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I have a birthday coming up next month.  It is not a traditional milestone birthday, but as I have gotten older, I tend to look at each birthday as a milestone and they become a time of celebration and reflection.

The Beatles

I am of the generation that reveled in change.  We went from the Cuban Missile Crisis and “duck and cover” drills to the Beatles, bellbottoms, and protesting war. We were going to change the world and, in so many ways, we did. 

Last year around this time, I began a list to remind me of how much there is for me still to learn and do.  It is my “Firsts after Fifty” list and it grows monthly.  Some of the items on the list are career oriented, such as earning my SPHR certification. Others are more personal, such as beginning to study piano or meeting George McGovern. All of them represent my need for growth, development, and change. 

The generation of change is now watching the world change around us. Retirement funds have diminished with the economy and many of us will not be able to retire at the age we had hoped.  We will work more years than we planned, but we are less certain as to where we will be working and what we will be doing.  Some of us have lost our jobs due to no fault of our own. Others have seen their career growth slow down or stall.  Many of us are searching for new jobs and wondering if we are too old to find one. We have another 10+ years to contribute to the workforce, but will we be doing something we enjoy and working where our contributions will be valued?  

Growing up in change, we are resourceful and resilient and it is still our mission to change the world.  In order to do that, we “fiftysomethings” need to sharpen the image of older workers.  Let it be known that we are not resting on our laurels and counting the months and days to retirement.  We are not unwilling to learn new technology.  We are a valuable resource that is too often left untapped.  

HR professionals need to be looking at ways to engage and develop our “seasoned” employees.  There is a need to nurture and use our institutional knowledge and mentoring/coaching skills, and better train supervisors to ensure that employees of our generation continue to not only give valued service, but feel valued. 

We still have a future, but only the present is ours to change.

Fresh out of college – plunged into the fast-paced world of third-party staffing, I learned a number of good lessons about recruiting.

You see, the pressure was on.  Having paid for college myself, I was under water with student loans and additional debts that had accumulated over the course of my college career.  Even though I had been working about 60 hours a week, the cost of living in Washington, D.C. was very high! 

Once the staffing industry found me, there was no turning back.  It had to work!

I must have driven my various mentors crazy.  The questions just kept pouring out… “How do I…” – “What’s the best way to…” – “Is it legal to…” – Needless to say, they were very patient!

Beyond the processes and best practices, there comes a point when a recruiter develops their own style.  A moment when you realize… “Hey!  I’m a recruiter and I finally know what I’m doing!”

My “moment” came during a recruiting call.  It was the moment I realized how impactful clear expectations can be for a candidate.  While chatting with a potential applicant, I started getting very keyed in on explaining the expectations of the role – how they would be judged, what would make them successful, the good and bad parts about the position.  I’m not sure why I became so blunt… it just happened.

To my surprise, the candidate not only grew more interested, they openly appreciated the candor.

Long story short, the candidate accepted the position and started up in a contract-to-hire role with my client.  Later, she went on to get hired by the company.  I never told her that she solidified the way I recruit… perhaps I will someday.  Until then, I will take the lesson and use it in my future work.

Honesty and openness with candidates will lead to better hires and a higher level of retention.  If you want to keep them, make sure they know what they are getting in to.  You would want the same.

Do you sugarcoat your recruiting or do you put it all out there?  Do you have a non-negotiable part of your recruiting process?

Photo Credit, tiffa130

Michael Long (The Red Recruiter) is a small business owner that wears red shoes every single day. Based out of San Antonio, TX, Michael’s firm specializes in identifying the very best Human Resources and Social Media talent across the country. In addition to scouting out the best and the brightest, Michael is continuously engaged in speaking, training and consulting on the topic of social media as it applies to recruiting, job search, human resources and overall corporate strategy. @theredrecruiter

Job seeking and the strategies and preparation involved in the job search can be expensive.   Let me clarify that the frugal job seeker is one whose money conscious yet very strategic in how they manage their job search and the tools and resources they choose to use and invest in.  Like any marketing campaign, it is important to select and manage your resources.  If done carefully, you can effectively prepare and market yourself for under $500.  Money well spent.  In my own experience, the frugal yet strategic job seeker can lessen the amount of time in the job search by 25-50%.  From a finance management perspective, this is a phenomenal return on investment.  Here are some insights.

Personal Branding Consultation.  ($300) Just like a real estate home stager, a personal branding consultant can get you off on the right foot.  Home stagers provide an unbiased opinion and are trained to highlight your home’s strengths while downplaying its weaknesses.  Most consultants and career coaches including myself are willing to provide a personal branding and marketing consultation for perspective clients.  Xceptional HR provides a basic career package of a resume, cover letter, reference check, and intial consult for $300.   By meeting with an expert, you can get a feel for the market, have custom designed marketing materials, and a sense of direction that highlights your strengths and downplays your weaknesses.

Professional Business Cards.   ($50) Professionally designed business cards are essential for job seekers of all backgrounds.  I recommend using a design company to help you design your business cards instead designing and printing them yourself.  It is important to include your contact information, your professional website or LinkedIn profile url, as well as a memorable tag line or description that differentiates you from the rest.  Using color appropriately is also important.  A business card can be a difference maker that shows companies and professionals that you are serious about your professional job search.  For the seriously frugal job seeker, Vista Print offers 250 free business cards and has templates and colorful backgrounds that you can take advantage of.

Professional Dress.  ($125) A great suit and accessories can make a lasting impression.  Purchase items that you can mix and match to get the most bang for your buck.  For the ladies, purchase a nice suit that includes pants, skirt, and blazer.   Use different accessories like scarves, jewelry, and also blouses for different looks.  I encourage men to do the same with ties, cuff links, and dress shirts.  Department stores like J.C. Penny’s, Kohls, Target, and also thrift stores offer professional yet affordable options.  When making a clearance or thrift store purchase, you can have your suit tailored to fit your body type at an affordable price.  I once purchased a $350 suit at Nordstroms for 75% off.  I had it custom tailored for $75 and walked into an interview looking like a million bucks.

Networking Events.  ($25) Use Social Media sites LinkedIn Groups, Meetup.com, Wimgo.com, FaceBook events, and your network to find free networking events.  $25 includes the cost of gas to attend these events.  Since many of these events are Happy Hour Networking events, order a water with lime to save on the cost of alcohol while ensuring that you are professional no matter what the circumstance.