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Beyond.com Selected by AlwaysOn as a Venture Summit Mid-Atlantic 100 Winner

Beyond.com, a Career Network focused on helping people grow and succeed, today announced that it has been chosen by AlwaysOn as one of the Venture Summit Mid-Atlantic 100 winners.  Inclusion in the Venture Summit Mid-Atlantic 100 signifies leadership amongst its peers and game-changing approaches and technologies that are likely to disrupt existing markets and entrenched players. Beyond.com was specially selected by the AlwaysOn editorial team and industry experts spanning the globe based on a set of five criteria: innovation, market potential, commercialization, stakeholder value, and media buzz.

Beyond.com and the Venture Summit Mid-Atlantic 100 companies will be honored at the IMPACT Venture Summit Mid-Atlantic event, November 29th and 30th, 2011, at the Ritz Carlton in Philadelphia, PA. 

This two-day executive event features CEO presentations and high-level debates on the most promising emerging technologies and new entrepreneurial opportunities on the East Coast. PACT’s annual venture conference, IMPACT 2011, is the most established venture conference in the northeast. For over 20 years, IMPACT has been showcasing the best and most promising investment opportunities in the technology, life sciences, and clean technology sectors.

“The Venture Summit Mid-Atlantic 100 winners are transforming the mid-Atlantic region’s technology community through innovation and creativity,” said Tony Perkins, founder and editor at AlwaysOn. “The companies represent some of the highest-growth opportunities in the mid-Atlantic private company marketplace across all industry sectors, including digital media and entertainment, on-demand computing as well as greentech and the life sciences.”

The Venture Summit Mid-Atlantic 100 winners were selected from among thousands of mid-Atlantic technology companies nominated by investors, bankers, journalists, and greentech industry insiders.  The AlwaysOn editorial team conducted a rigorous three-month selection process to finalize the 2011 list.

Take This Job and…

Resignations have been big in the news this week.  With the scandal at Penn State University and Eddie Murphy withdrawing as host of The Academy Awards I have resignation on the brain and it got me thinking about resignation best practices from an HR perspective.

Resignations can go sour fast—employees can be asked to vacate the premises immediately, the resigned can check out for the last two weeks on the job, transitions might not happen in a timely and orderly fashion OR they can go smoothly, with the resigned staying on board to recruit and train their replacement, tie up loose ends, work hard until their last day on the job, etc… But to be honest—after a resignation is tendered—a combination of both the good and the bad probably follows suit.

So for those of us who are left behind and for those of us that resignations are tendered to, here are a few tips to follow to ensure the resignation goes smoothly for both parties.

• Be happy for the person moving on. Wish them the best in their next phase and secure their contact information to stay in touch—either as a networking contact or simply as a friend.  
  
  
• Don’t burn any bridges. Allow your former colleague to leave on good terms, if you were in their shoes you wouldn’t want to leave on bad terms. Besides, you never know who you may cross paths with again in the future.
  
  
• Don’t kick the recently resigned to the curb. Taking a resignation personally is never a smart move. When a resignation is tendered, don’t overreact and ask the employee to leave immediately.  You’re only hurting yourself and the staff left behind that has to pick up the slack and make assumptions about unfinished projects—all while feeling like they did something wrong to be treated that way.
  
  
• Respect the remaining staff and inform them in a timely manner. Telling those who are staying on staff that a resignation was given in a timely manner is crucial.  If the staff finds out that a team member is leaving and that team member gave notice six days prior—that makes the team feel wronged.  While relaying this kind of information may not be easy, it’s best to do it sooner rather than later.  If you wait too long you might have other resignations heading your way.     

U.S. Job Creation Stagnant in August, Yet Some Industries Maintain Strong Hiring Activity

 Beyond.com’s First Infographic Analyzes Key Challenges and Positive Trends for the Job Market

Beyond.com, today released its first Employment Data Report, which provides a timely assessment of recent economic and political events that have had an impact on the employment world. Released in conjunction with Beyond’s recently released Second Quarter 2011 Career Trend Analysis Report, this first Employment Data Report examines job posting volume from January 2011 to August 2011, compared with the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) unemployment rates.

