Jessica Miller-Merrell, CEO of XCeptional HR, better known to many as @blogging4jobs has joined the Zero Unemployment Movement founded this past April by Jerome Ternynck, international recruiter, blogger and activist. This is the post she wrote to help spread the word about how we can all make a difference - in 15 minutes.  The power of many. 

This job market cannot move unless we all make conscious steps to change it.  We are running scared, afraid to take the risk of making a new hire, afraid that we may not have found the "perfect" candidate, afraid that if we help someone else it may mean we lose our own job, or that there just isn't enough to go around.  New graduates entering this job market are being shut out, at a time we need their education and skills more than ever.  Take 15 minutes this weekend to do something to help reverse this dangerous course in American business.  We will all be the beneficiaries. Thanks Jerome & Jessica for the leadership.  Joni

In advance of this September 5 Labor Day, SmartRecruiters CEO and Zero Unemployment Movement founder Jerome Ternynck encourages everyone to add the word, “Give,” to Labor Day.

Before enjoying a well-earned day off on September 5, Ternynck proposes we all take fifteen minutes of our time to help a friend get a job.

Labor Day has always been a time to remember and celebrate achievement. The United States Department of Labor describes Labor Day’s founding as “a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.” However for millions of us, there isn’t labor to celebrate. The Zero Unemployment Movement’s “Give Labor Day” Initiative urges everyone to take tangible, specific actions to help the unemployed.

Organizers plan to continue the Initiative each year and hope that fifteen minutes of job assistance becomes a regular component of Labor Day in the future in much the same way that Martin Luther King Day has become a focus for community service.

Six recommended activities for the September 5 Give Labor Day are:

 1. Make a referral or introduction

2. Critique a resume

3. Rehearse a mock interviewShare relevant job openings

4. Share relevant job postings

5. Leverage Facebook or LinkedIn connections

6. Help a friend write a cover letter

Participating individuals and businesses will be posting their activities and sharing their accomplishments at ZeroUE.org, on Twitter at #GiveLabor or on Facebook. Any participant can show their support by posting a “Give Labor Day” Badge on their own website or blog leading up to Labor Day (“Zero Unemployment: Give Labor Day,” “Give Labor Day: You Can Help,” or “Join us on September 5, 2011.“). The Zero Unemployment Movement also encourages businesses to innovate and implement their own ideas on how to put “Give” in Labor Day.

The Zero Unemployment Movement (#zeroUE) was founded in April 2011 with the objective to eradicate unemployment globally by promoting the creation of a more efficient labor market. A labor market where people that want to work, can work; a labor market where businesses that need talent, get talent. Imagine a world where hiring is easy.  This website (ZeroUE.org) launched in August of 2011 to further the discussion surrounding Zero Unemployment beyond the social media platforms where it was originally founded on.

The ‘recession’ may be ‘over’ but unemployment remains at an unsustainably high level. The national unemployment rate rose to 9.2% in June 2011. “There are more than 4 million jobs open right now while 14 million people are unemployed in the country. Why can’t we fill every one of those positions right now?  Giving fifteen minutes of your time before you enjoy a drink by the pool is something simple that will have great impact.”

So what are YOU going to do on Give Labor Day?

Blogger, Labor Relations expert, HR star, friend, great human being

When I got brave in late 2008 and dipped my toes into the water on twitter, I got really lucky.  I connected with some existing friends and colleagues in a new and richer way - and started to meet people who otherwise would never have been part of my "profersonal" journey.  One of the first was Mike VanderVort, a guy who lives over in Florida, has a terrific blog called Human Race Horses, posts a lot about what is going on in the world of labor relations, and seemed to be one of the cool kids on twitter - just not so intimidating.  I quickly realized that Mike always does his homework; knows his craft, his profession, his associations, his newsfeeds - and perhaps most importantly he takes the time to learn about you too.  Mike pays it forward all the time - he is willing to share his knowledge, expertise, his network, and frequently his heart and great sense of humor. He is also the ever ready bunny - working tirelessly with incredible energy- most recently to blow out the phenomenal new Publix Facebook page.

