How is it that with the many sob stories that pop up every so often about the very costly social media mistakes that have negatively altered the lives of the naïve, albeit careless “bookers”, tweeters”, “bloggers” and so on, we continuously dare to share TMI online? Is it that we believe we’ve cleverly outsmarted anyone who’d check by using an alias on our page…that we’re a wizard with privacy settings and have all access locked up for preferred friends and followers only? Or is it that we’ve been extra selective in allowing only a specific group of friends be connected to us at all?

Do not be fooled. Privacy settings and information sharing terms and conditions change now and again, and all of us indulging in our daily SM addiction are not always notified. How many of you are aware that when you subscribe to certain blogs/apps on FB, that whatever stories you read or videos you view are noted and shared with your friends?

Social Media has become so mainstream in our lives that it was inevitable that it would become a resource for advertisers to reach the masses at anytime, and is now a resource for employers/recruiters or anyone to perform a wider background check on whomever you are or will be dealing with, personally or professionally.

Would you trust your child to learn from a teacher who bashes his/her students online, referencing them as losers or the un-teachable? Would you continue to employ the new sweet-faced babysitter you hired if you found her FB or Twittter page and noticed unkind remarks about your little angel, or references to the goings on in your home?

It seems to me that we must condition ourselves to take an extra few seconds to “think before you post” that joke, photo, rant, insult, or threat at all times, with the idea of “Would Yiayia Approve”

Click here to view the embedded video.

Perhaps this would help limit these mistakes. Of course, our private pages are meant to be fun, and they certainly still can be. But you must consider if certain careless remarks or lapses in judgment are worth the possible consequences/roadblocks to your future. And this warning simply must be shared with your children. The youth of today looking forward to college, internships, and jobs must understand that though they are young, with social media freedom comes great responsibility. In case you were not aware, colleges have been known to search prospective students on social media as well. Don’t let a poor choice of words on the part of your promising young student be the reason for a rejection letter sent to them at graduation time.

We are all accountable for our own conduct. That is not to say that there isn’t a platform for the ethics of how much prying is too much and how much leniency should be shown in respect to everyone’s right to privacy, freedom of speech, and just plain human fault.

Social Media provides us all with the freedom to express ourselves universally, causing everyone involved to be more vulnerable to a greater intrusion of privacy. With that in mind, we must make more careful decisions in how we use the power allotted to us. With so many connections, there is no reason to not be informed. Remember what’s important, and you should be fine. And if not, be sure to subscribe to the blogs, follow and become a fan of the network pages on the subject of Social Media Privacy.

Will Viddy be the next hot thing?

Keeping up with the times? Then surely you’ve heard of the massive traffic increase recently showing up in studies on Social Video viewership.

In an analysis by Visible Measures, a social video measurement company, findings prove the social video trend is growing as more consumers consciously elect to view popular ads on sites like YouTube.

What are the favorites? Well, it turns out we all still love our Super Bowl commercials, which people seem to enjoy spreading their top choices each year. According to the Q1 2012 Social Video Ad Report from Visible Measures, the top five industries for Social Video Ad Views are:

• Automotive
• Community & Activism
• Apparel & Accessories
• Food
• Beverages

Oddly enough, many people still enjoy and prefer the great new devices we now have that give you the power to “fast forward” the commercials while you watch your shows, and “skip” over ads with just the touch of a button. But when it comes to our beloved social networks, open 24/7 for constant communication, folks love to watch those social video advertisements full of surprising or funny or informative content, and do it on their own terms, on their own time. And when they like what they see, they share it with friends (sometimes on multiple networks), who share it with their networks, and so on. Viewers are functioning as promoters, driving your video campaign into a larger audience of connections, which is bound to grow due to the increasing sales of smartphones and tablets.

Companies in the know, using social media marketing – it is time to introduce video marketing to your campaigns. Engaging creative content (excuse me while I shamelessly plug our skills…but Alstin’s won numerous awards for our creative) for social video can take you a long way, especially with the capabilities and fresh applications being developed for the increased use of new devices every day.

With the first quarter report of 2012 rising78% above that fourth quarter 2011 in viewership of video ads via social media – social video is now the fastest growing ad platform online.

eMarketer estimates US advertisers will spend $3.1 billion this year on video ads, up from $2 billion in 2011. By 2016, $9.3 billion in online ad spending will go toward video.

Ever heard of Viddy? First there’s the fascination of Instagram, the still popular, free photo sharing program  that allows users to take a photo, and then share it on a variety of social networking services. The even newer app predicted craze is now what sounds like “Instagram for video”, Viddy. Wonder why?

Video is now trending!  Get in on it while it’s hot!

Have you ever thought for a second that there would be a chance that that unpaid parking ticket or some other unresolved fine you have yet to take care of would land you in jail, all because you went for a job interview? This week, Atlanta newspapers and blogs reported the unfortunate story of Tateasa Adams, a 37 year old singer and job seeker, who found out the hard way.

Having come in to apply for a job as a performer for two musical revues at Six Flags Over Georgia, Tateasa Adams was later contacted by the amusement park’s loss prevention department regarding some findings on her background check. She addressed their concerns over a traffic misdemeanor, divulging her reason behind missing the date she was due in court – She spent that day in Boston with her ailing fiancé, Michael Rampey, as he underwent his required specialized treatment, only offered at Massachusetts General Hospital. Suffering with a rare genetic disease, Michael is a heart transplant recipient who since has been diagnosed with cancer, and the status of his recovery took precedence on the day in question.

Adams later received an email confirming her appointment for a second interview at Six Flags, specifying that she was to come to the park on Feb 29^th, “dressed in business attire – this is an interview”, and to bring with her a valid photo ID. So when she showed up early and was led to a room to fill out more application papers, she had no idea that it would end with her being fingerprinted, photographed and hauled off to the county jail.

Six Flags Over Georgia had successfully orchestrated and executed their own “sting operation” to catch a traffic violator by staging a fake follow-up job interview.

On the day of her second interview, while Adams sat filling out forms in the loss prevention office, funpark officials were verifying her identification by phone with the Cobb County Police., who arrived on the scene in 45 minutes to arrest Ms. Adams.

Issued citations for driving without insurance and an expired tag in 2010, Adams who says she luckily just received her tax refund, posted bond at $1,845 and was released. However, still seeking employment, she worries that the arrest has already ruined her chances for a number of opportunities.  As it stands, when her name is searched online, the first page to appear is her mugshot. “This has been a total nightmare. I’m not making any excuses for missing the court date. I should’ve taken care of that. But it’s not like I’m some dangerous criminal,” says Adams.

Six Flags Over Georgia had this to say in an emailed statement to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

“As part of our standard hiring procedure, all potential employees over the age of 18 must undergo a criminal history background check. In this particular instance, a warrant was discovered. Per our guidelines, Cobb County Police were notified and an arrest was made.”

