The Early Evolution of a Brand: #HireFriday (or, Chris Brogan hates #FollowFriday)

8/22/2010

Website of Margo Rose at http://HRMargo.com

It started with a lonely Tweet. That’s how Margo Rose describes it.

I saw the message. It went by quickly - I noticed it. It was in my stream because I follow Chris Brogan, and I pay attention to what Chris Brogan is checking out.

It also got my attention because of frickin’ #FollowFriday.

See, on Twitter, #FollowFriday (aka #FF), was, and is, a pain in the butt. I suppose it has its roots in a well-meaning epiphany-message gone horribly viral, just as I suppose there’s an #Everybodyhugatnoon out there that never caught on. Just because we can, doesn’t mean we should people.

One day, Chris Brogan wrote, and I am completely paraphrasing here: “Enough with this FollowFriday crap.” I could probably find the original Tweet, but it's Sunday and I have a deadline. Then, as I recall, he echoed Margo Rose’s suggestion of: “how about a #HireFriday instead?” An exasperated crowd-sigh of agreement rustled the twitter leaves.

So I re-tweeted. So did those other sighing people. So did, and does, Mr. Brogan. Time forward, the thing has legs and they’re pretty sturdy.

About the idea for HireFriday:

From a July 2010 interview by TalentCulture Founder Meghan M. Biro with Margo Rose

Margo Rose: “I started HireFriday in February of this year to extol the virtues, talents, and strengths of job seekers around the world. Within 3 weeks, HireFriday expanded to The United Kingdom, and now it’s thriving in Canada. I created guidelines for HireFriday to offer suggestions and guidance to recruiters and job seekers alike.

When Chris Brogan was on Compassionate HR, we discussed FollowFriday, and how HireFriday is a much better alternative. Brogan said, ‘There was a time when FollowFriday had some traction, in its early inception, people paid attention to the stream, and followed others based the recommendations of trusted friends.” But, in my eyes, it just looks like clutter’.”
(Full Interview here)

Well Amen to that.

I have respectfully jumped on the #HireFriday TweetTrain as long as it continues to take me where I want to go, continuing to provide real value. Real value right now, for job seekers, is free.

I spoke with Margo Rose and I want her to succeed, and I believe she will. I want her to create jobs and grow a solution, and I believe that’s what she wants. I also believe her message resonates with a very specific market, one growing larger by seconds and about to boom.

And not that you asked, but I also believe Margo Rose needs a sponsor. And an agent, and a great publisher and an editor. (her book is in the works.) Dr. Laura’s slot is empty. How about Margo Rose’s Compassionate HR? I’ll fetch coffee.

HireFriday has the potential to be the first, successful web-based, perpetual job-fair, and in that, and in the broad possibilities of HireFriday as a brand, there is a multi-branched revenue model that just may work. It's important for Ms. Rose and Twitter. Moreover, it's important to the participating job seekers.

To echo Ms. Rose (and I suspect Mr. Brogan), the message has to stay clean for it to work. The #HireFriday brand is evolving in partnership with some bright community voices with a lot to say, but ultimately, it is a brand with a singular message at its root, a message owned by Ms. Rose since 2009. Smart lady.

It’s a good thing and will continue to be a good thing if it remains about one thing: the talent. It is alive with talent. It is a living, moving, recruiting hiring machine with real people who really want to work. Read their messages. #HireFriday.

Karen Masullo for RescueResumes.com
You can find Karen on her personal stream @OPCGal and the RescueResumes team @ResFix

Margo Rose is the Host of Compassionate HR on BlogTalkRadio, and the leader of the pack for HireFriday. You can find her at HRMargo
Chris Brogan is a guy with a 2010 Camaro SS that he bought on Motorphilia.com. You may find him at Chris Brogan
Meghan M. Biro is founder of Talent Culture and may be found Here

margo rose link

8/22/2010 12:44:56 pm

This is undoubtably the sweetest article anyone has written about me and HireFriday. I love the idea of taking over Dr. Laura's slot. Certainly, I would be a positive force for good. After all, The HireFriday slogan is simply this: Unemployment is hard. HireFriday can help: lend a hand, and encourage a heart.

Hugs,

@HRMargo http://hrmargo.com
http://linkedin.com/in/margorose

Karen at RescueResumes.com link

8/22/2010 11:29:09 pm

I believe in what you're doing Margo. There is a dual purpose here I wholeheartedly support: serving a segment that desperately needs a unique solution - not another job board, and simultaneously creating a viable small business that may eventually have the potential to create new jobs for the very constituency it serves. Stay true to your mission Margo. A lot of people are rooting for you and for HireFriday.

Bryant

8/23/2010 04:04:02 pm

Obviously, as a member of the #HireFriday community, I have hope for what it can achieve. Of course, I am one of the long-term unemployed, so I have a vested interest in seeing it succeed.

I still think #FollowFriday (or #FF, as it often shows up now) still has value. I don't follow the hash stream, but I pay attention to those who I trust recommend; I still find wonderful people of whom I was not aware.

