The Career Tree Network Blog

Many Human Resources professionals understand and have become proficient in the traditional way to fill an open position within their organization. 

Here’s usually how it goes:  Hiring manager informs HR that a position is open.  A job description is written to explain the responsibilities and requirements.  The position is posted on job boards, newspapers, etc.  After a few days candidates start to filter in.  Before too long, resumes are reviewed to find a group to interview.  Some applicants are obviously not qualified and might get a rejection letter or email.  Then contact is made with a select few to schedule interviews.  The process continues until the position is filled.  This is the traditional process that we’re familiar with.   

Advances in Web 2.0 technology have created opportunities for dialog between individuals and organizations.  Marketing messages, like job descriptions, are no longer a one way street.  Most newspapers allow for people to respond to articles written.  Authors are putting their email addresses at the end of articles to encourage dialog.  Youtube videos allow for dialog between the publisher and viewers.  Local television stations encourage people to film breaking news for electronic submission.  Social Networking sites, like Facebook and Twitter, allow users to comment and dialog on just about everything.

Unfortunately, many in the Human Resources community have not embraced this change.   

Candidates are forces to apply on-line.  HR people are too busy to answer phone calls from candidates or even respond to email.  Top talent is scratching at the door and many companies don’t take the time to open the communication channels. 

The focus must shift within the HR community so that organizations can have real “conversations” with interested candidates.

Career fair organizers need to take a greater responsibility for not only bringing people to the event but also making sure that employers and candidates are able to make meaningful connections.  Too often, the career fair organizers seem to only focus on getting employers and candidates to attend.  The real key is creating an environment so that good relationships can be formed. 

Without special attention to relationship development, career fairs become an awkward and unproductive way to spend an afternoon.  

Picture a grade school that brings boys and girls together for a dance and then does not play any music.  The kids are standing around without an idea of what to do. 

The career fair organizers need to play the music.

This is a little story about four people:  Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody.

There was an important job to be done, and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it.  Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.

Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody’s job.  Everybody thought that Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it.

It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done. 

Some stories are worth repeating.  Be a Nobody in your company who gets things done!