HR Margo

Next week, The nation’s sensation “ERE Poker Game” will be hot and sizzling live from The Hard Rock Cafe in San Diego.  My game face is on-and I plan to gamble my best bet to help get aid into the hands of the children who need it most.  That’s right, the proceeds from this poker game will benefit the children in Haiti.   Whether it be Texas hold em, or 5 card stud, If I don’t take home the silver bracelet, I want my friends, my followers, and my colleagues to participate in the fun.  So, I throwing down the gauntlet.  Sponsor me!  I will play poker for charity, all you have to do is commit to match my gift (or the amount of money I lose) to the ERE Foundation.  Or, if you plan to attend the ERE Expo you can register for the ERE Poker Game here .  Tonight I was inspired by my guests on Compassionate HR @EREPoker, Jeremy Langhans, Senior Recruiter at Starbucks and David Manaster, Director of ERE Foundation. To hear the replay of our action packed show click here.

This will be my first ERE Expo.  You might be wondering, what drew me to this event.  Well, just check out the conference agenda .  I’m excited about networking with recruiters, and industry leaders from around the world.  I’m also curious about the latest technology that our field has to offer.  I will be blogging daily from this event, bringing you all the juicy details about what I see, who I see, and what I learn.  There’ll be interviews, and chats, and reports on the latest…so stay tuned my readers.  In the meantime, I’m putting on my poker face.  I hope you’ll do the same.

Your twitter pal,

@HRMargo

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My new twitter friend from the UK, Cathy Rich observed my effort over the past two Fridays, or as I now call them #HireFriday.  She asked If she I minded if she launched this in the UK.  I was delighted, but I gave her the following guidelines.  Here’s a recap of our conversation via twitter and on her blog.  On today’s blog, Cathy said:

I received this e-mail from Margo Rose, who launched #HireFriday on Twitter in the USA last week:

“#HireFriday is my brain child, fueled by my passion for Compassionate HR  As you know, the recruiting industry in the US is very client centric, which often leaves most candidates eating dust.  Because of great people like Bill Boorman, Mervynn Dinnen, and Alan Whitford, I understand the wishes, desires, and needs in the UK are equally weighted.  This delights me.  It is in this spirit that I launched #HireFriday last Friday.

I’m sick of #followfriday, with its meaningless stacks of names.  Isn’t it better to help your friends, and loved ones find jobs, make connections and network with really reputable recruiters and hiring managers?

What #HireFriday is NOT is a place where recruiters post spammy jobs.  It’s a place where we tweet the names of candidates/their occupation/job title/unique skills/city location they choose to work.  It’s for the candidate.  It is then my hope that recruiters, hiring managers and non-hr people will tap that person on the shoulder and say, hey this Company is hiring, and I think you’d be perfect for the job…

It’s like a bulletin board for candidates, pure and simple.  Then, it is my hope that someone will see a person in the twitter stream that works in their respective industry and help the jobseeker get connected with a helpful resource or person.

This is my passion, it’s in my heart.  I’m not trying to monetize this.  I do not choose to make “commissions.”  I simply want to be helpful.  I registered the hashtag, and I work in a Law Firm, so we’ll have legal eagle eyes to keep creepy, spammy people out (as much as possible).”

I aim to role this out as a trial on Twitter in the UK as from next week. With the jobs boards clogging up and everyone competing for the same jobs and candidates, this might free up the market. And literally, it will be FREE for everyone.

More news will follow soon – I will be happy to receive comments and views please!

I commented on her blog as follows:

First, thank you for having the courage to being an early adopter of my concept #HireFriday. Jeff, I understand your skepticism. As, I am sure many recruiters and observers on twitter are as well. This is not a “for profit” venture. There are no commissions to be earned, no axes to grind. My only goal is to help friends, and friends of friends to find jobs; get connections through other people’s networks, and to offer a helping, supportive hand.

Recently, I was in transition. I know the pain, heartache, and self doubt that comes with it. I also know the power, strength and courage that can come with it as well. But, with that said, I never, ever want to forget the pain of how hard it is to be a candidate.

Yes, I’m in HR. I hope to leverage my connections with my friends and colleagues to help those in the midst of a job search. Let’s just call it my good Karma wagon. By paying it forward, I fulfill my passion and my mission, while helping another human being. What could be better than that?

If recruiters make placements, and make commissions, that’s good too. My goal is pure and simple #HireFriday gives visibility on twitter to people looking for jobs.

