The Value of Social Networking in a Job Search

“Social networking is a fad.”  “It’s for kids - it’s not the real world.”  Etc, etc.  I hear that a lot from people, and I get where they’re coming from - frankly, there are waaaay too many social networks out there, and it’s easy to poke fun at them.  I certainly have.

All that said, what is a social network?  Just another way for us to say “hi, I’m alive.  Acknowledge that.”  If that’s the case, then primitives sitting around a fire, twittering about saber tooth tigers, were in a social network.  Hell, Lascaux was just the original Wall.  And, the parents of those punks around the campfire were probably muttering to each other “This fire thing’s just a fad.  It’s not the real world, it’s not safe.  They need to start sleeping back in the trees with us.”

So a social network’s simply another way to communicate.  Yes, yes, there’s more to it than that - questions about teens creating entire fake identities of people they aren’t capable of being in real life are troubling, but then most things that teens get up to are troubling.  And that is in no way a new phenomenon - there are credible theories that language was created by children at play, who then carried that forward and applied it to to coordinating hunts and the development of villages as they grew up.  I can only imagine what their non-verbal parents made of all the weird clicks and grunts their kids were using.

What’s my point - why in the world is a job search advice blog waxing (pseudo)philosophical about evolution and social change?  In part, because I like to hear the sound of my own voice (hey - this is a blog, and that’s what ties bloggers together, after all).  But also because I do have a point to make that ties into job search.

Earlier this week I decided to expand my search for a Senior Marketing Manager with heavy direct marketing chops to Facebook.  I did a search for “direct marketing” and got a bunch of results.  I sent messages to a bunch of them, and now have very viable candidate coming in on Monday for an interview.  I liked his background, personal interests seemed, well, interesting, there was nothing too shocking about him in his profile, and he clearly knew how to write.  I read further, and saw that his job had been eliminated (along with 80% of his company) the day before, and he had written about it on (you guessed it) his own Wall.  If he hadn’t set that profile up and actively updated it, there’s a good chance I never would have found the guy.  You owe it to yourself to be active on the social networks - at the very least, spend a couple of hours one night setting up profiles with ZoomInfo (shameless plug), LinkedIn, Facebook, etc.  Make sure you have your work history, little bit about yourself, and ways you can be reached (create a new gmail or hotmail or whatever if you want to keep your personal one private).

You may not be looking for a job now, but you never know when that sudden 80% force reduction might hit you like a shovel in the back of the head.  Best to be prepared.  If you are, the day after the shovel hits you might get a call from out of the blue, from somebody offering to help you back up off the ground…

 

 

List of Online Resources for Job Hunters

Hat tip to Bill Vick for this list of resources

How to Get Noticed (or, “giant aspirins! flip-flops! tattoo cd’s!! oh, my…”)

So, I’ve been in the corporate recruiting gig for what, almost 2 years now?  I used to sit on the other side of the fence, with some agencies.  I have my share of war stories from those days (ask me about Fish Jacket someday).  That said, things are weirder from this side of the phone.

I started a folder, called “little folder of horrors”, shortly after I got here, where I’d toss the most bizarre applications and atrocious cover letters.  Like, the one from the guy who wrote his in texting format (”if U R interested, plz…”).  But, once I started receiving packages, it became “little box of horrors”.  Now, it’s “big cabinet”.  Oi, freaking, vey.

So, wanted to draw your attention to a fine line - the one between “hey, clever approach!”, and “what the f - call animal control, i think this thing’s still alive!”.

Last week, I got flip flops.  I didn’t buy ‘em, and they weren’t from a female friend.  Nope, some guy decided that the best way to apply for our not open (filled in October of ‘07 by this rock star), Director of MarComm position was to mail in some footwear.  Not just any footwear, but brown, Target brand flip flops, size 10.  (I take a 12, if you’re thinking of sending me shoes - and, I’d prefer Thom Browne, or Cole Haan.  Just sayin’)

So, why flip-flops? Personally I think they were a re-gift.  Somebody gave him a crappy pair of shoes, and he thought “hey, I can try and twist this into a clever way to get a job at ZoomInfo!”  Here’s his copy:

Here’s a pair of flip-flops.  Put them on. Take a deep breath. (if I’d put them on, it would have been more like an inhale of pain, but I digress) Think of blah blah blah…  Your search for a VP of Marketing ends here (really?? I thought we were looking for a Director?  And, I think the search ended 7 months ago, buddy?)

This is a very in-your-face approach (sure, that’s one way to spin mailing footwear) but one that got your attention and provided me an opportunity to present my case.  Isn’t that what marketing is all about - creating an opportunity? (Yup!  An opportunity to go to the very top of the Little Cabinet of Horrors - lucky you!!)

Later, he says:In the past I got bored easily so I changed jobs a lot . Oh, that’s not good…

In any event, this guy didn’t get a call.  But… this guy (heretofore known as Aspirin Boy) did.  In fact, he got 2 rounds, and it was a tough call on our end not to hire him.

