The Employment Branding Challenge for Retail Giant Walmart

The Employment Branding Challenge for Retail Giant Walmart Think your company  has plenty of staff? Try 2.4 million employees worldwide. Walmart is one of the best known retail brands in the world, learn how this impacts its employment brand and how clarity of message helps candidates to self-select in or out. Ive had a chat with Michael Smith who heads up employment brand for Walmart, have a listen to the podcast episode below or keep reading for a transcript. And be sure to subscribe to The Employer Branding Podcast. What are your top employer brand challenges? One thing that we talk about here is that we joke about what our former SVP said, The only people we dont recruit are neurosurgeons and astronauts. If you think about the breadth of work that we do, we have jewel inspectors, we have about 70 pilots, weve got a meteorologist, we have all sorts of these niche jobs that when you think about what does it take to power the worlds largest company, it makes sense. But most people associate Walmart with a retail store, the Asda that they walked into. So they arent thinking about what it takes on the back end to make sure that you have the right product on the shelves and all the different players that go into that. So, I would say just the scope. We have so many people to hire. And how do you be relevant to everyone without becoming irrelevant to everyone? But, also, I think from a reputation standpoint, depending on your last experience, you may have a very strong positive opinion. You may have a less positive opinion. So we havent been good traditionally about telling our story, which means that people dont really understand the company and the culture. And so thats something we have to overcome as well. Talk us through your employer  brand strategy. I would say the employer brand strategy is ever evolving, because our employer brand is really owned in the minds of the people. What you think of our company is our brand, and the best that I can do is create resources to help you understand better and bringing your perception up to the reality. So Id say that the brand is an ongoing, ever changing, ever evolving thing. But at the core of our strategy is defining the value proposition, how, you know, were not for everybody, but we offer the opportunity of a long fulfilling career for the right fit. So understanding who we are as a core company, making sure that our values are clear, making sure that our culture is clear. We just launched our new careers website, careers.walmart.com on March 21st. And so theyre going to see a little bit of our efforts to help improve the quality of the image that youre going to see but also have a better understanding of what we have to offer both from a job perspective but also from a culture perspective. Do you have a step-by-step guide to employer branding? To give you a high level overview of where to begin and what I would recommend, I think I mentioned the value proposition first. I think you really have to understand who you are as a company, because you want to be authentic in everything you do. Just selling everyone on “this is a great company” is a mistake, because not everybody is going to be a good fit, and you dont want to bring people in just to have a revolving door and have them leave within a few months. So understanding your company is really important. Understanding your enterprise goals and then translating them into recruiting goals. You mentioned in a conversation earlier about you have to understand the talent plan to be able to execute. So you really have to understand the company challenges, understand your recruiting challenges and your recruiting game plan so that you can align and create KPIs and goals that are tied to those specific challenges. Once you have your challenges defined and what youre going to get from an objective standpoint, thats when you plan to measure that. And if youre going to do anything, you have to have a fixed goal, this is what were going to try to achieve, and this is the time frame in which youre going to achieve it. And you have to have the measurement capability, whatever technology, or measurements, or surveys, or whatever in place to be able to track that in time. And once you have those goals established and know how youre going to measure them, making sure that you assemble the right team is absolutely critical. And really thinking through the greater stakeholder group, there are many, many people in an organization like the size of Walmart that have the opportunity to help or hinder, and really theres only one brand. Its not a consumer brand, an employment brand and all these other brands yes you segment, but theyre all tied together. So making sure that you in our case work with marketing, and corporate affairs, and internal communications, and all those things that have the opportunity to influence or amplify the brand or aligning the work are formed early on and become bought in so that they can contribute valuable insight along the way. From there, starting to do some of that research to build upon what you know already about your company. So asking candidates, What is it that youre looking for? What is it that were missing? How did your interview experience go? Asking existing employees, Okay, you were onboarded. What worked, what didnt? And start honing in on those specific areas that you need to address. And, you know, from there, you start thinking about your target demographic, okay? Youve got a baseline of knowledge. You have an understanding of what it is that you need to accomplish, how youre going to measure it. Who are the people that youre going to go after? With Walmart, again, the demographic was, dozens of different personas. I talk about the website, because that was our most recent brand initiative. For that, we couldnt be all things to all people. We needed to narrow that down. So we basically grouped six personas that were based on user needs. So there are many different personas, but all of them have similar needs when it comes to accessing a website, for example. And once we understood what those needs were, we could think about the touch points and the candidate journey. So thinking about the process of what a candidate does. Theyre in the world, they see an advertisement, or they encounter a recruiter, and maybe theyre led to go visit the website. Once theyre there, they start to read, they start to bond, they start to understand the company and the culture and say, Hey, you know, I actually like this. Maybe there is something for me. Then they dig deeper. They start to learn about the role and how a day in the life might look like and then maybe the area. If theyre going to relocate, Can I live in this place? And they start to invest. And maybe they speak with a recruiter, maybe they actually take a flight and come to visit. And from there, theyve got to waive that opportunity amongst their other opportunities, and finally, hopefully, if its a good fit, theyll sign on with the company and go into the onboarding process. So understanding each of those phases and the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of those user groups as they move through them helps us understand what information we want to present and when. Follow Michael on Twitter @MichaelSmithD and dont forget  to subscribe to The Employer Branding Podcast.

