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Amplify Tool Review: Sprout Social

May 14, 2013 — 1 Comment

Sprout 2

As a talent leader working for a non-profit organization that is heavily vested in social media, I’m constantly looking for new tools and resources that increase our efficiency and enable us to have a greater impact in our recruiting and employment branding efforts. My budget is limited which generally steers me towards free, or nominal cost, platforms. It has to be a pretty valuable tool for me to make an exception to that rule. Sprout Social is one of them.

Founded in 2010, Sprout Social is a social media management platform that allows you to actively manage a variety of social media channels. The platform features robust analytics and a reasonable price point for SMB’s and non-profits (pricing details below). Sprout is a private company backed by the venture funds of NEA and Lightbank.

I’ve been using Sprout for several months now, and it’s become one of my ‘must have’ social media resources. The biggest value for me is efficiency and time-savings. I’m involved in the management of nine social media platforms (across Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn). I also manage three hashtag communities. The ‘smart inbox’ feature is an invaluable time-saver that aggregates all of that content into one stream I can review through the web or a mobile device. Sprout also provides the ability to ‘pin’ tasks. If you have multiple users managing your social media accounts, you can use this feature to delegate follow-up and assign tasks to team members.

There are some limitations that in my mind prevent Sprout from being an all-in-one social media platform. I prefer Buffer for scheduling as it allows more flexibility in scheduling send patterns for multiple channels. I also feel HootSuite and TweetDeck are better real-time social media monitoring platforms with their multi-column displays.

The above limitations notwithstanding, Sprout has become the most valuable tool in my social media tool belt. While there are other enterprise platforms out there that do all of this and more, Sprout’s feature-rich capabilities and price point make it a solid tool for many organization’s social media management efforts.

  • Website: 
    http://www.sproutsocial.com
  • Cost: Pricing starts at $39/user per month for the entry-level ‘Standard Plan’. You can expand your feature set at two other plans, including Deluxe ($59) and Premium ($99). Full pricing details can be found here. *Note: they do offer non-profit discounts, so if that applies to you be sure to ask.
  • Mobile Friendly: Very – they have Android and iOS mobile apps for iPhone and iPad that are feature-rich and deliver almost all of the functionality of the website.
  • Recruiter Benefits: Numerous. Managing multiple social media accounts, hashtag community management or tracking, keyword monitoring, built-in RSS reader, boomarklet for easy sharing, engagement analytics and reporting, conversation history, scheduled publishing and more. The ‘smart inbox’ is the single biggest time saver if you actively manage multiple accounts.   
  • Rating: 9/10
Sprout

Screen shot of Sprout’s iOS app.

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Social Media And Your Job Search – 5 Myths (And Truths) You Should Know

March 20, 2013 — 7 Comments

The following is a post I contributed to Careerealism’s Professional Emancipation Project (P.E.P.). 

There is a lot of discussion about how, where, and why one must use social media in today’s digital economy. It can be a bit overwhelming for some. The following myths and truths are intended to demystify some of the ways in which you can utilize social media as a job search resource.

Myth: You Must Use Social Media To Find A Job

Truth: Despite what many experts tell you, social media is not an absolute requirement for all jobs and careers. There are many fields where traditional job boards and resumes are still effective tools for finding your next job. Generally speaking, social media tends to be most effective as a job search tool in ‘corporate’ roles and careers where you have a cubicle, desk, or office.

Myth: You Must Build Your Personal Brand

Truth: The term ‘personal branding’ was introduced in 1937. It’s become a common, though somewhat maligned, term in today’s digital economy. Supporters view it as a word of empowerment, taking control of your ‘business of one’ and presenting your self in an orchestrated and deliberate way. Detractors argue the term is contrived, and positioning the individual as a commodity or ‘brand’ is wrong and lacks authenticity.

Perhaps a better term to define the concept is ‘Digital Footprint’. What does this mean? Google yourself. What you find is your digital footprint. It’s the sum of your collective digital presence – social media, blogs, interviews, etc. Putting some thought into how you present and organize these findings helps you cohesively build your digital footprint. You can use tools like Knowem to search domains and social media account for particular names you might want to use for your digital accounts. While by no means required, having similar names for Twitter, LinkedIn, blogs, and so on makes it easier for recruiters and hiring managers to find you.

