alstin communications

Everyone at Alstin wishes you and yours a very Happy New Year – see you back on the blog Monday, January 4, 2010!

I recently received my AT&T cell phone bill and was shocked to learn I sent over 240 text messages last month. I wouldn’t consider myself a ‘heavy texter’ like my younger sister (who is 23 and constantly ‘thumbing’ communications & laughing at her iPhone). My phone plan cap was at 200 so I had to buck up for my extra key punching. So, after calling AT&T and upping my 200 limit to 1500 texts for an additional $4.00 (I think), I started to wonder (after declining the unlimited plan at $15/month.) just how many texts does the average user send?

I found the article written by Hope Yen on December 16^th in the Philadelphia Inquirer:

• Americans sent more than 110 billion text messages last December, double the number in the last month of 2007, as the short hand communication becomes a popular alternative to cell-phone calls.
• The nation’s 270 million cell-phone subscribers each sent an average of 407 text messages in December 2008, according to government statistics released yesterday by the Census Bureau. That’s more than double the 188 messages sent by the average cell subcriber in Deceber 2007.

“We are seeing a clear trend of huge increases in text messaging, “ said Amanda Lenhart, senior research specialist at the Pew Internet and American Life Project. “If teens are a leader for America, then we are moving to a text-based communication system. For them, there is less interest in talking.”

Her research found that the average teen now sends more than 2,000 text messages per month. About two-thirds of all teens use text messaging, mostly because of its simplicity as well as the privacy of being able to communicate without being overheard.

Lenhart predicted that texting would keep growing as parents begin using it as an easy way to reach their children.

At the same time, the average length of a cell-phone call declined last year to 2.3 minutes. That’s the shortest chat time since the 1990s, before mobile devices and cheap calling plans became widely available to everyday consumers.  The peak talk time came in 2004, when a a caller on average chatted for 3.05 minutes.

All of these stats remind me of a skit that Robin Williams does in his latest (HBO) comedy special “Weapons of Self Destruction” where he talks about Twitter ‘going down’ and everyone was freaking out about what to do with their thumbs!??! And he spoofs on a Dad re-introducing himself to his child, “Hi! I’m Dad!” LOL!

So, the bottom line: we’re evolving into a society where texting someone is more ‘efficient’ than calling them—leaving a voice mail or actually ‘connecting’ is becoming pointless.

Since when has communication been all about efficiency? Is it really that hard to push a few buttons on your phone to retrieve a voice mail? Is it really that hard to make a connection via cell towers and wireless technology? What’s wrong with talking ‘face to face?’ and rambling on about a story and reminiscing about the past and laughing out loud – for REAL. Well…a lot I guess. I’ve been there. Done that. Case in point: my mom calls, I ‘ignore it’ (this capability is another blog post all together that relates specifically to dating and the calamities of being single in today’s world, but I digress…). My mom leaves a voicemail. Instead of listening to it, I just text her…’what’s up? Just chking in…” and so the text ‘dialogue’ begins and the voice mail gets deleted.

So, what’s my point? Texting is the new communication vehicle. How does this affect how I work and how I interact with my clients and projects? So far, not too much. However, it will (eventually) change how employers engage and connect with potential applicants. And, I’m sure I’ll be exchanging text messages vs. emails with clients very soon…2010?

So, for now…ttyl cu n 2010

It’s December 22nd and Philly is recovering from the 28 inches of snowfall from Saturday. Most of the city is now a sloshy puddle with large grey snow drifts at curbsides and secondary roads. We weathered the snow storm (some counties had better plow coverage than others…) and shoveled out. I personally shoveled my driveway 5 times and thankfully had a wonderful neighbor with a snow blower swing by on Sunday morning—wonderful invention.

The Holiday season is overwhelming upon us. And, with the holidays, I’ve been seeing a lot of familiar holiday cartoon classics and specials on TV which makes me nostalgic for the ‘old days.’ Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, A Charlie Brown Christmas, Frosty the Snowman and the The Year Without a Santa Claus always make me smile!

So I felt for my blog post today, it would be appropriate for a “rerun” of my own…so here’s a link to Alstin’s December iOnline publication which features my original blog post on the Social Recruiting Summit in NYC – my take aways and social recruiting dashboard ideas (still working on this project).

December iOnline 2009

Enjoy your time off and the holidays! Next week, I’ll be taking on “Texting & recruiting = gr8!”

