TotalPicture: Talent Acquisition, HR Tech, Careers, Leadership, Future of Work

Jeremy is a leading speaker to organizations on the value of the staffing function, including Chairing the ERE Expos in 2006-2007. Jeremy is an active member of the International Association of Corporate and Professional Recruitment; is a professional member of the prestigious National Speakers Association and the Institute of Management Consultants; and has served on the national staffing management special expertise panel of the Society for Human Resource Management. Jeremy also leads the popular STARoundtable (Strategic Talent Acquisition Roundtable) leadership academies and roundtables.

Prior to October of 2008, a company might have six people performing a certain function and because of budget cuts, staff was reduced to three. So now you have three people performing the job of six, and then more cuts because corporations want to show profits and survive the downturn, so they lay off two people. So now you have one person doing the job of six. So here we are, we call up that candidate who’s doing the job of six, their income hasn’t gone up because of price cuts, and we offer them the job of one for an increase in compensation, you bet they throw their hat in the ring." — Iris Libby

When Joseph Jaffe and I realized we were neighbors, we decided to conduct our interview in person. About 90% of my podcasts are phone based; it's always enjoyable to have a chance to meet in person. Especially someone as interesting and accomplished as Jaffe. Joseph's new book, Flip The Funnel: How to Use Existing Customers to Gain New Ones (Amazon.com affiliate link), became the topic of conversation when I met with my business partner, Valerie LaSusa, for lunch last week. She has been doing a great deal of research on traditional marketing funnels: eyeballs>> (awareness > consideration > preference > action> loyalty>) >> buyers, and what happens when you turn the funnel upside down. When I pulled Jaffe's book out of my backpack, it was one of those "you must be kidding" moments. Our two hour lunch could have easily gone on for eight hours, discussing the concepts Jaffe writes about in his new book. The author is the former president and "Chief Interruptor" of Crayon, a conversational marketing company, specializing in community, dialogue and partnership. Crayon recently merged with Austin Tx based Powered. Val purchased a copy of Flip the Funnel and helped me prep the interview with Joseph. Stay tuned... Joseph's interview podcast will air Wednesday! Joseph Jaffe Background One of the most sought-after consultants, speakers and thought leaders on new marketing, Joseph Jaffe is Chief Interruptor of Powered, a conversational marketing company, specializing in community, dialogue and partnership. Prior to merging with powered, Jaffe was president of crayon, where he worked with companies including P&G, The Coca-Cola Company, Dunkin’ Brands, TiVo, Motorola and Fox Interactive Media. Before that, Joseph was Director of Interactive Media at TBWA/Chiat/Day and OMD USA, where he worked on Kmart, ABSOLUT Vodka, Embassy Suites and Samsonite. Jaffe’s popular blog and audio podcast, "Jaffe Juice”, provides daily and weekly commentary respectively on all things new marketing. You can join the conversation at . His first book, ”Life After The 30-Second Spot: Energize Your Brand With A Bold Mix Of Alternatives To Traditional Advertising” (Wiley/Adweek) was released in June 2005 and focuses on how advertising is evolving in a world ruled by an empowered consumer and no longer governed solely by the 30-second spot. His second book titled, “Join the conversation: How to engage marketing-weary consumers with the power of community, dialogue and partnership” was published by Wiley in October 2007. Joseph is a Senior Fellow at the Center for the Digital Future at the USC Annenberg School, as well as the Society for New Communications Research. Hailing from South Africa, he lives with his wife, daughter and two sons in Westport, CT.This morning I happened across the above graphic in an older Center Networks post and it triggered a quick thought on a familiar theme.

. I want to start off with Talent Agents: The A list actors we saw at the Academy Awards all have one thing in common: Highly skilled agents to help manage their careers and negotiate their compensation packages. How about Us? The A List in business? Two leaders in the executive recruiting and talent management field -- David Perry and Kevin Donlin have started a new program, The Guerrilla Job Search Executive Agent Service -- targeted exclusively to A List executives searching for the next career opportunity and challenge.

According to Dan Pink, everything we think we know about what motivates us is wrong. In his new book, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us he pits the latest scientific discoveries about the mind against the outmoded wisdom that claims people can only be motivated by the hope of gain and the fear of loss.

"Overqualified is the easiest answer to give a job seeker when an employer passes on hiring an over 45 year old candidate. It is rarely the real reason; it is the politically correct reason and the safest way to get the candidate to go away. Employers who pass on baby boomers don’t want to ‘handle’ the questions and emotions that result from refusal; they want to move on to the next candidate. Same goes for recruiters." Rita Ashley

You're a member of Generation X - the 30-to-44 age cohort. And you've drawn the short stick when it comes to work. The economy has been stacked against you from the beginning. Worse, you're sandwiched between Boomers (with their constant back-patting blather and refusal to retire) and Gen Y's (with their relentless confidence and demands for attention). You're stuck in the middle - of your life and between two huge generations that dote on each other.

In researching the agenda for the Media Summit, I noticed Mark J. Penn will participate in a panel session on advertising in the new media landscape. I had interviewed Mark in 2007 when his book Microtrends: The Small Forces Behind Tomorrow's Big Changes, was on the New York Times and WSJ best seller lists. When you think about the influence and visibility small, special interest groups such as The Tea Party Movement have created, what Mark wrote about in 2007 resonates today.

"If there's ever been a time that resists planning, it's this time. And one of the things we call all do to make the economy move, is help each other figure out what's going to happen next." John Sumser

Let's face it. People don't like change. Yet change is the one constant we're all dealing with. How much "change" did you and your organization experience in 2009? In an era of globalization and Internet commoditization, salespeople (that's you, my friend), are in danger of becoming irrelevant.

The New World of Professional Services. The "New Normal" is Anything But "Normal. "The ‘rules” of the professional services industry are quickly becoming relics of a bygone era. Client buying patterns are shifting radically and new models for delivering services are upending the status quo." Michael McLaughlin

I’m excited to have back on TPR one of America's preeminent executive coaches: Marshall Goldsmith. The timing of Marshall’s books is truly remarkable: His New York Times bestseller What Got You Here Won't Get You There was released in 2007. An accurate reflection on the times and the economy? I think so. His latest book, just released this month is titled Mojo: How to Get It, How to Keep It, How to Get It Back if You Lose It. Considering how brutal the economy and job market has been over the past couple of years, I think many of us have struggled to keep our mojo intact.

I'm always amazed when consultants tell me they don't like (or want) to sell. Some seem to think the whole sales thing is completely beneath them. Then there are others who say they aren't good at selling. My reaction to both views is, you're kidding, right? You may be the guru in your field, but that won't put a dime in the bank if you can't sell.” Michael McLaughlin

If you're like most professionals, you're not comfortable with selling. It's not easy fighting the feeling that hyping yourself is somehow inappropriate. And it's worse when you have to deal with objections, doing presentations, and getting rejections — or waiting for the phone to ring." Charles H. Green

Dan Roam is the founder of Digital Roam, a management consulting company that helps business executives solve complex problems through visual thinking. Through lectures, workshops, books, and hands-on projects with many of the world's most influential organizations, Dan has helped teams learn to solve complex problems by relearning how to see.