My new twitter friend from the UK, Cathy Rich observed my effort over the past two Fridays, or as I now call them #HireFriday.  She asked If she I minded if she launched this in the UK.  I was delighted, but I gave her the following guidelines.  Here’s a recap of our conversation via twitter and on her blog.  On today’s blog, Cathy said:

I received this e-mail from Margo Rose, who launched #HireFriday on Twitter in the USA last week:

“#HireFriday is my brain child, fueled by my passion for Compassionate HR  As you know, the recruiting industry in the US is very client centric, which often leaves most candidates eating dust.  Because of great people like Bill Boorman, Mervynn Dinnen, and Alan Whitford, I understand the wishes, desires, and needs in the UK are equally weighted.  This delights me.  It is in this spirit that I launched #HireFriday last Friday.

I’m sick of #followfriday, with its meaningless stacks of names.  Isn’t it better to help your friends, and loved ones find jobs, make connections and network with really reputable recruiters and hiring managers?

What #HireFriday is NOT is a place where recruiters post spammy jobs.  It’s a place where we tweet the names of candidates/their occupation/job title/unique skills/city location they choose to work.  It’s for the candidate.  It is then my hope that recruiters, hiring managers and non-hr people will tap that person on the shoulder and say, hey this Company is hiring, and I think you’d be perfect for the job…

It’s like a bulletin board for candidates, pure and simple.  Then, it is my hope that someone will see a person in the twitter stream that works in their respective industry and help the jobseeker get connected with a helpful resource or person.

This is my passion, it’s in my heart.  I’m not trying to monetize this.  I do not choose to make “commissions.”  I simply want to be helpful.  I registered the hashtag, and I work in a Law Firm, so we’ll have legal eagle eyes to keep creepy, spammy people out (as much as possible).”

I aim to role this out as a trial on Twitter in the UK as from next week. With the jobs boards clogging up and everyone competing for the same jobs and candidates, this might free up the market. And literally, it will be FREE for everyone.

More news will follow soon – I will be happy to receive comments and views please!

I commented on her blog as follows:

First, thank you for having the courage to being an early adopter of my concept #HireFriday. Jeff, I understand your skepticism. As, I am sure many recruiters and observers on twitter are as well. This is not a “for profit” venture. There are no commissions to be earned, no axes to grind. My only goal is to help friends, and friends of friends to find jobs; get connections through other people’s networks, and to offer a helping, supportive hand.

Recently, I was in transition. I know the pain, heartache, and self doubt that comes with it. I also know the power, strength and courage that can come with it as well. But, with that said, I never, ever want to forget the pain of how hard it is to be a candidate.

Yes, I’m in HR. I hope to leverage my connections with my friends and colleagues to help those in the midst of a job search. Let’s just call it my good Karma wagon. By paying it forward, I fulfill my passion and my mission, while helping another human being. What could be better than that?

If recruiters make placements, and make commissions, that’s good too. My goal is pure and simple #HireFriday gives visibility on twitter to people looking for jobs.

Recently, my facebook status was as follows: “Have you hugged an unemployed friend today? Do something better, introduce them to your contact network and give them a leg up.”

That status was re-tweeted around the globe. What I’m discovering after just two short weeks is that this idea is catching on, it has resonance, and reach. And sometimes good deeds do go unpunished, as the saying goes.

When I make a placement as a recruiter, I’m wearing a very different hat. Candidate sourcing on twitter is tough, and it’s not the best place to source. However, it is a good place to identify passive candidates who aren’t actively engaged in a search. The candidates who participate in #HireFriday, are most certainly active candidates. They are the low hanging fruit, ready to be picked. I say, let’s give them a job first, they are the ones who need them most.

My other favorite saying that I share with recruiters around the world is “Never take away a person’s hope, it might just be the only thing they have left.”

Sincerely,

Margo Rose @HRMargo http://blogtalkradio.com/comphr