Why Start-Ups Need to Have a Talent Community

Why Start-Ups Need to Have a Talent Community Lets face it, start-ups have 99 problems and surely employer branding aint  one of them? Ive spoken to Erin Wilson of Hirepool.io, who says au contraire; start-ups have to double down on employer brand, or talent community as he prefers to call it. Have a listen  below or keep reading for a summary of our chat. And dont forget to subscribe to the Employer Branding Podcast. Do start-ups really need a talent community? Its no doubt they absolutely need it. They need to start early and they need to talk about it often. I think that the technology, as they say, is a blessing and a curse, and one of the by-products there is that we all live online. Its a digital world, its an extremely noisy world that we live in. So if youre building a company today, if youre part of a start-up and you want to see that company succeed, you essentially need to grow continuously. And in order to do that youre going to need to attract talent. In order to do that youre going to need to tell an authentic story that people can relate to and find. Its really hard to do that if youre not putting effort into it. Meanwhile, companies like Facebook, Google, Twitter, Salesforce, Amazon, they will gladly do it and continue to hire the best of the best if you do not. Is employer brand more a corporate concept? Yeah, absolutely. And Id add that while they may not be start-ups, youre competing with them for real-estate online, so as a start-up its something you have to think about. And I think employer branding can be associated with a corporate in a simple sense the idea that this employer brand its something you can do after the fact. It almost feels transactional. But from a start-up perspective, I tend not to use the term employer branding, I tend to lean more heavily on the concept of talent community. And the reason although branding has tremendous value, this resonates with me as more of a transactional initiative, as transactional as a job or in many cases a company, they will come, they will go. But the idea of talent community is much deeper, its the authentic storytelling, its the share of your cultural values, and its continuous. Youre building these communities altruistically, and youre doing it with people in relationships that will persist far beyond any one company. How do you extract and define values? Ive had the opportunity to speak with quite a few start-ups at this point, and the good news is many more are thinking about values earlier in their life-cycle today. A couple of thoughts Ill probably throw out there is, one, keep it simple, really focus around three or four key values that you have, they typically come from the top but ideally you have buy-in from your early teams to help clump those values. You know any more than that it becomes really hard to turn those values into actionable assets which they become in time. So starting with the three or four values, important buying from the team. And then the piece that I would throw out is just its really important to continuously calibrate around those values, so as you grow in scale your company, your community It is not safe to assume that the word used for your value means the same to all people as you continue to grow. So weve got the values which allows us to begin developing a narrative, and we are giving first in this scenario to the external community. We are a group of people who value acts, who operate in a specific way and who interact with each other based on this set of values. And you really have to understand how that narrative plays out in your environment, and be willing to share that, and be willing to receive feedback as well on those values. But I really view that narrative as just the true story that you tell the rest of the community around what its like and whats happening inside of your company. What are some of the mistakes that start-ups can learn from? I think the two biggest mistakes that I see are: The brand just is not authentic. And I dont think thats intentional or malicious. Its a decision to jump into the employee branding game, and then you try to do it through a collective or divide and conquer. And Matt Charney  and I were talking over Twitter recently about whether or not you need a dedicated person or a function to do this type of work, I would argue, absolutely do. Its a deep, three dimensional job, it takes time, effort, and focus. So I think one is just if youre going to be serious about it, you have to invest in it, build a team. The second mistake that I see most often is, its good in theory, it begins, but there is a ton of long-term thought behind it. And so what you end up seeing is this reactionary employer branding. And I think Glassdoor is a good example of that, someone posts a review, lets address it. Someone just quit because of that, lets change it. And thats certainly a good start. But pushing yourself to get to a place where you have a framework in place where you really facilitate that feedback and integrate that feedback into your future actions rather than just react to it. How can we measure ROI from talent community  at a start-up? I think that this is a phased approach, and part of the challenge right now is were still in the early days of employer branding and talent community. And so there arent as many folks out there who have had the experience to forecast this to your CFO, but more will come. Then certainly being able to explain what it will look like over time, and so I would say that in your first year its very likely that you will have almost no ROI to prove. Certainly some anecdotal feedback, you may be able to point to the progress or the consistency of your impact, but in terms of a bottom-line ROI its tough, nearly impossible. That being said, Ill make you stick with it, you get into year 2, year 3, you will have the ability to do a few things. One, you can always measure it from an advertising standpoint. So you can run through concepts like outreach, page views, clicks, and then push the conversion. How many applicants is that turning into? How many referrals does it generate? And of course in the end I think people are looking for, How many hires do I generate from these efforts? So I wouldnt necessarily put that as the most important metric, but it is certainly a way to measure ROI over time. What start-ups are doing it right? So recently Ive been spending time with a start-up out here in San Francisco called HoneyBook, and Ive been spending time with their founders. Theyve already done a phenomenal job at building a community around their product and their vendors which they call the Rising Tide Society. And they really sit out to me because even the t-shirts they built for the community suggest community over competition, which I really appreciate. But theyre beginning to channel all those efforts into their talent branding, and youll see them continue to share the stories of creative entrepreneurs and women leaders in tech, and things that are very important to their core values. And so very quickly youll see if HoneyBook is the place for you where you want to work. So Im really excited to see what they do in the upcoming months. Follow Erin on Twitter @techmatchmaker and be sure to subscribe to the Employer Branding Podcast.