The Employment Data Report explores the possibility that the U.S. could face a double dip recession and considers the role of political events and economic instability on the job market. After an encouraging start to the year, unemployment numbers have continued to rise as the economy failed to add as many jobs as expected in June and July. During that same period, the nation’s economy has been threatened by a debt crisis and the subsequent Standard & Poor’s (S&P) credit downgrade.

In spite of the obvious challenges, the Employment Data Report notes some industries that increased hiring activity in the second quarter, including Healthcare, Sales & Sales Management, Merchandising, Purchasing & Management and Information Technology. The report also highlights some new job titles that have emerged, particularly in the IT and Environmental fields, as a result of new technologies and demands.

“Ahead of President Obama’s speech addressing the jobs crisis on Thursday, many are already fearing that we’re headed toward another recession, fueled even more by last week’s Department of Labor report indicating that job creation was at halt in August,” said Rich Milgram, CEO at Beyond.com. “While these fears are real, there are still some bright spots in the employment market and our data pinpoints industries and specific careers that job seekers should have on their radar to ensure they’re taking advantage of the opportunities and growth sectors that are out there today.”


To view the complete Infographic for September 2011, please visit http://about.beyond.com/infographics/employment-data-report-september-2011.

Looking Forward to Some Fun in the Sun at IAEWS

Master of Ceremonies Rich Milgram will Lead the Bi-Annual Gathering of Recruitment Industry Leaders

Rich Milgram, Founder and CEO of Beyond.com, focused on helping people grow and succeed within their careers, will serve as Congress Chair for the International Association of Employment Web Sites (IAEWS) Fall Member Congress, to be held on September 7, 2011 in Hollywood Beach, FL the day before The ERE Expo begins.

The IAEWS's bi-annual Member Congress unites executives and industry leaders in online recruitment to share ideas and strategies for future growth and success. It is the only event that is 100 percent dedicated to improving the operations and financial performance of online employment services organizations.

"We are very excited to have Rich participating in this year's event," said Peter Weddle, IAEWS Executive Director. "Rich brings a wealth of experience and insight to his role as master of ceremonies and joins a distinguished list of previous chairs, including Aaron Matos, CEO of Jobing; Shawn Boyer, CEO of SnagAJob.com; Don Firth, CEO of JobsinLogistics.com; Kim Peters, CEO of Eluta.ca; Tony Lee, EVP of Adicio; and Constance Melrose, EVP of Dice."

"I'm honored and excited to be a part of this year's IAEWS Fall Member Conference. It's always a great opportunity to be surrounded by other professionals in the world of recruitment," said Rich Milgram, CEO at Beyond.com. "I look forward to reconnecting with old friends and colleagues, meeting new ones, and sharing our current challenges and recent strides."

Going to be at the IAEWS Member Congress?  Be sure to say hi to Rich!  Also, ERE attendees stop by booth #301 to say hi to the Beyond.com team.  Looking forward to seeing you in Hollywood!

Beyond.com Identifies Emerging Jobs Despite Fears of Double Dip Recession

Quarterly Trends Report Finds Positive Indicators in Uncertain Economic Times

Beyond.com, a Career Network focused on helping people grow and succeed, today released its Second Quarter 2011 Career Trend Analysis Report which provides an in-depth look at the latest job market trends. While the U.S. economy continues to pose uncertainty, Beyond.com is reporting a positive outlook with the emergence of new job titles and growth sectors in a year over year comparison of Career Network data.

The Beyond.com Career Trend Analysis Report, which gathers information across thousands of top-tier industry and local career sites, indicates that five job titles have shown a noticeable and steady uptick in job postings, spanning primarily across two industries: Green and Technology. While both industries have remained steady over the past year overall, some specific positions stand out amongst the others in providing an increase of opportunities for job seekers.  

 According to the report, the emerging job titles include:

• Green Consultant Jobs
  • With an average salary of $60,000, this position can take on a variety of different roles, from helping organizations evaluate and improve internal environmental processes to aiding in the implementation of green strategies. Nationally, green jobs employ 2.7 million people, according to a report by The Brookings Institution. Green Consultants will continue to be in demand as more and more businesses look to these experts to help establish environmental best practices. 

