How Tech Brings HR and Marketing Together

How Tech Brings HR and Marketing Together In the past, HR and marketing departments had little to do with each other.  Human Resources placed their focus on new hires and current employees, while the marketing team would concentrate predominantly on the consumer side of things. However, with the growth of technology and social media, the two departments have been growing increasingly closer to one another and it turns out that creating a great employer brand involves many of the same techniques as marketing the brands product. Though many HR professionals would consider themselves pretty tech savvy,  its the marketing professionals who tend to know and have access to the latest technological trends to communicate and engage with their customers. So how exactly is  technology bridging the gap  between HR and marketing and what can be done for them to work well hand in hand? Customers have become potential employees. A lot of brand marketing reflects the culture and values of an organisation in order to create a rounded representation of the company in the eye of both the consumers and also job seekers. If a certain individual has become a loyal customer of the brand, chances are that they have done so because they feel they are familiar with the brands products,  can identify with the company culture and share similar principles. Essentially this makes them  a  good cultural fit for the company, which is crucial for employee engagement and retention. All you need then are the  required skills of course and youve found yourself the perfect employee! So once the consumers had been identified as potential employees, it made sense to create some crossover between marketing that targets both customers and also job seekers, with particular focus online.  These individuals can be pinpointed among the brands social media following and data can be taken from user activity that will not only to predict consumer behaviours, but also employee performance. Creating an effective employer brand. Most businesses have a strong online presence for marketing purposes, however they can also leverage this presence for talent attraction. The growth of technology has really broadened the reach of an organisation, whether it through the existing company website and  social media accounts, or by setting up new career focused ones. This has opened up possibilities for employers to source  the best candidates available to them and made significant changes to the way that employers communicate with talent. Building a great employer brand can make a world of difference when it comes to hiring. After all, job seekers are more likely to want to work for an organisation who successfully promotes themselves for supporting their employees and having a constructive, enjoyable work environment, than for a business who offers very little insight into their company culture. By integrating HR and marketing strategies, a company can build an effective employer brand that will attract the top talent to the organisation. Similar methods can be used for attracting new employees to the company,  as for enticing  customers to their product, such as advertising jobs, sharing interesting content, interacting with followers and exhibiting the human side of the brand. Social media  makes it possible for an organisation to share a glimpse into the company culture and the experience of the employees, that will allow job seekers to envisage themselves working there. Much like in marketing, it is important for an organisation to be able to interact with and build a relationship with their followers, for the sake of building a reputation as a personable and reputable business. Employees are brand ambassadors. Current employees make  the best brand ambassadors, as they can offer  a more authentic and trustworthy representation of your organisation  than that presented through official marketing channels. People will look to a companys workforce for a more honest and personal insight into a  company, not only as a consumer, but also for seeking an insight into what the company is like as an employer. Social media is the perfect tool for employee advocacy,  as  a large number of employees will  already have an  extensive network of friends, followers, and connections, expanding the brands reach significantly. All it takes for social  advocacy to work, is to encourage employees to talk about their job and the company on social media, be it by sharing photos of  a team night out or expressing thoughts about a project they are currently working on. Any positive posts about the organisation and what its like to work there will create a favourable impression of the business as a brand and an  employer. Many companies have developed an employee hashtag where all employee content about the organisation can be recorded, for example #lifeatlinkhumans.

Personal Branding Toolkit - Part 2 Portfolios - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding Toolkit - Part 2 Portfolios - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Todays post is the second in a series of blog posts dedicated to your personal branding toolkit. A toolkit is a compilation of marketing materials used to help sell yourself, your business or both. Its how you stand out without evening talking to someone. Not everyone has to use each tool, but they will give you some great ideas about what you CAN do. Your personal branding toolkit 1) Business cards 2) Portfolios 3) Resumes 4) Cover letters There are three types of portfolios Brand Yourself with a Portfolio CD/DVD: Ive used a CD during interviews and it was such a differentiator that they couldnt stop talking about it. I bet even if the CD was blank it would still seem impressive to them. The CD I created had examples of websites I built, logos I created, small pieces of a business plan I wrote, as well as standard documents, such as a resume and cover letter. Each of these main topics had its own folder to make it easier for the recruiter to peruse the portfolio. The CD also had an imprinted cover that I designed using the program Easy CD Creator. The cover listed my name, 2005-6 Portfolio and the employers name for personalization purposes. Web only: In the future, recruitment will be almost entirely about relationships between hiring managers and applicants through websites (whether they are social or not). If you already have a branded website (i.e. yourname.com) or a blog, then you can do screen shots of your work, edit them cleanly and append them onto your site. After placing all of these graphics on your site, you will have a link to put in your resume. On your resume it should say See my online portfolio http://yourname.com/portfolio.html. Print: Some people are better at just displaying their work on paper. All you have to do is print out your work on high quality paper and bring it into your interview or meeting with your client. You could wrap up a few projects into a brochure and hand it to them as samples of your work. When are portfolios required If you are going for a creative position, you really need a portfolio because, like Ive said many times, everyone is OBSESSED with previous accomplishments. Why? People are crazy about trust and who they invest their time and money in. They want evidence that you succeeded in the past so they can visualize the same success in the future. Creative positions are typically in art, website design, branding, marketing, etc. Freelance journalism is also an area where writing samples or previous publications are crucial. You need to prove to people time and time again that you have credibility and writing skills. 3 tips for grade A portfolios 1) The amount of samples: If you are just starting to build your portfolio, use everything as a case study and dont be picky or selective. On the other hand, if youve built up a army of case studies, then take only the top 5, in each category, to use in your portfolio. 2) Use categories: Dont have a cluttered website that has images of logos, other websites and written pieces all over it. Break everything you do into categories that make sense for the reader. If one category isnt your strong suit, then demote it on your site. Its really that easy. 3) Include descriptions: Just because a picture says 1,000 words means I know what the heck your talking about. You need to have a title, objective, date and written description for each piece of work that you promote. The description should talk about the company you worked for, what the problem and solution was and your results. Examples of portfolios that stand out Steve Leggats Design Portfolio Nate Smiths Graphic Design Kathy Crowe Russells Resume Eric Dyck

