Come Recommended's Best Advice for Employers in 2010

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HOW TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN YOUR GEN Y EMPLOYEES
& OTHER GENERATIONS
Originally Posted on Nov. 22, 2010 by Katie Farrell

It can be tough to get along with the variety of different people you meet in the
workplace–sometimes even tougher for a young professional. Many members of Gen
Y are just getting started in their professional careers as interns or entry-level
employees, and your guidance as their employer and mentor is important to their
success in the workplace.

So, when you’re seeing an obvious disconnect between Gen Y employees and other
generations, how do you bridge that gap? And how can you ultimately make the
generations understand one another? Here are a few suggestions:

Discover what drives each generation

First off, realize that not all members of each generation can fall into the broad
generalizations of the group. However, many do, and those generalizations are
based on values, morals, reactions to the job market and economy, etc.

These include:

• What is this generation most concerned about?

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• What does this generation expect in a workplace?
• How does this group prefer to work?
• What do they expect from their co-workers, boss and superiors?

Offer multiple ways of learning

Because each generation grew up with different technology and learning skills, they
each tend to prefer a different method learning. Gen Y tends to resort to the Internet
or other tech-based options, whereas members of the Baby Boomer generation
might prefer looking something up in a reference book.

Come up with ways to have the generations collaborate

Working together comes naturally to Generation Y, as they have worked in groups
and teams since their childhood. Figure out a way that Millennials can interact with
other generations (such as mentorship programs or team projects) in order for each
individual to better understand the other.

Encourage feedback

If you have an internal social network, encourage employees of all generations to
communicate their concerns and comments on the site. If you don’t, come up with a

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system of feedback that allows each generation to voice their opinion in order to
alleviate concerns in your workplace.

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CREATING A SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY FOR YOUR
GEN Y EMPLOYEES & INTERNS
Originally Posted on Aug. 23, 2010 by Katie Farrell

The stories don’t seem to stop about people posting ludicrous things on Facebook or
Twitter — and then being fired for it. As an employer, you need to have a clear
definition of what’s appropriate and what’s not appropriate when it comes to social
media so that your employees know the line.

What do you include in a social media policy, you ask?

Tiffany Black on Inc.com wrote the following:

1. Remind employees to familiarize themselves with the employment agreement and
policies included in the employee handbook.
2. State that the policy applies to multi-media, social networking websites, blogs and
wikis for both professional and personal use.
3. Internet postings should not disclose any information that is confidential or
proprietary to the company or to any third party that has disclosed information to the
company.
4. If an employee comments on any aspect of the company’s business they must clearly
identify themselves as an employee and include a disclaimer.
5. The disclaimer should be something like “the views expressed are mine alone and do
not necessarily reflect the views of (your companies name).”

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6. Internet postings should not include company logos or trademarks unless permission is
asked for and granted.
7. Internet postings must respect copyright, privacy, fair use, financial disclosure, and
other applicable laws.
8. Employees should neither claim nor imply that they are speaking on the company’s
behalf.
9. Corporate blogs, Facebook pages, Twitter accounts, etc., could require approval when
the employee is posting about the company and the industry.
10. That the company reserves the right to request the certain subjects are avoided,
withdraw certain posts, and remove inappropriate comments.

Basically, when constructing your social media policy, you need to include
guidelines for any type of communication that you’d like to control. This includes,
but is not limited to: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, blogs, your website, and many
more. Think specifically about each medium/site and what types of guidelines you
may need to create to keep your organization and employees on the same page. You
may also need to include disclaimers about employees posting inappropriate or
company-related information on their own time, if you perceive it becoming a
problem.

As you probably already know, social media can do wonders for your business–if
you use it correctly. Don’t be afraid of employees using these sites to promote your
brand. Instead, have clear expectations from your employees as to how they need to
conduct themselves on these sites.

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3 WAYS TO GAIN MORE EMPLOYEES
THROUGH YOUR CURRENT EMPLOYEES

Your current employees can be a powerful recruiting tool. They already work for
you and can explain the benefits they receive to their contacts who may be
interested in an opening. They also won’t refer someone to work with them every
day if they don’t already like the person, which can be a huge factor in hiring
someone. If you involve your current employees in recruiting new talent, you’ll most
likely get a better pool of candidates for your openings than through traditional
recruiting methods, such as posting on a job board.

Not sure where to start? Here are a few suggestions:

Create a referral program. Offer an incentive for current employees to refer their
friends and acquaintances for your openings. Instead of spending money on job ads
(which typically yield a large amount of unqualified applicants), offer that money to
the person who refers the person who gets hired. You can also look into using
referral sites that already have this program set up for you and have your current
employees sign up.