• Eco-Friendly Freelance Writer Jobs
  • With many people turning to magazines and news outlets for tips and information about green and eco-friendly living, writers with knowledge of the green market are becoming more sought after. Further, with many publications unable to take on full-time staff, a freelance position is often the best route to establish yourself and continue to practice your skill. As a freelancer making an average of $60,000 a year, this job often provides more flexible hours which can be a nice perk for some professionals.

• Genius – Apple Store Jobs
  • The “Genius” position has presented more job opportunities over the past year for the similar reasons as an iPhone Developer – growing adoption of the iPhone along with the iPad, iPod and other Apple products. As people are using these products, there is more need for customer service and technical support. This position typically requires working in an Apple store and has an average salary of $41,000. Responsibilities include helping customers resolve issues and conducting hardware and software troubleshooting.

• iPhone Developer Jobs
  • With the increasing popularity and adoption of the iPhone – particularly with availability now across multiple mobile carriers – it is no surprise that the growth of job openings for iPhone Developers is on the rise. This position with an average salary of $95,000 typically requires working for a specific mobile company and is responsible for all frameworks and mobile technologies to make new applications successful.

• Silverlight Developer Jobs
  • Developers are in demand across the technology industry. However Silverlight developers in particular are seeing a rise in job opportunities due to an increase in consumers’ streaming of TV shows and movies on their computers. At an average of $104,000 a year, qualifications for this position include expertise in creating software solutions for enterprises and in building rich internet applications using Microsoft technologies.

“It’s no secret that the U.S. economy is currently facing financial worries and the unemployment rate remains high, yet at the same time it’s important to recognize that some markets are still thriving and providing opportunities to job seekers and professionals within those industries,” said Rich Milgram, CEO at Beyond.com. “For job seekers in either the green sector or technology industry or those looking to enter these fields, there are options available when you know what to look for. By identifying these specific job titles, job seekers can modify their search and apply their expertise to these specific positions in an effort to not only secure a job but establish themselves in a healthy sector.”  

 To view the complete Career Trend Analysis Report and Industry Essentials Reports for second quarter 2011, please visit http://about.beyond.com/statistics.

What Does the U.S. Credit Downgrade Mean for U.S. Jobs?

So the debt ceiling has been raised and America’s credit has been downgraded, so how does that impact jobs?

This is a hot topic of discussion at the moment, but many of us might not fully understand what it all means, so for those of you who need a crash course—here is high level way to understand how the credit downgrade can affect you and jobs in the United States. 

As everything is interdependent—the raising of the debt ceiling has in turn downgraded the U.S. credit which in turn will increase the interest rates that the United States will pay on the national debt, which in turn will result in higher borrowing costs for all of us (i.e. business credit lines, mortgages, student loans, and credit cards rates) which in turn can instill fear that any interest increase will slow the economy and mean less demand for workers, bringing about layoffs and increasing the risk of a double dip recession. 

For those of you who are like me—visual learners click on the image below:

Other influencers? The downgrade adds to the worry that has already been instilled based on the fact that the government said our economic growth was far weaker in the first half of 2011 than economist had initially expected.  So have employers stopped hiring?  Well according to the soon to be released Beyond.com Q2 Trends Report (this is a sneak peak) when comparing Q1 to Q2 there was an increase in the number of fulltime jobs posted—which is promising.

So should we be worried?  Well there are a lot of things up in the air at the moment, so it is hard to say. After all this is the first time in history that the U.S. lost its triple-A debt rating, however a better than expected jobs report that was released on Friday is keeping people calm. 

Also, according to Beyond.com, CEO Rich Milgram, who acknowledges that while we saw a modest uptick in jobs for July, part of what is currently impacting job growth is the fact that many people forget about the woes of the world and go on summer vacation (even stay-cations)—that goes for the people who are doing the hiring and the people who are looking.

Top Ten Things to NOT Get Caught Doing at SHRM in Las Vegas

As Cliché as it is—What Happens at SHRM Stays at SHRM

It’s that time of year again—time for the Annual SHRM Conference.  While organizations in the Human Resources field across the country are prepping for the show, HR pros are gearing up for a four day stay in Las Vegas.

That’s right—it is completely ironic that HR professionals (those who keep us all politically correct and on our best behavior in the workplace) are going to brush up on the latest HR policies and procedures in the City of Sin. 

But don’t worry, while the craziness of Vegas is happening outside, inside the convention center our HR Managers will be in sessions brushing up on everything from employee benefits to recruitment, employment law and much more. 