Recently, my facebook status was as follows: “Have you hugged an unemployed friend today? Do something better, introduce them to your contact network and give them a leg up.”

That status was re-tweeted around the globe. What I’m discovering after just two short weeks is that this idea is catching on, it has resonance, and reach. And sometimes good deeds do go unpunished, as the saying goes.

When I make a placement as a recruiter, I’m wearing a very different hat. Candidate sourcing on twitter is tough, and it’s not the best place to source. However, it is a good place to identify passive candidates who aren’t actively engaged in a search. The candidates who participate in #HireFriday, are most certainly active candidates. They are the low hanging fruit, ready to be picked. I say, let’s give them a job first, they are the ones who need them most.

My other favorite saying that I share with recruiters around the world is “Never take away a person’s hope, it might just be the only thing they have left.”

Sincerely,

Margo Rose @HRMargo http://blogtalkradio.com/comphr

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Are you still looking for that perfect job?  Maybe we can help.  Tomorrow on Compassionate HR, Shennee Rutt and I will host Rich Mateo, also know as CornOnTheJob from twitter.  Joining us will be Jessica Miller Merrill, blogtv  host @Blogging4Jobs, and author of “Tweet This,” will share her insights about the search process, and will answer your questions.  Both Rich and Jessica have extensive backgrounds in recruiting and social media.  They can show you how to leverage social media to help you land that perfect job.  Job hunting is hard, but making friends in social media is easy.  Why don’t you tune in, join the conversation, and network with your new friends in the social media sphere.  We want to see you succeed, and help you land that perfect job.

Your twitter pal,

@HRMargo  http://blogtalkradio.com/comphr

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Steve Browne, SPHR is the Director of Human Resources at LaRosa’s my favorite pizzeria in Cincinnati, Ohio.  Besides residing over the human resources department of the world’s greatest pizza place, he leads the HR Net.  That’s how I met Steve Browne several years back.  HR Net is not just a great way to network, it is a place where profound knowledge sharing takes place.  Steve’s jovial personality, dazzling facilitation style, and tremendous intelligence makes him a true thought leader in my home town.  Perhaps, it is for this reason that Steve Boese, and Shauna Moerke of the blogtalkradio show HRHappyHour deemed him the HR Mayor of Cincinnati (which is even better than being deemed the silly mayor of some loser restaurant on foursquare).  There’s a culture that exists on HRHappyHour that includes a lot of buzz about area code #513 both positive, and jokingly negative.  We did win the title Best HR City, in part because of Steve Browne’s contribution to the conversation. Steve Browne is one of the reasons area code#513 Rocks.   Browne, is now getting a lot of much deserved accolades and buzz on twitter, facebook, and on other people’s blogs.  He’s a genius, and I like and admire him so much.  He helped me when I was in transition, and he’s helped countless others.  It is in the spirit of gratitude, dignity, integrity and honor, I present to you: Steve Browne:

HR is not a Sentence of Solitary Confinement !!

It’s funny, but when you come across a person who is in HR at a Conference or gathering you usually hear something like this . . .

"Hi, I’m Steve."

"Hi Steve!!"

". . . and I’m in HR." (insert collective groan of sympathy!!)

It’s like our profession is in a 12-step program and not a dynamic and challenging field !! How sad is that?

One of the reasons for this is that too many HR people are alone. Literally. The majority of American companies have HR staffs of 1 to 2 people that are taking on a mountain of issues ranging from Employee Relations to Compensation to Paralegal Compliance! They are typically asked to focus on "critical" items like planning the Company Picnic while also handling supervisors who choose to treat people like property instead of valuing them as talent.

And what do these HR folks do to combat this isolation? Nothing.

I continue to be amazed at the number of HR professionals who refuse to network with others in HR and in business in general. The only time many people really try to "network" is when they are either in transition or trying to get something for their own agenda. Once their needs are met, they jump back into solitary.

Or, they dip their toes in social media and join Linked In and gather their 10 closest friends, join Twitter and then complain about how they don’t "get it", or join Facebook and then bicker about employees who waste time using the forum.

Yuck !! This has to change . . . NOW !!

HR can never be expected to lead if they aren’t willing to model the behavior they expect. I was challenged with this years ago and didn’t see the value. I thought networking met exchanging business cards and then listening to vendors I was never going to use !! I was wrong and naive.

