tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-214686992024-03-12T18:45:21.096-05:00Beyond HRRe-imagining human resources to start a revolution.Philliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12749780729545575963noreply@blogger.comBlogger99125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21468699.post-40304185144920290282010-07-03T09:29:00.002-05:002010-07-03T09:33:20.303-05:00Moving on to Wordpress...<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">I realize it's been a LONG time since my last update on this blog...mainly because I've switched over to a new blog, "Do What You Love." Lots of the same information, but a little more focused on helping others find their true calling.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">You can find it </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);" href="http://phillipchen.wordpress.com/">here</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">. </span>Philliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12749780729545575963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21468699.post-54657016820598681022009-06-24T09:16:00.002-05:002009-06-24T09:19:30.918-05:00Great Article by the Networking King<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Came across this great <a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://bit.ly/HllRO">article</a> by Keith Ferrazzi that I wanted to post up real quick. This is the same stuff that we stress with our Hob Nob chapter members all the time!!!<br /></span>Philliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12749780729545575963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21468699.post-72556994815649139922009-05-28T09:32:00.002-05:002009-05-28T10:00:11.939-05:00Why School Loans Suck Even More<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_NH8JA-z4Gzk/Sh6m6vvJ9TI/AAAAAAAAAGc/MnDUyE5qtPI/s1600-h/Graduation.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_NH8JA-z4Gzk/Sh6m6vvJ9TI/AAAAAAAAAGc/MnDUyE5qtPI/s200/Graduation.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340889736284861746" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">I came across this <a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/may2009/db20090526_273095.htm?campaign_id=rss_daily">article</a> from Businessweek about student loan debt, and started to think through a few things as a result. According to the article, the average college grad is 33 before their net earnings catch up to counterparts who never went to college. And get this: this data is for public university grads--meaning the age is older for those of us "lucky" enough to go to private institutions.<br /><br />Without going off on too much of a rant, this is all the more reason to understand what you want to do with your life while you're <span style="font-style: italic;">still</span> in college. If the statistics hold true, the average student changes their major nearly three times before they graduate college. In some cases, this results in more time than the standard 4 years at school...which means more money being spent staying IN school. Which basically means you're likely be nearly 40 by the time you pay off all your debt. And this doesn't even include graduate schools for professions like law or medicine (speaking of which, over 50% of general medical practitioners say they wouldn't be doctors if they had to do it all over again).<br /><br />Consider this: Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, dropped out of Washington State College after only two years. Michael Dell, founder of Dell Computers, never finished at the University of Texas. Barry Diller, CEO of IAC Interactive, dropped out of UCLA after only 3 weeks. And the list goes on and on with the likes of Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook), Bill Gates (Microsoft), and Steve Jobs (Apple).<br /><br />...It strikes me that a lot of people who drop out of college early and go on to have wildly successful careers seem to be the ones that knew what they wanted to do and just went after it. So aside from saving a bunch of money, they saved a bunch of time and were able to hone in on what they were interested in much earlier than most of us.<br /><br />Maybe all those dropouts were onto something... </span>Philliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12749780729545575963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21468699.post-44259069195409637732009-05-04T16:55:00.002-05:002009-05-04T17:07:36.074-05:00The Cover Letter That Mocks...Sheer Brilliance<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_NH8JA-z4Gzk/Sf9nE5jiojI/AAAAAAAAAGU/ePLGilaX-Rk/s1600-h/overqualified+cover.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 128px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_NH8JA-z4Gzk/Sf9nE5jiojI/AAAAAAAAAGU/ePLGilaX-Rk/s200/overqualified+cover.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332093817696985650" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Today I received an email from one of our Emory student leaders, and what I received was too funny NOT to blog about.<br /><br />The concept: <a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://www.asofterworld.com/oqindex.php">a book</a> (called "Overqualified") composed entirely of cover letters to companies around the world...cover letters that mock the very companies that they're being written to.<br /><br />I gotta say, if I ever want something to read on the toilet, this has got to be it--and I don't mean that as a slight. The letters are short, entertaining, and showcase something that we've felt like doing at one point or another in our careers when experiencing the frustration that comes with applying to scores of companies that never seem to respond. Or maybe that's just me. ;)<br /><br />So, without further ado, you can click <a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://www.asofterworld.com/oqarchive.php">here</a> and be entertained.