind us and we’ll be traveling flat ground until Fall, when we’ll start to see an uptick in hiring. So what does this mean to HR and specifically talent management? Time to use this six month period wisely and get your strategies in place for when it’s time to act.

How to get started:

1. Develop/enhance your Employment Brand
There may be a glut of talent on the market but top talent always has a number of options available. You want to make sure your company is among those choices. So first and foremost, you must make sure your employment brand is well defined and implemented/ready to be implemented. A brand is much more than a compelling graphic and a memorable phrase. The most successful employer brands take the connection between organization and audience to an empowering level – encompassing values, systems, policies and behaviors with the objective of attracting, motivating and retaining current and potential employees. Whether the message is translated for immediate gratification or stored away for long-term use, an identity has been introduced. A promise has been made. A relationship has begun. And you’re steps ahead of your competition.

2. Develop a Microsite/Talent Hub to implement your brand
Studies have shown that many HR and talent executives are unhappy with their current career website. That’s because a career website tries to be everything to everybody. An accountant will desire different information than a management trainee. A nurse will want a separate engagement than a pharmacist. The answer, just as it is in advertising to consumers, is in targeting your message. The way to do this is with a microsite/talent hub – a mini-website with content that is a highly personalized, detail-rich window into your corporate culture, environment, benefits, and opportunities for that specific hire. You’re essentially speaking their language and you’ll start to see a higher rate of qualified applicants in the process.

3. Develop Web 2.0 tools
What is Web 2.0? And, why is there so much hype surrounding it? In terms of recruiting, one of the best definitions we’ve come across is one referring to Web 2.0 as the “Writeable Web.” Web 2.0 creates a Web environment where you are no longer talking “at” your customers (or potential job applicants), but “to” or “with” them. It adds interactivity to your web content and a greater experience for applicants. Bottom line, you’re marketing directly to an individual instead of a faceless group. If you’re not currently doing so, be ready to implement employee blogs; social networking sites like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter; podcasts and videos; discussion areas on your career site; and more. They may not be a panacea, but collectively you’ll open up more sources and better engage candidates, in whatever platform they’re using.

4. Develop Email Sourcing/Candidate Relationship Management tools
A surefire way to target individuals instead of groups? Develop an active sourcing pipeline by finding your candidates (through your ATS/TAS, resume mining/searching, social networks, general advertising and job postings) and market to them on an individual basis by email. Once they’ve visited your career site, keep the communication going with candidate relationship management tools (emails, eCards, animated flash landing pages) to keep interest piqued. You’ll ensure a steady stream of talent that has been cultivated for when hiring does pick up and a “first option” for when a requisition needs to be filled ASAP.

5. Develop an Employee Referral Program
At its most basic level, an Employee Referral Program is networking at its best. One built on solid planning, organized implementation and smart data collection takes networking to the next level, making it the cornerstone of a world-class recruiting plan. Companies with best practice ERPs routinely attribute them to generating around 50% of all hires. An ERP should be in place and marketed to employees on a regular basis.

Want the rest of this 10-Step Plan for HR and Sourcing? Check back next Monday right here at Alstin’s blog for more.