Build an Employer & Personal Brand with the Share Economy

By Jessica Miller-Merrell

Knowledge and Information is Power in the Share Economy

Back before the Internet, information was power.   Knowledge and information was hoarded and dispersed in small quantities in the early days through oral storytelling and much later Benjamin Franklin and the use of the printing press. I think back to 2006 before the Internet and social media was king.  Information and knowledge was hoarded not shared especially in HR and Recruiting.  I spent hours piece milling and researching recruiting tools and sources to hire, source, and engage on.  Forums and chat rooms like ERE and HR Talk were places I frequented asking questions, establishing relationships, and learning about the industry.  Trying to break into this industry was tough and best practices and sourcing secrets were not shared as they provided a competitive advantage certainly not on a blog, webinar, white paper, or free online resource.  All that is no more with the Share Economy. 

How to Leverage Talent Pipelines with Influence

With technology and accessibility of mobile, the Internet for individuals at work, life, and school the knowledge model has been flipped on its head.  The share economy now drives influence, power, and success starting with the Internet and now moving toward the world of social media.  Companies can leverage the share economy and the talent pipeline through building talent networks and growing their employer brand. 

Long Term ROI with Relationship Marketing in Recruitment Strategies

With the share economy, he or she who has the biggest network wins and provides the greatest value to your community or sphere of influence.  The Share Economy drives candidates, employee engagement, talent networks and more importantly relationships for the long term.  That’s what makes the Share Economy so important.  It’s a long-term play that helps build influence, relationships, and drive the industry or your area of expertise through information, news, and great conversation. It’s a long-term recruitment strategy play that requires focus, patience, and experience to make it happen.

What are some ways you are using the Share Economy to build relationships in HR, Recruiting, or engaging job seekers to build your employment brand?  I’d love for you to weigh in the comments.  

Photo Credit. 

Jessica Miller-Merrell, SPHR is a workplace and technology strategist specializing in social media.  She’s an author who writes at Blogging4Jobs. You can follow her on Twitter @blogging4jobs. 

4 Campus Recruitment Strategies That Work Every Time

By Jessica Miller-Merrell

Cooler weather is in the air and not a moment too soon.  We take a break from the triple digit heat and enjoy a time filled with football, chili, knee-high boots, back packs, and sweaters. For many organizations, fall also signifies the time when recruiters begin interviewing and building relationships with university students who are graduating next spring or students interested in spring and summer internship programs.  Whatever your reason, fall is the perfect time to recruit top talent and fill your candidate pipeline. 

Candidate recruiting and building your candidate pipeline isn't easy.  It takes planning, research, and trial and error searching for methods that work on each individual college campus you recruit on.  For recruiters, who are looking for university recruiting strategies and channels that differ from the competition, here are three effective options sure to get your organization noticed by undergrads, interns, and recent grads alike.  

Out of the Box Campus Recruitment Strategies

• ·      Work with students associations.  While career services offers candidate databases and the opportunity to source and mine students directly, student associations offer a way to engage active the student population.  Recruiters can increase their prospective candidate pool by talking to students who have an interest in a certain career path but may not have the a traditional degree in business but have a work experience in marketing or graphic design. 

• ·      Target students with social media.  A 2011 Cisco World Technology report found that 81% of college students and young professionals are logging onto Facebook once a day.  Companies can run targeted ads towards these student populations and craft content that draws them in.  Connecting with young professionals on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter allows for students to learn about and engage your recruiters in unique and different ways.  Set yourself apart from your competition by using social media to stand out in your campus recruitment efforts. 

• ·      Take the hiring & selection process online.  Students have odd and unpredictable class schedules, social activities, and work.  Their busy lifestyle makes attending traditional in person campus recruiting events and job fairs a challenge, and recruiters miss out on meeting organized, qualified, and eager candidates.  By taking pieces of the hiring, candidate engagement and selection process online with a community or talent network, you are able to reach a wider student cross-section increasing the quality of the job seeker you attract.  This increases the number of touches in the candidate touch cycle and probability the young professional will research, learn about your organization, and engage with you. 

• Capture your talent, literally.  Avoid the hassle of accepting resumes or having your students fill out scraps of paper at job fairs.  Use mobile technology through the power of your iPad to capture talent in a moment's notice.  Students enter their contact information in under 30 seconds allowing you to connect with them easily after that college career fair.  Called TalentCatch, technology and tools like this make follow up and engagement a breeze especially when TalentCircles already offers these features for clients.  

Reach Qualified Candidates on Campus and Beyond

Whether it’s recent college grads or students seeking their first internship program, qualified candidates have options.  It’s important to engage and build relationships with them early and often.  Creative university recruitment strategies can help reach your target job seeker in new and different ways lowering your time to fill and making for happier hiring managers.  

Jessica Miller-Merrell, SPHR is a workplace and technology strategist specializing in social media.  She’s an author who writes at Blogging4Jobs. You can follow her on Twitter @blogging4jobs. 

Photo Credit.