alstin communications

I confess, the first time I was retweeted it was tiny thrill. A little Sally Field moment – You like me, you really like me! – in the Twittersphere. OK, so maybe it wasn’t quite that over the top, but it still was (and still is) very cool.

When I was a n00b to Twitter, the retweet was part of every primer I read – share and share alike all the good stuff you come across. Once you start up an account, you will soon realize that the good stuff often comes from others that you are following.

So for other n00bs and nay sayers out there who cover their ears and chant “la-la-la” every time someone tries to convince them to get on Twitter already, let me share the good stuff so to speak about retweeting.

If you are relatively new to Twitter, or are starting to think it’s time to give it a twirl, first be sure to check out this essential Twitter 101 guide.  Put together by the very smart people behind the site, you won’t find reams of leaden copy that only encourages to discourage. What you will get is a bunch of great information that’s very easy to plow through. The guide defines the retweet this way:

To help share cool ideas via Twitter and to give a shout-out to people you respect, you can repost their messages and give them credit. People call that retweeting (or RT), and it usually looks something like this: “RT @Username: Original message, often with a link.” Retweeting is common, and it’s a form of conversation on Twitter. It’s also a powerful way to spread messages and ideas across Twitter quickly. So when you do it, you’re engaging in a way people recognize and usually like—making it a good way to connect.

Yes, yes and yes to all that. Although a part of you might at first question: Aren’t I supposed to be sharing all my pearls of wisdom, links I found to helpful posts and snappy 140-character comments that help brand either myself, or my company and its new job opportunities? Why am I making the “other guy” come across as the expert?

You aren’t doing that, trust me.

My top three tips on retweeting break down like this:

Use the Retweet to Gain Followers: A retweet is often reciprocal. Remember that tiny thrill I mentioned above? People do take note of who retweets their posts and are more apt to return the favor. A simple retweet could lead to lots of new followers who liked what you had to say. Remember, when you get retweeted, their audience becomes your audience.

Keep it Real: In that same vein, reweet items that genuinely hold real value. Only retweet something you found helpful or interesting. Don’t start retweeting with one goal in mind: the goal of getting yourself retweeted. By keeping it real, your Twitter feed will consist of interesting content that shows people you are worth a follow.

Get to Know Others in the Know: When it comes to networking, many of us are already using and are quite comfortable with LinkedIn. Twitter offers a highly personalized way to get to know others out there that you want to connect with. The conversational style and topical nature of tweets opens the door to friendly dialogue with industry leaders you may have admired from afar, a potential applicant, or others who share your common interests.

You’ll soon find, or maybe already have, that you will gain just as much (information, connections and fun) out of it as you put in.

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.

When the autumn season returns, one of my “favorite things” to do is spending a crisp, fall day with my family at a pumpkin patch. This marks the third year I will be heading to Shady Brook Farms in Yardley, PA for their annual PumpkinFest.

I love standing back and watching my now three-year-old son pick the biggest pumpkin he can find and his attempt to carry it back to me, falling down all over the place. There are lots of fun activities for young children – a moon bounce, pony rides, face painting and so much more. We always make sure we have Uncle Dave’s Ice Cream before we go on the hayride. Homemade pumpkin ice cream – MMMMMM!

Then we try our luck finding our way out of Shady Brook’s corn maze. Just before it gets too cold and too dark – you really can spend the whole day there – we each get a cup of hot apple cider and sit back, relax and enjoy the fall weather.

I’m setting this blog post up within the familiar confines of my office at 1401 Walnut. Taking a quick glance over my shoulder and out the window, I have a nice view across Broad Street of my new destination come Monday morning: 121 South Broad Street.

You may have read Mike Tedesco’s post a few weeks ago about our big move, or maybe checked out Mike’s ecard announcement, but if you are reading this – it’s official. We’ve moved.