Referral programs can be especially beneficial for small businesses. Business
Week wrote the following about employee referrals:

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Traditional recruiting methods usually fail small companies. Broadcasting openings
on job boards sometimes yields a flood of applicants who don’t qualify, and the number
of responses can overwhelm small firms, says Dennis J. Ceru, a Babson College
professor of entrepreneurship and a consultant to small and midsize companies. Paid
recruiters can find good candidates, but at a high cost—typical fees are 20% or more
of the position’s yearly salary. Ceru says the price may be worth it to fill a top position
such as a chief financial officer but not for ordinary hires.

Instead, most small companies prefer to find candidates through referrals and
networks of people they trust. To do this effectively, entrepreneurs need to articulate
what they want in job applicants, says networking expert Diane Darling. “People don’t
know what you need. They just can’t read your mind,” she says. She also suggests small
business owners keep an open mind about who might refer good candidates.
Sometimes unlikely social connections can refer good employees, although Darling
cautions business owners always to check professional references, even when a trusted
friend recommends someone.

Share job openings with employees first. Once you have an opening, share it via
your internal network or listserv. Because they’re working for you, employees like
to be “in the know” before the general public. Encourage them to refer their
qualified contacts to the position.

Involve current employees in your social media outreach. Invite your
employees to retweet your openings, share them on Facebook, recommended them
to their contacts on LinkedIn, etc. With employees playing a part in the hiring

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process, they’ll be more interested in the role being filled with someone who’s a
good fit.

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DO YOU HAVE A CANDIDATE BILL OF RIGHTS?
A RECRUITER’S MANIFESTO?

When someone applies for a job at your organization, how do you give them
feedback during the hiring process? Do candidates often feel neglected, out-of-the-
loop, frustrated?

In tough economic times, it’s often difficult to follow-up with every person who
applies for an opening at your organization. However, an important part of the
hiring process is communicating with candidates. If you don’t, they’re likely to feel
irritated, disappointed, and may even resort to bad-mouthing your organization.

You may want to think about drafting up a “candidate bill of rights” or “recruiter’s
manifesto” in order to clearly define your hiring process and change your
candidate’s experiences for the better. Basically, these documents will provide a
structure or a set of promises for candidates that recruiters or HR departments will
fulfill. This would allow your recruiters and HR department more transparency with
candidates, and also give them a process to follow for feedback and follow-up.

On Talent Anarchy, Jason Lauritsen said a recruiter’s manifesto could include the
following:

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• We will acknowledge you. It might not always be in the way you hope for, but we
will make sure your communication doesn’t go into a black hole.
• We will let you know that we received your application through an automated
email.
• I will listen to you and answer your questions to the best of my abilities.
• We will follow up with you after interviews to let you know the decision.
• We get over 4,000 applications every year. We hire 200. While we’d love to hire
every person who applies, we just don’t have enough jobs. Despite that, we will try
to make the process as positive as possible despite the fact that most people don’t
make the cut.
• I will know enough about the position and the hiring manager to help a candidate
decide if they are interested in the job.

A post by Kevin Wheeler on ERE.net in 2009 outlined the following aspects to be
included in a candidate bill of rights:

• Honesty and authenticity
• Accuracy
• Complete information
• Process
• Status
• Confidentiality

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5 WAYS MILLENNIALS WILL CHANGE THE WORKFORCE
Originally Posted on Jul. 06, 2010 by Annie Kohanek

Millennials aren’t simply looking for work – they’re looking to change the world.
Millennials will undoubtedly become a major force and alter the dynamics of our 9
to 5 lives. Thanks to Ryan Healy from BrazenCareerist.com, here are some of the
ways the rising generation will create change in the professional world.

1. They’ll shorten the workday. Don’t confuse a shorter workday with less productivity.
Millennials are a generation of multi-tasking and hard work. They’ll figure out how to
cut down the number of work hours while still getting more work accomplished.
2. They’ll bring back administrative assistants. Who said only CEO’s need
administrative help? The previous generation might have seen administrative
assistants as a luxury, but this generation knows about the value of time. With the
amount of time most people spend filing, mailing checks, and setting up meetings, even
a part time, or better, viral assistant can actually save their company money.
3. They’ll find, and eventually become, real mentors. Millennials are all about career
development and learning from experience. However, this idea of a strong mentor can
be lost on the previous generation who had none of their own. Millennials come into
the workforce looking for leadership, but also understand the value of working
together. Don’t be surprised when you see a younger employee working side by side
with an older staff member – one picking up new technology while the other learns
how to navigate and avoid the world of office politics.
4. Discussing salaries will be completely normal. Thanks to the internet,
transparency is king. Social media forces companies to open their doors and show the
outdoor world what’s happening. Millennials take it for granted. This generation

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doesn’t have the same qualms about privacy and information the way the older
generation might. It’s incredibly easy for young staff members to compare salaries
with each other and with other companies – not out of spite, but to make sure

5. Leadership will be a team effort. Not that Millennials disregard authority, but
everyone is getting a fair treatment.

rather, the dynamics of leadership will change. Millennials value teamwork and group
thought. When a future executive Millennials makes a decision, they’ll reach out to
other employees for feedback. Not because they doubt their choices, but rather, they
value as much thought and energy as possible to make the best decisions.

