Talk about worlds colliding! Twitter and LinkedIn will be integrated. Basically, you can share all or selective tweets or status updates between the two social networks. The two companies are referring to the technology merge like “peanut butter and chocolate”. This new feature is set to come out November 10, 2009. The LinkedIn blog has a detailed description of how to activate and use the upcoming functionality.

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Can Be Fattening!

While I like peanut butter and chocolate together just as much as the next person, my hips don’t agree. LinkedIn and Twitter are both powerful social networks, but using them in conjunction for every single tweet or status update will make your social network’s hips expand way too fast.

Great in Moderation

Using the LinkedIn and Twitter integration can be a powerful tool when used appropriately and in moderation. Just like eating peanut butter and chocolate, while it tastes great, a little goes a long way. Once you determine your purpose, the rest falls into place.

Yes, this feature on either side looks simple to use (refer to LinkedIn blog for details). The question remains about how much should it be used? Here’s a few thoughts to consider:

• Why are you on LinkedIn? Job seeking, networking, business?
• Why are you on Twitter? Personal, job seeking, networking, business?
• Do you have multiple Twitter IDs?

Whether you like it or not, social media is here to stay. It will only get more popular, easily accessible and advanced. This has the potential to be a huge headache for companies, especially for their HR and legal departments.

No Policies? Get Some Fast!

Your employees are using social media. Most of us have common sense (hopefully) on what to write about and what not to write about. Some people may not understand that “you are what you post” and others outside of their network may see what they write. Herein lies the danger of not having policies regarding use about social media. Not having clearly defined do’s and don’ts can lead to:

• Confidential information about the company being leaked.
• Potential embarrassing situations for the company.
• Possible sexual harassment or hostile work environment issues.
• Company’s reputation being inadvertently damaged.
• Turn off potential employees and damage recruiting efforts.

Control the Message

It’s hugely important to control your company’s message. While 100% of what happens on the Internet cannot be monitored or controlled, having policy guidelines in place can help curtail potentially damaging situations. Employees will most certainly use social media and networking to connect with family, friends or past/present colleagues. Turn this interaction into employees being solid representatives of the company. Five must have social media policies are:

1. Protecting intellectual property – clearly state what is company intellectual property that cannot be posted via social media
2. Defining company’s message – define the company message and anything outside those parameters cannot be posted on social networks
3. Recruiting efforts – clearly state what the strategy and tactical plan is for recruiting potential new hires
4. Responding to media requests – provide instructions and a company contact for employees to forward to any media requests
5. Maintaining company reputation – outline what can and cannot be written about the company (a list of examples helps)

I recently saw a question on LinkedIn that I had to share. It is the question that has plagued HR professionals and hiring managers every time they post an opportunity!

The Question

This is the question that has sparked a rather long discussion on LinkedIn: Hire employees with the skills or behaviors? There is some debate on whether you hire the person because the right attitude for the company and you can train them to do the work. Or, hire those who already have the skills and orient them on the company culture. What do you do? And, would your answer change based on the level of the person being hired?

My Response

What a thought provoking question! This is a dilemma that continually plagues hiring managers. From a talent management perspective, I’d hire who ever will get the job done. This requires both skill and behavior.

First, is the corporate culture clearly defined? If not, it should be. Even from department to department, the culture will change. Make sure the the attributes you are looking for are worked into the job description. Remember, attributes can’t be taught! This will attract the right talent and make the hiring manager/HR person’s life easier from the get go.

Second, are the job responsibilities clearly defined? Make sure the opportunity is written for the right level of talent the company needs. Writing a job description for a VP is obviously different than writing one for middle management or early career level.

Third, is the initial selection process mapped out? Being able to sift through the hundreds (if not thousands of resumes) piling in for an opportunity. Look for the ones that go out of their way to reach the decision maker. These are the hungry ones who want the job. Plus, it shows their networking skills and resourcefulness.

Fourth, who will interview the candidates? Having the right questions asked by the right people is crucial in determining fit, skill and behavior wise. HR recruiters can normally handle the initial screening which will weed out the best talent. Interviewing with the team, individually or together, others they will work with and the department head is a targeted approach to zeroing in on the right person. Don’t forget to compare notes!

Your Thoughts

Hiring for skills or attributes will always ignite debate. I am interested to get more opinions! Post your thought or join the discussion on LinkedIn.

What is the Facebook generation (a.k.a. Generation F)? This is the new generation of people who live, learn and laugh using social networking sites. Facebook is one of the more well known social networking communities where people are connecting, sharing and exchanging knowledge all around the globe.

