Posts Selected From the Category "Social Networking"

LinkedIn Talent Brand Index Helps Recruiters Stay Abreast

Posted by Samir Saleem on November 5, 2012 in Social Networking / No Comments

It is said “if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it,”. But not everything that’s important is easily measurable. Building a strong talent brand is now a strategic priority for most forward-thinking companies. 70% of employers on LinkedIn say it’s a top priority, but only 33% actually measure the strength of their talent brand. LinkedIn’s Talent Brand Index, a simple metric allowing you to measure, benchmark and ultimately elevate your talent brand.

In an increasingly connected world, your talent brand reflects how attractive your company is to potential employees. What makes Talent Brand Index so unique is that unlike traditional methods that rely exclusively on surveys, it measures your talent brand based on the actual behavior of 175 million professionals. Each year, over 15 Billion interactions take place between professionals and companies on LinkedIn. LinkeddIn cross-referenced this data with thousands of surveys to pinpoint the specific types of actions that tell us when professionals are interested in a company as a place to work—things like connecting to employees, viewing their profiles, visiting company pages, and following companies.

Talent Brand Index takes two factors into account: Talent Brand Reach, which measures how many professionals are familiar with your company as a place to work, and Talent Brand Engagement, which measures how many people express an interest. Talent Brand Index is simply engagement divided by reach. This single metric tells you how effectively you’re turning professionals who are aware of your company as an employer into prospects showing stronger signs of interest. In other words, how attractive you are to your key talent pool.

LinkedIn use this to share insights tailored specifically to our clients.

- How your brand stacks up to talent competitors
- How your different talent brands compare to each other by function or geography
- How your brand has changed over time

Wendy Sykes-Lague, Manager of Talent Acquisition for EFI, says, “Talent Brand Index finally allows us to measure our talent brand, and understand the progress we’ve made in establishing ourselves as an employer of choice relative to our peers.”

Demand Employers
We used a similar analytical framework to compare the over two million companies on LinkedIn and identify the hottest talent brands. Today we’re unveiling LinkedIn’s Most InDemand Employers, a set of rankings of the world’s most sought-after companies, also informed by billions of actions on LinkedIn. In addition to the global list, we’ve compiled the most InDemand employers in five countries and four functional areas.

At LinkedIn we’re passionate about using our treasure trove of data, and we get really excited when we can share insights that help our clients recruit more strategically. That’s why LinkedIn offering Talent Brand Index free of charge to our corporate customers.

Yammer Announces The Social Enterprise Graph : All Your Business Apps Now Connected Socially

Posted by Samir Saleem on November 1, 2012 in Social Networking / No Comments

Yammer, Inc., a best-in-class Enterprise Social Network and part of the Microsoft Office Division, today announced a new App Directory and platform at its first customer conference, YamJam ’12. The platform offers standard components to more easily build social networking features, such as feeds, profiles, following and likes, into business applications. This approach not only helps save developers time, it also enables enterprise customers to seamlessly connect people, conversations and data across their business applications — an experience Yammer calls the “Enterprise Graph.”

The key components of the new platform include the following:

Embeddable feeds. Yammer now offers embeddable feeds for virtually any business object, such as a record, document, opportunity or other piece of data. Previously, Yammer offered embeddable feeds only for Groups and individuals. The new object feeds allow applications to easily include conversations about business data in context.
Embeddable Follow and Like buttons. You can now embed Follow and Like buttons inside virtually any business application to track updates from business objects.
Pages. Similar to Profiles for people, Pages are profiles for business objects. Pages show recent activity, followers and conversations. By using Yammer Embed, the same information appears on the business object’s Web page in the original application. (A note-taking application in Yammer previously called Pages has been renamed Notes.)
App Directory. Third-party applications that take advantage of the Yammer platform now appear in the App Directory after they have been reviewed by Yammer to ensure they meet certain privacy and security criteria. It is now easier than ever for enterprise users to discover and install apps inside Yammer.

The Enterprise Graph

Realizing the power of social networking, a growing number of enterprise applications are including social features such as profiles, feeds and connections in their software. Although the new software provides a higher level of usability than traditional enterprise applications, enterprise customers can be confronted by the problem of too many social networks inside their company, which reinforces silos and fragments internal communication.

The Yammer platform solves this problem of “social network sprawl” by creating an Enterprise Graph that provides a standard set of social components. This standardization means that all of a company’s employees and business data can be brought together in a common conversation layer.

