Happy New Year! To kick off 2009, the Sandbox has a renewed focus: Helping you recruit great people and inspire them to do amazing work.

Are your people doing their best work everyday? Are they driving the success of your organization? This blog is all about helping you and your people do just that! Here’s what’s new…

1. Free Stuff

Over the last few weeks, the Sandbox Resource Center got a big overhaul.

I’ve added a whole bunch of free stuff, including ebooks, recruiting resources, program development guides, presentation slides and more! Many of the tools are published under the Creative Commons license. That means you can share them, post them on your own website, and in some cases even edit them for your own use. Please see each document’s copyright page for more specific information.

2. The Book

In 2009, I’ll be publishing a full-length book on employer branding and social media. The book will be available as both an ebook and paperback.

You can sign-up to be notified by email when the book is available. I’ll also let you know about free chapter excerpts, podcasts and other fun stuff as it becomes available

3. No Ads

I’ve pulled advertising from the Sandbox. This site is all about helping your people do extraordinary work. From now on you’ll get the same high-quality content, ad free.

4. Blog Networks

Over the last few months, Manager’s Sandbox has been accepted into several blog networks.

• HRM Today. HRM Today is hands-down one of the best of HR blog networks on the web. I’m very proud to be a member.
• Brazen Careerist. This is an awesome network of Gen-Y bloggers covering a wide variety of topics.
• Alltop. Alltop features top bloggers in a variety of categories. Manager’s Sandbox is featured in the HR section.

Thanks, and Happy New Year!

The Sandbox is less than a year old, and already has a dedicated base of wonderful readers. Thank you all so much for your support over the last five months. I’m looking forward to a lot of exciting things in 2009, and glad you’ll be apart of them. Thanks, and Happy New Year!

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Okay, don’t be jealous, but I totally have a fan.

Last week, what appeared at first to be a spam comment on my post turned out, on second glance, to be a legitimate (if slightly off-topic) comment/question from someone who’d found on MSN an article I wrote last year, geared toward job seekers.

After reading “10 Ways Your Résumé Irks Hiring Managers“ (one of which is including personal or nonessential information like interests, activities, and links to personal Web sites), reader Sonia Zuzartee posed the question:

Could omitting such information from her resume actually put her - particularly as someone from another country - at a disadvantage by not enabling hiring managers to see “the ‘real me’ outside of my work experience and qualifications?”

Of course, I see what Sonia’s getting at - that certainly, there must be cases where these things might be relevant (after all, doesn’t it stand to reason that someone with a diverse set of interests would bring new and interesting ideas to the table?).

But it still seems to me (just as it did when I wrote the article and which the hiring experts I interviewed confirmed) that things like interests and hobbies or personal Web sites that have no discernable relevance to the job in question have no place on a resume.

Of course, who better to settle this than you guys?  So, tell me…

Do personal interests - if arguably relevant - ever belong on a resume or are they always taboo?  Honestly, how much information do hiring managers really need (or want) from a resume?

And, hey, as long as you’re sharing…What about resumes irk you the most? (C’mon, it’s Monday…)

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For the third and final segment of this series on 2009 predictions, I wanted to turn it over to my colleagues blogging elsewhere and see what they are saying. If I forgot to ask you, I somehow missed your contribution or you just feel like participating, throw your comments below or write your own post and send the link over and we’ll get it in the post.

Now for the predictions for 2009:

HR Minion of (surprisingly) HR Minion says: I predict that more HR people will be driven to blogs due to the economy. Whether they go there for advice, community, a place to rant, or because they discover the increasing importance of social media and networking to HR, they will come. We have built it, so they will come.

Sharlyn Lauby of HR Bartender says: Customer service is the new marketing. People might see economic stimulus money next year but there are no guarantees where they will spend it. Consumers want good service and they will seek out and embrace companies that provide it. Businesses need to take a hard look at what they offer in terms of customer service and use training as a way to stay competitive.

Dan Schawbel of Personal Branding Blog says: In 2009, personal branding will be a commonly used vocabulary word. When thousands of resumes are tossed in a recruiters face, they may all end up in the trash. How do you end up in a pile that they read? How do you differentiate yourself? The answer, as I’ve stated in this blog many times, is personal branding. Turning to proven tools and methodologies is a great way to get yourself on the right career track and turn your passion into money, even in a poor economy.