After a miserable, gut wrenching, stress-filled year courtesy of the 2009 economy and job market, nothing warms the cockles of my heart more than a positive story coming out of the U.S. manufacturing sector.

Ahhh, manufacturing. Where real people make real things that consumers and businesses will buy in this country and abroad. I’m not against outsourcing labor but preservation of this sector in some relevant form must be present in order to create the jobs that will allow this country to rev its economic engine again and then purr peacefully like a classic car down the highway of opportunity. Cheesy statement – oh yeah. But I am genuinely happy for the prospects in places like burgeoning data corridor resident Catawba County, NC with their new Target Distribution Center, Google server farm, and soon to be home to Apple Incs East Coast Data Center and Elkhart County, IN where after severe layoffs last year in the RV industry, one employer recalled or hired 200 laid off workers over the summer to meet an unexpected sales boom that overwhelmed inventories and left producers unable to meet demand. Baby steps people.

Hopefully you had a chance to read Mike T’s excellent blog from last week, “What did 2009 teach us?” In his posting, Mike talked about the job market and some important changes in recruiting we saw this year. I’d like to piggyback on that post and talk about one area of the economy that has a lot of people nervous.

It’s just a two-word phase, but when these simple words are put together shock waves and fear are sent over the Internet, TV and radio. You saw the phrase in big-letter graphics on the news (usually in the scariest font and typeface they could find), and anchors on news stations would lower their voices an octave when they said the words for added drama.

The phrase? Jobless Recovery.

Personally, from what I’ve read and seen over the last year, I think the phrase is way more bark than bite. It’s important to remember that in any economic downturn, jobs are often very late in getting back on the recovery bandwagon. In fact, the modest recovery signs we’re seeing now have been almost textbook: the stock market gets back on track rather quickly, then businesses begin to stabilize and modestly improve–but, for obvious reasons, employers (especially those who let people go in 2008 and 2009) stay extremely gun-shy about hiring again.

A few people say the recessions of 1993 and 2001 featured jobless recoveries, but I’ve read that most economic experts dispute that; their contention is that these were relatively minor recessions, so a large influx of jobs after recovery should never have been expected.

I do think jobs will come back, although it will be slowly and (as with the repercussions of any economic shift) the jobs gained may not be the same as the ones lost. Of course, all this is small consolation to those poor individuals who were downsized over the past two years.

Though the job market is starting to show some signs of life, it’s still weaker than it’s been in decades, and to those out of work it I’m sure it feels very much like the start of a jobless recovery.

While we’re on the rain cloud side of things, I do think there will be some long-term, if not permanent, changes to recruiting. In this recession, so many organizations that took pride in never having layoffs had multiple rounds of cuts in just 2009. Vibrant companies that consistently posted double-digit growth each year saw the bottom drop out and had to close.

Even supposedly “recession-proof” industries like healthcare took it on the chin.

I think the effect of this deep decline could be an end to what I call “reflexive hiring.” Here’s an example: Joe in the Plastics Division of ABC Company finds a new job. Normally, human resources would spring into action, checking both internally and via their ATS for viable candidates, and then contact their favorite recruitment communications firm (I hear Alstin Communications in Philly is the best) to get a plan in place for finding Joe’s replacement. While I think they may still end up replacing Joe, CEOs, Managers and HR Departments will first step back and spend a lot of time asking questions like “Do we really need to hire a full time replacement for Joe?” “Could Sally and Frank handle it together?” “Should we absorb Joe’s Dept into XYZ?”etc.

Of course, other recruiting experts say the paragraph above is totally wrong–and I hope they’re right. Many feel that, while it certainly doesn’t seem like it now, once the recruiting tide turns things will get humming very quickly, and HR depts will be under the gun to find the best people for their organizations.

Any way you look at it, 2010 will be a very interesting year. I hope your organization sees robust growth and, if you’re on the job market, I hope you find an engaging career that truly rewards your talents and skills.

Thank you and best wishes for 2010.

The whole is greater than the sum of its parts around here at Alstin. I know I’ve described a fellow team member as “my right arm” on a project more than once. That’s at the core of why the a-team became an employee blog.

Although I’m the editor and a frequent blogger for the site, I didn’t want this destination on the web to be a one-woman show. As my first year of editing/blogging for Alstin winds down, I can also tell you that shining the spotlight on Alstin as a “whole” through our collective posts has been such a worthwhile effort.

