Jennifer McClure | Jennifer McClure`

8 Free Human Resources & Recruiting eBooks

I’ve described myself in the past as a consistently curious consumer of information related to all things human resources, recruiting, leadership development and social media. I love to learn. And I love free stuff too.

What do you get if you combine all of those things? Free eBooks!

Unfortunately, to access many eBooks, I’m required to share my contact information and typically receive a contact from a salesperson as a result. If the eBook is promising enough, I’ll do that, because I appreciate the time and effort required to put one together. However, there are plenty of great eBooks out there that are shared with no strings attached and I thought I’d share few of my recent favorites with you!

To download a free copy of each of the eBooks below – just click on the image to access the PDF link. No registration or additional steps required!

Four eBooks from UpstartHR blogger – Ben Eubanks

Ben Eubanks – HR Pro by day, HR blogger by night, Co-Founder of HRevolution, Social Media Director of the North Alabama SHRM Chapter (and Father of recently born twins) – is quite the industrious HR professional! In addition to writing regularly on his own HR blog and the blog for his local SHRM chapter – Rocket HR, Ben regularly produces eBooks for HR pros and invites some of the smartest people in the business to share their advice and experiences. Below are only four of Ben’s recent eBooks. There’s more free stuff available on his site at Upstart HR/Freebies – including a free PHR Study Series eBook!

One eBook from ReThinkHR.org blogger Benjamin McCall

Another Ben – Benjamin McCall – Leadership Performance Consultant at Standard Register – is prolific writer on his blog ReThinkHR.org and also a regular contributor to the Greater Cincinnati Human Resources Association blog. He recently published a Learning & Development eBook, which includes contributions from several HR and Leadership development professionals.

Two eBooks from Chris Ferdinandi – blogger at Renegade HR & Go Make Things

Here’s a couple of great eBooks by long-time blogger & writer – Chris Ferdinandi – Employee Development & Social Media Specialist at EMC Corporation. One includes ideas from 21 of HR’s leading thinkers and doers on how to be a better HR pro in 2011 and the other is a summary of one of his presentations at the University of Rhode Island on Employment Branding. Good stuff!

Chris has also written a short book that is a step-by-step guide to recruiting and employer branding called “Culture Convo“. Check out how you can purchase a PDF or paperback copy here or you can sign up to read it free via email.

One eBook from EMC Corporation

Finally, while this one is over a year old, it’s a great resource for Job Seekers, Recruiters and Human Resources professionals. This eBook, compiled by the folks at EMC Corporation (which also happens to be Chris Ferdinandi’s employer), features 100 Job Search Tips From Fortune 500 Recruiters. The book is meant to inspire, motivate, provide insights and identify traps. It also includes a list of job search resources and social media sites.

Your Recommendations?

I know there are plenty of other eBooks and free resources out there that you may be aware of – or maybe you’ve written one. Share your recommendations in the Comments!

Written by Jennifer McClure

Celebrating Twitter As A Business Communication Tool

Recently, I passed 10,000 Followers on Twitter…

I’m still waiting on my pony.

“Twitter officials” have informed me that I have not yet reached the Follower count at which ponies are granted. Boo.

But I still can’t quit you Twitter. Let me count some of the reasons why I love you.

Twitter is a great source of business opportunities

Because of my presence on Twitter, I’ve gotten speaking engagements, consulting opportunities, candidate referrals, coaching clients and interviews with major publications. It’s not uncommon for me to get a Direct Message, an email or phone call that starts with “I follow you on Twitter and we have a need for ___ (something I do) and I thought of you.” While not all of those contacts result in paying clients, a good portion of them have. Enough to classify Twitter as a solid business development channel for me. Win!

Twitter is a great source of referral opportunities

As a Connector, I’m always on the lookout for opportunities to help or to refer someone. Because Twitter is a place where people network, ask questions or mention needs, I’ve spotted a number of opportunities in the last three years where I’ve been able to introduce one of my contacts – which resulted in new clients or new jobs for them. “Social networking” works the same way old-fashioned networking does. It’s about building relationships and connecting people!