<br /></span>Philliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12749780729545575963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21468699.post-8035991844277472432009-04-30T21:59:00.003-05:002009-04-30T23:05:07.448-05:00The correlation between the economy and job applications<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Part of what we do at <a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://www.hobnobjobs.com">Hob Nob</a> is help <a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://www.hobnobjobs.com/index.php/employers">recruit internship talent</a> for organizations, and consult with employers on how to create great internship experiences. As a result, we get our fair share of applications from college students on a daily basis for the opportunities that we showcase within our <a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://www.hobnobjobs.com/index.php/what-we-do/55-how-students">campus chapters</a>.<br /><br />And you know what? I've noticed something.<br /><br />With the state of the economy not exactly rosy at the moment, it's sending students into a flurry of activity...which is not exactly good in this case. Why? The flurry of activity is students applying to every internship opportunity that seems remotely viable, irrespective of their qualifications, interests, or talents.<br /><br />Now, I can't exactly blame the students--after all, the prospect of landing a job are extremely hard in this environment. But this is precisely why I'd argue for the case that students, more than ever, must figure out ways to become "sharp."<br /><br />Sharp is understanding your strengths and how to leverage them. Sharp is knowing your weaknesses, and finding ways to minimize them without pretending they don't exist. Sharp is articulating what makes you different than anyone else. Sharp is the opposite of being well-rounded. At the end of the day, being sharp means knowing what you are looking for and seeking opportunities that align best with what you bring to the table.<br /><br />If you're a student trying to find an opportunity, I have just two words for you: Be Sharp. You'll gain better traction with the focus that comes from knowing what you want. It's not to say you don't have to apply to a lot of positions--I'm not disputing the fact that this environment is challenging and you might have to be more patient than ever in this job market. What I AM saying is that you will have a greater chance of being noticed through the noise if you find a way of differentiating yourself. And that usually means figuring out what makes you unique...and what makes you different.<br /><br />In this climate where there is an "abundance" of talent looking to get plugged into careers, it's easier to be remembered for being unique in a sea of sameness.<br /><br /><br /></span>Philliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12749780729545575963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21468699.post-52074880153809190582009-04-28T08:44:00.002-05:002009-04-28T08:59:01.880-05:00Does Anyone Care About Microsoft Anymore?<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Well, I just couldn't resist writing about this...reportedly Microsoft is releasing a new service called "<a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://www.vine.net/">Vine</a>," which is described as a service that allows people to:<br /></span><blockquote style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><p>“Stay in touch with family and friends, be informed when someone you care about needs help. Get involved to create great neighborhoods, communities or causes. You select the people and places you care about most. Use alerts, reports and your personal dashboard to stay in touch, informed and involved.</p> <p>“Information associated with the places you have chosen will appear on your map, including articles culled from 20,000 local and national news sources as well as public safety announcements from the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Information associated with the people you care about who are in your Vine network will appear on the dashboard too. You will know when they send you an alert, post a report or update their Facebook status information.”</p> </blockquote><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">But I can't help but wonder if people would actually use this service. Hate to say it, but I think Twitter and Facebook kind of spoiled the party for them--how is Microsoft going to convince people to use Vine when they're already twittering and status updating amongst the people they're connected to? Why would you try to go to a completely new community, and try to drag your friends to it when they're already on Facebook, Twitter, or a half dozen other social networking sites?<br /><br />Unless Vine leverages some new way of allowing people to communicate to each other (ie like how Twitter came up with the concept of micro-blogging), I just don't see it taking off. I'll reserve judgement until I see the actual service...but it doesn't look good so far. </span>Philliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12749780729545575963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21468699.post-4435384625073389562009-04-23T14:16:00.002-05:002009-04-23T14:21:06.231-05:00Going Internship Crazy<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Alright, so last posting on available internships, I promise. At least for now. ;)<br /><br />We have two other opportunities available with Hob Nob, a <a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://www.hobnobjobs.com/index.php/internships/89-graphic-design-intern-wanted-to-help-hob-nob-change-the-world">Graphic Design Internship</a> and <a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://www.hobnobjobs.com/index.php/internships/88-pr-intern-wanted-to-help-hob-nob-change-the-world">PR Internship</a>. Click on each one to read more details.<br /><br />At least the good thing is that having internships means we're growing, right? This summer may prove to be crazy busy...but I'm really pumped about all the progress we'll be making!<br /><br />Till next time, folks...