Continue Reading…

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Inside NPR Generation Listen #NPRGL

March 14, 2013 — 1 Comment

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Sometimes we’re fortunate to have a front-row seat as a thought grows into an idea, an idea becomes reality, and that reality slowly grows into a movement. This is one of those stories.

A good friend of mine from NPR, Danielle Deabler (@nprdeabs), and I often talk about big ideas. Some are feasible, some are not. When she first shared an idea she had for connecting NPR with younger audiences, Generation Listen (#NPRGL), I knew she was onto something.

The thing about new ideas within established organizations is that they often have a hard time getting enough forward momentum and support to become reality. There are many reasons this happens – lack of resources, lack of time, competing interests, risk aversion. It takes vision, tenacity, focus, and determination to build the support and advocacy needed to make that idea a reality.

Generation Listen was a passion project for Danielle. She deeply believed it was a great way to proactively connect NPR with younger fans she met over her travels the past year who connected deeply with our mission of creating a more informed public, and wanted to get involved. She assembled a team of internal champions who worked hard to make that vision a reality, all the while engaging and soliciting input from a tremendous group of external steering members in the Generation Listen community. Those collective efforts made her first thought a reality. Continue Reading…

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9 Steps You Can Take Today To Find A New Job in 2013

January 2, 2013 — 9 Comments

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It’s a brand new year, a time where many people attack their New Year’s resolutions with excitement and resolve. If you were one of the many people whose resolution involves finding a new job or making  career change, you may be wondering where to start. Here are nine steps you can take today to position yourself well to find your next gig. 

  1. Update your resume: How long has it been since you updated your resume? Chances are it could benefit from at least a few tweaks. Whether you’re actively looking for a job or not, it’s a good idea to keep you resume current as you never know when an opportunity may come along. Here are some resources that can help: How To Spruce Up A Boring Resume (via Mashable), Tips for Writing a Resume in Online World (via WSJ)
  2. Update your LinkedIn profile: Most recruiters are actively using LinkedIn to find candidates. Will they find you? If so, what will they find? Do you have a (somewhat professional) photo? Do you have a compelling headline that will catch their attention? Is your profile 100% complete? LinkedIn is one of the top sourcing platforms for Recruiters, so how you present yourself here is important. You can find some great tips on how to create a compelling profile from LinkedIn expert Craig Fisher here.  Continue Reading…
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Amplify Talent: Year In Review, And A Look Ahead

December 28, 2012 — Leave a comment
SHRM

A collection of HR blogger Meet Meme cards and press pass from SHRM12

What a year. As I reflect on 2012, there are so many things I learned and experienced. Here are some of the highlights.

  • Generosity is alive and well in the HR community. If you follow the basic social media (and karma) tenants of ‘give before you receive’, your network will be a constant source of knowledge, advice, and inspiration.
  • Social Media is a tool, not a strategy. It can enhance your recruiting efforts in many ways; but be sure to have an objective, measure it, and adjust as needed. If you want to champion social recruiting/branding strategies within your organization, you need to articulate the ‘why’ as much as the ‘how’.
  • There is value in failure. It may be hard to see it at the time, but every lesson in life shapes you.
  • It’s important to find ways to get out of your comfort zone.
  • Employment Branding keys – employee-centric content, authentic, frequent, minimize friction.
  • I have much to learn as a blogger/writer. There are so many talented bloggers out there who are really gifted writers. They serve as a constant reminder of what really tight writing can be, and a source of inspiration and motivation for me to be better.
  • Disappointment will happen in your personal and professional life. Holding onto the angst is toxic, and will sabotage future plans. Move on to move forward. Continue Reading…
In Recruiting , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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How To Pick Your Next Employer

November 27, 2012 — 3 Comments

A former colleague reached out to me a few weeks ago with a quandary. She had recently joined a well-known company in a Marketing leadership role – and learned a few weeks in the manager, culture, and organization were not at all what she expected. She loves the work she’s doing – but doesn’t feel she’s in the right organization and was seeking advice on how to pick the right employer. The full background of our discussion is here.

We talked about a few things she could do, which led her to suggest the topic would make for a good blog post. I wanted to tap into the collective wisdom of my network so thought I’d pose the question to some smart HR friends and see what advice they have. I got some great responses below that provide valuable insights and action job seekers can use when vetting their next opportunity. I also recommend reading this recent article by George Anders, 11 Ways to Gauge Your Next Employer’s Culture.

