The service academy (U.S Military Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, and U.S. Air Force Academy) graduates in the greater Nashville area pride themselves on being a very close-knit group both socially and for business-networking purposes. Currently the group holds lunches or happy hours roughly quarterly for networking and occasionally makes use of a chain email to advertise the resumes of graduates who are new to the area and searching for a job. While the networking events often connect job seekers with potential employers in search of their skills and experience, we believe that the process can be made more effective. In today’s world, a monthly quarterly information sync is often not frequent enough to facilitate effective business connections. For instance, a more senior service academy graduate may not remember the younger graduate he met at a happy hour when a great entry-level position opens up at his/her firm two weeks later. We believe that by taking advantage of basic online technology we can make this information exchange real-time. This way, service academy graduates in Nashville who are potential employees and employers can immediately determine if the network can provide a match for what they are looking for. The solution shouldn’t just serve employment searches, however. It should also allow service academy graduates in various firms and industries to connect real-time to share goods and services.
Top Three Solutions:
1) Google group where people can post jobs and list their job search criteria. This solution will allow for a real time interaction between job seekers and those who are looking to hire. This would allow for the fact that sometimes jobs and workers aren’t always entering the market at the exact same time.
2) A club newsletter could list jobs and job seekers on a monthly basis.
3) A weekly pod cast of job listings.
Group: Stephen Hays, Dustin Whittier and Dave Thomas
I like solution #2 best. While the others are innovative and good ideas, solution #2 requires the least amount of behavior change in those who will be using the system. Reading a newsletter (or email) is certainly easier than logging into a Google group or connecting for a podcast.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I think some sort of Facebook (like at Owen, not the commercial social network) would be helpful in connecting faces with names- a problem cited in your intro.
I like the Google group option b/c of the fact that it's real time and I don't imagine that the upkeep would be too difficult. Another option would be to create a Linked In group.
ReplyDeleteThe newsletter seems like it might also work because I'm guessing that not all of the older alums will be comfortable with online options. You might also be able to cover some of the cost by charging companies a nominal fee to post jobs (that's what the Peace Corps groups does).
I think the first option is great and could be a huge asset to this group. While building the online network should not provide a huge obstacle, ensuring that network members use their google group and actively post jobs will be the biggest challenge. Using the group in tandem with a weekly email to the group may help drive usage.
ReplyDeleteOption 3 seems both a little more difficult in terms of production and consumption. It would require a dedicated person to produce the podcasts, and I'm not sure podcasting is the easiest way to search for and identify job opportunities for those seeking.
In my opinion, it all depends on what kind of people the prime participants of your events are. I assume that they are all already familiar with google groups and podcasts. Consequently, I think that google groups would be a good way to communicate. My only concern with this approach is that it requires the participants to be very proactive throughout the time. Many people will react better (or more frequent) if they are approached (e.g. receive a newsletter). So overall, I prefer #2 as main innovation, but at the same time fully support the other two solutions as supporting tools.
ReplyDeleteThe idea of having a community in the online space is definitely a great idea and could well serve the Service academy graduates in getting closer in terms of issues and opportunities.
ReplyDeleteIdea 2 can be a good way of sharing information over the Google group. It is imperative to gain momentum around such an online initiative and this can be done by having a periodic post which the members can respond or react to.
These are all strong--would the Google group be similar to this blog? If so, I think it would be the best option, assuming that users are familiar with this technology. Job seekers could sign up for automatic notification by email when new jobs are posted. Job posters can put a link directly to their inboxes for resume drop, etc. One way to ramp it up may be to incorporate it with #2 initially. Once people are using the online network and very familiar with it, the monthly newsletter could go online and be sent out via email to those registered in the group. However this would require some sort of administrator for the group.
ReplyDeleteThe Google group idea is great. One potential pitfall might be whether or not the group is properly maintained and updated regularly. Changing the manager of the group monthly or quarterly might keep the information more current.
ReplyDeleteI like the Google group the best. the fact that there would be real time postings is great and it seems as though it would be available to everyone. The major challenges as I see it is that there may be a technology usage skills gap for the senior authorities who actually have the jobs available; likewise, it is a bit of upkeep. So, if this option is to be utilized, the next quaterly mtg should set aside some training time.
ReplyDeleteAnother way to supplement this is to assign a couple of point people to contact when someone is looking for a job or wants to post a job. They then would be responsible for all of the posting and everyone else could just check it.
One final thought: create a resume book. Each resume would have a picture attached to it and it would be easy to add a new person to it during quarterly mtgs. Now, people could remember who they netwoked with by face and it would not require technological skills that the senior members may not have. They could reach out to whomever they wanted at their leisure.
I prefer the google idea. 2 things come to mind. First, the newsletter would require a dedicated author/editor and have a great cost. Even an E-newsletter still needs someone to write the info and manage it.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, the google option also provides easy, online, zero maintenence distribution. The users add/comment as they need to, and the live threads allow for people to comment, search, etc.
Good specific population and problem. I agree with your proposals (i.e., see each of them as solid) AND would like to push a little on the issue of behavior change. How can you get the kind of people who forget someone they met a week ago to now remember them in the context of a job opening at their firm?
ReplyDeleteThe google group idea is a great one if you can have an area in the group website where "forgetters" know to go to post openings. Even better is a simple email address (e.g., jobs@nashmil.org) where they can email stuff and it gets immediately posted without much ado. If you figure out how to let the seekers do the work (since they are highly motivated to do this work called getting a job) then the innovation will have a easier time being adopted.
I think that google groups are successful as "front of mind" or mindshare tools to the extent that you can keep interesting content flowing in a relatively steady flow. To wit: I am a member of a group where I currently receive listings about 2x or 3x a week. I will never ever take any of the jobs. Still I like to read the listings as they inform me about what companies are forming, hiring, growing, and in which dimensions. (see: the NPD Jobs Site @ Stanford in the "Links" section upper-right on this blog)
My point is that there is enough content flow to make me interested and to convince me that there is an audience out there. So now whenever I hear about an appropriate potential job listing from a friend or colleague, I refer them to that listing place.
Things like newsletters and podcasts will only work if you have a writer / champion who is willing to do the writing/editing/production work. Most normal people won't bother to make this level of investment. (Remember, they don't even want to make the simple investment of remembering that they met someone two weeks earlier!)
Anyway, just my 2 cents!! Good work and good luck!!
I personally prefer ideas 1 & 2 over number 3. Idea 2 has the advantage that it is easily accessible for the people looking for jobs since they get it in the e-mail inbox. However, if idea 1 lets the job posters update/change their job ad, that allows for more flexibility for the ones that have jobs to offer. If you are looking for a job it is kind of implied that you need to make an effort in order to find a job. Job posters could also use other means to advertise their jobs so it's important to make posting easy.
ReplyDeleteI like idea 2 but with that comes the responsibility of someone to maintain that newsletter. Would this be a volunteer position. Not sure how well this is going to work given the transitive nature of B-School.
ReplyDelete