Network Job Hunting

First of all, i would just like to explain that i am at my workstudy job and am watching the job fair in action - feeling guilty already that i am not attending (and might i add i do not have a job for next year) only to feel worse when i read the articles for this week, all about Job Searching and Recruiting....I think it may be a sign

I do believe that Social Networking sites will become a new means for potential employeers to search more "resumes" on hiree's even more than they have already become. I have discussed in earlier posts about how its not about what you know, it is who you know, which i believe is more prominant than ever. The idea of six degrees of separation is expanding our networking circles, especially with blogs, sites such as linkedin, facebook and myspace to name a few.

I read an article which named 10 simples rules for hiring employees and found them really interesting and optimistic for myself in my future job search(hopefully):

Here they are:
Hire Great People: 10 Simple Rules
by Barbara ReinholdMonster Contributing Writer

Rule number one is clear, but very counterintuitive: Don't ever, ever hire somebody just like yourself. Why not? Because from the beginning of time, executives have been unconsciously cloning themselves, stocking the shelves with vanilla young men from impressive schools. And what has happened to executives and companies that did that? As management guru Rosabeth Kanter observed, they often sink into the soft sand of irrelevance as the rough waters of current reality wash over them.

Here are the other nine:
2. Hire for Attitude Rather than Skill

Teaching skills is a snap compared with doing attitude transplants. Among the qualities you'll want most is a fierce sense of optimism.

3. Look for Renegades

In interviews, ask when the person has been in trouble. The obedient employee will be of limited use to you in this change-up environment.

4. Hold out for Results
Never hire someone with good potential but questionable habits, thinking you can change him or her. As in choosing mates, what you see now is what you get forever.

5. Go for a Sense of Humor
The potential hire who can't laugh easily, particularly at herself, is going to be a very dull and probably rigid employee.

6. Fill in the Blanks
Look carefully at the aggregate strengths and skill gaps of your teams in various work units, and go for the qualities and styles that are missing.

7. Test Drive
Don't be satisfied with references. Remember that many of the most glowing references are given for people others are eager to dump. Include day-long simulations as part of your interview process, or invite applicants to provide you with a portfolio of their best work.

8. Stock the Bullpen

Keep an eye out for prospects before the need arises. Don't wait until a vacancy occurs. Keep a pool of potential employees under the watchful eye of somebody who's responsible for hiring. Evaluate your recruiting team in terms of how well they keep the bullpen ready. And tell them never to turn away an interesting candidate with the line, "We don't have any positions open right now."

9. Push Harder for Diversity
Make certain you're spreading your net wide enough to find those high-potential, but different, fish who generally don't swim in the streams near you. Ask your HR group what contacts and periodicals they're using to interest potential hires. "We don't know where to find people different from us" is a costly excuse.

10. Listen
Most interviewers talk way too much. When a candidate finally gets to you, listen for the "story line" of his or her life, at home and at work. It's been said that being a leader is like practicing psychiatry without a license. That may be more true in hiring than in any other part of the job.
The job of recruiting is too serious to be handed off in its entirety to HR. Your legacy will be set, after all, by the teams you choose to accomplish your objectives.

Disservice to Americans

Citizen Journalism has become the new way for people to access Media, which can be both positive and negative depending on where you access your information from. We talked about this concept in one of my other classes, Contemporary Media, and one point that kept being brought up was whether or not the information we access is truthful or magnified to make a persons point more visible.


We watched this video clip which is part of the show Crossfire on CNN, in which two men debate different media from their different views, Liberal and Conservative. In this clip, John Stewart is the guest, and he is criticizing the two broadcasters for giving the people bad information, citing that their show is where people gain their information. As as a result they are doing a disservice to Americans who watch their show regularly and of this interview as well as other issues, the two broadcasters were fired.

Click Here to Access the Clip.

Picture found on google images.

Virtual Teams: Hate it or Love it

Are Virtual Teams a good or bad idea?

I believe that the concept is great, but it is the execution that will make or break the"virtual team"

I have been on many different athletic teams in my life and some have been successful, while others failed horribly. The only way for a team to function is if everyone is on the same page and if there is massive communication. An article by the Milestone Group explains what determines whether a team flourishes or expires, and credits face-to-face communication through using technology, and conference calling at their office desk rather than in a big conference room. They also discouraged group emails citing that it takes away from personalization, which i completey agree with.

Virtual teams are the future of business and I believe will prove to be successful for many companies if they go about it the right way. With these virtual teams, it may bring people's ideas together that would normally not happen becasue of the distance. The long trips which are time and money are minimized also which is a positive outcome along with the transferring of employees to different cities decreased.

We will see the expanstion of businesses and Virtual Teams in the near future.

Link-In Yourslef

Social Networking has taken over the business world and I believe will eventually become something that determines wether or not you are hired for certain positions. Networking and this idea of Six Degrees of separation helps businesses get tasks done quicker through using their connections and networks in gathering relevant information, gaining references, making sales, etc. The problem is idea of what is privacy and where is the line crossed. When is it okay to share your contacts and when should you keep it confined.


One company offers a $25 dollar American Express gift certificate for revealing a contact. The problem with this that if the contact is not revelaed, that the business world may become more like cat and mouse, where management is chasing down employees to gain insights or potential sales. This puts a lot of power into employees hands and could turn out to be future problems.


Companies may start to ask for contacts when looking at potential hires, because it has become so important in the business world. It may be more beneficial for a company to hire someone with a great deal of contacts who is willing to share over someone who may be more qualified, but not willing to share/ doesnt have as many connections.


Websites have been a huge push in this craze, with Facebook, MySpace, Friendster- all of which allow you to keep in touch with people throughout the world. Linked, which is geared solely for businees claims to help users:

• Stay in touch


• Discover job & business opportunities


• Get expert business advice

We will see what the future brings for Social Networking in Business.

Here is an interesting video i found on YouTube explaining how barak Obama is getting involved with social networking and LinkedIn

Barak Obama and LinkedIn