<br /></span>Philliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12749780729545575963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21468699.post-69412412075418858442009-04-23T13:32:00.002-05:002009-04-23T13:37:47.796-05:00IT Internship<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Got another internship available for this summer, so here it is: we're looking for a bright computer science or computer engineering major to help architect our growing web presence.<br /><br />Among other things, you'll be working on:<br /></span><ul style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><li>Creation of various pages under the Joomla CMS </li><li>Creation of video upload, video player, and video search functionalities within our site</li><li>Helping to architect our site layout</li><li>Troubleshooting website issues and all things IT </li></ul><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">For more information, read <a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://www.hobnobjobs.com/index.php/internships/90-it-guru-wanted-to-help-hob-nob-change-the-world">here</a>. </span>Philliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12749780729545575963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21468699.post-79591555112184472132009-04-10T14:49:00.006-05:002009-04-10T14:59:59.085-05:00Video Production Internship<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NH8JA-z4Gzk/Sd-k0DJ83uI/AAAAAAAAAGM/1IgPRwIhPZw/s1600-h/Video+Production+2.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 148px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NH8JA-z4Gzk/Sd-k0DJ83uI/AAAAAAAAAGM/1IgPRwIhPZw/s200/Video+Production+2.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323154498682412770" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">We happen to have an internship available at Hob Nob, so wanted to post about this real quick. We're looking for a video production guru who can work for us during this summer to help create inspirational videos to spread the Hob Nob message.<br /><br />We're a bit idealistic, so it doesn't hurt if you're a "place a dent in the universe" type of person...we want to talk to you! ;)<br /><br /><br />Some of the things you can expect to work on throughout the course of this internship are:<br /></span><ul style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><li>Film and edit interviews with highly successful individuals in the Atlanta professional community</li><li>Film and edit viral videos to promote Hob Nob's brand and services</li><li>Help create storyboards for video shorts </li><li>Create a web strategy to spread the content that you help create</li></ul><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">You can read more <a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://bit.ly/6jg4B">here</a>.<br /><br /><br /></span>Philliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12749780729545575963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21468699.post-71603742262267813412009-04-10T08:08:00.003-05:002009-04-10T08:21:33.756-05:00I'm in a...book??<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NH8JA-z4Gzk/Sd9HvwN1WNI/AAAAAAAAAF0/H3NYECmY9XQ/s1600-h/CYOR+Book"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NH8JA-z4Gzk/Sd9HvwN1WNI/AAAAAAAAAF0/H3NYECmY9XQ/s200/CYOR+Book" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323052170297563346" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><br /><br /><br /><br />Just saw the other day that I actually made it into a book written by <a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://www.carveyourownroad.com/">Jennifer Remling</a>, called "<a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Carve-Your-Own-Road/Jennifer-Remling/e/9781601630520/?itm=1">Carve your own road</a>." It's a little weird seeing myself in a business book...but it's not like I'm complaining either. :)<br /><br />Check it out--the book is about individuals who changed their careers, and how you can do the same if you find yourself in a career rut.<br /></span>Philliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12749780729545575963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21468699.post-70941255539061698152009-04-05T21:43:00.004-05:002009-04-05T22:06:58.635-05:00A Lot Can Change in a Year<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NH8JA-z4Gzk/Sdlwh8z3V0I/AAAAAAAAAFs/8vwCS9VyUVU/s1600-h/Green+lowercase.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 50px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NH8JA-z4Gzk/Sdlwh8z3V0I/AAAAAAAAAFs/8vwCS9VyUVU/s200/Green+lowercase.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321408163276609346" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">It's been more than a year since I last posted on this site. Wow.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">That said, I'm sure I managed to drive away what few readers I had to begin with through my lack of updates. ;) I didn't mean for there to be such a gap between postings. In my defense, I had quite a busy year...</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">First, I resigned from my career as a HR/Recruiting professional to create a start-up focused on helping people find their life callings. It is one of those "dare to be great" moments in one's life that I just couldn't ignore--let's just say I finally accepted the fact that my calling was to help other people find their callings. So, with that thought, I packed up my bags and left a good company where I had been for nearly 3 years.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Here's the kicker: I did it well into 2008, when we were officially in a recession/depression or whatever you wish to call it.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">But I don't regret it one bit. The roller coaster that I've been on since has been great, and I've been able to already impact people's lives in a way that makes the whole painful process of starting up a business worth it. But back to why I've been so busy over the last year...