Recruiting

Carnival of HR – Online Degree Edition

Posted by Jennifer on July 21, 2010 | 22 Comments »

I’m so excited! It’s time for me to host the famous Carnival of HR for the first time!

It’s also the midpoint of summer here in the US, meaning it’s almost time for the kiddos to head back to school (which according to Staples – and many parents – is the most wonderful time of the year), so I’ve got class schedules and degree programs on my brain as the parent of an incoming freshman at THE Ohio State University. (Go Buckeyes!)

In the spirit of education, I thought I’d whip up a quick online degree program for HR Pros, Recruiting Rockstars and Talent Management Geeks everywhere by organizing the great Carnival of HR submissions I received into an educational opportunity and featuring some great bloggers Teachers just for you!

So grab your assigned seat, take out your pen and paper, bring some chocolate an apple for your Host and check out all of the posts! I’m confident you’ll find some great new blogs and bloggers you’ve not yet discovered and you’ll also be a wiser and more educated professional for having done so.

———-

Corporate Culture

Leadership Belief and Building ‘People-Centric’ Culture – Professor Tanmay Vora of QAspire Blog.

Class Summary: The Leader’s choice to treat people as “humans” or as “resources” and how that can affect an organization’s culture.

The Perfect Corporate Culture Doesn’t Exist – Professor Jennifer V. Miller from The People Equation.

Class Summary: Explore how even the best of corporate cultures aren’t perfect.

Diversity & Inclusion

Inclusion Measurement – Tracking the Intangible – Professor Erik Samdahl of The Productivity Blog.

Class Summary: Learn some indirect measurements for gauging inclusion success in an organization.

The Act of Including – Professor Joe Gerstandt of Our Time to Act.

Class Summary: The not so fine line between being unintentionally exclusive versus being deliberate, intentional and proactive about being inclusive.

Employee Benefits

Survey Says: Employees Don’t Want Their Benefit Information Tweeted – Professor Lexi Ruben from the Precept Employee Benefits Blog.

Class Summary: To tweet or not to tweet benefits information? That is the question.

Employee Relations

Anniversaries Matter. Jobs Matter More. – Professor Kari Quaas of the Seasonal Human Resources Blog.

Class Summary: Don’t be schmucks.

Rehire Fired Employee? – Professor Susan M. Heathfield from the Human Resources Blog on About.com.

Class Summary: How following the recommended steps for firing an employee might influence that decision.

Why Do Companies Punish Whistleblowers? – Professor Suzanne Lucas from the Personal Success Blog on BNET.

Class Summary: Establishing a process for reporting and investigating problems within your company to keep communication lines open.

Global Human Resources

Future Imperative – Professor The HRD of My Hell is Other People.

Class Summary: Discuss the seismic changes taking place and globalization of work – and whether or not organizations are prepared.

Salary Inflation II – Professor Frank Mulligan of the Talent in China blog.

Class Summary: Explore the effects and consequences that recent increases in wages in China are having on the nation’s & region’s economy.

Upside of a Global Organization – Professor Amy Wilson from the TalentedApps team.

Class Summary: Learn about some of the challenges and tremendous leverage of working in global teams.

HR Technology

Top Three Challenges of Implementing an HR Automation Software – Professor Gireesh Sharma of the Grasp e-Marketing blog.

Class Summary: Review the top 3 challenges during the software implementation cycle based upon Gireesh’s experience.

Leadership

Make Sure You “Hug” Your Top Performers During Times of Change – Professor Dan McCarthy from Great Leadership.

Class Summary: The importance of not taking top performers for granted and making sure they know they’re valued.

Responsibility and Leadership – Professor Wally Bock of Three Star Leadership Blog.

Class Summary: When Dwight Eisenhower gave the order to launch the D-Day invastion, he faced the real possibility that things could go wrong. But he was willing to take the responsibility.

Stop Trying to Make Others Happy – Professor Mary Jo Asmus of Aspire Collaborative Services.

