Category Archive for ‘Gen-Y’ at DrivenLeaders.com

« Older Entries

Archive for the 'Gen-Y' Category

Preparing Your Organization for Gen-Y

Published

Anthony Portuesi

on October 7, 2009

in Education and Gen-Y

. 0 Comments

Generation Y is of the age to enter the workplace and the workplace is in need of them. But are you ready for them?

Thanks to Richard Bottner of Intern Bridge, Inc, another development opportunity is in the works that attempts to close this learning gap. Set for October 26th - 30th 2009, Intern Bridge is sponsoring the Millennial Thought Leaders Online Conference, geared at preparing organizations with the tools and practices necessary to engage today’s rising talent. We know that as Gen-Y’s presence in the workplace increases, the need for growth in this area becomes ever more important. Yet sadly, for many companies, it continues to be an area that is frequently overlooked. Per the conference website,

“The Millennial Thought Leaders Online Conference provides an opportunity for college recruiting professionals, human resources specialists, line managers and supervisors, and career services practitioners to engage in a nationwide program of best practices and proven methods for engaging today’s entry level talent. From social networking to dealing with parents to learning what higher education is doing to help this unique generation, the online conference compliments professional development goals without impacting travel budgets.

Registration for the conference will be made on a per-location basis, meaning every employee of a registered organization or career office will have access to the entire content of the conference. All you need is an internet connection and a conference room where professionals can gather for presentations.”

Each daily session last about 1-1 ½ hours, with presentations from established authorities on Gen-Y. The schedule includes:

Monday, October 26, 2009 - SESSION 1 - 12:30pm to 2:00pm EST
The New Work Ethic: Why Even the Most Talented Young Employees Are Overcomplaining and Underperforming, and What to Do About It! - Presented By: Eric Chester: Author, Employing Generation Why: Understanding, Managing, and Motivating Your New Workforce -President and Founder, Generation Why, Inc.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009 - SESSION 2 - 1:00pm to 2:30pm EST
The Trophy Kids Go to Work: How The Millennial Generation’s Attitudes And Expectations Are Shaking Up The Corporate Workplace - Presented By: Ron Alsop: Author, The Trophy Kids Grow Up: How the Millennial Generation is Shaking Up the Workplace - Retired Staff Writer/Editor, Wall Street Journal

Wednesday, October 28, 2009 - SESSION 3 - 12:00pm to 1:30pm EST
Using Social Media to Recruit and Retain Millennials - Presented By: Dan Schawbel: Author, ME 2.0: Build A Powerful Brand To Achieve Career Success - Publisher, Personal Branding Magazine

Wednesday, October 28, 2009 - SESSION 4 - 2:00pm to 3:30pm EST
The Millennial Generation: How Does Higher Education Fit in The Picture? - Presented By: Rachel Reiser: Author, Millennials On Board: The Impact of The Rising Generation on the Workplace -Associate Dean, Babson College

Thursday, October 29, 2009 - SESSION 5 - 1:30pm to 2:30pm EST
Millennials Seeking Meaningful Work: How to Lend a Helping Hand. - Presented By: Alexandra Levit: Author, Success For Hire and Millennial Tweet Columnist, Wall Street Journal

If you have yet to establish a program for engaging tomorrow’s future leaders, this may be an excellent place to start. Download the official conference brochure for more details and registration information.

Brazen Careerist: Career Management for Gen-Y

Published

Anthony Portuesi

on August 25, 2009

in Gen-Y and Technology

. 0 Comments

brazenlogo Brazen Careerist: Career Management for Gen Y Since March of 2008, Brazen Careerist has provided an environment for emerging professionals to interact, network, and contribute in a forum dedicated to career development. Powered by user generated content, Brazen emerged as the social network for career focused members of Gen-Y. Being an early contributor in their community, I’ve seen the site evolve and develop into a substantial resource for navigating the professional world, and it’s not slowing down…

Starting today, August 25th, the Brazen team has elevated the community to the next level, creating what is now being called a “career management tool for next-generation professionals.”

