Sodexo Careers

Links for 2010-03-19 [del.icio.us]

Sat, 20 Mar 2010 00:00:00 PDT

We're Number One: A Me Perspective
By return Guest Blogger, Randi Majors, Sr. Communications Specialist for Sodexo's Internal Communications

Can I please get a woohoo!?

kerry.noone@sodexo.com (Kerry Noone) — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 18:48:00 +0000

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

Links for 2010-03-17 [del.icio.us]

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 00:00:00 PDT

Sodexo Careers
The Talent Acquisition Group for Sodexo is a group of recruiting professionals with an expertise in finding the right employees to fill open positions within the company in the United States. Our recruiters are committed to finding the best qualified candidates for a career at Sodexo. Our goal is to give our visitors the opportunity to take a look inside Sodexo and to interact with us in a variety of ways.

We’re Number One: A Me Perspective

kerry.noone@sodexo.com (Kerry Noone) — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:29:00 +0000

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..

kerry.noone@sodexo.com (Kerry Noone) — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:51:00 +0000

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!

kerry.noone@sodexo.com (Kerry Noone) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:23:00 +0000

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?

kerry.noone@sodexo.com (Kerry Noone) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 18:30:00 +0000

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

kerry.noone@sodexo.com (Kerry Noone) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:48:00 +0000

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

kerry.noone@sodexo.com (Kerry Noone) — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 19:33:00 +0000

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.

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.

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

AALF Scholarships & recipients.

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!

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.

Sodexo's STOP Hunger Scholarship Deadline

kerry.noone@sodexo.com (Kerry Noone) — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 18:08:00 +0000

Do you know a student who could use $5000? Who doesn't need a little help with college tuition, right?

With two children of my own who are less than 10 years away from college and a step daughter heading off next year I know we could use a little help with tuition. Sodexo is all about scholarships. Guest blogger, Michele Posehn posted last year about memorial scholarships for employees and children of employees and tomorrow I am going to post about the the African American Leadership Forum (AALF) scholarships offered to Sodexo employees.

But TODAY I am posting about The Sodexo Foundation STOP Hunger Scholarships that are offered to all (Sodexo employee or not) students in K - grad school who are fighting hunger in America.

But, here's the thing.

The STOP Hunger Scholarship deadline is TOMORROW.

The Sodexo Foundation provides $5,000 scholarships to students in K - grad school who are fighting hunger in America.In addition to the scholarships, the Sodexo Foundation will provide a matching $5,000 grant to the winners' designated charity. You can learn more about this great program on the STOP Hunger web site.

If you have kids, know kids or have heard of any kids anywhere in the US who may be doing great things to fight hunger, CALL THEM NOW and encourage them to apply TODAY.

Deadline: TOMORROW - February 26, 2010!

STOP Hunger Where It Starts

Since 1999, the charitable arm of Sodexo , the Sodexo Foundation, has been committed to being a driving and creative force that contributes to a hunger-free nation. In order to eliminate hunger that affects 35.5 million people in the U.S., we must fight its root causes. The Sodexo Foundation supports innovative programs to help children and families in the United States who are battling problems like poverty, unemployment, lack of education, and food insecurity.

Visit our STOP Hunger web site for more information.

NSMH here we come!

kerry.noone@sodexo.com (Kerry Noone) — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 03:27:00 +0000

By Guest Blogger, LaShawn Dukes, Senior Recruiter, Sodexo Talent Acquisition.

Who's headed to Indianapolis for the National Society of Minorities in Hospitality (NSMH) 21st Annual National Conference this week? I am!

Sodexo is once again a proud sponsor of the NSMH Annual National Conference. If you didn't know, NSMH is an organization of students and professionals representing an array of

social and cultural backgrounds and a wealth of unique perspectives. Sodexo will be networking with future leaders, alum and industry partners to identify and hire some of the top and brightest students in the country at the conference, which is February 18th – 21st. And, as I assist with several initiatives for this year’s conference events, I can’t help but reflect on my NSMH experiences as a student at Widener University.