Develop an Abundance Mentality

Develop an Abundance Mentality Quick quiz: You learn that someone you work closely with has received a promotion and a raise. What’s your first reaction? Good for her!   I’m going to start putting together my own case for a raise. I’m so envious â€" I wish that would happen to me. Rats â€" there goes my chance for any raise this year. If you answered B or C, you may be someone who labors under a scarcity mentality. People who think this way think that the world has a finite amount of whatever you value: money, promotions, credit for your work, respect, even love. Scarcity believers think that life is a zero-sum game; whatever someone else gets takes away from what I can get. If Mom loves you more, she must love me less. If you get a raise, I probably won’t. If the boss pays attention to you, he must be paying less attention to me. Scarcity people believe that the slice of pie you get means the rest of us get a smaller slice. Abundance people believe you can simply make more pie. Envy is one of the seven deadly sins, and feeling it is a sure sign that you are living with a scarcity problem. Scarcity thinking can be destructive to your work and personal relationships; it makes you competitive and petty; other people’s success makes you bitter or unhappy. You start viewing each situation as win or lose. Stephen Covey is credited with coining the term “Abundance Mentality” in his book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. He says that Scarcity people are always comparing and competing, and calls it a sure recipe for unhappiness. Abundance as a mindset frees you up from petty competition. You can relax, because you know that good things are not necessarily scarce, even if they feel that way at the moment. Abundance thinking allows you to be patient and serene â€" you don’t give off the tension-filled vibe that makes people uncomfortable. Abundance thinkers feel rich, even before they become rich. Why should it matter if you feel abundant? Covey says that Abundance as a mindset comes from a deep inner sense of personal worth and security. Abundance people are happy to help others succeed, because they know there will always be more pie (or money, or love) in the future. If you’re not born feeling abundant, how can you develop an abundant mindset? One proven method for developing abundance is to spend time with people who have less than you do. Volunteer at a homeless shelter or food bank. Donate items you don’t use often or don’t value and allow them to bring happiness to someone else. When you’ve mastered this (did you even miss these items after they were gone?), start donating things you care about. There’s a theory of attraction that says you must rid yourself of old things in order to make room in your life for new things. You may also find that having fewer things make you want fewer things- another way to feel abundant. You can also feel more abundant by keeping a gratitude journal. Take time to jot down the things you are grateful for before you go to bed every evening. A 2007 study tracked three groups that made weekly journal entries: one wrote down things that had annoyed them, one wrote down things they were grateful for, and one group simply recorded weekly events without context. The gratitude group showed measurable differences in their level of optimism, wellbeing and health over the other two groups. Lastly, you can change the way you talk to yourself. Instead of saying, “I can’t afford to do [whatever it is you want],” say “I can afford to do this instead.” Look for examples of abundance and renewable resources: light, air, water and grass in your yard, and for that matter, the weeds in your yard. Noticing abundance where it occurs will make you more likely to seek it â€" and see it â€" in other parts of your life.