Ed Buckley, Labor and employment attorney, mentioned that the actions of the park were unusual, and though there are companies that will notify law enforcement of such findings, for the company itself to expedite an arrest was bizarre. He had this to say:

“It seems to me a dangerous practice to engineer someone’s arrest,” Buckley told the AJC. “They run the risk of creating unnecessary claims for themselves. It just doesn’t make any sense.”

Even the police were surprised by the abnormal tactics exhibited by the business. Cobb police spokesman Sgt. Dana Pierce said that this was an unusual arrest made by the department because “We try to keep businesses out of the loop any way we can,” he said.

I understand the need to report a person if warrants for arrest are discovered, however, was it right for Six Flags to devise a set up to capture someone with a minor offense and have them arrested? Shouldn’t the extent of their responsibility end with a simple notification to the authorities? At that point, all forms filled out by Tateasa Adams could have then been shared with the police to have them take it from there.

Should job seekers actively pursuing employment to help them catch up on bills and settle debts, that have piled up during their unemployed state, be afraid that the very issues they may be trying to correct would be the thing that not only blocks them from getting the job, but may also have them arrested?

What are your thoughts on this? 

Is the daily grind literally grinding your joints by the end of the day? Have you noticed any recurring headaches, fatigue, muscle aches, maybe a sudden increase in weight? The symptoms of stress and depression could be creeping up on you, as is the case with a number of Americans these days. With a number of people still out of work and others feeling overworked managing the workload of two or three, people are stressed out.

Stress can bring on a lot of behavioral symptoms, such as anxiety, loss of energy, irritability, depression, overeating, etc. I don’t know about you, but with each passing year, I notice more and more ads and commercials for numerous medications to combat chronic aches and pains, fatigue, depression – not to mention, the new diets, special cookbooks and “blah blah-free” products to maintain better health for the increasing number of people with diabetes and high blood pressure/cholesterol; and let’s not forget, America’s obesity, and the rising number of individuals of all ages experiencing strokes each year.

• About one out of three U.S. adults—31.3%—has high blood pressure.
• High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke, congestive heart failure, and kidney disease.
• Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women.

Stress can also disable the body’s immune system. When you’re often stressed and your immune system is not functioning properly, you’re more susceptible to germs in the environment, making it easier for you to get sick faster than usual. Did that “mental health vacation” you called out for turn into a full-fledged sick day? Does it ever seem like your coworkers are taking turns with that new stomach virus you heard was going around? Or perhaps you’ve noticed an uptick in the emails at work of coworkers soliciting pain relievers.

Clothes getting tighter? Studies show that when it comes to the onset of stress related weight gain, women who had stress over job-related demands, financial strain, problems with family relationships, feeling limited by life’s circumstances, depression and anxiety disorders, had a tendency to gain weight. In men whose stress derived from strained relationships or feeling constrained by life’s circumstances, weight gain wasn’t an issue. But job issues, such as lack of authority or little opportunity to learn new skills or do interesting work, was associated with their weight gain.

Ok, so now that we’ve covered a trail of difficulties that stem from stress and the myriad of problems a lot of us may be experiencing lately as a result, what to do about it?

The best stress relievers tend to be exercise, meditation and the right breathing techniques. Researchers have found exercise to be a potent antidepressant, which also fights anxiety and helps some to sleep. As for meditation, an advanced 20-30 minute session a day can have lasting effects that are beneficial in controlling blood pressure and heart rate. Popular calming practices, such as Yoga and Tai chi, that bring them all together, and have been proven very successful in relieving stress and easing many aches and pains. You must adopt habits that help cut down on worry and make relaxation a part of your life. So wake up, stretch yourself out, take a deep breath and conquer your day!

Stress reduction programs in the workplace, as well as access to weight-loss programs, exercise programs and flexible work schedules should also prove helpful in battling these problems. A number of large and small companies have adopted Employee Health & Wellness Programs to provide and encourage that healthy lifestyle that helps with stress management, limits sickness, and fights the symptoms that could lead to major physical and mental health problems. While these programs are a benefit to employees by offering health improvement solutions and good practices to better their lifestyle, they are also cost-effective to the organization, and with the rising cost of healthcare, they certainly make sense. Results include a reduction in absenteeism, and healthcare costs, and an increase in productivity and retention. But it is important that employees are kept informed and reminded of their access to such programs. What good does it do, when they don’t know it’s there? Be sure to promote your programs well to see the evidence of the aforementioned benefits. A healthy employee is a happy employee!

Have you noticed an increase in the number of blogs, ads and commercials addressing the growing desire of many people who are currently employed, to seek that career change to the job of their dreams? Hordes of professionals are feeling unfulfilled in their jobs today and are eager to shed the stress and monotony of their daily grind. Their longing to bring more happiness and a better sense of accomplishment to their lives urges them to pursue a more personally and professionally satisfying career doing something they enjoy. With the start of the New Year, this state of mind is at an all time high.

The consistent development of new technologies, and countless designs to rapidly deliver news of the progression of such tools, ideas and updates have provided a platform for those who feel stuck in a rut to discover opportunities to create the careers they crave by formulating a new livelihood based on their passion. In addition, the increased variety of job search functions, including social media and apps for every need, contribute to the success of those who take the risk.

Is it worth it to try? Yes. People are still finding their dream jobs. Users’ pages are peppered with daily blog posts prompting the transition with steps to achieve the proper mindset (like this article), Infographics mapping out your plan of action, and success stories of those who’ve obtained freedom in a career that allows them to spend their time on things that matter to them – “and loving it”.

It’s important that both employed and unemployed job seekers identify the skills they most enjoy using to help them to define their dream. Those who are following their vision will be able to approach their job hunt with more fervor and the stamina it takes to surmount a lengthy search process. Studies report that it now takes an average of 37 weeks to find something. Employees who have achieved a job that reflects their dream in some way, demonstrate more energy and drive in their role, and in the advancement of their company.

Advertisers/recruiters should consider this and appeal to these sensitivities in the right areas when reaching out to candidates, while keeping in mind the value and stability of securing passionate employees for your positions.  The ROI is paramount.

Social Media’s marketing reach is catching on and spreading fast, and the forecast shows a new twist on targeting – one that will capitalize on the health-related ailments of those of us who use social networking sites.

Sickweather, a new start up social media network, based in Baltimore, has taken a dose of disease-tracking data aggregator and a dose of social networking to ultimately comprise the method of “symptom-targeted advertising”.  Like the Doppler radar scans for signals, Sickweather has its own specialized weather detector to scan social networks like Facebook and Twitter, mining for signs of headache, cough, fever, cold/flu, aches & pains, chronic illnesses, the list goes on. It then filters these reported symptoms, cross referencing the location tags, and creating real time weather maps that can monitor the movement of all types of physical/mental/emotional illness, and house these findings among relative news and information, and interactive channels where their registered online community can manage their healthy lifestyle…or lack they’re of.