The Generation F Personality

What does Facebook (and social networking in general) have to do with learning? Plenty! Let’s start with some general personality traits of Generation F:

• Likes working independently (telecommuting huge draw for this talent)
• Works in spurts to accomplish tasks instead of dedicated 8 hour day (flexible work day a must)
• Drawn to and can learn new technology easily
• Wants freedom of choice (prioritizing their own days, working on projects that ignite their passion)
• Collaborative and self-directed (let the team assemble and run relatively autonomously, see what shakes out)

Preparing for Generation F

How can a learning professional prepare for Generation F? Professional development is a big part of keeping these talented resources engaged and happy. Training and development has its work cut out for them. Here are some suggestions on how to prepare for Generation F in the learning arena:

• Beef up your self-paced learning offerings (this generation will eat up online courses)
• Virtual training instead of classroom based courses (they will like the convenience of taking training virtually)
• Good variety of professional development (offer lots of topics in professional development, survey employees and give them what they want)
• Train management to engage Generation F (communicating with, motivating, and engaging this generation is different than others. Give management what they need to be successful.)
• Collaborative learning is huge (Generation F learns as much from others as from a course. Give them the opportunity to share knowledge with each other in an online setting.)

Meet the Needs of Generation F

It’s no surprise that many will ask “why must we do this?” Bottom line, Generation F will be in the talent pool in full force before we know it. It’s important to keep them satisfied, well-trained and have no thoughts of leaving the organization. Their knowledge and skills will go right out the door with them. Here’s a few facts to show what companies will be facing:

• The top 10 most in-demand jobs 2010 did not exist in 2004.
• Students in 2009 are preparing for jobs that don’t yet exist.
• According to the U.S. Department of Labor will have 10 to 14 jobs by the age of 38.
• 1 in 4 workers has been with their current employer for less than a year.
• 1 in 2 workers has been with their current employer for less than 5 years.
• 59% of the U.S. workforce is either ready to leave or “stuck” in a job.  Only 14% of employees are completely engaged.

What does all this mean? Companies will be fighting more fiercely than ever for skilled talent. If investing in Generation F’s professional development and future keeps them, it’s a win-win for all!

Being an entrepreneur and mom all rolled in to one, I’ve gained a pretty unique perspective on striking a balance between work and personal life. I get up early to get a start on the day. Wake the kid up and we eat breakfast together. The husband floats in and out. Work out eventually!

The most important point is that I get to be a part of my daughter’s life. I am an involved mommy! In turn, between dance classes, trips to the park, journey to the library and all other sorts of after school activities, I get to meet other involved parents. Now that the kids are in school, we’ve got moms and dads who are at home with some time to spare. You don’t know how many parents I talk to that would love to have a part time flexible gig to make a little extra money.

I see super potential here! You’ve got a slew of small businesses who need part time help and an untapped talent pool who have some time to give. Think of all the things, as a small business owner, you have to do that would be awesome to hand off to someone else! I know I could use help, but cannot yet afford to another full time person.

When it comes to time consuming, but non-committal type tasks, think of how great an extra pair of part times hands would be. Especially if the hours per week will vary, a stay at home mom or dad is most useful. Besides, parents who take on the kids are totally organized!

Part time peeps can help with:

• social networking for your business (you know how many moms I see all over Facebook and Twitter?)
• organizing receipts and files (my least favorite activity)
• prepping RFPs
• research, competitive or otherwise
• finding leads, checking government sites for contracts
• keeping your schedule straight, answering the phone (can get a Google Voice account to ring where ever)

Where does one find these awesome resources? Talk to people when you take the kids to activities. Scour the schools when the kids are getting dropped off or waiting at the bus stop. Social networking!

Recently, I have encountered a slew of people following me on Twitter who are either not real people or some affiliate marketing automated service. It’s either “look at my pics or videos” or “make money and gain a billion followers”. Don’t fall for either of these tricks! 

So how do you know if your new Twitter follower is the real deal? Here’s a few tips that can help sort the actual living human beings from the posers.

• Does the picture profile look real? If it’s some perfect looking model type person, that’s an immediate red flag.
• Is the profile bio specific or vague? If you see something like “just looking to have fun” or “hanging out making money”, odds are this follower is a fake.
• Are the tweets in the time line generic? If you see sporadic and non-flowing type comments or tweets with condensed links in it referring to pictures, it’s most likely a spammer.
• Is there a location in the bio? If the location is non-geographically specific, it’s probably because they live in the Internet cloud.