I remember preparing for my first conference in Ithaca, New York. It was an exciting time as four of my classmates and I traveled by car to Cornell University where we attended the 2nd Annual Society of Minority Hoteliers (SMH) Conference. Yes, for a brief period, NSMH was called Society of Minorities in Hospitality (SMH).

What an eye opening experience it was for me.

There I was in the company of many self-driven enthusiastic peers who were just as passionate about the hospitality industry as me. I attended the conference to expand my knowledge of industry related opportunities, enlarge my network portfolio, and secure a summer internship. Without a doubt, my peers were there for similar reasons.

At the end of a fabulous three day conference with inspiring speakers, fascinating workshops and exquisite themed meals, I had an amazing time. Moreover, I felt even more compelled to soar academically and professionally. Unfortunately, I did not leave the conference with a summer internship, but I returned to campus eager to apply the many effective job searching and interviewing techniques I learned at the conference. Consequently, I landed a wonderful internship in Washington, DC for that summer. The following year I held the office of NSMH Chapter President at Widener University, which enabled me to share my experiences about the conference, heighten awareness about the organization, and develop my leadership skills.

The overall experience was priceless!

Ironically nearly two decades later, I'll be to attending the conference as an industry partner, versus a student. As a recruiter, I have the privilege of assisting Sodexo’s most talented team of hospitality professionals rev up for this exhilarating event. Months of planning and hard work have been underway to attract tomorrow’s leaders to various facets of our organization. Sodexo's Talent Acquisition team members are embracing the challenge of finding the best and the smartest future leaders of Sodexo and we do so with confidence, diligence and a proven track record of success! Check out our web site or Facebook event page for more information about who you can meet at this event.

If you happen to be in Indy this week I hope you'll stop by the Sodexo booth #301 and say hello to me!

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LaShawn Dukes, Senior Recruiter

LaShawn Dukes is a Senior Recruiter for Sodexo's Talent Acquisition Group. She began her career in operations more than 16 years ago and has held several positions including General Manager- Food Services at Johns Hopkins Hospital. LaShawn is a member of two Sodexo network groups: Pan Asian Network Group and African American Leadership Forum (Treasurer-Baltimore Chapter). She invites you to network with her on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

Stay the Course at Sodexo

kerry.noone@sodexo.com (Kerry Noone) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:26:00 +0000

By Guest Blogger, Mel Maycole, General Manager, Environmental Services

My success journey began in February 1986, when I worked for the largest private operator of Health Care facilities in the United States. My first role was a lead person, then a supervisor, manager and finally became the Department Director. My promotion to Director was referred to as “unprecedented.” Unprecedented because, historically, managers at the hospital did not get promoted from within. The words in the halls were: “They do not promote from within, they will bring someone with fresh ideas or they will bring in a Director from a sister facility.”

Why stay the course?

Few of the reasons why I stayed are:

Passionate about my job
Advancement Opportunity
Latitude to make a difference

In July of 1999, my employer made the decision to contract with Sodexo for Environmental Services and Patient Transport. I was selected for the Director’s position in Patient Transport. Once again, I reaped the serendipitous benefit of staying the course.

While my prior experience helped prepare me for my role with Sodexo; I quickly realized that a career with Sodexo would lead to a world of endless possibilities.

Now in my 4th position in 11 years with Sodexo, I can say with a great deal of confidence that I made the right decision. One that has not only allowed me to maximize my full potential but also to take full advantage of the tremendous resources we have available at Sodexo.

I have served on many task forces to include my current role as a member of the Patient and Residence Experience Human Resources Task Force. For my personal development I participated in IMPACT, Spirit of Mentoring and will graduate next month from Emerging Leaders, Cohort # 1. I also look forward to representing my district as “Culture Champion” where I will be involved in activities designed to further our Sodexo CARES Culture deeper throughout the organization.

Whenever I hear the word “change,” what comes to my mind is a quotation by Sir. Winston Churchill: “The only way to remain consistent amid changing circumstances is to change with them, while preserving the same dominating purpose.”

Whether it’s a safety audit, regulatory compliance issue or other scrutiny we may encounter in our business; we must remain steadfast in our commitment to preserve the dominating purpose of our business or stay the course.