Sickweather seeks to establish an audience that is interested in what ailments are impacting their area – specifically those busy members of society looking to actively avoid any possible illness sweeping their neighborhood. Adweek dubbed it a “Facebook for hypochondriacs”. What better place for healthcare and pharmaceutical marketers to advertise their pain-relievers, fever reducers, allergy medications, medical devices for self management, and the like?

While this may be a good resource for advertisers to locate and target the perfect consumers for their products, this also brings up the issue of privacy, yet again. From a consumer’s perspective, some illnesses we suffer from are more personal than others, and being involuntarily tracked by these ailments may be offensive to some – presenting one more reason to be more selective in what you share on social media sites.

With the arrival of this new feature, and the forthcoming updates to Facebook, it remains to be seen, that soon everything we read online, open, research, comment, question, or share could be tracked, broadcasted and recorded for market resource purposes. Extreme targeting could be on the horizon. How do you feel about that?

Recently, there’s been reports that our beloved Facebook is gaining on the heels of LinkedIn, rivaling for a top spot as a job recruitment tool.

Though Facebook is still new to recruitment, more companies are beginning to see its value and take advantage of its mega reach, accessing its over 750 million users world-wide, its targeting ability, and advertising to its 24/7 audience in a cost-effective approach, alleviating the uniform practice of standard job board postings, and now, encroaching on LinkedIn’s territory.

The popularity of social networking doesn’t seem to be losing its steam. In fact, just the opposite – it is quickly becoming a major player in social recruiting, a ‘must have’ for businesses that want to stay current and ahead of the game. Major Job boards and other recruitment sites are adopting their own Facebook feeds and social network wrapping deals to sweeten their package offers. Monster recently introduced BeKnown, its own Facebook app last month, which has already acquired 800,000 users.

The “social” in social networking is its biggest draw, and its biggest drawback. According to Jeff Weiner, CEO of LinkedIn, the lines of private and professional get blurred (mentioned in reference to Facebook), and users tend to want to avoid that. While some candidates are okay with job referrals through Facebook, some have strong feelings against being contacted on Facebook for job opportunities.

Here is why having a designated Facebook Fan Page for Careers, separate from that of your company Facebook page, is a useful tool.

Companies should be aware that just as their recruiters have begun utilizing social media in their research of candidates, so are candidates researching their prospective employers. Those top candidates you seek to make that perfect fit are also looking for the right career home for them. Would your best prospects be vying for positions at the most visible, reputable companies, or at a company that is not utilizing the most popular forms of branding? Let’s face it, people care about and are drawn to brand names. Years ago, if you were looking for a job, and saw that the company did not have a website, it made you think twice…”How advanced could they be? They don’t even have a website.” Fast forward to now, and it’s “Wow, they don’t have a Facebook page?”

Your Facebook Fan page for Careers is dedicated to communicating and informing individuals interested in career opportunities with your organization. This page is a valuable tool that opens up options to bring the more social side of your organization to the global audience in a new and comfortable light – the people’s perspective – displaying your company as the right choice for a great career. Your fans are now privy to your organization on the social side, as insiders, who can get a better understanding of your company’s personality, and what it would be like to work for you.

In regards to those turned off by job contact through Facebook, we have answers for you! Managing a Facebook Careers page is an inexpensive addition to your recruitment efforts that allows for many fun and creative ways to engage candidates in a relationship with your company, while avoiding any intrusive outreach to their private pages.

Contact Alstin if you’re interested in how to get your Facebook recruitment underway!

So that crazy picture from the 4th of July BBQ was definitely Facebook worthy…or not.

I remember the days (actually, not that long ago) when we were warned about the consequences of being caught in an unflattering photo that could possibly reach the Internet. There were commercials broadcasting the dangers of pictures placed online becoming a permanent fixture in the public eye. But forward to present day, and we’ve all embraced a norm of posting any and everything that catches our attention. It seems we’ve become less inhibited where the Internet is concerned and despite the many warnings, and multiple stories of people losing their jobs/marriages, etc. over comments and tweets, there are still a variety of offenders still posting risqué photos and lewd, crude, and downright rude remarks, jokes, quotes, and lyrics. Of course, this is usually done in fun, and what people believe to be somewhat “private” and exclusive to only their group of selected “friends”.

Lest we warn again… there is a new reason to rethink what you intend to put online for all to see. You’ve probably heard that employers have been Googling you to see who they’re REALLY interviewing. Well now the background check has been given additional steps to include an even more thorough search which findings will be kept on file for a period of 7 years. Social Intelligence Corp., a background check company, was found to be in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act by the Federal Trade Commission. They have now been granted a license to screen job applicants based on their Internet photos and postings.

What does this mean for you? You no longer have to be a celebrity like Kim Kardashian to feel the backlash of your statements/opinions on Facebook or Twitter.

When you’re applying for a job, the new standard part of background checks will include a search of all that you’ve posted to the Internet, including Facebook, Twitter, blogs, Craigslist, Flickr, and the like.

In case you were not aware of this already, employers must inform you, the job applicant, if they took adverse action based on something found on the Internet. This will at least notify you to change your privacy settings accordingly and make you aware of what you need to delete. However, with this new turn of events, these actions are no saving grace. In the instance that a search on you returns something job-threatening on the social media sites, and there it will be entered into your file, where it will stay for the next seven years.

You should know though that, although Social Intelligence will keep the negative findings on file, these results will not be reused. It is a one time disclosure and with each request from a new employer, a new search is conducted. The filed away results will serve as background information if ever needed for legal reasons.

 “We store records for up to 7 years as long as those records haven’t been disputed. If a record is disputed and changed then we delete the disputed record and store the new record when appropriate.”

- Geoffrey Andrews, Social Intelligence COO

The searches are limited to what’s already publicly accessible, meaning what they can find on the social and professional networking sites you may be on. And like a credit background check, the job applicant must give their permission for the screening of social media to be used. Keep in mind that not only will your photos, updates, comments and tweets be scrutinized, but that also includes what fan pages and groups you’re joining, among other things – For example, if you’ve decided to join the “I hate _ people” group and are a fan of a few weapons pages and/or posting your whereabouts each week at naughty venues, these are most likely frowned upon.

Social networking sites contain information that employers are not supposed to rely upon to make hiring decisions, but that doesn’t mean that it won’t happen. While employers are researching applicants, they must be aware that all the same protections due job seekers in the traditional world, still apply online. Since many sites include photos, employers are not allowed to preclude a job applicant based on categories they may fall into (race, disability, gender, age, etc.). Any hiring decision made should be documented and include valid information on why one candidate was hired over another.

Employers should not ask to be accepted into a social network under a false alias to check out potential candidates. In such cases where this has occurred, the job seeker may have an actionable cause.