Just as Facebook is creating a social graph for people’s personal lives, mapping the connections between people, places, music and games, the Enterprise Graph shows how employees, content and business data are connected in the workplace.

“This release standardizes enterprise social into a simple set of tools that the entire industry can use,” said David Sacks, Yammer founder and corporate vice president, Microsoft Corp. “It will not only save developers a lot of time reinventing the wheel but also create a uniform social experience for all employees across their business applications.”

“The future of business is connected, and Enterprise Social Networks are a critical part of this connectivity. Businesses should be built on the foundation of an ESN to connect people, data, content and systems,” said Michael Fauscette, group vice president, Software Business Solutions, IDC. “Effective execution on its social layer strategy is a reason Yammer was recognized as a Leader in the IDC Marketscape: Worldwide Enterprise Social Software 2012 Vendor Analysis.”1

All new features will be available to customers immediately.

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How To Make Your Pinterest Account More Secure With New Pinterest Privacy And Security Controls

Posted by Samir Saleem on October 24, 2012 in Social Networking / 1 Comment

Pinterest is the 3rd biggest social networking site today. And today the company is making you help control things like the emails you receive, social networking sites you connect your account with, and the ability to report pins. Today, the company has added a couple of new features people have requested to give you more control, including the ability to block and report a user and more granular email settings.

User Blocking and Reporting

To find the block user feature, go to an individual’s profile and hover over the small flag icon on the right-hand side of their profile information. Then choose to block that individual.  

Blocking prevents both of you from being able to follow each other’s boards as well as like, repin, and comment on each other’s pins. When you block someone, the other person is not automatically notified. However, a blocked person will know they’ve been blocked if he or she tries to follow you or interact with your pins. For more how-to’s and details on Blocking, visit this Support article.

Available on the same menu on a person’s profile is our new report user feature. In addition to the ability to report a pin, you can now report an entire user’s profile which you believe needs review. When you report a user on Pinterest, Pinterest sends an alert to our Community team to review the account.

Pinterest will be rolling out these features on the web this week, so it’s possible you won’t see the flag icon immediately. The ability to block and report a user will be available on the next mobile update.

Granular Email Settings

Email notifications let you know when someone repins something you discovered, writes you a comment, and much more. They have added a few more settings to control the types of emails you’d like to receive about your Pinterest account. See the Support article that explains our new granular email preferences and how to change them.

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LinkedIn Shares Secrets To Getting Success On The Proffessional Social Network

Posted by Samir Saleem on October 23, 2012 in Social Networking / 2 Comments

There are over 175 million professionals on LinkedIn – with two new members joining every second – so don’t let the competition stop you from standing out as a professional all-star. So today the company has shared tips for you to get success online and get noticed.

Read the defense: LinkedIn counts executives from all 2011 Fortune 500 companies as members; its corporate talent solutions are used by 85 of the Fortune 100 companies.Make sure you’re following both the companies you would like to be recruited by, and those with whom you compete, in order to get the insider read on who’s coming and going. You’ll also be able to check out the LinkedIn Skills that their top players have listed.

Build out your bench: Expand your network and get connected to at least 50 connections that you know and trust. By making sure you have at least 50 contacts on LinkedIn, you’ll soon discover that you have more second and third degree contacts who can help pass your profile into the professional end zone.

Get drafted: With all the competition out there you need to do everything in your power to stand out from the crowd and get yourself noticed. Simple things, like adding a photo, make your profile seven times more likely to be viewed. When highlighting your past work experience, be sure to list more than just your last position. You’re 12 times more likely to have your profile viewed if you add more than one position on your profile. When describing what you have accomplished in your summary, steer clear of overused buzzwords like “organized” and “motivated.” Instead, demonstrate your assets by quantifying your accomplishments using statistics and hard numbers that snag a recruiter’s attention.

Train like a pro: If, after doing all this, your inbox still isn’t filled with offers, that doesn’t mean defeat. It just means you’ve got to tackle your job search in a more proactive way. Do a LinkedIn Advanced People Search to find recruiters in your zip code, so you’re taking the reins of your job hunt rather than sitting on the sidelines waiting for an offer to magically appear.

