When you think of the holidays, what comes to mind? How about holiday carols and jingle bells? Snow flakes and hot chocolate? Or… how about presents wrapped in colorful paper, a red suit and a white beard? If you’ve got Santa on your mind, it means that Santa Claus has done his job and done it well! You see, there are certainly some business lessons to be learned from Jolly Ol’ St. Nick. Why is Santa so successful? Well, he’s got the tools he needs all around him! Ranging from a great support staff, to the right marketing tools… he’s got it all.

This week’s blog post follows tradition in our love for lists (check out our previous Behave for Business, Networking Event and Halloween posts) and we’ve created a special edition list in honor of the upcoming holiday!

What is Santa’s secret recipe for success?

Reindeer aka the facilitators – Santa’s reindeer have always been able to get him from place to place quickly and efficiently. They’ve helped Santa spread his holiday cheer, and he’d be lost without them. Well, we may not have our own personal reindeer here in the corporate world, but we certainly have individuals in the workplace whose role is to help expand our reach every day while doing it quickly and efficiently! These individuals help businesses grow and make things easier all around. That’s why they’re the facilitators in any organization and play such a key role.

Image courtesy of mariettaga.gov

Elves aka the assistants - Santa may have millions upon millions of toys to deliver, and he certainly can’t meet this demand all on his own. So, he calls upon his elves to help match these needs. Elves are “do’ers” and basically, they get things done. They are the producers of any organization, and also vital to reaching success.

The recent release of CareerBuilder and USA Today’s mid-year nationwide survey of more than 2,500 hiring and HR managers and more than 4,400 workers shows that the economy is projected to trend upward and that the numbers are on par with last quarter’s positive changes. Employers will continue to hire at a consistent but moderate pace and will primarily focus on preserving current clientele and fueling new revenue opportunities.

Three trends that were highlighted for in the second half of 2010 were:

1. Emerging Jobs – Employers are looking to fill positions relatively new to the work force. Twenty-four percent of employers said they are recruiting for positions in social media, green energy, cyber security, global relations and health care reform.

2. Changing Jobs – Employers are implementing measures to retain top performers. According to the forecast, 29 percent of all workers plan to leave their organizations in the next 12 months as the economy continues to improve.

3. Shortage of Skilled Labor – One-in-five employers reported that, despite an abundant labor pool, they still have positions for which they can’t find enough qualified candidates. Nearly half of HR managers claim there is a shortage of skills in those areas related to IT, Customer Service and Communications.

To view the complete report, you can download a copy by clicking here.

A few weeks ago, I read an article on Mashable that broke down the revamps and additions to existing LinkedIn groups. I was very excited to read about the updates, but what caught my attention was something that actually wasn’t so new to these groups.

According to the article, “You may not know this, but the business social network actually gives you the option to ‘follow’ individuals if you want to see what they’re saying in different groups, but aren’t his or her connection.”

If you’ve read my previous post on LinkedIn, you already know that I am a huge fan of the site (yes, I really am). That being said, the idea of knowing I could be followed by a complete stranger – my every comment instantly shared with them at just the click of a button – made me a little uncomfortable. Could someone that I don’t even know really click on one follow button and instantly receive notifications for my every post within our shared groups? Without even giving me any sort of notification about their follow??

Some of you may be wondering, what is the follow button? Where can you find it? To give you a little breakdown: the follow feature was released in late 2009 and it allows users to quickly find the contributions made by fellow group members they “value.” When you post something on a LinkedIn group, a follow button is added right under your photo. If someone would like to keep track of your comments within your shared groups, they simply have to click that follow button. From there, they receive updates with your latest group comments and what’s more, they can sign up for e-mail notifications of the comments you post.

We tweeted. You clicked. Here are some of the most popular tweets we sent out this week…

How to Get Yourself Head-Hunted | BNET http://ow.ly/1Cmxk

Treasury Unveils New $100 Bill: Fun Facts About the Benjamins – CBS MoneyWatch.com http://ow.ly/1CmFl

7 important steps in your job hunt Rewrite your résumé with an eye toward demonstrating results, compose a… http://bit.ly/9BFnZo

StormStaff is excited to participate in the Great American Bake Sale! We will be hosting the bake sale event in our… http://bit.ly/9CFBTg

