Monday, May 15, 2006

Job Seekers Remember How You Make Them Feel

I recently attended the MaximumImpact Leadership Conference. There was a host of terrific speakers, but the two that really "did it" for me were Patrick Lencioni, Founder and President of The Table Group, Inc., and Tim Sanders, Chief Solutions Officer of Yahoo!.

Tim said a lot with regard to Gen X and Y, and how we as employers are failing in our efforts to attract them to our organizations. He said that Gen X'ers and Y'ers go to work to have a good time - they go to work for "the experience" and are concerned about "Fairness and Dignity."

As recruiters we tend to think that everybody is focused on money. Tim says that X'ers and Y'ers don't care about financial freedom. The freedom they are looking for is the "freedom of not working for a jerk."

Tim wrapped up with a slide that highlighted the four questions people (esp X'ers and Y'ers) are asking about you. Here's what they want to know:


  1. Friendliness (Are you friendly?)
  2. Relevance (Are you relevant? Do you have what I need?)
  3. Empathy (Do you care? Are you a powerless listener?)
  4. Realness (Are you real?)

Tim finished with this quote:

"Long after people forget what you did and said, they will remember how you made them feel."

I used the same quote (giving Tim credit of course) when I wrapped up my comments on the "Blogging Panel" at the Kennedy Conference. My point was this --- a blog can be the medium to allow one to reach their audience in a meaningful way. It can increase one's opportunity and personal capacity to create positive emotional experiences in others.

What does all that fluffy-sounding talk really mean? Sanders says, "Good things happen to people that make themselves emotionally attractive."

I'm just foolish enough to believe that a blog can used as a tool to help me make a connection with job seekers that I would otherwise never have the opportunity to meet. And long after they have forgotten what I said and did (in my blog), they will remember how I made them feel. Why? Because I was friendly - relevant - empathetic - real.

Dennis Smith, T-Mobile Recruiting

3 comments:

The Edge said...

D-Man, let's also add vulnerable; because when you write from the sould people just naturally pick up on the subtle nuances we always put out there. Think about how you and I became friendly - I made some flip comment as I am wont to do from time to time and you responded with an honest retort (yeah, I did get a phone out of it but the company became a staple in my blogging).

Look - as recruiters we can sell the job but can we effectively sell the soul of the company and the future teammates? Blogs can help make this happen - but it requires an earnest effort on the part of the blogger to reveal their innermost feelings.

Dennis Smith said...

Wisely said, Master Jedi-Levy. Jest aside, it is work. But when it is genuine, it makes its way more easily from thought process, to words and deeds. And I think people, jobseekers, know the difference. Esp the X'ers and Y'ers.

Dennis

Anonymous said...

I have been in the Recruiting business for over 14 years and I have had plenty of "jobs". What I have now is a fun place to go everyday that is easeierto sell then icewater in, well, you know. The people are genuine and honest and certainly empathetic. Do we pay the best in the area? No we don't, but we have the most fun and we reap the most rewards.