On Monday, I’ll be loading this post to the blog before I head for my train into Philly and although I don’t know what this day will hold – please, please let us have access to our email – I do know one thing. We’re all really excited to start another chapter in Alstin’s history with our new space (and hope we don’t walk up to the old building while on auto-pilot too much in the beginning.)

Keep reading for the latest from our new home. We’ll be bringing you photos and tales of moving day in posts to come.

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.

Well, my favorite time of year has ended. I’m not an emoticon type of guy, but … ):

The days are getting shorter, my kids are back at school and I’ve said goodbye to the beach for quite a while. Even as I type this, a single tear falls from my cheek as I mourn the end of summer. Still, I can’t dwell in my despair because I’ve been kept so busy recently with meetings–so let’s get back on the road!

Salisbury, MD: A 2 ½ hour drive (each way) is nothing to fret about if you’re off to see a beloved client we’ve handled for many years. And the topic couldn’t be more relevant: Social Networking. Led by our Director of Interactive Services, Jennifer Hitchens-Greenfield and Account Executive, Angela Havrilla, we discussed basic set-up, protocols, best practices and pitfalls when recruiting with LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. What was so great about that day was that the presentation was held in a training room with each person on his or her own PC, so we could do real-time surfing, exercises and updates. If your organization wants to be in the know about Alstin’s sociability (and trust me you do) drop me a line at trosato@alstin.com. Whatever your recruiting department’s level of knowledge or sophistication with social networking, we can tailor a presentation or workshop to fit your needs.

Philadelphia, PA: Our fearless leader Mike Tedesco and I were taken to lunch by a media representative (and an unbelievably nice person) who we’ve worked with for well over ten years. It’s one of the things I love most about this business: the long lasting relationships and friendships we make with clients, media people and others. And what a venue for lunch: Parc. The cuisine is delicious, authentic French Bistro and while I didn’t see Bruce Willis, Owen Wilson or Reese Witherspoon (all 3 had dined there recently) I did have a great meal and a wonderful time.

Mt. Laurel, NJ: First meeting since the summer break for Tristate HRMA. Do you know about Tri-State and what a great organization they are? We’re extremely active members of Tri-State and our owner, Mike Schluth has personally been very involved in this fun, engaging association for many years. Learn more about Tri-State, their new president Laraine Knauss and more at www.tristatehr.org.

Princeton, NJ: The September meeting of NJAHR and on the agenda was review of this year’s NAHCR conference in Seattle (next year is Vegas, baby!). We also talked about the future nursing shortage, today’s struggles finding good Physical Therapists and more. If you are involved in recruiting allied health or nursing professionals in NJ, this is an organization you need to be part of! To learn more, visit their fantastic new site at www.njahr.org.

Vineland, NJ: Headed down to the southern part of the Garden State with Senior VP Mike Tedesco to see a great friend of the agency who is settling in with a new organization. One of things I think makes us different from our competitors is that we didn’t go down there to give a big presentation or hard-sell our services, but instead to really try and learn more about the organization, their unique recruitment and retention goals and challenges, and how we might be able to help.

Off the road for a brief pitstop for civility (if you would be so kind).

Kanye West, Serena Williams, Joe Wilson–Okay, so no one says we should take cues on civility and decorum from politicians and celebrities, but the events in recent weeks do raise some interesting questions about how we conduct ourselves today. I for one am so grateful that I’m part of an organization where passion, creativity and an informal environment are valued, but we treat each other, our customers and our vendors with respect (at least I think so; I don’t remember anyone yelling out, “You lie!” at our last manager’s meeting).

Until next time, see you on the road!

As we’re getting ready for an exciting change of location here at Alstin, it’s not merely the walls and building exterior that are taking on a new look. There are lots of little details that need to be updated. Though we’re able to take our email addresses and phone numbers across the street, taking our physical address was not a possibility. That means a lot of new print runs that cover business cards, invoices, stationary, envelopes, etc. It also means updating electronic signatures in emails, quotes and faxes. Busy, but simple, right? Not so fast!

