BEST WAY TO FIND EMPLOYEES…PASSIVE RESUMES ON LINKEDIN

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I recently had lunch with a good friend; one who really understands the Internet. We got into a conversation about finding employees on LinkedIn. This is not surprising because we’re both avid LinkedIn users.

She said, “You know the platforms that job applicants generally use to find jobs, or companies use to find employees, like Monster or CareerBuilder?  It’s only a matter of time before LinkedIn eats their lunch.”

 I didn’t quite understand what she meant, but she explained.  “Look, you’re an employer who is trying to hire employees. Would you rather hire someone who’s out of work and looking for a job or would you rather hire someone who’s been in a job for eight or ten years, and not necessarily looking for a change? You probably have a better chance of hiring a winner when you hire somebody who’s winning already, rather than someone who is looking for a new opportunity.”

 I got additional insight when a business associate pointed out that resumes on LinkedIn are peer reviewed.

 I thought about that for a minute. It’s probably not a good idea to post anything on LinkedIn that’s not true, when your brother-in-law or wife, cousin or co-worker, can look at it and see that you didn’t tell the truth. Your credibility would be shot.

 This statistic may shock you.  Fifty three percent of people who apply for jobs lie on their resume. I don’t know about you, but I think I’d rather find a peer-reviewed resume on LinkedIn than take my chances with a resume.

 This is David Sher, your e-Networking guy saying it’s not what you know, but whoo you know.

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WHY SOME PEOPLE ARE SUCCESSFUL & OTHERS NOT

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Let’s go back ten or eleven years.  I got a call from Michael Calvert, the President of Operation New Birmingham…the economic development organization for our city center.  At the time I was Chairman of the Board. 

A national consultant was in Birmingham meeting with all the economic development groups to gain support for building a dome stadium.  Michael wanted me to attend.

When Michael & I arrived, there was a young man with the consultant.  I remember being impressed that such a youthful man had such an important job.  I figured he must have been a great athlete or well connected.  By the way, his name is Nick Sellers & as it turned out he was neither a great athlete or well connected.

Now let’s fast forward to last week to a Leadership Birmingham meeting.  Nick was one of the co-chairs & I had an opportunity to talk with him. 

We reminisced about the first time we met & he told me he had been twenty-three years old & had just moved to Birmingham.  He had tried out for arena football, but had been cut after two weeks.  He needed a job badly & single mindedly had decided he wanted to work for a local celebrity, Gene Hallman, the president of the Alabama Sports Foundation.

He didn’t know Gene & was unable to get him to return his phone calls.  Then one day, he saw Gene on TV speaking at a cerebral palsy telethon.  He put on a coat & tie & rushed to the telethon where he basically stalked the guy.  When given the opportunity, he asked him for a job—no matter how menial.

Gene called him the next week to ask if he would consider being a driver for the consultant.

The rest is history. Nick eventually went to work for Alabama Power where his career has been on fire…all because of Nick’s people skills, creativity, & bravery.

This is David Sher your e-Networking Guy saying it’s not what you know, but whOO you know.

THE MORE YOU HELP OTHERS…THE MORE THEY WANT TO HELP YOU

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I was rushing out the door, heading for a workout, when I got a call on my cell.  It was from a business owner friend who had a problem.   He was being audited by Federal wage & hour & he was looking for an experienced attorney who specializes in that area of the law.  He said, “I know you have lots of connections,” and I was wondering if you know a lawyer you could recommend.”  Fortunately I hadn’t had a need for wage & hour counseling, but I had recently talked with a client who was having the same issue.  I called him and he, indeed, knew an experienced attorney he was currently working with. 

 Helping people find jobs, connecting friends who are looking for vendors or vendors looking for clients…I spend a fair amount of my week helping others.  Now you are probably saying, what is that all about?