- “Social Media Concerns for Employers and Employees,”

- VETS NET

A research study commissioned by CareerBuilder showed that out of the 2,667 HR professionals surveyed, 45% of them admitted to already using social networking sites to investigate job candidates, another 11% have decided to incorporate social media screening into their exploring methods in the near future, and 35% of employers claimed to have not hired candidates based on undesirable findings on social networking sites.

So again, the old warnings still apply. Though we’ve become such a tech-savvy, social media loving society, you should remain cautious in determining what’s appropriate for the eyes of the “world-wide web”, remembering that once something’s out there it is hard to be erased.

More and more companies today have realized the value of Facebook in building relationships with consumers and applicants, as well as creating a massive fan base of interested contacts. Brands are competing to draw large numbers of FB users to join/”like” their Facebook pages to discover a more personal yet fun and informative angle on their company, product, event or specific promotion.

The usual e-mail list is beginning to give way to the Newsfeed. Lately, when subscribers receive their occasional sale announcement e-mail from their favorite clothing stores, they notice it is directing them to a Facebook page to view videos to collect their coupon for store discounts. Ocean Spray sent users to their page to sign up to receive free samples. There are even television commercials currently in rotation for Excedrin-the headache medicine, encouraging viewers to go to their Facebook page and tell them “What’s your headache?” with a promise to cure it.

Facebook’s 500 million+ users are joining/liking Facebook pages for any and everything they’re interested in. Not only are they visiting pages to register for events, freebies, discounts and contests, but also to receive and comment on updates and announcements, answer questions, and to follow any opportunities for education or career advancement.

Perhaps your recruiting practices for social media could use a boost? What are you doing to lure jobseekers to the opportunities on your Facebook page?

If you can use some help building up the number of users joining your FB careers page, and increasing the traffic of visitors viewing your job openings on Facebook, drop me a line here, or join Alstin on Facebook (click here!) and post your question to our Wall – we “like” hearing from you!

I recently watched MTV’s broadcast of “Diary of Facebook,” a program that brings viewers and FB users behind the scenes of the hugely popular social networking site for a glimpse into the tech savvy personalities and non-stop people power that fuels the headquarters of the social media giant. With mixed-in commentary from Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg, sharing the thought behind the company culture and motivation for future endeavors, we are made privy to Facebook’s special 24-hour “Hack-a-thon”. This fun and relaxed event never fails to get the whole company excited. It’s the chance for employees to stop everything and spend 24 hours cranking out their own ideas and pursuing only the projects they’ve been itching to create but were too busy. Here’s a clip from the show:

Zuckerberg operates under the notion that “Anything good can be built in 24-hours.” And apparently, the innovative engineers at Facebook have found success in this idea. During the “Hack-a-thon,” employees are sprawled throughout the headquarter’s offices computer-clad on floors, stairs and desks, writing code and transforming their imaginations into tech language that will produce new possibilities in technology. We watch as Pedram, a technical engineer, further develops his plan for a new hands-free Facebook application. We get to witness his thought process as he manages to design and activate a system for voice recognition. He demonstrates the beginnings of the FB app, registering voice commands for the computer to recite the users Newsfeed, Birthdays, and Status Updates. For a super-busy, multi-tasking society that refuses to stop talking and texting on cell phones while doing everything under the sun, Bluetooth has become a necessity. These same culprits will be the perfect candidates for the emergence of Pedram’s vision.

The show also follows Erin, a consumer marketing employee working on Facebook’s new Stories.Facebook.com. Gathering the personally handwritten thank you’s from FB employees to be given to their guests, Erin coordinates the kick-off to their effort to acknowledge and appreciate the positive effects social networking has had on the lives of some special FB users. The idea behind Facebook Stories is to have a place where FB users can share their stories with the engineers of Facebook on how their products have changed their lives. Heartfelt stories were expressed of locating long lost relatives and the plight of a paralyzed man who heralds Facebook for pulling him out of depression by saving him from his isolation and giving him a constant link to the outside world. With Facebook Stories, the company has devised a new way of communicating with users, which can only add to its inspiration.

As we are constantly updated with headlines on the magnificent growth and evolution of Facebook and other social media trailblazers, we should take a lesson -Observe them as an example, evaluating their strategies and services when brainstorming recommendations for our own product advancement, and by all means, utilize their global technology to our advantage.

The constant changes in technology have developed our communication in different forms that allow us to connect in various ways wherever we are anytime of day. The most popular form is mobile, through the use of cell phones/handhelds. Today, there are 4 billion mobile subscribers worldwide, with 3 billion that are using text messaging. The mobile device is one of the most important things we carry with us on the daily basis next to our keys, wallet or purse, and it keeps us connected via email, Internet, phone calls, text messaging and additional applications. But of them all, text messaging is the most widely used application on the planet. With this information, you can lightly assume “everybody’s doing it.” This includes all the candidates you’re so desperately searching for….for the purposes of this post, namely physicians. 94% of text messages are read compared to email & direct mail campaigns which average 3%, and researchers anticipate the number of texts to double to 10 trillion by 2014. I think we can safely say that this growing trend is definitely the big business of the future.

Of the over 262 million U.S. wireless subscribers, a large part of them are working professionals, including gadget junkies who crave and enjoy the latest technology has to offer. This large audience encompasses a number of tech-savvy physicians who’ve incorporated the convenience & time-saving assistance of a mobile device in their daily repertoire. According to Physician’s News Digest, many young physicians rely solely on the Internet to inform them of available positions. First steps in spreading the news of your openings should be to post your opportunities on general physician sites as well as the specialty societies and association sites. But have you found that you’ve exhausted these methods and more, time and time again, and still have no viable candidates to fill your hard-to-fill physician openings?

With the popularity of free medical apps, the medical blogosphere and physician only online communities among physicians, might it be worth your while to try your hand at mobile messaging? We all know that where you’ll place an ad is determined by what your target employee market reads, listens to or watches, and in mobile devices, you’re able to reach them no matter when or where.

Many people don’t realize that healthcare providers and professionals have been using a wide range of wirelessly connected devices for years, and with the constant development of new and improved, wave of the future tech devices being produced year after year, healthcare, like all other industries, must and are poised to evolve and progress. Healthcare technology professionals expect that the success of Apple’s iPad will bring about major competition from HP, Dell and even Google. It’s likely that these giants have set their sites on the healthcare community to be the first to meet their needs in a specific tablet designed to function in a healthcare environment. Apple’s already targeted medical professionals in its endeavors to market the iPhone and iPad as useful reference tools in their practices, with workshops for physicians. They’ve also seized the opportunity to capitalize on the rapid adoption of electronic medical records by pushing their latest technology as a platform for these methods. The healthcare community is a huge target for tech developers as they aspire to keep pace for efficiency in quality healthcare.