It takes almost no time at all to set-up the framework for a blog through a free service like Word Press. However, there’s lots to consider before you launch a blog. Here are some of the very basics:

Look before you leap: I turn to blogs every day for information, insights, humor, tips, industry news (Oh Cheezhead, how I miss you!) you name it. I evaluated what it was that kept me coming back for more and made a list. (Note: Looking for more great HR blogs? Bookmark: RecruitingBlogs, FistfulofTalent and ERE.)

Establish some goals:  So what was I really hoping to accomplish with this blog? Build Alstin’s brand. Show off our company’s “personality.” Engage the team. Attract talent. Connect with others. Drive sales. Yes to all that and more. There wasn’t a singular mission – is there ever really one singular motivator for anything? – but I wanted the potential a blog has to be fully considered and become part of the strategy.

Tap into a good designer: I’ve got a big advantage. I have the likes of Jay Scheuerle a few paces from my office. (He designed the header graphic and the icons that occasionally populate our posts. On top of that he’s a great writer too.) Even if you don’t have an in-house designer, be sure to make plenty of consideration to the look and feel of your blog and ask for help when you need it. Our short attention spans are getting shorter. I know I’ve clicked on a promising link only to see an amateurish page and click away before giving the content a chance.

Stay focused, but don’t be afraid to mix it up: Alstin’s blog content is focused on offering you opinions, ideas and new media solutions for talent acquisition, retention and employee engagement. For the reader (and the writers!) we’ve gotta diverge from the HR talk sometimes. It’s a nice break and it keeps things interesting. Want to see what I mean? Check out our Favorite Things posts and views from the lighter side at the Water Cooler.

Keep it fresh: Another turn-off – blogs that have sporadic or very dated posts. I map out a schedule a month ahead of time. I know who is writing what so we don’t have any overlap and make sure that for each business day there’s something new. If someone needs more time, no worries. That’s my gig. I’ll write up something and fill in the blank. Selecting an editor that can provide an endless stream of ideas on what to write about, contribute as a writer, edit copy, source great photos – a person who can be a true content manager – will keep things on target.

No commercials! Keep it real: We’ve got amazing subject matter experts. We’re doing cool things for our clients. And we don’t want to read posts that are veiled ads any more than you do. A successful blog will be about sharing knowledge, not a sales pitch. For me, it is also important to keep in mind that the posts should be written just as much for my team’s benefit as it is for people outside the company. Posts need to be authentic, useful and highly informative.

Promote and network: Our blog’s URL is everywhere Alstin is electronically and in print.  We send out weekly eblasts to our clients and subscribers with links to the latest posts. You’ll see several of us commenting on other blogs to gain additional exposure and you better believe we’re chatting it up whenever we can. Use your internal and external networks to make sure people know what your are up to. They will take notice.

Have fun: I couldn’t wait to get this blog going and the excitement has never diminished. However, I also recognize and respect that not every employee wants to participate in writing content for it. No problem and comes with no demerits.

Have patience: I think the first week we were up and running our blog was viewed mostly by Alstin employees and my mom. Comments were slow to come, but they did! Then through team efforts to promote and network, so did the readers and the connections and the satisfaction of a job well done by all.

I’m keeping my promise of sharing campaigns that infuse an employer brand into their marketing message.

Here’s one from Barclays. Their ad draws you in through great visuals matched with intriguing narration about a mysterious company that’s “using their talents to become one of the fastest growing investment banks.”

Their ad certainly didn’t “fly under my radar.”  Enjoy.

2009 is ready to go into the record books. The worst year of economic news since the Great Depression is just about over. But what did a year of stimulus packages, TARP, CARS, bailouts, layoffs, and extended unemployment benefits teach us in the recruiting world?

Sitting on the sidelines is ok, as long as you do not become complacent and fearful of acting.

In the financial world 2009 turned out to be a great year to stay put with your investments and do nothing. Since March, many investors who stuck with their stock index funds watched portfolios rise 60%, a $1.5 trillion return to American’s nest eggs. But remember, workers’ 401(k)s and savings plans are still below their peaks and with inflation and tax hikes on the horizon other actions to gain returns are going to be necessary. So, staying the course works to an extent. And now with GDP and worker productivity rising, workweek hours getting longer and temp hiring continuing to rise, signs point to companies getting ready to add staff. If you’ve been waiting out the recession, there’s a change in the air when it comes to recruiting. Be active or have strategies in place in order to act or you’ll fall behind.