Class Summary: Personalizing rewards and recognition to motivate employees.

Legal & Compliance

Dear Evil Skippy: The FMLA Expands Family Trees – Professor Jim of Evil Skippy at Work.

Class Summary: FMLA definitions, communication and navigation. (Note: This required class is sure to be a riot. Good times.)

What You Need to Know About Floating Holidays – Professor Kim Urban of Kim’s HR Potpourri blog.

Class Summary: The intricacies of handling Floating Holidays in the state of California.

Organizational Psychology

Trains and Perception – Professor Steve Boese of Steve’s HR Technology blog.

Class Summary: What we call programs and activities in our organizations can influence the perception of their importance as well as the approach and enthusiasm of the people involved.

$5000 or a Stranger’s Happiness? - Professor Drew Tarvin of Humor That Works.

Class Summary: Learn how surrounding yourself with happy (or unhappy) people impacts you.

Performance Management

Performance Management is a TOOL and not a CHORE – Professor Cathy Missildine-Martin of Profitability Through Human Capital blog.

Class Summary: Decide whether Performance Appraisals should be 1 question, 3 questions or 435…

In Defense of Recruiters – Professor Bill Boorman of Norton Folgate: The Recruiting Unblog.

Class Summary: 5 ways to fix the process and build better relationships between Recruiters and HR departments.

The Need for Speed – Professor Mervyn Dinnen of T Recs.

Class Summary: Debate whether finding the “best” candidate for clients is hindered by expectations of speedy submissions.

Social Media for HR/Recruiting

Developing a Social Recruiting Strategy: From Bigot to Believer – Professor R.J. Morris substitute teaching for yours truly right here on the Unbridled Talent blog (good stuff in case you missed it).

Class Summary: Case study of one man and one company’s approach to developing a social recruiting strategy.

How to Get Started in Social Media with Mike Vandervort – led by Professor Ben Eubanks of UpStartHR.

Class Summary: Learn how HR practitioner Mike Vandervort is using social media to create a competitive advantage for his employer.

We’re Social Media Hippies Who Live in Mamby-Pamby Land. I can dig that. – Professor Kevin W. Grossman of HR Marketer Blog.

Class Summary: Explore the risks and the values of using social media in the workplace – while saying cool words like Mamby-Pamby.

Talent Management

If Lebron Went Corporate: A Cautionary Tale – Professor Aaron Ziff from the Respectful Workplace Blog. Class Summary: Talent management lessons from the real-world case study featuring basketball hero or zero (you decide) Lebron James.

Talent Management Best Practices for a Post-Recession World – Professor Lois Melbourne of Aquire.

Class Summary: Talent strategies to keep your top talent as the economy improves and employees have more choices.

There Is No “I” in “Team”. But There Is a “Me”. – Professor Benjamin McCall of ReThink HR.

Class Summary: Talent Management and succession planning lessons from the world of sports.

Tour de France’s Lessons for Human Resources and Management – Professor Michael D. Haberman from HR Observations.

Class Summary: Review some lessons from the Tour de France related to talent, teams and planning that are important for businesses today.

Talent Selection

How to Hire People Who Understand the Values of Your Organization – Professor Amit Bhagria of Young HR Manager.

Class Summary: Review a case study and examples of how to shift the focus of your interview process to asking questions that reveal a candidate’s self beliefs and value system.

Low Performers Are Laid Off First – Professor Chris Young of the Maximize Possibility Blog.

Class Summary: The importance of pre-employment assessment validity.

Winning the War on Talent – Professor Mark Stelzner of Inflexion Advisors.

Class Summary: Review a case study that could change sourcing, screening and assessment processes to ensure hiring candidates that match an organization’s culture.

Workforce Development/Career Management

Making Employees Career Competent – Professor Lance Haun of Rehaul.com.

Class Summary: HR’s role in helping today’s workforce develop new skills to improve employability.

New Generation – Professor Laura Schroeder of Working Girl blog.