Benjamin Yoskovitz of Standout Jobs says: Strategic Recruiting becomes a priority. Transactional, shotgun recruiting has been diminishing in value for some time. A recent report indicates that Monster’s revenue will drop 37% in the coming year as companies abandon or lower their job posting contracts. Companies need to look at recruiting strategically and what that means for budgets, time to hire, etc.

Joel Cheesman of Cheezhead says: Yahoo sells-off HotJobs

Kari Quaas of CoolWorks says: My hope and prediction is that more employers jump on Facebook and realize the value of connecting with their staff where they are.

Jason Seiden of JasonSeiden.com says: In tough times, “noise” levels grow, so the people around you become important not only for support, but also as filters. For HR, this means that fostering relationships will become a critical role: with candidates, with managers, with outside resources, and with senior leaders. When things are hard and I’m under stress, I don’t want an answer from a website, I want the name of the person who can solve my problem, and I want that name to come from someone I respect and trust. I want to know I’m part of the neighborhood.

Lisa Rosendahl of HR Thoughts says: I predict an HR Blogging Explosion, coaching finding it’s way in to more and more performance management plans, and HR professionals reaching out to HR students via blogs etc to provide valuable industry insights and learnings.

Alexandra Levit of Water Cooler Wisdom says: My prediction is that more organizations will implement formal and informal flex time programs, and, as it becomes pricier and pricier to recruit and retain full time employees, that the use of part-time consultants will explode in fields like media, finance, and technology.

J. William Tincup of JPIE says: Personally, I’d like to see a greater emphasis on human capital blogging communities and/or multi-contributor blogs rather than more stand alone human capital blogs. I think we should work hard to build more of a sense of community in 2009.

Lousie Fletcher of Blue Sky Resumes says: 2009 will see the first high-profile lawsuit charging discrimination as a result of something posted on the Internet

Chris Ferdinandi of Manager’s Sandbox says: I predict an increased focus on the use (and hopefully engagement in) social media as a talent management tool. I’d love to see employers really embrace the technology more thoroughly in developing employer brands, communicating with employees, and spawning innovation.

Chris Young of the Maximize Possibility Blog says: 2009 will be the year of “adding value” in the workplace. Employers will be adding employees only if they can bring measurable value to the workplace. Employees who are not adding real, measurable value will be at serious risk of joining the already long unemployment lines.

Dan McCarthy of Great Leadership says: There won’t be any American auto companies or financial institutions on the 2008 “Top Companies for Leaders” list.

Laurie Ruettimann of PunkRockHR says: I predict job descriptions will become 140-characters and go out, Twitter-style, directly from companies to job seekers. Buh-bye, Monster and CareerBuilder.

Some really great stuff here. Anything major left off here?

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When it seems like you can’t turn to any news source without hearing about another round of layoffs or budget cuts, it’s nice to hear that there’s at least someone getting a raise in this economy…even if it is for Jamie Spears - a.k.a. Britney’s dad.

Last week an L.A. court gave him a generous bump in pay for managing his daughter’s estate - to the tune of $75 an hour. (That’s $12,000 per month, y’all!)  Hmmm…I guess I can see that.  I mean, “Daddy” Spears must be doing something right, right?

After all, less than a year after his daughter had a very public nervous breakdown and he took over managing his daughter’s estate so she could recover from personal and professional hardship, she staged yet another comeback - including a best-selling album and an upcoming world concert tour that’s quickly selling out.

Talk about resiliency…that kind of thing doesn’t happen by accident.

So it occurs to me that perhaps, as employees face personal and professional difficulties and strive to look toward future opportunities, managers could take some cues from the guy who could very well be the hardest working man in business (show or otherwise):

