As a job seeker or an HR pro in this economy what is the role of job boards for you?

Job Seekers are you relying on a job board to find you your next gig?  Or are you using it another way….for resume advice, to find out more about a particular company and the kind of jobs they have open, to get career coaching?

HR Pros – are you posting all/any open jobs?  Have you cut down on the number of boards you post to?  Are you posting jobs at all?

Once again I’m giving away a free coffee card for weighing in.  With ERE Expo happening this week,  I’ve added a twist…if you are at ERE Expo and you @reply to leanneclc onTwitter, respond to the Career Life Connection page on Facebook or comment here..and find me (or I find you), I just might have a Starbucks card for you on-site (5 total).

I’ve been attending lots of conferences lately.  Some good, some okay and all focused on jobs and careers.  Yesterday I was at one and sat down in a session next to a fellow attendee who was busily checking out all the job board sponsors on Blackberry to see what kind of jobs they offered.  The comments I heard were “see, there’s no professional jobs on that one.”  “This one’s better but it could be bait and switch – I’m not sure what company this job is for.” “This one, too, no professional-levels there.”

As I have a some experience with the recruiting industry and I just can’t help myself, I weighed in.  I told this attendee that January was the worst month ever in the 10-year history of job boards and this month may be even worse.  That if Monster.com is struggling, what could be expected of smaller websites that also contain job boards.  I also thought a more frank discussion on why job boards are not the place to find jobs in this economy was in order.

If you listen to the recruiting community (and if you’re a job seeker, why aren’t you listening to them?) you still hear about how hard it is to find great talent, even in this downturn.  Recruiters want “A” talent…not B or C types.   Posting a job on a job board right now, will get an overwhelming amount of B & C resumes but no A resumes.  So companies who are hiring are turning to other practices rather than job board postings.  They are listening…on LinkedIn on Facebook and increasingly on Twitter.  That’s where they find, identify and hire A talent.

Case in point, a young guy I used to work with got laid off recently.  He happened to be the guy who twittered for his company and he also has his own twitter account.  He’s funny, he’s creative and he’s good at what he does.  That comes through loud and clear on Social Media networks.   So when he got laid off and talked about it – in a very subtle and smart way, he had 3 local companies vying for his services.  These companies weren’t looking to fill a job.  They were looking to hire talent that filled a need.

The company that landed him had posted their job and was interviewing candidates already.  But no one seemed to be the right mix of what they were looking for.  They found out my friend was unemployed…reached out to him via Twitter and Facebook and asked him to interview for the position.  Within a week, they hired the candidate they really wanted, and he got a job that he’s really excited about.

But people looking for jobs are still turning to job boards.  And I knew soon the person I was sitting next to and had just exchanged business cards with would get around to checking out my site and would comment on the job board there.

When I went live 3 months ago, I decided to republish Indeed.com’s job feed and to pare it down by key terms including flexible and college degree, and a few others.   Why?  Because I wanted my site to have a list of jobs on it, because I wanted those jobs to be from all over the country not just 1 geographic location, because it seemed to make sense to go to a job board aggregator to get that done, because Indeed.com looked to me to be the best one to republish from.   I think I’ve put job seekers in the best hands I could…but, please…don’t let job boards be your only strategy in trying to find a job.  If it is, I’m not sure any job board will be good enough.

Our Question of the Week, this week is one that I have been grappling with recently.  As my business went live 3 months ago people have been asking me “how’s it going?”  And there are many answers to that question.  Sometimes at the core of the question is either “is it a success,” or “do you think it will be a success?”

In some ways I feel it is very successful already.  And there are times when I doubt if it will ever be enough of a success to keep myself and others employed long-term.  So what is success?  How do you define it?

If success is measured in dollars and cents, then no my business is not a great success, yet.  But is that the only definition that should be placed on a business for it being successful?  Here are some of the ways that I feel this business is already successful.

I am writing regularly for the first time since college.  Success

Young women are turning to me for advice and to learn more about what I’m doing.  Success

Others in my field are reaching out to me to see if we can work together.  Success

I have a number of recruiters (one of my audiences) following me on Twitter. Success

Our first Question of the Week, last week fomented a vibrant discussion. Success

I really love what I’m doing for the first time in a long time.  Success

I was able to go to the park and the children’s muesum with my daughter last week during the business day.  Success

So how do you define success?  Is it purely financial?  Is it staying true to and accomplishing your mission statement?  or is it much more esoteric…being happy and healthy?  We look forward to hearing from you.

One participant will be chosen at random to win a coffee gift card for Starbucks, or Dunkin’ Donuts or your favorite coffee place provided it sells gift cards online or over the phone.