Building and Maintaining a Celebrity Brand in Hollywood - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Building and Maintaining a Celebrity Brand in Hollywood - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Fame is fleeting in Hollywood. It’s a sad reality, but for every personality with staying power there are dozens of others who fade away into the dark abyss of “Oh yeah, I kind of remember that guy.” So what makes the difference between becoming Will Smith and becoming what Ronnie from Jersey Shore will inevitably be in two years? Recently, I had the pleasure of speaking with Adam Havener, an accomplished television producer, writer, entertainment host and reporter with credits on E!, MTV, NBC, BET, and The History Channel. I was interested in understanding the characteristics that make him successful, and some of the media branding techniques that he uses to continue growing his celebrity. Getting your start Breaking into the entertainment business is certainly a daunting task. Some people will go their entire career without ever getting their ‘big break.’ But as Havener points out, luck is what happens when persistence meets opportunity. “I’m a firm believer that if you want something bad enough, it will happen for you,” he says. “The most successful people in this business are the ones who work the hardest.” Essentially, it doesn’t matter how you start, all that matters is that you dive in head first and don’t look back. According to Havener, he knew he wanted to have a career in this industry when he was just 5 years old, and he credits that passion to old reruns of “I Love Lucy.” In college, studying Journalism, he took as many internships as he could, just trying to make connections. Internships are a great way to get your foot in the door, even though many of them in the entertainment space are likely to be unpaid. The old adage, ‘it’s not what you know, i t’s who you know,’ may hold truest in the world of entertainment. So, take on any opportunity to make a connection, and realize that it may not pay off until much later, but that doesn’t make it any less valuable. After many internships and auditions, Havener got his break in 2003, when he was hired as a production coordinator on a TV series called “Style Court.” Since then, he has leveraged each opportunity to find the next one, and his accomplishments speak for themselves. He emphasized his relationship with the executive that hired him for that first job, interestingly enough she has become a very close friend and mentor for him. In entertainment, as in any industry, it’s helpful to have a mentor (or multiple mentors). Someone who has been through the same process as you, who knows the industry and the problems that you will ultimately face. If you are reading this as an aspiring entertainer, make that your first priority. Most people who have lived and learned don’t mind sharing their experiences, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to find someone willing to fill that role. Building your network As we discussed earlier, building a strong network before you need it is the key to success in any industry, but it’s especially important in the media/entertainment vertical. According to Adam, his job isn’t one of the nine-to-five variety. “I’m out ALL of the time at different events, meeting and connecting with other people.” He notes that it’s not at all uncommon to work on a project with someone that you meet at a social event rather than an event strictly meant for business. In entertainment the line between your personal and professional life is extremely blurred, and if you recognize (and embrace) that, it could help you tremendously. Understand, however, that to build a strong brand you have to work at it 0% of the time, and your personality should reflect your brand whether you are on a job, or at a birthday party. As I learned from Adam, you never know where you will meet your next business partner. When asked about what he considers to be the prominent elements of his brand, Havener paused. “I would have to say being likeable, accessible, and being EVERYWHERE. People will always say to me ‘I recognize you,’ even if we’ve never met, because I go to a ton of events.” This ‘accessibility’ allows Adam to stay relevant, and it makes for an easier and more comfortable introduction to those who he is meeting for the first time. Taking the right opportunities For someone breaking into the industry, it will likely behoove them to take on pretty much any role or offer that comes along (within reason). However, once you have started to build a name for yourself, it’s important to take the right opportunities, and avoid the ones that will negatively impact your brand. The saying, “Any publicity is good publicity” can prove entirely false depending on what it is you are looking to accomplish. I asked Havener what types of opportunities he tries to avoid. “I turned down an opportunity earlier this summer to be on a ‘Bachelor’ type of show, because when I thought about it, that wasn’t the direction I was trying to take my career in. As I get older, I’m going to streamline and turn down opportunities that aren’t in line with my goals.” Still, he was quick to add, “Usually, you don’t have to just turn down a project, you can try and take it in a direction that is more fitting to your goals, and meet somewhere in the middle. ” As Havener notes, the entertainment industry has a high amount of fluidity, and collaboration is the key to success. When multiple minds come together and compromise, it yields the best result. So be open to opportunities that aren’t exactly what you were looking for, they may take you down a path that you didn’t even know was possible for yourself. Being a good person It may sound trite, but one of the best things that you can do to build your brand, and your success, is to simply be a good person. By that I don’t mean that you have to donate all of your money to charity, or volunteer 40 hours per week at the homeless shelter (Note: Those things would absolutely make you a good person though). Just being easy-going, personable, and fun to work with will go a long way in building your success. If an executive, or a talent scout, or anyone with power to make a decision has a choice between two comparable talents, they will almost exclusively go with the one who they actually like spending time with. Havener recalled two of the people who he really enjoyed working with: Sean “Diddy” Combs and Kendra Wilkinson from E!’s “Girls Next Door.” “Kendra was so fun to work with, she was just carefree and was way more down to Earth than I would have expected without meeting her. Sean Combs was super professional. He really gets the business, and had no ego or attitude even though we needed to shoot a ton of “B-Roll” with him. I really feel that is why he has gotten so far and built such a massive brand.” Certainly, it also is important to remain professional when working with those whose company is not as enjoyable.  But just like in sales, people buy people, not products. “People want to work with someone who they would like to have a beer with,” Havener told me. I couldn’t agree more. Special thanks to Adam Havener for this interview. Be sure to look for him, his star is sure to shine for a long time. Check out his reel here: Author: Bill Connolly is the Sales Director for Millennial Branding and a media branding expert.