Class Summary: Debate whether the new generation is owed an express ticket to executive management because they’re willing to work hard and have black belts in social media – or not.

Extra Credit/Self-Study

Ten Minutes with Vinnie Mirchandani – Industry Expert – brought to you by The Devon Group.

Class Summary: Hear from the author of the book “The New Polymath: Profiles in Compound-Technology Innovations”.

Top Summer Reading for Business Leaders – compiled by Professor Trish McFarlane, the HR Ringleader.

Class Summary: What thought leaders in HR, recruiting and academia are reading this summer.

———-

Whew! Well there you have it folks. A crash course in all things HR, Recruiting and Talent Management.

If you read all of the posts and passed the exams, give yourself a pat on the back. You just graduated from the Carnival of HR Online Degree Program! Now be sure to leave a comment on this post so I’ll know how many seats we’ll need at the graduation party…

Thanks to all who submitted great posts for the Carnival of HR! Next up, the August 4th Carnival will be hosted by Drew Tarvin at Humor That Works. Be sure to check it out!

Like this? You might also like these posts on Unbridled Talent:

Time For a Cool Change

Posted by Jennifer on June 27, 2010 | 17 Comments »

Image Credit 1.00 FTE - Impressions of Corporate Life

Several years ago, back when I was working “in the trenches” as an HR Manager in an organization experiencing an insane amount of growth, I often partnered with an outside consulting firm to assist us with various recruiting, leadership development and training initiatives.

Once, during a training session led by the firm’s owner – a wise and engaging gentleman with almost 40 years of combined experience in the corporate and consulting worlds – I remember thinking:

“He’s got the best job in the world. Some day, I want to run my own business too.”

And at that moment, an entrepreneur was born. [cue heavenly music]

But I still had so much to learn…

Fast forward several more years (and no, not over 40 for those of you doing mental math) through a career in Human Resources leadership roles, a second career as an Executive Recruiter and Executive Coach and a third as a professional speaker and trainer – it’s finally time to take that step.

Ladies and gentlemen… Please allow me to introduce my new company – Unbridled Talent, LLC!

Want to learn more about Unbridled Talent?

Below is a short interview (click here if you can’t see the video) I did recently after speaking at the Louisville, KY SHRM Chapter’s monthly luncheon and also leading an afternoon workshop on Using Social Media in HR & Recruiting. In the video, I share a little about my background, a smidge about Unbridled Talent and a bit of my theory on why HR and Recruiting pros need to use social media – all in under 3 minutes!

I’m excited to be able to create a role and a business where I can combine my experiences in Human Resources, Recruiting, Coaching, Leadership, Speaking and Training into one title – President of Unbridled Talent, LLC. It’s the right time for me personally and I also believe it’s a perfect time to work with companies and business leaders to develop and execute Innovative People Strategies!

So here’s a few updates and changes I’d like to share with you:

This blog has moved! With the help and patience of the fab Lance Haun, I’ve made the change from TypePad to WordPress, and the name of the blog and site address have also changed to Unbridled Talent and http://unbridledtalent.com/blog. If you’re a subscriber via email or RSS (and if you’re not, I’d love for you to subscribe for automatic updates here or here), then nothing should have changed for you. The feeds still deliver – and during the changeover delivered multiple times. (oops.)

There’s a new website and logo – and new business cards that arrived this week! The website is up and running, but will be evolving. I’m a big believer in getting the right expertise involved to create amazing things, so Elaine Suess at beyondbeing llc (who also developed the new logo) will be working with me to make sure that the messaging, benefits of working with us and service offerings are crisp and on point.

We’re on Facebook! My goal is to provide unique and personal content on Unbridled Talent’s Facebook Page as well as resources related to Attracting, Recruiting, Developing and Engaging Talent. Trust me, it won’t be just a feed of posts from this blog. There will be pictures, videos and “behind the scenes” content that you won’t see elsewhere. I’d love it if you’d “Like” it!

