NFC Presents Opportunities For Consumers, Job Seekers, & Recruiters

We’ve been hearing and reading a lot about Near Field Communication or NFC. Have you heard of it? It’s been around a while but it’s really starting to be be intergrated into our daily lives and we’ve only seen the tip of the iceberg. The applications coming to our mobile handsets are incredible. The benefits for consumers are limitless. Also, the job opportunities being created by it are exciting. NFC is a set of short-range wireless technologies, typically requiring a distance of 4 cm or less. NFC is intended mainly for use in mobile phones.

Why do we mention it here? Because there are opportunities for the consumer, the job seeker, and the recruiter. There are currently three specific uses for NFC:

Card emulation: the NFC device behaves like an existing contactless card
Reader mode: the NFC device is active and reads a passive RFID tag, for example for interactive advertising
P2P mode: two NFC devices communicating together and exchanging information.

There are plenty of applications that are possible, such as:

Mobile ticketing in public transportation: forget your metro card? No problem, tap your phone against the turnstile and in you go.
Mobile payment: Your sitting at a Yankee game and you want to buy a Yankee hat? No worries, your smartphone acts as a debit/credit payment card.
Bluetooth pairing: in the future, pairing of Bluetooth 2.1 devices with NFC support will be as easy as bringing them close together and accepting the pairing. The process of activating Bluetooth on both sides, searching, waiting, pairing and authorization will be replaced by simply bringing the mobile phones close to each other.

Other applications in the future?

Electronic ticketing: airline tickets,concert/event tickets, and sporting events
Electronic money
Travel cards
Identity documents
Mobile commerce
Electronic keys: replacements for physical car keys, house/office keys, hotel room keys, etc.

The big news about NFC is that soon the technology will be in all smartphones. There’ll be a chip in your phone that will be able to talk to payment terminals specially designed for NFC, eventually replacing credit and debit cards. In Japan, NFC is already being used to pay for a range of items, from transport to alcohol, clothes and refreshments from vending machines.

Google’s Eric Schmidt spoke at the Mobile World Congress in February and gave hints as to how Google will take advantage of this technology. Hint: Mobile Money. Google launched the first NFC-enabled device, the Nexus S, in December, and other manufacturers will follow suit. So not only will you be able to make payments from your phone – throwing your wallet away – the same device will also contain your ID, trainpass and all those membership and loyalty cards that you can never find when you actually need them. Retailers are adapting the technology around the world. Starbucks will know when you haven’t bought your latte in a few days and ask you why. Perhaps there is a more convenient location, let us suggest one. This is only one example retailers can use the technology – and it’s only going to get smarter and more interactive as it matures. Soon, NFC will affect all your daily habits, whether at the gas station, supermarket or buying drinks on a night out.

Job opportunities are plentiful in the mobile sector already but this should help employment across the board as new applications emerge. Marketers will intensify mobile marketing campaigns efforts directly to consumers based on location, preferences, buying habits, ets. We predict a lot of job creation in this sector.

February Jobs Report Looks Good!

We were all anticipating good news with the Jobs report but in my opinion the report was even more positive than I thought it was going to be!

The US added 192,000 jobs and the unemployment rate dipped to 8.9% This is very good news for those who are on the “Job Hunt”.

Chris Isidore, a senior writer at CNN, wrote a good article about the jobs report.

Feel free to share your comments on the report!

How Twitter Can Help Recruiters Place Candidates

If you are a Recruiter and are not using Twitter you should really start utilizing this great social networking tool!  If you do not have an account, Twitter recently updated their site, so make sure you’re on the new Twitter page.  On the top of the page select Profile, click Edit your Profile located on the left side of the screen.  Setting up your profile is fast and easy.  For a more creative look, click Design and find a unique background to personalize your profile.

Once you have an account you need followers.  The best way to find followers is to follow someone else who in turn, may follow you.  There are many groups that you can follow to recruit active and passive job seekers.   To find followers on the top left of your Twitter page select, “Who to Follow”.   Use the search box at the top of the page and type in specific keywords.

If you are new to Twitter or would like to gain more knowledge view this video

If you have any Twitter Tips you would like to share with others please leave a comment!

Labor Department Reports Unemployment Down to 9%

The Labor Department’s recent statistics show a 4% decrease in the unemployment rate, down to 9%.  That’s the lowest rate in close to two years but the good news is softened by lower than expected gains in the overall job market.  The number of jobs increased for the 4th straight month but only by 36,000, far fewer than the 146,000 analysts were expecting, as manufacturing posted its strongest gains since the late 1990s, but construction and transportation businesses cut workers.  To some extent, the sluggish growth can be attributed to the extreme weather that has blanketed the north east in snow and caused a slowdown in construction and transportation.

