BuZZZZZ

Below is an actual job posting job description. I personally, have never seen so many buzz words crammed into a single paragraph in my life.

No wonder the marketing industry is having an identity crisis. With Social Networking the hottest channel for marketing, how can this language still be relevant. I've never seen this verbosity on FaceBook.

Translating the differentiated Brand DNA and product news into program messaging and components
Aligning and executing programs to resonate with the lifestyle of our target audience
Building shrewd marketing strategies and tactics reflective of the evolving competitive landscape
Leverage company-wide and outside partnerships and assets

Here's my translation, "We need someone who understands our customer, works well with others and can help us make our business grow."

Award-winning marketing strategist, best-selling author, conference speaker and seminar leader, David Meerman Scott, calls this language "gobbledygook". He explains this in his book
The New Rules of Marketing & PR.

How can a marketing hire whose language is "corp-speak", communicate effectively to the customer? Unless your customer is corporate pencil-necks (which this example is not BTW).

Strength and Weakness

The message at church yesterday involved strength and weakness, followed by "What do you have to give?"

This is a perfect question for business, too. I will bet everyone has been touched by "strengths and weaknesses" at some point in their career, either conducting or being interviewed or part of the review process. I have also seen it used as a management directive to increase productivity.

In all these situations that involve strengths and weaknesses, let's reduce it to, "What do you have to give?"

Think about it. Isn't that bottom line.

700 Resumes

Whether you're the candidate or the company, do you ever wonder why there are so many applicants per job?  The answer lies beyond a limited number of opportunities .

In order to collect unemployment, recipients are required to apply for "x" number of jobs per week. "X" is undefined. I have heard that some people will get on the Internet and apply for 30 or more jobs a day!

My heart goes out to candidates, HR departments and hiring managers everywhere.

Next, I will look into criteria based HR practices to cull through this conundrum.

Visit me at The J. Frost Group Website

Chief Experience Officer

Here is a great concept for companies to consider. The role of a Chief Experience Officer (CXO) is prime for today. One voice, internal and external, producing a much overlooked need for a consistent brand across the entire organization, which can only be accomplished with this "Brand Czar", the CXO!

http://www.cxostaffing.com/CXOBlog

Another Clone Lesson

Reviewing an open position at Comcast, I was pleased to see them recognize the need for a competitive strategist. What seemed to me, to be a forward thinking organizational move. Then the shoe dropped. The process ended with a short five question "clone" test.

One of my previous posts, discussed GM's clone test, referring to their employment tests to ensure "like thinking" employees are hired. You can see how well that practice has worked for them. Finally, their new management team is coming from outside the auto industry.

Comcast needs to learn this lesson, too. How can you create a new strategy from old thinking? Watch out Comcast! Apple is hot on your trail, with a new entertainment subscription plan. Acquisitions probably will not save you.