We’re on Twitter! You can still find me on Twitter at @cincyrecruiter and I’ll still be as lovable or annoying (you decide) there as ever. My Twitter strategy has always been to share resources, learn, connect with people, connect people to other people and to be myself – so that won’t change. By following @UnbridledTalent, you’ll get even more resources and information – not duplicate posts of stuff you’ll see if you’re following me elsewhere. It’s my goal to be a valuable source of information in the areas of Talent Attraction, Innovative Recruiting & Sourcing Strategies and People Development – not just noise.

My LinkedIn Profile has been updated (if we’re not connected – connect with me!) to reflect my new role, new company and my continued partnership with the fine people at Centennial, Inc. Centennial’s clients often use them as a resource and for assistance with Talent Strategy issues and many of my clients and relationships need Executive Search and Career Coaching Services, so we believe a continued partnership is mutually beneficial. I’m very grateful to the team at Centennial for being extremely helpful and supportive of me in taking this step and I’m excited that we’ll be continuing to work together in the future!

Where We Go From Here

I had much to learn back when I first made the decision to start my own business some day — and thankfully, I still do. I thoroughly enjoy being a student learning from others within the industry and then sharing what I’ve learned with my clients and relationships.

I hope that you’ll join me on this next phase of my journey. Because now, the person who has the best job in the world is… ME!

_________________

Note:

Stay tuned here on Unbridled Talent, “Like” the Facebook Page and follow us on Twitter to catch my coverage this week of the SHRM 2010 Annual Conference in San Diego June 26 – June 30th. I’ll be there as a member of the Monster.com Social Media Street Team / #monsterlive blitz. We’ll be sharing highlights and what’s happening so you can be there – if you couldn’t “be there”.

It’s possible that you may even see more than one post a day on the blog during this next week. Don’t faint. And please don’t unsubscribe.

Like this? You might also like these posts on Unbridled Talent:

If Google Says I’m the Best Recruiter in the World… It Must Be True

Posted by Jennifer on April 26, 2010 | 9 Comments »

You may have heard this phrase before:

“It’s not who you know… but who knows you – and what they say about you.”

I believe that statement is very true, but since we live in an increasingly online world, maybe it should be modified to:

“It’s not who you know, or what they say about you… it’s what Google says about you.”

Case in point – a short email I received last week:

Wondering if Curt was on to something, I Googled the phrase “best recruiter in the world” and here’s what I found:

The first two unpaid hits out of over 2,200 results came from a tongue-in-cheek post on this blog from July 2009:

I’m no SEO expert, but I did choose the title intentionally back then, assuming that it’s possible people (ideally client companies) sometimes go to Google and start with that phrase when looking for a Recruiter. A long shot I know. But nothing ventured, nothing gained right? As someone responsible for developing my own business, I try to use every option available to me.

Looks like my title strategery worked a little better than I expected – or at least it worked well enough to give me a laugh. And Curt got a nice response for being a little more creative than the too often used – “I see you’re a Recruiter. Can you help me find a job?”

This cheeky little example was a good reminder for me of how important it is to be mindful of what I put out there on the interwebs. Like it or not, your credibility (and mine) is being judged every day by people searching Google (and other search engines) who are finding your blog posts, tweets, LinkedIn profile, etc.

Thankfully, Google got it right this time.

Let’s be careful out there…

Like this? You might also like these posts on Unbridled Talent:

2 Secrets of Successful “Social Recruiting” Explained

Posted by Jennifer on February 25, 2010 | 12 Comments »

Every day, somewhere out there in our universe, many Recruiters are losing their way in regards to using social networks such as LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook for recruiting purposes. I see the complaints (often ironically aired via Twitter) that <insert favorite social network name> simply doesn't work for recruiting and is only a waste of time. These rants are typically followed by statements extolling the virtues of the telephone – and how "real" Recruiters know how to magically work this ancient device. And I sigh.