Resume and LinkedIn Profile Writing Services

Resume and LinkedIn Profile Writing ServicesYou might have found a job posting in your local community newspaper, or on the internet, but your resume and LinkedIn profile writing services Brisbane agency is the best place to start. The best web pages are short, yet they don't rush their clients. Your client should be able to get to know you in a couple of minutes. You should not try to cram too much information into the small space provided by your resume and LinkedIn profile service Brisbane, so that it's difficult to read.If you are looking for a job or an opportunity to change careers and to start your own business, you must have a good website to display your resume and LinkedIn profile, in order to get more attention from the webmasters. Because this is a valuable tool, they want to give you as much attention as possible, just like you do to them. So your resume and LinkedIn profile writing services Brisbane company will aim to please you in all aspects of your career move.Linke dIn provides free access to its database for your business, job-seeking or any other purposes. But it also has ads. This means you may have to purchase a membership to the site. It is the most popular social networking site. When people join LinkedIn, they sign up to receive notices that are generated by the sponsored groups and by the links that are displayed on the LinkedIn homepage.What happens when you sign up? They will send you emails from time to time, with updates, as well as news about the website. It is always a good idea to have a link of your resume and LinkedIn profile writing services Brisbane company on your homepage. This can also make it easy for people to find you through the site.It is important to be aware that this site is totally free. If you want to remove ads, the cost is about $7 per month. You do not need to buy a membership. Most of the advertisements are related to the 'For Sale' pages or may refer to a product.After you register, you can use your LinkedI n account to communicate with other professionals and to build up contacts. When you have friends on the site, they will be happy to tell you about jobs that they are looking for, or want to share with you. Another great thing about LinkedIn is that you can share your expertise with others.You can earn cash or free opportunities by becoming a part of their network. This is how you can turn your resume and LinkedIn profile writing services Brisbane, into a full-time business, or even a full-time career. Even if you have never had a website before, you can set up a free account on LinkedIn and begin building your presence. If you think that you cannot do it alone, that is okay, as you can hire others to help you.When you are first starting out, don't worry about the cost of creating your LinkedIn page, as it is almost non-existent. Just make sure that when you do create one, it is professional. You need to maintain a professional image, so you may need to hire a professional designer or web designer to create an amazing resume and LinkedIn profile, and you need to update it often.

