Archive for May, 2009
The Shrinking Resume
Posted by: | CommentsAt this week’s Social Media Success Summit 2009 the social networking maven Gary Vaynerchuk told a listener who made his living writing resumes that he might want to seek other work. Gary, who never minces words about anything, thinks that the old fashioned resume is destined for the junk heap.
Why? Because potential employers can find everything they want by Googling you, and checking out your Facebook and LinkedIn profiles.
Not so fast, Gary. I was at a networking reception last evening and good friend and colleague and I began to chat. She’s in the job market. But instead of whipping out a resume (actually she would never be so gauche as to do that in good company), she pulled out her “business card.” She doesn’t believe in the old fashioned resume, either. What she had done was turn her business card into her resume. It was quite ingenious. The business card had two-folds and each of the three little sections had everything included about her professional experience, volunteer activities and education. She even had room on the first page for her color photo.
After leaving with her card, I had another thought: if I ever was in the job market again I could do the same thing. All those years of experience summarized in a 3-1/2” x 2” card. Actually, it’s a little depressing to realize that my accomplishments can be summarized in so few words. Next thing you know, companies will be asking candidates to send their resumes in a Tweet. I feel myself growing smaller and smaller.
Where Did the Employees Go?
Posted by: | CommentsThe 2008 corporate annual reports have rolled off the presses and are on view on company websites. I flipped through some of them online and, as usual, they are the same old dullards. A letter from the president, a few words about the past year and what the future holds, followed by the financial results.
But you know what? Several of the very largest Fortune 500 companies had not a single photo or story about an employee. None. Aren’t employees the ones who make the company successful? Where did they go? It is a little shocking to think that they merit so little recognition. Granted many companies have had layoffs. Maybe they think that if they don’t highlight the employees who are left people will forget about the ones who are gone. Or maybe it’s something else.
In a recent column, David Brooks, an op-ed writer for The New York Times cited a study “Which C.E.O. Characteristics and Abilities Matter,” by Steven Kaplan, Mark Klebanov and Morten Sorensen. What they learned, says Brooks, is that “strong people skills…and being a great communicator…correlate loosely or not at all with being a good C.E.O….what mattered were execution and organizational skills.” Their findings apparently were consistent with other research on the subject of successful C.E.O.’s.
Maybe that’s why employees are so little recognized in the most successful companies. The C.E.O.’s need to be a good communicator isn’t as important as sweating the small stuff, like being attentive to detail. OK, not all C.E.O.s think team building and communications with employees are unimportant.
But it does make one pause and wonder if companies just don’t value their employees as much as in the old cradle-to-grave days when an employee lived out his entire work life with one company. Maybe employees are fungible. That’s it. Employees come. Employees go. Welcome to the new world.
Business Writing that Sells
Posted by: | CommentsThe web has replaced the grapevine as the preferred source of information about your company. It’s a fact. That’s where your employees and customers are learning about you. Your annual report, brochures, white papers, and other business communication circulate the globe at the speed of light.So, it’s more important than ever that your brand attributes and key messages are communicated in language that is clear, concise and compelling. Nothing less than your reputation is at stake if you get it wrong.
I have years of experience in dealing with complex issues, working for some of the largest agencies and companies. I can produce writing that motivates employees, persuades them and your customers that you are the best company to do business with, and makes the cash register ring. Having begun my career as a business reporter, I’m a quick study. So, here I am full circle doing what I do best – writing that sells.