Call an audible: The best quarterbacks can read the defense and can change the play on the line of scrimmage. The ability to share valuable information and insights on a regular and timely basis demonstrates flexibility, initiative and it also makes you ten times more likely to have your profile viewed by a recruiter. Whether it’s sharing a lead on a great opportunity you just learned about or a link to an article that just posted on LinkedIn Today, your network will deem you a valuable player if you take the time to help your teammates up their game.

LinkedIn Recruiter Targets And Lets You Engage With Company Followers To Help You Get The Right Talent

Posted by Samir Saleem on October 15, 2012 in Social Networking / No Comments

Earlier this year, LinkedIn introduced Talent Pipeline, a powerful set of tools now included with LinkedIn Recruiter that thousands of you are using to help build and nurture your pipelines of prospective hires. But what if Recruiter could go one step further and provide you not only with the tools, but with the warm leads – talented professionals, who are already interested in your company. LinkedIn has now announced just that – the ability to identify and engage with Company Followers, right in Recruiter.

On LinkedIn, tens of millions of members are now following companies that interest them. Each one of these individuals has raised his or her hand and asked to hear directly from the company they’re following – some want to hear news or product announcements, but even more are interested in working there. In fact, when we surveyed Followers, 70% said that they follow companies primarily to hear about career opportunities.

Visit any Company page on LinkedIn and simply click “Follow” to start receiving updates from the company.

Starting this month, you can harness the power of your company’s Followers in Recruiter. Your Followers will be visible with an icon in Recruiter search results and profile pages. You’ll also see a new search filter that lets you zero in on Followers who are a fit for roles you’re trying to fill. You can add other search terms and filters, for example to find Followers with software engineering backgrounds who are based in Austin, Texas.

Use the new Follower filters when conducting searches in Recruiter.

And since your Followers want to hear from you, they’re much more likely to respond when you contact them about a career opportunity. In fact, InMail response rates are 80% higher for Followers than non-Followers. But perhaps the best part of this enhancement is that Followers are a gift that keep on giving. Your Follower network grows every day as LinkedIn members discover your company page, view and apply to your jobs, and visit the profile pages of your employees. It’s like a talent network, but better because your Followers are passive candidates who discovered your company on LinkedIn.

From now on your pipeline will stay pre-stocked with highly receptive passive candidates who have opted-in to hear from you. It’s just one more way LinkedIn helps you engage the best passive talent in the world.

PS: if you haven’t started building your Follower ecosystem on LinkedIn, here are some tips to get you started.

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BranchOut Comes Out With A Ton Of Updates Helping You Grow Professionally On Facebook

Posted by Samir Saleem on October 13, 2012 in Social Networking / No Comments

BranchOut, is making professional networking a deeper and more personal experience on Facebook with its new version of BranchOut. The new design was guided by two principal beliefs:

1. Real Relationships Matter
2. You are more than a black and white resume. Users want to build their professional brand by sharing career updates, industry news and photos from work.

Three years of hard work deserves more than three bullet points on a resume. Your professional brand goes deeper: it’s filled with achievements, inspirational moments, interactions with colleagues and thought leaders, lucky breaks and countless moments in your career that define you. This montage of daily events Brings Your Career to Life.

What is New:

Activity Feed: Updates for your professional life

On Activity Feed, you can follow thought leaders and interesting people from your industry. This is where you can share career updates, industry news and photos from work.

You’ll also get minute-to-minute updates from your BranchOut connections and people you follow.

Discover Page: Be inspired in your career

On Discover, you’ll uncover great content and people to inspire you and to help you grow professionally.

BranchOut Profile: Show off your work

Your BranchOut Profile is where you represent yourself with more than just bullet points. Use Professional Timeline, Resume and Highlights to express who you are as a professional.

Your Professional Timeline lets you create a living narrative of who you are at work. This is where you capture and share everyday moments in the workplace through updates, news and photos.

Use Resume to list your work and school history, skills, interests and endorsements. This is where you can also ask people to endorse you and show off your references. You can also tag skills on and have links to your other online profiles.

On Highlights, showcase your best moments and things that inspire you. Like a Greatest Hits section, this is where you post your most meaningful professional photos, articles and video links to your BranchOut profile.

Of course, you can still use BranchOut to find your inside connections at millions of companies to help you land your dream job, recruit top talent, close a sales deal or expand the power of your network.

