Can I please get a woohoo!?

It was a good couple of weeks for Sodexo and the Talent Acquisition Team.

If I've said this once I've said it 1000 times. I am not a recruiter. I'm just a marketing type. I say "just" a marketing type because recruiters are marketers too - they are "multi-skilled" as one of our own describes herself on Twitter. If you don't believe me just watch the videos from the ERE Expo in San Diego, CA this week. As we learned from the many speakers at this event recruiters are marketing types. And, as Marketing Communications Manager for Sodexo's awesome team of recruiters I'm feeling proud to be a part of this team right now.

We were still on a high from last week's announcement of being ranked #1 on the 2010 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity list that return guest blogger (and Gen Y'er), Randi Majors, blogged about earlier this week when we learned of another #1 ranking.

The 2010 Recruiting Excellence Awards for Recruiting Department/Function of the Year from ERE!

Can I please get a woohoo!?

If you were at the ERE Expo live or if you were following the event through the ERE live stream you may have noticed a lot of excitement from our team on the Twitter feed and in the audience. No one can say we don't have team spirit, right? This team spirit is not only in our group - it spreads across the company from the US to France to Canada to around the world and back to the US. George Chavel, President & CEO of Sodexo, Inc. (who was in Paris at the time) and the Senior Vice President of Human Resources in Sodexo Canada sent congratulations messages to our team as soon they found out we won.

It's a big deal for us. Big.

And, we were in great company with the other finalists like UnitedHealth Group, Rosetta (the marketing solutions company not the language-learning company), Intuit, Accenture, Paychex, AT&T, Tata, and CACI. And lets not forget a few of the past winners such as Starbucks, Deloitte, and Enterprise.

I'm pretty sure everyone who attended the ERE Expo (live or not) has gone home with an action item to learn from this group of great marketers, right?

2010 Recruiting Excellence Awards :

• Best College Recruiting Program: Ernst & Young
• Best Corporate Careers Website: DaVita
• Best Employee Referral Program: Aricent
• Best Employer Brand: Ernst & Young
• Best Retention Program/Practices: PNC Bank
• Most Strategic Use of Technology: KeyBank
• Recruiting Department/Function of the Year: Sodexo

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Since 2002, we have earned more than 50 awards and credits in various publications and organizations. Here are three from last week:

• March 9, 2010 - Sodexo Named One of the World's "Most Admired Companies" by FORTUNE Learn more
• March 9, 2010 - Jazzman's Café and Bakery Named a "Top 25 Bakery Cafe Chain" by Technomic Information Services Learn more
• March 10, 2010 - Sodexo Ranked Number One Company for Diversity by DiversityInc Learn more

We’re Number One: A Me Perspective

By return Guest Blogger, Randi Majors, Sr. Communications Specialist for Sodexo's Internal Communications

I’m recovering this week from my participation in Sodexo’s annual Diversity Business Leadership Summit -- and by recovering I mean getting a chance to respond to my e-mail – all the while wearing a smile reflective of my new sense of purpose and commitment to the role I play in developing a diversity story.

You see, on day two of the summit, at 5:45 a.m., -- yes, I was fortunate to be up that early -- I received an e-mail message announcing that Sodexo had received top honors from DiversityInc by being named number one among the top 50 companies for diversity and inclusion. When the announcement was made to the 600 plus attendees at the summit, the excitement was palpable. For me however, everything about the announcement was personal because I realized that the award was about me.

Bear with me here.

I’m a Millennial -- you know, that “it’s all about me” generation that pursues copious amounts of advanced education and expects to align personal values with the organization to which they belong. It is through this lens, that I realize my personal experience isn’t that I work for the company that has received this honor; really, this personal experience is that I’m a part of the story that has led the company to receive such an honor. I realized that the Sodexo diversity and inclusion story couldn’t happen without unique perspectives, backgrounds, and people. It is within the context of diversity and inclusion that I believe that Millennials have it right: diversity and inclusion is about me, and you, and everyone else who makes up a community or organization while contributing to its uniqueness.