Well, in case you missed this - over the July 4th holiday Mike shared a recent health scare - an emergency hospitilization for DVT - an admission of some needed lifestyle changes - and a commitment to share that journey with the  #TR30Day crew.   In the midst of all of the mid-year post Summer Camp introspection and reflection about the importance of community - I was stunned.  Mike has been an invaluable mentor to me personally, and as a result to the People Report and Summer Camp tribe for the last two years. He is one of the nicest guys I know - online or off. He has a wonderful family with him at home - but let's add a lot of virtual hugs, get wells, and support. We need him to cross that finish line to a healthy future.  

Last week at Summer Camp and Digital Brand Camp, Paul Barron surprised me with a video greeting from one of my bizcrushes, Hugh MacLeod, acclaimed cartoonist, and author.  His most recent book, Evil Plans, is at the top of my list for must read books that contain wisdom for business and life. At Camp we talked a lot about unifying the workplace & the marketplace; of course the common denominator would be the people who work, and the people who consume the products or service that result from that work.  Perhaps loving the work, and consumers loving the result really does make sense.  One of our speakers was Michael Long, Head of Culture Branding for Rackspace, who told us multiple tales of "Rackers" who are raving fans - of Rackspace.  One of the interesting things I found out recently - is that Rackspace has used some consultants to help them build that culture.  One of them is Hugh MacLeod.  Must be something about Austin. :-)

People Report Summer Camp – 2011 (notes by Josh Hersh, Co-founder DayCation)

Leveraging Social Capital to Build Markets & Community: Doing Well By Doing Good

Amanda Hite, Founder, Talent Revolution

Diana Hovey, SVP Marketing, Corner Bakery

How businesses can do well and good at the same time.

Hite: Grew up in corporate America, being told philanthropy is a “nice” thing to do. I quit my job in search to create meaning. Make people do better. Find causes that are important to them and for businesses to do good. When you do good and you make meaning, you’ll make money.

Hovey: Tough times in 2008 and 2009. A lot of Corner Bakery’s business was catering and sales were tough. At that time, funds were being cut for resources in communities. Corner Bakery decided to build sales, take care of customers, and take care of employees.

The Model of Connected Capitalism (created by Neville Isdell of Coca-Cola)

The free market system is being re-written: rewire how business and society connects. Connected Capitalism: a model that says that when you do well, you’ll do good; social good.

1. Communities: a better partner, not just a presence; sponsor an event. Becoming an integral part, or a “thread” in the communities you serve. The community owns the brand. They feel like it’s theirs. It’s not an “us v. them”.

Case Studies

Corner Bakery launched initiative called “Catering to our Community” in March 2009. Invited guests and people in their neighborhood to nominate their favorite volunteer groups in the community. Each winning volunteer group won a surprise, a Corner Bakery meal. Over 110 different community groups were recognized across the nation. CB was able to take care of sales, customers, and employees.

Other companies doing this right: Starbucks (Volunteering in local communities and MyStarbucksIdea.com), Monical’s Pizza

2. Philanthropy: how to connect business with a social challenge; align “the good” with your business. This helps you sell to shareholders why it makes sense to do good.

 Case Studies

- Coca-Cola invested in clean water because it is a core part of their product.

- Firehouse Subs took their bus to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina to support survivors. Established a foundation to support first-responders in the communities that they serve. They’ve donated $2 million in equipment, training, etc. through the foundation so far.

- Hard Rock International - In Nashville, they did an entire re-design of the café. They kept everyone on payroll during that time, but employees had to spend 30 hours a week helping with something philanthropic in the community. In New Orleans, two days before opening a new hotel, Hurricane Katrina hit. Hard Rock hired backed, two years later, 80% of the original staff when the opened the hotel.

3. Institutions: how to build trust and partner with local government

Case Study

- Corner Bakery and The Dine Out for No Kid Hungry: Started out with an employee engagement survey. Employees wanted Corner Bakery to be more involved and give back. Corner Bakery identified Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign in 2007.

Objective was to end childhood hunger in America. Take A Bite out of childhood hunger was the slogan. The first year (2008) they raised $25,000. Increased in 2009 ($50,000). In 2010, developed a fully integrated program that was a month long instead of a week. They also had a bounce back and book of offers for customers. Social media was primary means to engage guests and spread the word. There was also an internal call to action and recognition for employees. In 2010, Corner Bakery raised $250,000.