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JOB INTERVIEWS CAN MAKE OR BREAK YOUR BRAND
Originally Posted on Sep. 16, 2010 by Nikita Patel

A friend of mine went on one of her very first job interviews at a reputable firm this
week. She was expecting to be interviewed by a high executive who would
presumably shower her with the company’s accomplishments, as well as outline her
day-to-day responsibilities, should she get the job. However, she came out of the
interview with a terrible view of the organization. Why? Her potential boss was
unprofessional, unprepared, and disheveled.

For Generation Y, it’s hard enough getting your foot in the door, but having to deal
with an employer that doesn’t even care that a candidate not only prepared
themselves, but also took the time to be there is bad form. My friend now has a bad
taste in her mouth when it comes to what she thought was an organization at which
she could excel. She commented that she would rather work at a coffee shop than
work at a firm that doesn’t acknowledge the fact that she was there for a very
specific reason.

Employers remember, just because you are doing the interviewing doesn’t mean
you aren’t going through an interview, as well. You will be portraying more than just
yourself, after all. Here are a few things to remember when going through the
interview process with Generation Y:

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1. Be prepared. This is obvious, but it is surprising how many people in
management positions aren’t ready to conduct job interviews. Whatever the reason,
if you are investing your time in a person, you may as well know who you could be
working with. Even something as simple as skimming their resume and doing a
quick Google search would at least give you something to talk about. At the same
time, go over the position itself. Candidates will surely have questions about the job,
and not knowing what is to be expected of them is just uncalled for. As my friend put
it, awkward silences and not knowing important information on the management’s
part shouldn’t be the highlight of an interview.

2. Word travels fast. In the age of social media, your image can be skewered in less
than the time it took to conduct the interview itself. Although I would never call out
an individual company, this blog post in itself is a testament to how fast bad
behavior can be reported. If you take a laid back approach on how you conduct
yourself, expect that the candidate will report this not only to their friends and
family, but to their entire professional network, as well.

3. You represent your brand. You may be the only person a candidate will ever
interact with before a decision is made about the job. Don’t you want this to be a
positive one? Do you want to be seen as company that is uninformed? Do you really
need to have your cell phone on and answer calls during an interview? How you act
is going to translate to how you mange. My friend actually received a second
interview request but will not be pursuing it. This is largely due to the fact that the
people in charge are not those that she can see herself working with. This particular

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firm that claims to know what they are doing, but they are actually as
unprofessional as they come.

Bottom line: Interviews shouldn’t be easy, but they also shouldn’t be a brand
nightmare either. Take time to research the candidate, know what you are talking
about, and have a genuine interest in someone who probably lost sleep preparing
for this. You need quality candidates and how you interact during an interview
could send them running for the door.

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WHY YOU SHOULD HIRE A RECENT GRADUATE
Originally Posted on May. 24, 2010 by Annie Kohanek

Sitting on your desk are two resumes – one of them is a person with ten years of
work experience and the other is a recent graduate with the adequate number of
internships and work experience expected from a 21-year-old. Taking away any
other extenuating circumstances, who do you hire? Many readers will vie for the
former candidate, but before you make your final decision, here are some reasons
why hiring the recent graduate would be the sound choice.

Recent graduates are a lot more tech savvy. Yes, when one thinks of the
Millennials one thinks of text messages, Facebook, Skype and the general constant
overload of non-personal interaction, but the truth is, having someone like this can
be a huge benefit. Not only do they know their way around a computer, but their
knowledge can be hugely beneficial when trying to come up with creative ways to
expand your business viral.

The Millennial generation is an international generation. More than half of
today’s graduates have traveled overseas, and a quarter have spent time studying
abroad. Trust me, the globe feels accessible and is not intimidating for the recent
graduate. Combined with their technological ease, not only do they have a stronger
command of cultural differences, but they know how to access the world.

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Recent graduates live and breathe competition. Getting into college has never
been harder, and the expectations for today’s graduates have never been higher.
Recent graduates are expected to have multiple internships, work experience,
strong grades and a healthy extracurricular life – way tougher than any previous
generation. They are used to hard work.

Millennials are ready to work 24/7. Ask one of your co-workers to get to you on
Saturday, and you’ll probably get a look of surprise. Not twenty years ago the idea of
being accessible to the office on the weekend was unheard of. With smart phones,
emails and texts, Millennials simply expect to be reachable and able to work anytime
of the week.

Recent graduates lack previous professional baggage. Those who have work
experience have developed their own work style and can make it difficult to
understand your expectations. Recent graduates don’t have any expectations: they
want to work, want to learn, and since they don’t have a routine, will simply copy
your work style. That couldn’t be easier.

work a whole lot harder. These graduates are out of school, eager to apply their
If nothing else, a recent graduate has a lot fewer expectations and is eager to

knowledge, and are going to be a whole lot more reasonable about money than
those who are changing jobs in the hopes of higher salaries.