<Sigh>

And I continue to think that they're not willing to evolve and learn how to use these tools successfully.

Recently, I came across two great examples that explain how I believe Recruiters should approach social networks for recruiting purposes. The first is from Amber Naslund, who writes the consistently informative Altitude Branding blog. In her post – How I Made $100k With Twitter – Amber shares 8 steps she took to make money using Twitter to build relationships and market her services. Be sure to check out the full post here.

In the excerpt below, I've taken the liberty of inserting recruiting-related terms to illustrate how I think the method Amber outlined is exactly the way to approach using Twitter (and other social networks) for recruiting.

The magic in making money <recruiting> with social media isn’t that the site or
social network becomes a revenue center <candidate database> itself. I didn’t sell stuff <"recruit"> on
Twitter. I gave people access to me and my expertise, and paid
attention to when the time might be right to talk business <about opportunities at my company>.

That’s the trick here, folks. Social media is rarely the cash
register <candidate Fairy>. It’s communication tools that help form the foundation for
healthy business relationships that might eventually lead to sales
<successful placements> elsewhere. Whether you’re B2B or B2C.

Twitter was just the handshake that got the conversation started. It
required an investment of time and effort for me to spend time there
and converse without the intent to sell something <recruit anyone>, and lay
the groundwork for trust and relationships. Much like having lunch or
going to networking events. I spent time getting to know the people
that might eventually be the decision maker for a project that I could
be hired for <the potential clients or perfect candidates for positions I'm recruiting for>. And when they needed something like what I did, they
often thought of me.

It’s that simple, and yet that complex.

Nailed it. To me, that's one of the simplest and best explanations that I've seen regarding how relationships are developed, business connections are made and successful recruiting is done via social media.

Second, Andy Headworth of one of my favorite recruiting blogs – Sirona Says – interviewed Super Sourcer/Recruiting Trainer/Social Media Whiz Kid Jim Stroud at the recent TruLondon Unconference asking – "Where will social media recruitment be in 2 years?" Jim didn't disappoint, giving an interesting and insightful answer. (Email subscribers will need to click through to the blog to view the video)

Hint: It's not about being able to find more people folks.

I think we've got to get more people thinking differently about how to use social networks for recruiting purposes. It's more about relationships and branding and less about having a large network or being able to find names.

What do you think? Do you think investing the time to build relationships and to establish a "personal brand" on social networks is required to successfully recruit? Or is the "old way" still the best way?

Like this? You might also like these posts on Unbridled Talent:

The Best Lists? The Ones You Make! (Top 25 Most Influential Online Recruiters)

Posted by Jennifer on February 19, 2010 | 8 Comments »

Today, John Sumser and the good folks over at HR Examiner have unveiled their latest list of Online Influencers – the Top 25 Most Influential Online Recruiters – and apparently somebody left the back door open, because yours truly somehow managed to sneak in!

<insert massively awkward happy dance>

Hey I know it’s just another list, and there are always more people left off of any list that should be on it than there are actually on it (and I can think of several folks I would say are missing from this one) – but like any awards show nominee will tell you, it’s still nice to be included.

The HR Examiner uses an online reputation discovery tool – Traackr – to measure reach, relevance and resonance in the online world in an effort to keep their lists objective and this one follows the announcement of the Top 25 HR Digital Influencers 2009 released this past December.

I’m honored to be included on any list along with the likes of Sumser, Steckerl and Sullivan – widely recognized recruiting thought leaders and influencers that I’ve followed and learned from for many years.

Thank you very much HR Examiner and a huge congratulations to everyone that is mentioned!

Like this? You might also like these posts on Unbridled Talent:

11.12.09 HR Happy Hour Blog Talk Radio Show Featuring the Fistful of Talent Crew

Posted by Jennifer on November 11, 2009 | 3 Comments »

If you haven’t been paying attention lately, there’s a lot of cool people doing some new and innovative things in the HR/Recruiting/Talent Management space and one of those things is a BlogTalk Radio show hosted by Steve Boese and Shauna Moerke (the HR Minion) called HR Happy Hour.