Because of having a network, HR has come alive for me and for those who are connected to me. There are many HR professionals I’ve only "met" electronically. I hope to meet them someday in person, but even so, it’s great to know that they are trying to push the boundaries of our profession. I WANT to be connected to those folks !!

Now, I literally have thousands of HR people I know and connect with on a regular basis. This isn’t a collection either. It’s a vibrant, colorful collection of people who are doing amazing things !! They have allowed me to be a better professional and I hope they feel the same having me join their network.

So, you can continue to read posts like this and lurk in your cell – clanging your cup across the bars and yelling for the guard to come let you out. Or, you can break free, get out into the world and surround yourself with great people . . . who are just like you !!!

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Why is being a mentor important? More importantly, why is being mentored important.

There’s been a lot of discussion this week about lists. I scratched my head and thought, "HRMargo, what matters most about this? Why is this topic important to you?"

It’s important because I am who I am because of the people who’ve influenced my life. The people who have influenced my career the most are my mentors. I’ve been fortunate to have had the opportunity of outstanding mentorship. Great leaders in my industry have invested their time in nurturing my endless curiosity about our industry, how it works, what makes it tick, and who, and what I should be studying.

From the time I graduated college, I sought out mentors in my field who could teach me the ropes in the companies where I worked. I sought out mentors in my professional association. I’ve sought out thought leaders who are generous enough to spend time with a little fledgling trying to learn the best demonstrated practices in her field. What amazes me is that every time I’ve switched careers, or carefully selected a new industry to explore, I’ve been able to find brilliant people. Generous people. I’m not talking about monetary generosity. I’m talking about people who are generous with their time.

A mentor ought to have clear boundaries, and structure how they give their time. When I mentor someone, I prefer an approach that includes the creation of learning goals, and our sessions are focused around those goals. Next, I offer access to my contact network, but not before clearly helping my mentee develop a strategy by which they utilize my (and other peoples) contact networks. Boundaries prevent mentorship burn-out.

Contact networks are a precious thing. Some professionals guard theirs more tightly than others, and they should be treated with the utmost of respect. That is why I guide my mentees to be strategic, to be appropriate, and to leave something behind that lets that mentor know you appreciate their efforts.

Just the other week, I gave one of my mentors the names of two contacts that might be able to use their services. I’m not talking about a cold "hey contact that guy" lead, I’m talking about the kind of lead that was been warmed up in advance. Reciprocity is important, but not mandatory. I like to give back to my mentors as a way of showing respect and appreciation.

If you want to have a friend, you have to be a friend. It’s a two way street. Always. Nobody likes a taker, so try to be a giver. The relationship you build with your mentor will be that much more rewarding.

I’m a proponent of compassion and generosity. I’ve never had the resources to be a huge philanthropist, but I have been in a position to give of my time. Being a mentor doesn’t cost a dime, but the rewards are rich beyond compare. What can be greater than seeing the people you mentor go on to do incredible things? I can tell you it’s an amazing feeling, and I’d wager other mentors would concur.

During my recent career transition, I volunteered. I learned about human nature, social media, blogging, and recruitment. As a result, I started a blog back in October of 2009. I attended HRevolution in November, and helped to secure television coverage for the event. I launched a blogtalkradio show in January 2010, Compassionate HR. My goal with this show is to give voice to the people in our industry who are going above and beyond the call of duty to be stewards in their communities. It is also a great pleasure to spotlight corporate philanthropy. It’s a passion piece for me. I expect nothing in return.

I’ve had a twitter account since 2008, but I didn’t get serious about it until last September. Then something happened, I started researching helpful articles, and giving back to my community. With the help of a friend on twitter, I changed my name to HRMargo. With the help of my twitter/facebook friends, I revised my linkedin profile, and my resume. Back in late December, I decided to engage business contacts on facebook. While still focusing on my personal life, I started to behave more professionally (not entirely) but enough that I could launch a facebook fan page for my blog (Which I did this past Sunday). I already have 126 fans, in just a day and a half. Low and behold, I got a job a month ago. As a result, I’m able to attend SourceCon and ERE Expo. I will meet my recruiting, and sourcing heroes and I am beyond excited. These great experts are also great mentors.

In fact, I’m going to do two radio shows about the ERE poker game and foundation on March 8, and March 15th. I want my friends and followers to know about the compassionate philanthropic ways my colleagues are giving back. ERE found a way to make giving fun. Throw a poker game at a major conference, invite all your friends, raise money for causes that help children: (this year the poker game will benefit the children who were victims of the Earthquake in Haiti-a cause that is near, and dear to my deep, and soulful heart). ERE, as an organization mentors people new to the occupation, as well as seasoned pros through their abundant educational programs, groups, conference and networking opportunities.

