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Mike Moore talks BestJobsUSA.com
- Author: Kyle Callahan
- Posted: September 12, 2008
- Category: News and Events, Recruiting, Tools and Resources, Sourcing Strategies
- Tags: Internet Media, Recruiting, Recruitment Communications
- Comments: 0
Choice Words on Metaphors
- Author: Kyle Callahan
- Posted: September 9, 2008
- Category: Communications
- Tags: Recruitment Communications, writing
- Comments: 0
Over on MarketingProfs.com, Ernest Nicastro writes some choice words on word choice, and while the advice he gives is sound enough (”For more effective word choice, think harder about the words you choose”) the things he suggests we think about are hardly that last word on the subject.
Mr. Nicastro gives us two simple steps to follow:
- Choose small simple words
- Use mainly nouns and verbs and vigorous, active-voice words
Both of these are helpful.
But there’s an important ingredient missing from all of this. And it’s what the cognitive linguist George Lakeoff calls “conceptual metaphors.”
The gist of it is that metaphors — thinking of this in terms of that — are central to development of our thoughts. For example, when we think about arguing, we often conceptualize within the terms of war:
- Your claims are indefensible
- He attacked every weak point in my argument
- His criticisms were right on target
- I demolished his argument
- She shot down all of my arguments
As Lakeoff writes in his book, Metaphors We Live By:
“It is important to see that we don’t just talk about arguments in terms of war. We can actually win or lose arguments. We see the person arguing with us as an opponent. We attack his positions and we defend our own…If we find a position indefensible, we can abandon it and take a new line of attack. Many of the things we do in arguing are partially structured by the concept of war…it structures the actions we perform…” (4).
When I first came across Lakoff’s theories, I found them mind-blowing on several different levels, but when I started implementing those theories into the choices I made in my writing, I found myself in a whole new world.
Here’s how you do it.
As Mr. Nicastro suggests, it’s all about word choice. You still want small, simple words, and you still want vigorous, active-voice words, but now you also want them all to fit into the same metaphorical system.
When I say metaphor, I don’t mean Shakespearean sonnets. I mean the framework your words give rise to. When you write, “He attacked every weak point in my argument,” you need to see the battle that’s raging in your words, and once you do, you’ll see how it limits the choices you have for the next words you can write.
This is not a bad thing. Narrowing the field is the first step in any important choice.
But here’s the best part: You’re already using conceptual metaphors in your writing. You can’t help it. It’s how we think. That is Lakoff’s (and his professional partner, Mark Johnson’s) big discovery: “Human thought processes are largely metaphorical” (6).
So you don’t need to start doing it. You just need to start recognizing it. Seeing the metaphors already at work in your writing will make your word choices more potent.
And when you extend your conceptual metaphor beyond the level of the sentence and out into the whole paragraph, or further, into the whole document, your readers will (consciously or unconsciously) hook into that conceptual framework, and (if you know what you’re talking about) find themselves nodding in agreement.
In the war for better writing, conceptual frameworks help target your thinking and your writing with laser-like precision. As those wacky kids say, conceptual frameworks are the bomb.
Hopes, Dreams and Realities of Sourcing on the Internet: Basic Lessons Learned
- Author: Anna Kassulke
- Posted: August 17, 2007
- Category: Recruitment Communications, Sourcing Strategies
- Tags: Case Studies, Internet Media, Recruitment Communications
- Comments: 0
In Part One we discussed the role of the internet on sourcing, in Part Two I discussed sourcing and website strategy. To wrap up this series of posts, a couple of specific examples of how you could use the internet to your advantage.
In April 2006, Apple Computer published an interview with an employee named Dan on their career site. Dan tells us what day-to-day life is like as an Apple Store employee, outlines his most interesting project, compares his experience with other companies he has worked for, talks about the pride that being an Apple employee instills in him. Dan says, ‘the teams I’ve been associated with at Apple are, by far, the most talented, inspiring, eclectic mix of people one could have the privilege of working with.’ What more could Apple need for their website and their brand than human interest stories that delight visitors and praise the company at the same time?
You could also include some information about the location and its attractions. The Eastman Kodak careers pages talk about ‘living, working, and having fun at Kodak.’ ‘Work is just part of the picture at Kodak,’ they say. ‘Most of our office and manufacturing space is in or around bustling downtown Rochester, New York. Working at Kodak in Rochester means you get front row seats to quite a bit of business unit activity.’ The page includes photographs of corporate headquarters and fun-loving employees from different backgrounds. Their overall message is: ‘You can enjoy work and life in and outside the office.’ In this way, Kodak speaks to people about their location and environment.