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THE ALTERNATIVE INTERVIEW
Originally Posted on Aug. 19, 2010 by Nikita Patel

The days of the traditional interview may be over. With an infinite amount of “how-
to” learning resources, many candidates are mastering the job interview before they
even step into the door. Here are a few ways you can not only surprise your
potential employee, but also find out what their true skills are:

Building blocks. Have your job candidate look at a set of building blocks or LEGOs
for two minutes, then quickly ask them to recreate the structure themselves. This
technique may sound futile, but it actually shows how the interviewee pays
attention to detail, how quickly and effectively they can memorize, and how they can
perform under pressure. In the real world, your employee may only have a few
minutes to absorb a lot of information. You want a candidate who can not only
retain information, but those that can also understand it.

Marketing plan. No matter what industry you are in, your employees will be
making some sort of plan for your product or brand. To test how well your
interviewee can handle this, ask them to make a marketing plan for the building
blocks or LEGOs. Instruct them to come up with a name for the product, the
assumed risks and benefits, a target market, competitors, and a slogan. As with the
previous tactic, have your candidate perform these tasks in a short amount of time.
This approach shows how well the interviewee can strategize on their feet as well as

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their critical thinking skills. You want someone who can perform the task in the
completed time, but more importantly, someone who can create a marketing plan
with substance.

Presentation. Lastly, have the candidate present their plan and product in a
formalized setting. This will make you aware of their presentation and public
speaking skills (skills that many people claim they have, but actually fall short of
when the time comes to perform them). In an actual work environment, creating a
presentation in a matter of hours is very realistic. Your potential employee will have
to work in a fast pace while at the same time producing quality work. You want to
find out if they have the skills you need sooner rather than later.

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HOW TO WRITE A NEWSLETTER THAT RETAINS
GEN Y EMPLOYEES

Employee newsletters can be a powerful tool for keeping in touch and distributing
information. Young professionals grew up receiving various newsletters and
promotions in their e-mail daily, so you’ll need to make sure your newsletter stands
out in their inbox in order for them to actually read the content you want them to
absorb.

A few factors to consider before starting a newsletter:

• Frequency: How often will it publish? Weekly? Bi-weekly? Quarterly?
• Purpose: What are you hoping to accomplish through distributing a
newsletter?

• Audience: Who will be receiving the newsletter? Will you make different
• Content

versions for different people?
• Benefits: What does your audience benefit by reading it?
• Visual interest: Does your newsletter “pop”?

For Gen Y employees to get something out of your newsletter, you’ll need to create
something that grabs their attention. Several ways to do so:

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Interactive content. Include a poll, survey or open-ended question you’d like them
to answer. Getting them involved by asking for their opinion will increase the time
they spend reading the newsletter.

Transparency. Share insider news and other information that will make Millennials
gain trust in your company and its mission. Have the CEO or president write a short
blurb about goings on with the company. Include monthly statistics or financial
information.

Inspire and motivate. An article on Entrepreneur.com suggests motivating
employees through your newsletter:

• Learn about something newsworthy that one or several employees did. This
may require digging for facts among co-workers and customers. If your company
routinely invites customer comments, this can become a prime source for hero
stories.
• Use direct quotations from employees, co-workers and the customers
affected. The greater the number of direct quotes, the greater the story’s overall
credibility and impact.
• Take photos of the employees and customers to accompany the story. Photos
further enhance both credibility and motivational impact.

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3 SIGNS YOUR CANDIDATES AREN’T WHO THEY SAY THEY ARE
Originally Posted on Nov. 11, 2010 by Nikita Patel

Competition for jobs is the fiercest it has ever been, and as an employer, you need to
know if your candidates are as strong as they say they are. Yes, their resumes may
be chocked full of accomplishments and experience, but how do you know if they
can follow through with what’s on paper? References may be the traditional method
to be sure, but here are some other ways you can tell:

Their social media accounts are lacking or non-existent. Whatever industry you
are in, candidates need to have a strong grip on popular social media platforms. If
they haven’t updated their Twitter page in three months, don’t blog regularly, or
don’t own a LinkedIn account, you may want to pass. You should also look at the
range at which they are updating their accounts. For example, many people only
update their social media platforms when they are looking for a job, then drop them
completely once they get what they want. What does this say about the value of
commitment to your candidate?

They have huge gaps in their resumes for no apparent reason. The time
between college and career is an understandable time to be without a job, but there
are simple things that a candidate could have been doing while they perform their
search, like blogging, volunteering, or even traveling. A candidate who keeps busy

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when it’s not required is someone you can probably count on to selflessly perform
tasks because they want to, not because they have to.

They don’t have experience in multiple industries. Whatever profession you are
in, chances are you will be working with multiple industries. It is so important to
have a well-rounded employee on your team because they need to be able to relate
to different clients, atmospheres, and situations. Working in different industries, but
still practicing the same core profession, will truly show that a potential employee
will be able to handle an array of responsibilities, good and bad.