• Show your vulnerable side - Be honest about the challenges your company is facing - the news may not be good, but focus on the opportunities these challenges open up. (And in most circumstances, it won’t be necessary to communicate this in the form of an MTV special or a cover story in People.)  Encourage your staff to ask questions, voice concerns or contribute ideas, which gives your employees a sense of confidence and control about the situation.
• Build a loyal fan base - Part of why Brit Brit was able to come back was that she had such a strong fan base from the beginning, who truly wanted to see her succeed. Think of your employees as the fan base you want to cultivate. Part of what determines your company’s success will depend heavily on the culture you’ve built, which determines how strongly your employees will work toward that success.
• Create buzz - For Britney, it was leaking her single on iTunes and announcing a live performance on GMA. For you, energizing your base might be slightly more subtle. This recent New York Times post explains the importance of - and genius simplicity in - improving morale and production with (often uncomplicated and inexpensive) team building activities.
• Give them what they want to see - As in, a leader.  According to a study from the Center for Creative Leadership, your success as a leader is tied to “your ability to project an authentic leadership presence in the eyes of employees…” If you’re (forgive me) Britney Spears, then the conference room is your stage - own it. Your employees expect you to be the image of calm, confidence, inspiration and good judgment right now.  Don’t disappoint.

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For someone who really likes goals and planning, you’d think I would like making new year’s resolutions, right? Actually no, I don’t like resolutions. Resolutions are crutches, things you say to make you feel like you are going to take positive steps in the coming year when everyone, including yourself, know they are empty words. Resolutions are about things you should be doing right now, yesterday, or even years ago, but still haven’t managed to get around to. Resolutions rarely last beyond the first month.

That’s why I like goals. Good goals have structure, are attainable, and have clearly defined steps that lead to accomplishment. Resolutions are open ended promises to get in shape, stop smoking, etc. with no follow through. Goals require thought and planning, not just societal pressure to conform to what’s “normal”. Goals can be set up at any time and don’t require you to wait until the new year to make them.

So, before 2009 is upon us, take some time to think about your future. What do you want to accomplish, where do you want to be, and who do you want to be. Then write down specific goals, time limits, and the steps you need to take to get there. Write down how you will define success. That way when February rolls around you won’t be lamenting to your friends how you’ve fallen off the resolution wagon, you’ll be too busy obtaining something real.
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I have been spending some time in retrospection as the year wraps up. I have compiled some of the top emails (by consensus) sent out this year.

To: SeattleStaff

Subject: Krups Coffee Maker is Working Again (for the love of everything holy don’t put ground coffee in the bean grinder)

I got the machine working again. Enjoy. Next person I catch putting ground coffee anywhere near the grinder will get a proverbial beat down. Thanks.

To: SeattleStaff

Subject: Visible Technologies Economic Stimulus Package

Visible Technologies is doing its patriotic duty in stimulating the economy through a policy of mass consumption. We will be doing our part by NOT returning our reusable silverware to its rightful spot in the kitchen. In doing so, we will force the Company to purchase more and more utensils thereby providing a much needed kickstart to our ailing economy. Thanks for doing your part!

PS - Return the silverware to the kitchen please.

To: SeattleStaff

Subject: Visible Tech Missed Connection - Banquet Swedish Meatballs Packaging for Recycling Bin

Dear Banquet Swedish Meatballs Packaging,

I feel empty inside without your packaging, don’t worry I accept you for who you are. I even clearly state that cardboard is welcome. I feel slighted that you turned to the dark side choosing the trash can over me. Haven’t I been vocal in my affections?

Truly yours,

The Recycling Bin in the Break Room

P.S. Your plastic tray is a number 1 in my book, and is welcome to join us!

To: SeattleStaff

Subject: Pizza in the Breakroom, only 1 day old!

Still, good (I think), I ate some myself.

To: Allstaff

Subject: Prevent the Destruction of the World

And recycle. There is now a recycling box for cans and cardboard in the employee break area. Please wash/shake out your cans in the sink and breakdown the cardboard boxes. I will be monitoring who does and does not recycle from my cubicle and I would like to remind you that non-recyclers are not a protected class of employees.

Thanks and have a good day!

Dan

PS My wife baked magic bars (they’re yummy) and they are on the break area table for those of you who recycle. Enjoy!

PPS I am being mildly facetious in my efforts to encourage recycling.

PPPS Not Really.

Dan Hall

Seattle Human Resources Manager

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I kicked the crap out of my first Certified Employee Benefits Specialist exam today.  Group Health Plan Design: I OWN YOU.

I own you so much that I can tell my readers:

• It’s generally thought of as a bad thing when people who actually need insurance sign up for it; so much so that this concept is referred to as Adverse Selection.

• Your (stupid) Wellness Program only has to be HIPAA compliant if you offer incentives based on health status related factors.

• Insurance is similar to gambling, except that when gambling you actually have a chance of gaining something.