With a feast of apps being written for smartphones today, more than a serving are targeted at the healthcare sector. Physicians can and have downloaded a large number of these free popular medical apps to aid them in their profession. Epocrates claims to have over one million healthcare professionals, including over 300,000, or over 45% of, U.S. physicians regularly using their app to make decisions and improve safety, while MedCalc has more than 700,000 installs world-wide as the most popular medical calculator for doctors and nurses for iPhone and iPod touch.

Still not convinced that targeting Physicians through mobile efforts is worth a try?

64% percent of U.S. physicians currently own smartphones, and that number is expected to increase to 81% penetration in 2012.

A recent report from Manhattan Research indicates that offline sources will slowly dissipate as the internet will become physicians’ primary professional resource and that mobile technology will become more indispensable to physicians as the various functions on these devices grow to include administrative tasks and patient monitoring. With the significant increase in participation in social networks dedicated to physicians almost doubling and the record growth of smartphone/PDA ownership from 2008 to 2009, the prediction is that physicians will steadily become more immersed in online media, and by 2012, all physicians will come equipped with stethoscope and a smart mobile device. There will be very few professional activities that physicians won’t be doing on their handhelds.

As the world keeps turning, technology will continue to change and prosper, realizing new and successful ways to communicate your message to the ideal audience. It is up to you to decide to adapt for your betterment and determine where your efforts will accomplish your goals.

What draws qualified job seekers to the opportunities at your company? More and more these days, recruiters are being inundated with resumes from unqualified or under-qualified job seekers who are applying for any and all available positions in the hopes of securing a job any way possible. During this time, that will most likely continue to happen, however, in the midst of the many resumes that come in, how many are from top-quality candidates that have the qualifications you seek and the wherewithal to “cut it” as a productive employee for your organization? Though job opportunities are in high demand, quality workers are pickier than you may think. Along with the needs for stable employment, job seekers, especially those who are currently employed, are searching for the opportunity to improve their situation, be it financially, for educational or professional advancement, unsatisfied in their current workplace or position, or to create better harmony in some way for their home life. How do you capture the interest of a more calculating quality applicant?

First things first…are your job descriptions giving these job seekers the details that mean something to them? According to a survey done by Snagajob.com, when it comes to a job description, job seekers want to see:

• 55 percent want job details
• 27 percent want to see wage information
• 10 percent want quick readability
• 5 percent want more information about perks and benefits
• 2 percent want pictures and video

Of course, you must be sure not to confuse the selective candidates you’re looking for with job titles that are unclear, or a verbose run down of each and every duty involved in the position. You want to use common language, or the terms that someone fitting the role should understand and read easily. Share with them the corporate culture of your business, and the best way to make them feel like they’re not “being sold” is to feature genuine employee testimonials. Who can sell better that your company is a great place to work than the people that work there?

When pitching your openings to possible candidates through job descriptions, print ads, web postings, social media interaction, etc. it’s a good idea to keep in mind the reasons YOU would leave a position, and depict the positive areas in which your organization is strong. There have been a number of articles, blogs, and surveys done that indicate the strongest explanation for employees to be unhappy in their job or to leave their job is a lack of appreciation. Believe it or not, that simple pat on the back may have kept some of your best workers. Thanks to many quotes, sayings anecdotes, we all know that money is not the only thing needed to make one happy. Employees want more, and to keep them happy in the workplace you’ll need to ensure: (from AltaStaff, A Boutique Staffing Agency)

1. Appreciation

2. Respect

3. Trust

4. Individual Growth

5. Good Boss

6. Compatible Co-workers

7. Compatible Culture

8. A Sense of Purpose

If your organization exemplifies these factors, be sure to let prospective candidates know. It’s a good idea to utilize your career site, advertisements, social media tools and more to convey how they will be valued, how their ideas, opinions, and needs will be respected and supported, and how you trust them to do good work in exchange for this open and honest culture you provide for their comfort.

Providing a good work environment is more than the location, the cosmetic structure of the buildings and even state-of-the-art equipment. Often it will all come down to the people, and the ability to feel engaged in your daily achievements and fulfilled in the direction you’re headed.

Make it known that you can accommodate your employees sense of purpose, acknowledge their contributions, respect them as partners in driving the company forward, and it should aid you in drawing in the more sought after candidates.

The way we work is constantly changing. Isn’t that what we’re supposed to do – adapt and evolve to survive and grow stronger? Every company has its spiel, noting their flexible hours, great location, excellent benefits, and more. What else can an organization offer to stand out and show that they have an understanding of the needs and wants of happy and healthy employees.

With the hectic lives many of us lead today, and the increase in anxiety and stress-related diagnoses, sick days, special needs allowances, the plight of the physically and mentally sound employee contains a lot of demands/requirements for their employer of choice, and to woo these sought-after candidates that may be comfortable in their current jobs, your company must stand out and offer that something unique to spark that interest that says you’re a good reason to make a change.

A new trend has hit corporate culture – napping at work.

The corporate world is catching on. We can’t all be doctors, but do we not work as hard or deal with high levels of stress in our home and work lives? Hospitals allow for doctors to go into a room with beds especially for the purpose of getting a refreshing bit of sleep on the job, because they work long hours and must be fully alert and coherent when dealing with people’s health and saving lives. It’s imperative they provide what is necessary to avoid fatigue-related accidents.

Well, the time has come that companies are beginning to see the value in allowing their employees to steal away for a quick nap during the work day to revitalize their workers for better performance, less error and an increase in productivity. Even NASA agrees. According to their study, a quick 26 minutes of napping is proven to boost performance by 34%.

Ever wonder why we’re falling behind other countries in productivity, good health and education? The average American fails to get the recommended 8 hours of sleep a night. Japan, China, Spain and a number of other Latin American countries, are just a few that partake in the tradition of the siesta or midday nap. Post lunch, afternoon sleep is widespread among successful countries around the world, and America is slowly coming onboard.

A good nap of 20-60 minutes can be very restorative. The benefits include muscle growth, tissue growth and improved memory processing. Years ago, companies began incorporating exercise in their wellness programs by adding fitness rooms to their offices, contributing to the health and wellness of their workers. The midday nap is another asset that would sweeten the pot for qualified candidates, especially the growing number of Americans who are taking more of an interest in maintaining a more balanced and healthy lifestyle.

The addition of this concept can only be an advantage to our society. Studies show that sleep-deprived workers cost business about $150 billion dollars a year in lost productivity. Nike and Ben & Jerry’s are just a couple of the companies embracing the idea by building nap stations/pods. If just a 20 minute nap would do the trick and increase productivity, some forward-thinking companies will follow suit. Your employees are an investment. Nurture them, and they can take your business to new heights.

What are your thoughts on napping in the workplace? Please share them with us!