Snacks and Stocking Stuffers Youll Love

Snacks and Stocking Stuffers You’ll Love Don’t know what to  bring on your next road trip or what to buy for stocking stuffers? I have you covered with these special goodies that will also make great gifts! Better Body Foods PBfit Peanut Butter Powder Brace yourselves, you guys. Low fat peanut butter that you can make? This seems too good to be true, but it is! All you do is add water to this peanut butter powder mix, give it a few stirs and voila! I love this idea as a lower fat version of peanut butter that also travels very well. Grab a spoon or the Crunchmaster Multi Crackers (I’ll get to those in a sec) and you have a tasty snack. Crunchmaster Multi Crackers These crackers have just the right amount of salt and pair excellent with hummus or the aforementioned amazing PBfit powder! Portion control for days. Among Friends Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix Um yeah. You are def going to be among friends and making friends after whipping up this gluten free chocolate chip cookie mix! After baking up these guilt-free healthier-for-you treats for a few friends, they were gone in one sitting! Delicious. Wild Foods Wild Chocolate Powder It says on the package that Wild Chocolate Powder mixes well with butter coffee (probably  bulletproof) however I beg to differ. It did not blend very well in coffee. Try protein shakes or other baking mixes instead! Goddess Garden Sunscreen Firming Primer Love a primer. Not a huge sunscreen-in-my-primer fan as my tinted moisturizer already has this in it. Personal preferences aside, Goddess Garden does give you that glow-y dew-y look and feel. Shine on. Gertrude Hawk Milk Chocolate Crispy Bar Creamy milk chocolate  packed with  crunchy  crisped rice!  I have it on good authority from a milk chocolate person (I am a dark choco gal) that this bar is the real deal. YUM. Oh and the company also make holiday-themed delights, wedding and party favors, gifts and more. Super clutch when you need something special. Älsa Energy Drink Mix This is supposed to be good for you and boost your energy when used 2x/day. The healthy energy drink mix, Älsa is smarter, steady energy with Cognizin ® citicoline for mental clarity and PURENERGY ® for a long-lasting boost. It comes in three refreshing vegan and gluten-free flavors: Dragon Fruit, Pomegranate Blueberry, and Three Citrus. Do not expect lemonade or chemical flavored water taste it’s healthy, natural taste. Mediterra Kale Pumpkin Seeds Bar Normally this girl wouldn’t like a seedy bar (eye rolls/groans) but this one is great! I love the Mediterranean-inspired pumpkin seeds, pea crisps, amaranth, rosemary,  and a touch of extra virgin olive oil to enjoy on the go. BWC Travel Size Hand and Body Lotion This lotion belongs in your purse/desk drawer/car for the entire winter! Natures rich emollients shea butter, jojoba and kukui nut oil combined with aloe vera smooth and replenish to keep your skin youthful looking and vibrant. I love that its  fragrance-free so you are not offending any travel mates or office visitors! Earth Science 145 Night Renewal Facial Lotion Okay so this 3x/week face lotion is supposed to be for men but I tried it anyway! Night Renewal contains fruit acids to help slough off old tired-looking skin and stimulate skin renewal.   It is also rich in hyaluronic acid, (can be strong, which is why they prolly recommended only 3x/week!) green tea, algae, and ginseng root extracts to hydrate skin and minimize the visible signs of age. It has a cedar mint fragrance and I am okay with it. Campfires and mint hot cocoa anyone? . Image credit:  Main.