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5 WAYS TO HELP YOUR GEN Y EMPLOYEES SUCCEED
Originally Posted on Oct. 25, 2010 by Katie Farrell

Young professionals are often recent graduates (or still students) and excited about
landing their first internship or entry-level job. As an employer, you want these
young pros have the ability to grow at your organization. Maybe some of them will
stay and climb up the ladder. How can you retain them? And — more importantly —
how can you help them succeed?

Create a mentorship program. With many Millennials growing up with “helicopter
parents,” (parents who pay extreme attention to their child’s needs, experiences and
problems), they are used to receiving guidance and feedback quickly and frequently.
If you are unable to provide this much feedback, a great solution is to set up your
young professionals with a mentor (higher-level employee to help guide them).
Their mentor can field questions and concerns they may have, and also help the
young pro navigate their way in the working world.

Ask for input and ideas. Are you asking your Gen Y employees how to better your
organization? Many Millennials can provide fresh ideas when it comes to
technology, work processes or tasks. Come up with a procedure for fielding these
ideas — such as compiling them in a wiki or internal social network — and respond
accordingly when there is one you could implement.

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Provide challenges. Millennials grew up with the latest technology, and many of
them didn’t have parents who understood how to use it. So, they figured it out
themselves. Gen Y enjoys being challenged and, although they realize not all tasks
will be enjoyable, need a challenge or become easily bored in the position.

Be flexible. Older generations may feel like Gen Y doesn’t have a good work ethic,
but the reality is that many members of this generation take much pride in their
work — they just do it differently. For example, maybe your Millennial employee
works better at 8 p.m. than 8 a.m. If you can find ways to provide flexibility, such as
telecommuting or flexible work hours, consider implementing them into your
workplace.

Create a fun, employee-centered workplace. Young professionals want to enjoy
their work and their workplace. This is why so many large organizations (think:
Google) are starting to provide a more fun atmosphere for their employees.

With so many Millennials entering the workforce, it’s important to take a hard look
at your organization and evaluate how you can help young professionals succeed.
Do you really know what motivates this generation? For more information on
Generation Y in the workplace, download our infographic loaded with
statistics here.

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HOW TO MAINTAIN HAPPINESS IN THE WORKPLACE

For many people, getting up and going to work everyday is more of a chore than
anything else. Sometimes the reason for this is that people in management positions
treat their employees with the same thought in mind: they are just there to work
and nothing beyond that.

However, a recent Forbes article suggests that unhappiness at work causes more
than just discouragement. People who hate their jobs are “more prone to health
problems, less productive and a general drag on others.”

So, what can you do as an employer to make things better?

1. Get to know your employees. It’s as simple as having lunch together, or taking
some time after work to get to know someone who you will be spending a lot of time
with. You know what they are like on paper, but what about their personalities?
What is their background? What do they personally want for themselves in the next
five years? How will this job help them achieve those goals? Answers to these
questions will help you get to know your employee on a personal level, which can
often translate into getting to know their work personalities.

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2. Identify their learning style. The sooner you find out your employee’s learning
style, the better their work will be. Some people hate public speaking. Some don’t
work well in groups. Certain employees work better when directions are given in
person, not through e-mail. Obviously, people may have to do things they don’t love
to do at times, but if you can give them tasks in such a way that fits them best, the
quality of their work will improve.

3. Be transparent. There are some things that you can’t let your employees know
for multiple reasons. However, there are many aspects of your job that you can
engage them in. Ask what you can be doing better, get feedback on projects, see
what your team would like to be doing differently. Let your employees know that
they have an impact on your personal growth, as well. This will show that they do
have a significant role not only to the company, but to the future of the team. It will
make them feel important and hopefully give them more incentive to want to do
their jobs. After all, the happier your employees are, the more productive they are.

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WHY THE “PURPLE SQUIRREL”
SHOULDN’T BE A RECRUITING FOCUS
Originally Posted on Dec. 20, 2010 by Raquel Gonzalez

According to Urban Dictionary, “The term ‘purple squirrel’ is a recruiter’s term for
the elusive candidate, with exactly the right qualifications and experience, to match
the client’s role.” The term is synonymous with the term “ideal candidate.”

But are your squirrel-y requests being filled?

Even though we downplay the need to capture a “purple squirrel,” many employers
forget that this mystical creature doesn’t exist (for unreasonable requirements). In
order to avoid too much focus on the most talented candidate, we need to look for a
candidate that is best for the tasks, position, and corporate culture. Without
reasonable focus, spending too much time seeking a “purple squirrel” can create a
red item on your ROI spreadsheet.

In addition to outrageous requirements and wasted recruiting dollars, here’s why
the “purple squirrel” shouldn’t be a recruiting focus:

Unreasonable requirements may intimidate that perfect candidate

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As college recruiting is being revolutionized, and passive candidates are casually
browsing the job market, a job description that describes a “purple squirrel” might
be a bit intimidating.