“We are calling Brazen Careerist the career management tool for next-generation professionals. In the online career space where experienced professionals win, we’ve created a network that will help young professionals level the playing field. Instead of just a traditional résumé, at the core of the new Brazen Careerist profile is an idea-based feed that showcases your knowledge, opinions and thoughts. In other words: Your potential.” – Penelope Trunk, CEO at Brazen Careerist

Thanks to co-founder Ryan Paugh, I had a chance to preview the enhancements of the new Brazen network last week and I must say I was impressed with the concept of the recent launch. In addition to creating a professional profile, the site now allows you to showcase your resume and more importantly your ideas - something employers can’t find on your resume. Where previous functionality only enabled the contribution of content, users now have the ability to establish a personal feed, encouraging your interaction with some of the most influential members of Gen-Y.

If you haven’t visited or experienced the new site, take a look and let me know your thoughts.

Tips for Successfully Leading Teens

Published

Kyle Ryman

on August 2, 2009

in Gen-Y and Guest Posts

. 2 Comments

Today’s guest post is from Kyle Ryman of ProfessionalLeader.com.

Who Are “Teenagers?”

What Influences Them:

Most of the time when you are talking about leading teenagers, you are talking about leading people who are sophomores in high school to freshmen in college. For these “teens,” their schooling is the dominant factor in their life. One result of this is that you will have to be flexible in their scheduling. For instance, they can only work late afternoons or evenings during the school week. However, they are often available during the weekends. Further more, teens are normally able to work full time during breaks from school.

Also, some of the best teen workers are going to be highly involved in extracurricular activities. You, as a leader, must take this into account if you want to retain the best in teen labor. Additionally, friends and family are incredibly important to this age group and will exert incredible influence over them. As a leader, you must be prepared for this as well if you want to lead teens effectively.

Common Motivators:

Very rarely will you find a teenager who is working for a particular company because they see themselves building a career with that company, or they like that company’s retirement benefits, etc. What motivates teens is a paycheck. But the “why” behind that motivation is important, and it can be broken down into three broad categories:

They want disposable income:
Basically, a lot of teenagers want to be able to buy the latest and greatest iPhone, or pay for their texting habit, or buy that car that they always wanted. Or, in some cases, they work to finance their party habit. Apparently alcohol is expensive…
They want to save for college:
There are also a lot of teens who come from families that have a decent income level, but still not an income level that can afford to help pay for college. College is expensive, and whatever amount of money they will be short in financial aid they will have to generate themselves.
They want to help their family:
There are also a lot of families where teens are needed (or expected – especially in this economy) to help support the family. While they generally are not the primary provider of the family, a teen’s part time income can really help out a financially struggling family.

3 Tips for Leading Teenagers:

With all of the above in mind, here are three tips that you can use when leading teenagers in the workplace.

1. The threat of being fired only goes so far:

For most teens, being fired doesn’t hold the same sway as it does for an older worker. Why? Because, most teens’ primary motivator is to earn money that they don’t “need.” Even teens who work to help support the family don’t feel the same burden of responsibility as their parents. So, if you are a “leader” (or “tyrant,” you pick) who relies on this to motivate your people, then you and teens will probably not work out.

2. Encourage socialization at work:

As was mentioned before, friends and family are incredibly important to this age group. What that means for you, the leader, is that the more attached teens are to the people who make up your organization, the more incentive they have to work hard and to be professional. You can help accomplish this by encouraging socialization (at responsible levels) at work. Having friends at work is probably the most powerful motivator there is in getting teens to come in and work hard.

3. Really mentor them:

The reality is that, most of the time, you and your organization will be your teen workers’ “first rodeo.” Since they lack any significant experience with the work world, you are going to have to mentor them on things like professionalism and acceptable behavior at work. If you don’t, then they will get themselves (and possibly others) in trouble. If you do, then they can prove just as capable as any other worker you employ.

My Question to You:

What have you done, or seen done, that has been effective in leading teens in the workplace?

Kyle Ryman is a guest contributor and author of ProfessionalLeader.com. He is a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army (infantry), and a recent graduate of Texas A&M University with a B.A. in History, Minor in Communications, and Certificate in Leadership Development and Study.

10 Tips on How to be Taken Seriously as a Leader

Published

Anthony Portuesi

on June 21, 2009

in Gen-Y and Leadership

. 4 Comments

gen y respect 10 Tips on How to be Taken Seriously as a Leader Earning credibility and being taken seriously continue to be challenging issues for many Gen-Y employees as they step into roles of increasing responsibly.