Take a close look at the people who follow you on Twitter and who you follow in return. Your network takes time to build and maintain. There is no reason you should be exposed or expose your precious network to autobots, spammers and people who just don’t exist.

What makes a perfect profile in the online social networking world? Many will argue that nothing can be absolutely perfect since it gives us something to strive towards. I completely agree!

So how can you make your online social networking profile as close to perfect as it can get? There are some simple things that can be done to help you on your way, regardless of the social network you use.

1. Keep it clean! No crazy pictures of nights out or comments that might be unforgiveable. Remember, you are what you post.
2. Tell the world what you are about. Got your elevator pitch memorized? Make it a part of your social networking profile. This gives people a good idea of who your professionally. You never know who may be looking!
3. Recommendations are a good thing. Seek out solid and genuine recommendations from your network. Positive feedback about your job performance or you as a professional in general help further establish your credentials.
4. Add a professional picture to your profile. People like to associate a face to a name. Since this networking is done online initially, the first encounter a person has with your profile should be inviting as possible.
5. Show a healthy and active network. Ask a question, post a status update, join a group, or lead a discussion. Interactivity helps build your network and strengthen existing connections.
6. To be in the right place at the right time, you need to be in as many places as you can be at once. Online social networking certainly fits the bill! If you are a part of one social network, try joining another that makes sense for you. Don’t join more than you can handle. Social networking takes time and dedication to really grow your network.

Do you have a tip or best practice you’d like to share? Please feel free to leave a comment or email me!

Or need a social networking coach? Don’t hesistate to contact us for a consultation!

Over the past few months, I’ve had many requests to teach people how to use social networking sites, Twitter being one of them. Armed with the new label “Twitter Tutor”, I have coached some folks on what Twitter is, why it’s so important. Now more than ever, my training sessions are being geared towards the job seeker.

Based upon the number of request, I decided to capture the information in three part blog series aimed at training the job seeker on how to use the major social networks for job hunting. For part I of the series, I’d like to introduce Twitter.

What is Twitter?

Simply stated, Twitter is a social network with a single focus: to communicate in real time with people in less than 140 characters. What can you say in less than 140 characters? Plenty!

Being pointed about your message is important. Being interesting is vital to building your following. Twitter is very community based. Showing a personal side, while sharing information is key to building relationships with your Tweeples (people on Twitter).

Getting Started

So how do you get started on Twitter? First things first. Sign up for an account at Twitter. Here’s a few pointers when getting started.

• Choose a Twitter ID that is professional (@starwarsgeek is probably not a good idea)
• Choose a Twitter ID easily identifies you to others (using your name is a good plan)
• Got a blog, online portfolio or website that tells your professional story? Put that in your profile.
• Keep your Twitter bio fun, but pointed. Think of words that describe you personally/professionally.
• Create an eye popping, but professional Twitter background

Once you’ve gotten your Twitter ID and page set up, you are ready to start establishing your Twitterverse (Twitter community). Remember, the point of using Twitter is to find your next great opportunity. The people you connect with can potentially help you land your dream job. Keeping that in mind, let’s move on.

Let the Tweeting Begin

So, we’ve got our Twitter ID and Twitter page looking good at this point. What comes next? Now it’s time to start tweeting. It may sound simple, but with a strategy in mind and a communication protocol put into place, you will have a powerful job hunting tool at your disposal. Here are few tweeting tips:

• Tweet to establish an influence, not to simply gain followers. Numbers are good, but not everything!
• Share useful information, something that represents who you are professionally. Don’t forget to compress web addresses. You’ve only got 140 characters!
• Engage others in a tweet thread. Building relationships is what it is about.
• Share some things that are personal, like “Going to Disney this weekend with the kids. Do you have big plans for the weekend?” People like it when you show a human side.
• Retweet (RT) people’s tweets. If you see something you like that someone posted, send out a RT! If you are using Twitter on the web, type RT, then copy and paste the tweet of choice. The Tweeple will like the recognition!

While these are great suggestions, there are many other ways to communicate using Twitter. Why not simply aks your network a question? Tweeples can be most helpful, especially in a time of need. The job market today certainly qualifies. Which leads us to our next lesson, using Twitter Search for the job hunt.

Using Twitter Search

Currently, Twitter Search is the most powerful method you can use in your job hunting efforts. While Twitter is awesome all on its own, there are additional sites that compliment Twitter nicely. Twitter Search is one of those sites.

