July 10, 2011

RIM placing focus on Talent Acquisition?

As soon as meetings end, I am known to send a LinkedIN connection request. Every day I check to see who has viewed my profile. Call me an addict, if you wish.

Yesterday I was faced with an ad asking me to consider job openings Research in Motion (RIM). I’m not sure if this is a new ad unit, or whether I’ve simply never seen it before, but I find it to be rather interesting. Clearly, based on something in my profile, RIM is targeting me to apply for jobs.

I’m not sure whether this is because my current location is listed as Toronto, because of my listed interests in technology, my background in startups, my listed positions in enterprise, or some combination. 

What I do find interesting is RIM’s decision to run these ads at this moment in time. The company is facing aggravated shareholders, declining stock values, less impressive quarters and is currently laying off employees. It makes me wonder if:

  1. This was lined up long before the layoffs, and the timing is just poor;
  2. As a result of current state, RIM is struggling to attract experienced hires;
  3. RIM is finally filling some talent gaps in product development (and mistakenly targeted me); or
  4. RIM just really really like me.

Either way, I found the ad unit, and the timing, to be rather interesting.

  • http://www.guardly.com Robert Lendvai

    Alex, I had one of these ads pop-up in my profile. I also thought the timing was rather unusual. Not sure why they pegged me for VP of supply chain? That’s type of experience is nowhere to be found in my profile.

    http://www.twitpic.com/5l8mdx

    • http://www.twitter.com/alexblom AlexBlom

      Thanks Robert. It is rather odd, for sure. I’ve got to wonder what the logic is, or if perhaps there is a genuine struggle for workers right now?

  • Cindy

    Hi Alex, enjoyed your blog post, I think you need to add a 5th point though is they saw your influence halo on twitter and your blog and want you to leverage your network. Looks like they already succeeded as you have written a blog and I have done a tweet, so perhaps this about your network reach and hence brand profiling. Cheers and keep up the fabulous writing, your pal cindy gordon, ceo helix http://www.helixcommerce.com

    • http://www.twitter.com/alexblom AlexBlom

      Yes and no. I can’t think of any software out there that checks my Twitter / Blog reach and tracks that down to my LinkedIN – that would me a manual, human action and likely a wate of time.

      Me writing a blog: I simply can’t see why them putting $ into that right now is the best move. If you see Roberts comment below, it does genuinely seem to be a hiring campaign as he too was targeted.