In preparation for advancement, many training programs focus solely on building “competencies,” the cornerstones to success. I agree the ability to negotiate, communicate, influence, and persuade others are indispensable qualities when it comes to leading successful teams. And there is no doubt that enhancing these skills builds one’s credibility and sets the groundwork for long-term success. However, for Gen-Y Leaders, the risk of undermining that credibility early on is very real thing. Many sabotage themselves, losing control and credibility before they even have the opportunity to utilize there abilities, simply by falling into classic traps that are easily overlooked.

Highlighting this point, authors Caitlin Friedman and Kimberly Yorio, offer some basic and practical suggestions that lay the foundation for being taken seriously when moving into the role of team leader. The following ten steps can be found with greater detail in their book, The Girl’s Guide To Starting Your Own Business.

1. Be on time every day. It’s your business. Lead by example.

2. Don’t make a habit of leaving early. Your employees will resent you if you walk out the door at three and call them from the gym at five-thirty to check in.

3. Don’t go drinking with your assistant. Or swap stories. You need to set the example. What you do in your private time away from the office should remain fodder for your peers, not your subordinates.

4. Don’t ask them to do anything that is not work-related. It’s rude and fosters resentment. This includes walking your dog, picking up your dry cleaning, and buying your personal holiday presents, unless, of course, the job is personal assistant.

5. Don’t let them hear you on personal calls. Not only will they will imitate you for months if they hear you refer to your spouse with pet names, they will feel entitled to be on their own calls all day.

6. You are not their friend. Be a pleasant boss, but never leave the door open to talk about personal drama. You want your employees to feel comfortable talking to you about serious personal problems (especially if they will impact her job performance) - a sick mother or child-care problem, for example. But the last thing you can afford is to become a surrogate therapist for employee dating or marital woes.

7. Pitch in when you can. If you have assigned what you know to be a tedious task, such as mailing five hundred company brochures, spend at least a few minutes pitching in. This is your team; make it happen together. A little willingness to get your hands dirty will go a long way when you need a really big ditch dug.

8. Do not share company financial issues or problems. If your employees suspect things are not going well, they will be looking for another job before you know it. There is a whole philosophy of open-book management that works in big public companies (the law requires it, anyway), but in small companies you don’t need your employees second-guessing your decisions.

9. If something goes wrong with a client or customer, you have to take the blame. As the boss, you are responsible for everything running smoothly. If you have a problem employee, you need to monitor him or her closely, provide more training, or let her go. You cannot make bad employees the scapegoats for mistakes.

10. Manage, but don’t smother. Granted this is your business and you’ve got the most to lose, but you’ve got to let your employees take responsibility for their workload. Guide, cajole, pester — don’t suffocate.

What other suggestions would you offer from your experience?

How to Earn Respect Quickly Despite your Youth (drivenleaders.com)
How to work better with Gen Y (money.cnn.com)

What Employers Can Do To Attract Gen-Y Talent

Published

Anthony Portuesi

on April 2, 2009

in Gen-Y and Recruiting

. 0 Comments

Ethan Lyon, Senior Writer at Sparxoo, asked me to author an article for a series they are launching around Gen-Y. The following is our collaboration focusing on the Gen-Y in the workplace. Though the economy has certainly changed the game for employers, the following is a synopsis of the traditional drivers of Gen-Y. Please visit Sparxoo.com for more information on their Gen-Y series.

maunel lino What Employers Can Do To Attract Gen Y Talent

Gen-Y in the Workplace

76 million. That’s the estimated size of Gen-Y, according to Fast Company, with many yet to reach the workforce. The subject of how Gen-Y is changing the future of business continues to be a growing discussion around the country. Gen X employers are already beginning to feel this shift in the workforce, many understanding that to stay competitive in this new environment they must adapt their philosophies or risk being left behind in the change.

Staying competitive in today’s marketplace means attracting Gen-Y’s top candidates, something that can be challenging to many organizations. The first step requires an employer to gain a greater understanding of Gen-Y’s expectations and a willingness to stray from the norms that have become commonplace in their organization. Though there are many areas to consider when looking to attract Gen-Y’s best and brightest, below are 3 suggestions that are worth some time and consideration.

Flexibility

Gone are the days where the steady 9 to 5 job with two weeks vacation will entice the prospective employees. Gen-Y demands flexibility in their careers. Work / life balance is more than just a pipe dream, and for most it’s a reality worth fighting tooth and nail to obtain. The separation between work and life is blurred as Gen Y seeks flexibility and variation in the workplace. In the past two years, the number of U.S. employees working remotely at least one day per month increased 39 percent, from 12.4 million in 2006 to 17.2 million in 2008, according to WorldatWork. “They want the freedom and flexibility of a virtual office, but they want rules and responsibilities to be spelled out explicitly,” says Ron Alsop, author of The Trophy Kids Grow Up: How the Millennial Generation Is Shaking Up the Workplace.

