We’ve all been there.  We’ve struggled in the black holes of an ATS, (applicant tracking system.)  We’ve filled out applications on-line with no idea if they were even received. We’ve called, been brushed off and ultimately, we searched for a less expensive solution to our unemployment problem.  We in fact, jerked our hand away from the supermarket shelf and alerted others that this product was not what it claimed to be.  Luckily, I work with a company now that utilizes the dark infinity of on-line applications with human interaction.  The only defining factor between a good experience and a bad experience with a company is how much an employee perceived to be valued. This also works inside the organization.
I was sitting and sipping my coffee this morning as I was punching out an email to my team. As the Director of Recruiting and Marketing for Brigham Group, I often find myself reflecting on my team’s strengths.  I’m blessed to work with an owner who believes in the power of reflection and a great, inspiring, quote.  A good manager notices bad, and praises the good.  A great manager dives into the water of the weaknesses and helps their team kick to the surface and find the focus of the shore.  My team, Tom, Terri, Cassie, Kelly, Dan and Jen are expert kickers and powerful swimmers. I don’t consider myself a boat captain, but rather a metal enclosure for those that swim with sharks.  I consider myself a failure if I don’t smell of the sea everyday. I am far more successful as a brand leader, when I swim with my team and offer them a place to reflect and bounce ideas off, than simply remain in the boat. They created an advocate for Brigham Group, by utilizing their strengths and humbling me daily by what they have accomplished.

Even when employed,  we need to make time to refocus, come to the water and take a breath.  It’s in the breathing where we find the best solutions.  All of us, are on a constant job search.  If you told me you could fall in love with a company, value system and job as much as I have, I might have told you it was time to remove the kool-aid from my trembling hand.  Passion can do amazing things to the body and mind. Passion can also create an individual who stands behind you at the grocery store and claps with excitement when you grab the product off the shelf.

As a manager and a life-long, job seeker I hope to create passionate advocates for redefining how we shop for a job, or what we place in our grocery cart.  By creating internal advocates with my team, I know when when they are out in the world, they speak highly of our business and through their word of mouth marketing, our business is propelled forward.  Without creating a passionate and empowered internal team, we lack the magneticism to draw exactly the type of new employees we seek.  Little steps like daily affirmations with team members and a positive attitude flow out into the perceptions of those seeking work at your company.  Brand advocacy is more than creating an army of those willing to vouch for your product, it’s about establishing a positive and rewarding experience for the team already in place

#GoAdvocatesGo!

Kate-Madonna Hindes

Kate-Madonna Hindes, is an industry leader and national author and speaker on emotional integrity and authenticity in today’s online media.  Her columns are regularly published in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Women of HR, GirlmeetsGeek, Brazen Careerist and JobDig.  She’s also the Director of Recruiting and Marketing for Brigham Group.  With 15+ years of combined, published, experience for news media, state government and Fortune 500 businesses, she regularly covers national Social Media Technology events from an HR / Recruiting perspective, including CES 2011. Notably, she sits on the coaching panel for Keith Ferrazzi’s Relationship Academy, alongside Chris Brogan and Tony Hsieh.

This website officially launches mid February as part of our year anniversary celebration.  We hope to expand the job seeker resources we already provide on the chat and allow others to share their stores, knowledge, and expertise.  If you are interested in writing for us, we’ll announce some details about that at a later date. Until then–we’ll see you on Monday nights at 10 PM EST on Twitter with #JobHuntChat.

Thanks,

Rich DeMatteo

www.cornonthejob.com

Photo Credit Blog CDN.