One of the biggest changes occurring in the past year has been the realization that one of the most effective ways to recruit talent in the new recruiting landscape is through candidate engagement. It’s the impetus behind the rapid adoption of utilizing social networks and talent hubs as an essential recruitment strategy. Remember, though, that technology is a tool, not a crutch, and shouldn’t replace common courtesy and common sense when dealing with candidates. So many companies still view recruiting as a chore and candidates as a bother. Witness what happened to Anne Kadet, author of a great SmartMoney article entitled “My Battle For A Sales Job.” She tells of her desire to land a part time holiday job in the retail industry to get first hand experience in what candidates are going through in today’s job market. Her experience shows that many HR departments still don’t get the idea of cultivating candidates and engaging them in meaningful dialogue. Curt replies from irritable company representatives, computerized interviews with no human interaction, and harshly worded email responses that end the interaction between the candidate and HR were the norm. Admittedly, her experience is with the retail industry but I bet there are other companies and even whole industries that operate this way. Even though there are record numbers of potential employees out there, make sure you treat them in a fair, thoughtful and professional manner in order to promote your company in a way that reflects a positive image. In other words, your employment brand must be enforced on all levels and with all strategies you employ.

The time is now to act as a forward-thinking recruitment function and engage those candidates who will be crucial to your firm’s success. Be ready for 2010.

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.

Recently there have been some (thankfully) real economic indicators showing that the recession might finally be abating–and hopefully in 2010 we’ll see a solid recovery in the job market and recruiting activity, especially for those unfortunate people who were downsized in 2009. I know that I’ve personally been a lot busier in November and December than in previous years–hopefully, it’s a sign of better things to come. Okay, let’s get on the road!

My Desk, Philadelphia, PA: Web seminar with a long time client, myself and our Director of Interactive Services, Jen Hitchens-Greenfield. The topic? You guessed it–recruiting using social media tools. What Jen does so well is customize these presentations for each client, explain the options in clear, real terms, talk about best practices and our recommendations. If you want to learn more about how social media can help you recruit, retain and engage your employees, drop me a line at trosato@alstin.com.

3 Blocks Away, Philadelphia, PA: The always nice Sofitel Hotel for the annual PAAHCR Holiday Luncheon. Beautiful venue, really good food and, with our impressive experience in healthcare, lots of Alstin clients and friends there. Thanks to the folks at Merion Publications (Advance) for sponsoring.

Hunt Valley, MD: Is this Groundhog Day? It’s another holiday luncheon for healthcare recruiters, and again Merion Pubs sponsored–this time for the folks at MAHCR! A disturbing pattern of holiday luncheons with me eating too much is developing.

Philadelphia, PA: I had heard great things about Jack’s Firehouse in the Art Museum area, but never was able to get there until now. The occasion was the Philadelphia Inquirer/philly.com/Monster Customer Appreciation Party. So many great people and friends we’ve known for so long–and absolutely some of the best appetizers I’ve tasted in years.

There’s more I could add, but since they all involve me overeating, I’m cutting this one a little short. Time to (literally) roll on.

Until next time, see you on the road!

The Alstin crew will be belly up to the bar at McGillin’s Old Ale House next week enjoying some Christmas cheer, the warmth of the holiday season and without a doubt many a shared tale or two of Alstin holiday celebrations of yore.

Our celebrations have ranged from:

The over the top extravaganza – We transformed the Valley Forge Convention Center into a Jersey shore-esque boardwalk complete with said boardwalk, a ton of games, a full sized merry go round, some guy on stilts, a popular Jersey shore cover band … over the top can’t even really begin to describe that one.

The somewhat silly – We were told by our dear party planner to “think Manhattan night club” for one year’s event. Considering some of the parties Alstin threw we all wondered, were we heading up to NYC? Many cool clubs in Philly were debated. Well, that venue turned out to be little more “Chucky Cheese” (a pre-teen disco resplendent with kiddie birthday photos on every inch of wall space) than nightclub, but we still got our groove on that is for sure.

The attempt at sophistication – We once had students from a local culinary arts school prepare a lovely seven-course meal for us. Immediately after we made a beeline for McGillin’s and placed an order for several edible items (mostly “fried” items) along with the pitchers.

Challenger, Gray & Christmas reports that just over 60% of U.S. companies are planning holiday parties this year, down from 77% in 2008. We invite you to take the latest poll on our blog (top right of the page), or let us know what your company is up to this year.