Personal Branding for New Real Estate Agents (Guest Post) - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding for New Real Estate Agents (Guest Post) - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Todays guest post is by Sabrina Clark,  Director of Marketing and Corporate Communications with BrandYourself. New Real Estate Agents: How Your Personal Brand Can Help You Get Ahead Whether you’re a new hire at a firm or new to real estate in general, it can be difficult to get the ball rolling in growing a customer base especially when so much of a consumer’s decision is based on an agent’s established reputation. With 90 percent of home buyers searching online during the home buying process (National Association of Realtors), building a positive personal brand and online reputation is more important than ever when attracting new clients. We’ve outlined a few simple steps you can take as a new real estate agent to leverage your personal brand in order to secure potential clients who are Googling you as well as attract new clients during their search process. 1. Create a personal website Create a personal website that’s dedicated to your unique skills, accolades, and interests, even if you’re with a firm that already provides you a profile page on the company website. When a potential client Googles you, it’s important there’s a single destination to learn more about who you are as a real estate agent and as a person. Free tools such as WordPress and Tumblr allow you to easily create and customize a site. TIP: Buy domain names for your website that contain your full name or variations of your full name (ex. John Smith or JohnSmithRealEstate). Domain names show up high in Google search results, so if prospective clients are Googling you, they’ll be more likely to find your website. Domain registrars like Hover.com will show you what’s available and allow you to buy them right through the site. 2. Get online profiles and stay active on them If you aren’t already on social media, start getting some profiles on the top sites think Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, etc. (and if you already have these profiles, make sure they reflect what you would want potential clients to find!). There’s also a few social networks that cater to real estate, such as Zillow and Trulia. These sites have communities specifically for real estate agents to answer questions, provide advice and interact with home buyers. Growing a presence on these types of sites helps you stay plugged into the latest real estate trends and happenings as well as connect with potential clients. TIP: As with your website, make sure to select usernames that contain your full name (or variations of your full name) to help them show up higher in Google search results. 3. Connect with influencers and publications in the industry Once you have your social media profiles set up, follow top influencers, publications and organizations/associations in the industry. Not only follow them, but engage with them as well comment on articles, respond to questions/polls, ask your own questions and share interesting posts with your own network. You’ll form valuable business connections while also learning from some of the best minds in real estate You never know what sort of opportunities this type of networking could lead to. 4. Become a real estate expert You might be the newcomer to the real estate game but you can still establish yourself as an authority within the field. As you go through the trials and tribulations, share what you learn. You could start a blog and share tidbits about what you’re learning from the more experienced agents, observations of emerging trends and success stories. Also, stay active on your social media profiles, as we mentioned above. Try to become an authority within a niche topic (a geographical area, residential vs. commercial, buy vs. rent, etc.). This will help highlight you in specific home buyers’ search results. (Ex. residential agents in Buffalo, NY). As a new agent, you have a unique perspective on the industry you’d be surprised how many people are interested in learning from it. 5. Build a brand, but still be yourself Although it’s important to maintain a level of professionalism in your online communications, don’t be afraid to be yourself. Buying a home or property can be one of the most important decision a consumer can make. When finding an agent, home buyers are looking to connect with a human someone they can feel comfortable with and who they can trust to find the right home for their unique lifestyle. Letting your personality shine through will resonate much more with potential clients than dry, formal language on your sites and profiles. Breaking into any industry can be a trying process but, by following these few simple steps, you’ll start to build a personal brand online that will kick-start your career and get you noticed as a go-to real estate agent. Need some help getting started? BrandYourself offers free tools and custom services to help you manage your personal brand and online reputation.