I believe the advice I received from my mentors had a great deal to do with that. A good mentor points you in the right direction. They don’t drag you there…you have to do the foot work. If you are a good mentee, and listen, there is so much you can learn.

One more point about the value I’ve received from mentoring. A great mentor has a mentor. An amazing coach, has a coach. The people who’ve influenced me the most, either currently have, or have had brilliant people guiding their path. The mistake some professionals make is they go it alone, like a wolf without a pack. But, why do that when there are so many people with their hands extended who are willing to help you?

As I said in an earlier post this week, I believe in the power of community. I believe in the power of sharing information. The number 1 is not a statistically valid sample. We learn more from gathering data from many than just one. It’s places like recruitingblogs that allow us to do just that. Network. My favorite saying is you are either networking or not working.

A healthy mentor, is a good networker, and they will teach you how to be an even better mentor.

What do I wish for my mentees? I wish that they exceed any success I’ve ever had, and become super stars. Even if they don’t, I applaud their every success, because a good mentor is a cheerleader, not a brow beater.

I am so deeply grateful for the people who have been my personal top 25 influencers. They will always have my steadfast and undying loyalty and appreciation.

Wouldn’t it be nice if each of us could create our own list of the great people who shaped our lives, and published that? In some ways, a twitter list can accomplish that feat.

Personally, I’d rather do my best to pass on what they’ve given me, because I know that’s what they’d want me to do.

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There’s a facebook group called “Good Grammar is Sexy.”  When I met Karen Siwak, @ResumeStrategy on Twitter, I knew in my heart, I’d met a grammatical sexy wizard.  She’s passionate about writing the very best resumes that represent her clients in their brightest light.  In this guest post, she discusses the importance of storytelling.  No, not “The Three Bears,” storytelling, but “The Little Engine That Could,” storytelling.  Except you are the story.  The story is about how you can tell your story to a prospective hiring manager, and land that interview.  Storytelling is a performance art, and so is effective resume writing.  Read Karen’s post as if you were listening to a book on tape. Absorb the words, and let the message seep into the crevices of your mind.  Allow these lessons to guide you as your template, as you continue to polish your resume.  This is not an advertisement for Karen, but rather a post to empower you with strategies for engaging the hardest part of any search: selling You & Company.  It’s why resume writers are so successful, because this can be an arduous process.  Admittedly, it was the hardest part for me.   The best part of being a blogger is featuring the writers you respect the most.  It is in that spirit, I present to you, Karen Siwak.

Perhaps I’m an odd duck, but I actually enjoy critiquing resumes. And it’s not just because I like picking holes in people’s hard work, or that I take delight in being a grammar sergeant.  In fact my critiques will rarely make mention of a bad format choice (unless its atrocious), or a misplaced comma (unless it is glaringly obvious and bastardizes what you are trying to say).

So why do I like critiquing? It’s because I am a fanatic about resumes that tell an interesting story, and frankly, most don’t. In fact so many resumes fail spectacularly when it comes to story telling, that having to screen through a stack of resumes has been likened to water torture. I like critiquing because I know that I can offer a dozen client-specific suggestions that, if followed, will immediately elevate a resume above the crowd.

Here is my storytelling check list, and I can tell you that less than 10% of the resumes I’ve critiqued over the years have met even half of these criteria:

1. Is there a target job title and a profile or summary that speaks to a specific target audience?
2. Is the summary laden with warm and fuzzy “plays well with others” self-aggrandizements, or does it contain factual statements that show why this candidate is the perfect solution to a specific kind of challenge?
3. Is there an easy-to-read “table of contents” outlining the candidate’s top 10 to 12 core skills and expertise?
4. Does the skills summary use industry-specific language and keywords, and is it stripped of all extraneous words so that the keywords jump out?
5. Does the resume set the context for each job? Is there a brief description of the company, its products, its competitive position?
6. For each position, does the resume briefly list the candidate’s job mandate and the key challenges that they faced when they came on board?
7. Does the resume tell how the candidate stepped up to those challenges, and outline the results they achieved?
8. Does the resume describe how the candidate’s mandate changed over time, how their role evolved, how their company grew or changed as a result of their contributions?
9. If there was a promotion or series of promotions, does the resume describe how this came to be?
10. If applicable, does the resume indicate who the candidate’s clients and stakeholders were? Does it name names, or provide enough information to demonstrate the scope and scale of the client base?
11. If the candidate held similar positions with several different companies, does the resume just duplicate the description, or does it have something fresh and unique to say for each position?
12. When looked at in chronological order, does the candidate’s career progression demonstrate that they have grown professionally over the years?