One element that tends to be taken for granted because it’s supposed to be an unchanging cornerstone is the company logo. You’d think that after all that goes into expressing the character of a company through a graphic mark, the logo would be safe, but it seldom is. Alstin is no exception.

Sometimes companies will make radical changes that scream “I’ve been updated!” – think back to 2003 when UPS updated their logo.

Others might simply alter the font so subtly that only typographers will notice. But some tread even more gently than that. Perhaps the color is going to change from a dark green to a dark blue. Maybe you’ve added a trademark symbol or updated your tag line or even decided to include a tag line where there wasn’t one before!

One problem with updating the logo is making sure that everybody knows about it and is on the same page regarding usage. We’ve learned that it’s not enough to simply label a file “NEW CompanyX logo”. We put dates on them, and label them to reflect their proper usage. Then we put all the older logos in a folder called “Old CompanyX logos-DO NOT USE!” – but we don’t trash them as it will be inevitable that as soon as they are trashed the old logo will be requested by someone! (When UPS – an Alstin client for a series of projects – originally updated their logo, we started using it right away. However we were ultimately asked to go back to the old one for a few weeks until the new one became more recognizable.)

So as we move into our new location, I’ll be busy making sure I update everything that needs updating in the most consistent, company approved manner possible. Then I’ll move the older, improper logos that I should never use again into a new folder. And trash it.         - j

There’s been a fundamental shift in the way we communicate. My advice? Shift into gear.

Mind-blowing stats on usage are one thing – as this great video (gimme a mintue, this one is definitely worth a watch) demonstrates. Another thing alltogether is tapping into social media’s potential and getting mind-blowing results.

For some of us the fun of social media is in validating via Facebook that you were right all along -  the home coming king really was a frog -  or reading the tweets of a favorite celeb. However, we’ve seen of late how Twitter can be a view into the world’s collective brain. We’ve made it that way by turning it into not just a site about mundane musings, but a community for sharing perspectives, information and hey, guess what – even jobs!

Connect with me on LinkedIn, follow me on Twitter and I encourage you to keep reading Alstin’s beloved blog. And to my new tweeps, I will be looking for your tweets.

It used to be: job opening + job posting = hire. This formula, in the not so distant past, often equated to a posting on one, or all of the “big three” general job boards: Monster, CareerBuilder or Hot Jobs. With aggregators like Indeed, SimplyHired and LinkUp, social networking and many other factors at play (particularly the economic climate), are job postings even relevant anymore?

While the general job boards have certainly lost ground niche sites have gained plenty and I believe will remain relevant for quite some time. Why? Here are my top three reasons:

· Cost = Added Value: Many niche websites are still inexpensive and a surprisingly high number provide resume access for the duration of the job posting at no additional cost.

· Audience = Quality Over Quantity: Niche sites deliver targeted content, so the larger proportion of site visitors will likely be the right target audience. Many association sites also require that job seekers are members of their organization in order to view job openings. This may decrease the number candidates who view job postings on their site, but it certainly provides a more targeted audience for the employer.

· Passive Job Seekers = Larger Market Share: One of the most coveted groups out there for recruiters is passive job seekers. Sometimes the right person for your job opening just isn’t someone who is actively on the market. Niche sites are go-to destinations and communities for professionals who like to stay in-the-know in their fields. An interesting position may spark interest and convince a mind or two to apply.

Lee Jeans has raised more than $75 million for breast cancer research through their Lee National Denim Day program. The program encourages employers to allow their employees to wear jeans to work in exchange for a $5 donation. Nearly one million supporters are united each year under the program’s simple philosophy: one day, one cause, one cure.

Many of us share a common thread with this disease. On Friday, October 2nd consider asking your coworkers to get casual for the cause.

Michael H. Campbell is the Executive VP, Human Resources and Labor Relations for Delta Air Lines Inc. – a company with 84,306 employees. For that he earns a total compensation of more than $5 million.