We’ve all witnessed the slow disintegration of weekly print ad use to pull in resumes for your need to fill quickly positions, as the online web posting has filled pages and pages of job boards and niche sites – from the top and side, static and flashing banners, leaderboards and skyscrapers hugging the screens of selected career sites, to the monthly or weekly blast of an emailed opportunity reminder, we’ve covered the gamut.

Everyone’s looking for the next big thing. What can we do to stay ahead of the curve? You’re doing the social networking thing, and it’s going great. You’re up to 1,894 fans, and have 587 followers already, and your talent network is growing everyday. Now what?

Things are going quite well, but there’s always room for improvement. You still can’t seem to find the right candidate for the same 3 hard to fill positions. The experience isn’t there, the education isn’t enough, and/or the qualifications don’t match. You wonder, “What else can I do to attract possible hires that meet the needs of these positions”?

Have you considered what the response would be if you were able to bring more life to your tired old job description? Let’s face it, your hard to fill positions are usually calling for those candidates that are currently working in their careers – the passive jobseeker. To catch those big fish, you need to reel them in with more than a job title and a simple “We’re the biggest and best”. In this time of social media, people are more inclined to be drawn to something that speaks to their interests, both professionally and personally. They’re interested in what it’s really like to work for and with you, and not just the approved jargon put out by HR management. Every company is a “best place to work”, according to them. But what do the employees really think about working there? What is the position they’re interested in really like in the day to day? Who would they send the most time with, and how understanding and flexible is management? What is the environment really like underneath the perfect photos presented in the ads?

The answers to these inquiries can be given in a hiring video. Give your job description a personality with a manager, recruiter, or employee giving a sincere account of the position for interested candidates to get the feel of the job, and what the onboarding process would be like for them. Appeal to their emotional side and share with them the culture of the company and its community involvement. Ask yourself, what would lure you into this new opportunity? A passionate explanation of the vast strides their division/discipline is making in their profession can attract those who are familiar with their claim, and want to contribute to its advancement.

This video is a chance to say what you’re really thinking when you want to stress the value in your location, the benefits you offer, how fortunate you feel to work for an administration that assists you with childcare and other amenities, and also what applicants will probably not fair well in that particular position and should refer to your other openings. The sincerity and enthusiasm observed in the facial expression, body language, and speech of the interpreter really delivers a true narrative for the interested party, and in turn, may help limit the amount of unqualified responses.

If you’re wondering what’s next in the realm of successful recruiting, a video designed to peak the interests and address the concerns of the passive jobseeker may be just what the HR gods ordered. These informative yet friendly videos are a perfect complement to your social networking pages, and should be used in conjunction with your social media approach. Preparing a video for each of your hard to fill positions would be an ideal start. If you’d like a professional but welcoming video produced for your positions, contact Alstin – we’ll get the job done, and you’ll get the job filled!

In these days of Skype, text, and instant messaging, email, conference calls & social media, has the art of the in-person meeting gone out of style?

Everyone’s busy on a daily basis. Our days are so filled with work, family, extra-curricular activities and basic maintenance, many of us often proclaim that there isn’t enough time in a day to keep up. So we find ourselves multitasking, ultimately using email and IM’ing to communicate throughout the work day to keep things moving along smoothly and systematically. But if we eliminate the occasional face-to-face meeting from our agenda completely, can we really get the job done to its full potential?

I’ve found that meeting with a client in-person often proves to set a project on the right path more so than direction via any other medium. Speaking to the client team involved offers you the chance to get the perspectives that count and receive their motivation in a more clear and passionate explanation. Designating a time to discuss specific plans face-to-face provides an opportunity to share information in an animated conversation that is supplemented with facial expression, body language and tone of voice. We’ve all experienced the misconceptions that may occur in the reading of an email (Do you take writing in ALL CAPS for a harsh yelling tone? Or does cryptic messaging sometimes sound slick and sarcastic when you’re IM’ing back and forth?). True intentions that sometimes get lost in the writing, could easily be construed in a simple conversation. You can get more done in a face-to-face meeting than electronically, because there is a connection that comes with physical presence that not only allows the flow of communication to come through in a more vivid conversation style, but also provides access to further information brought on by simple observation.

Engagement in carefree conversation adds that element of understanding and personalizes the interaction. This contributes to the transfer of information and ultimately helps build relationships. Connecting in-person is key in developing good relationships, and people are more inclined to do business with those whom they have a relationship with. Social Media is a prime aspect in the business practices today, but it should be balanced with face-to-face interaction. The in-person meeting gives all involved a better sense of what each other is about. Think about it – would you make a hire based solely on the strength of a resume/application? Or do you require a 1st, 2nd, and sometimes 3rd interview before making the final decision?

The latest forms of communication are valuable, effective and necessary in the evolution of business tactics today, but we must not obliterate the tried and true practice of engaging in-person. It’s only natural to prefer to do business with those you know, like, and trust. Good business requires a mix of online and physical collaboration. There is a strength in having all bases covered.

Are you still holding out, not yet ready to jump on the social media band-wagon? If so, your company will suffer the consequences of not evolving with the times. The consensus is in – Social Media is not a fad. Organizations must get onboard with this new resource or give your competitors the upper hand. As the job market begins to open up, the search for qualified talent now requires social networking to build and maintain a talent pipeline and recruit the right hires, while cutting back spending.

The Social Media Plus Business Summit held yesterday in Philadelphia provided a slew of sessions led by some of the brightest accomplished professionals (and fave bloggers) in social media today. Human Capital Solutions, LLC put together this summit covering all of the questions and concerns that most companies have about social media in the areas of Sales & Marketing, IT, Executive, and HR.

Technology is constantly changing the way we do things in business and in our personal lives, so we must learn to stay current and move forward. Floating from session to session, the message was clear: Social Media is a requirement for business today, and in networking online, we should be customer service focused.

Echoing in most presentations were Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and a number of other outlets we should be using to connect and build a rapport with our employees, with possible candidates, and to invite the world to “get to know us.” A lot of us may have begun to acquire a page or 2 or 3 of these networking tools and simply need to know where to go from there. Well, here are the must haves/dos you may be missing:

- It’s everybody’s responsibility! Social Media should be in sync throughout all departments. It’s about customer service – find out about your audience and what they’re doing, and strategize to achieve your established goal.

- Educate your employees! You must incorporate a company-wide Social Media Policy. Keep it simple and accessible (put it on your “About Us” page). Your policy should be clear and concise, spelling out these guidelines for all to understand. Make it clear that these guidelines are for this new media, and that all other policies still stand.

- Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn top the list of the main sites your company should have a presence on for social networking. Your pages should be kept up to date with a strong profile, and current status. Your page should display a more personal understanding of your company leaders, employees, and culture.

- A Facebook Page specific to Careers is a must. This should be separate from your main company page created by Marketing.