One day, I got a box.  It wasn’t ticking, swathed in duct tape, from my wife, or snarling, so I figured it was safe.  When I opened it, there was a giant aspirin (about a half foot across and a 1 inch deep) made out of some kind of ceramic, along with a cover letter.  It was from this kid, who wanted to move out of his first job and was interested in us.  Here’s a sample:

Hello Martin

You’re probably wondering why you just received a giant aspirin in the mail.

Over the past few months I’ve been debating whether or not to take the next step in my career path.  During that time I’ve been able to read quite a few of your blog posts.  This giant aspirin, in particular, is for the next poorly put together cover letter and resume that comes across your desk.  I hope mine isn’t one of them.

So, you’re asking, what the hell’s the difference?  Simple - Flip Flopper had _years_ of marketing experience (at, not to mention, a lot of companies).  Apirin Boy was barely out of college, and still had better approach.   He displayed great marketing instinct (despite the fact that  he approached us for a sales role).  Strong enough that even though we had just filled out last sales role, we brought him in to talk to him about a product marketing position we were toying with.  In the end, the role was revised, and we couldn’t hire him, but we wanted to.  If he’d just sent in a generic cover letter with resume, I would have let him know that the sales hiring was on hold - but, he put himself out there and got a chance.  I still stay in touch with him - he’s a great, great guy - and last I heard, he was looking into more product marketing or straight marketing roles thanks to this little interaction.

That’s all for now - just had to vent about the flip flops….

Why Would Anybody Write Sucky Copy for a Copywriter Job Ad??

Ever Notice the Irony in How Much Copywriter Job Ads Suck?

I mean, why the hell is that?  First off, they’re ads – commercials, selling a product.  When did HR decide it knew how to write, fer the love of Pete (or Sue, whoever)??  And, of all the audiences to write a lame, “must have excellent prioritization skills, excellent grammar and writing skills (really?? shocking!)” bit of ad copy to.  Grr.  Makes me wanna….

 

…ahem, any-who, sorry about that.  Here’s the thing: I’m the recruiting manager over at ZoomInfo.  We’re looking for a copywriter, and I thought I’d check out some copywriter ads on Indeed.com for inspiration – you know, to steal somebody’s better idea.  And, well, good lord.  If you need to tell a copywriter with over 3 years of experience in the real world that they need to know how to spell and write…..

 

What these goons _should_ be talking about is the opportunity – why (for example) ZoomInfo is such an interesting place to work.  Talk about the ability to have your voice heard.  About making quick and deep friendships with the people you’ll be spending a lot of time every work day with.  How quickly we’re growing, and how much fun we’re having doing that.  The random parties.  All the beer in the fridge.  How we’re laughing on our way to the bank.  The chance to really grow, to be trusted, and to be picked up and dusted off when you make a mistake (we figure mistakes mean you’re trying hard, and that’s what matters – people who don’t screw up make us nervous, and generally have ridiculously great hair and MBA’s).

 

Obviously, there should be something in there about what you’ll be doing (it can’t be all beer and cake, can it?).  Just to stick with the ZoomInfo example (right, just an “example”…):  we don’t look over your shoulder & we have a lot to do, so you should be cool with that.  We think we’re funny (funny ha-ha that is).  Annnd, we’re a business – you should know how to balance the creative with the technical, be able to hit deadlines, and tell a joke.  We swoon over dreamers who know how to implement – have a big idea, and then make it happen.  All we ask for.

 

Last part, what the heck will this swami of the written word be working on?  Lots and lots.  The more you can handle, the more we’ll give you.  You’ll become the voice of ZoomInfo, and make sure that voice gets consistent across all kinds of media.  You’ll be writing copy for print and online ad campaigns, white papers (yeah, we know – dry, but they help bring in the money, and we’d like to pay you), our web site, etc, etc.  We have stuff that needs to get written, in short.

 

So….. if your still with me, you’re the kind of person who was muttering “yes! job ads do stink!”, and you have some of the experience I was (blatantly) fishing for in that rant, why don’t you reach on out?

Hilarious Interview Mistakes

Jennifer Tortorella’s one of the best agency recruiters I know (seriously - if you don’t believe me, just ask her :)  She’s good, and a great partner/ vendor to ZoomInfo.  Her latest post drew my attention to CareerBuilder’s annual interview mistakes survey - sad, but true stuff.  I’d add in the guy who, when I walked out to greet him, was on his laptop.  Not a big deal, but when I said “Hi [name removed to avoid lawyers], I’m Martin Burns, nice to meet you,” he glanced up, raised his finger to let me know he needed a minute, then went back to typing… When he was done playing Scrabulous (or whatever), I sat him in a conference room and went to grab the first interviewer - within those 2 minutes, he had plugged his network into a data line in the office, and gone on-line to do some surfing….

One more - that same day (honest), we had another candidate in for a QA role.  When the QA Manager asked her where she saw herself in a few years (standard softball question with a hidden edge), she answered “As a software engineer - I’m too cerebral for QA.”

Needless to say, not exactly people we chased after….