Workforce Management compiled a list of the 30 highest-paid HR Leaders among publicly traded U.S. companies. Although the average compensation for executives on the list has dropped 20 percent since 2007, one of the most notable trends on this year’s list is that many hold multiple roles at their companies. Half the executives on the list hold at least one other title outside of HR.

Looks can be deceiving. This guy seems pretty pumped for being in a deserted old office.

Spin a caption for this photo that is, surprisingly, not a downer and is actually a positive message about the current employment climate.

Creating ‘real value’ in today’s tough economic times is a challenge. Creating value within the recruiting environment is even tougher. One service that offers employers valuable, useful and cost effective solutions is LinkUp.com. As one of the fastest growing job search engines on the web, LinkUp.com offers job seekers a difference that is easily recognizable—job postings listed ONLY on company career sites. Not job boards or regurgitated jobs mapped from another source 3 months ago, real jobs that are posted and available at real companies. And, since up to 70% of available jobs are NOT posted to the big job boards, job seekers are tapping into job information that is complete and up-to-date.

From the employers’ perspective, with a monthly subscription to LinkUp.com, your company’s job opportunities can gain exposure to LinkUp.com’s audience. In June 2009, they received over 3.4M job views and unique visitor growth was up 391% from June 2008 to June 2009. And, as part of the monthly employer subscription, LinkUp will also enhance your search results position by rotating your jobs into the top two positions of the Sponsored Job position based on general keywords (selected by LinkUp.com). LinkUp.com also has a ‘Sponsored Job’ keyword advertising package that allows for a more “hands on” customized pay-per-click advertising solution where you select a comprehensive list of keywords built specifically for jobs you identify.

Not only does LinkUp.com offer PPC ‘Sponsored Job’ solutions, they also offer subscribers social media services as well. I wrote previously about their stellar Facebook Jobs app that also enables your employees to add a “Job Box” on their Facebook profiles to expand your reach within Facebook. LinkUp.com also feeds jobs into their new Twitter channel www.Twitter.com/JobsonLinkUp.

Don’t have a Career site that enables you to easily update, post and track your company career opportunities? (Or, maybe you don’t like your ‘home grown’ or current solution?) LinkUp.com offers that, too. Their Career Portal service is fully customizable and enables you to manage all applicants for each job posted and includes an array of sorting, keyword searching, and ranking capabilities as well. The Career Portal can also track sources and provide reports (although I didn’t delve too deep into these two areas). If you want to see a Career Portal in action, visit http://lsiowa.jobdigtracker.com/careers/ or http://lloydcompanies.jobdigtracker.com/careers/ (Note: the Jobs RSS feed capability for job seekers.)

So, my monthly ‘Vendor Review’ of LinkUp.com gets two thumbs up for providing a unique value to both job seeker and employer alike. If you’re interested in a demo or finding out pricing, call or email me—I’d be glad to help.

My next blog post….”The Move – the day after.”

If you haven’t already heard, Alstin Communications is moving up the Avenue of the Arts to 121 South Broad Street…stay tuned.

Facebook recently purchased FriendFeed -  a little known (but not for long) social media platform that can aggregate all of your social media activities -  for $47.5 million. And with that cost, Facebook could just about own everything you do online – from Flickr photos and Twitter Tweets to articles you “Digg” and more.  This seems to be very big brother a very big deal, but for some of us will this provide a reason to ignore the Great Social Media Experiment of the new millenium?

As the person in charge of the sales function at Alstin for some time now, I’ve seen my share of RFPs (Requests for Proposals), from the most basic boilerplate info that reveals nothing about the quality or experience of the ad agency, to exhaustive, forest-killing, hundred page (literally) documents where they ask for the most minute details about your agency including all the work you’ve done in the last 15 years, anyone you ever talked to and what flavor ice cream you prefer. I’ve even seen some RFPs that call for free speculative creative, research and media planning, which the organization issuing the RFP will then own all rights to, whether you’re selected as the agency or not.