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The desire to have more flexibility at work and achieve a symbiotic relationship with work, life and interests is clearly more of a hot topic than the definition of success.  Which is good, considering this site is more about flexibility in the workplace than defining success.  So I guess I’m on the right track.  Congratulations once again to Stephanie R for being this week’s winner.   (it was either her or me and I thought picking me would have looked rigged…good intuition.)

There is quite a tug-of-war going on between the generations these days.  I’ve talked here about how it disappoints me that my generation hasn’t tried harder to take the reins and shape the world of work to what they want.  And recently I heard a Gen Yer blatantly asking a Boomer to step aside for their children – so their children could get jobs.

I’m not really sure how I feel.  Especially since I know that I will want to work longer than my parents did and their parents did.  I think work is something you do at one place for a while, then move on, or maybe take a break and travel, or maybe just relax for a bit, and then go back to work, again.  And I don’t think people should stop working just because they reach they reach a certain age.  After all you don’t stop thinking just because you become 65.

So I’m not sure I’m ready to push the Boomers out – I don’t want to be pushed out, so why do that to someone else?  I also definitely agree that with age comes wisdom, but I also think that with youth comes invigoration and innovation.  So what to do?  How about…do something you’ve always wanted to try in an area where your wisdom and knowledge could really help others.  It’s not a completely new idea.  After all Score has existed for a long time and has been a great help to many.  But this expands on that model.

It may not work for all – plenty of people like their jobs and just simply don’t want to leave.  But I already like the idea for me at that age.  I still regret never going into the Peace Corps – in retirement I may just have my chance!

There are times when I’m flummoxed by what seems obvious to me but is not to those I’m conversing with.  Like when I hear from the HR community that telecommuting and virtual workers sound great in theory….but it just won’t work for our organization.  Huh?  One of the most highly respected HR online communities is ERE.net. Not only are recruiters extremely productive working with each other there, ERE is extremely productive as an organization…a virtual company…whose employees are scattered across the 50 states.

Does anyone else see the irony here?  Seriously.

Last fall I talked with David Manaster who started ERE.net in 1998.  I asked him why virtual?  “That wasn’t a plan,” he said, “it’s just sort of evolved.“

When David started his company he was already working full-time, once he quit his job to pursue ERE in start up mode, there just wasn’t money for an office.  As ERE evolved and grew he did get an office and still has one.  At one time his entire sales staff worked out of that office, now only 1 of his 12 full-time employees goes there regularly.

You see the people who used to work at the office moved to different states for personal reasons, or they hated the commute in and out of New York, or they just work more productively outside the office.  The reasons didn’t matter to David.  He had hired great people, they did great work, and he wanted to keep them.  So he figured out how to make it work for everyone.

He acknowledges there are challenges and you really have to communicate well and clearly with each other in a virtual set up.  If that breaks down it can be hard to fix.  But he also says he wouldn’t give up the rewards.  Of course there is the cost savings of having no office overhead.  But the real reward he says is that he “simply would not be able to have grown the business to 40% year over year growth without these employees who know the business, have the contacts and understand how to get results.”

Okay HR folks aren’t those the kind of results your executives are looking for?  So, again, why aren’t more people working virtually/telecommuting at your company?  I’ll be in San Diego at the end of the month for the latest ERE Expo let’s talk.  If you can’t find me, ask Kevin Plantan, VP of Sales for ERE and a real man who flexes, he’ll find me for you.

Answer our Coffee Clatch Question of the Week and you might just get a free cup of joe on us.

Work/Life Balance or Workplace Flexibility or Other?

Our president has her opinions on this topic, of course, but you don’t have to agree.  We like a lively discussion.

You can answer here, or on our facebook page or on twitter by sending a message to @leanneclc.

One participant will be chosen at random to win a coffee gift card for Starbucks, or Dunkin’ Donuts or your favorite coffee place provided it sells giftcards online or over the phone.

Enjoy the coffee and the conversation!

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Thank you all for the great discussion on this topic.  The varied answers show we really have a lot more talking to do on this subject.  Also, congratulations to Stephanie R. for winning a Starbucks coffee card on us! We look forward to many more of these great disucssions.

I have pretty strong feelings about the world of work.  I make no secret about that and thankfully many of you who read this blog or have spoken to me about the mission for my website know this and are already on board with who I am.  Michael Benidt knows me and was kind enough to forward me an article that perfectly personifies why I’m doing what I’m doing…trying to change the world we work in.

Yes, I’d like to do it right now.  But tilting at windmills doesn’t work.   There needs to be a groundswell.  Then it needs to become focused and then things will change.  Articles like this and many conversations I’ve had tell me there already is a groundswell.  I’m hoping this blog can help focus the conversation and begin to change corporate America.