Mel Maycole
General Manager, Environmental Services

Mel’s current role is General Manager, Environmental Services for Baptist Medical Center in Jacksonville, Florida where he supports Environmental Services activities at multiple locations. He serves as Historian for AALF’s Florida Chapter. He is a Trustee for the Knights of Columbus and is the immediate Past Grand Knight.

Sodexo Careers Celebrates Leadership

kerry.noone@sodexo.com (Kerry Noone) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 19:33:00 +0000

Here it is the end of the first week of February 2010 and we in Maryland, DC and Virginia are bracing for our second significant snow fall of the season. It's 11:15 and I just saw the first flake of what is rumored to be a record breaking snow fall. I joined the masses at the grocery store last night and I work from home so I'm not worried although I am longing for spring right now. And sadly, according to Punxsutawney Phil, spring is still 6 weeks away though. Gack.

February is about more than cold weather, snow, and Punxsutawney Phil. It's about celebrating leadership. The leadership of our Presidents and of the leadership of great African American leaders. On Monday, February 15 we'll celebrate our countries past and present (and future!) Presidents - some of them great and some of them... well, not-so-great.

And during the entire month of February, we celebrate Black History Month, a federally recognized, nationwide celebration that provides the opportunity for all Americans to reflect on the significant roles that African Americans have played in the shaping of U.S. History. Last year's celebration of Black History Month will forever have special meaning because of the election of President Obama and on February 12, 2009 the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People marked its 100th anniversary. The Sodexo Careers Blog celebrated Black History Month last year with guest blog posts by four of Sodexo's leaders who shared their career experiences and great accomplishments with our readers. Congratulations Calvin (CJ) Johnson who has since been promoted to President of Sodexo's Hospitals.

You can read all of the guest blog posts from last February here:

Calvin Johnson, (CJ), President, Sodexo's Hospitals
Aster Angagaw, Senior Vice President, Market Development, Sodexo Corporate Services
Mike Grey, Vice-President, Operations, Sodexo School Services
James Taylor, President, Sodexo Senior Services

This year we will celebrate again on this blog with guest bloggers and posts about how Sodexo USA celebrates diversity and leadership starting Monday with a guest blog post from Mel Maycole, General Manager, Environmental Services for Baptist Medical Center in Jacksonville, Florida. I hope you'll be back to read and let us know what you think.

And for those of you in MD, DC or Virginia do you love snow or hate it?

Nothing beats spending time with real friends!

kerry.noone@sodexo.com (Kerry Noone) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 18:03:00 +0000

Last Wednesday night I attended the Connect HR Tweetup in Washington DC and I need to gush about it (and name drop) a little.

Social Recruiting events never disappoint, I always look forward to them, and I have more fun and learn more than I even anticipate. The Connect HR tweetup was hosted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) represented by China Gorman (@ChinaGorman) and many others from SHRM; Recrutingblogs.com represented by the very cool Laurie Ruettimann (@punkrockhr); and SmartBrief in DC (Hi - Mary Ellen! @SBWorkforce) was no exception. Fun times were had by all - even though I didn't win the any of the door prizes provided by Monster and Eric Winegardner (@ewmonster). Door prizes is not the most appropriate word for the swag Monster gave out at the event considering Steve Rothberg's (@StevenRothberg) "door prize" included a KIINDLE and an iPod nano (lucky duck!).

Connecting with people I've met on Twitter and matching profile pictures to real person is probably the most exciting part of the evening for me. Meeting people for the first time in person is equally as exciting... there were many social recruiting stars there that night including Jennifer McClure (@cincyrecruiter), Leanne Chase (@leanneclc) and Tracy Tran (@tranrecruiting). I'll admit, I was a little star struck. You can see the entire guest list here. Some people I recognize right away, others required a little more analyzing, and still others I recognized from behind (Lance Haun @thelance - I'm talking about you!). And, at future social recruiting events I will recognize Shauna Moerke (@HRminion) by her awesome laugh.

Before the event even started I (finally) met Ryan Estis (@ryanestis) in person. Ryan and I met several months ago on Twitter (of course) but Wednesday night was our first time meeting face to face and yet it felt like we had known each other for years.

And that's the cool thing about social networking.