When you think about it, it’s not surprising that over the last few years more agencies have been “pushing back” against the RFP process, either by not engaging or participating on their own terms. There has also been a big increase in articles like these calling for the end of RFPs for ad agencies or, at minimum, a complete overhaul of the traditional RFP process.

Now before you think that this blog is nothing but a rant by a grumpy, bitter, rain cloud of a man, I want to say that I am always truly, legitimately excited when any company wants to learn more about us–no matter what method they choose. Furthermore, we have won many of our finest clients through the RFP process, and I take pride in the fact that we’re constantly being applauded for the level of quality, style and creativity we bring to RFPs.

Obviously, I think we have a very special, unique agency at Alstin and I want the world to know about it! That’s a big reason why I (unfortunately) agree that RFPs are usually a poor way to select an ad agency.

As anyone who works with RFPs knows, many RFPs are boilerplated templates that come out of the Purchasing Department with a few relevant ad agency questions thrown in–meaning the RFP issued for an ad agency is essentially the same as one issued for HVAC, building materials, window cleaning and copier service. That’s a big part of the problem–and no disrespect to the HVAC and copier service people–but when you choose an ad agency, you’re selecting qualitative things like the capability of the account staff, creative talent, relevant experience in your industry, knowledge of emerging technologies, organizational philosophy, etc.–things that are so crucial to a successful agency-client partnership–and things that RFPs rarely do an adequate job of capturing.

Of course, the most common complaint about RFPs from salespeople is that, too often, they aren’t “real.” This is probably one of the worst kept secrets about RFPs, and many studies suggest that a good bit of the time (I’ve read depressing estimates putting it at 75%) the RFP process is a more an exercise than a valid process. The organization already knows who the selected vendor is going to be, but they put out an RFP because:

• They need to make the process look legitimate and strategic

• All vendor services have to be evaluated every certain # of years regardless of the level of client satisfaction

• The organization likes their current agency, but issues an RFP as a way of both “keeping them on their toes” and as a leverage tool to negotiate lower fees

• A new person comes in, wants to switch agencies and they need to do an RFP so it looks like it’s a fair process for the agency getting the boot

Sounds cynical I know, but it does seem that the # of times an organization does an RFP because they truly want to see what type of ad agencies are out there and the quality of work they do is pretty small.

Of course, that raises a big issue for us at Alstin. As an agency that takes so much pride in detailed, targeted solutions, we extend our “no cookie cutter” philosophy to our RFPs and put a tremendous amount of time and effort into them–which in many ways is great and “real” because that’s the same approach we take to working with our clients–but again, if the RFP process is not valid; well, it’s easy to see why it can be frustrating to put so much work into something that never has a chance of coming to fruition.

Okay, Mr. Smartypants you say–do you have a better way? As a matter of fact I do, and in the next few weeks, I’ll be writing a Part II to this article with some thoughts on how to choose an ad agency. In the meantime, please respond to the comments section below. I want to hear your RFP horror stories, and learn what you think is the best way of choosing an ad agency or any vendor.

Is your company using Social Media as part of their recruitment strategy? If not they are missing a chance to communicate and connect with top talent. Alstin has developed a Social Media starter pack – ‘sociability’ to help you get started.  Read more in this month’s iOnline.

When I describe SlideShare, I usually boil it down to, “It’s like YouTube for presentations.”

I first stumbled upon the site when I set up my LinkedIn profile. Perusing the apps to make my profile stand out a little more and market Alstin in the process, I found SlideShare to be a pretty exciting site. Taking advantage of it seemed like a no-brainer. Why?

For starters, let’s admit the words “exciting” and “PowerPoint presentation” usually don’t go hand in hand. However, on SlideShare, you are bound to come across some great stuff (really!), and keep coming back for more.