There was high employee engagement and terrific franchise participation. Following the Dine Out, same stores sales were up 7.6 percent in Q4.

There are billions of dollars at the federal level trying to eliminate childhood hunger. State and local governments are finding it more difficult to tap into federal resources. Share Our Strength, in partnership with Corner Bakery and others, is tapping into these federal funds to stamp out hunger.

4. Employee Values: connect to the values of your employees; businesses don’t have values, employees do. Employees display values of a business on the front line with interaction with guests. When you silence your employees from talking on social media, you prevent them from telling the values and quality stories of your business.

Case Study

- Wildflower Break Company: Purpose, values, and safe space. Employees defined the company’s purpose. #wfjourney on Twitter, you can read what it’s like for employees to work for Wildflower.

Conclusion: The rewards and personal joy you will find from giving back will change your life.

Influencer Inspiration : #PRSCamp Breakout Coverage

via Janet Hoffmann, @hoffmannassoc

At People Report Summer Camp, I had the honor of attending and blogging from Jenny DeVaughn’s breakout on “Cracking Through the Recruitment Glass Ceiling: Moving from Recruiter to Influencer.

Jenny’s background includes six plus years as a third party recruiter.  Most recently she was the Director of Social Strategy for Bernard Hodes and she is about to start working for Waste Management as their Manager of Social Media and Employment Branding.  Jenny has 9000+ followers on Twitter and is the 7^th most connected woman on LinkedIn with 24,000 first level connections. 

Clearly Jenny has a wealth of expertise to share in the recruiter and social media world, however, her breakout session was about something bigger and more personal – Her journey from Recruiter to Influencer!

“Motivation will get you through the day but Inspiration will last a lifetime.”  Where does your inspiration come from?  How will it inspire you to become an Influencer?

Jenny shared some of her sources of inspiration and lessons learned:

1.                  Jenny’s Mom is a strong inspiration for her.  By working hard herself she taught Jenny not to apologize for hard work. You can start with nothing and make something big.  Jenny honors her Mother’s inspiration by working hard to be the best every day.

2.                  Nick Vujicic has overcome many challenges being born with no arms or legs. As a motivational speaker, Nick shares his belief that we all have gifts and strengths we bring to the table.  It is not about what you don’t have but what you do with what you do have.

3.                 Risk more to gain more – Jenny believed she was good at recruiting but was not inspired by it.  She risked leaving her comfort zone to test the waters in areas she was more passionate about.

4.                  Don Yaeger, a New York Times best selling author inspires Jenny to be consistent and persistent through:

a.      Contagious Enthusiasm

b.      Visualizing Victory

c.       Being the Ultimate Teammate – giving others credit.

d.      Living Life with Integrity – you don’t have to be trashy to be social.

e.      Records are Made to be Broken – working to achieve but remembering it’s not all about the work. Live a balanced life.

5.                  Warrick Dunn influences by inspiring others to give back. Through his foundation “Home for the Holidays” he helps families realize the dream of home ownership. How are each of us paying it forward?

6.                  “Never let your memories be stronger than your dreams. “  Everyone has their own Superpowers – strengths, passions and goals that are unique to you.  Use them and don’t apologize for them.  To uncover them, ask yourself, “What makes me different?” or “What do I secretly love to do?”  Then work harder than anyone else at achieving them. The greatest pleasure in life is doing what others say you cannot.

7.        Invest in Your Future Everyday!  Start by scheduling 30 minutes towards your goal.  Add five impactful connections on LinkedIn,read a blog by a thought leader, attend a networking event or share a recent article with a like-minded peer. 

“Doing your best in this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment.”  -- Oprah

8.            Jenny’s biggest shareholder and inspiration are her kids.  Make sure you find a strategy to be true to your biggest shareholder.

Jenny summarized her journey by translating her lessons learned into some tangible steps for others:

·         Be honest with your true talents.  Ask those you trust and will tell you the truth to share what you are good at doing.

·         Find a mentor – someone who is doing what you would like to do and has reached his or her goal.

·         Share what you have learned and often.

·         Help others to be their best.

·         Speak at events, webinars and more.

·         Remember to pay it backward – give credit where credit is due.