That the organization to which I belong has been recognized for this prestigious honor satisfies my Millennial desire that my values match up with that of my organization. Being recognized by DiversityInc demonstrates that Sodexo not only talks the talk, but walks while talking – and the world has noticed. In a six year period this organization has succeeded in manifesting a large portion of its destiny to establish diversity and inclusion as a business imperative, as well as an ethical and social responsibility. Here again, surprise, surprise, I see me. Because diversity and inclusion is a part of the make-up of Sodexo, there is a new learning experience every day. An organization committed to diversity and inclusion is one that is committed to teaching and learning and there are myriad opportunities offered daily. Network groups, mentoring programs, flexible work arrangements all reflect a corporate culture that supports what it means to be diverse and inclusive whether you’re a Millennial or Baby Boomer, Pacific-Islander or South American, telecommuter or cube dweller.

Our organizational leaders will tell you that we still have work left to do, and that’s ok with me. A commitment to work means a commitment to change, and you guessed it, a commitment to me.

What else could a Millennial ask for?

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Randi joined Sodexo as a Senior Communications Specialist in 2007. She currently manages communications for a number of special projects and supports internal clients like the Office of Diversity and Supply Management. You can connect with Randi on LinkedIn.

In 2010 I will..

By Guest Blogger, Suzanne Thompson, Senior Recruiter for Sodexo's Talent Acquisition Group.

Here we are already 3 months into the New Year and as Lorna mentioned in her blog post last week – it really is hard to believe. Time flies when you’re having fun, right?

In my role as a Senior Recruiter for Sodexo’s Facilities Management Team I have the pleasure of connecting with a variety of professionals as they search for a job at Sodexo. Some of these professionals are just starting their careers and others are looking for a change. All of these candidates have one thing in common though - the desire for something new and a job at Sodexo.

Every year in January or February I will inevitably speak to a candidate whose change is a direct result of a New Year’s career resolution.

So in January’s issue of Sodexo Career Connection (our careers enewsletter that is full of job related stories, like benefits and career development at Sodexo) I decided to write an article about New Year's resolutions and careers. I wanted to hear from readers what they thought they would do with their career in 2010. Did you take our poll? I hope so because the results are in...

- 21% of the readers, who participated in our online poll, are considering a career move to a new company. I, along with my colleagues, have the pleasure each day of talking with candidates who are looking for opportunities at Sodexo. Personally, I have been with Sodexo for 19 years and have found the possibilities for career growth and career development to be endless.

- 19% are looking to update their resume. There are many great resources out on the internet for resume writing. CareerBuilder along with others, have tools available to assist with resume development.

- 17% plan to enroll in a class to enhance a current skill or gain new skills. As mentioned in Career Connections November 2009 issue, Sodexo has not only maintained its traditional education benefits, it has also sought to find creative new ways to invest in our employees and their personal and professional development.

- 15% want to work with a recruiter to build a search strategy to find a new job at Sodexo. Sodexo offers many tools to enhance the job search. Try our Job Widget , set up a Job Agent in Sodexo’s Career Center or a Twitter Job Alert and let the jobs come to you.

- 13% will practice interviewing skills. Have you thought about checking out YouTube interviewing techniques? Whether you are a current employee going for a new position or looking to join an organization such as Sodexo, do your homework on the company and practice, practice, practice your interview skills!

- 13% will leverage personal and professional networks through social media (i.e. LinkedIn, Twitter, blogs, etc.) Social Networking is a great way to learn about job opportunities at Sodexo, learn about upcoming conferences where Sodexo may be, or even how today’s news will impact all of us. Make the commitment today to Network with Sodexo.

- 2% responded that they were satisfied with their career. I always say, “Keep your eyes open as you never know what door may open.” It’s possible that while reading this blog, a news release, or a career connection newsletter article that door may just be opening.

So, what do you think of the results?

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Suzanne Thompson is a Senior Recruiter for Sodexo's Talent Acquisition Group. She began her career with Sodexo more than 17 years ago in operations for our Health Care Services. Three years ago she moved to Sodexo’s Talent Acquisition Group recruiting for Engineering & Environmental services and is now recruiting for the Health Care Engineering team in the East. Suzanne has 4 kids, 2 dogs, 2 cats, and a husband - whom she loving refers to as her 5th child. I invite you to connect with me on LinkedIn OR Twitter.

Happy Registered Dietitian Day!

By Guest Blogger, Susan Laramee, Clinical Recruitment Manager with Sodexo's Talent Acquisition Team.