• People in these categories cost a lot more than their counterparts when it comes to dental insurance: older people, women, those in large metropolitan areas, those who make a decent salary & white collar workers.

• The Mental Health Parity Act has largely failed to accomplish it’s objectives because 87% of complying health plans evaded the spirit of the law by using day and visit limits to maintain unequal benefit levels for mental versus physical disorders.

YAY!

Group Benefits Management: You’re on notice as next in line.  I’ll be seeing you.

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Here are 3 questions you should ask yourself before we enter 2009.  The reason why I’m asking these is because I want you to think about how you can keep your job and pursue your passion at the same time.

1.  Are you committed to your current career path for the rest of your life?

This may seem like an extreme and overstated question, but it’s actually extremely important.  Although technology is set to go through rapid advancements from today till the day you retire, your personal brand remains the same.  Your brand is who you are and, although you may gain new skills and stay relevant to your audience, you are your brand.

Commitment is just as important in relationships, as it is with careers and branding. If you aren’t satisfied and convinced that you have chosen the proper, long-term, career path for yourself, then before the ball drops in 2009, start thinking about it.  This questions has nothing to do with your current job.  A job is a stepping stone to something larger.  A career is a chosen pursuit. If, even for a second, you question your career path, you better reflect on it, change it and secure a different position to help get back on track.  The most successful people discover their strengths and pursue their passion.

2.  If you just won a  million dollars would you quit your job?

A lot of people in this world give up before they claim victory or they settle based on their current financial standing.  Many lottery winners revert back to being poor or middle-class because they don’t have a millionaire mindset.  They mentally want to have thousands of dollars and not millions, so they deplete their winnings over a short period of time.  This question takes into account that you just received a full (non-taxed) million dollars in your bank account.  Would you retire?  Would you go on vacation around the world for the rest of your life?

If you answer “yes” to both of these questions, then review question #1.  The most successful people are passionate about what they do and instead of retiring, they continue to practice their “hobby” and get paid. They might not work as hard, especially if they’ve established a strong personal brand name, but they enjoy what they do so much, that retiring is boring to them.

Remember that it’s what you do that makes you who you are and how you project that to others that makes you memorable.  That being said, if you’re a 30 year old retired millionaire going out to a bar meeting women, and they ask “what do you do for a living,” your answer might turn them off.

3.  Does your current company need your services to do business?

This question will tell you how much “job security” you’ll have in 2009.  If you run your own business, then you can rephrase this to “do your clients need your services to succeed”?  Whichever question you answer, I want you to think long and hard about how important your skills are to other people. 

You will probably be laid off if you respond “no” to this question. The big problem in this economy is that there is no sign of hope.  Marketing and sales positions are some of the first to go because they are seen as “fluff.”  The company’s that keep their top marketing people and find some means to give them an adequate budget will succeed because they can break through less clutter and get the company’s name out there.  Becoming more valuable to your customers and/or company will help keep you afloat!

Best of luck in 2009.

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The catch phrase in the business/financial world seems to be “hunker down” lately. Consumers are spending less, real estate transactions are fewer and farther between, and with fewer companies in hiring mode, many employees are thinking twice before voluntarily leaving their current jobs.

The phrase “hunker down” has it’s linguistic roots in old Germany “Old Norse huka, to squat; … old Dutch huiken and modern German hocken” (worldwidewords.org). It’s mostly used these days in reference to hiding, waiting-out something bad as in to take shelter.

To me, “hunker down” has always had pleasant connotations. It reminds me lazy days spent reading Louis Lamour westerns, curled up in a comfy blanket by the fireplace and sipping hot cocoa.

So when I hear of a “slowdown” in the economy and about businesses and consumers “hunkering down” to wait-out the current recession, I see the glass half-full.

Just like taking personal time at the end of the year to reevaluate ones life and set new goals and resolutions, a hunkered economy is the perfect time for business and government officials to take a deep breath and refocus on what’s important.

My family and I spent Christmas hunkered down, playing with our new toys, watching movies and when we got a little stir crazy, hunkering down in the car for a drive to look at pretty Christmas lights in the area.

If weather and/or the economy has got you hunkered down for a day, or for a longer hiatus, my advice is to savor the moment. A few months from now when you’re running from before sun-up till long after sun-down, you’ll be glad you took the time to think, plan, ponder and enjoy the quiet moments.