Started as an opportunity for HR pros to chat, vent and discuss the burning issues of the day,the HR Happy Hour has turned into a “must attend” event bi-monthly (sort of) on Thursday evenings at 8 p.m. EST. I’ve been a guest previously on Episode 10 – The Job Seeker’s Show and was also fortunate to be in attendance when the show went on the road recently for two live broadcasts – Episode 17 for the Fail Spectacularly party in Chicago (put on by Laurie Ruettimann of Punk Rock HR and Jason Seiden – who’s new book Super Staying Power launched this week) and Episode 18 at HRevolution in Louisville, Kentucky this past weekend.

Next up – Episode 19, where the Fistful of Talent crew will tackle Next Gen HR – sharing our thoughts and opinions on the future of Talent and HR in general. As someone who has plenty of opinions, I’ll definitely be calling in – and we’ll see if I catch any grief for being lame and not posting often enough over at FOT. (I solemnly vow to improve – I promise!)

If you’re available Thursday night, you should definitely call in or listen to the show live (or the archive at a later date/time) via the BlogTalk Radio channel. You can also lurk or participate in the smack talk on Twitter via the hash tag #HRHappyHour – (follow that here.) Another way to participate if you’re truly snarky (and have been deemed cool enough by the Google gods to receive an invite) is the irreverent HR Happy Hour back channel discussion that goes on over at Google Wave. On the Wave and want to jump in? Leave a comment with your Wave address and I’ll add you to the discussion.

With all of this talking, tweeting and waving going on, clearly, you’ll want to be a part of HR Happy Hour Thursday night. See you there/here!

Like this? You might also like these posts on Unbridled Talent:

Using Social Media In HR & Recruiting

Posted by Jennifer on October 23, 2009 | 8 Comments »

As mentioned in a previous post, I was fortunate to be able to attend the SummitUp Social Media Confab in Dayton, OH this week and also to lead a Breakout session on Using Social Media In HR & Recruiting. The Confab (conference) was awesome, and I'll share some more information with my takeaways from the event in a separate post. I also thought I'd share a copy of my presentation here, as it's been well received on Slideshare.net since posted during the conference. (Email subscribers – click through to the blog to view the presentation.)

Using Social Media In HR & Recruiting 10 20 2009 SummitUp Conference

View more presentations from Jennifer McClure.

A brief takeaway document was also provided with some resources for those who'd like to do some additional research. The resources are listed on the last slide of presentation as well as below – including links.

SummitUp – Using Social Media in HR & Recruiting Resources

Companies using Social Media well to watch & learn from:

Who Should Recruiters Follow on Twitter? 100+ Suggestions

Getting Your HR Friends on Twitter? Start Here

Companies Recruiting on Twitter

Jennifer McClure’s Social Media Policy tags on Delicious – updates each time I tag a blog post or news article with the tag "socialmediapolicy"

Online Database of Social Media Policies

Air Force Blog Assessment Policy (Good Communication/Response Guide)

Bonus: Here are links to the Twitterable Twitter Policy, Two-Word Corporate Blogging Policy and The HR Capitalist Social Media Policy included in the presentation, which are found on the awesome blogs Gruntled Employees and The HR Capitalist. (Hope you're a subscriber!)

I'll be doing a couple of similar presentations on this topic in the near future. If you have additional questions, resources, comments or suggestions to add, I'd love for you to share them in the Comments section below!

Like this? You might also like these posts on Unbridled Talent:

Who Should Recruiters Follow On Twitter? 100+ Suggestions

Posted by Jennifer on October 7, 2009 | 10 Comments »

One of the most popular posts on this blog continues to be 10 People All Recruiters Should Follow on Twitter – and two of the top ten search phrases that land people here are "Twitter for Recruiters" and "Recruiters to follow on Twitter". Hopefully, when they arrive here, they're finding helpful content on using Twitter for Sourcing/Recruiting and thanks to a heads up from HR Technology Blogger Steve Boese recently about a new Twitter app (TweepML), I'd like to share a suggested "Recruiter Twitter Starter Pack" of 100 Recruiters/HR/Talent Management professionals that I recommend following on Twitter.