Today is “Registered Dietitian Day” – a day to recognize Registered Dietitians worldwide for their commitment to helping people enjoy a healthy life.

Across the country Registered Dietitians (or RD’s) will be recognized for the work that they do to help people make food choices that support their health and well-being. At Sodexo, various celebrations will held today and during the month of March, which is National Nutrition Month, to recognize and celebrate the role of the RD is living the Sodexo mission of “improving the quality of daily life.”

The majority of RD’s in the US, and at Sodexo, work in acute care hospitals, out-patient centers, or senior living facilities. In this capacity, many are involved in designing nutrition care plans to meet medical needs such as diabetes, heart disease, kidney failure and other life-altering conditions. With the guidance and support of the RD many are able to regain health and strength, and lead productive, fulfilling lives even with a serious medial problem. Sodexo RD’s are committed to providing the very best patient experience for all our clients. It is part of our culture, and the RD’s are proud to be part of Sodexo’s success in making patients the heart of everything we do.

Many RD’s do not work in direct patient care and at Sodexo, the largest private employer of RD’s in the US, this is no exception. Through out the company you will find RD’s who have expanded their skills through advanced degrees and work experience. They have assumed roles in leading the operational functions of the company, and work in marketing, brand development, human resources, sales, and many other areas – just as RD’s through out the US have done. Some work as educators in the Sodexo Dietetic Internships, developing future professionals. Others manage food service departments in all Sodexo markets - education, government, corporate services and Health Care, while others have taken on executive roles at the corporate level. As a company, we are extremely proud of the contributions and achievements of all our RD employees thorough out the US.

As a supporter of the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, Sodexo is also committed to the fight against childhood obesity. Working in our school accounts, RD’s work with the culinary teams, parents, kids and school administration and faculty to bring healthy meals to the school setting. Wellness programs are part of the employee cafeteria programs that we provide for many of our corporate clients. And all of the Sodexo RD’s are engaged in bring the message of good health through nutritious foods to the people they serve.

I hope you will join us in thanking a Sodexo RD today for the commitment they have to health through food and recognize them for the great job they do every day.

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Susan Laramee is a Clinical Recruitment Manager with Sodexo's Talent Acquisition Team. Susan joined Sodexo after being employed at the Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, where she held a number of management and clinical specialist positions. She is a past-president of the American Dietetic Association, and currently serve as a member of Commission on Dietetic Registration. In recognition of her leadership, professional achievements and mentoring, she was the recipient of ADA’s prestigious Medallion Award, Outstanding Dietitian of the Year in Massachusetts, and Distinguished Alumni Award from the College of Allied Health at Syracuse University.Susan completed her B.S. degree at Syracuse University, Syracuse NY, M.S. degree at Boston University, Boston, MA, and is a graduate of the Dietetic Internship at the Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA. You can connect with her on Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin.

Is Sodexo right for you?

By Guest Blogger, Lorna Fuller, Senior Recruiter

It doesn't seem possible that we are already 3 months into the new year, does it? Where did the last two months go?

I started 2010 reflecting on where I've been, where I am now and most importantly what are my priorities for where I want to go in the future. I've learned over the years that in order to set a priority, you first have to define it. Webster says the word priority means, “precedence: status established in order of importance or urgency.” In other words, priority is time management.

So how do you set your priorities? As a Clinical Recruiter for Sodexo USA, I am often asked for career advice. I always, always, always say, "First things first - make a list, check it twice, and then set realistic goals for yourself." By the way, I also live by this advice. And then I say, "The fun part comes when you are able to cross off your accomplishments on a daily, weekly, monthly and even yearly basis."

Whether we realize it or not, we use this type of logic when seeking job opportunities too.

Being a recruiter is a rewarding job because I'm able to provide a new beginning for people. Part of my job is to determine if the candidate is right for Sodexo and the other part is to help the candidate determine if Sodexo is right for them. I know when faced with a decision to accept or reject a career opportunity, it's important to determine if the position would lend itself to the lifestyle that we most enjoy or one that meets our needs and comfort level. For some, the priority is career advancement, or professional development for others it 's maybe work/life balance, financial security, or a combination of these.

There is no right or wrong answer when making this determination; it’s what works best for you, the individual.