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If you have to be at work during the “dead” week between Christmas and New Year’s, what are you planning on doing with yourself? For corporate employees, this is traditionally a time where people sit at their desks and twiddle their thumbs because the majority of business associates aren’t around to do business with. I’m willing to bet that Facebook surfing and online shopping are at an annual high. Here are a couple of tips to get through this week without driving yourself to mindless distraction:

1) Write down your goals for 2009: Think hard about what you want to achieve next year at work, and specific steps you’ll need to take to make it happen. If your boss is around, set up a meeting to talk through what you’ve come up with so that you’re both on board.

2) Have lunch with a networking contact: Now that you actually have some down time, why not use it by spending a little more than an hour with a person you’d like to get to know better and who could possibly help you in your career? After all, informal, in-person networking is the most effective kind.

3) Organize your files: If you haven’t read an e-mail from January yet, you’re not going to. Clean up your Outlook inbox and the hard drive of your computer so that you are able to start fresh in 2009. Make sure important files are backed up and archived for safekeeping.

4) Walk down the hall: If you had to process some financial paperwork for a client, would you know how to do it? The dead week is a great time to better understand how certain systems in your company work and the people you should talk to to most efficiently get things done.

5) Read neglected industry publications: And unless you’re in the entertainment industry, I’m not talking about People. Stop by the mailroom and pick up the December issues, or hop online. Focus your attention on trends pieces that will help you better understand where your field is headed.

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Michael was one of the initial members of HRM Today’s social network (back in those days, it was called HR Bloggers). He is a prolific blogger (and contributor to our blog)! Thanks Michael!

Name - Michael VanDevort (See Profile)

Do you have a Human Resources blog? - Yes

What’s your blog URL or website? - http://humanracehorses.blogspot.com

What is your Twitter URL? - http://www.twitter.com/mvndrvrt

What is your HR area of expertise? - HR Manager/Generalist/Consultant with specific current expertise in web research and labor relations, including industry segment research, labor union trends, union avoidance, Employee Free Choice Act, and Great Place to Work companies.

What is your current title? - Labor Relations Specialist

How did you hear about HRM Today? - I joined it the day it was created.

What’s your Hometown? - Detroit Michigan

Why do you work in Human Resources? - Because I couldn’t live without it

Note: This is part two of a three part series on my predictions for 2009 (see part one). I will be covering predictions for blogging, HR and those made by others as the new year approaches.

Admittedly, Christmas Eve probably isn’t the best time to post (anything) but I really have to get this out before the new year. So consider this my Christmas present to you.

I’ve learned from watching countless hours of sports broadcasting that trying to predict the future before the game starts is a hapless endeavor. For example, right after the 2008 NBA finals, people started discussing who was going to win the 2009 NBA finals. The only big negative is hearing Bill Walton prattle on and on about his predictions throughout the year like the late Jerry Garcia whispered the gospel to him from the big guy in the sky. If you got that joke, thanks for reading my blog Kris Dunn.

The thing I have to remember is that if I am good, it will be remembered. If I am bad though, I can just excuse things that don’t go my way. So when I put together my predictions for 2009, I decided to push all of my chips in and go for the gusto.

Where will HR stand at the end of 2009? We are going to examine the players, the companies and the people aspect of HR to get the feeling

The Players

This includes organizations like SHRM and our government that have broad influence.

• SHRM - SHRM will continue being SHRM. Count me among the doubters who think that change is not coming quick to this cash rich organization. I personally have decided not to renew my membership with the organization until they stop telling their members how to lobby, how to practice HR, what’s effective, what’s not and start listening to their regular members. Maybe I don’t want to lobby my representatives the way you want me to! Ever consider that? The best vote I have right now are my dollars.
• The Federales - The federal government is going to be much more involved in workplace matters. I know this is a surprise but that involvement won’t fix anything. The first bits of government involvement in 2009 (ADA and FMLA changes) have already shown that they still don’t get it. Many of the changes will be overblown by HR pros (like EFCA) because I think the end result won’t be effective in giving the unions superpowers.  Unfortunately, I can’t just stop paying taxes like I can with SHRM though.
• The State and Local government - Outside the state of California, I think overall activity is going to be surprisingly low at the state level. I’d be very thankful for that if it were the case. I am guessing some states will adjust their leave and disability laws to fall into line with what the federal government is doing but I think we are going to be relatively free of major regulatory hurdles at the state and local levels.
• The Economy - This will continue to impact employers throughout the remainder of the year. Stability in the economy will not be achieved in 2009. There may be improvement (hopefully!) but it will still be far from stable. Unfortunately, all of the people who think they are in control (the government) aren’t the ones actually in control. The millions of decisions happening daily by businesses worldwide? That’s significant.