So what do I think about the conflict facing this Gen Yer?  I think it sucks.  I hate bait and switch in the HR world and it should not be tolerated.  My 40-something self would walk.   But I already have a resume and some savings.   Many 20-somethings do not.

So now the question becomes what would my 20-something self do?

I would not worry about my marriage.  That’s just a fact, it’s not a statement that my marriage is a fairy tale, it’s not.  There are many bumps in that road.  I just happen to know that this would not be the one to derail us.

I would stick it out until my 1-year anniversary with the company.  I’ve said that a resume doesn’t need to be a straight line up.  And I mean that.  But it also can’t be a series of short dashes.   And while sticking it out I would take some steps to get myself ready for whatever may come next:

Stay Healthy – I heard on NPR yesterday that one wealth manager, John Spooner, was practically mandating his employees to exercise. Exercise helps with stress and clarity.  Perhaps your marriage isn’t as strained as you fear, perhaps sticking with the job temporarily is doable.  I know this sounds laughable with the commute and the work schedule.  But head outside for a short walk – 20 minutes a couple of days a week may do wonders for you.

Try HR – Don’t be disgruntled and emotional – but state the facts of your concerns and ask for their help.   This is what they do for a living.

Find a Reference – Your reference for a future job does not have to be your immediate supervisor.  It can be someone who worked with you or helped supervise you on a specific project that can speak to your skills.

Investigate What’s Next – Are there more layoffs coming?  Is there any way (very discreetly) to position you to be laid off?

Listen to Others – If you’re on twitter, ask for advice.  There are lots of recruiters that hang out there.  Also, search the Internet for interesting blogs and articles on career advice that resonate with you.  This one is by no means the only one or the best one.  I read Penelope Trunk often and she really knows Gen Y. I’m sure she would also have a very strong opinion on this subject.

Network – Online or face-to-face. Once you’ve listened, start talking.  Again don’t be disgruntled and emotional.  But state what you’re looking for and how someone can help you.  You may be surprised to learn how many people are willing to help.

Check out the Temp. Market – In a bad economy that is usually the place to find work.  But this downturn is pretty extreme and it may not be a viable alternative.

Try to Breathe – This will pass and you will look back later and wonder what all the fuss was about.  (Says the old lady.)  But it really is true.  The shame is that you never realize it until much later in life. I’m sure at 20-something I was hyperventilating over these types of issues, too.

That’s my two, ten, twenty-five cents.  Now I’m throwing it out to the community.  Do you agree?  Disagree?  Either comment here or on the original blog post. This woman’s looking for advice…let’s give her some.

A few interesting things have come out of starting this blog and this business.  I’ve worked with and met people that I never would have before and people have started to come to me for advice.  Which I find fascinating, not because I can’t be helpful – I think I really can be helpful in certain situations – but because I never intended to become a “thought leader.”  I just wanted to find a new career that fit.  And this one does.

And the good news is, when you find something that works, others want you to help them.  So for all of you who have helped me “find” myself, I am excited to be paying it forward.

Most recently, a young woman looking to change her career approached me.   She is struggling because the job she likes to do isn’t a traditional job (it lasts from Oct. to May) and she feels you are expected to also work from May to Oct as well.  She told me that even though the job isn’t year round the pay is adequate to keep her afloat in these uncertain times, she likes the work, and she gets to work with interesting people on interesting projects…but shouldn’t she being doing something more.  We had a great discussion and I gave her some suggestions for how she could turn her passion of helping non-profits with the PR for their gala events into a job during the summer months.  I told her this non-profit freelancing might even turn into a bigger job than the one she is currently working.  But mostly I told her to relax.  She’s young, a career isn’t a straight line on a resume, and that she wasn’t the only one that struggles with this problem.

Which brings me to celebrities.  They work a very untraditional schedule, they often have only a few really great projects in their work lives but they are considered to be a success.

So why can’t we all work like them and be considered successful?  Isn’t Julia Louis Dreyfus very successful?  She was on Saturday Night Live (1982-1985), Seinfeld (1990-1998) and now The New Adventures of Old Christine – a hilarious show that started in 2006.   But she also was out of the limelight between each project.  She still worked during that time but it wasn’t consistent and her resume is not a straight line.  Also, no one would tell her she was wasting her time when she worked on Seinfeld just because it didn’t tape 52 weeks a year.

I think we need to give ourselves a break if we work outside of the box and stop worrying so much about what others think of our world.  If it works for you and you like it and you can pay your bills – go with it.   A very smart person I just met thanks to this new adventure told me, “Work is something you do, not somewhere you go.” And if you like what you’re doing…keep doing it until it doesn’t work for you anymore and then do something else…just like a celebrity.