However, do not link to an external site to do this. Although Vince Ryan suggests that you utilize ‘as many hypertext links as possible to other sites and relevant corporate site pages,’ if someone follows a link away from your site, nothing guarantees their return. You do not want to send your potential candidates somewhere else! We believe that your employment page should be as ’sticky’ as possible. Include details of employment benefits, your organization’s vision, relevant and incisive news, white papers, perhaps even games. Offer opportunities for people to provide feedback. Hold online surveys. Track applicants, perhaps by asking them to register in a pop-up. In this way you can monitor traffic, compile raw data (for your talent pool), and determine how many hires you have actually made from this resource that operates 24/7 - without you being there.
Online Recruiting: Two Steps Forward…
- Author: Anna Kassulke
- Posted: August 15, 2007
- Category: Recruiting
- Tags: Internet Media, Recruitment Communications, Sourcing Strategy
- Comments: 0
In part one of this three part series Hopes, Dreams and Realities of Sourcing I discussed the role of the internet on sourcing. Now let’s talk about developing some basic strategy:
A treasure trove of information
How do we develop a strategy for sourcing people with the right skills set, background and geographical market? How, when, where, and why people search for jobs has changed forever. We need to build a process and a system based on what is, not what was. The first thing to impress upon ourselves is that the web is a treasure trove of data that is seriously underused when it comes to recruiting. Our strategy largely depends on how we view the channels of the internet; if we think of it as a source in itself, we are partway there.
There is now technology available that conceivably allows us to go out to all of the resume databases. So we can access these databases and find people based on the exact skill sets and qualifications we are looking for. We may be looking for a retail manager, so we perform a keyword search which gives us access to details of millions of resumes. How does this spread compare with the minimal readership of classifieds? It’s huge! There is no simpler way to source candidates than this. You will be in a position to identify hundreds of people with the right stuff, along with their contact data. So your first step will be to develop an email and send it to the right candidates. If you receive no immediate response, you might consider following up by mailing them a letter 15 days later, and calling three weeks after that. The goal of using technology is to automate your sourcing function; sourcing without having to actively source, always having access to a talent pool that never runs dry.
Then there is the question of how to get people to come to you.
Tick…tick…boom(ers)
- Author: Amitai Givertz
- Posted: May 25, 2007
- Category: Recruitment Communications, Employment Branding
- Tags: Recruitment Communications, USNews & World Report
- Comments: 0
In this article Planning for Tomorrow Today the issue of aging boomers in the workforce – specifically the healthcare industry – is detailed. One quote stands out:
“A recent report by the U.S. Government Accounting Office shows that most employers have taken little action to prepare for the demographic transition that will come when their baby boom employees retire.”
As detailed in previous posts here and here, the hiring of qualified healthcare professionals can be a daunting task – even for the most seasoned HR professionals. Add to that the fact that many of the nations’ soon-to-retire boomers are in the healthcare field, and the task becomes even more difficult.
As stated in the article, U.S.News & World Report’s America’s Best Hospitals ranked NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital should be considered as a model of an organization that has the tools in place to survive in an ever-tightening job market. What is your organization doing to ensure a fully-staffed future? Here’s an idea…
It’s important to look beyond immediate staffing needs and focus on long-term recruitment and retention strategies; and by utilizing effective employer branding, you will create a strategy that works both now and in the future.
That Employee Referral Program is a Winner!
- Author: Eric Peterson
- Posted: May 2, 2007
- Category: Recruiting, Recruitment Communications, Sourcing Strategies, Employee Retention
- Tags: Employee Referral Programs, Print Media, Recruitment Communications, Source of Hire, Sourcing Strategy
- Comments: 1
While it’s results, not awards, that drive our recruitment communications strategies, it sure is nice to be recognized for our creative efforts. RCI Recruitment Solutions is proud to have captured 3rd place in the “Referral – Multiple Medium Employee Communications” category of the 2007 Employment Management Creative Excellence Awards.
We received the award for our work on an Employee Referral Program developed for iParty, which has more than 45 party supply superstores on the east coast. Each year, iParty relies on its Employee Referral Program to staff up for the busy Halloween season, and each year iParty relies on us to generate the candidate flow they need to successfully manage the dramatic spike in their business.
This particular effort, “World Series of iPoker: Texas Hire ‘Em” (view all the pieces), consisted of a poster to be hung in high-traffic areas, a brochure laying out the rules of the program, and a referral card that employees could use to submit the information about their referrals. The referral card also served as a raffle entry and scratch ticket. Before submitting it to HR, employees scratched the card to reveal instant cash prizes and additional bonus entries into two separate $500 raffle drawings.
The “World Series of iPoker: Texas Hire ‘Em” was directly responsible for 60% of iParty’s part-time seasonal hires made between July 1st and November 1st, 2006. We’ll take those results over an EMA award every time!
Church of the Customer: Can I Get an Amen?
- Author: Amitai Givertz
- Posted: February 28, 2007
- Category: Recruitment Communications, Employment Branding, Business Matters
- Tags: Case Studies, Employee Retention, Employment Branding, Recruiting 2.0, Recruitment Communications, Success Stories, Testimonials
- Comments: 0
“Customer Evangelism” is an interesting concept especially when applied to employer branding and managing the candidate experience and/or as it relates to employee engagement and retention. But it doesn’t stop there.