The Companies

What will companies be doing with their HR talent?

• HR ROI (Get Used To These Initials) - If they haven’t done so already, companies will increasingly demand that HR justify themselves as a value to the organization. With budgets continually tightening, decision makers will look at that overhead in HR and ask “Why?” If you aren’t ready with an answer, pack your bags and update your resume. Hopefully you have answer though, right?
• The Seat At The Table - That proverbial seat at the table? It is still going to be there in 2009, just like it was in 1999 and 1989. My prediction is that if HR hasn’t taken their seat at their company’s table by 2008, nothing in 2009 is going to trigger that. It is still about HR creating value in their organizations and taking the seat.
• The Era of Specialists - The death of generalists will be pushed back a year. Thanks to the economy, people with broad knowledge of multiple areas will be needed when HR staffs are cut back. Specialists who serve in niche areas will need to broaden their knowledge still. At least until the economy stabalizes.
• Utilization of Vendors - This one is going to be interesting. Vendors who can show value and return on their product will be given first billing. But if you are spending 100 big on a wellness program that doesn’t work, I’d be just slightly worried.

The People

How will HR professionals be adapting in 2009?

• We’ll Still Be Pushing Paper - The administrative tasks aren’t going away…yet. Even though I think this would be an optimal time to look at how we can take some of the paper pushing processes out of HR, companies are still too worried to make this major d. So if your HR jobs involves a lot of taking pieces of paper from one stack and putting it into another, congrats (I think).
• More Will Question SHRM - And any organization for that matter that tells us how to manage our careers and education (for their own profit). HR professionals will start looking for support and groups outside of SHRM. Good for them too.
• We’ll Stop Being Scared of Social Media - Maybe my most ballsy prediction yet. HR people will stop being scared of social media, start getting involved (quietly at first) and then push for or support current social media endeavors.
• We Won’t Find Our True Identity - I believe HR people need to find their place in an organization and make it their own. They need to paint the walls, put up some pictures, rip out the carpets and own the employee processes that make companies work. It means standing up and saying you’re not going to plan parties more than any other department and that there is no need for a highly trained HR pro to be pushing mountains of paperwork around (when other departments don’t do that). We’re not willing to stand up for that yet so I don’t think this will happen in 2009.

What do you think? Part three is coming next week.

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I’ve been asked by a lot of people for an article that introduces personal branding. I went searching through my archives and found that I really didn’t have an up-to-date article that goes over personal branding at a high level. More and more educators are interested in this space and most of my posts are for someone with basic knowledge and skills. Before we step into 2009, I’d like to go over the basics of what you need to know to get started on your brand for next year. “Building my personal brand” should be on all of your new years resolution lists.

The history of personal branding

Tom Peters crafted an article for the August 1st, 1997 issue of Fast Company Magazine, entitled “The Brand Called You,” which explored the evolution of career development, and exposed a new mindset for the new millennium. Basically, instead of relying on a company for career guidance, it’s up to you to take ownership of the brand called you. Personal branding called for everyone to become a “free agent,” which not everyone bought into back then. Now there are tools available for you to grasp your brand and shape it (social media).

Web 2.0’s impact on personal branding

Before web 2.0 changed our world, it was really hard to get enough press to really stand out. There weren’t blogs, so you’d have to get your local newspaper, or mainstream media to write about you. You could go to a networking event and meet five to ten people each time. You could sit in your college class and meet ten new people. Web 2.0 amplified how we network, first impressions and personal visibility and self-promotion forever.

Me 1.0 was hidden behind a corporate brand, without an outside voice and not being able to afford excessive promotion (PR & advertising). Me 2.0, as I call it, is when you get to stand in front of your company, at the cost of your time and with the ability to carry your voice across the world in a matter of seconds (think Twitter). I’ve captured this change in my new book, rightfully called, Me 2.0.