Are your qualifications and requirements reasonable? Do you make it clear to
applicants that they can still apply if they meet some, but not all of your
requirements? With companies targeting superstar college students, and taking
them off the market before competitors get to them, you should evaluate your job
postings. Is that passive squirrel suitable for your messages?

Your jobs are still unfilled

Are you expecting too much from employees after a record-setting unemployment
rate? According to a recent article on MSNBC.com, “The job crisis has brought an
unwelcome discovery for many unemployed Americans: Job openings in their old
fields exist. Yet they no longer qualify for them.”

While requests for the “purple squirrel” are on the rise, employers shouldn’t hold
jobs vacant while they seek multi-skilled employees. Active and perfect-for-the-task
candidates are out there but they may need a little in-house training or an initiative
to boost their skills. Open communication with all applicants allows you to gain a
better view of how willing and able the non-squirrel candidate is to meeting your
needs.

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You may attract overqualified and under enthusiastic candidates

High qualifications call for highly experienced candidates; is that worth your time or
money? “Purple squirrel” syndrome can have your recruiters attracting the wrong
candidate – the overqualified candidate. An overqualified candidate, which has more
than the required skills and considers your job a step down, is an easy “purple
squirrel” hunter’s target.

They can easily fall into your database when you’re searching for that multi-skilled
candidate, but will they stay? For some reason or another, your offer may seem as a
more attractive endeavor than their current position, so why wouldn’t they treat
your opening as a stepping stone? Be sure to question whether that candidate is apt
to become vulnerable to recruiters or seek other opportunities.

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WOULD YOU CONSIDER A REVERSE MENTORSHIP?
Originally Posted on Dec. 02, 2010 by Nikita Patel

Have you ever been in a meeting and been far too confused with Web 2.0 products
and social media jargon? What about reading an article and seeing icons that read
“Tweet,” “Share,” or “Stumble” and been entirely lost? You’re not alone. The way we
communicate has changed, and businesses have adapted. Unfortunately, many
haven’t and they are the ones that are left behind. However, what if you could get
someone to nurture your skills to be on par in the new era of communication? More
importantly, would it matter if they were considerably younger than you?

A recent Mashable article addresses this new trend: Millennials that guide members
of organizations who are older so they can better advance themselves. According to
the article, this form of leadership is called a reverse mentorship. The reverse
mentorship is designed to help marketers with the obvious knowledge gap that has
occurred since the boom of social media, and who better to engage them than those
who discovered it first?

Sound strange? It shouldn’t be.

Just like any form of learning, information can come from all kinds of sources, young
or old. The key to making this sort of mentorship work is the same as any
relationship: it’s a two way street. While they can help you with Twitter chats, you

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can help them learn key marketing tools that will never go out of style. Furthermore,
there is no need to be apprehensive or even cynical by receiving help from someone
who is from Generation Y. If anything it can give you that edge against your
competitors by expanding your knowledge base.

After all, this generation isn’t going anywhere. Listen to what they have to say, it
may surprise you.

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HOW TO SAVE MONEY WITHOUT SACRIFICING TALENT
Originally Posted on Nov. 04, 2010 by Nikita Patel

A friend of mine is the poster child for the perfect entry-level employee. He’s had
four internships throughout his college career while maintaining a near perfect GPA,
volunteers for various charities, and paid his way through college expecting a well-
deserved first job. However, like most recent graduates, he’s struggling to find work
in his field. Though he still believes he will find something, his enthusiasm and hope
for his career has diminished significantly. With this sort of trend on the rise, are
employers jeopardizing the future of their companies by putting off hiring those
quality candidates?

Though most employers have slashed budgets, there are still ways to give entry-
level employees a meaningful experience without draining your funds. Here are
three suggestions that would not only help you, but also give experience to recent
graduates who are just itching to join the workforce:

1. Go virtual. Virtual positions could save time and money, as suggested by a
recent Forbes article. Furthermore, with the technology that is available, the
traditional office structure may not be necessary if your company is not reliant on it.
You can also give someone a taste of real work experience without either of you
having to leave your homes. Everyone wins.

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2. Ask old interns to help with major projects. If past interns have had a good
experience with your company, then they may be your best asset in the future when
you need help. Think of large workloads like a charity event or end of the year
reports. You may need that extra manpower, but don’t have time or money to train
them. Past interns already know the ins and outs of your company, so they wouldn’t
need a 360 degree run-through. You also know what areas they excel in, so you can
foresee what projects to hand them.

3. Hire temps. Temporary workers can work wonders for your organization if you
can allocate funds for a set period. This works in the employer as well as the
employees favor: Employees get to enhance their knowledge by practicing the skills
that they are good at and there are no surprises when the time comes for the
employer to let temps go. Though it may be only for a short time period, both parties
benefit and some experience is better than no experience.

36

8 REASONS YOUR GEN Y EMPLOYEES LEAVE
& HOW TO KEEP THEM
Originally Posted on Oct. 18, 2010 by Katie Farrell

Generation Y or “Millennials” are the future of your workplace. You may already
manage Gen Y employees and know that their expectations differ from previous
generations.

