Chris Wellington “The Recruiting Guy”, President, The Wellington Group

Ok people, we were all given a “proper” name or at least one much longer or more formal than the one in which we go by, send out emails with and answer to when called. So why is this important in the World of Work? Just like in my previous post, “Is Your Resume Format Hurting Your Job Search,” there are some challenges with not knowing and following how modern technology(s) and recruiters work so you can take full advantage of these systems. More so, you don’t want the little items such as what I rant about below to be the cause for not getting the job! While I am sure my mother had good reason to give me such a grand name as Christopher Clyde Wellington (Wellington came from my adopted Alaskan family), if I don’t use this across the web, in my emails or even in answering the phone how would the recruiter or HR person looking for me, well know it is truly me?

The biggest challenge lies with modern HRIS or ATS systems (you know, that “system” many recruiters and all HR people say you need to apply to). The platform has advanced such in the past few years to more accurately capture or “parse” the information off your resume in a very automatic, non-human operation. The computer has evolved as has the software, but it still can’t call Christopher Clyde Wellington just Chris. No, now when the recruiter goes into the system to look for me, well I am just not there. Truth be told I am there just not as Chris. This is much more of a problem when people use their middle name, nickname, family name if not from the US, etc.

The same holds true for social media profiles and being found on the web. Today’s recruiter, even some in corporate recruiting jobs, use social media more and more for their primary recruitment tool, or to find you on the web. But it’s impossible to truly swim through the sea of Christopher’s if I am known only as Chris. Besides all the fun people will have in “reviewing” and sharing my given name (thanks mom), it does not help my personal branding efforts, a critical component in this modern era of high visibility.

So what happens in this situation? Again if you have been following my blog posts, trainings or web articles you will know recruitment has evolved to a lazy, speed game in my opinion. Instead of seeking out why Jonathan J Weeber is not in the “system” the recruiter or HR person will tend to move on to the next candidate they can find. So what if Jonathan goes by Luke with no Middle Initial* on the internet nor in his email, next! If you are Jonathan J Weeber but go by Luke Weeber, have Luke Weeber on your resume, job boards, social media profiles, and so forth.

In short, don’t try to get overly fancy and presumptuous on your resume. Throw out the old-school rules of having the formal name given at birth (or after) and go by what you are called on a daily basis so that your resume and the social media profiles can allow you to be found in the current sea of competition. After all, you will have plenty of time to write out that more formal name, over and over again, on all the mandated paperwork and internal hiring documents ONCE YOU LAND THAT NEW JOB!

Good luck and keep working at it!

Chris

*One side note, careful using your Middle Initial on your resume. Most applicant tracking systems and even major job boards are still struggling with this extra name field and as such so are the recruiters and HR people using them.

^{To hire The Recruiting Guy as a speaker or trainer visit The Recruiting Guy or contact The Wellington Group @ info@thewellington-group.com.}

Chris Wellington “The Recruiting Guy”, President, The Wellington Group

I love this time of the year, for the past 72 hours I have been receiving New Years cheer from around the world. From vibrantly colored greeting cards to texts, tweets and Facebook messages, everyone wishing to express their joy and excitement for the coming year. Well, its 1-4-10 and time to put those well wishes and excitement for the New Year into motion.

Most people have a New Year’s resolution (or two or three…) yet few if any of us truly see these resolutions through to the end of the year. In fact, at this point just three days into the 2010, you are probably already justifying why you will not take that step(s) toward your resolution(s) today. Whether it is joining a gym, making more money, securing a new job or landing a major new client, we quickly start to slip back into old habits and then justify why we did not sacrifice that extra tinny-tiny 15 minutes today, of which would have given us hours of personal satisfaction and emotional uplift.

You see I have been around a lot of people in both the corporate World of Work and as an entrepreneur who have set and achieved some very high goals. Watching these people achieve the one or two items in their lives which they put on paper and they committed to is 2000x more rewarding than giving them a goal as a manager, business owner or Master Mind peer. Achieving their goals invigorated them to a new status of thinking, acting and living. As a result they naturally had to move forward in their lives, continuing to achieve more of what they set out to do.

My quick advice to anyone looking to set and achieve change in their lives this year is not a laundry list of “resolutions” but some solid, self-committed goals that will truly inspire and empower you to do more in your life and achieve your dreams for 2010 and beyond.

Top 4 Helpful Ideas to Focus on Your Goal(s):

1. Develop a larger, more encompassing goal – Rather than making a list of all the things you want to physically manifest this year, take that list and discover what is the one most holistic and encompassing goal that would cover all you smaller goals. A great example might be a new job paying 50% more. This would allow you to take the extra income goal and also deliver to yourself your investments, vacations and giving goals into one.

2. Careful who you share your goal with – People get very excited and want to run out and tell the world, “hey, it’s the New Year and here is what I plan to accomplish.” This is great and we expect our friends and family to support us 100% in this New Years endeavor. Guess what, they don’t and in many cases can’t. You see they are also looking to change in the New Year, if not then they are terribly jealous of those who are sacrificing to do so. It’s hard to be negative and positive at the same time and you don’t want other’s negative thoughts to influence your drive for success in 2010!

3. Get involved with like minded people – If you are being cautious on running and telling everyone you know about your new goal then you do need to seek out help and support to take your life to that next level this year. A great way to help keep your mind focused and positive is as simple as surrounding yourself with like minded people. This could be a Master Minds group of other professionals or business owners, a professional business association, goal setters networking group, a group of positive minded people in your church / temple or other such examples and even combinations of people that can help support you while you are supporting them back.

4. Do something every day to put you closer to your goal – Here is a tough one, don’t let your mind and activities stop until you have reached or exceeded your goal, period. Be as persistent to making that change or achieving that desired result as the sun it to rise each day and the hours of the clock continue to move. As time and the World are not waiting for you to decide to take action today or keep you mind focused, you must commit to doing this for yourself. Find items that can enforce your thoughts and beliefs like a book on your niche or better yet a calendar you can write in and plan each day.

I thank everyone for their support, kind works and friendship in 2009. It has truly been my pleasure to be of service to people around the world and I am excited about doing even more in 2010.

Have a Happy and Prosperous New Year!

Chris

^{To hire The Recruiting Guy as a speaker or trainer visit The Recruiting Guy or contact The Wellington Group @ info@thewellington-group.com.}