</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Second, in the midst of all the lunacy that I was in while starting up my company, I decided to get married. Not much else to say here, other than marriage is great. :)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Third, my business partner and I have been busy with all things Hob Nob, which is the name of our organization. We've put together a Board of Advisors, a </span><a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://www.hobnobjobs.com/">website</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">, an </span><a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://www.hobnobjobs.com/index.php/students/34-emory">Emory campus chapter</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">, a business plan (which became irrelevant on day 2), business service offerings and collateral...and a million other things that go into starting a business.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">There's much more to the madness, but for now, just wanted to update y'all on what's been going on. Now that my schedule has become a bit more predictable (I use that loosely), I'll be getting back into the swing of things with my blog posts.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Till next time...which WON'T be a full year from now. ;)</span><br /></span>Philliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12749780729545575963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21468699.post-26834580984262127232008-03-17T11:55:00.003-05:002008-03-17T12:21:02.317-05:00It's the System, Not the People!!<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Seth Godin wrote an <a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2008/03/why-bother-havi.html">interesting blog entry</a> this morning that I found myself needing to comment on.<br /><br />The basic premise...you don't need a resume if you are truly remarkable. That a resume just points out all the things you DON'T have in order to qualify for a job rather than point out what makes you so good at what you do. Plus, a resume is just so...drab and unimaginative...and just puts you in the rest of the heap of people that are all trying to be "cogs in the big machine."<br /><br />I agree where Seth is going with this...but I disagree with his audience (ironic given that Seth is a marketing guy). You see, I never thought remarkable people needed to be the ones who had to be prodded to do away with their resumes. I talk to people each day who are extraordinary at what they do--and none of them have had to write up a resume for as long as they've been doing what they love.<br /><br />So where is the breakdown? My contention is the "big machines" that employ these people. So rather than deliver this message to the people, I think Seth needs to address the main culprit here: employers.<br /><br />For employers, resumes are safe. They're consistent. They provide some sort of "objective" way of filtering through the hundreds of resumes they come across each day. Like one person commented on Seth's blog post, resumes are a "necessary evil." Why? They're necessary because of the system in which we all operate in.<br /><br />So to <a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://www.leadingsmart.com/leadingsmart/2006/11/andy_stanley_on.html">take a cue</a> from Andy Stanley, I want to suggest one thing: rather than change people, we need to change the system. Systems drive behavior. It's not that people WANT to write resumes. They have to. But why do they have to? Because it's the stupid employers who demand them!!! A whole industry (job boards and resume databases) has spawned from this system!!!<br /><br />In the end, my suggestion is that a few bold companies just need to step up. More importantly, a few bold recruiting departments need to step it up. In the frenetic, chaotic environment that recruiters often operate in...it's too easy to fall back into the resume system that we all know and are familiar with.<br /><br />This is the challenge for recruiters: When you have 300 positions to fill yesterday, what are you going to do? Go through 800 resumes in the hopes that you find some qualified candidates? Or (gasp) buck the trend and begin to utilize non-traditional ways to evaluate talent? The latter takes more time (A LOT more time). Time that recruiters don't really have.<br /><br />This brings us to the challenge for recruiting leaders, or HR leaders: What are you going to do to create a SYSTEM that supports recruiters who take the time to evaluate talent apart from resumes? Because if your system supports resumes...guess what? Your recruiters will too. And no amount of talk, conference calls, or incentives will motivate them towards the other route over the long term.<br /><br />Sure, overhauling the system isn't easy. It sure isn't going to happen overnight. But like I said, if a few bold companies begin to take steps towards creating new systems...I think people like Seth Godin will have less to worry about in the future. The remarkable people will finally have a system that embraces them.<br /></span>Philliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12749780729545575963noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21468699.post-17509595021776560982008-03-04T14:39:00.003-05:002008-03-04T14:48:31.222-05:00Cover Letters Can Be A Good Laugh<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">So if you wanted a good laugh today, here are some fun <a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://www.hrworld.com/features/cover-letter-train-wrecks-030308/">reads </a>from the world of recruiting...ah, yes. The notorious cover letter. Done well, they can distinguish you from a stack of resumes in a recruiter's inbox. Done poorly...well...you end up on blog postings like this. ;)<br /><br />My personal favorite? Ironically, it would still probably catch my attention because of its sheer absurdity. :o So I guess it would work. But that's just me.<br /><br /></span><strong style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> "My name is ____, and I kick ass. See resume for details."