One of the coolest things about TweepML lists is that you can click on one button to automatically follow everyone on the suggested list or view the profiles and select just a few. Users can create lists of up to 100 suggested Follows, so while my list doesn't include everyone in the industry that I follow or learn from, I tried to create a good mix that would be helpful for a Recruiter/HR pro new to Twitter or someone building a network of Talent Management professionals.

So without further ado, click on the icon below to access my suggested Recruiter Twitter Starter Pack:

Bonus #1: Steve shared two lists of his suggested Follows for HR and Recruiting Peeps (that's 200 people on Twitter) on his blog – Steve Boese's HR Technology – and I'd suggest that you go here and follow his suggestions as well. There's definitely some overlap in our lists, but that just confirms that great minds think alike.

Bonus #2: Follow @badbanana. Nothing to do with recruiting or HR, but a seriously funny dude who makes me laugh every day. And I deal with people here in Cincy Recruiter's World, which means some days I desperately need a laugh!

If you've been a late adopter or a Twitter-Hater, hopefully you're starting to thaw – or at least develop a slight interest in figuring out how to use this increasingly popular tool in your sourcing and recruiting efforts. (If not, you can always bookmark this post and come back to it later when you reach that point… like tomorrow, or maybe next week.)

Who'd I miss on my Recruiter/Talent Management suggestions? Add yourself or your suggestions in the Comments so people can find you here!

Like this? You might also like these posts on Unbridled Talent:

So, You Think You’re Drowning in Applicants? Try 1.2 Million in One Month!

Posted by Jennifer on December 19, 2008 | Comments Off

Today’s post is an interview with Linda Little, Director of Executive Recruiting at Macy’s, Inc. Linda and I originally met on-line (no, not on one of *those* sites) when she answered a question I posed on LinkedIn seeking topics for networking meetings for senior-level executives. Her willingness to help me out got her dragged into being a speaker at one of the events I host (she was awesome) and now I’m interviewing her for my blog. (In related news, it is only a rumor that the world revolves around me…)

How’d you end up here Linda?

I started my career as an Aircraft Mechanic in the Air Force. After leaving the Air Force, I got into Subway restaurant franchises and eventually sold those. I ended up at a recruiting firm to see if they could help me figure out what I wanted to do next and the woman I met with talked me into becoming a Recruiter. Here I am - 17 years later! Initially, I recruited in the restaurant, hospitality and casino industries and I would basically get the phone book out and dial for dollars. Eventually, I opened my own agency, working mainly in the defense industry. After selling my firm, I’ve been here at Macy’s a little over 2 years now.

Tell us a little about Macy’s, Inc. and what your job involves…

Macy’s just celebrated 150 years in business this past year and we have over 800 stores/180,000 employees. During the 3-month holiday season, our employment grows to around 400,000 including everything from those working on the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade to those working in our stores. I’m personally responsible for recruiting at the VP level and above and for some Director level positions. I lead a team of 37 Recruiters nation-wide, and we have groups that support specific divisions, college recruiting and hourly high-volume recruiting. A big part of my job also includes planning new and exciting things to improve our recruiting efforts in the future.

Sounds like a big job! What’s your biggest challenge?

In November 2008, we had 1,247,000 people visit the Macy’s Jobs career site, and we average about 600,000 visits per month. Typically, 60% of those who visit our site will apply for a job and the challenge is to get all of those people through our system efficiently while ensuring that they all have a good experience with Macy’s. To us, you’re either an employee who is a customer, or a customer. We need to make sure that every applicant is touched, handled correctly and communicated with. If we don’t handle the 500,000 - 1,000,000+ people coming through our system each month properly, that’s a lot of potentially angry customers!