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4 Ways To get Get Viral Engagement On LinkedIn

Posted by Samir Saleem on October 12, 2012 in Social Networking / No Comments

You work hard to ensure that you put your company’s best foot forward but in doing so, you may be letting your own persona become overshadowed. With 175 million members and a new member joining approximately every two seconds, LinkedIn is an excellent way to stand out in your field—if you know how to work it. Simply filling out your profile isn’t going to cut it. Being a part of an online community means engaging regularly to make an impact. Here’s how.

Sharing is caring: Professionals who share articles or content with their LinkedIn network at least once a week are nearly ten times more likely to be contacted by a recruiter for new opportunities than people who don’t share with their network. So ask your network a question via your status update like “I’ve got a new business pitch with Nike tomorrow. Does anyone have any contacts over at Nike?”. Or make a general comment like “I’m heading to the airport for a client meeting in Denver.” Remember it’s about quality over quantity because every status update you share is a reflection of who you are as a professional.

Create a schedule: Think you don’t have the time to be active on LinkedIn? With our handy mobile and iPad apps, you can connect on the go. Share industry stories viaLinkedIn Today and also check out what your network has been reading and sharing too—all while commuting to work. Maybe a connection is going to be in the same city as you next week or someone is looking for a freelancer to help with her content development. You’ll know before you hit your desk.

Dress it up: People always say dress for the job you want, right? Well, maybe it’s time todress up your online profile picture. People with photos are seven times more likely to have their profiles viewed. Having a more polished image will not only make you visible, but it also lets employers know that you are serious about representing their company in the most professional way. A bare bones profile and presence on LinkedIn suggests that you don’t have stellar online networking skills. Plus, you’re twelve times more likely to have your profile viewed if you add more than one position to your profile

Be a cheerleader: No one likes a Debbie Downer. Stick to an upbeat positive persona when it comes to your professional life. If you need to vent about your leaky basement, bad hair day or crying baby – save it for another social network. Follow companies you admire and who are part of your “dream list.” And, of course, follow your own company and share relevant updates. Post unique content that your company has developed or share industry stories that you think your network will find interesting. LinkedIn’s Company Page is a good example to check out, as are the company pages of Philips, Citi, HP and Dell.

Tech Dinosaurs: Tape Recorders And Fax Machines Top LinkedIn’s List of Office Endangered Species [Infographic]

Posted by Samir Saleem on October 11, 2012 in Social Networking / No Comments

‘Having a clone’ and ‘a place in the office that provides natural sunlight’ tied for first place as the dream tools professionals wish they had

LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional network with more than 175 million members worldwide, today released some fun statistics about office tools and trends that are on the brink of becoming extinct.

As part of its “Office Endangered Species” study, LinkedIn surveyed more than 7,000 professionals across the globe and asked which offices tools and trends will most likely not be seen around offices by the year 2017. Thousands of professionals agreed they could easily picture office stalwarts like tape recorders, fax machines and Rolodexes nestled in museum exhibits next to fossils and Tyrannosaurus rex skeletons.

According to professionals, the top 10 items and office trends that are becoming rare and could even disappear in the next five years are:

1. Tape recorders (79 percent)

2. Fax machines (71 percent)

3. The Rolodex (58 percent)

4. Standard working hours (57 percent)

5. Desk phones (35 percent)

6. Desktop computers (34 percent)

7. Formal business attire like suits, ties, pantyhose, etc. (27 percent)

8. The corner office for managers/executives (21 percent)

9. Cubicles (19 percent)

10. USB thumb drives (17 percent)

Globally, professionals selected tablets (55 percent), cloud storage (54 percent), flexible working hours and smartphones (which tied at 52 percent) as office tools that are becoming more ubiquitous.

“It’s no surprise to see the Rolodex gathering dust as the pace of technological innovation rapidly makes many workplace practices and tools redundant,” said LinkedIn’s connection director, Nicole Williams. “The beauty of modern devices and platforms, such as LinkedIn, is that they constantly evolve to meet professionals’ needs, allowing them to connect more quickly and easily than ever before.”

Professionals from around the world also hinted at several key dream tools they’d like to see in the future. These include having a clone or assistant to help you in your day (25 percent), a place in the office that provides natural sunlight (25 percent) and a quiet place in your office where you’re allowed to take a nap (22 percent). In a funny twist, nineteen percent of respondents said they wish they had a mute button for their co-workers, so they don’t have to hear them talk.

Learn more about LinkedIn’s office endangered species study and download the cubicle dinosaurs infographic below.