An unemployment rate of 10.2% means that serious jobseekers are using every tool they can find. So, it's not at all shocking that social networking tools top the list, with LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter leading the charge. Openings are being tweeted, hints of a new position are being monitored and hot candidates are being hit up directly, even if they aren't saying they're on the prowl for a new gig. Social media is a tool to use in a job hunt but not necessarily the only one, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Instead, it makes sense to balance a search with many tools.

John Challenger, CEO, says, "The job search has changed radically over the last two decades with the advent of electronic mail, the internet, social networking, smart phones, etc. However, it is important to remember that all of these technologies simply enhance the job search; they will never replace the face-to-face connections that are critical to a successful search." But, he continues that "we feel that these new networking tools are essential and now advise all of the job seekers going through our program to open LinkedIn accounts and to consider other services such as Facebook and Twitter.

Continue reading Job hunting in a social media world: 95% LinkedIn, 59% Facebook

Job hunting in a social media world: 95% LinkedIn, 59% Facebook originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

So if big companies have trouble, what about small ones? Unfortunately, hiring a CEO is extremely difficult for any company.

"For an early stage company, the wrong CEO can be costly," said Gordon Gould, the founder and CEO of ThisNext. "Divorcing the executive can mean wasted time, money, momentum and possibly the company itself."

So, if you have doubts about a candidate, it's probably better to wait. "To get the right CEO, it takes time," said Dipanshu Sharma, the founder and CTO of V-ENABLE. "So allocate at least three to four months for the process." Actually, his company recently hired a new CEO.

Sharma believes it is critical to hire a recruiter. "A top-tier venture capital firm recommended a recruiter for us," he said.

And the process was strenuous: "We set up a weekly call with the recruiter and the board/management. Every week we would prioritize the candidate list. After a few weeks, we got candidates that we had initial conversations with. Of those we found that matched our selection criteria, we held several rounds of interviews. In the final process, we flew them to our offices and introduced them to a broader team before finalizing the candidate."

It was also important to spend time on creating a candidate profile. As for V-ENABLE, the company focused on a CEO with:

• Demonstrated success in previous CEO roles
• Team player
• Growth oriented
• Raised capital and has experience in M&A
• Worked in wireless and has relationships with wireless service providers

"Our board and management went through several iterations to make sure we were covering the short term as well as long term needs for the company," said Sharma.

Tom Taulli is the author of various books, including The Complete M&A Handbook and The Edgar Online Guide to Decoding Financial Statements. He also operates DealProfiles.com.

Entrepreneur's Journal: Choosing the right CEO originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 13 Oct 2007 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Jobs from blogging: Far more companies are hiring than you'd think

Jobs from blogging: Far more companies are hiring than you'd think originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 10 Apr 2007 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Microsoft spends a lot of time in the hallowed halls of academia, and according to an article today from the AP,  more than most companies of its ilk. The company sponsors contests, research centers, and academic chairs, as well as giving deep discounts to students and faculty.

Sure, Bill Gates & wife are big on education through their foundation. But the AP warns this may not be all about altruism (and really? is anyone surprised here? oldest trick in the book, right?), but about persuading "young minds to become loyal to Microsoft products." The AP interviewed Bill, who told them that putting money into colleges and universities is "an investment" and there is a "commercial element ... [a] benefit to us that people have this exposure" while they're still impressionable. After all, he says, the idea of creating the next version of Microsoft Office or the Xbox console is way more fun than the idea of inventing the next, um, hamburger.

Continue reading Microsoft cares about education. Here's why.

Microsoft cares about education. Here's why. originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 28 Jun 2006 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.