The first time I met DC locals Ben Gotkin (@lifeatmcgladrey), Jessica Lee (@jessica_lee), Susan Strayer (@dailycareertips), and Kelly Dingee (@sourcerkelly) I had the same feeling - it was like getting together with an old friend. Further proof of the value of social networking - you have an opportunity to build relationships with people you may not meet otherwise.

Today's blog post came to me the other night as I was watching the Disney Channel with my daughter. In between Hannah Montana and Suite Life on Deck with Zach and Cody a Phineas and Ferb commercial came on.

I'll translate that last sentence for those of you who do not have younger children or tweens.

In between two very popular "kid shows" on the Disney Channel two cartoon characters by the name of Phineas and Ferb came on the screen with a PSA.

Disney has teamed with Common Sense Media to help kids safely navigate the internet. The initiative includes a PSA and a website which feature the characters from Disney’s cartoon series, “Phineas and Ferb” and supports “Rules of the Road” for safe internet use. They don't have the video of the PSA on their YouTube Channel yet so I can't embed it but if you're interested you can watch it here and I've listed the 6 rules of the road below.

Phineas & Ferb's Cyberspace Rules of the Road:

Be careful what you put online - it never goes away ever!

You never know who's gonna see it!

Just because it's online, doesn't mean it's true!

Not everyone is who they say they are!

If you wouldn't do it in person, you shouldn't do it online!

And most important remember to get off the computer, put down the phone because (wait for it... ) nothing beats spending time with real friends!

Not for nothing, but my time watching the Disney channel last night was actually productive because I realized a connection with “Phineas and Ferb” and last Wednesday night's HR Connect Tweet up.

I got off my computer, put down my cell phone and I spent time with people who I've been following and admiring on Twitter in person (see Road Rule number 6 above). Some of these people (and you know who you are) I greeted with great big hugs because as Phineas and Ferb said - nothing beats spending time with real friends!

And because I live and breathe Sodexo Careers, I can't refrain from translating my life experiences to my work. Without Sodexo USA's awesome recruiters, we would not be actively "talking" with candidates about jobs at Sodexo USA and building meaningful relationships on our various social networks. Without their active participation we would just be another group on Linkedin, page on Facebook, channel on YouTube, or blog and not a valuable online resource for Sodexo USA candidates and for current Sodexo employees around the world who want to connect with colleagues.

When we ask you to network with us we really mean it. So please... reach out and say hello and start getting to know us.

Day in My Life at Sodexo

kerry.noone@sodexo.com (Kerry Noone) — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 17:12:00 +0000

By Guest Blogger, Carey the Sodexo CARES Bear, Mascot, Sodexo’s Health Care division.

Richard Schaffner, COO and Dr. Joseph Torchia, CMO

Hi there. I'm Carey the Bear here, and I'm an Ambassador for Sodexo Health Care and Sodexo Senior Services. I have one of the coolest jobs in all of Sodexo. I have the opportunity to visit and meet people of all ages every day. Some of them are in hospitals, others are in senior living communities. Sometimes they are having great days, and some times their days are little more challenging. For these terrific patients and residents – the kind of people Sodexo serves every day -- my job is to put a smile on their face and make their day brighter.

All of the employees at Sodexo live to make patients and residents the heart of everything we do. I know that’s the spirit that drives me.

Here’s an example of the kind of work I do. Today I visited Holy Spirit Hospital in Camp Hill, PA. One of the neat parts of my life is I get to visit the most amazing hospitals in this great country of ours. And Holy Spirit is certainly one of them. It is staffed with spectacular people who really care for, and about, their patients.

While patients and family members are my specialty, I’m all about making everyday a better for people of all ages. And at Holy Spirit, I met dozens of awesome people and I did my best to brighten their day. As always, the patients and their families were extraordinary. It was the highlight of my day.

I also had a chance to spend time with a whole lot of nurses. Boy, they really care about making sure Holy Spirit delivers the best care possible. They are very dedicated people committed to healing -- and a fun group to be around, too.

I also walked around the halls with some of the leaders of Holy Spirit. Chief Executive Officer Richard Schaffner, and Dr. Joseph Torchia, the Chief Medical Officer, were by my side a lot of the time. They sure run a great hospital. It’s a hospital l would recommend any day!