How to cope with the need for external validation

How to cope with the need for external validation The reason Im  not homeless after basically taking a year off from writing is that I have been doing a lot of coaching. I say career coaching, but honestly, no one over 30 has a career problem. All problems that look like career problems are really something else. But the only coaching most people can justify spending $350 on is coaching that will lead to making more money. So people hire me to talk about their career and they realize  they do not have a career problem. After talking with me for ten minutes. So with the remaining 50 minutes I do career coaching about non-career problems. I love talking with the people who call. It takes a smart, curious, brave person to set up a coaching session with me. If you read this blog for even just a tiny bit of time you know there will be no beating around the bush. A lot of people cry. And I tell them, Dont worry, a lot of people cry. And anyway, I have Aspergers so I can just ignore it. Well. If they want me to. Or I can express empathy. But for sure no one is signing up for a coaching session because they heard Im great with empathy. I get lonely. I spend all day with my kids. They say interesting things, like, Mom, why are you so forgiving to everyone in your life? I think you have Stockholm Syndrome. But in spite of that, or maybe because of that, I need to talk to adults;  I need to talk to someone who I dont cook dinner for. Actually, I have had a few people over for dinner and in-person coaching. They begged, so I tried it once, and I liked it. I charged double. That might be why I liked it. But its fun to cook dinner and talk about someones life. I coach a lot of people at Google, and sometimes I keep in touch. One of those people is a woman who recently had a baby and is trying to figure out what path to take moving forward. Google is not particularly family friendly. Of course they say they are family friendly, but there are no people at Google moving up the ladder while being the parent in charge of young kids. There are people moving up the ladder with a stay at home spouse, or a team of nannies. Anyway, this woman I am corresponding with is obsessed with what other people are doing with their kids. I get that. I am always looking around at who is doing what so that I can do it that way, too. But when you spend your whole life competing in school for grades, then at work for titles and for money and then you have a baby, its disorienting when you start looking for the competition. She has found the alternative ways parents who cannot compete at work can continue to measure themselves in order to find external validation. For example, sleeping through the night (nice for parents; irrelevant for the future happiness of a child) or getting into the right preschool (this woman has discovered schools dont like to take kids with IQs higher than 130 because they are too much trouble to deal with). Anyway, I confess that I love the information she digs up, but I think its messed up that shes obsessed with finding another way to compete. And, on top of that, I think I am aiding and abetting in her misguided attempts to find another way to get external validation now that she has a kid. I feel like a heroin dealer. Every time she brings me fascinating data, I tell her she is fascinating, and then she does more. Being a new mom is lonely you dont really have a solid new identity to hold on to, and you dont really have any mom friends yet. New mom life is a life unmoored. I think probably she is just lonely and she deals with loneliness by seeking external validation. Not that I, too, do not want to be fascinating. I want you to think Im fascinating. But in the sort of trusted friend kind of way, or at least trusted paid friend so that youd want to talk to me but youd know that if you paid for a coaching session I would not divulge everything about you, like I am in this post. Well, I am not divulging everything. I mean, there are thousands of women who fit this profile. But the truth is I asked her before I wrote about her, and shes thrilled because she wants to be doing something that matters. I have found that the most messed up people I coach are the ones who most need external validation. Another interesting thing: all S types need external validation. They care about rules and duty and want admiration that they are approaching those important markers with competence. They want acknowledgment for doing the right thing. But I dont coach many S types. They are concrete thinkers and not particularly interested in analyzing themselves or planning the future. People who I coach want to make sure they have a plan that will allow them to self-actualize. S types wont even read this paragraph. They will get to self-actualize, quit reading, and go to the gym. Or the garden. Depending. So I coach N types and you can imagine, the NTs do not give a shit what anyone thinks of them. I am like, the most insecure NT in the history of the universe, and I still let you guys write in the comments section that Im a narcissist idiot and Im destroying my children. So really, trust me that NTs do not need external validation. This leaves the NFs. I coach mostly NFs and their number-one problem, no matter how old or what stage of life they are in, they want external validation. But the people NFs want external validation from are the NTs and the NTs dont care about anyone enough to give them validation. This is not to say that NTs do not give praise. We do. In order to move things along. And, for the most part, we are horrified when someone thinks  we  need external validation from  them. So I coach NFs about how to not be so concerned about external validation and just do their life. The people who have the hardest time doing this, by the way, are INFJs, because they are reticent to admit how much they seek external validation; you cant solve a problem if you dont admit its there. Still, my favorite people to coach are INFJs. Because they know so much about everyone but they have big blind spots about themselves. And, as someone with Aspergers, I have a good understanding of the blind spot thing. A blind spot means you dont know you have a blind spot, so when someone tells you something is off, its mind-blowing. For an Aspergerian (is that a word?) its mind-blowing to hear, for example, that people care if their socks match. I mean, now its not mind-blowing, but when I was not matching socks, it just never ever occurred to me that people care. Its so much work for so little reward. That was my thinking. The corollary for an INFJ is they are shocked to hear that half the world does not care about values. The INFJ feels they are winning the competition for living life according to ones values. So they are shocked to hear that the rest of the world isnt even in the competition. For the INFJ its not enough to live according to their values. They want to be recognized and respected for that. The INFJ will say, Everyone wants respect. Then they will be shocked to hear that is not true. We spend so much time trying to find out what the game is, and find the rules, and then win. School is like that, and money is like that, but for the most part, the rest of life is not. So the hardest thing in life is to get an internal compass that allows you to measure yourself against your own values and your own goals. You have to find your own, internal way to validate your choices in life. I, for example, do not want your respect. I just want you to read to the end of this post so that I feel like I had a conversation. Because its  midnight  and I dont have a call lined up from Australia tonight, so Im lonely. Do you like this post? I can send you more! Click here and enter your email address.   I will send you a collection of my most-popular posts.