Susan LaMotte (Exaqueo.com, blog, @SusanLamotte) 

  • Ask to speak to more people in the organization–make sure you get 15 minutes with key team members in all reporting lines
  • Ask your potential new boss what his/her day is like–what meetings they have on the calendars and how work gets done
  • Find people who have just left the org (previous job on linked in profile) and find out why
  • Ask for examples of times things happened that they promise. for example: “that’s great to hear that you’re really focused on career pathing as an organization. Can you provide an example or two of how that has played out for a few individuals?”
  • Ask things like “how would you react to me doing _____” and fill in the blank with the innovative idea or unique work practice you’re accustomed to. Continue Reading…
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Moustache Season Is Coming, I’m Looking For A Few Good MOs.

September 27, 2012 — 3 Comments

Can you feel it in the air?

That magical moustachical month we call Movember is fast approaching. A month where refined and debonair gentlemen walk the streets bringing civility, and a large dose of handsome, to all they encounter. A time when our Mo Sistas stand by our sides, reinforcing our manly lip sweaters, showcasing their own amazingnacity, and joining us to collectively tell cancer, “Pardon me scoundrel, you will not be taking any more of the good men we love dearly. We will band together, and we will vanquish you.”

What is Movember?

Continue Reading…

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How To Build A Social Recruiting Platform On Twitter

August 27, 2012 — 13 Comments

Social recruiting. It sounds good, it’s ‘buzzy’ – but what does it really mean? More importantly, how can someone new to social media recruiting get started? This is a broad topic; as social recruiting is complex thing with many layers. Over time with, we’ll dissect the layers through a variety of posts covering topics like social referrals, Facebook company pages, employment branding, and sourcing – but today we’re going to focus on using Twitter as a recruiting tool. Specifically, we’ll be sharing tips on how to create, launch, and grow a corporate recruiting Twitter account.

These are some steps I recommend you take (or at least consider) when launching a social recruiting effort on Twitter. This isn’t designed to be an exact blueprint as every company and culture is different so you should personalize these suggestions for your organization. To that point, understand from the outset that you should tweak all advice that you get on the topic of social recruiting. Every company is different; internal politics, power centers, appetite for risk, target hires, etc. – all of these characteristics impact how you should shape your social recruiting strategy. Scour your networks, resources, contacts, conferences, the Googles and whatever else you can for ideas then figure out how you can tweak and mold them to work for your organization. Continue Reading…

In Recruiting, Social Media , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Amplify Tool Review: Mobile Tools for Mobile Recruiters

July 18, 2012 — 9 Comments

If you happened to read George Anders’ recent Forbes cover story about LinkedIn, you know that I’m a big proponent of recruiters getting out of the office and going mobile. The recruiting landscape has evolved. Call it Recruiting 3.0 or whatever term you’d like, but the days of sitting in front of a computer banging on a keyboard talking into your headset are in the past (P.S. if you haven’t read that Recruiting 3.0 article you’re missing out. It’s a great playbook for modern recruiting that influenced some of my views that you can read about in this Quora question). We’re living in an incredibly dynamic landscape for top talent. Recruiters must evangelize for their organizations: conferences, network events, tweetups, hackathons – whatever, wherever and whenever they can. So for today’s recruiters to be at their best, they need an arsenal of mobile recruiting tools. Continue Reading…

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6 Tips To Make Your First SHRM Rock (from SHRM Buzz)

June 19, 2012 — 2 Comments

We’re less than a week away from SHRM12. I’m excited to be part of the official blogger/press coverage this year. I aim to capture some of the sessions,  atmosphere, etc to share with my readers here and on the SHRM Buzz site. What’s SHRM Buzz? It’s the brainchild of SHRM’s Social Media guru (I called him that so it’s allowable), Curtis Midkiff. SHRM has really been pushing the envelope around social media engagement under Curt’s leadership and Buzz is another great example. Buzz is a collection of blog posts from fellow HR bloggers and more. They have a great social circles feature where you can plan your networking and learn about other attendees. You can even add suggestions and help pick the music playlist during opening general sessions. Creative, cool, engaged – I really like what SHRM has going on here.

I’m going to be experimenting with some video blogging at SHRM12 to capture some footage from the conference, and possibly some interviews with thought leaders in the talent space. Apologies in advance for the low-budget production value and likely shaky cam as I’ll be recording on my iPhone. Continue Reading…

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