In addition to a Top Presentation of the Day, you can search their ever-growing database by category or keyword. Particularly helpful if you are about to start work on a presentation of your own. From finding inspiration, to gathering helpful stats or connecting with experts on the subject you are tasked with, you are likely to be surprised by how much useful content you can discover.

Plus, the site is incredibly easy to sort through. Do a search, click on a presentation to view it in its entirety (and download it if the user allows) and you’ll also be provided with a series of related presentations. Happen to like what you see? You will also get to view a listing of  additional presentations created by that particular user.

It’s grown to become the largest community for sharing presentations on the web and it is social. Once you upload a presentation, viewers have the added ability to post comments. A simple, well-done presentation can easily turn into a dialogue with potential leads.

As a marketer, I see limitless possibilities here including using this tool to promote your employer brand, an employee referral program, the team culture for hard to fill positions you’re recruiting for and so much more.

People who aren’t aware of SlideShare or tapping into your LinkedIn profile will still be able to find your content. The transcripts of your presentation are automatically indexed by Internet search engines and will show up in search results.

And it’s not just a SlideShare/LinkedIn thing. You can embed a SlideShare presentation onto a blog or website too: 

If I were to find a con, it’s that the presentations are limited to “slides” – not so great if you have cool slide transitions or animations. However, you can now embed a YouTube video into a SlideShare presentation.

The site is also free. Need I say anymore?

In addition to viewing what Alstin is up to on SlideShare check out some of the other great presentations on the site. They likely won’t be like many of the snooze-fests PowerPoints you’ve sat through.

Interested in taking advantage of all that SlideShare has to offer with a sophisticated, branded presentation that’s not only memorable but designed to deliver cost-effective results? Drop me a line at blog@alstin.com.

Alstin Communications is on the move. Literally and figuratively. After a very eventful ten years at 1401 Walnut Street – a decade that saw an almost total transformation of our business – we’re pulling up stakes and heading up the Avenue of the Arts to 121 S. Broad Street. 

We’ll be taking over the 16th floor of yet another historic Center City building, allowing us to showcase our work in exciting ways that are reflective of the times. Much of that work is electronic, from graphic e-mail campaigns, websites and microsites, and candidate relationship management tools to talent hubs, videos, social networking pages, and other Web 2.0 tools. 

We won’t have a fountain, framed front pages, or the mannequins that greeted you when you visited our park. What we will have is a contemporary look that’s more in tune with the direction Alstin Communications is traveling and, most important, the talented teams that continue to drive our success. 

Thanks for your continued business (and be sure to stop by our new space the next time you’re in Philly). 

· We’ll be up and running in our new space on Wednesday, September 30th

· Our phone/fax numbers and our email addresses will stay the same.

· Check out our blog  for updates on the move. We’ll have photos posted in October.

· Look for us at the Phillies’ next World Series Championship parade along the “Avenue of the Arts”- we’ll have great seats!

A recent University of Florida study found that rudeness is contagious in the workplace. According to the study, simply observing discourteous behavior can impact fellow employees. You don’t need to be the victim of rudeness on the job to be effected by it. Read more in this month’s issue of Alstin Answers.

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.

In the not-too-distant past I was known as a walking, talking restaurant directory. Everybody’s go-to guide for the latest and greatest places to eat. No matter how obscure the request, I had a recommendation. Malaysian food in a kid-friendly atmosphere? Penang, of course. A michelada within walking distance of The Kimmel Center? Try Tequila’s. Particular steak for a particular client? Take them to The Capital Grille. Call ahead for the bone-in filets.

At any price point, for requests that ranged from the exotic to the mundane, I was a one-person Zagat’s. And my recommendations weren’t just canned responses from “Best Of” lists. I had been there. Done that. Tasted it. In the bygone days of fast metabolisms and flush expense accounts, if my friends and I had any one consistent craving, it was this: Something Different. We already had our favorites, but when Friday night rolled around, we didn’t want the usual: We wanted what was next.

So how did this happen? How is it that when friends and I actually do go out we always end up at the same place? What is it about Misconduct Tavern that brings us back again and again? 