Personal branding has become de rigeur in today’s internet-driven job market, and smart jobseekers know that they need to use cutting-edge marketing principles to build and sell their personal brand. What you say (and don’t say) in your resume contributes to your personal brand.

As any good marketing professional will tell you, storytelling is the new differentiator.  http://ko-kr.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=309910932696). Sure facts matter, details matter. But stories connect with people on an emotional level. In a job market where the choice of candidates can be endless, having a resume that tells a great story can be the very differentiator that you need to propel you to the top of the candidate pool, and ensure that you get the attention your skills and experience deserve.

If you’d like to reach Karen Directly:

Website: www.resumeconfidential.ca

Twitter: twitter.com/ResumeStrategy

Blog: www.resumeconfidential.ca/blog

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Lists. Do we really need them? Do we need somebody else to tell us who’s the best in the business? Why would we need something like that. Aren’t we intelligent people; can’t we think for our selves?  There are lists for lists, it seems.  Yet, somehow, I am disturbed not that a Top Influencer list exists, but who these lists exclude.

Certainly, big mover and shaker publications can’t have “Everybody” lists.  Then, the list would not be special.  Recently, a list was created to applaud the top 25 recruiters.  While I admire and respect the creator of that list, I was miffed who it excluded.   It happened to exclude some of my favorite people; people who shaped the way I view the recruiting industry; people who’ve shown me the way.  No, my feelings weren’t hurt.  I feel very positive about the people who were included on the list.  They are great folks.  Their reach, relevance, and resonance can not be denied.

The power of positive recognition is compelling.  What these lists don’t have is a heart for those worthy people they leave behind.

Every time one of these important lists are published, I just want to raise my hand, and say, hey what about that guy?  I care about my friends, my mentors, my colleagues who I really believe should be on these lists.  Then when I see they were short shifted, I feel so bad for them. I hope I never make it on one of those lists.  I don’t know what I’d do if I did.  I’d probably call my boyfriend and say, honey let’s get on the next train out of dodge, because I’m not up for a rubber chicken dinner.

Here’s me bleeding on the page for my colleagues.  The irony is they could care less whether or not they make it on a list, or not.  They are mature.  Accolades are great when you get them.  Lists might even be great when you make them.  In the final analysis, we have to list ourselves.

We are the top influencer in our hearts, and when our hearts are pure and good, we influence those around us with love, kindness, and generosity.  Ralph Waldo Emerson said it best:

"The definition of success–To laugh much; to win respect of intelligent persons and the affections of children; to earn the approbation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to give one’s self; to leave the world a little better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition.; to have played and laughed with enthusiasm, and sung with exultation; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived–this is to have succeeded."

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Ok, we all have bad hair days, and bad money days, and bad client days, and bad candidate days, but is that really accurate? Is it not our perception of the situation? What would happen if we shifted our perspective to include a healthy dose of positive thinking? When was the last time a defeatist attitude worked in your favor, and how’d that turn out for you? When was the last time somebody patted you on the back and said, "Great Job," or "I’m so glad you are my recruiter, I will definitely use you again." I spend a lot of time on http://recruitingblogs.com. It’s where I started before I launched this blog. This is my tip of the hat to @Slouch and @MarenHogan.

You matter, you are worthwhile. You are an amazing recruiter, and if you aren’t you have the potential to be. I believe in you, and so do a lot of other people on recruitingblogs.com.

If no one has been validating you lately, it might just be time to validate yourself, or maybe it’s time for an attitude adjustment. Our attitude shapes the way we act, and the way we feel. Our thoughts are very powerful. I can’t promise you that every time you think positively about the job order you are trying to fill, that you will get the outcome you want. But, I will promise you that if you think negatively about the job you are trying to fill, it will have a detrimental impact on both your client, and your candidate.

Our thoughts can shape the way we perform. Our behavior can shape the way people respond to us. Think about it for a moment.