Meanwhile large companies are hiring again and consumer confidence continues to rise, two good indicators that the recovery may be picking up.  The biggest hurdle for full bloom recovery may be a lack of supply in the work force of well qualified applicants for high tech jobs.  Job listings for high tech positions continue to rise faster than new hires, and hiring managers are still concerned about finding enough skilled workers for these positions.

Recruiters Finding Social Media Overload

With the slew of new social media sites hitting the market, they have fundamentally changed the role of any recruiting professional. Every day thousands of recruiters are spending significant periods of time on social networks. In 2010, social media use represented 22 percent of the time spent online by users. We wonder how much time is spent by recruiters because the impact of social media on recruiting cannot be ignored.  But how much time is too much?

For many recruiting agencies, hiring a social media specialist isn’t a viable option due to budget constraints or the responsibility for managing the social media programs falls on the shoulders of the individual recruiters. It’s a role often requires a full-time staff member to keep up with all the deadlines related to blogging, advertising, media relations, content creation, sourcing and more.

The bottom line: Don’t chase every new social media site out there. A quick search on “social networking websites” and a visit to Wikipedia gave me hundreds of options. Now sure, some of these are very small and specific to a niche but there are many social media sites that just aren’t worth your time.

The sad fact is that for every useful site like LinkedIn or Facebook, there’s a Google Buzz or a Buzz that came and went or never took off at all. Set goals on what your company’s social media campaign needs to achieve and create a set of key questions that you’ll use in reviewing any new tool you want to explore. Think about them and use them to evaluate new opportunities as they come up.

Will this generate candidate activity to offset the time I’m investing?
Will this enable us to expand into new markets?
Is this effective enough to get candidates or clients to work with us?
How much time am I willing to invest in this platform?
Does this social media effort enhance my niche or market?

These are of course just samples questions and they don’t give you all the answers. Perhaps 15 – 20% of a recruiters time should be invested in social media programs to execute a campaign to get new candidates or clients.

Even once you measure your social media programs effectiveness, there are times when you should try new efforts that don’t fit or take a chance on a new idea. But by taking the time to slow down and evaluate the opportunities you at least make sure you’re not adding yet another task to your day without a purpose and a good chance at success.

How much of your time do you estimate goes into social media on a daily basis? And what has worked for you in balancing the requirements of social media with other essential roles?

It’s a difficult time management question for all recruiters.  Your thoughts?

Great Ideas Keep Coming From Apple

Innovation and exciting new products continue to roll out from Apple as just this week Steve Jobs unveiled two new versions of its ultra-thin MacBook Air laptops.  Whether it was Jobs or one of his engineers, someone came up with the idea to combine existing technologies from the iPhone and the iPad and put them in their new ultra-thin MacBook line. 

Over the last few years, Apple took technologies from its Macintosh computers to create the iPhone and the iPad, so why not take turn around and bring some of those new technologies back to the laptop or netbook business?  What a great idea!

On Wednesday, Stephen Jobs, the chief executive, unveiled two versions of its ultra-thin MacBook Air laptops. He also demonstrated an early version of Apple’s new OS X operating system, out next year.   In addition to multitouch, the new hardware and software incorporate the video phone software FaceTime, an App Store and other popular features of Apple’s hand-held products.

Apple’s new products along with new Netbooks from a variety of manufactures have added strength and choice to the mobility market.  It used to be that Apple only focused on consumers but no more as they are a major player in the corporate IT world.

With Apple’s new products gaining popularity in corporate technology departments, Apple is no longer seen as just focused on consumers.   These recent product releases continue to advance Apple’s reputation in corporate America.

Social Networking Safety Tips – Protect Your Reputation While Looking For a Job

Privacy and security settings exist for a reason, make sure you are using them.  Social Networking sites are used by so many people and they are such a great tool in your job search.  Remember that everyone has access to what you post online!

Social Networks can be used for a variety of purposes. There are tools out there to manage who has access to your information, friends, associates and potential employers.  Use these tools to help your job search.  You can create a “Job Search” page or a “Fan” page to help you find a new position.   This is a great place to show your past work history, your successes and to network with potential employers.  Your personal Facebook page etc should be for your friends.

Remember…what you post online stays online.  Do not post pictures you would not want your future employers (or parents) to see.  A study conducted by Microsoft found that 70% of job recruiters have rejected candidates based on information they found about a candidate online.

On the flip side, promoting yourself via Social Networking sites can be a positive thing in your job search.  Another recent study conducted by Microsoft found that recruiters respond to a strong, positive brand online.  Let yourself outshine others by “promoting” yourself in a professional creative way.

Watch this video created by USC Anneberg, School of Communications to see an example of a hiring manager checking out potential employees on Facebook.

There are lots of ways that Social Networking sites can help you find the perfect job for you!  Be wise and most importantly be careful when sharing information about yourself, you never know who will be viewing it!!!

If you are a Recruiter, Hiring Manager or Job Seeker visit our job board at http://www.talentgrab.com

Brighter Days Ahead for 2011 Grads!