Last, I have to tip my hat to my Sodexo friends at Holy Spirit. They are so committed to making each and every day better for EVERYONE in the hospital. They manage the Patient Dining, Visitor and Staff Dining, Environmental Services, and Valet Services at Holy Spirit and they sure are passionate about it. They are an ultra-engaged group that goes many extra miles to serve the people who work in Holy Spirit.

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Carey the Sodexo CARES Bear
Mascot, Sodexo’s Health Care division.

Carey (a “she,” by the way) was inspired by Health Care’s decision to create a brand around “The Patient Experience.” She has been gracing hospitals and senior living communities for three years and been in more than 45 different states.

Named after our proprietary CARES behaviors, Carey exemplifies Sodexo’s values and beliefs by ensuring Patients and Residents are the Heart of Everything We Do sm. Today there are 27 different Carey costumes in use, many owned by SVP or DM areas. Every Carey costume is in use 52 weeks a year.

The popularity of Carey is almost astonishing, given her appeal to patients and residents of all ages. She now has a Facebook page with more than 90 friends.

Celebrating Two Years with a Little Help from Friends

kerry.noone@sodexo.com (Kerry Noone) — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 14:22:00 +0000

By Guest Blogger Anthony Scarpino

With every new year, I am reminded of how time just flies on bye. In the blink of an eye, 2009 rolled into 2010. I actually can’t believe that the infamous “Y2K” is a decade behind us! As I break open my 2010 Joke-a-Day calendar, I realize another milestone is upon us. Tomorrow, the Sodexo Careers blog turns 2!

Our chief blogger Kerry has again graciously allowed me to celebrate the occasion with a guest post. It’s only right that I start by recognizing her, the voice of Sodexo Careers here on blogspot as well as on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and many of the other online communities Sodexo has created. Congratulations and Happy Birthday to your blog Kerry!

One of the things that has made the Sodexo Careers blog and our online communities truly special over the years is the immeasurable help we get from the participation of our friends throughout Sodexo. This year on the blog, our friends (we call them guest bloggers) have written more than 30 posts to share many aspects about work and life at Sodexo that neither Kerry nor I even knew about! We don’t pay or incent people to blog. Sometimes, we don’t even ask them! They just do it because they have something to share or want to contribute for the team. The idea of team contributions shouldn’t surprise me. It’s something I have experienced throughout my career at Sodexo.

Before I joined the Talent Acquisition Group, I managed hospital food service departments in Sodexo operations. Each facility that I managed had several extraordinary team members that contributed amazing things to the success of the department. There were many At Saint Anne’s Hospital in Massachusetts including Mr. Fitz, a 35+ year cook in the department. “How ya doin’ today Fitzy,” I would say. His reply was always the same – “Like a one arm paper hanger.” To this day, I have no idea what that means but Fitzy knew every inch of that kitchen, hadn’t missed a day of work since before I was born and never gave anything less than 100% effort.

I was lucky to be at Saint Anne’s when Maggie, a diet technician, celebrated her 40th year of service at the hospital. As the department “matriarch,” Maggie trained everybody on the team at one time or another, including me!

Roger Williams Medical Center in Rhode Island was the second facility that I managed and again benefited greatly from the extraordinary people on my team. Cecila for example, was the person for catering at “the Rog.” That was the job she was paid for anyway. She also tended a courtyard flower garden every year with a green thumb that most of us can only dream of having. It was never more than a few weeks into the spring that Cecilia had me coming in on the weekends to help her till in new soil and fertilizer before we began planting.

My last food service management gig before joining Talent Acquisition was Children’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. With such a large team, there were so many special contributors but the one I’ll remember most was another Maggie (no relation to Saint Anne’s!). While Maggie filled a few roles in the Café at Children’s, I’ll always remember how she could turn any piece of produce into a work of art!

Here on the Sodexo Careers blog, the Mr. Fitz’s, Cecilia’s and Maggie’s have been replaced by Calvin, Michele, Darla, Arlin and so many others. I personally appreciate their contributions above and beyond their “day job” and hope that you, our readers have gained some valuable insights about our company and our people. I hope you’ll take a moment to add your comment and wish Kerry and our many guest bloggers a happy 2nd birthday!