So, just to keep our favorite HR Managers in line we thought it would be helpful for them to have a list of the Top Ten Things to NOT Get Caught Doing at SHRM in Las Vegas.

10.  Get Hitched During SHRM. Finding the perfect match is always critical for recruiters but getting married on a whim is not a story your boss will find funny or appreciate when they ask how the conference went.

9.    Shop ‘Til You Drop. At the conclusion of the Annual SHRM Conference your feet should hurt from walking the expo floor—not from browsing in the many luxury shops at Via Bellagio, Grand Canal Shops at The Venetian, The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace, Miracle Mile, Le Boulevard at Paris, and Wynn Esplande.

8.    Use Your Travel and Expense Allowance to Finance Your Go Round in the Casino.  If you think you can turn your T&E daily allotment into extra cash in the casino—the odds are against you, so don’t even try.

7.    Play Hooky to Sip Margaritas by the Pool.  It is predicted to be a toasty 103°F during SHRM, so drinking tasty beverages by the pool (unless you’re drinking water) is probably not a smart idea, nonetheless if you’re laying by the pool while everyone is in sessions or on the expo floor—you’re going to have a very unhappy employer.
 
6.    Let Motion Sickness Ruin Your Time.  While enjoying the sites if you have a desire to check out the gondolas at the Venetian, the rollercoaster at New York-New York, or take a ride to top of the  Stratosphere (the tallest observation tower in the United States) be sure you have a Dramamine on hand.

5.    Show Up at the Expo Hall Looking Like You Were Just Throwing…Well You Get the Picture. Working a booth or cruising the conference floor? Look your best and look professional.  While we’re all sympathetic to the fact that you’re away from home and away from your kids—that doesn’t mean that everyone you meet on the expo floor needs to know that.  Even if you’re out late partying make sure that you are at the expo hall on time, dressed professional, looking fresh and ready to represent your organization.

4.    Swim With the Sharks at the Mandalay Bay Shark Reef.  While this is a thrill that is offered, that’s the last thing your organization needs “HR Manager Eaten by Shark at SHRM Conference in Vegas”. While they say no press is bad press that is definitely a headline your PR department does not want to have to spin.
 
3.    Take a Dip in The Dancing Waters. Speaking of Swimming, the Fountains of Bellagio Are ONLY For Show.  Get caught swimming in there and there is sure to be a large fine.  After all if the fine for  jaywalking can be up to $695 in Clark County, NV you don’t want to know what it is for swimming in the dancing waters.

2.    Follow the Same Itinerary for Your Sister’s Bachelorette Party at the Palm. Las Vegas is called Sin City for a reason and if you were going there for the purpose of a bachelor/bachelorette party you would have a very different plan than if you were going for work (at least we hope so).  So take this opportunity to experience the good clean fun that Vegas has to offer when traveling on business.  Take in a show like Jersey Boys, Cirque du Soleil or The Blue Man Group, eat at the numerous delicious restaurants and enjoy a treatment at the many luxury spas (also be sure to go to those sessions!). 

1.  Get lost.  Be sure to keep track of your team members—while the movie The Hangover is entertaining to watch, no one REALLY wants to experience what the wolf pack went through.  Make sure you check in with those who you traveled to the conference with just to make sure that no one is stuck on the roof at Caesars.

Five Crazy Reasons to Not Apply to a Job

So it is not surprising that a few months ago Donald Trump announced that he would be running for president. And it is even less surprising that this week he reneged.  While he has experience heading corporations that are floundering financially, Trump is instead committing his time to another season of Celebrity Apprentice, where instead of offering a job to a real person, he offers several opportunities to celebrities, lets the cameras roll and captures the crazy (only positive about this experience—money is donated to charity). 

It is being reported that there is a documentary in the works that portrays Trump as a bully and this film apparently pushed “The Donald” to take his name out of the running.  As Trump is backing out as a possible presidential candidate, he inspired us this week to have some fun and to put together a list of the “Five Craziest Reasons to NOT Apply to a Job” (in no particular order they are as follows).