One thing is for sure, and we all can agree over here at Alstin, you don’t need a large budget – just a time and a place – to celebrate the holidays with the people you know and love and get to call your co-workers.

When I was offered an Account Executive position at what was then Alstin Advertising, I was thrilled. Not only was I escaping winter in Ocean City, NJ (my parents had just moved there and I was living with them until I landed my “dream job”) — I loved the thought of working for an ad agency in Center City, Philadelphia.

I was also entertaining an Account Coordinator offer from a full service retail ad agency. Torn between two very good choices, I contacted a mentor I had met with a few times and told him about my options: Great Position at a niche recruitment advertising agency — marketing jobs and/or the companies that are looking to fill them, or Okay Position at a traditional agency with sexy clients, products and offices. This is the gist of what he told me:

“You can take the Coordinator position and get exposure to a lot of big clients, but you may have to wait awhile to get promoted. It will probably be pretty menial work, and you may be at the whim of the accounts they have. For instance, if their big client is Coca-Cola, and Coca-Cola goes with another agency, almost everyone that works on Coca-Cola would get laid off. If you take the AE position, you’ll have a range of responsibilities as well as client contact. You’ll also learn a lot about the various departments in an ad agency. The agency you’re looking at has hundreds of clients, so if they lose one, it might not mean layoffs. But the one big drawback is that you will be pigeon-holed. You’ll work in advertising, but it’s recruitment advertising. It’s mostly the classified section of the newspaper. Even if you only spend a few years there, it may be tough to find a job at a retail agency because you focused on jobs instead of products or services.”

He also told me it depended on what my plan was for the rest of my life. (Keep in mind I was 23 at the time.) If I really wanted to be a big shot in the advertising industry, I should move to New York City. But I’d have to expect to work long hours and pay a lot for just about everything.

I thought over my mentor’s advice. He had built a 35 year career for himself at a respected Philadelphia agency, and seemed to know what he was talking about. I did want a family some day, and the long hours and financial realities of the big city weren’t appealing. I fantasized about writing ads for Nike, but I didn’t want my job to be my life. I wanted to work on projects that challenged me, but I thought stable was just as important as sexy.

Fast forward 16 years. Recruitment advertising was my decision, and it has turned out to be a great one. Though I started out as an Account Exec and had a great time interacting with clients, I grew into the copywriter role I always dreamed about and have loved it. Here’s what I like most about recruitment advertising (now called Employer Marketing), Alstin, and why I think selling jobs may actually be better than selling sneakers.

• Challenging copywriting projects – How do you convince a nurse to choose one hospital over another when they are just blocks from one another and offer almost identical settings, services, and compensation? Every hard-to-fill position presents a stimulating wake-up call for the brain.
• Diverse clients – From window washing companies hiring laborers to communications firms seeking engineers with high-level government clearances, you’re exposed to incredibly different requests on a daily basis.
  
• Talented, ‘tude-less people – None of the graphic designers I work with wear head-to-toe black. They don’t always read AdWeek (though they occasionally use Print magazine as placemats for drippy lunch items). And the only awards they’ve won are displayed in our conference room, because they were won as part of a team.
• Technology matters – Though the Internet briefly disrupted the stability that recruitment advertising enjoyed for decades, employer marketing firms are now offering some of the coolest online targeting tools around. We still get ads for the classified section (some of us still even read the classified section), but most of our services and products are about connecting with prospective candidates on the web and interactively.
• Service is everything – Power lunches have lost their luster. Though I still have memories of a dozen or so Le Bec Fin meals to feed my imagination, clients today care much more about the strategies and ideas we share with them than they do the desserts.*
• Adapting is the other everything – Companies’ needs don’t change even when the volume of business they do does. They still need to recruit and/or retain the best, but now, more than ever, be smarter and more cost-conscious about it. Alstin has not only rolled with the punches — we’ve come out swinging with updated products, services and creative.
• Advertising with a conscience – Though the odds are against me ever writing a multi-million dollar commercial people watch over wings and beer, there’s definitely something to be said for creating copy that links great people with great opportunities. That one sentence I come up with could convince someone to apply for their dream job. They could get it. And then they, like me, could live happily-ever after. Pigeon-holed and proud.

* Economy be damned, I must say that I really, really miss the dessert cart.

Many organizations have joined the social recruitment movement by developing communication channels on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. And now these same employers are saying, “Now what?”