Why to Avoid the Trap of Client Familiarity

Why to Avoid the Trap of Client Familiarity Now bear with me on this; I’m just as culpable as you on this one. We all have clients we deal with who we get on with like a house on fire, knowing exactly the kind of candidate they need for their numerous roles. Were guilty of  taking  half-arsed job specs for them because, lets face it, we know the client and we know what they want right? This is a trap I fell into many times and it’s one I am trying my damnedest to climb back out of. You see, it’s far too easy when ‘Dave’ from ‘Global Sprocket Noodles’ calls and says “hi Paul, how was your weekend? Listen I need a fella for the Ramsbottom branch, you know the kind of guy I want”. The reply 99 times out of 100  is “no problem Dave, I’ll get some CV’s across as soon as”. Now we may have somebody in mind that fits Dave’s idea of the perfect candidate but how the hell do we really know that, with only 2 pertinent pieces of information;  Ramsbottom and Sprocket Noodle? Understand the  role What we need to do is ask the right questions (I know, I sound like a bloody recruiter). The right questions asked at the start of the conversation will make your life a hell of a lot easier in the long run. So this is how it goes. “You know the kind of fella” needs to be addressed with “yes Dave, but can I just get a few more details from you, such as….” Then take a proper job spec. Youll likely find the Sprocket Noodler needs not only to have a HND in Sprocket Noodle 101, but also at least a CG in ‘Widget Firtling. The CV you thought was a call-off-the-search was in fact a back-to-the-drawing-board. Sell the job A good job spec  can also make your life easier when calling Brian ‘King of Widget Noodles’. For example when Brian asks “does that job come with a company car or do  I need to have my own  wheels”? you have in front of you a plethora of information to dazzle him;  â€œBrian, not only does it come with a company vehicle, but it also has a fuel card with it so you won’t be out of pocket when filling it up”. Incidentally, Brian is a good Yorkshireman, hence the accent (you will now go back a read the paragraph in a Yorkshire accent). Don’t Alienate your core business By this I mean both your best client and the candidates you work with. No matter how well you get on with Dave, sooner or later he is going to get annoyed at the amount of CVs coming his way which don’t fit the bill. Candidates will not thank you for wasting their valuable time being interviewed for a role which you pitched as ideal, but is actually  about as ideal as (insert stock chocolate fireguard or similar analogy). As a recruiter your reputation rules, so if you get a bad one (and I don’t mean  that time at the work do with Debbie from accounts) then your work and ultimately your billings will suffer. When that happens you are on a hiding to nothing, which leads me on to my next point. Dont get  too  comfortable Were all guilty of getting a little too comfortable with clients at times, resting on our laurels. I too fell into the all-too-easy trap of client familiarity, but with the help (for help read shouting) of my line manager I can honestly say my job is now infinitely easier. Dave is even happier and Brian loves his shiny new Mazda. To dazzle Brian, please Dave and make your job easier, a good job spec is quite literally gold. *Sprocket Noodles are made up (sorry again) *As is Widget Firtling (I know it sounds plausible) *Ramsbottom is a real place in Lancashire   About the author: Paul Murphy has been working for SER Limited in Engineering Recruitment for over 11 years specialising in the intelligent buildings sector â€" especially BMS (Building Management Systems). He is also it seems a part time keyboard warrior on behalf of recruiters everywhere.

Cover Page For Resume

Cover Page For ResumeIt is important to have a cover page for resume. This page will serve as the first impression of your resume to the employer and should include all the important details regarding you such as your skills, education, work experience, experience and other relevant details.The page should be a neat one. If the details of your work are not well organized, it will not look professional for the employer to hire you.Make sure that the cover page for resume is neat and is easy to read. Avoid using any fonts that are not standard. You may use bold, italic or normal fonts.Include all the skills in the work history section. All skills must be listed in chronological order. It is important to list them as they are experienced as they would lead to an interesting reading of your resume. Use words that will draw attention to the best skills.In the skills section, describe all skills in detail. Include the relevant details like the dates of the jobs that you have done. Give the experience of the job that you have done and give more details as you can think of. Including the skill that is required for the job you want to do will make your resume more interesting.In the work experience section, describe all the experience in detail. If you have completed more than one job, you must mention them separately. If the job you are applying for has multiple positions, state the number of times that you have completed each position and the number of years you have been with that company.If you have worked for an organization or company that is a very long standing, you must also mention the name of the organization or company. This will add credibility to your resume.You must also include the address of the address that you have listed on the cover page for resume. This would help the employer to contact you if he wants to know more about you.