 And I know this sounds strange, but the more people I help, the more people that seem to help me.  Steven Leung, from the San Francisco area, who I wouldn’t have known -without LinkedIn, taught me how to do podcasts.  Wade Kwon, our local blogging expert, spent an hour with me giving me tips on how to improve my blog.   In fact, you may be listening to this podcast because of some search tips or tags Wade showed me.  Duncan Lamb, a brilliant business man and a good friend of mine, actually came to my house to help me with some computer issues.  My friends on LinkedIn, Facebook, & Twitter are always answering my question.

 I was talking to a long time attorney friend of mine and he said, and I quote, “I don’t want to get on LinkedIn…someone might ask me for something.”

 Now I don’t usually get philosophical, but I am going to quote the Talmud, “If I’m not for myself, who will be for me?  If I’m only for myself, what am I?  And if not now, when?

 This is David Sher, your e-networking guy, saying it’s not what you know, but whOO you know.

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A SALESPERSON WHO REALLY GETS SOCIAL MEDIA

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 I woke up at 5:30 to get some work done and rushed to my computer.  I had checked my e-mails the night before…so I didn’t expect any new ones.  But there was a lengthy LinkedIn e-mail from a John Garrett.  Who is John Garrett?

 I had posted a question on LinkedIn the previous afternoon asking if anyone had ideas about how to build traffic for my podcast.  John sent me two pages of suggestions at 1:30 in the morning.  What an unselfish act.

 I responded with a thank you, and he replied by inviting me to lunch to brainstorm other ideas.  I didn’t know it at the time, but that is how John builds his business relationships.  He sincerely tries to help others and has a goal to never eat alone.

 At that lunch and through other interactions with John, I’ve determined John might be the most creative salesperson I’ve ever met.

 He created a LinkedIn group titled, “Business Owners of Birmingham, Alabama.”  As of the day of this post, the group has 129 members….128 business owners…and one salesperson, John.  Of course John is a business owner, President of the Microfit Group, but he sure has packed the group to his advantage.

 And John doesn’t believe in cold calling.  He has a sure fire way of getting past the gate keeper and having decision makers want to talk with him.  John publishes a blog…so he calls up companies he respects and offers to give them free publicity to write about them.  Naturally, everyone loves a free plug.

 You may say this seems contrived, but I don’t agree.  I’ve never seen John ask for business.  He believes if you show interest in others and sincerely try to help them, they will recognize your value.  John gets it…that’s what social media is all about.

 This is David Sher, your e-Networking guy saying it’s not what you know, but whOO you know.

 John Garrett’s blog:  http://www.johnegarrett.com/

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A RICHER LIFE BECAUSE OF FACEBOOK & SOCIAL MEDIA

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It’s with mixed emotions that I make these comments.  I had one of those weeks that was happy beyond belief.  My daughter Melanie delivered my first granddaughter and my wife, Ina-Mae, and I celebrated our 43^rd wedding anniversary.  Two positive powerful events that make you appreciate and understand how great life can be.

 I posted my blessings on Facebook and immediately heard from many of my Facebook friends with notes of congratulations and best wishes.  But somehow, I felt badly…because some of my friends are having a difficult time.  One is going through the early stages of divorce; another’s wife is struggling to learn some of the basics of life after having gone through a major health episode that came close to ending her life.  A third friend lost his job several months ago and is terrified that he won’t be able to find something soon.

 So, somehow, I felt guilty…like I was flaunting my good fortune in the face of others misfortunes.  And then I realized that if these events had happened a year ago, I never would have had this dilemma…because I wasn’t on Facebook and I wouldn’t have this platform to make these public announcements.

 Facebook and my other social media platforms like LinkedIn & Twitter have literally changed my relationships and interactions.  When I think about the people I interact with, I now have a window into their lives and theirs into mine.

 I followed posts in the past week from two female friends who were both joyful with their success of potty training their children.  Another friend was thrilled with a 5K race she ran.  Others talked about their experiences on a special trip, a celebration dinner…or a family trip to the zoo.

 What’s amazing is I’m getting to know people in ways I’ve never had the opportunity.  Many of these people are clients, prospective clients, and business associates. If business is about building relationships…and it is, social media has created opportunities to build relationship that never existed before. 