You’re a very active and accessible networker. Upsides? Downsides?

Networking is a really big thing for me and I’m constantly meeting new people/pipelining potential candidates. I attend many local, industry and retail-specific networking events to learn more about the industry and also to meet people. The upside is that if you’re accessible, the people you want to find you usually will. The downside is the volume. Many people also reach you that you’re not looking for, and managing all of the people who come at you – while making sure they have a positive experience – is a constant thing. Sometimes, things fall through the cracks for me just like they do for everyone else, but I work really hard at it. I get to the office early and spend a solid 2 hours managing my LinkedIn account and email before my day “starts”. After that, I’m on the phone for the next 3 – 4 hours, and then I’m in meetings much of the remaining part of the day.

Is LinkedIn a big part of your recruiting strategy?

I’m a big LinkedIn fan. I use it to network for positions I’m personally working on and I encourage my team to actively use it as well. I’m an “old-school” recruiter who believes in straight up direct contact. When I identify someone I’m interested in, I reach out to show an interest and develop a relationship with them first. Then, if there’s an opportunity to match them with a position at Macy’s in the future, we’ll go from there. I have the free membership on LinkedIn and I have enough connections that I can usually reach the people I’m interested in with no problem. One of my favorite resources is LinkedIn Groups. If I’m in the same Group as a person I’m interested in, it’s easy to contact them directly. We’ve hired 22 executives this year at Macy’s through my personal LinkedIn activity. That’s 1.7 per month from a free membership!

If you could choose only 3 tools for recruiting, what would they be?

The branded Macy’s Jobs website, LinkedIn and Search Engine Marketing. Our website works very well, and I’ve already explained why I love LinkedIn. SEM is very cost effective and efficient. For a few thousand dollars, we can target certain combinations of words and specific cities and we get hundreds of thousands of clicks. Once someone clicks our ad, they’re taken to a landing page where we can quickly qualify them to determine if they’re someone we should be talking with. It’s a really great tool for getting people into our funnel.

What’s you best recruiting tip?

Answer the phone every single time it rings if you can. If not, you’ll get buried in voicemail and remain there all week. Just answer it! I’ve never understood why some Recruiters don’t answer their phone. Go ahead and deal with the good, the bad or the ugly. Stringing people along doesn’t help anything.

Thanks to Linda for taking the time to speak with me about her career and some of what makes the Macy’s recruiting team successful! Now, I’m off to the Macy’s Jobs website to apply for a job holding the Snoopy float in next year’s parade. However, I hear if I’m rejected, I’ll get some Macy’s coupons to ease my pain - so it’s a win-win either way. Sweet!

Like this? You might also like these posts on Unbridled Talent:

Your Interview Process – Too Hot, Too Cold or Just Right?

Posted by Jennifer on November 4, 2008 | 1 Comment »

Fistful_of_talent Today over on Fistful of Talent, I share the true story of an interview for a senior level candidate gone wrong (only the name has been changed to protect the innocent), as well as some suggestions for companies and recruiters to ensure that their interview process enables them to attract top talent. So check out my post to learn how the 2008 version of Goldilocks (of Goldilocks and The Three Bears fame) needs to be treated in order to find your interview process “just right”. I’d love for you to add your comments, additions or suggestions to the post as well.

I’m thrilled to be a part of the motley crew over at FOT – a smart and generally snarky gang of Recruiters, HR, Consultants and Corporate types who share information, opinions and occasional rants on all things related to Talent Management. Our fearless leader is Kris Dunn – The HR Capitalist – who ~~is to blame~~ has been a big supporter to me in getting Cincy Recruiter’s World off the ground. So if you haven’t already subscribed to Fistful of Talent and The HR Capitalist… well what are you waiting for? Click on the links, follow the instructions and add both to your RSS feed or subscribe via email today! On some days, you’ll thank me.