You can chalk some of it up to the usual suspects. Nights in the city get trumped by kids in the suburbs every time. Money matters, too, and calories. These days a parade of tapas looks less like a great meal and more like five hours in the gym. But there’s some deeper reason, too. In a world that seems increasingly chaotic, there’s something to be said for a comforting and familiar place. A dim and cozy bar where everybody really does know your name. And Misconduct Tavern is just such a place. It’s comforting right down to the food. Need proof? Try their homemade macaroni and cheese, with a variety of tasty add-ins like bacon, oven-dried tomatoes, and roasted garlic. Want something healthier? Go for the grilled Caesar or baby spinach salad. Or try the exceptional Misconduct fish cakes. And for the best lunch bargain in the city, order the five ounce, five dollar burger. It’s served with a side of thin and crispy fries and their own chipotle mayo. Sure, it’s bar food. But it’s bar food with an emphasis on local ingredients and “home” cooking. And it’s a bar that isn’t afraid to pepper their menu with things like blue cheese butter, tarragon aioli, and truffle oil. While you’re there, be sure to save room for Diane’s “Best of 15th & Locust” cheesecake or homemade bread pudding. There are new flavors every day. If that day’s cheesecake is Turtle, stop counting calories right then and there. 

Have I sworn off new restaurants entirely? Or course not. For special occasions, I’ve still got a go-to list of novel places to try. But on days where I want comfort and consistency (and these days, who doesn’t?), you’ll find me at Misconduct Tavern.

With over 10 million college students, recent grads and alumni using their site, CollegeRecruiter.com realizes the importance of communicating to this “text-savvy” audience by creating marketing channels for employers that the students and recent grads use every day (often 24/7): text messaging (aka SMS).

Take your employment message mobile! CollegeRecruiter.com can deliver a 145 character text message to the cell phones of more than 3.4 million text and 200,000 mobile streaming video enabled cell phones used by college students and recent grads who have all opted in to receive text messages from CollegeRecruiter.com You can scrub the cell phone users by 700 different fields of data. Each cell phone text message campaign also includes a free follow up plain text or HTML email campaign to reinforce your message to all recipients.

CollegeRecruiter.com states:

- 80% read your message within 20 minutes of receiving it.

- Response rate is 20 times greater than banner ads

- Response rate is 10 times greater than direct mail.

- Over 90% of text messages are read by the recipient. It is a direct link between you and the target candidate.

- On average 15% of the respondents will forward the message to a friend.

So, if you were interested in mobile marketing for your recruitment messages, text campaigns can be very targeted and yield terrific results.

You Might Need To “Get With It” When …

You think SEM and SEO are rival rock bands.

You admit to not knowing the first thing about Social Networking, but think it’s just a newfangled duhickey or fad that all the kids are excited about.

You’re still wondering what in the world a “tweet” is, and if it’s part of some new project Ashton Kutcher is working on.

You don’t have a Facebook page and never thought of setting one up for recruiting and retaining employees.

You are on LinkedIn, but don’t have a group page for your toughest area of recruitment.

The careers section of your company website is hiding from candidates in corners, behind unbolded or too small text and under an obsolete pull down bar – causing candidates to get lost and spend up to five minutes searching in frustration for your openings.

You think “Come Grow With Us” might be a great, creative theme for your employer brand.

When asked about your source of hire data, you are unable to determine where your new talent is really coming from.

Old school can be cool, but not when it comes to how you determine the best approaches to communicating with potential and current employees these days. If you are starting to feel a little out of touch, overwhelmed by it all, or not sure what direction you need to take first, don’t despair. And from what I am hearing, you are not alone.

From workshops to bring you up to speed, to effective consultation on the strategies and communications you need to get results, (shameless plug alert!) Alstin’s here to help you get with it and I am excited to help get you there. Your comments are always welcome, and feel free to drop me a line at blog@alstin.com.