Solid professional relationships & friendships developed in 140 characters

Twitter has provided me the opportunity to build relationships with top recruiting and HR leaders that I likely would have never come in contact with in the past. For example, I interviewed China Gorman – former COO & Chief Global Membership Engagement Officer at SHRM while at a conference, where she shared her perspectives on being a business leader in HR. I asked Chris Hoyt – Talent Engagement & Marketing Leader at PepsiCo – if I could get his advice on some work I was doing with a client and he graciously shared an amazing amount of information with me via a phone call. I had dinner and a great conversation across the pond in the United Kingdom with Arie Ball – VP of Talent Acquisition at Sodexo, where she shared more about the Sodexo story and we found that we have much in common. These conversations only happened because I initially “met” all of these folks – and many more – on Twitter. (Follow them on Twitter at @ChinaGorman, @TheRecruiterGuy & @Arie_Ball.)

Twitter doesn’t take that much time – if you manage your time

I’ll be the first to admit that Twitter can be a time suck, but so can the internet, people in the office, clients, email, etc. I’ve had to develop systems for managing these other types of distractions throughout my career and I have to manage Twitter’s influence on my day as well. For example, I log out of Twitter while working on projects and rarely tweet on weekends or in the evenings. I’m in constant communication mode during most of my workday and as an Introvert, I need time away from the “noise” to recharge. Thanks to the saved searches that I’ve set up, I don’t miss tweets or conversations that I want to be a part of that took place while I wasn’t logged on.

The right tools make Twitter use easier

I’m a big Fan of TweetDeck, because it allows me to create groups and save searches so I don’t miss mentions or replies involving any of the Twitter accounts that I manage. I currently manage my own account – @JenniferMcClure, one for my business – @UnbridledTalent, one for my LinkedIn Group – @LinkCincinnati and I’m one of the tweeters behind my local HR association’s account – @GCHRACincinnati. TweetDeck also allows me to schedule tweets, so if I read a blog post or article late at night or want to share it on more than one of my accounts, I can schedule the tweets throughout the workday rather than all at the same time.

The love story continues…

I joined Twitter on March 26, 2008 after reading a blog post from Jim Stroud commenting that there were only 85 Recruiters on Twitter. At that time, like many people today, I didn’t understand the concept or really have an interest in joining, but I did want to keep evolving as a recruiter and a business person, so I decided to try to figure out how to utilize it to develop business, build relationships and recruit talent. Nearly three year later, I’m marking that experiment as a success!

Thanks Twitter for all of the entertainment, information, business deals, relationships and friendships!

Twitter Member #14,221,435 aka @JenniferMcClure

But don’t forget, I still want one of these.

Image Credit: Shetland Pony by suvodeb

Written by Jennifer McClure

LinkedIn Profile Overused Buzzwords – Also Found On Job Postings Near You

After analyzing data from the more than 85 million member profiles on their site, LinkedIn has released a listing of the Top 10 most overused words and phrases found in LinkedIn Profiles (in the US) and they are:

Extensive Experience
Innovative
Motivated
Results-oriented
Dynamic
Proven Track Record
Team Player
Fast-paced
Problem-solver
Entrepreneurial

If you’re a job seeker, it’s a great time of year to update your resume and online profiles, remove any overused words or phrases and get creative and original in marketing yourself and your experience.

If you’re a recruiter or employer, it’s time to stop playing Buzzword Bingo with your Job Descriptions, Job Postings and Career Site as well.

Check out this helpful white paper – Improving the Candidate Experience: Can You Put Yourself in Their Shoes? – from the folks at NAS Recruitment Communications to get some great ideas.

Or, take the less cerebral approach -> Improve Your Job Postings: Write For People Who Fart.

Let’s just make the process better.

Written by Jennifer McClure

Social Recruiting – Where To Start?

In September 2010, I traveled to the UK at the invitation of #TruEvents host Bill Boorman (and thanks to the good folks at Jobsite) to attend the #TruManchester UnConference.

While there, I had the opportunity to meet several online UK and European friends in person and also shared my Number One Tip For Getting Started With Social Media Recruitment in a short video interview with Mike E. Taylor of Web Based Recruitment.

My tip? First, find and connect with “influencers” in Recruiting and follow what they’re doing online.

I’m constantly learning from others and getting great ideas from those who are successfully using social recruiting tools and methods to attract and recruit talent. There are some very creative folks out there who are doing it right – and there’s also a few who are doing it wrong. (It’s good to learn from them too.)