If an employer leaves no room for compromise, Gen-Y has no problem packing up and searching for a position that will fill this desire. Regardless, don’t be fooled. They are obsessed with productivity and have no problem working longer hours as long as it fits into their schedule.

Recommendation: When looking to hire strong candidates, consider flexible hours or provide choice in the role. Though the end goal will be the same, how, when, and where they go about completing a task, it is more important and more motivating to the Gen-Y employee. In most cases they will look to shape their jobs to fit their lives rather than adapt their lives to fit the workplace.

More Feedback

This generation also demands additional attention and guidance from employers. Growing up and an environment of constant feedback and praise, Gen-Y thrives when working in an environment where there is an open flow of communication. “Millennials have been given very high doses of feedback since age 4, and they need that feedback to know they’re on the right track,” says Bea Fields of Fast Company. As technology has integrated itself into nearly every facet of their lives, it has created a need for immediacy that is absent in Gen X and even moreso in Boomers. When it comes to an evaluation, an annual or even semiannual evaluation isn’t enough. They want to know how they’re doing weekly, even daily if it’s possible.

Recommendation: Consider creating a mentoring program if you don’t have one, or at the very least, introduce them to people early on that they can turn to when they feel the need for advice or someone to bounce ideas off of. When it comes to feedback and recognition stick to the rule that each employee should be individually recognized or told how they are doing at least once every seven days. Even a simple, “You’re doing a great job.” will improve moral and encourage increased productivity.

Creating Value

To truly get the most out their Gen-Y employees, employers need to look beyond just the traditional paycheck. Though salary and benefits continue to be number 1 and 2 respectively on the list of importance, the opportunity for growth and advancement rank a close 3rd. Gen-Y needs to be shown how their work makes a difference and why it’s of value to the company. They have much to offer in the workplace combining strengths such as teamwork, technology skills, social networking and multitasking skills.

Recommendation: If you can provide and communicate a strong plan for development AND advancement, you will be well on your way to retaining your top Gen-Y employees. Competitive wages are important and retention will be influenced by the level of “opportunity” your company provides. If you make any promises in this area, be sure you’re willing and able to live up to them. It’s a key driver of the Gen-Y work ethic.

Top 5: Gen Y Mindsets (spraxoo.com)
Millennials Want New Tech from ‘Old’ Auto Industry (marketingvox.com)
Generational Marketing (socialmediatoday.com)

College Students: Professional Organizations Can Separate You From the Pack

Published

Anthony Portuesi

on March 30, 2009

in Gen-Y and Job Hunting

. 5 Comments

standout1 College Students: Professional Organizations Can Separate You From the Pack

According to a new study conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), employers expect to hire 22 percent fewer new grads from the college Class of 2009 than they actually hired from the Class of 2008.

Without a doubt a scary statistic for graduates this May, yet for those who still have a few years of college to go, a reiteration on the importance of making yourself as marketable as possible before graduation. Having “real world experience” is no longer optional when it comes to diving into today’s job market. Internships continue to be one of the best opportunities for experience; however they can be just as challenging to obtain as a full time position! One way to expand your experience is to become an active member of a professional organization in your field of study. Not just a group to add on your resume, but an organization that can really add value and differentiate you in your future job search.

This past weekend, I attended Pi Sigma Epsilon’s (PSE is the only national professional fraternity in marketing, sales management, and selling) national convention in Norfolk VA. The organization is comprised of 56 chapters from colleges and universities around the country, each one boasting their school’s best and brightest looking to get ahead in the business world. Their annual convention serves as the climax to the organizations year, where nearly 500 PSE members (collegiate, alumni, educator, professional, associate and corporate representatives) join together for a week of professional programming and special activities. This convention included a dynamic lineup of keynote speakers from Procter & Gamble, Kodak, and Myspace.com among others; along with a range of professional workshops, networking sessions, a marketplace career fair and over $35,000 in available scholarships for undergraduates. The convention also served as a competition where students from their respective chapters showcased their achievements over the past year. Presentations ranged from sales projects raising thousands of dollars for charity, to market research studies conducted for Fortune 500 companies. The competition was a spirited one, as many attempted to seize the groups’ popular awards such as the Top Business Plan Award, Top Salesperson Award and Top Marketing Plan Award, with further hopes that theirs would be the school to take home the coveted “Top Chapter in the Nation” honor.

