Archives For NPR

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…

In Innovation , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Announcement: #NPRTwitterChat To Return As A Quarterly Series 5/16

February 26, 2013 — 7 Comments

#NPRTwitterChat To Return As A Quarterly Series

By Lars Schmidt

February 26, 2013

Washington, DC / San Francisco, CA - The collaboration between the Human Resources teams at NPR and Twitter, #NPRTwitterChat, has been extended to a quarterly series. The one hour chat, covered in the Mashable article, ‘How to Effectively Use Twitter as a Job Search Resource‘, brings together a mix of global subject matter experts at the intersections of human resources, recruiting and social media to share insights and tips with job seekers.

“#NPRTwitterChat is intended to bring together diverse views and opinions about the role social media plays in your job search,” commented #NPRTwitterChat founder and NPR Head of Talent Acquisition & Innovation Lars Schmidt (@ThisIsLars). “We received a lot of great feedback on the first #NPRTwitterChat, so are excited about the opportunity to continue collaborating with our friends at Twitter HR to keep it going.”

Twitter’s Recruiting Operations Lead and #NPRTwitterChat co-founder, Anitra Collins (@anitra10), added “I love being a part of such an insightful discussion. The #NPRTwitterChat gives participants front row access to real-time engagement between HR Experts across the globe. The diverse tips and techniques shared during the chat are unparalleled.” Continue Reading…

In Job Search , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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A Recap Of #NPRTwitterChat

February 4, 2013 — 29 Comments

Twitter's Chris Dobbins, NPR's Lars Schmidt, Jennifer McClure and William Tincup discuss the upcoming #NPRTwitterChat event at Twitter HQ. [photo courtesy of Craig Fisher]

Twitter’s Chris Dobbins, NPR’s Lars Schmidt, Jennifer McClure and William Tincup discuss the upcoming #NPRTwitterChat event at Twitter HQ. [photo courtesy of Craig Fisher]

Last week was the debut of #NPRTwitterChat, a collaboration between the HR teams of NPR and Twitter aimed at helping job seekers use social media as a job search tool.

There were over 800 tweets sent throughout the one hour chat. The Storify link below captures some of the highlights. Feel free to share freely with anyone you think could benefit.

Click to view the story “#NPRTwitterChat Recap” on Storify

Thanks to our friends at Twitter’s @JoinTheFlock, especially Janet Vanhuysse (@janetvh), Anitra Collins (@anitra10), and Chris Dobbins (@dobbins) for collaborating on this effort. I also want to thank some of the HR/Recruiting friends who shared their expertise including Laurie Ruettimann (@lruettimann), Alexandra Levit (@alevit), Craig Fisher (@Fishdogs), William Tincup (@williamtincup), Susan LaMotte (@SusanLamotte), Jennifer McClure (@JenniferMcClure), and Curtis Midkiff (@SHRMSMG). Continue Reading…

In Job Search , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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A Preview Of #NPRTwitterChat On #TalentNet Live

January 25, 2013 — Leave a comment

NPRTwitterChat2As we approach next week’s #NPRTwitterChat event (Thursday 1/31, 5-6pm EST), our friends at #TalentNet will be hosting the voices behind the @NPRjobs and @JoinTheFlock Twitter accounts to share their experiences managing and building social recruiting platforms on Twitter. The event will be Tuesday 1/29 from 7-8pm EST and you can listen to the live broadcast at TalentNet Live’s BlogTalk Radio Page, and/or follow along on Twitter using the #TalentNet hashtag.

The one hour event will be hosted by TalentNet founder, Craig Fisher (@Fishdogs), and include Lars Schmidt (@ThisIsLars) from NPR and Anitra Collins (@anitra10) from Twitter. We’ll provide the background on #NPRTwitterChat, and share insights on building and managing a social recruiting platform on Twitter during conversation in the following areas.

Q1. What advice do you have for employers looking to leverage Twitter as a recruiting channel? Any lessons learned?

Q2. What are the most common myths or misperceptions about using Twitter to find jobs or candidates?

Q3. How do Twitter chats like #NPRTwitterChat fit in? What’s the best way to stand out on a Twitter chat?

You can also learn more about #NPRTwitterChat in this interview Social Media Club DC conducted with me and one of our #NPRTwitterChat guest experts, Susan LaMotte (@SusanLaMotte).

In Recruiting , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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NPR and Twitter HR Partner to Provide Social Media Job Search Tips

January 8, 2013 — 2 Comments

NPRTwitterChat2I’m excited to announce a new collaboration between the NPR and Twitter Human Resource teams aimed at helping job seekers learn how to use Twitter as a job search resource – #NPRTwitterChat. You can learn more about this project on the NPR.org’s This Is NPR blog here.

The event will be held Thursday 1/31 from 5-6pm EST. You can follow along by watching the #NPRTwitterChat hashtag through Twitter.com or a tool like TweetChat.com. I’ll be using Storify to compile the key highlights and recommendations from the event for job seekers I’ll share here following the event.

