"Talent is Social" is a presentweetion (PPT delivered in 140-character chunks) aimed at organizations looking to use social media to source and vet candidates. It includes watchouts for companies once candidates have been hired and are using social media, and a few tips for jobseekers at the end. This presentweetion was created for the Social Media 101 Conference held on 9/25/09 at Microsoft Campus in Bellevue, Washington. While I have managed many teams over the years and have run my own agency, I am neither a lawyer nor an HR professional and consequently welcome all commentary and dialogue.

1. TALENT IS SOCIAL
Using social media to match your company with the best employees.
A presentweetion for the time-starved.
ERIC WEAVER, TRIBAL DDB
Social Media 101 Conference
September 25, 2009

2. Excess hype, overshare,
pokes, "how well do you know
me" quizzes, stalkers. Who’d
use this for finding “talent”?
#GottaBeKidding
1:51 PM Sep 25 from PowerPoint
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3. BOOMERS = propriety. Trained in formalities, don’t
o end, guarded means safe, not so great with “random.”
Suit & tie = trust.
1:52 PM Sep 25 from PowerPoint
GENS X&Y = a nity. Formalities ignored, sharing
means finding, tech is easy, random is life. Consider
your lens. Suit & tie = distrust.
1:52 PM Sep 25 from PowerPoint
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4. My last 3 jobs came thru social media. Like online
dating, SocMed provides more info than ever before.
Geography unimportant.
1:53 PM Sep 25 from PowerPoint
SocMed also introduces new risks for all parties. Let's
talk abt tools, approaches & how employers/employees
can benefit by going social.
1:54 PM Sep 25 from PowerPoint
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5. TRADITIONAL SPRAY-AND-PRAY JOB SEARCH: org
opens job req, publicizes, resumes flood in,
recruiters sift, candidates validated, o er made.
1:54 PM Sep 25 from PowerPoint
REALITIES: recruiters overwhelmed, no incentive/
no way to vet all applicants. They resort to
employee referrals & online search.
1:55 PM Sep 25 from PowerPoint
REALITIES: As a door-knocker, you are making the
ask for time, attention from time-starved recruiters
acting as gauntlets. Most rejected.
1:55 PM Sep 25 from PowerPoint
REALITIES: Less data = more risk. Everyone’s hopes
piled up on questionable opportunities,
questionable candidates. #WhyAgain?
1:55 PM Sep 25 from PowerPoint
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6. RISK FOR RECRUITERS: dysfunctional/flaky/bad
hires=wasted $$, reputation loss, damaged teams.
How trustworthy is this candidate?
1:56 PM Sep 25 from PowerPoint
RISK FOR CANDIDATES: sharky envirnmts,
employer loyalty gone, salary not assured. What
will boss be like? How trustworthy is this employer?
1:56 PM Sep 25 from PowerPoint
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7. TRUST IS ALREADY BEING DETERMINED
ONLINE. Your company is already being talked
about. Best to engage rather than avoid.
1:57 PM Sep 25 from PowerPoint
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8. Candidates, don’t get too smarmy. What
happens when LinkedIn adopts Yelp- or
eBay-like performance ratings?
1:57 PM Sep 25 from PowerPoint
“Jim flaked on a key project during our rebranding efforts. He
never delivered agreed-upon assets and we were forced to
terminate our relationship. Beware: bad hire!” July 27, 2009
Jon Connolly, President/CEO, Iris Media, Inc.
was with another company when working with Jim at
ItCouldHappen LLC
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9. REALITY: both employers and candidates need to
be found and build trust through social channels.
less than a minute ago - Comment - Like
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10. BIG REASON #1: the more u put out there
about your company or yourself, the more
likely u are to be found by the ppl who would
dig u most.
1:59 PM Sep 25 from PowerPoint
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11. BIG REASON #2: the more you put yourself
out there, the more likely people will TRUST
you know what the hell ur talking abt. #werd
2:00 PM Sep 25 from PowerPoint
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12. Employers: let’s look at sourcing & vetting talent.
less than a minute ago - Comment - Like
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13. WHY SOCIAL MEDIA
FOR SOURCING?
Resumes never tell the
full picture. Passions?
Quirks? Work habits?
2:02 PM Sep 25 from PowerPoint
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14. 2MM people signing up for LinkedIn EVERY MONTH. 80% of
companies using it to find employees. Vs. 50000 job boards.
One place to look!