As a firm believer in social media recruiting, I feel the Phase Two answer should be Pay-Per-Click (PPC) targeted advertising campaigns. The ability to target a specific skill set through their online behaviors within a finite geographic radius offers the perfect next step solution.

You’ve built your Fan Page, Twitter Job Channel or talent-centric micro-site. You’re updating the content on a regular basis, communicating with your existing fans/followers/visitors. Now, you need to increase your reach and build a larger audience.

PPC campaigns are available on all the major social media outlets. And, one solution I thought I’d focus on today—Facebook PPC campaigns.

Facebook PPC campaigns:

Structured in a similar set up as a Search Engine Markeing (SEM) campaign on Google, Yahoo! or Bing, Facebook allows advertisers multiple ways to target your advertisements to a very select audience based upon information gleaned from a person’s Facebook profile:

• Geography (US, State, City, Zip Code with a targeted mile radius.)
• Gender (Not that I’d recommend implementing this option.)
• Target people on their birthday (“Happy Birthday – try out a new career!” Maybe not. But, you get the picture.)
• Education (Up to 20 schools and/or 20 majors and graduation year)
• Workplaces (This option is HUGE – imagine creating a targeted campaign to Facebook profiles who currently work for a competitor – create your ads to talk specifically to them and encourage them to visit your Fan page, Talenthub or Career Microsite. Or, feature a specific job you have that’s in demand.)
• Languages (Great for targeting bi-lingual skill sets!)
• Keywords (The sky is the limit with these options – target profiles based upon interests, activities, favorite books, TV Shows, Movies, or job titles that users list in their Facebook profiles. Keywords can also come from groups or Pages users belong to or are fans of…a quick focus group within a department that has multiple openings or hard-to-fill opportunity can provide ‘extra-curricular’ activities that are common interests from which to target.)
• Connections (Target users who are connected to your Fan Page, an Event, Group or Application – by doing a little research this option can provide excellent targeting results!)

My point? It’s scary how detailed our digital footprints have become and how efficiently employers can target their recruitment advertising. Don’t wait – start Phase Two today! Feel free to comment or contact me with questions and/or results you’ve had (or not had) with targeted PPC campaigns.

Not long ago, I wrote in this blog about how Employee Referral Programs (still an ideal way to get the highest quality candidates) have evolved. Your organization probably has some type of ERP in place already; unfortunately, for many companies, that ERP is “dozing,” so I wanted to offer some tips on waking up that sleepy giant:

Make it easy for them–A good ERP is clear and precise about the rules (who is eligible, who isn’t, the terms of the program, bonus payouts for different positions, minimum qualifications needed for a referral to be considered “qualified,” etc). Remember that simplicity and clarity encourage more qualified referrals.

Set expectations for them—Ideally, these expectations come from the leaders of your organization, as a great ERP is a company-wide initiative, not just an HR project. For example, you might want to have a kick-off event day for your ERP that’s shared company-wide and led by senior team members (consider a video message from the CEO, an eBlast/eCard from the VP of HR, etc.). At many organizations, there is an expectation (implicit or explicit) that when employees come into contact with top candidates–at industry events, online, talking to friends, etc.–they will recognize the need to refer them. Some companies even “deputize” all employees to play a key role in building a great team.

Get them excited– Create a buzz – some of the more memorable programs we’ve done that really got people excited/talking/participating included leaving “mysterious” items on employees desks or around the office prior to fully releasing details about the program (We left paper green glasses for a campaign with the theme “See Green” on employees desks; fixings for s’mores positioned in all break rooms/cafeterias for a campaign with the theme “We need s’more people like you.”) Engagement and enthusiasm for your ERP is critical to its success.

Give them tools—This could be an ERP-specific email they can send to friends, a landing page/microsite where they can learn more about the ERP, business cards they can hand out that contain an ERP message, etc.

Teach them–Educate your employees on “best practice” ways to find and identify top talent. Also, make your ERP an ingrained part of your onboarding and exit interview processes.

Thank them—Reward your ERP’s early participants and champions right away. If you are unable to deliver the referral bonus in a relatively short window, you should think about including simple/fun rewards at the time of submission. Remember, ERP bonuses to referring employees are standard, so you need to go a step further. We’ve helped many companies with promotions like special prizes, raffles, giveaways, time off, etc. Try to focus on what would appeal to your employees (spa day, baseball tickets, weekend trip, etc.) We’ve also developed customized scratch-off lottery cards that are given each time an employee makes a qualified referral. You’d be amazed how something as simple as a pair of movie tickets or $5 gift cards can energize a referral program.