With daily news reports of dire economic news regarding the employment market, there appears to be brighter days ahead for 2011 graduates. The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) recently released their Job Outlook 2011 Fall Preview survey of employers and the results are better than what might have been expected: An anticipated 13.5% increase in new graduate hiring. While the job market is always changing, this does appear to be good news. Employers who took part in NACE’s survey say they’re anticipating hiring 13.5% more new college grades from the Class of 2011 than they did from the Class of 2010. And in general, just under 48% of those responding said they plan to increase their hiring, while 40% say they expect to maintain the hiring levels. This is very good news for those entering the job market after graduation this spring.

Doing Early Prep for Your Upcoming Job Search
You may be working on an internship or applying for one. Internships can be a great way to get the inside track on entry level positions. Once inside, you meet people, get some good work experience and gain references. After all, they know you and you know them. Internships give you real world work experience and the chance to find out what type of corporate environment you want to work in. Do you like small start-ups? Do you prefer medium sized or large size corporations? Or perhaps you prefer family run business?

Here are a few suggestions as you begin your search:
• Do your research: Use those research skills you learned in school and research the company website, social media profile, etc
• Focus: You want to find the corporate environment that fits your skills, your business knowledge, culture, geographical preferences, etc.
• Sharpen your MS Office Skills: Employers need people who know the basics and can be trained. You need to walk into an interview knowing something – can you write well and present well or solve problems? You must have basic computer skills and an aptitude to learn quickly.
• Show Your Stuff: When you go on interviews, you want to make sure you have examples of your project work, several fresh copies of your resume, articles you’ve written, design portfolio, etc.
• Network: Corporate websites rarely post entry level openings. Network through friends, neighbors, LinkedIn, Facebook, etc. to find out who you know inside that company you are targeting.
• Dress for Success: Not every work environment is business casual. Watch for sales in your area and buy at least two very good business suits for your upcoming interviews.
• Practice: Sounds funny but practice your interviewing skills. Ask friends or relatives to practice with you. Have them ask you the standard interviewing questions and some that are not. Work on your posture, voice clarity, eye contact, etc. It’s never too early to start practicing and preparing for post-graduate interviewing. Oh, one last thing…get a haircut!

Using Video to Promote your Business!!

Everyone is talking about Social Media and the benefits of using it on a daily basis to help run your business. If you have not yet considered using Video Marketing you really should look into it!

Videos can be broadcast on the web and on mobile devices. When using video you have a captivated audience. Video is great for marketing your product, doing Corporate Communications and finding employees. According to Brian McLane, founder of SplashVideo.TV “more than fifty percent (that’s right 50% – more than half!), of all web browsing is done from phones.” This is an important fact to remember when you are sending out video. YouTube is still a great medium for your videos but you will need to expand your horizons when deciding where to send your videos out to.

Consumers and potential future employees love seeing the “face of the company”. Having you or your employees talking directly to those you are marketing to really makes them interested in your product and company.

Creating and marketing your video is something that you can do on your own but it is very time consuming and you must constantly track where the video is going and who the viewers are. If you would like to make your life easier I would consider working with SplashVideo.TV for your video marketing needs. They use their extensive media relations and global syndication contacts to drive traffic and eyeballs to their exclusive content.

The most vital part of what they do is leveraging their creative and strategic abilities in order to help you reach your desired audience in every way possible. SplashVideo.tv’s Broadcast and Post Production Facility has everything you need including the resources of top industry professionals and innovators who know how to get your stories out to the masses, not just domestically, but internationally.

Visit their site to view some videos made for their current clients.

The economy is slowly recovering and now is the time to start driving your content out to as many places as possible.

If you are an employer looking to hire or a candidate looking for a new position visit our job board at http://www.talentgrab.com

Visit our Job Board and receive a free Job Posting

We would like to offer you a free job posting on our job board.  TalentGrab’s job board was launched in April and we are very excited about the current jobs that are posted on our site.  If you are an employer looking to hire or a recruiter looking to fill one of your current openings we would like to invite you to post your job for one month at NO COST!

TalentGrab is dedicated to helping companies and recruitment agencies to identify top talent in the media/new media, internet and mobile/wireless industries. We also help job seekers discover their next opportunity.

TalentGrab’s job board was developed jointly by Jim Sullivan and Anne Downing at a time when the global economy is suffering and people around the world are in search of a new job, a new career and for some a new purpose. As a team, we wanted the opportunity to give back to employers and recruiters around the world by making it as affordable as possible to locate the right people for the jobs that they need filled. For the job seekers, we wanted to bring as many jobs to them as possible and provide them with the tools that they need to be the best choice for the employers.

Through our alliances and partnerships with recruiters and companies around the world, we look forward to being of valued service to all employers, recruiters, and job seekers.

To get your free job posting visit TalentGrab and enter the word “freeposting” under the coupon section.

If you are looking for a new position you can post your resume on TalentGrab and search the current job openings!!!