- Enable your employees to be company advocates. Blocking social media access is a costly exercise that doesn’t work. Most have internet ready phones and are prepared to use them. LOL! Recent studies showed that employees with access were more productive. Get senior management onboard and remember that employees are your best Brand Ambassadors.

- Social Media is Interactive! Are you blogging/commenting/discussing online? We need to share conversations with fans, followers, employees, candidates, and industry groups. If any HR employees are bloggers, it’s a great idea to add links to their relevant posts. You must do more than just push out jobs.

• Here’s a great idea that some companies have taken to….. Certify/Reward your social media advocates! This is a chance for employees to shine, connect with the company, contribute, and refer. Acknowledge and Reward those who add to your efforts- building morale, increasing the talent community, and sharing the fun part of your workplace.

- Video Sharing- a fresher step to engaging your fans & followers is to implement your videos on your network pages. We are a visual society. Start a Careers Channel on You Tube and personalize your company leaders; demonstrate “why to work here”. Video interviews with hiring managers for positions was a repeated suggestion.

- There should be a Dashboard in place to monitor your activity and track your traffic. A common contact is crucial to the reporting of more accurate metrics. (I refer you to one of my earlier posts – “Metrics. Could you be sabotaging the measurements that may help productivity and ROI?”

 - Are you watching your community page? There are a number of tools out there designed to aid you in monitoring what’s being said in your industry and about your company. Utilize the available tools to collect RSS feeds for real-time updates on industry discussions and any mention of your company. This could be as simple as setting up a Google Alert with your company name as the search term.

If you’re lacking in any of these areas and need a helping hand, contact your Account Executive at Alstin for consultation. As social media evolves with each passing day, there will be more ideas and best practices on the way for your recruitment efforts. Check back in with our blog regularly, and stay on top for your next move!

The ongoing growth of social media incited a desire for interested parties to take the online off-screen and bring people together in conversation, prompting the onset of Social Media Clubs – where people can voice themselves in focused conversation “promoting media literacy, sharing best practices, and ensuring that ethics are not lost as social media becomes serious business.”

Social Media Clubs have spread like wildfire, with new chapters being started in cities each week with the idea to get people talking. Social Media Clubs hold meetings and after work gatherings that provide the opportunity to associate with those that “get it”, and learn from them, share information, and collaborate with other professionals from different backgrounds to enhance your personal and professional interests.

There are various types of social media clubs that the web has brought together. Some clubs diversify focus to cover a range of topics, giving like minds a chance to share and educate themselves in-person and build contacts with attendees both online and offline.

A coworker and I recently attended an event given by Philly NetSquared – a local social media club that gathers together nonprofits and activists, tech leaders and funders, and everyone who’s interested in using technology for social change. Hosting free Net Tuesday events the first week of every month, Philly NetSquared attracts a crowd of professionals in different positions to come out to understand the best way to leverage the social web for social good. I chose to go to this event because social media is always changing and there is always something new to learn about how it can be used. A great way to hear about other ideas for utilizing social networking tools is to check out one of these types of events. No matter the topic at hand, you can be sure that a number of interesting and driven people will attend. At our Net Tuesday were IT professionals for local colleges and universities, urban planners, non-profit planners, an IT health site organizer, professionals for diversity issues, a volunteer firefighter and safety coordinators. Many came out for the presentation and discussion on “The Role of Social Media in Crisis Response”. I listened as the panel cited and explained the mapping applications and geographic information systems, digitized image sharing tools, and PeopleFinder technology that were a tremendous help in the recent crisis in Haiti, and how Twitter aided in the swift delivery of information on the assailant responsible for the slaying of the 4 police officers in a Lakewood coffee shop in Parkland, Washington. Our panelists gave interesting information on how various web tools were used and the new ideas and enhancements in the development stages to provide even greater assistance in the future. I was enthralled by the amount of versatile social media instruments mentioned at this discussion.

I would recommend to anyone interested in furthering their understanding of social media and its use in any discipline, take advantage of these social and educational events in your area. You will be privy to valuable information and innovative ideas while networking with other area professionals in a variety of fields. You just may find your next new experienced hire.

Now more than ever, companies are implementing “new and improved” approaches to gather quantitative metrics of their recruitment processes. Often times, numbers are the best way for HR to convey to senior management what’s working and what’s not. With the right tools in place, proper metrics can be determined, giving your organization a clear picture of the validity of your recruiting strategy and the ability to make the recruitment process more efficient.

When it comes to the use of metrics in tracking recruiting effectiveness, I’ve found that there’s a key to success – use your tools and use them consistently! Many companies are putting forth efforts and resources to capture data, but if these tools are being utilized only part of the time, accurate measurements are not possible, and will undermine the results. Incredibly valuable information to encourage improvements, metrics are worthless unless the results have the real potential to incite positive changes in recruiting and sourcing habits.

If you decide to implement a means to measure the response of your print ads, web ads, email blasts, landing pages, SEO tools, etc., it is imperative that this tool be utilized in every application.

In reality, I know that as recruiters this approach may not always seem ideal. I have seen recruiters change the contact mechanism for response in a recruiting ad or posting for a select position based on the urgency to fill the opening, the type of candidates they are targeting, or the ease of response retrieval. But the truth of it is, what used to work years ago, doesn’t cut it anymore especially when your overall investment and goal is to gather good metrics!

The purpose of the development of the many approaches to building metrics, is to answer the demands of organizations for proof of the overall success of HR’s recruiting efforts and what can be done better – more quickly, more efficiently, more cost effectively. However, if tracking methods are only used once in a while, when the head honchos ask for recommendations during budget evaluation time – how will you be able to truly identify what you can capitalize on, and what you need to do different?

In the current state of our economy, there is no doubt in my mind that organizations cannot afford spending to track costs for skewed evidence and base their budgets on ambivalent reporting. Take my word for it, if you heed this advice to properly make use of these valuable tracking tools, the metrics will help you determine:

• What was the success of your recruitment sources?
• Which sources provided the most candidates?
• Where did the more qualified candidates come from?
• Which sources provided the least qualified candidates?

I think we can all agree that conducting an evaluation of your recruiting costs with solid metrics can provide you with the information needed to support change and improvements for sourcing and hiring processes and for reducing costs. The bottom line: Don’t sabotage your efforts. Maintain consistent use of your measurement tools and you will have the most accurate metrics at your disposal.

Having trouble figuring out the best solution for gathering metrics for your organization? Need an assessment of your applicant tracking systems’s capabilities? Send me an email – blog@alstin.com - I would welcome the opportunity to discuss this further with you!

I recently came across a great blog post the other day that made me wonder: What are recruiters stumbling across and tripping over on the road to making that terrific hire these days? 