I joined in the festivities on Friday as a judge of the Pro-Am Sell-a-Thon, where students were given the opportunity to experience a simulated business-to-business sales environment, with coaching and feedback from an established sales professional. I must say I was quite impressed at the ability and professionalism of the contenders, a few of which had been offered jobs from sponsors and judges after watching them in action!

My challenge for you today is to get involved! Be it PSE or one of the many professional groups or student organizations around, don’t wait - start today. Look for opportunities to work in “real world” situations, create networking opportunities and further your professional training. I can tell you from first hand from conversations over this past weekend that the “real world experiences” provided by this particular group were major differentiators for many of the students between obtaining a position and continuing to send out resumes. If you know of or a part of a group that offers such experiences please share it and add a comment!

If you enjoyed this post please subcribe to DrivenLeaders.com via RSS or receive new posts via email.

College Students Should Start on Their 10,000 Hours of Practice (hardknoxlife.com)
Career Couch: All Is Not Lost for the Class of 2009 (nytimes.com)
How College Graduates Can Land That Job Offer (halliecrawford.typepad.com)

Best Undergraduate Business Schools

Published

Anthony Portuesi

on March 6, 2009

in Education and Gen-Y

. 0 Comments

classroom Best Undergraduate Business Schools

In their March 9th issue, BusinessWeek published their list of the top undergraduate business schools for 2009. For the first time since the inception of their ranking in 2006, University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School has been dethroned as #1, to be replaced by University of Virginia’s McIntire School. In ranking the programs, BusinessWeek used a multitude of measures, including surveys of 85,000 senior business majors, nearly 600 corporate recruiters, median starting salaries for graduates, and the number of graduates each school send to top MBA programs, among other factors.

According to the article, schools that ranked high or moved up on the list from previous rankings, have put a more intense focus on guiding students in their career search. Top schools, Virginia and Notre Dame, have been able to tap a strong alumni network and create innovative ways to build student-recruiter relationships. The story goes on to explain how, regardless of ranking, the tougher job market continues to challenge students across the nation to consider other avenues upon graduation. It was not surprising to see that of the graduating seniors surveyed, 54% had not received job offers as of January (up 10% from 2008). Within the commentary, Roger Jenkins, Dean of the Farmer School at my alma mater, shared a few suggestions on how to deal with graduating in the uncertain job market. Visit the full article for the complete ranking and details on how each school made the cut.

BusinessWeek’s Top 20

University of Virginia (McIntire)
Notre Dame (Mendoza)
University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)
University of Michigan (Ross)
Brigham Young University (Marriott)
UC Berkeley (Haas)
MIT (Sloan)
Cornell University
Emory University (Goizueta)
University of Texas at Austin (McCombs)
Villanova University
Richmond (Robins)
UNC at Chapel Hill (Kenan-Flagler)
Wake Forest (Calloway)
New York University (Stern)
Washington University (Olin)
Boston College (Carroll)
Miami University (Farmer)
Carnegie Mellon (Tepper)
Indiana University (Kelley)

MBA Specialty Rankings (businessweek.com)
World’s Best Colleges: Top Engineering and IT Universities (usnews.com)
MBA: University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton and London Business School top rankings (telegraph.co.uk)

Common Sense Leadership for New Managers

Published

Anthony Portuesi

on February 5, 2009

in Book Reviews, Gen-Y and Managing

. 3 Comments

As most of you know, one of the most prominent themes on Driven Leaders focuses around developing and enhancing the skills the necessary to become a successful leader. Making the transition from individual contributor to team leader is a challenging one and in many cases can be a career defining moment. Shortly after writing a post entitled “So You’ve Just Become a Manager”, author Nick McCormick contacted me to send over a copy of his book, Lead Well and Prosper: 15 Strategies for Becoming a Good Manager.