Why personal branding was inevitable

There are two main reasons why personal branding is becoming a core part of our culture. Sadly, it’s nothing revolutionary! First, we are all being judged all the time, even when we’re sleeping (our online profiles are still up!). Second, we have to constantly sell our ideas to teachers, managers, venture capitalists, our friends and family, to make things happen in our lives. We have to convince them to take action.

Personal branding defined

In 2007, I gathered a group of international brand and career experts to collaborate on a single definition for personal branding. After analyzing the definition and reciting it in a few presentations back then, I felt it was too long, thus no one could remember it. For 2008, I shortened it to “how we market ourselves to others.” Personal branding is a process.

Personal branding: how we market ourselves to others.

The personal branding process (DCCM)

1. Discover: The first thing you need to do is to figure out who you are, what you want to do in life, while focusing on your strengths, passions and goals. After that, you should create a development plan that aligns your short-term and long-term goals and, finally, a personal marketing plan.

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The company I work for has a seasonal business.  Every year we hire lots new “talent” (and I use word in the loosest possible form!) for the season.

Lately, the Hiring Managers keep wanting to hire international applicants. I have no problem with that, we do it every year, but we use an outside program where all we have to do is let them know how many people we need, what departments, etc and then they do the interviewing, and assist the people (always students) to get their work visas (or whatever paperwork it is) and get them over here to work and all that jazz. It doesn’t cost us a dime.

So here is my problem, they keep wanting to just hire these random people they meet on their travels, or know for whatever reason.

I know we can’t just hire international applicants, it’s a detailed and expensive process, that is why we have an outside program to do it. HOWEVER, I cannot seem to explain this to them and they want me to “find out what has to be done” which I already know is nothing short of spending a ton of time and money on someone we don’t even know who will be here 2 or 3 months max.

So really, I am asking, how would you handle this? I really want to make a blanket announcement to these people explaining WHY we can’t just hire people from other countries off the cuff!  Any suggestions?

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If you’re, like me, feeling a little cabin fever-y because it’s three $%@ing degrees out where you are, too - or you’re simply restless due to the upcoming holiday weekend…here’s one more Monday/fun-day item for you.

Yesterday’s featured item from MSN Careers - the “10 Worst Employees of 2008” - summarizes news stories, from around the country and throughout the year, of employees whose antics put Tracy Jordan to shame.   Check it out and keep in mind that, as much as you might dread holding your annual employee performance reviews, you could have it worse….

Be thankful you’re not the manager of the Illinois bartender who was suspended for serving drinks in her birthday suit…or of the coroner from Georgia who stole $325 in gift cards from a deceased woman (classy).  Then again…Think you can beat these stories? Be my guest.

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Part of my job is to update a weather information line where employees can call in to see if work is canceled or will have a late start due to snow. As we’ve been having lot’s of snow and ice lately, we’ve canceled work for those who work outdoors in our production areas and made it “optional” for those in the office, inasmuch as they feel they can come to work safely.

A curious thing about winter and “optional work” is that everything seems to slow down. People seem to move at a different speed, often appearing to just go through the motions as if they are in a state of semi-hibernation waiting for Spring hunger to wake them from a plodding slumber.

I guess this winter drudgery could also be blamed on seasonal affective disorder, something that seems to affect a lot of people in the Northwest this time of year; or it could be that the slowing economy and uncertainty about the future just has people in a funk. Whatever the reason, ’tis the season to be lethargic’ is apparently the motto people are living by these days.

I don’t think making work “optional” has worked well. People need targets and deadlines to stay motivated and moving forward. Employees seem to feel much better about themselves and their jobs if they have clear requirements and are required to show-up and work. Making work “optional” works about as well as when a teacher makes homework, or test-taking “optional”. If work is canceled, then call it canceled. If it’s open, then call it open.

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Because it’s Friday — and because I promised HR Minion that I would blog about it — here are my top 3 most embarrassing moments as a Punk Rock HR Generalist.

• 2001: I ran out of a meeting to use the bathroom. I washed my hands. As I left the restroom, I smelled my hands (yes) only to make sure the weird, foamy soap worked its magic. I looked up and saw a group of employees laughing at me.
• 2006: I was in my car, in a parking lot, using my rear view mirror to examine & pick at a zit on my face. I looked up and saw two of my clients staring at me in disgust.
• 2000: I saw a co-worker get into a snowball fight in the parking lot. I sent him an email that said, “Hey, snow bunny, you looked mighty cute in the parking lot.” Unfortunately, I sent the email to most of the company. My reputation took an immediate hit and he was referred to as ’snow bunny’ after that incident by most of his peers.