When managing and hiring a new generation of young professionals, it’s essential to
know the main reasons why they might leave your organization and how to keep
them around for longer. Here are eight reasons, including practical solutions for
retaining them:

1. Lack of advancement options. Millennials are typically well-educated and tech-
savvy. They expect the opportunity to advance at your organization in exchange for
working hard and sharing their knowledge. How to keep them: Develop
advancement paths for your young professionals. Once they’ve proven themselves
at their first position, consider how you can promote them, offer higher pay or
different benefits to keep them around.

2. Not enough feedback or rewards. Gen Y has received constant feedback
throughout their school careers, so they expect to know how they’re doing on
projects and assignments right away. How to keep them: If your organization only

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does “the annual review,” consider giving feedback more often to keep your young
professionals interested in their work. All it takes is a simple, “Great work!” (or
other feedback) e-mail to let them know what you thought.

3. Poor relationship with upper management or mentor. Maybe your
organization doesn’t have a mentorship program yet, or maybe upper management
doesn’t quite understand how to communicate with Millennials. Either way, this is
an important aspect of why many Gen Y employees leave their jobs. How to keep
them: As number 2 said, feedback is a great way to keep Gen Y employees interested
and on-task. It’s also a way to constantly communicate with them. Another thing to
be careful of with young pros is talking down to them. Gen Y does not appreciate
this and will likely want to leave if it happens too often.

4. Salary/benefits not up-to-par. This generation knows what they’re worth.
They’ve spent years in college, years gaining experience and done their research
about other’s compensation before interviewing with you. How to keep them: Be
transparent about their pay and benefits and encourage discussion with young
professionals. If they can advance quickly, let them know how their pay or benefits
can change once they’ve been with your organization for a period of time.

5. Poor relationship with co-workers. As with any generation, some Millennials
will leave their job because they don’t get along with their co-workers. They, too,
find it hard to stay in an environment that doesn’t seem right for them. How to keep

38

them: Encourage communication and collaboration between co-workers by
assigning team projects. Many Millennials are used to this dynamic from school.

6. Work is not stimulating or meaningful. Gen Y expects to work for an
organization or company they believe in. They also hope to do work that is
stimulating and challenging. How to keep them: Keep Gen Y workers challenged by
switching up their tasks from time-to-time and asking them for ideas. Give them the
lead role on a project or task.

7. They feel like they’re not being listened to. If you have a large company, this
can be tricky. It’s hard to listen to every employee’s ideas, but many Millennials have
great insights into new technologies to save the company money/time or new ways
of running processes. How to keep them: Encourage them to share ideas via a
company internal network. Develop a specific page for ideas and be sure to look it
over often. If you spot any idea that could work, praise them for their feedback and
discuss how it might be implemented.

8. Poor fit with the organization, culture or position. This is an important aspect
of the interview — you don’t want to hire a young professional for their talent along
without considering their fit with your organization, culture and position. How to
keep them: Discuss ways to help with the situation if they’re already working for
you. If you’re still in the interview process — don’t hire someone you know won’t be
a good fit.

39

WILL SOCIAL MEDIA SCANNING BE THE FUTURE OF
CANDIDATE SELECTION?
Originally Posted on Oct. 28, 2010 by Nikita Patel

A recent article suggested that the future of hiring will be heavily determined by a
candidates social media sites, more so than their perfectly tailored resumes and
cover letters. The key is that particular scanning programs will be able to piece
together a combination of a candidate’s online presence. In turn, this will be used to
determine what kind of employee they could turn out to be in the future.

That’s right, these programs can actually let you know the future personality of your
employee based on their past.

In theory, this isn’t anything new. Human resources professionals have been able to
determine what kind of employee will fit with a team based on past experiences. As
a result, those past experiences will predict future experiences. However, is
implementing a program that can “tell the future” based on today’s online presence
ethical?

To most, the answer would be yes and no. A large portion of employers already use
social media as a way to weed out candidates. Using a social media scanning
programs to determine what kind of employee a person will be in a year, or even
five years, shouldn’t be a shaping factor in the hiring process. Why? People change.

40

A good number of employers can surely say that they themselves are not the people
that they were five years ago, and if they were hired based on that, they wouldn’t be
where they are today.

If used, these programs should be only be utilized as an additional tool (and not the
only one) to help find the perfect candidate. However, knowing that social media
scanning programs exist can help you pick out the sort of candidate you are looking
for, not necessarily one that they will become, the latter of which is never a
guarantee.

41

HOW TO DEAL WITH AN INFLUX OF CANDIDATES

With the job market as concentrated as ever, it has become nearly impossible for
employers to get back to every single candidate who applies for a job. The usual
tactic is the “thank you for applying” confirmation email since replying to every
single applicant can be a daunting, and usually an ignored, task.