<br /><br /><br /></strong>Philliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12749780729545575963noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21468699.post-88773868100417333642008-02-28T14:11:00.002-05:002008-12-11T14:32:44.385-05:00LinkedIn's New Look<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NH8JA-z4Gzk/R8cQaXdjBhI/AAAAAAAAADA/Uo5MT7Zv504/s1600-h/LinkedIn+Logo.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NH8JA-z4Gzk/R8cQaXdjBhI/AAAAAAAAADA/Uo5MT7Zv504/s320/LinkedIn+Logo.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5172120742218892818" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">So I log into LinkedIn today...and what do I see? A fresh new site layout! Except that it's not so fresh...and not so "new."<br /><br />Why the hater-ade?<br /><br />Anyone else notice how the re-design mimics (ever so slightly) the look of Facebook? You have two main white spaces on both sides of the main page view. And now because of this new increased white space on either side, you cause the user to focus on the middle where you have features like Network Updates or Company News...which in my opinion is not so different than the Newsfeed section on Facebook when users first log in. If LinkedIn introduces a <a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://www.slide.com/">Slide wiki</a> in the near future, I'll officially lose all faith that this site is on the right track here.<br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">But all kidding aside, there were also <a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://valleywag.com/357363/has-linkedin-lost-its-soul-to-growth">recent murmurs</a> within the walls of LinkedIn's corporate digs that things were not all that great. Hmmmm...</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><br />You get where I'm going with this. I've never been a fan of following an industry leader if you can avoid it. My fear for LinkedIn is that they begin to operate in follow mode vs. trying to out-innovate their competition. This, coupled with the fact that they seem to have their own issues in-house, has me wondering where the heck LinkedIn is going to end up in the next 1-3 years: has been, <a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9822432-7.html">cash cow for a media conglomerate</a>, or web networking visionary?<br /><br />My money isn't on the last one...<br /></span>Philliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12749780729545575963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21468699.post-62020200307855038292007-10-29T10:06:00.000-05:002008-12-11T14:32:44.570-05:00How Employer Branding Should Look Like<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NH8JA-z4Gzk/RyX4smDUmxI/AAAAAAAAACY/vujmYPio-jQ/s1600-h/iphone.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NH8JA-z4Gzk/RyX4smDUmxI/AAAAAAAAACY/vujmYPio-jQ/s320/iphone.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5126777195843590930" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><a href="http://gigaom.com/2007/09/26/midnight-madness-benjamins-for-iphones-in-manhattan/"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Long lines in the middle of the night</span></a> at the NYC Apple store seem pretty commonplace, apparently. What is the cause of these lines? The iPhone.<br /><br />Even though the iPhone isn't superior in all ways compared to other phones like Blackberrys, HTC or Nokia smartphones...it's managed to create a cult following that none of them have ever achieved.<br /><br />Which leads me to wonder: what's your company doing to create a killer app/product to attract the masses? Specifically, what's your company doing to attract the best talent out there? I'm more and more convinced that in order to recruit the best...you gotta have a cult following. Like the iPhone.<br /></span>Philliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12749780729545575963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21468699.post-55586527669221779962007-10-11T15:18:00.000-05:002007-10-11T15:20:28.832-05:00For All You Search Engine Geeks<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Stumbled upon this humorous <a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://www.googlefight.com/">site </a>that shows which keywords have more results vs. others. Creative and quirky...which is probably why I'm posting this to begin with. :o<br /></span>Philliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12749780729545575963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21468699.post-74770303710109173502007-09-27T16:50:00.000-05:002007-09-27T16:52:07.071-05:00Google Might Not Be Invincible After All<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Very interesting development <a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://www.alleyinsider.com/2007/09/googledoublecli.html">here </a>on the Google and Doubleclick deal.<br /><br />If this deal falls through, you can bet Steve Ballmer will be laughing himself silly as one of his chief rivals experiences the bitter taste of anti-trust cases...<br /></span>Philliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12749780729545575963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21468699.post-58586054430712834272007-09-27T08:59:00.002-05:002008-12-11T14:32:44.887-05:00LinkedIn Introducing Photos...Seriously?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_NH8JA-z4Gzk/RvvD-5uT7yI/AAAAAAAAACQ/vG1B4JdKW-k/s1600-h/LinkedIn+logo.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 196px; height: 54px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_NH8JA-z4Gzk/RvvD-5uT7yI/AAAAAAAAACQ/vG1B4JdKW-k/s320/LinkedIn+logo.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5114897287223701282" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">So this morning I open up my Google Reader to find <a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/sep2007/tc20070926_647441.htm?campaign_id=rss_daily">a few articles</a> about LinkedIn introducing photos starting tomorrow, Sept. 26. After blinking a few times to check whether or not my coffee had kicked in properly, I read the articles to discover a little more about the rationale behind this latest move by the professional networking site.