So yeah — I haven’t always been a classy, elegant, thoughtful, and gracious broad like I am today.

Your turn. What are your embarrassing work stories, yo?

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Laurie Ruettimann over at PunkRockHR wanted to know my theory on relationships. OK, Laurie, here it is:

I believe that within 2 weeks of meeting someone (by which I mean before the 15th contact), you know whether or not a person could be your spouse.

Everything you need to know is right there on display, if you allow yourself to see it: the person’s confidence, loyalty, thoughtfulness, empathy… all of it is right there in the open.

I think a break up that occurs within the first two weeks is faultless—chalk it up to a bad match. But a break up that occurs after two weeks is your fault. You lied to yourself and tried forcing a bad fit.

What’s the magic of 15 contacts? It’s a full complement of “first impressions,” including in a variety of one-on-one situations, social situations, and probably one or two disagreements. You’ve had a chance to watch the person interact with others—maybe you’ve overheard them on the phone with friends. So your impressions are fresh, yet varied enough to not have to worry about “impression management;” red flags will show. Plus there are enough impressions to highlight major trends that the person might be trying to hide.

So, that’s my theory. Based on your experiences, what do you think, does it hold?

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I don’t know about you, but back in the day I worked in retail.  Yours truly has been a customer service schmuck at the following fine institutions:

• Musicland (aka Sam Goody, aka FYE, etc, etc, etc)
• KMart
• Barnes & Noble (no relation)

Musicland, in the mall, during Christmas, was unbelievably insane.  We had the weirdest customers on the planet:

• One man, when asked if he was a Washington resident (we’re close to Oregon where there is no sales tax), said “No!  I’m from Argentina!” (which I would bet $5 was not true).  My co-worker replied “Then I will TAX you!” with just as much flourish.  Then the man said, “You’re going to end up on my operating table!”  My co-worker and I were like, WTF?

• On Christmas Eve two gangsta girls got into a scuffle at the entrance to our store.  The manager and assistant manager physically pried them apart.  One screamed at the other, “You’re marked, BITCH!  You’re MARKED!!”  The entire store when silent.  The manager turned around to face the line of customers that wrapped around the store and said (whilst busting a move) “Tis the season to be a GANGSTA!”

I didn’t work at The Big K during the Christmas season, and I thank The Baby Jesus for that small favor, but I did have my share of scary customers regardless:

• One woman purchased half dead flowers that were supposed to be half off.  The system we used NEVER, EVER got prices right so of course it over charged her.  She returned to my line about 10 minutes later to tell me.  I apologized and pointed out to her where to obtain an adjustment (the customer service desk handled that stuff).  All of a sudden she started kicking my counter and screamed, “WHAT? I HAVE TO BE INCONVENIENCED BECAUSE OF YOUR ERROR??!!”  I just stared at her in horror and then she stormed off.  I heard her screaming at the customer service desk people and when I looked over, she was pointing at me with an accusing finger.

I worked at Barnes & Noble for an entire year.  That is a year of my life I will never get back.  No, really, if you’re going to work retail, a book store is not a bad choice.  While it was way better than Musicland or KMart, it too had it’s moments:

• I was carrying a large stack of books from the cash register area to the kid’s section (where I was assigned).  A woman stopped me and said, “Are you busy?”  I just looked at her.  This question happened all the time at Barnes & Noble for some reason, along with “Where is your copy machine?” and, “Can I get a library card here?”  But my favorite was, “Where is your non fiction section?”

• I was walking to the ladies room (with my coat on & purse in hand) after my shift and a customer literally stepped in front of me, put both of his hands out as if he was going to grab my arms and said, “You work here.  Where is….”  I promptly stepped around him and continued walking toward the bathroom.  I heard him huff and puff and “What the…!” to himself and just shook my head.  A few years later, when the movie Snatch came out, I was reminded of that moment when Brick Top said, “If you stop me again whilst I’m walking, I’ll cut your effing jacobs off.”

Since it’s almost Christmas, here is some more of Brick Top for your viewing pleasure (NSFW):

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