The Use of a Resume Writing Service

The Use of a Resume Writing ServiceA Lakeview Chicago resume writing service can be of great help for your career search. As one of the largest communities in Illinois, Lakeview has a wealth of employment opportunities for you to choose from. If you are looking for a career change, starting a new business or simply need more money, this is the perfect place to start your search.Being able to use an employment service to write your resume is a smart idea because it gives you the chance to go through a process of self-analysis and see how your skills match up with a particular job position. It's also important to do this to be able to decide whether you have what it takes to do a particular job and work the job description as outlined by the position.When it comes to creating a resume for yourself, this is probably the first step you need to take. You need to create a resume that is concise and appealing. Being able to highlight your strengths and what you bring to the table will make you stand out as the best candidate for the job. You can do this by using the proper keywords in your resume to build up your search engine optimization (SEO) page.Using search engine optimization can help your resume stand out on job search engines. You can also provide references in your resume so that a potential employer will have a reference for you. The important thing is to find the resume writing service that provides the most relevant professional resume writing services. This will give you the best chance of getting your resume noticed by the employers that you are after.Writing a Lakeview Chicago resumes can be a lengthy process, especially if you have several years of work experience under your belt. It is always a good idea to consult a professional resume writing service to help you in this regard. You will have access to experts who are specifically trained to build resumes for a variety of positions. They will be able to customize your resume according to the specifi c requirements of your employer and get it to the point where the employers will find it compelling enough to hire you.Another thing you can do is to upload the resume to a resume writing service. With just a click of a button, they will work with you to take care of your resume after it is already completed. After the submission, you should receive a reply from the resume writing service that your resume has been approved and will be submitted to the appropriate employer.Once you have all of the necessary information, your resume will be ready for submission. You will be required to sit for a job interview in order to prove that you meet the qualifications of the job you are applying for. Lakeview Chicago resumes are a simple tool to use in this regard. Your job interview will give the employers a better idea of your level of skills and their decision to hire you will be based on your abilities to perform the duties expected of a position.Lakeview Chicago resumes are a simple and c onvenient way to market yourself and show potential employers that you are the person they are looking for. If you have never had a resume written before, you should definitely consider a service for help. These types of services have been known to achieve impressive results for their clients.

Interview Series - Career Experts - Candace Moody from CareerSource Northeast Florida CareerMetis.com