If you haven’t had the opportunity to get to know Jenny, I definitely recommend you do so.  She is someone who inspires me.  Follow her on Twitter @JennyDeVaughn, read her blog http://socialprecision.com or connect with her on LinkedIn: 

http://www.linkedin.com/in/JennyDeVaughn.

 Janet Hoffmann

@hoffmannassoc

http://www.linkedin.com/in/janethoffmann2010

janet@hoffmannandassociates.com

Image by Peter Blanchard via Flickr

The HR Conference Rock Star Lifestyle

Two conferences down last week, more to come in the days and weeks ahead.   The HR conference tour-  It’s a whirlwhind rockstar life if you can afford to pay for it!  (or you have sponsors and friends who are willing to assist you). 

I am lucky to have both, which means I don’t have to lay out my own cold hard cash for most of the events I attend.   There are a few exceptions – shows where I am more than willing to pay my own way, like HREvolution held last week in Atlanta.   I paid my own way to that event because it is a fantastic learning and networking opportunity for HR professionals.  

There is another event very similar in nature to HR Evolution coming up in June.  This one is a little more formal, and has a bias towards discussing business and HR related issues in the service sectors like restaurants, and some others.  You shouldn’t let this get in the way of attending.   

The People Report Summer Camp Workforce Symposium

  I am talking about the People Report Summer Camp Workforce Symposium, put on by Joni Doolin and her ace staff at People Report.   I am not exaggerating when I say this was the best conference I attended in all of 2010, including SHRM National.   It is fun, fast-paced, informal, (how many conferences encourage you to wear shorts?) and they stretch your brain.   I highly recommend it for any HR practitioner.    I will be attending as well as presenting this year.

Here is a link to some of my Summer Camp memories for 2010.   Below, you can check out what you can expect to see at Summer Camp in 2011.

The People Report Workforce Symposium is designed for service sector HR leaders and operators, who recognize that the workforce challenges that we face today are tougher than ever. This truly unique conference is about what you need to know and to be doing NOW, to position yourself and your brand for success in a post-recession “new normal” workplace and marketplace. The best of People Report and Black Box Intelligence research, a phenomenal line-up of speakers and experts, social media, smart workforce technology, supercharged networking, and a whole lot of fun – you don’t want to miss our second annual Summer Camp.
 
This year we double the fun and the learning, and have added Digital Brand Camp, a partnership with DigitalCoCo  to create a truly unique opportunity for HR & Marketers.  It’s time to tear down the silos, and figure out how to work together to build great cultures, brands and companies.  Social media has blurred the boundaries between employer and consumer brands forever, and it has never been more important for us to find ways to build our talent communities and our base of raving customers into one seamless spectacular brand.  Digital Brand Camp offers hot off the web research, social media analytics, digital brand education, experiences and solutions, along with access to the hospitality leaders and trailblazers.
 
Average speaker Klout Score: 47 
2010 Attendees Who Promised to Return this Year: 98%
 
Did we mention the Talent Competition & the Summer Camp Band?
 
Bring your team and your HR and Marketing partners to Dallas, June 7 – 10th, for these content, insight and fun packed events.  $199.00 for Summer Camp, $100.00 Digital Brand Camp,$299.00 for both.  Special Conference Hotel Rate $125.00 
 
Register Now and We’ll See You There!

He's a quant, a 21st Century manager, and he has pursued his own career with passion and purpose.  Go Butler!

For Butler’s Stevens, a Career Change Paid Off   

By MARK VIERA

Published: April 1, 2011  New York Times

HOUSTON — Years before he stood on the sideline, Brad Stevens stood on a stage in St. Petersburg, Fla., speaking about employee compensation to a gathering of almost 400 of his co-workers from Eli Lilly. Not yet 25, he was an up-and-comer.

In four years as Butler’s coach, Brad Stevens has taken the Bulldogs to two Final Four appearances.

“I just remember he had a lot of polish,” Philip Hutchison, a consultant in corporate finance at Eli Lilly, said in a telephone interview. “He was going through the slides, standing in front, without a lectern and without any notes.”

Stevens’s second career, as the basketball coach at Butler, has been chronicled in headlines and highlights. But he arrived in coaching after a little more than a year of conference calls, meetings and projects, a recent graduate starting in the corporate world.