Career advancement and professional development are how individuals manage their career progression within and between organizations and how organizations structure the learning opportunities to promote both personal and professional growth in the individual. Technology and the increasing rate of change organizations experience causes us to need the knowledge and skills to perform these tasks, which increases our commitment to the process more so than other self-directed activities. Knowing our employees are seeking new ways to manage their career development, Sodexo has made training a large part of our benefits and we offer diverse learning opportunities specially designed to help employees flourish and grow in your personal and professional life.

Part of Sodexo's career development program is work/life effectiveness. Although a very broad concept, it's the relative importance of work and personal life to an individual. It doesn't mean an equal balance, but one that suits you from day to day. The right balance depends on where you are in life. It differs for each of us. Because work has a tendency sometimes to spill over into our personal lives, it’s important for us to recognize when one should end and the other begin. Sodexo's flexible work arrangements, job sharing, and virtual offices are just a few ways we promote quality of life solutions for our employees. Because balance looks different for everyone our training and development programs provide the tools to determine the right balance for each individual.

When I speak to candidates I make sure they know that Sodexo understands the various priorities that individuals face when making the decision to take that next step in their career and we are committed to meet the needs of our diverse workforce. At Sodexo, we support and encourage our employees to shape their own future and grow with the company.

Which brings me back to my career advice to candidates. Define your priorities and goals and then ask yourself, "Is Sodexo right for me?"

Well, is it?

Search Sodexo Jobs Here.

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Lorna Fuller is a Senior Recruiter at Sodexo. She received a B.S degree in Dietetics from the University of Akron and a M.S degree in Dietetics from Kent State University. Lorna has been active in health & wellness activities for more than 19 years and has served as president of the Cleveland Dietetic Association and most recently served on the Ohio Board of Dietetics. She is a native Clevelander and is active in various church activities. An avid reader, and traveler, she enjoys giving back to the community. Her favorite positive affirmation borrowed from Les Brown is "if you want to soar like eagles, leave those pigeons alone." You can connect with her on Twitter and Linkedin

Yeah, I made a New Year's Resolution

Did you read guest blogger, Susan Laramee's post, Eat Less, Do More last month?

I decided since Monday marked the first day of National Nutrition Month and since Sodexo is the largest private employer of Registered Dietitians in the USA that I'd link back to her great post about nutrition and the common New Year's Resolution of getting healthy, or losing weight, or exercising more or how ever you want to describe being smart about your nutrition.

A few of the clinical recruiting team members will be guest blogging for us this month about nutrition and a career with Sodexo as a Registered Dietitian -- so stay tuned!

Susan wrote about the popular New Year's Resolution for better health and Sodexo's tools for success available in many of our Health Care accounts, called “Create Your Weight.” This nine week program is available for adults and children and taught by a Registered Dietitian.

Last year, I eluded to the need for a better health regime but I never committed to it. I love chocolate covered pretzels way too much to give them up. I am a firm believer in "doing what you say you are going to do" and because I don't think I have ever actually kept a New Year's Resolution, I don't like making them.

This year I made a New Year's Resolution and, of course, I have a story to share.

I've been working with my daughter on her use of the word "yeah."

I'll use "yeah" in a sentence so you can get the big picture.

Me: "Did you finish your homework?"

Daughter's Response: "Yeah."

It's a bad habit that she picked up "somewhere." I say "somewhere" because over the holidays, during our many days off together, we worked hard on this bad habit of "hers." I was being persistent and she was getting annoyed with me. No sooner would I correct her (do you mean "yes" I would say) and she would say, "yeah" again! My daughter is the sweetest little girl you'll ever meet (except to her brother who she torments on a regular basis). She would never ever intentionally show disrespect to anyone (again, except her brother).

After I had corrected her about 15 times during dinner one night she tentatively and quietly said to me, "Momma, you just said, yeah."

"Excuse me," I asked?!

She smiled sweetly and triumphantly said with a little more confidence, "YOU just said, yeah!"

And we both giggled.

So we agreed we would help each to correct "our" bad habit together. And because the timing was good, I made this my New Year's Resolution. With the help of my 10 year old, "yeah" will be replaced with "yes!"

I am happy to say, 2 months and 2 days into the new year, my daughter and I are both saying, "yes" way more often than, "yeah."

Can I get a woo-hoo!?