I am interested in hearing from anyone who may have looked at how these concepts play out across the entire recruitment process - the customer being either candidates, hiring managers, employees and even users of recruiting products and services where the impact of customer evangelism was actually measured. Is there anyone out there willing to help?
If you are unfamiliar with what customer evangelism is, Steve Rubel posts a fair bit on Micro Persuasion although I think Ben McConnell or Jackie Huba may have coined the term in one of their numerous books on the subject. Both post on the Church of the Customer site. Jason Whitman covers a variety of employment related issues on his blog Brand Love Hate. Also, USNews.com also has a good article that was published as this concept began emerging as a strategic play: Spreading the Word. It’s a pretty good introduction I think.
Y, Oh, Y, Delilah: Generations Apart
- Author: Amitai Givertz
- Posted: February 27, 2007
- Category: Recruiting, Talent Management
- Tags: Diversity and Inclusion, Diversity Recruitment, Recruitment Communications, White Papers
- Comments: 3
While researching stuff for a presentation on the multigenerational workforce I have come across all sorts of interesting material from a surprising array of sources. Here are some gems from Deloitte Consulting who consistently produce invaluable research, if you’re a Boomer that is:
Generational Talent Management Strategies to Attract and Engage Generation Y in the U.S. Banking & Securities Industries focuses on the financial services industry but as you read it through it becomes clear that the references could apply to any number of industries.
Corporate Brain Drain – this is arguably the single most concerning impediment to long-term sustainable growth…The contributing forces are familiar: an aging talent pool combined with a diminishing pipeline. Further compounding this issue is a changing market landscape that requires new perspectives and skills. To remain competitive, executives in banking and securities [read healthcare or what-have-you] must overcome past negative perceptions created by self-interested employers and market their brand to their newest workforce consumer – Generation Y.
Gen Y: Connecting Across the Generations for Effective Results is a quick read that accompanied a podcast by the same title. You can listen to here or download it as an MP3 file…
As Generation Y dives into the workforce, one thing is becoming abundantly clear: these young people are different. Their motivation, their technical sophistication, and their demand for respect and responsibility are leaving many company executives to wonder: “What should we do with Generation Y?”
Also from Leah Reynolds, Stan Smith and the Deloitte crew:
- Communicating Total Rewards to the Generations
- Connecting Across the Generations in the Workplace
- It’s 2008: Do You Know Where Your Talent Is?
Good stuff and more to come. Stay posted.
It’s a Wrap. You’re Hired!
- Author: Amitai Givertz
- Posted: February 22, 2007
- Category: Recruiting, Tools and Resources
- Tags: Internet Media, Media, Recruiting 2.0, Recruitment Communications, Sourcing Strategy
- Comments: 5
TIME Magazine posts an article on video resumes, It’s a Wrap. You’re Hired! The piece is written by Lisa Takeuchi Cullen and examines yet another new recruiting tool, one that remains unproven as regards its potential value and possible widespread adoption.
I guess when employers start hooking up their applicant tracking systems to TiVo – unlikely I think – or Monster start squishing upstarts like vidolio and VidRez.com on their way to emulating YouTube, we will have already moved on to offshoring recruiting to some fantasy cyberland. Yeah, right…as if.
The early and growing success of recruitment videos that target a demographically exact audience – and there are many examples to pick from: try Google or Electronic Arts; the CIA; Comcast; GMAC; the LAPD; and even one-offs for specific jobs – does not necessarily mean video resumes will be as widely accepted by employers in return. After all, institutionalized HR and recruiting are not always as net-savvy as the under 30-something crowd.
Anyway, that’s my take. What do you think?
The Blog Carnival on Employer Branding
- Author: Amitai Givertz
- Posted: February 20, 2007
- Category: Recruitment Communications, Employment Branding, Blogging
- Tags: Blogs, Employment Branding, Management, Recruitment Communications
- Comments: 0
If you find yourself with some time on your hands, lonely perhaps, try a night out at The Blog Carnival on Employer Branding. There is a lot to see and plenty to think about, even if some of the submissions there are a little off topic.
This week David Maister, who writes the Passion, People and Principles blog – one of my favorites – is going for the “everyone’s a winner” play with three wild shots. Unfortunately, his aim is a little off with only one post hitting the mark:
- Stylists (Staff Turnover and Customer Retention) asks, “Who really “owns” your customers? Is your brand strong enough to withstand employee turnover?” A hit, but only just.
- Lessons from a Natural Manager - new careers podcast episode discusses Jerry Labbate’s intuitive management style and covers his strategies for hiring the “right” people, and then keeping them engaged and performing.” Great stuff but, sorry, it misses.
- What Managers Do Least Well states, “Managers that fail to address their underperformers risk losing their top performers over it.” Hmmm. Great read, but a miss.
Stay posted, the carnival is ongoing. Enjoy the ride.