Ok, ok, I know what you’re thinking. Cut out the syrupy positive thinking crap, you’re making me nauseous, and giving me a headache. Trust me, I know the feeling. But, before I toss you the vomit bag, let me plant this seed of a thought in your mind. If you are reading recruiting blogs, and you are staying connected with the thought leaders here, you are headed in the right direction. All is not lost. The thing I love most about that site, is it brings me together with folks like you. Yes, you, and even you–the guy over in the corner who’s frowning at me right now.

I’ve been told all my life, "HRMargo, you’re such a Pollyannah." So be it. I steer clear of negative people, they are like vacuums that suck the life force out of me. When I wax negative, I usually call a friend, and ask them to talk me out of the funk. A few weeks ago, I called a leading US recruiter in tears because I couldn’t get access online course for which I spent $1,350.00. He told me I didn’t need the course afterall. He told me how to get the same information by reading @Booleanblackbelt and @JimStroud’s blogs. He talked to me about how google has all the information I need to learn the sourcing techniques I wanted to learn. In the past, he’s spent time with me to teach me how to use linkedin and other sources. He’s patient and kind. I call him my mentor. I won’t mention his name because I don’t want to embarrass him, but I can tell you this: he means the world to me, and I’d walk through hell with ice cubes for that man. Sometimes he’s compassionate, and sometimes he gives me a metaphoric kick in the seat of the pants to get me out of my erroneous thinking, and headed back on track.

Mentors, colleagues, communities are important. It’s why I love recruiting blogs. Recruitingblogs supports people new to the occupation. Recruitingblogs supports people who’ve been in the industry since the stone age. Recruiting blogs has put me in touch with some of the most amazing people in the world. People who are generous with their time. People who’ve been willing to spend time with me on the phone. People who’ve taken time to meet with me in person.

Community is only as good as what you contribute to it, and what you add to the lives of others in it. When we give of ourselves, the gift returns to us ten-fold. Creating a sense of place and belonging is important. It’s human nature. Abraham Maslow addressed this critical point in his heirarchy of needs. He stated the following:

Once our basic needs have been met, we seek self-actualization and peak experiences. Twitter, facebook, linkedin, google, continued education, conferences, and unconferences have all contributed to the woman I’ve become.

I attended HRevolution in Louisville back in November. I met Maren Hogan who spent time with me, offered me suggestions, and spoke with me on the phone. She offered me support and friendship. She brought recruiting blogs into my life. She’s special. She’s also extremely helpful.

I look forward to attending my first ERE.Expo, and SourceCon. I look forward to meeting my friends from twitter and facebook in person.

The reason I have a positive attitude is because I do my best to stay plugged in and connected to people in my industry. It’s why I felt inspired to start my own blogtalkradio show, Compassionate HR. It’s why I started a blog. How did I get these ideas? Because people like you got behind… efforts to launch a blog, and a show. You’ve supported me in writing down my thoughts here.

I know people debate issues here intensely, but believe it or not, I like that too. I learn a lot when I read how people debate the issues. You see I used to teach Public Speaking at Wright State University and Sinclair Community College. I even reviewed, edited, and wrote features for the high school textbook "Advanced Debate Strategies," which is due out next year. I find the way you interact with each other on this site fascinating.

I get a kick out of the people on recrutingblogs. I’ve tried other communities, and I found them boring.

I’m never bored on recruitingblogs. Far from it. This is a space where each of us can feel beautiful. This is a space where each of us can be articulate, and share our thoughts on the issues in our industry that matter most to us. This is a space where can debate issues, have conversations, and give each other cute gifts.

My very first baby job out of college was in recruiting. Job 1: I was a services coordinator at Manpower Temporary Services. Job 2: I was a recruiter for Pizza Hut. Job 3: I was a recruiter for The Gloria Sustar Agency (which is went out of business a few decades ago) but she was incredibly successful in her hey day.

I can’t say I loved those jobs. In fact, after the last one, I scratched my head, and thought, "Geez, I need to go to graduate school." So I did, and I’m glad. Here’s the irony. You don’t need a Master’s Degree to be a good recruiter. What a person needs is chutzpah (guts, courage, determination). It also helps if you like sales, and promotion, because we spend plenty of time doing that as well. Long after graduate school, like 10 years later, I decided I wanted to go back into recruiting.

I had a rude awakening. Someone on a blogtalkradio show told me I’d have to be an apprentice, and that I’d have to take an agency job for low pay.

No way, not a chance, and you know why? Because I’m a positive thinker. I landed an excellent job, where I am well compensated for my work. I have unlimited opportunity to make more. I will because I work really hard, and I’m passionate about what I do.