Respond to them–If your employees are working hard to give solid referrals, those referrals should be processed in a timely manner. While a guaranteed response time may not be realistic (though many companies do have such a system in place), responding to referrals quickly speaks volumes to employees about how serious you are about your ERP.

Remind them–Make sure the program stays fresh and in front of your employees. Frequent reminders like company emails and status alerts are great. If the terms of the program change, update your employees. Some organizations even measure employee awareness of their ERP.

Open it up–If you have “hot jobs” or those that are incredibly hard to fill, consider opening the referrals up to people outside of the company. When done correctly, this strategy almost always generates a whole new and (more importantly) qualified pool of candidates. We’ve done this for clients too. You can spread the word out in various ways including SlideShare presentations that can be sent to your network via LinkedIn and more.

Celebrate them–Give big picture and little picture feedback on how the program is working—how much money the company has saved, how many people have been hired in a quarter, etc. Make a special mention of employees who repeatedly give great referrals in your newsletter or via a company-wide email. A great benefit of a well-thought out and promoted ERP includes increased retention, morale and employee engagement, so don’t miss the opportunity!

The good news for you is that with just a little effort and re-tooling, you can awake the most powerful weapon in your recruiting arsenal, and soon your Employee Referral Program will be your most effective source of great hires.

I admit it: I still own a daily planner. With paper pages. Years ago, my husband tried to push me into reality with a PalmPilot. It looked simple enough, and I really liked the cute pen that came with it, but I returned it. My explanation was the same as the one he gave me when I got him a down comforter before we were married: “I like what I have now.”

Note that he didn’t say, “I like what I have better.” After all, he wouldn’t have known which he preferred since he didn’t give the down comforter a chance. My impassioned assertions of the feathery heaven that is down didn’t sway him. He was good with the status quo.

But in the past few years, the status quo for communications has been turned on its ear — especially for recruitment. The choices for connecting with prospective candidates are exciting and enticing. New electronic tools and technologies seem to roll out on a daily basis. And thanks to the web, our ability to share with others is instantaneous.

With copywriting the heart of my responsibilities here at Alstin, I began watching all the change warily. I wondered what would happen to flyers. Direct mail postcards. And brochures. Turns out, those print standbys are still here. They’ve just entered the digital age. It’s been cool to watch collateral turn electronic, and even cooler to see clients who mix and match both worlds.

One such Alstin client, Christiana Care Health System, recently took one of business’ first networking tools — the business card — and turned it into a ebusiness tool. Its new job? Directing prospective candidates, current employees, vendors, and even patients to social networking sites they can be found on. 

Recipients learn that the system has career-focused content on social networking sites (in their case, Facebook and Twitter) and can check them out, “Fan” or “Follow” them, and even link directly to their Careers site to apply for a job.

All that from one little piece of recycled tree pulp? It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.

It also gives me hope for my daily planner, housed in a soft leather binder that stores an address book, a calendar that I run my life with, a hodgepodge of articles and lists I’ve ripped out of magazines, and a bunch of my kids’ old baby pictures.

Hmmmm? What’s that you say?

PalmPilots, Blackberrys and iPhones can do all that, in less space and with more efficiency and connectivity?

Excuse me while I crawl back under my down comforter.

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.

Long before I could download a song for $.99, I would get my cheap thrills in the dollar bins. Still a favorite weekend pastime of mine, spending a Sunday afternoon flip, flip, flipping through bin after bin of vinyl records, each for $1, never fails to deliver.

I’ve bought albums for the sheer nostalgia of having owned the same record in my youth, the love of a particular song (It’s only a buck!) and even for crazy cover art that is either way cool, or just flat out hilarious. But most of all, I still buy a ton of music on vinyl for the joy of bringing home good tunes, unwrapping the plastic, firing up the hi-fi and letting it spin. Some vinyl lovers, my husband included, also like to claim that records just sound warmer.

I’ve never counted how many records I have amassed over the years, but a good guestimate is in the 1,000’s. Not all of them picked up at the bargain bin rate and not all of them used lost treasures.

Answers to FAQs: Yes, you can still get new music on vinyl Yes, there are a lot of other people like me who also buy music on vinyl. Yes, there are actual stores that still sell them, new and used. (My regular haunt is Princeton Record Exchange.)