Do you REALLY need a degree to be happy - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Do you REALLY need a degree to be happy - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Leandro from Brazil wrote in with a classic and crucial question: Do you need a college degree to be successful? Leandro is 21 and currently studies computer engineering and does NOT like it. His parents think he absolutely needs the degree he doesnt :o) My take: No. You dont need a college degree to be happy and successful. I myself have a university degree (a masters in computer science) but I chose my studies 100% based on my interests at the time. I was a major geek and my studies let me do some pretty cool stuff. And while I would not have gotten my first real job without my degree, I would of course have gotten another job even without the degree. And anyway, my first job sucked :o) I believe success comes from doing something that: Youre good at You like doing Someone is willing to pay you for You need all three. Does this such an area currently exist for you? Be realistic! If such an area does not currently exist, you can make one for yourself and one way to do this is to study. But considering how many possibilities are out there, I refuse to believe that this can only be achieved by suffering through 4-5 years of boring, unpleasant studying, just so you can wave a piece of paper around after you graduate. Also, ask yourself this: If you truly do not enjoy your studies how much can you possibly enjoy working in the same field later? For a long time weve been telling people that Sure, studying is not much fun, but you just have to get through 4-5 years of it and then everything is gravy. First of all, this rarely turns out to be true, and secondly, this tends to make higher education an exercise in conformity not learning. Those who complete their studies are not necessarily the best and the brightest, but those most willing to knuckle under and do as theyre told. If I were in Leandros shoes, I would either: Find a way to make my studies fun. Study with some fun people, go for some fun classes, work on my strategies and the way I spend time. If thats not possible, Id witch to some kind of studies I really liked and found interesting or to a different school, where they didnt make things as boring. Or alternatively get a job or start my own company and do something really cool Whats your take on this? Did you enjoy studying? How did you choose your studies? Are you happy and successful with or without a degree? Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

Do you keep saying to yourself, I need a new job!

Do you keep saying to yourself, I need a new job! Do you keep saying to yourself, I need a new job! Do you keep saying to yourself, I need a new job! August 1, 2011 by Career Coach Sherri Thomas Leave a Comment Do you keep telling yourself, “I need a new job!” Are you thinking it every day? Do you dream of starting a fresh, new career where people appreciate you? Where you can focus on your strengths and talents, and be valued for your expertise? Or maybe reinventing yourself into an entirely new job role or industry where you’re doing something more meaningful and inspiring? Maybe you’ve been pushing away that thought because it seems impossible, or overwhelming, or maybe because you simply don’t know how to change your career? But what if you can no longer silence the dream? When that voice keeps coming back to you, louder and stronger, saying “I need a new job!”, and no matter how many times you push it out of your mind it keeps coming back. What do you do then? The reason so many people stay in unmotivating and unfulfilling jobs is because it’s easy to do. It’s familiar, it takes minimal effort, it’s easy to blank out and be a zombie for 8 hours a day, and there’s comfort in knowing you’re getting the bills paid. It’s easy because there’s minimal risk and minimal effort. But there’s also minimal reward. Doing drudgery work actually drains us of energy, makes us cranky and lowers our quality of life. Do you think that if you’re energized about doing work that excites you, that you’ll be making more significant contributions, and therefore, have more opportunities for promotions, advancement and a higher quality of life? Earlier in my career, I made the mistake of believing that if someone hired me, then that was where I was meant to be. BIG mistake!! Later in my career, I learned that I need to set the bar higher for myself. I learned that jumping into a new, and sometimes scary, career was worth the risk. I also learned how to create more options and how to make better decisions about where I work and who I work for. I fully believe that life is way too short to stay in a meaningless job where you’re unfulfilled, unchallenged and under-valued. I’ve had a few of those jobs myself and I remember waking up every morning and dreading going into work. During those times, the highlight of my day was usually having lunch with a few close colleagues. If the highlight of your day is eating lunch â€" then it’s time to make a career change. I’ve reinvented myself four (4) times and each time, I successfully landed in my dream career! For me, I tend to stay in a career 4-5 years, and then through natural curiosity (or ADD? ;)) I tend to want to jump into another job role or industry. And each one of my career changes started out the same way â€" by allowing myself to dream about career possibilities and then creating one clear vision. YOUR ASSIGNMENT Give your dream a shout out!!   Tell the universe your career dream by writing it down (you can even write it down below in the comments section.     Once you write it down, youll be well  on your way to making it a reality! ??