My message is simply this: stay positive. You are beautiful. Just believe, and stick with the winners.

This is my homage to recruitingblogs, a place where I feel I truly belong!

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Today, I started a new trend: it’s called #HireFriday.  It’s a simple concept.  It started like this.  I created the #hastag #HireFriday.  Then, I’d tweet their name, the type of work they were looking for, citing the industry they were in, and the location they wanted to live.  It all started like this:

 @HRMargo: I’ve started a New trend #HireFriday on twitter. If you have a friend who’s looking for a job, tweet on their behalf to your network!

Karen Siwak and I were brainstorming a future blogpost. She helped me craft the sample post. Have a heart and do something like this for your friend in transition:

#HireFriday @Arleen14 She’s dedicated to making teams, businesses, and executives shine! She’s looking for a position in Ovido, Florida

I dedicated the entire tweet day tweeting for my friends, and friends of friends who were in actively seeking a new position. 

I’m sick of #followfriday with it’s meaningless stacks of names with no recommendations.  What has meaning? Recommending a friend who does something particularly well, and in this case recommending a friend in transition to your followers.  Cite something they do better than anyone else you know, or at the very least, ask your followers to help them find a connection that just might lead to an interview. 

It was perhaps the most rewarding day I spent on twitter to date.  Just think, if each of us thought of one, or more friends in transition, and took the time to connect them to someone in our network who could offer advice, referrals, and support, we could make a difference in their lives. We might even make a dent in the unemployment rate.  Imagine!

I’m a compassionate dreamer, and if it were up to me, I would have waved my magic wand, and given a job to every unemployed American a job in 2009.  But alas, I am not the job fairy.  But, this I can do, I can introduce an unemployed friend to my contact network, and believe me that is no small thing.

Many of us with recruiting backgrounds know how challenging it is to find the best candidate for a client’s position.  The same holds true if you are an employer who relies on an unwieldy applicant tracking system to feed you your resumes.  The best hire is a warm hire, someone who’s been referred from someone you trust in your own network.  Employers spend a lot of money with recruiters to help them find that perfect candidate.

But just for one moment, imagine if you could help a friend get hired with just one tweet? IMAGINE!

Networks are an interesting animal.  Most professionals spend years growing, nurturing and giving back to their networks.  The happiest networkers are those who give.  Networkers who are on the take lose their credibility quickly.  That’s rule number 1 when you are job seeking, be helpful, be courteous, and stay in touch with your network as you go about your search.  Leave your networking contact with something of value.  I made it a point to give a contact an article, a helpful suggestion, or a referral.  Even if you are unemployed, you have something to give. Never lose sight of that fact.

Sometimes recruiters get hard-bitten and cynical over the years. That can happen when they get burned out.  Then, there are recruiters who care about their client’s best interest, and the best interest of the candidate,  The best recruiters I’ve ever worked with offer helpful suggestions to the candidate, even if that person is not a fit for the position they are trying to fill.  Those recruiters are my heroes.  Most of the recruiters in my contact network are compassionate, kind, and respectful.

#HireFriday is my personal vision.  It is my quest to help as many people get hired as possible, whether or not a I get a commission.  Recruiting is not always about the end game.  Yes, I know what you are thinking, “begin with the end in mind," as Stephen Covey says.  Every now and then, we have to begin with the beginning in mind, and value the journey.  You never know where the path will lead.

The Character, Don Quixote said, “To dream the impossible dream.”  I dream of #HireFriday as a tool for help unemployed people to make contact with recruiters and hiring managers who can help them.  Wouldn’t the world be a better place if each of us offered a random act of kindness to someone in need?  #HireFriday is just that.  It’s a way for people who aren’t in the recruiting industry to give a shout out to on behalf of their friends, or loved ones.  It’s also a way for recruiters to give a shout out about a job they are trying to fill.

Every day could be Friday. Why limit it to just one day?  Why not create a culture on facebook and twitter that helps people in the midst of a career transition?  Many people are doing it now.  I want to take it a step further.  I want to make #HireFriday a trending topic each and every Friday.

John Lennon put it like this. 

“You might say, I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one.  I hope one day you’ll join us, and the world will live as one.”

You might say, HRMargo, you’re a dreamer.  Everyone needs a mission, this is mine.  Compassionate HR is not just a blogtalkradio program.  It’s not just a post in my blog.  It’s my passion piece.  So, if you are like me, and you want to make a difference, give #HireFriday a shot.