Interview Series - Career Experts - Candace Moody from CareerSource Northeast Florida â€" CareerMetis.com In this interview series, we caught up with Candace Moody from CareerSource Northeast Floridawho shares her expertise and insights about job search, career change,etc.in today’s marketplace.Tell us a little bit about your companyevalCareerSource Northeast Florida is the regional workforce organization based in Jacksonville, Florida.How did you get started in this path?I was a military spouse, so my husband and I moved every few years, forcing me to start over in a new city.Eventually, I got good at re-inventing myself, building a network from scratch, and researching the local job market.My mission is to help others think differently about their careers and be efficient in their job search.Is this something you decided early on in your career?I’ve always been a writer and coach; my specialization in career coaching seemed a natural fit with my own journey.What is the most exciting part of working in this industry?I love learning about new ways of creating a meaningful career path .The world is changing so quickly that the traditional ways of finding a job and planning a career simply don’t apply any more.I try to help people see new possibilities in the way they approach work â€" and what comes after, for my fellow baby boomers.What is the best Career Advice you’ve ever received?evalStay open. I learned early on that the word “yes” is where all the possibility lives.My early mentors encouraged my native inclination to ask “What if…” and “Why not?”.Opportunity may only knock once, but it’s often looking through the window, tying to see if you’re at home and interested in what’s just outside the door.How do to stay abreast of the industry as an expert?Read, read, read, read.I follow industry articles, great career blogs, HR sites, and read every new career book I can get my hands on.I’m also meeting job seekers every day who tell me about their challenges and their frustrations What are some of the things that you see job seekers stru ggle with the most?Confidence is their biggest struggle.Even the most accomplished candidates feel powerless in the job search process.I want to help them feel like they have just as much power in the exchange as the hiring manager.How should job seekers approach job search today?Like a consultant.Companies decide to hire someone because they have a problem to solve, customers to serve, or something that needs fixing.Your job is to understand what the problem is My advice is this: first, create a robust profile (there are hundreds of online forums and posts on how to do this.) Then, treat LinkedIn like the serious career advancement tool it is.Make quality connections, and offer value to try to turn them into real world relationships.Unemployment is at the lowest levels, why do you think that is?The economy is red hot, and just about anyone who wants to work can find a job.Rising wages are luring people back into the workforce who’ve been sitting on the sidelines for a while.What is the biggest trend(s) you see that hiring managers will face in the next 2-3 years?I think hiring managers are going to have to design nimble, flexible working schedules and systems designed around worker preferences.Face time and office hours will give way to outcome-based measuring of a worker’s productivity.I hope we’re headed for a 4-day work week as well â€" I think we’d all be happier and more productive.Candace, what are you currently working on?I’ve been spending a lot of time thinking, writing, and speaking about the Gig Economy.I think we’re in a time of great change, where everyone has a chance to be entrepreneurial, even if they’re in a traditional job. We used to think a full-time job was the safest and best option, but I’m not convinced that’s true today.I coach people who want to explore gigs as a way to create financial independence and find work that challenges them and builds skills for the future.What are the best resources you recommend to job s eekers?One of the books I’m recommending to everyone is The End of Jobs by Taylor Pearson. He lays out the case for gig work beautifully.What is the best way for our audience to reach you?By EmailConnect with or Follow Candace Moody on Social Media:LinkedInTwitterCandace Moody and CareerSource Northeast Florida have also been featured in our recent compilation of the most resourceful career experts and career blogs â€" Top Career Advice Websites.

Motivation Monday Planning, phoning, participating

Motivation Monday Planning, phoning, participating Are you ready for a kick in the pants?   Oh, I mean, a dose of motivation! Plan your week Time flies when you dont have things scheduled.   Break your day into chunks of time!   Set a timer to keep you on track. Just say no to non-emergency, low priority family requests (Perhaps just for this week). Please, please, please- Pick up the phone I know how hard it is.   But picking up the phone and calling someone is often times just the trick to getting someones attention.   If you have send email after email and havent gotten any response, shake it up a bit by varying your method of communication.     It is easy for emails to get overlooked.   Dont assume that a lack of response means no. Where are you volunteering? Dont overlook the opportunity to help others.   Be strategic about where you volunteer right now.   Think about professional associations or groups that could benefit from your talents.   Hang with the employed people. Are you frustrated in your search?   What is it you find most difficult?   Go ahead, leave a comment!

Civilian Jobs After Military Service Finding Your Next Career

Civilian Jobs After Military Service Finding Your Next Career If you have recently completed military service and are looking for a new career, you might be surprised to find that your branch of the military has career resources and job search materials to help make your transition to civilian life easier. There are also many companies that specifically give hiring preferences to those individuals that have honorably served their country. In addition to hiring preferences, there are also educational opportunities available to help you find a new career. Many people, both military and civilian, falsely believe that being former military means you are only qualified to work in security or police careers. Nothing could be further from the truth. Todays military trains men and women for careers in everything from medicine to computers. You just need to let people know what your specialty is in and the best way to do that is in your resume. When completing your resume, be sure to have a civilian look at it just to make sure that you arent using terms that are familiar only to someone in the military. You will also want to highlight your leadership abilities as well as your skills in your specialty area. When writing your cover letter, you will want to briefly mention your military career and how it trained you for the position that you are seeking. Civilian life is very different from military life, but leadership, honesty and reliability are important in both worlds. Employers recognize this, and many if not most know that an employee that is former military is likely to be an asset to their company in whatever capacity he or she is hired.