<br /><br />First off, LinkedIn is stipulating that the photos be "serious-looking" headshots...the kind that you normally see accompanying executive bios. Apparently the suits at LinkedIn are worried about degrading their website and taking away from the professionalism.<br /><br />Second, it appears that LinkedIn is taking some measured steps towards opening up their site to the development community. But, much like the photo feature above...it sounds like this is not going to be anywhere near the open community that the Facebook platform has created. Moreover, this initiative isn't going to see the light of day until Spring 2008.<br /><br />With all this said, here's my take on this whole thing. The "serious" photos? How can one NOT think that this is a deliberate step towards creating a more sticky website in response to Facebook's growing popularity amongst the tech illuminati? LinkedIn's PR reps can talk all they want about how this is not in response to Facebook's increasing web presence, but I'm more than a little skeptical given the fact that LinkedIn's own co-founder (Reid Hoffman) said in August that "photos and business don't go together." Huh? What's with the turn around?<br /><br />And from early indications, I'm not a huge fan of LinkedIn's cautious approach towards drawing in the development community through its site. If the new web has proven anything, it's that the sites which leverage crowdsourcing tend to flourish and grow beyond even the founder's expectations. Why? Because they're engaging. They're sticky. You need to be sticky if you're a networking site.<br /><br />Like I've been ranting for a while now, LinkedIn needs to be a little more innovative and a little less serious if it intends on being around for the long haul. While these latest developments are a step towards that, I still feel like they're moving too slow while their competition moves a lot faster. With Facebook adding 200,000 users per day compared with 36,000 for LinkedIn, each day literally counts.<br /><br />For right now, I'm leaning towards Facebook winning this war. There. I said it. ;p But LinkedIn still has some time to change my mind. Hopefully they do.<br /></span>Philliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12749780729545575963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21468699.post-88266388755425953442007-09-26T12:00:00.000-05:002007-09-26T12:10:20.705-05:00Riding the Insanity Train<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">So apparently <a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://beyondhr.blogspot.com/2007/09/microsoft-case-of-throwing-money-at.html#links">I'm not the only one raising my eyebrows</a> at the latest rumors swirling around Facebook and Microsoft. Kara Swisher of the WSJ (ironically the same publication that broke the news first regarding this odd marriage) goes even further by saying that this potential deal qualifies as <a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://kara.allthingsd.com/20070925/15-billion-more-reasons-to-worry-about-facebook/">a sign that the end is near</a>.<br /><br />But in all seriousness, she has some interesting points regarding the logic behind Facebook's proper valuation. I tend to agree with most of her points--although, I think she is somewhat underestimating the whole geek factor in Point 3. It's these same geeks that are capable of creating some major game-changing apps for the Facebook platform that will separate it from its competition, after all.<br /><br />And yes...like her conclusion from all this, I think if Mark Zuckerberg manages to squeeze as much as $500 million from Microsoft's pockets...he should run. Run as fast as he can while having a giggling fit away from the tech giant after stuffing his pockets full of that cash. :o<br /></span>Philliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12749780729545575963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21468699.post-6271202602265891902007-09-24T15:37:00.000-05:002007-09-25T08:51:21.064-05:00Microsoft: A Case of Throwing Money at Your Problems<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">So apparently Microsoft seems to think Facebook is worth $10 billion. Yes, this after analysts gave the social networking platform a <a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/08/03/bear-stearns-yahoo-must-form-a-social-networking-strategy/">valuation of $4.5 billion</a> a little over a month ago. <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119065193646437586.html">According to the WSJ</a>, Microsoft is in the early stages of talks with Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg about possibly buying a 5% or less stake in the company worth around $300-$500 million.<br /><br />I'm scratching my head on this one. Mark Zuckerberg, in the meanwhile, is laughing himself silly.<br /><br />Microsoft hasn't proven too adept at taking advantage of the social web thus far--and this latest move has me wondering how exactly they would integrate Facebook's community into their own products and services. This is the same feeling I had when Microsoft <a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://www.adweek.com/aw/national/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003587535">purchased aQuantive</a> back in May. Steve Ballmer really has some work ahead of himself in light of these recent seemingly disconnected moves.<br /><br />But here's an interesting thought: the fact that Microsoft is even thinking of buying a stake in Facebook is telling on some levels. For one, it could possibly mean that Microsoft is still suffering from the halo-effect that Google has created on the Internet which has caused Ballmer & Co. to react (in some cases) very irrationally. Second, I wonder if Microsoft is in fact worried about Zuckerberg's aspirations for his exploding site. Earlier speculation had Facebook potentially becoming a next generation OS, if you recall. Is this Microsoft's way of keeping the enemy nearby?