1. Documentary Film Portrays You in Bad Light.
2. The world is supposedly ending on Saturday so why bother finding a new job?
3. I used all of my personal days to watch the Royal Wedding and now I don’t have time to go an interview.
4. I’m too lazy to update my resume and I no longer have Oprah to encourage me to do more with my life.
5. I’m staying at my current job for spite as my boss “The Terminator” fathered my baby.

While this list demonstrates there’s a lot of craziness going on in the world, it’s never not a good time to better your career and apply to your dream job.  While we may see reasons such as relocation, salary, and benefits as factors that may hold us back when considering if we should throw your hat into the ring—just remember that there could be crazier things preventing you from clicking apply.

Special thanks to our intern, Brittany Gavin for researching for this post.

Beyond.com Expands National Footprint with Office Opening in Indianapolis

Beyond.com, Inc., the world’s largest network of niche career communities, announced today it has expanded its national presence with the opening of a new sales office in Indianapolis. Led by Mark Anderson, Vice President of Employer Sales, Indianapolis positions the Beyond.com sales team in a centrally located city, rich with technology and recruitment talent to expand its national reach to a growing customer base.

The company also announced the appointment of Tim Heston to Director of Enterprise Sales, serving as a key member of the Beyond.com sales team. With more than 25 years of sales and business development experience, Heston previously worked at eQuest and The Bernard Hodes Group. He joins a seasoned sales team of well-known industry veterans, including: Josh Akers, previously with Monster.com (NYSE: MWW), RecruitingBlogs.com and Doostang.com; Jason Harvoth, also formerly of Monster.com; and Angie Clowers, previously with TruStar Solutions and Appendant Marketing Group.

The Beyond.com sales team has experienced rapid expansion since the start of 2011 with 250 percent growth as 18 new employees joined the Indianapolis office. Overall, Beyond.com has grown by 41 percent company-wide this year.

This strong company momentum is driven by significant accomplishments over the past year, including:

• The acquisition of Orbius, a powerful social website that strengthens Beyond.com’s commitment to its community focus, providing new ways for its members to connect and engage throughout their careers.
  
  
• An agreement with eQuest to provide mutual customers unlimited job posting access and give eQuest OFCCP Compliance users exclusive rights to post jobs to The Beyond Diversity Network.
  
  
• Beyond.com was selected by The Network as its exclusive provider of recruitment services in the U.S. market for its multinational clients, replacing Yahoo! HotJobs, creating an international explosion of Beyond.com awareness.

“We are very excited about the recent launch of our Indianapolis-based sales office,” said Rich Milgram, CEO, Beyond.com. “Indianapolis is a significant hub for opportunity with an extremely talent-rich market in the recruitment space, which we are confident will be able to support our continued, explosive growth and contribute to the overall success of Beyond.com. We look forward to a long and successful presence in Indy.”

Beyond.com Names Brad Miller Vice President of Marketing and Communications

Beyond.com, Inc., the world’s largest network of niche career communities, announced today the appointment of Brad Miller as Vice President of Marketing and Communications. Brad will act as a key member of the executive leadership team, responsible for increasing sales and marketing efforts and overall industry recognition of Beyond.com.

As an integral member of the strategy team, Brad will be tasked with leading the marketing department in achieving core objectives, including elevating corporate sales initiatives, strengthening the public relations program and creating top-of-mind awareness to drive maximum conversion for all traffic channels.

Brad brings more than 10 years of progressive marketing and product management experience to Beyond.com, with expertise in brand development, channel strategy and customer lifecycle management. Most recently, Brad served as Vice President of Brand and Strategy Marketing for American InterContinental University, a principal brand of Career Education Corporation (NASDAQ: CECO) located outside of Chicago. Previously, Brad held the position of Vice President of Corporate Marketing with responsibilities that included managing the advertising spend for all of CEC. Prior to CEC, Brad held multiple marketing positions, including Senior Marketing Manager at ING (NYSE: ING), in which he served in the forefront of building company recognition.

“The addition of Brad to our team is a tremendous win for Beyond.com and we couldn’t be more thrilled that he will spearhead our marketing and communications efforts,” said Rich Milgram, CEO, Beyond.com. “Brad has a stellar marketing track record, demonstrating particular success in elevating both the ING and CEC brands to the next level. His strategic vision will advance our positioning in the marketplace, playing a significant role in bringing Beyond.com to new heights.”

Brad holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from The Pennsylvania State University.