I work with HR professionals everyday, assisting them with their daily recruitment goals. I often hear the urgency in their “I’m swamped” voice, or “I need a vacation” tone. So when I saw this blog title -  Want a new job? Stop being so nice. Seriously. I hate it.  - I had to check it out.

 As I read on, I discovered Sarah White, author of the Imsocorporate.com blog, and her feelings about a special breed of the annoying jobseeker. She goes on to reach out to fellow recruiters for confirmation and to let her readers know the three top things that will classify you as too creepy to consider working with. It was a quick rant but a viable one all the same. Those who commented seemed to take it pretty well. After a good laugh, I became interested to know what my clients would blog about regarding their encounters with eager jobseekers…especially now, in this current state of unemployment.

So little jobs…too many jobseekers!

In a sense, my job is to help you put out the bait, cast a net, and catch and hook those prime candidates for your open positions. It’s then your job to reel ‘em in. So, with this new age of social media, I think it’s sometimes helpful to give a personal voice of guidance to help the process along – and save you from having to throw too many back!

What’s your take on this? Please share your comments with me. These could be quite helpful – and funny.  (We’ve heard some dooseys in the past, so don’t be bashful.)

 I WANT TO KNOW…..

What are your gripes about the sourcing/interviewing processes?

With all this new technology, do you feel like you’re being stalked or like you’re stalking others?

What do you want candidates that are looking for a position with your company to know?

What are your top tips to win you over in an interview?

The prediction is that most companies are likely to experience a voluntary turnover once the job market improves. What are you doing to retain your best employees? Are you taking the necessary steps to hold on to loyal workers? Tidy up today or it may be turnover tomorrow for some of your best employees.

The last couple of years have made a major impact on many lives, especially in one’s outlook on the future of their career and financial stability. Many companies have suffered through numerous cut backs and the loss of valuable staff, leaving those who are left with double the workload, less hours and pay, fewer benefits and incentives, and the loss of their fellow employees, all while dealing with the uncertainty of maintaining their own position. The sequence of events that surround recurring layoffs cause feelings of insecurity and a decline in morale.

The effects of the current economic climate has clearly changed the atmosphere “around the water cooler”. The latest surveys are showing a large number of professionals who plan to leave their current company once hiring rebounds. Their top reasons for moving on vary from better compensation and benefits to dissatisfaction with potential career development.

I have friends that have gone back to school for a graduate degree to facilitate advancement in their careers, and are now experiencing feelings of despair in positions where they are not being used at their full potential and are not seeing the results of years of hard work. These hard times cause employees to reevaluate their plans, and reminds them to take steps toward new experiences.

The “lucky to have a job” period will be slowly drawing to a close as the new year rings in. The start of 2010 has resolutions raring to go – and the jobless are not the only ones on the market.

Now is the time to reinforce the value of your company. As the job market slowly begins to increase, you must be prepared to keep your best employees in play while hiring starts to pick up.

Are you listening to the concerns and ideas of your employees and taking them under consideration during this difficult economic time? Are your employees recognized and compensated monetarily for outstanding performance? If your answers are “no”, I recommend checking out this post on What People Want From Work by Susan Heathfield.

People like to know that they have room for career movement and advancement. No opportunity to progress within the company is a deal-breaker for many. Enhance the skills and expertise of your employees and the marketability of your company by providing cross-training and education for career and personal growth through training programs, challenging assignments and more.

And finally, it is important that you:

· Staff adequately so people don’t wear themselves out.

· Communicate the goals, new/additional roles and responsibilities of the remaining people in the company (including management) so that everyone knows what is expected of them and are aware that everyone is doing their part for the success of the company.

Remember that your employees are the fuel that keeps your business going.

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.

One of my favorite things in Alstin’s new location is the large picture window near my desk. I am the lucky AE who sits facing a fabulous view of the city while I work.

I can see from my seat the hustle and bustle of the Center City streets, the neon sign of the restaurant EL Vez – a favorite for happy hour – and I even get to watch a helicopter take off from the launch pad at Jefferson Hospital to save someone’s life.

My fellow AEs and I have developed our department to feel comfortable to us all. We enjoy the natural light beaming in everyday, and will often leave the overhead lights off to let the sunshine fill the space. I believe it is true that sunlight stimulates happiness. On a bright sunny day we will open the window and breathe in the fresh air as opposed to the usual office ventilation. The feng shui of our space seems to give us the energy and enough comfort to enjoy  the day to its fullest.

With the number of well-known healthcare institutions I have worked with, I’ve seen that sunlight is often one of the key factors during renovations and expansions of patient care areas to aid in the speedy recovery of patients.

According to a study in Psychology Today:

Patients in recovery rooms full of natural light take less pain medication, and, days after surgery, they report lower stress levels. Their hastened healing may be due to sunlight’s ability to stimulate serotonin production, which helps regulate mood, sleep, and sex drive.

Now, if the sun can do all of that, think what it can do for employees – let the sunshine in!

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.

Isn’t it amazing how fast the trend of social media has spread like wildfire across the country? Any and everybody are using some form of it these days. It couldn’t have come at a better time. With massive lay-offs, and a troubled economy, what more cost effective way could there be for someone to find work, or find the perfect hire by way of relationship building?

Many recruiters would agree that they get their best hires from referrals. Recruiters now benefit from the ability to ‘LinkIn’, ‘Tweet’ or ‘Friend’ employees, colleagues, clients, vendors, friends, applicants, and other contacts to promote their employer brand and career opportunities.

My guess is you’ve been thinking, this all sounds great! I’m going to set up my Twitter account today, put creating a Facebook Fan Page on my to-do list, and make sure I join some more groups on LinkedIn. I might even start up a cool new blog and join together employees to show the outside world how comfortable and collaborative we are.

But who is going to monitor all this potential interaction? And do I have the time? How am I going to keep that cool new blog current with daily posts? Monitor the comments on a Facebook fan page, and tweet new info while answering all the responses to my previous tweets?

That’s where Alstin Communications comes into play – we live the new job title that’s cropping up more and more – Social Media Specialist – every day.

Simply put: The explosive growth of social media is redefining how people communicate. The implications are far reaching. How you choose to use these new communication tools may well define your success as an employer in the coming years.

By developing a solid social media strategy, and tapping into sociability, Alstin Communications’ suite of social media products and services, you will get the most out of these new tools. Seminars on the how to’s, guidance on developing an in-house social media policy and of course all that you would expect (and maybe not expect!) from Alstin on how to maintain that all-important brand consistency across all social media channels and a whole lot more are offered up by our team of social media gurus.

From our perspective, adding these skills to your repertoire can only boost your organization’s – and your own – marketability.

I spend a good part of my day on Facebook, consider LinkedIn my personal, professional Rolodex, and am about to experience what it’s like to tweet about all sorts of thing, including my favorite blogs. I do consider myself a Social Media Specialist and am glad that growing expertise also makes me the “help wanted” for my clients.

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