What to Do About ‘Body Art’ at Work | workforce.com http://ht.ly/1DIWX

Top Five Legal Issues for Employers in 2010 | workforce.com http://ht.ly/1DJ2D

8 Tips to get a Recruiter’s Attention! http://ht.ly/1DJfb

10 things human resources wont say: Personal Finance News from Yahoo! Finance http://ht.ly/1EIbM

POLL: What social networking site has been the most helpful with your job search? http://ht.ly/1EQxV

Looking for a job can be tiresome and is pretty much a job within itself! Between applying to jobs, networking and getting on the radar of hiring managers – all while still trying to maintain your personal life – it can be overwhelming. What happens when you’re feeling low on energy? What can you do to boost it up? Here are some tips we’ve gathered to help you bring up your energy any time you’re feeling a little sluggish:

Change your diet. Eat snacks containing protein and a complex carbohydrate. You may look to candy bars or sodas for a sugar boost but those will only provide you with a temporary fix. Sugary foods will take you on a roller coast, making you feel good at the beginning, but sluggish later. Make sure to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water.

Take breaks. If you take short breaks every now and then, it can actually help you overcome fatigue and get more done in the day. If you take one break of five to ten minutes (or even less), it’ll keep your energy up. Studies have shown that schedules allowing brief, frequent breaks are best in terms of fighting fatigue and increasing productivity.

“Why is this position vacant?” “What is the company culture like at this company?” “How are candidates evaluated and what’s the measure of success?” According to Tory Johnson, Good Morning America’s resident job advice expert, asking questions like these during your interview can give you some crucial intelligence  into how the company works and what you can expect if you work there.

When recruiters ask job seekers “Do you have any questions for me?” the worst answer is “no.” Asking questions shows that you’re genuinely interested in that particular company and position, according to Johnson.

Ask about things like company culture, which means what it’s like to work at that company. This includes the vibe, the atmosphere, the values, the work styles and preferences and what it’s like to be in that environment every day.

The “must ask” that you should always end the interview with is “What are the next steps in this process?” Maybe you’ll have a follow up interview. Maybe there’s some testing involved. Asking this question will help you determine the best follow up procedure and timeline, the decision process, the expected start date.

We tweeted. You clicked. Here are some of the most popular tweets we sent out this week…

CB: The Hiring Site Ready for Earth Day 2010? Majority of Employers Are Doing Something to Be More Environmentally … http://ow.ly/178iOi

Our Ft. Lauderdale Office is excited to participate in the Great American Bake Sale!! http://bit.ly/dxC6fu

6 ways to improve your e-mail habits Every time you send an e-mail, it says something about your personal brand,… http://bit.ly/aOcEim

Temp Jobs featured on Good Morning America: Need a Job? Skilled Professionals, Low-Wage Workers Needed to Temp http://bit.ly/d83GOF

Social Media Etiquette: Communicate Behavioral Expectations http://ow.ly/1zgQs

CB: The Hiring Site Introducing CareerBuilder’s Ultimate Recruitment Guide (Free Download) http://ow.ly/175Cls

In the current state of the economy, many graduating students may get nervous about starting a job search after graduation. Unemployment rates are high and graduating seniors face an increasingly competitive workforce, but there are still many employers who are open to hiring recent graduates without experience. If you are a senior about to graduate soon, you may want to begin the job-search process now. How can you start?

Whether you’re a recent college grad who just entered the working world or a seasoned professional at management level, utilizing a career mentor can be beneficial to you at all stages.

Take a moment and consider what you would want out of a relationship with your mentor. Your needs may vary depending on your career level. Some individuals need guidance on handling new professional experiences, others may need help reflecting on previous work and getting to the next level. You may also want to think about the types of skills your mentor can help you develop.

We tweeted. You clicked. Here are some of the most popular tweets we sent out this week…

- CB: The Hiring Site Know Who You Aren’t: A Lesson In Employment Branding Done Right http://ow.ly/171aoL

- Alexandra Levit’s Water Cooler Wisdom: 5 Personal Qualities Every Resume Should Demonstrate http://ow.ly/1wcdH

- Part-Time, Temporary Jobs On The Rise http://bit.ly/aOC0mA

- Interesting: Facebook’s official company statistics outline the breakdown of the sites over 400 million active… http://bit.ly/9dYvfK

- 162,000 jobs were added last month! http://ow.ly/1uNYr

- Do the Positive Job Numbers Indicate a Comeback? http://ow.ly/1u7XG