If you’re looking for some great people to learn from and follow on Twitter, check out my 100+ Suggestions for Recruiters/HR Pros to Follow on Twitter.

I’d also recommend checking out the recent lists from HRExaminer.com listing people who are considered to be influential (online) in the HR and Recruiting worlds. Many of these folks are doing some creative things online in terms of blogging, videos, eBooks, LinkedIn, Facebook, etc. that are worthy of taking a look at.

Top 25 Most Influential Online Recruiters v2

Top 25 HR Digital Influencers for 2010

The HRExaminer lists are compiled by checking online keyword mentions of content related to each area, so while some of the individuals listed may not be practitioners, they’re consistently putting content and opinions out in the digital world, so they provide good places to start. (I’m honored to be included on both lists at #17 and #16, respectively.)

What do you think? What would be the first step you’d recommend for someone wanting to learn more about social recruiting?

I’d love for you to share some suggestions in the Comments section!

Written by Jennifer McClure

Invest in Your Career – Sign Up for The Career Summit!

Five years ago next month, I was fired from my job.

It wasn’t a surprise. I knew my day was coming. In fact, I’d been suggesting the demise of my position for quite awhile. I’d even been encouraged by my CEO to look for a job while still on the payroll – since it was only a matter of time before the axe would fall after the sale of the company where I worked.

But I didn’t do anything to find a new job.

In some sort of Gen X loyalty play gone awry – I told myself it would be wrong to look for a job while still having a job.

Dummy -> Me.

Go ahead. Judge me. (You know you want to).

Now stop judging me. (It’s not nice.)

The truth is, I had quite a few reasons excuses that were causing my career paralysis, including:

I’d been “too busy” focusing on what needed to be done in my day job and had developed very few professional relationships outside of my current company.

As an Introvert, I found the very thought of “networking” to be exhausting.

Job boards, applicant tracking systems – and even email (gasp!) – were all new pieces in the job search puzzle since I’d last looked for a job.

I was burned out and not sure what I wanted to do next. (A start up, three high growth environments and one successful turnaround & subsequent company sale can do that to a person.)

So I stuck my head in the sand and I did nothing.

Until the day I was invited to leave.

Once I was forced to confront the process, I reached out to some really smart and wonderful people – including one awesome Career Coach – who shared their expertise, thoughts and advice with me. And with their help I was able to learn how to follow a process for building relationships (i.e. networking) that helped me to identify and connect with the “right” people and even find the courage to try something new in my career – which involved a change that wasn’t even close to being on my radar. Ever.

In other words – it took a Village (of Experts) to help me get my career back on track and headed in the right direction. And I’m grateful for the career wake-up call that getting fired gave me. It’s one of the best things that has ever happened to me. For real.

Maybe you’re stuck in your own version of an Ostrich Moment. If so, then check out The Career Summit – starting online October 26th and running weekly through November 17th. There, you can access your own Village (of Experts) who can help if you are:

unsure about how to develop an effective online presence and navigating “job search 2.0”.

confused about how to deal with HR and Recruiters (who isn’t?).

currently employed and looking to figure out your next career step on the down low.

dissatisfied in your current job, but unsure what you want to do next.

currently employed and find it difficult to attend seminars or webinars that are held during work hours.

This really is a great opportunity and I’m excited that my friends Laurie Ruettimann and Mark Stelzner have pulled together a stellar cast of characters to help you in your career journey.

I encourage you to register and join us online for the weekly live presentations, or access the recordings as often as you like via the archives. By signing up, you’ll also have access to several free career resources, books and articles.

You can even be proactive about managing your career by eating Cheetos while listening in your pajamas if you want. And you don’t have to get fired to start the process.

How cool is that?

*p.s. – Don’t miss my Session on November 10th at 3pm ET – “Great Brands, Great HR: Demystify the Recruiting Process” – where I’ll be interviewing Richard Cho – Recruiting Lead at Facebook, Jeremy Langhans – Senior Recruiter | Talent Engagement at Starbucks and Heather McGough – HR & Recruiting Professional at Microsoft. We’re going to break down what happens in the hiring process and how job seekers can get noticed by recruiters, HR pros and hiring managers. It’s going to be awesome! 🙂

8 Free Human Resources & Recruiting eBooks

Four eBooks from UpstartHR blogger – Ben Eubanks

One eBook from ReThinkHR.org blogger Benjamin McCall