However, implementing a system that gets back to most of the candidates can be
beneficial not only for your company image, but also to the applicant since it can
give them some sort of peace of mind.

1. Newsletter. The easiest way for employers to keep in contact with candidates is
to invite them to sign up for the company newsletter. Encourage the job seeker to
keep the company in mind by receiving the latest information, from the opening of a
new office to a change in the way you to business. You can also link your social
media accounts to the newsletter as a way to keep the conversation going.

2. Manage good candidates. Understandably, there may be hundreds of good
candidates for only a few positions. However, why lose contact with the ones who
didn’t make the cut this time? Keep a list of qualified candidates who applied for
previous openings and send them updates when something else comes up in the
future (obviously give them the choice of opting-out of these messages since they

42

may have already gotten another job). You already know that these candidates could
probably work well with your company, which would save you time in the long run.

3. Keep job seekers updated. The last thing that you need are hundreds of follow-
up calls and emails after a position has been filled. Do everyone a favor and send out
an e-mail when you have found your ideal candidate. Job seekers could be waiting
patiently for you to contact them well after they need to be, which wastes their time
and also puts your company in a bad light. Be different and show that you care.
Candidates will have a lot more respect for you if you keep them informed.

43

HOW TO TRANSITION YOUR GEN Y EMPLOYEES
FROM COLLEGE TO CAREER

For Millennials, landing a first job can be exciting, overwhelming and at times, even
frightening. Once they have actually gotten one though, the transition between
college and career can be even more difficult. The days of waking up at any hour,
freely surfing social media sites, and having barely any responsibility could soon be
replaced with an unexpected reality. However, the shift from student to professional
doesn’t have to be so painful, especially if Millennials are given specific tools to help
them succeed.

Here are a few ways you can introduce them to the working world:

1. Create an introductory packet targeted specifically to Generation Y. Having a
welcome packet is always useful for the new employee. Take this one step further
and position it towards your Millennials. Create welcome videos that show your
work environment and what a typical day is like. Include social media resources
they can use as an outside research tool so that they can still be using the sites, but
in a professional manner. If your company is in the communication or marketing
industries, it may be a good idea for your employees to be skilled with design, so
Photoshop, InDesign, or Dreamweaver tutorials would be a great way they could use
polish their creative sides, while still learning on the job.

44

2. Use your Millennials as internal consultants. Chances are, your target
audience will fall somewhere in the Generation Y age range. Who better to advise
you on the latest trends than your Millennial employee? Advice should always be
backed up with research, but the direction that your employee could give you would
not only be a good stepping stone, but it will also give a sense of importance and
welcome for your Millennial.

3. Social media. Confused about how to integrate a social media policy into your
company? Look towards your Generation Y employee. They were the first to
embrace many of the applications, so they can weave their way through them with
ease. Let your Millennials help your team build a social media policy that will work
for your company. Be open to their opinions, but also let it be known that the
applications need to be used in a way that will benefit your business, not to waste
time. That way, you will be giving your new employee a project that they are
familiar with (and probably will enjoy), while at the same time easing them into a
career.

45

4 BENEFITS OF HAVING YOUR OWN
INTERNAL SOCIAL NETWORK
Originally Posted on Sep. 13, 2010 by Katie Farrell

An internal social network is an exclusive website for you and your employees to
share information and ideas with secure logins and restricted access. Internal social
networks can be built with many features, depending on what’s best for your
company and its needs. For example, some include: blogs, activity feeds, wikis,
videos, profiles, etc.

If you don’t already have an internal social network, you’re probably wondering:
Why do I need one? What are the benefits?

Here are some of the big ones:

Increased collaboration

A great benefit of an internal social network is the ability to collaborate — even
outside of work. Employees can reply to ideas or post their own. How many times
have you thought of something innovative or amazing at night, and then by the next
day, you can’t remember what it was? With an internal social network, you can
share and comment on each other’s ideas from anywhere and at anytime.

46

Easy connectivity

When it comes to Generation Y employees, they’ve been using social media and e-
mail for years and expect this type of connectivity at their jobs. Having a social
network for employees easily connects everyone in one place and provides a
platform that young professionals are already comfortable using. A social network
also allows employees to see everyone’s ideas (and develop them), unlike segmented
conversations in e-mail.

Better productivity

If your internal network is utilized in a way that helps employees communicate and
collaborate, it can lead to better and increased productivity in your workplace. This
can make a huge different in workplaces that tend to be segmented by department
or have some employees who telecommute, as well.

No privacy worries

Sure, you can utilize existing social networks and restrict privacy to only your
employees, but do you want to risk that someone else might be able to access your
company’s ideas? Probably not — which is why investing in an internal social
network can really pay off.

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By 2015, Generation Y will be the largest generation in the workforce. By

combined. We know small businesses (and nonprofits) do the majority of the hiring
2020, there will be more Gen Y workers than Baby Boomers and Generation X

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• Provide you with a complete portfolio on each as to why you should hire
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