If you have ever seen the movie High Fidelity, or read the book by Nick Hornby, you get a pretty good glimmer of what it’s like to have a wee bit of an addition to collecting vinyl. The scene where Rob Gordon, played by John Cusak, rearranges his records based on his autobiographical moments really slayed me when I first saw it. Still does. I relate. I’ve conducted bizarre personal sorting and arranging of my records too.

When I am making a pasta dinner I like to play a little gem I found called Mandlino Italino. I spin Irish folk music on St. Patrick’s Day and on the first real blustery fall afternoon you can bet that Vivaldi’s Four Seasons will be blaring out of my speakers. I even have a record put out by one of the Mummer String Bands that I pop on while making breakfast every New Year’s Day … “Oh ‘Dem Golden Slippers”. Life always needs a little background music.

One of the wackiest albums I have ever come across I don’t (yet) own. It remains at the DeHaven homestead and was purchased, oh I guess sometime in the 50’s or 60’s by my father, a lover of the automobile and a former racecar driver. It’s of the Indianapolis 500. It’s just the sounds of the racecars going around and around the track. Over and over. It is totally insane. He won’t part with it, which I tell him is also totally insane because there isn’t even a turntable in my parent’s house anymore. But I get it.

I had to squirrel away my turntable this past year from a pair of very grabby toddler hands. Now that the grabby phase seems to be fading alway, I was beyond happy to bring it back into the living room full time this past weekend as we decked the halls. In our house, setting up the Christmas tree just isn’t the same without a rendition of Jingle Bells by Old Blue Eyes himself, Frank Sinatra.

For the first album of the day however, I gave the honors over to my little guy. After flip, flip, flipping through a row of albums, he recognized the cover art from a corresponding CD he knows and loves and made his request: The Best of Leonard Cohen. It was a proud-shared moment for us parents – our kid likes good music!! And you know what, Leonard’s voice and his music really did sound warmer than our CD.

While I didn’t join the Black Friday shopping madness, I did go out on Saturday to my favorite ‘one stop shop’ retailer—Target (who’s bullseye logo my soon-to-be 5-year-old son easily recognizes as “Mommy’s favorite store”). The bustling parking lot and limited selection of new plastic Target carts were the first indications that maybe I should have stayed home. However, I forged ahead and managed to purchase some toys and other gifts that I knew were special discounts. On the way home, I vowed to only do the rest of my holiday shopping online.

The term CyberMonday term was born by the NRF as a day for bargain-hunters to take advantage of faster Internet connections at work but the most recent NRF survey found that most shoppers — 91.5 percent — now do so from home. (Obviously with the increased usage of cable/FIOS Internet access).

And now, CyberMonday and now has taken on greater momentum thanks to social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.

As reported today from Mashable’s Adam Ostrow, “According to numbers provided by Coremetrics, sales for this year’s Cyber Monday beat last year by 13.7 percent.

Some other numbers directly from the report [PDF link]:

• The average dollar amount consumers spent per online order rose 38.2 percent from Cyber Monday 2008 ($180.03 versus $130.24), led by apparel retailers.
• Consumers bought nearly 10 percent more items per order on Cyber Monday 2009 compared to Black Friday 2009 and nearly 30 percent more compared to Cyber Monday 2008.
• Consumer shopping hit its peak from 9-10 a.m. PST, but maintained stronger momentum throughout the day than on Cyber Monday 2008.

“Americans appreciate the convenience of shopping online, which doesn’t require standing in line, circling for a parking spot, or even changing out of your pajamas,” said Scott Silverman, executive director of Shop.org. (Author’s note: Amen!)

So, while I’m nowhere near finished holiday shopping, I’m glad to report that the hashtag #ShopCyberMonday was used on Twitter by over 650 retailers on CyberMonday for special discounted items, coupon links, and much more. Facebook users could log on to retailer’s Fan Pages and get access to great coupon codes to use online and sign up for alerts for specials and discounts. What better way for retailers (and employers – hint, hint) to communicate with their customers than directly through social media? It’s a win-win situation where everyone saves, and I’m all about savings this holiday season. (And, all the free shipping offers are a huge time saver!!)

So from now on, I consider myself a confirmed “Cyber-holiday shopper” and you won’t see me trolling the mall parking lots anymore! I’ll be enjoying my coffee in my PJs clicking away and searching for Facebook Fan Page coupon codes and cost-saving #hash tags! Serenity now!