If you have questions about using Twitter as a job search tool you’d like us to cover, tweet them to us using the #NPRTwitterChat hashtag by 1/25/13.

In Recruiting , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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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…
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Most Job Descriptions Suck. This One Does Not.

November 2, 2012 — 10 Comments

Update: a friend of mine, Susan LaMotte, commented below inquiring what sucks about this job. My first response was that as a non-profit, resources are limited. Unfortunately that point was reinforced today, and this position was put on hold – dreaded words for recruiters. So, for the time being this job is on the shelf. I met some great like-minded recruiters over the last month, learned how to create inforgraphic job descriptions, and had some great discussions and feedback on this post – so grateful for all of that. This post can now stand as a window into my personal views and perspectives on what it takes to be a successful recruiter in today’s market.

This is not your typical recruiting job. I’m looking for a progressive recruiter to partner with our team to lead and drive best-in-class recruiting and talent strategies at NPR. This infographic provides an overview of key areas of focus, the full job description below goes into much more details (it’s lengthy, but it’s worth it).

This Is Not Your Typical Recruiting Job

This is the job for you, if…

  • You’re a pioneer; a progressive, hands-on, roll-up-the-sleeves recruiter who would be successful with a landline and a phonebook if the Internet died tomorrow. You’re a natural networker who’s comfortable interacting at all levels – able to simultaneously woo the Executive Producer of a major newsmagazine while helping an intern with her resume. You understand how to leverage social media to expand your network, maintain relationships, and satisfy your unquenchable thirst for lifelong learning (and perhaps your penchant for cat videos and internet memes).
  • Solving big, complex problems excites you. The challenge of figuring something out sparks your competitive instinct. (We’re a not-for-profit, so scrappy resourcefulness and creativity is essential.) You cringe at the thought of reactive recruiting. You’re a team player who proactively shares your knowledge and expertise with coworkers. You have vision, not for what we can be tomorrow, but what might be five years from now; and you have the insight and expertise needed to help guide NPR toward that vision.
  • You’re driven to work at one of the premier multi-media news organizations in the world. The mission of creating a more informed public resonates with you, and you’re inspired and motivated to play a vital role in the hiring, retention, and development of a world-class NPR staff. Continue Reading…
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How To Impress A Hiring Manager

October 3, 2012 — 4 Comments

If you follow this blog, you know I work for NPR. As you might expect, I get to work with some smart people. Mensa smart. After 18 months at NPR I’ve grown accustomed to the intelligence in the building; but am also reminded of thoughtful, caring and compassionate employees we have quite often.

One of these colleagues is Matt Thompson, our Director of Digital Initiatives (and Mischief). Yes, that is his real title. Yes, he is cool enough to carry it. Matt wears many hats at NPR, but one of them is to be the lead resume reviewer on a new hiring initiative building our new Race, Ethnicity and Culture team.

We’ve had over 1300 applications for four open positions. Matt and the hiring team will be reviewing every one of them. He recently penned an article for Poytner detailing what he’s learned in an effort to help journalists seeking jobs - 10 ways to make your journalism job application better than everyone else’s. You should read it. The tips and points he lists are valuable for all job seekers, and transcend journalism. It was one of the more thoughtful collections of advice from a hiring manager I’ve read. I wanted to highlight a few tips that really stood out: Continue Reading…

In Job Search , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Employment Branding, It’s All About The Employees

June 13, 2012 — 1 Comment

Inspiring Places to Work – brought to you by The Daily Muse.

We were fortunate to recently be featured by The Daily Muse in their ‘Inspiring Places To Work’ series. If you’re not familiar with them, they’re a community of bloggers based out of NYC who share career advice on a broad range of topics. Earlier this year they started a new feature where they put together multimedia online presentations on different organization including Mashable, Foursquare, Pinterest, Warby Parker, Klout, Tumblr and more. You can read an article Fast Company did on these features here. It was very cool to have NPR included with so many companies at the forefront of digital innovation. You can check it out here. Continue Reading…

In Recruiting, Talent , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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The Greatest Job Description Ever Written

June 7, 2012 — 5 Comments

It’s been almost a year since I wrote the Recruiting Manager job description below. Sadly, the role was put on hold a few months into the search and remains vacant. Does this derail my search? No chance. This person is out there. I will find them. While I may not be able to hire them now, I will one day. Together we will make magic (okay, maybe ‘magic’ was a reach but we will build one badass talent team).

So, are you out there? Are you patient? Does what you read below fire you up? If so, let’s talk.

Hey, this job looks familiar? Well it is (kinda)

You may recall a very similar looking job posting for Recruiting Manager, NPR News. That job has evolved a bit to a broader recruiting focus in this new role. The core recruiting criteria (innovative, progressive minded, proven experience building bench strength and talent pipelines, understanding of & interest in social media, commitment to diversity, etc) remain. If you possess all of these traits AND experience recruiting in a newsroom/journalism environment, I will high five you. If you possess all of these traits and no newsroom/journalism experience, but have an interest in the craft and a demonstrated history of recruiting in varied fields, I’d like to hear from you (and you may still get a high five further in the process). Continue Reading…

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