 This is David Sher, your e-networking guy, saying it’s not what you know, but whOO you know.

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THE FOUR MOST COMMON NETWORKING MISTAKES

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Oh no!  I looked down at my shirt & I had spilled cereal on it.  I was running late for an 8 o’clock business meeting & I had to make a decision…change my shirt and be late or go to the meeting with a glaring round milk stain.  I decided to go directly to the meeting and just keep my arms folded.

 Of all the podcasts I’ve done, the one on being late has gotten the most comments.  It makes people crazy when you don’t come on time and don’t call…so having made that post, I sure couldn’t afford to be late myself.

 I’m going list what I feel are the four most common networking mistakes…and of course I’ve started out with being on time.

 Number two is people not carrying their business cards.  I was at meeting last week and ran into a business associate who had just changed jobs.  I asked for his card and he responded…I don’t need cards…everyone knows me.  I was surprised with his response, but not surprised he didn’t have any cards…this happens all the time.  And even worse, when I give someone my card & ask them to send me their contact information, very few follow up.

 Next are people who don’t say thank you.  I was recently at a National Conference.  I heard many great speakers & presenters, but two were unusually good so I wrote each of them an unsolicited recommendation on LinkedIn.  One sent an enthusiastic thank you…I haven’t heard from the other yet.  I don’t quite have the same enthusiasm for the second presenter as I did before.

 And number four is people who try to directly solicit business on LinkedIn, Facebook, & and other social media.  When someone is always trying to sell me, I just take them out of my network.

 This is David Sher, your e-networking guy saying it’s not what you know, but whOO you know.

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IF YOU’RE NOT ON FACEBOOK…YOU DON’T EXIST

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 It was years ago.  The fellow on the phone said, “I’ll just fax it to you.”  I went, “Uh oh.”  I didn’t own a fax machine.  It quickly dawned on me it was time to pay the big bucks and buy one.

 Then a few years later, a prospect said, “I’ll send you an e-mail.” That was another, “Oh no,” moment.  I didn’t have e-mail at the time.  By the way, when I finally got e-mail, I was so busy, I made the commitment I would only check it once a week.  That didn’t last long.

 Technology embarrassments just kept on coming.  How about the potential client who said, “That’s alright, I’ll just check you out on the Internet.”  Oops.  Must be time to build a Web site.

 Or how about this one?  I showed up for a lunch appointment and my client wasn’t there.  He had sent me an e-mail that he needed to cancel.  Since I wasn’t in the office that morning, I never saw it.  He just assumed I had a Blackberry.  So I bought a Blackberry.  Now I’m totally addicted to it and my wife bops me on the head every time I look at it.

 Okay, what’s next?  Well, this time I’m actually prepared.  I was talking with a friend about learning how to improve my swimming skills.  He gave me the name of a swimming coach and told me to find her on Facebook.  He just assumed I would know what to do.  Well, this time I was actually ready.  However the proposed swim coach wasn’t ready.  She was not on Facebook.  Not good for her or anyone else who’s not active with social media.

 Let’s face it…no one uses the yellow pages any more.  And a Web Site isn’t going to get you where you want to go.  If you’re not on social media, you probably don’t exist.

 This is David Sher your e-Networking guy saying it’s not what you know, but whOO you know.

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IF RALPH CAN EAT WITH STRANGERS, SO CAN YOU

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 I was sitting at a table eating lunch at the National Speakers Association national convention when a man with no arms sat down at our table.  He sort of muttered under his breath, “Now it’s time to watch Alvin eat.”   Then he put his feet on the table and began eating with his feet.  Now, I have to admit my first thought was one of extreme uneasiness.  Quite frankly, I had a difficult time dealing with this emotionally and aesthetically.  

 Now it’s not unusual to see people at NSA with various disabilities.  I saw an extremely tall man, way over seven feet in height; two “little people,” that looked no more than 2 feet tall, a man with an amputated leg—and so on…so I guess a man with no arms might not be so shocking.  

 You might ask, why are there so many people with disabilities at a speakers’ convention?  Most are motivational speakers who have overcome great adversity to lead meaningful lives. 