Inspiring and Developing Leaders

By Guest Blogger, Veronica Harville, Vice President Client Relations for Sodexo

When Sodexo’s Network Group, the African American Leadership Forum (AALF) set out in 2002, they decided that our foundation -- the heart of who we are -- would be centered on inspiring and developing leaders.

Now 8 years later in 2010 AALF continues to set the bar in terms of being best in class and we are truly excited about the journey we are on. Our commitment of developing leaders was loud and clear at the 7th Annual AALF National Meeting held at the Coca-Cola Company headquarters located in Atlanta, Georgia last week.

And as Chair of AALF, I am so honored to be part of this group.

One of the most exciting parts of our annual meeting was the announcement of the AALF scholarship winners. What a testament when you have AALF members, Sodexo employees, family and friends buy into and support your vision to make an impactful difference in the lives of students who have not always had the best opportunities. As a result of this support, this year we awarded $30,000 in scholarships to students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities that partner with Sodexo.

The AALF Scholarship Fund was established in September 2005 in response to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. AALF wanted to do something to help students impacted by the storm and the Scholarship Fund was the result. To date AALF has raised more than $80,000 to benefit this great cause. The scholarships are awarded to deserving students pursuing academic and leadership excellence at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Recipients must be currently enrolled and classified as an undergraduate sophomore, junior or senior. In addition, recipients must be pursuing an undergraduate degree in Business, Nutrition/Dietetics, Management, Technology, Engineering, or Hospitality Management.

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Three of our 15 scholarship winners attended the AALF annual meeting and it was awe inspiring to hear excerpts from their essays. All of them noted obstacles they had overcome in growing up that could have prevented them from attending college, but their perseverance and determination is fierce.

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Without further ado, I am proud to share more about the four

AALF Scholarships & recipients.

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The Noralyn Mills Memorial Scholarship is a scholarship honoring the memory of Noralyn Mills, one of AALF’s charter members. The recipient of this scholarship must be a student majoring in Nutrition/Dietetics and possessing outstanding leadership qualities. The 2010 recipient of the Noralyn Mills Memorial Scholarship was Tiffanie Richardson from Howard University.

The Ollie Lawrence Founders Scholarship is a leadership scholarship honoring Ollie Lawrence, the group’s founder. The recipient of this scholarship must demonstrate exceptional leadership skills, initiative, and a strong work ethic. Our 2010 Ollie Lawrence Founders Scholarship recipients were Bobby Haney from Claflin College, Hershelle Gaffney from Bennet College, Jerrica Burnham from Clark Atlanta University, Kristian Edwards from Central State University, Sierra Wallace from Howard University, Terrence Lotts from Xavier University New Orleans and, Toi Haynes-Shelman from Claflin College

The Chairman’s Leadership Scholarship honors the past chairs of AALF, Cassandra Crawley, James Taylor, Sharmeen Hawkins, Keysa Minnifield, Mike Grey and Sonia Suber. The recipient of this scholarship must demonstrate exceptional leadership skills, initiative and the ability to lead an organization of his/her peers. Our 2010 Chairman’s Leadership Scholarship recipients were Alexander Aaron fromHoward University, Jesica Holley from Tuskegee University, and Lloyd Reeves from Clark Atlanta

The Dick Macedonia Diversity Leadership Scholarship honors the group’s first executive sponsor. The recipient of this scholarship must demonstrate a strong diversity and inclusion awareness and exceptional leadership qualities. Our 2010 Dick Macedonia Diversity Leadership Scholarship recipients are Erica Smith from Howard University, Chukwuemeka Anazia from North Carolina A&T, Michael Griffin from North Carolina A&T and, Sixto Suazo from Clark Atlanta University.

Congratulations future leaders!

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Veronica Harville,
Vice President Client Relations for Sodexo

Veronica Harville joined the Sodexo team in May of 2002 as a Senior Finance Manager for the Health care Division. She served in several roles until landing in her current role as Vice President Client Relations in a cross divisional move to Corporate Services in May 2007. She earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 1996 and is a Certified Public Accountant.

Veronica spends a great deal of time giving back to her community including The Boys and Girls Club of Birmingham Board of Directors, where she mentors young girls in her community. Veronica has been a member of the Sodexo African American Leadership Forum (AALF) network group since its inception and has served on the leadership team for the last five years including her current current role as Chair.