There are organizations using Twitter and Twitter Search to aid the job seeker in finding the right

opportunity. One that popped up seemingly out of nowhere is JobAngels. JobAngels is a non-profit

organization whose aim is to help a person a day find employement, at no cost to the job seeker. JobAngels

Twitter Search - #jobangels Search

is a fantastic example of how social networking, especially Twitter, is so crucial in job hunting.

• On Twitter Search, use the #jobangels tag to search for JobAngels activity
• When you tweet in relation to JobAngels, add #jobangels to the tweet for it to track in the JobAngels tweet threads

Using Twitter, JobAngels has transformed how the job seeker and “JobAngel” interact. You can be connected with opportunities, professional resume writers, career coaches and all sorts of amazing resources that can assist in job hunting. Surprisingly enough, JobAngels would not be possible without Twitter. It all got started with one little tweet. Click here for more on their story.

What Comes Next?

Now that you are on Twitter, have a following, know how to use Twitter Search, you may be asking yourself “what comes next?”. Like anything in life worth having, it will take some dedication and effort. Growing your network, on Twitter or any other social networking site, takes time. Make sure:

• You tweet meaningfully a few times a week.
• You truly connect with other.
• You are willing to help as much as ask for help.

While Twitter is a great start to social networking for the job seeker, it does work well when paired with other sites. In part of this three part series, we will take a look at how to incorporate LinkedIn into the job hunting strategy. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account yet or need some guidance on getting started with your profile, check out this helpful post.

As a professional mom or “momtrepreneur”, your time, energy and devotion is torn in so many different directions. Being a full time entrepreneur (because you are never off), full time wife and full time mother takes its toll. On the bright side, my hair dresser is making extra money to cover all my gray hairs!

So for all you professional moms out there, I thought a blog post dedicated to “what to do when” is in order. Here is a list of top tips of “what to do when” which will hopefully help in sticky situations we face every day.

1. What to do when have a meeting and a child’s event at the same time – network with other mothers! There is nothing more powerful than having a team of mothers who can help out when you need it the most. Can’t make it to dance class because a meeting got in the way? Ask one of the other moms to fill in for the day. You can take the next class.
2. What to do when you have a business trip coming up at the same time as your husband – enlist the grandparents or people you trust to take the kiddo to school, do homework, get to bed on time (good luck with that).
3. What to do when your child needs homework help and you have a huge deadline – divvy up your time the best you can! I’ve amped up the coffee intake, gotten takeout for dinner and discussed homework topics while eating dinner. This saves time on the whole cooking thing, transitions into homework mode and gives you the extra energy you need to continue on your tasks.
4. What to do when you have a whole bunch of little to do’s hanging over your head – pay another mom to assist you. There are many mothers out there who are looking for part time work as a way to pass the time while the kids are in school or simply make a few bucks on the side. Why not ask one of these moms in your network to help on the nagging smaller tasks so you can concentrate on the bigger picture?
5. What to do when you simply have to get your hair done, cannot miss the appointment you tried months to get and have a pressing time frame to get things done – bring the laptop with you! Since it could be two to three hours with you sitting and only magazines to keep you occupied, it stands to reason that getting some work done is a fantastic idea. If there is a wireless connection around, all the better!

For all you momtrepreneurs and working moms, I hope this list of tips helps you out with time management and how to balance the various moving pieces that makes up your lives. If you have some tips to share, please make sure to leave a comment. Ideas and dialogue are always welcome!

A question came my way about a sensitive situation. A fellow professional of mine was asked for a recommendation on LinkedIn for someone she is not terribly comfortable giving one to. What do you do in a situation like this?

Not surprisingly, the thread on Facebook from the folks she contacted were very different. This proves that social networking and how you approach situations are going to vary greatly.

Here are a few of the notions that were tossed around:

• Ignore the request
• Ask for details on the basis of the recommendation
• Don’t give a recommendation at all and let the person know this is your policy
• Give a recommendation based on your honest feedback
• Give a recommendation based on a specific project that you with the person on only

Now the dilemma is what course of action to take! In my experience, people coming in and out of my life has been almost like a boomerang effect. Sometimes they leave and somewhere down the road come right back! Past interactions might come back to haunt you because this is a small world.

Dealing with the situation head on and being dead honest in a professional manner usually seems to do the trick. Of course, you have to do what feels right. In short, any of the above suggestions could be the best way to proceed. It all depends on the person making the decision.

What would you do in this type of situation? Feel free to share your thoughts by leaving a comment. Opinions are always welcome on this blog!