 Well, back to my story.  I wanted to learn more about Alvin and asked a friend of mine if she knew him.  She said she had heard him speak and he is a remarkable person…born with a birth defect…overcoming his disability, and the anger that came with it.  She said people often made fun of him and one time he got so upset he threw a hamburger at someone who was mocking him.

 Then I got to thinking.  I know so many people who don’t like networking because they are so self-conscientious; don’t know what to say; are shy, or afraid they won’t remember names.  Then you have Alvin who is brave enough to sit down with complete strangers and eat in a most unusual way.

 I’ve thought about, discussed with others…and quite frankly feel badly for my initial reaction.  But it has helped me grow—exactly what Alvin had in mind.

 We all have short comings—most not as severe as Alvin’s.  But that should not stop us from going out in the world…meeting others…and having a great life.

 This is David Sher your eNetworking guy saying it’s not what you know, but whoo you know.

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MY FIRST FACEBOOK BIRTHDAY

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I never realized the consequences of including my birthday when I filled out my profile on Facebook.

 I celebrated a birthday this past week and without a doubt it was the best birthday I’ve ever had.  It was great for a number of reasons but one of those reasons was definitely Facebook.

 The day before my birthday I started getting Facebook postings with messages like, “Tomorrow is your birthday, I hope you have a great day,”  “David, I know tomorrow is your birthday, be sure and eat lots of cake.”

 But I was never prepared for the plethora (I’ve always wanted to use that word) of wall postings I received on the big day.  They started early, came all day long and into the night…and even continued the next day.

You may be saying, what’s the big deal?  But it was a big deal because each of these friends and relatives has a special meaning to me.  I heard from an old high school friend, a college buddy, nieces and nephews, my daughter-in-laws Mom, coworkers, clients, prospects, people I serve on boards with; my wife’s friends, and many people who I would have lost contact if it wasn’t for Facebook. 

 Each one reminded me of what a rich life I am living.

 I’m reminded about an activity we played with our employees a number of years ago.  At our employee meetings each month we would select one individual.  Then everyone in the room was required to write something nice about that person on a slip of paper.  The individual would read out all the positive comments about themselves and it made them feel great.

 That’s exactly how I felt receiving so many positive comments and well wishes.  Thank you everyone.  My relationships are much closer with you because of social media.

This is David Sher, your eNetworking guy, saying it’s not what you know, but whoo you know.

LINKEDIN, IT’S WHO YOU KNOW & WHO THEY KNOW

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 She asked me to join her network on LinkedIn.  However, I didn’t know who she was.  I reviewed her LinkedIn profile and saw we knew a lot of the same people.  She did healthcare sales and I thought maybe she wanted to connect with me to sell me something.  But I figured, what do I have to lose?  If she becomes a bother, I can always remove her from my network.  You see on LinkedIn or Facebook, if you drop someone from your network, no e-mail is sent saying David doesn’t like you.  Most people probably don’t remember who they are connected with, so there is very little downside.

 Well in any event, a couple of months later, I was trying to figure out how AmSher could sell our collection services to a major hospital chain headquartered in Nashville.  Through a search on LinkedIn, I found the name of the decision maker and noted that he was a second level connection—which is good news…because that means that I have a first level connection connected to him.  Do you want to guess who that first line connection was?   Yes, that’s right…it was the healthcare sales lady who I almost didn’t accept.

 Now my next step is to invite her to lunch to see if we can find some way we can help one another.  And…I almost missed out.

 See the lesson is it’s not just who you know…it’s also who your friends know.  When you turn down a LinkedIn invitation, you are also not connecting with all their friends. 

 You may be thinking, this doesn’t seem right; you may be taking advantage of your 1^st line connection?  Do you really think so?    Please remember, she invited me into her network.  She invited me for the express purpose of building her connections and could very easily need my help now or in the future.  That is what social media is all about.  That is what makes social media so powerful.

 This is David Sher, your e-Networking guy saying it’s not what you know, but who you know…and who they know.

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