I guess I'm wondering if and when HireFriday will hit critical mass - and if it will become something too unwieldy to be tamed by then, which, unfortunately, we all know happens in many cases. I get anxious about tweeting so much self-promotion into my stream every Friday; will my followers get it? Will I lose people? Will I be seen as a spammer? Do people really "get it" yet, outside of those of us who are jobless and already jumping on board? Is anyone seeing real job leads come out of this? What about those of us in smaller professions, and ones where social media outlets haven't been adopted full force by our industries?

I guess these are all the questions we are all anxious to have answered. I'm still hopeful, and I still participate actively and try to encourage others to do so. I just wonder when we'll see the fruition of this thing that Margo has started.

Karen at RescueResumes.com link

8/24/2010 12:29:28 am

Bryant, you raise great points.

First, I would say that Social Media is but one arm of any marketing campaign, job search or other. Heck, we still snail-mail some documents, albeit in highly customized presentations, for certain executive level candidates.

I too wonder what critical mass will look like for #HireFriday, and worried myself about flooding my follower's stream and diminishing the impact of the candidate's streams.

Right now, for a Hiring Manager, searching the stream with a fast scan is a relatively simple task, but yes, when 10k or more are using it, how best to allow each individual to shine? Standardized industry and position hashtags to allow for later, more efficient searching?

I'd love to see it move right into a real web-based job-fair: see a candidate you like, you know they're standing by, click a link and initiate a Skypesque screening conversation.

I'm going to put this out to the community; watch these comments and let's see what kind of conversation evolves.

Karen (@OPCGal)

Lou Bonica link

8/24/2010 02:45:57 am

One thing I think people new to #HireFriday should understand is that it goes beyond just tweeting and retweeting profiles. It also gives job seekers a feeling that someone else cares about their situation and they are not in this alone. And there are some days where that means everything in the world.

Karen at RescueResumes link

8/24/2010 02:59:37 am

I agree Lou.

That's what I like best about it - it's so focused on the individual participant, allows them to see and control their message, and allows other people to reach out with help and encouragement (there's also an SEO impact to it for each indvidual).

With hyper-extended, long-term unemployment, it's easy to become isolated. HireFriday adds another "touch" to a lonely process.

I do think Bryant raises important points to be considered and know there are others. Otherwise, in 8-months or so, we'll just be saying, "What a shame HireFriday isn't around anymore."

Lin

8/24/2010 03:25:33 am

Regarding, #HireFriday tweets all over one's stream on Friday - many people participate in chats so they understand it. Most people on Twitter are very compassionate about people participating in chats.

I look at #HireFriday as a virtual networking group. I don't have to leave the house, pay a fee to cover coffee/doughnut expenses and I can help people in their job search and people can help me.

Everything has a cycle and #HireFriday is no exception. It, too, will run its course for one reason or another, much like #FollowFriday has. My hope is that the end of #HireFriday means that unemployment is back around 5%.

Lynn at RescueResumes link

8/24/2010 03:40:30 am

Amen to that Lin.

Margo Rose link

8/24/2010 03:55:56 am

Lin, as long as there is the breath of life and spirit in my fiesty body, HireFriday will NEVER die. I am a fierce candidate advocate, and a loving community manager. I made an executive decision to devote the rest of my life to this endeavor. Whether it be through coaching, seminars, books, and valuable materials that I will produce, I will nurture both the educational, spiritual, mental, emotional, and strategic growth of the online community that I developed.

I am in the mature years of my life, I have a seasoned, and current perspective in new media. I have seen communities succeed, and fail.

There are ways to do things. There are ways to NOT do things. As I learn, and grow deeper into the development of HireFriday, as a journey, service, and career, I will continue to find new and innovative ways to serve my community.

I will continue to assess the growth, strategies, and contributions.

As Lou said so eloquently one month ago: "HireFriday is not just online classifieds, it reminds unemployed people they are not alone or forgotten."

Our linkedin group is led by volunteer leaders to a boots on the ground approach to best demonstrated practices and tweet construction.

Our facebook page is a place where we provide educational articles, and hope. We restore the morale of job seekers, and bolster their worth.

Our facebook group is designed to be a small interactive community. I plan to keep this under 200 people in order to provide a deeply meaningful personal and professional touch to each member.

I have the heart and soul of 10 men and women combined. I am a spirit of determination that few people embody.

I am absolutely convinced that HireFriday will continue to touch the lives of thousands of people worldwide as we grow our efforts here, in The US, Canada, France, and Sweden. I empower leaders in each country to have the business template for what I've done here, and replicate it in their land.

What I have developed is my innovative labor of love. Say what you will: HireFriday is here to stay, and as Chris Brogan indicates, #FollowFriday is passe'.

I leave you with this thought. You don't have to believe a word I say, watch my actions, They will speak louder than words!

http://hrmargo.com
http://linkedin.com/margorose
CEO & Founder of HireFriday

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The Early Evolution of a Brand: #HireFriday (or, Chris Brogan hates #FollowFriday)

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