Labels: Human Resources, PR, recruitment advertising

If you've recently read the newspapers, you may have seen that in celebration of International Women's Day, Avon has created and globally launched their Hello Tomorrow Fund. Every week for a year, commencing April 2007, $5,000 will be awarded to an individual to help realize a program, project or idea to empower women. (Those wishing to apply, click here)

At the same time, they launched a new $340 million recruitment advertising campaign to hire Sales Representatives. The theme of course is Hello Tomorrow.

There is a link from their home page-- more than a link-- a banner-- which directs wannabe Sales Representatives to a mini- orientation/recruitment/branding video which spells out in great detail, the culture of Avon and the benefits of being a sales rep. With, of course, an online application.

Lastly, Avon has conducted a worldwide women's poll and released the first annual global women's empowerment index.

Avon supports taking action today to make tomorrow a better day. And clearly they will be more beautiful days ahead for Avon by staying true to their core audience.

Big congratulations to Avon for their true understanding of an integrated approach to branding, recruiting to the brand and having the vision to become the change they wished to see.

And of course, it's no wonder that their CEO is a woman.

Ding Dong-- is anybody home?

Labels: Employer Branding, Integrated Marketing, recruitment advertising

There are a lot of things that we know are coming. Christmas and Taxes are two. And I knew that James Brown would one day be buried, though it did take longer than one would imagine-- From Chrismas Day till March 10.

But even though I've been hearing about the war for talent for more than 10 years, I was still surprised yesterday when I read in the New York Times that it was finally here. And by here I mean on Earth, not just in New York or the USA.

At Soitech Semiconductor, Human Resources is encouraging candidates to bypass their departments and go directly to the hiring managers to shorten the time to fill.


Soitech is going to schools to encourage students to pursue engineering degrees or any degrees. And yet, with all their efforts, 2007 is going down as the worst year in recruiting history.

EU has a 7.5% unemployment rate and although its not as bad as the US 4.5%, there are still many tactical similarities:

• They are bringing employees out of retirement
• They are offshoring their business
• They are importing their talent

As I think back to the countless presentations I've seen and given on the subject of the War for Talent, the changing demographics, the 2 people leaving for every 1 person coming, it a wonder that I'm surprised.

But it's a little scarier in the world. Good thing James is resting in peace.

Labels: Human Resource, Recruiting, recruitment advertising, war for talent

I thought that I had read (and written about) everything there was to read about Gen Next/Millenials.

• They will be saving the environment
• They care more about working for a company that does good over doing good
• They don't want to work the night shift and are far more interested in a work/life balance.

blah blah blah

I was getting pretty depressed since I have recently been lumped in as a Baby Boomer, (though I didn't start as one) and felt the concerns of my Generation to be a bit superficial by comparison to this upcoming Generation of Social Consciousness.

Now along comes this survey that I picked up from USA Today. Turns out I was wrong.

They do want to be rich
They do want to be famous
They do care about money
But not really too much about God, Jobs or Education.

HMMM.

Should be an interested next few years.

$700 million in sales from a sales force of 2.7 million. But the turnover is pretty high! Not that impressive until you realize that I'm talking about Girl Scout Cookies.

Those delicious Thin Mints, Peanut Butter, Samoas and name your favorite have, like everything else, moved from traditional to the high-tech sales techniques and have become a study of individual entrepreneurship and achievement.

From where I sit, I'm reminded both of The Apprentice and the way technology and Buzz have changed the way we do business, attract business and succeed. And how some people, in this case Sara Cain just use their head to rise above everyone else.

It began with networking- call on friends and family to help succeed in a good cause- and get great cookies in return.

But, according to an article in yesterday's New York Times, Leah Koch, 14 has been using email as a CRM tool. The results-- she went from selling 700 boxes a year to 1,000. Over 40% increase. Expanding her efforts again last year saw sales increase more than 50% to 1,510! Her success is attributed to the fact that email lets customers order on-demand.

Social networking is in vogue as well... check MySpace, YouTube and Friendster. Don't go buying them on Ebay though, because officially, as a price-fixed item, they are not allowed.

And yes, although the internet has brought many new options, there's still something to be said for community activation and great business sense.

That's where Sarah Cain comes in. She looked through the phone book (what's that?) and came up with the idea of offering Car Dealerships the option of giving away a box with every test drive.

But Sarah was not content. This year she developed a Powerpoint presentation and is making sale pitches aimed at the hotel industry. Her goal? Doubling her sales from last year. Her pitch? Everyone needs a box of familiar cookie comfort. Her incentive? The idea of doing good for the organization and a T-Shirt.

There are so many lessons here.

Labels: community service, Girl Scouts, recruitment technology, sales, technology, Word of Mouth marketing