Stevens was a promising marketing associate at Eli Lilly, the pharmaceutical company based in Indianapolis. Relied upon for his mathematical skills, he took on complex projects and did not need instructions twice, his former co-workers say.

Stevens wrestled with leaving his well-paying corporate job for an unpaid assistant coaching role at Butler in 2000, but his decision to leave was a transformational moment. In four seasons as Butler’s coach, Stevens, 34, has taken the Bulldogs to two Final Four appearances and into living rooms across America.

“I’ve looked back on it many times,” Stevens said. “There have been many a days in coaching where I’ve said, What was I thinking? Because it is not the easiest job in the world. But it is very fulfilling, not because of the results you achieve but because of the relationships you build.” 

Stevens started at Eli Lilly as a summer intern from DePauw University in Greencastle, Ind. He was offered a full-time job after graduating in 1999 with a degree in economics.

Stevens’s responsibilities at Eli Lilly included distilling information from sales to help determine compensation for pharmaceutical representatives and to suggest whether the company should sell certain medicines to certain insurance companies or hospitals.

“I think it’s the volumes and types of information you need to synthesize that can be very challenging,” Chris Fletchall, a senior adviser of ethics and compliance at Eli Lilly, said in a telephone interview. “Brad was a very bright guy. He was very good with analytics and numbers and coming up with proposals and plans.”

Numbers and statistical analysis have informed Stevens’s basketball philosophy, too. He uses data to seek trends in his team’s losses and to identify opponents’ strengths and weaknesses.

“He’s very interested in the numbers,” Tom Crowley, the associate athletic director of internal operations at Butler, said in a telephone interview. “He’s very big into technology to teach the kids. He’s not alone in that, but he certainly is a 21st-century coach.”

While working his 9-to-5 job, Stevens never relinquished his passion for basketball. He was a volunteer assistant at Carmel High School in suburban Indianapolis and played in a league with others from Eli Lilly.

The corporate league had competitive and noncompetitive divisions. Stevens joined the competitive division, which featured former Division I players, including the former N.B.A. guard Scott Haffner. The teams had names like Five to Give and Take No Prisoners.

Stevens played four years at DePauw, a Division III program. He limits recollections of his playing days to self-deprecating comments, and he averaged under 8 points a game in his career. In intramurals, however, Stevens was remembered as a free-shooting guard who took charge of his team.

“He was a shooter,” Pat Bruen, one of Stevens’s intramural teammates, said in a telephone interview. “He came in and had an attitude he was going to jump in and be the scorer on our team. He wasn’t bashful about putting the ball up.”

Thad Matta, who was entering his first year as Butler’s coach, offered Stevens a job as a volunteer assistant after Stevens worked at Butler’s summer camp. Stevens, unsure if he should accept it, had several conversations with his co-workers at Eli Lilly about the opportunity. Stevens said many of his co-workers supported his desire to go into coaching.

The issue was simple: stick with his comfortable corporate job or go down an uncertain path to pursue his basketball dreams. But his colleagues could tell that Stevens was leaning toward leaving, and he joined Butler for the 2000-1 season.

“I really thought he was going to be successful here,” said Bruen, a senior director for strategic pricing at Eli Lilly. “He was competing with guys who had M.B.A.’s from Harvard and Northwestern and Stanford. And he was holding his own real well.”

While Stevens might have been a success in the corporate world — he still discusses developments in the pharmaceutical industry with former co-workers after church — nobody at Eli Lilly could have predicted his quick ascent in coaching.

Shortly before he resigned, Stevens pulled aside Kevin Hanna, who was two levels his superior, to discuss his intention to go into coaching. Hanna said recently that he posed three questions to Stevens.

Is being a coach what you think of when you wake up, something you want more than you want to eat and sleep? Stevens said yes. Are you going to be able to feed, clothe and shelter yourself? Stevens said yes. And finally, Hanna asked, do you understand the difficulty of what you are about to try to do?

Hanna told Stevens that he would need to set realistic goals and that if he did not meet them in a given time frame, he should feel comfortable walking away from coaching.

“Obviously, that last piece of advice turned out to be unnecessary,” Hanna said. “This probably meets the criteria for success in that profession.”