I’m not not knocking #FollowFriday entirely.  It has it’s place.  It helps like minded people find one another. That has value.  At it’s best, it’s a form of recognition. At it’s worst, it’s a meaningless, vapid payback system, and a form of self-promotion. 

I grew weary of #FollowFriday, so I launched the coveted @HRMargo awards program where I gave one person props for something they do extraordinarily well.  It’s my way of expressing love to the people, the companies and recruiters I admire.

With #HireFriday, I’m taking it one step further.  I’m inviting you to give a buddy a hand.  Introduce them to your contacts, and maybe your contacts will put that person with their contacts. 

Pay it forward. Give back to your network.  Show some love for the people who need your help.  It will not just make a difference in their lives.  It might just make a difference in yours.

Compassionate HR, and Love,

Your Twitter Pal…@HRMargo

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I’ve been reviewing my posts the past few weeks, and I realized they’ve revolved around my blogtalkradio show, Compassionate HR.  It made me think what matters most?  The seething debate continues in the human resources and recruiting industry.  There are the hard bitten cynics who cry “I am not in the field of human resources to help people.”  In fact, they get angry, and dismissive when an interviewee suggests that’s why they are interested in the job.  Ok, I understand that argument.  But then the question begs to be asked, why did you choose to go into human resources?  If there wasn’t some altruistic motive somewhere in the back of your mind, what was it?   If you don’t want to help people, does that mean you want to hurt people?  I think not.   I can tell you this, people don’t go into to HR to get rich quick.  There are far easier ways to make a living.  There are easier ways to make the big bucks.

Unless you are a top level recruiter, or at the Vice President level, it is rare to exceed a high six figure income.  So, why…why do we go into HR? Is it because we are passionate what we do? Let’s break it down, shall we?

• Recruiting
• HR Management
• HRIS
• Benefits
• Compensation
• Training and Development
• Organization Development
• Employee Relations
• Legal Compliance
• Health, Safety, and Security
• HR Communication Strategy
• Human Resource Consultant and Vendor Relations

Not to mention the incredible services, the job boards, the human resource statisticians, the human resource reporters and publications, the professional associations, I could go on, and on the list is longer than I can account for here.  I understand that caring too much about the candidate can get in the way of the job a recruiter does for a client. The recruiters job is to find a specific skill set that will meet the needs of the client’s position. That is what they are paid to do.  I understand that employee relations experts spend the better part of their day resolving conflicts, and dealing with people”s head aches.  I understand that the role of people in benefits and compensation can be cut and dried, and yet it is a very difficult position, particularly if they are developing competency models that match the positions to the appropriate payscale.  Benefits, that is an animal all its own, and to be really good at that job, you have to be well informed, and educated about healthcare industry.  Not to mention the health and safety experts-they should get medal of honor for keeping employees safe, and their employers out of court.  Legal compliance, lawyers make a lot more money than their HR counter parts inside the organizations they represent. Yet, the HR Pro who has that job has to be so well schooled that they must be able to articulate the legal compliance issues to both employees, and the brass at the helm of the organization. HR is not one job.  It is many.  In large corporations there are large staffs where each role I mentioned above is handled by a different person.  In mid to small companies, there’s often just a few people handling all the roles, we call them “generalists.” Each role has its perks, its satisfaction, its joy, and its sadness, because we deal with employees, candidates, colleagues, senior level executives and plant floor employees.  We deal with human beings.   I assert that if you have no desire to be useful to others, to be of service to your fellows, get a computer certification, and hide behind your desk.  But even then, you will invariably be put in a position where you will be pushed into service.

After tonight’s show  with Bill Boorman, I realized something important.  Giving is its own reward.  Bill is a man who sleeps 3 hours a night, and spends the other 21 hours networking, communicating, teaching, coaching, and giving back.  As I was listening to him wax eloquently about TruLondon, it made me realize how  important it is to believe deeply in something.  To believe in it so much, that it’s not just what you do, it’s what you are.  What you do represents your values, and what you hold dear.

Sure we all get caught up in the day to day drudgery of what we do for a living.  But, before you answer the question “Why am I in HR?” think carefully about what motivates you, what drives your passion, what makes it worth your while to get out of the bed in the morning, and hit the showers. What do you think about on the drive to work in the morning? And ask yourself this one question, “What does it matter?”

Your twitter pal,

@HRMargo

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