Upon finishing it, Nick’s book quickly made it to my recommended reading list for aspiring managers. In just under 100 pages, McCormick explains each of his 15 strategies in an easy to follow and concise manner. Every chapter begins with real-world antidotes, and concludes with a list of “Do’s and Don’ts,” as well as action steps providing direction to getting off on the right foot.

lead well and prosper list Common Sense Leadership for New Managers Upon reading it may seem that many of his suggestions are somewhat common sense, yet as many managers can attest to, common sense approaches often get lost in the shuffle amidst a transition. While many of his ideas may seem rudimentary to those in long standing leadership positions, I found this to be an excellent guide for Gen-Yer’s taking this next step forward in their career. Being that it’s a quick read, the book has already made it off of my bookshelf a few times, serving as an excellent refresher in the short term and one that can be used for years to come. You can pick up a copy at Amazon.com.

Lead Well & Prosper - book review (ericbrown.com)
Top 10 greatest IT chief executives (vnunet.com)
Three steps to leadership (billbennettnz.wordpress.com)

Personal Branding Magazine - Free Sample!

Published

Anthony Portuesi

on October 28, 2008

in Gen-Y and Personal Branding

. 2 Comments

Dan Schwabel just released the latest edition of the Personal Branding Magazine, and as expected, it’s better than ever. Entitled “The Personal Branding Gold Rush,” this issue is a call to action. I’ve written previous posts about the importance of building your eBrand; Vol. 2 Issue 2 takes it another step further. It contains interviews with, Gary Vaynerchuk, David Allen, Keith Ferrazzi and Robert Cialdini, along with 26 other articles on developing a powerful online presence. I think Dan’s description says it best:

“Now is the time for building your personal eBrand. Laggards will be lost in a Google cloud of dust, while early adopters will rank #1 for their name. Stop watching everyone else steal your gold (your THUNDER) and get involved today. Many people are scared to develop an online presence, yet it’s the only way you can safeguard your brand and have “job security.” This issue will highlight Gary Vaynerchuk, who will passionately force you to get involved in the GOLD RUSH. As you read each page, you will gather the knowledge needed to not let these opportunities pass you by.”

The full issue won’t be available until November 1st for subscribers, however a free sample is available today at http://www.personalbrandingsample.com If you haven’t seen the magazine or subscribed to it yet, I would highly recommend it. I’ve had a sneak peak at the complete issue and I have to say, you won’t be disappointed…

The Power of Personal Branding

Published

Anthony Portuesi

on September 19, 2008

in Gen-Y, Personal Branding and Thought Provoking

. 4 Comments

personalbranding The Power of Personal Branding

Personal branding is the red-hot buzzword these days and for good reason. The term, first discussed by Tom Peters in 1997, is a powerful topic whose significance is growing by the day. No one will disagree that in the digital age, the importance of establishing and maintaining a strong personal brand is vital to your future success.

“It’s what you do that makes you who you are and how you project that to others that makes you memorable.”

- Dan Schwabel, Personal Branding Blog

Incase you’re new to the subject, personal branding is treating your personal image as if it where a consumer brand. It’s a process of articulating your unique values and attributes, consistently, across multiple platforms. Being a marketing guy at heart, this concept has intrigued me ever since I first heard it years ago.

In today’s marketplace, a strong personal brand gives you the ability to stand out in a crowd - a competitive advantage. Tomorrow, on the other hand, will be different. The absence of one (or a negative one) could be devastating. Just this month, careerbuilder.com released some eye-opening statistics related to employers using social networking sites to screen potential employees. Here are a few memorable stats directly from their site:

Of those hiring managers who have screened job candidates via social networking profiles, one-third (34 percent) reported they found content that caused them to dismiss the candidate from consideration. Top areas for concern among these hiring managers included:

41% - candidate posted information about them drinking or using drugs

40% - candidate posted provocative or inappropriate photographs or information

29% - candidate had poor communication skills

27% - candidate lied about qualifications

On the other hand, social networking profiles gave some job seekers an edge over the competition. Twenty-four percent of hiring managers who researched job candidates via social networking sites said they found content that helped to solidify their decision to hire the candidate. Top factors that influenced their hiring decision included:

48% - candidate’s background supported their qualifications for the job

43% - candidate had great communication skills

40% - candidate was a good fit for the company’s culture

36% - candidate’s site conveyed a professional image

To see the complete results of the survey, view the full report.

Though I won’t claim to be an expert on the subject, it’s hard to deny that the power of personal branding is only growing by the day. Below are some of my favorite resources in regard to personal branding. Each provides a slightly different outlook and strategy as to creating and promoting your own personal brand. My only advice is, that you don’t wait, start today…