<br /><br />It'll be very interesting to see how this discussion between Microsoft and Facebook turns out.<br /></span>Philliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12749780729545575963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21468699.post-50763820581224092372007-09-18T09:25:00.001-05:002007-09-18T09:51:28.486-05:00We're on to you, Mark Zuckerberg!<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Has anyone been keeping up with the Facebook media frenzy? Actually, has anyone been able to <span style="font-style: italic;">avoid </span>any of the Facebook hype machine in the last 4-6 months? ...this is nearly analogous to how Lakers fans must feel about Kobe Bryant--it's nearly impossible to go too long without hearing something about the NBA superstar. But I digress. :o<br /><br />So here's the latest in the whirlwind of activity happening within the walls of this social networking site: Facebook is taking a page out of Amazon and <a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://mashable.com/2007/09/17/facebook-data-storage/">offering data storage to developers</a> of Facebook applications. The news in of itself isn't too shocking; it's the most logical step in their evolution from niche social networking site to major Internet portal.<br /><br />Internet portal? Yes...I truly believe that Mark Zuckerberg and company are devising a strategy to become THE Internet destination of choice. We're beginning to see the pieces slowly coming together. The first major move was <a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://developers.facebook.com/">releasing their API</a> to the development community. Since then, we've seen a flurry of activity around the creation of applications on the Facebook platform. This in turn has led to a mass movement of developers to the Facebook community vs. other social networking sites like Myspace or LinkedIn (if you can even count them in this category).<br /><br />And now this latest news about offering data storage to developers? Something tells me this is the second major move in a long term strategy that Facebook has up its sleeves. I'll talk more to this point in future postings.<br /><br />But for now, I'll just throw this out there: what's LinkedIn, Myspace, or Xing doing? What about the job boards? For the time being, they're looking on the sidelines as Facebook races past them. LinkedIn <a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://www.linkedintelligence.com/linkedin-api-plans-to-compete-with-facebook/">has already stated</a> that they will be releasing their API to the development community later in the year to early next year. But my gut tells me this is too little too late.<br /><br />It's a classic example of copying a competitor's strategy as quickly as possible...however on the new web, this strategy fails miserably because the name of the game is innovation. It's about jumping from one S-curve to the next. Not riding on the tails of another model. And no matter how much LinkedIn believes that they are different compared to pure social networking sites like Facebook...let's face it: Facebook's strategy includes going into LinkedIn's sweetspot of professional networking.<br /><br />Which means something has to give.<br /><br />My bet? Without some true innovation from within, sites like LinkedIn are going to be looking quite out-of-date as new sites pop up...or existing ones innovate past them.<br /><br />Which begs the question: are recruiters really following all this? They've become quite comfortable with LinkedIn's pool of talent. What happens when that well dries up because it's no longer popular (ala Xanga or Friendster)?<br /></span>Philliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12749780729545575963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21468699.post-67834932075992074682007-09-10T09:31:00.000-05:002008-12-11T14:32:45.707-05:00Yes, I'm Still Here<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_NH8JA-z4Gzk/RuVXfUkS00I/AAAAAAAAABQ/vckRMdbYd7E/s1600-h/digfootLogo.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_NH8JA-z4Gzk/RuVXfUkS00I/AAAAAAAAABQ/vckRMdbYd7E/s320/digfootLogo.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5108585547930194754" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">As the title implies, I wanted to let everyone out there know that I am still here. Although, if you were to gauge that based on my posting consistency...you'd probably have a different conclusion. :P<br /><br />So to make amends for not posting in what seems like forever, I at least have a new site to offer to those digging the new social networking trend that is taking over corporate America: <a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://www.digfoot.com/">digFoot</a>. So what is digFoot? It's a directory of social networks around the world.<br /><br />It's an interesting little site that allows you to find social networks that may not be on the mainstream radar just yet. From a recruiting perspective, it's also a great way to educate yourself on the networks if you're not at all familiar with them since the directory gives you a high-level synopsis of each site when you search.<br /></span>Philliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12749780729545575963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21468699.post-48008834277444441592007-05-31T15:22:00.000-05:002007-05-31T15:24:29.007-05:00Pass the Hatorade, Please<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Just came across this interesting <a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://ask.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/05/31/1333256&from=rss">dicussion thread</a> on Slashdot, and thought I'd share. Apparently employed IT folks hate recruiters.