2:03 PM Sep 25 from PowerPoint
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15. RT @ElaineVarelas: “Job bds used
less & less by emplyrs as a source
for new candidates.”
2:04 PM Sep 25 from PowerPoint
RT @LinkedIn: “Easier to source
hard-to-find professionals using
social networks.”
2:04 PM Sep 25 from PowerPoint
Work & personal lives rarely
separated anymore. When we
boomers separate the two, GenX
assumes we’re concealing stu .
Trust key to hiring!
2:04 PM Sep 25 from PowerPoint
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16. Eric Weaver WATCHOUTS: Don’t shotgun
JDs onto any soc netwk you find. Bad form.
Also, check ur soc netwk emails daily.
September 25 at 2:05pm - Comment - Like - See Wall-to-Wall
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17. VETTING CANDIDATES: proof of work
experience, thought leadership, relationships,
tenure, public blowups, fraud. Even
cheesecake pix.
2:06 PM Sep 25 from PowerPoint
LinkedIn testimonials can be reciprocal. Chk
pipl.com, zoominfo.com, youtube, flickr. Chk
sales figure claims, online "fights." A big deal?
2:07 PM Sep 25 from PowerPoint
Do they badmouth former (worse: existing)
employers online? Realize: it’s often in a
venting-to-peers context.
2:07 PM Sep 25 from PowerPoint
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18. MANAGING EMPLOYEES: Twitter, Facebook
mean that info, photos can & are often shared
w/world. RT @emarketer: 29MM smartphones
in US!
2:07 PM Sep 25 from PowerPoint
Some employers banning any social sites to
force getting wk done. Problem: this turns a
deaf ear to important external conversation.
2:07 PM Sep 25 from PowerPoint
Most emplyees not out to damage brand. RT
@sharlyn_lauby: blogging guidelines crucial.
Focus on what they CAN do, rather than don'ts.
2:08 PM Sep 25 from PowerPoint
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19. TIP: Measure what employees get done, not
social time. Good old-fashioned performance
measurement, done through hands-on
management, works.
2:09 PM Sep 25 from PowerPoint
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20. PR crises can happen in the
blink of an eye. Set up
listening tools to monitor
blogosphere & avoid getting
blindsided. Ex: @dominos
2:10 PM Sep 25 from PowerPoint
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21. LEVERAGE UR EMPLOYEES: their content
extends mktg e orts, shows “real” side of biz.
Ex: @Deloitte held empl film festival telling
comp story.
2:11 PM Sep 25 from PowerPoint
When employees are engaged, they often
produce more work—and on their own time.
Foster creativity and esprit d’corps.
2:11 PM Sep 25 from PowerPoint
UPDATE EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK! Acknldge right
to persnl time, expression; claim the right to
the brand; connect their activities to the brand.
2:12 PM Sep 25 from PowerPoint
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22. Employees: be found. Demonstrate others’ trust.
less than a minute ago - Comment - Like
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23. The new job search is about BEING FOUND, not
knocking on unmarked doors—or worse,
busting them down. Don’t be a stalker on a
mission.
2:12 PM Sep 25 from PowerPoint
The bigger ur online intellectual footprint, the
more likely u will be found by the rt people.
But also, be interesting, personable, real.
2:12 PM Sep 25 from PowerPoint
This way, you’re in the driver’s seat. Less likely to be
blocked/deleted. They’ll vet u, & when they call,
you’ll know they’re interested.
2:13 PM Sep 25 from PowerPoint
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24. The same mktg
tactics u hate (spam,
bombardment,
interruption) annoy
recruiters,
companies. Let ur
value speak for itself.
Let 'em find u.
2:13 PM Sep 25 from
PowerPoint
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25. Spray and Pray
dressed up as social
media. This is
monologue, not
discussion. Chk out #
of comments. DON’T
BE THIS GUY.
2:14 PM Sep 25 from
PowerPoint
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26. RULES OF ENGAGEMENT: honesty (lies
are outed). O er proof everywhere.
Be relatable. Flu /glitz not req'd;
clarity/brevity/audibility are!
2:15 PM Sep 25 from PowerPoint
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27. MORAL OF THE STORY: this is all about TRUST. That
you are (Employer, Employee) who you say you are.
That you will not injure the other.
2:16 PM Sep 25 from PowerPoint
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28. THANK YOU
slides: slideshare.net/weave
presentweetion: @presentweetion
me: @weave
company: tribalddb.ca