<br /><br />I have to admit, reading through some of the ideas make me chuckle. Others made me a little worried about the sanity of the people that posted the ideas. :o<br /></span>Philliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12749780729545575963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21468699.post-62646438348618601782007-05-25T08:09:00.000-05:002008-12-11T14:32:45.844-05:00Facebook: The LinkedIn Killer<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_NH8JA-z4Gzk/RlblREhL8CI/AAAAAAAAABI/sR7FzyGlt70/s1600-h/Facebook+F8+Conference.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_NH8JA-z4Gzk/RlblREhL8CI/AAAAAAAAABI/sR7FzyGlt70/s320/Facebook+F8+Conference.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5068490512085544994" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">As some of you may already know, there's a big hoopla over what happened yesterday at 3pm in San Francisco. What am I talking about? The <a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/24/facebook-launches-facebook-platform-they-are-the-anti-myspace/">Facebook Platform Launch</a>, an event that elicits comparisons to Steve Jobs and his keynote sessions for Apple (it's funny to hear other people say that Mark Zuckerberg was "channeling" Steve Jobs at this event...).<br /><br />The most evident thing at this event? Facebook's undeniable ambition to become the #1 most visited site on the Internet...which also leverages its community in a manner that will allow it (and many partners) to build unprecedented services and applications for the semantic web. The most striking comment in this event? That Zuckerberg and company are "<a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/facebook_grows_up.php">targeting Google next</a>." Joking or not, I think it's safe to say that even making a comment like that speaks to their ambitions of taking Facebook to the next level.<br /><br />So here's something I'll throw out there. Facebook is already stickier than MySpace and LinkedIn. The fact that they now have 70+ applications under way for the site only means they have the potential for getting more sticky as it expands its user base. Indeed, nearly 50% of its user base is 25 years or older. I can believe this statistic because I'm one of them...<br /><br />My bold claim: Facebook has the potential of disrupting LinkedIn's model...and the model of many other social networking sites. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if Facebook begins to play on the same fields as some of its other peers such as LinkedIn. What if Facebook created a professional networking forum within its site? It's feasible, given its current growth rate of non-college students...<br /><br />For the time being, I don't think LinkedIn has anything to worry about since it has a handle on its demographic. But if they're not careful...and if they don't constantly innovate...I wonder just how much staying power it will have.<br /></span>Philliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12749780729545575963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21468699.post-86786348294115735052007-05-18T10:20:00.000-05:002008-12-11T14:32:46.152-05:00Digg Marries Monster...Meet TalentSpring<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NH8JA-z4Gzk/Rk3HD0hL8BI/AAAAAAAAABA/6aPKhgNMIjw/s1600-h/talentspring.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NH8JA-z4Gzk/Rk3HD0hL8BI/AAAAAAAAABA/6aPKhgNMIjw/s320/talentspring.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5065924024313049106" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">So I have this dilemma that everyone else has (at least, anyone that spends a lot of time on the Internet)...keeping track of the semantic web/social networking phenomenon. I swear, a day doesn't go by that I don't hear of at least 3 or 5 new sites that have "interesting" twists on current sites.<br /><br />I only wonder how many of these have staying power...how many of them are "sticky" enough to create communities that keep coming back. But it'll be a few years before we know the answer to that question, so in the meanwhile, here's a new site that has yet another interesting premise.<br /><br />If Digg and Monster were to be mashed up, I would imagine the result would be similar to <a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://www.talentspring.com/">TalentSpring</a>. Read on from Techcrunch:<br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Like traditional resume marketplaces, TalentSpring is database of resumes from those seeking work or looking for new employment opportunities. Where as tradition resume marketplaces are generally search driven databases, categorized by user submissions based on location, experience etc, TalentSpring uses a ranking system to rate resumes so that top resumes float to the top of TalentSpring whilst lesser resumes drop.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Resumes are ranked by other job seekers. Upon signing up and submitting your resume, to have your details included on TalentSpring you </span><strong style="font-style: italic;">must </strong><span style="font-style: italic;">score 12 sets of other candidates in your own professional area.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">The voting system is a one resume or another proposition x 12. Users are presented two resumes side by side and must mark which candidate they feel is better suited for a position in that particular field.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">...Costs for the service are highly competitive, starting at $195 for a single position with various unlimited use packages also available.<br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">So...check back here in a few years to see if this latest site gains traction. ;) At $195 a pop, it doesn't seem like such a bad deal if TalentSpring can actually get a decent collection of resumes. Which makes me wonder: how long is Monster going to take before they roll out any Web 2.0 initiatives of their own? </span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div>Philliphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12749780729545575963noreply@blogger.com0