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Anthony Scarpino is a Senior Director for Sodexo's Talent Acquisition Group. He began his career with Sodexo as a Registered Dietitian more than 13 years ago and has held several field positions, including General Manager - Food Service at Boston Children's Hospital where he was before his current role. Anthony invites you to connect with him on Twitter, Linkedin and Facebook.

You Can Help Haiti Too

kerry.noone@sodexo.com (Kerry Noone) — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 15:08:00 +0000

Over the weekend I travelled to New York to visit two of my very best friends. We've been friends since elementary school and considering we're getting ready to turn 40 in a few short months it's safe to say that we are life-long friends. After college we lived at the beach before we started our career searches and after a couple of months of sun and fun we all were ready to get our lives started. One of us went back home to Maryland (that would be me), one of us stayed in North Carolina at the beach, and the other went off to the big city of New York. We do not take for granted that we we are fortunate to be able to get together several times a year. After our hugs and kisses hello we settled on the couch with a glass of wine and we started to chat about work, families, life choices, New Year's mantras, and life changing events.

Tragic life changing events.

There was really only one life event on our minds at that moment. We all naturally stopped to reflect on the sad, heart wrenching earthquake in Haiti. One of us confessed her plans to travel to Haiti to help and the other two of us sat in silence wondering how we could help too. That's when I remembered a discussion on my Facebook wall last Wednesday. After watching the evening news and seeing the extent of the earthquake on Haiti I updated my status to read, "thinking about the people of Haiti and their families in the US."

Almost immediately I received a response to my status update and 22 comments later it was obvious I wasn't the only Sodexo employee asking themselves how they can do more than just think and pray about everyone who has been touched by this.

The earthquake that has killed thousands and displaced as many as three million people in Haiti is a tragic life changing event. The realization that tragedy could hit and devastate lives in an instant is very real and it leads to many questions including, " what can I do?" Sodexo is a global company with offices in 80 countries and more than 350,000 employees. Our people are our strength.

The people of Haiti need food assistance as quickly as possible. To help support relief efforts in Haiti, Sodexo Group donated 100,000 Euros (nearly $145,000) to the World Food Program (WFP). The WFP is a United Nations organization known for their incredible logistical capacity and efficiency and they have food and staff already deployed in Haiti providing desperately needed clean water, food, shelter, blankets, and medical care.

So how can we best help the people of Haiti? By helping organizations like WFP with donations.

Organizations like WFP have emergency plans in place and know how to act fast. Their operation in Haiti is providing food for tens of thousands of people daily. In the week since the earthquake, more than 250,000 ready-to-eat food rations have been distributed by WFP and the U.S. military. They need our help to continue to make a difference.

I am going to make a donation and you can too.

If you are IN the US and want to make a contribution, please go to the following link: www.friendsofwfp.org/sodexo

If you are OUTSIDE the US and want to make a donation, please click here: https://www.wfp.org/donate/HaitiSodexo

The Greatest Demonstration for Freedom

kerry.noone@sodexo.com (Kerry Noone) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 16:36:00 +0000

We've been celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the United States on the third Monday of January for 24 years. Two years ago I posted the video below of Martin Luther King's famous speech and I don't think there is a better way to celebrate on this blog so I am posting it again. He was right when he began his speech by saying, "I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation."

Have you ever listened to his words? All of them? If you have 18 minutes they are words you will never forget.

Sodexo's Corporate DNA

kerry.noone@sodexo.com (Kerry Noone) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 18:10:00 +0000

by Guest Blogger, Randi Majors, Senior Communications Specialist, Internal Communications

So here we are, a few weeks out from what will prove to be a monumental moment in Sodexo history. Wait for it…..the launch of Sodexo's new intranet, SodexoNet 2.0!

So what, you say. It’s just an intranet. Right?

Just an intranet? Ha! It’s far more than just an intranet. A former Silicon Valley intranet manager blogged, “an intranet is an accurate reflection of the inner workings and corporate DNA of a company.”

Click on image to enlarge.

Our version of Web 2.0, SodexoNet 2.0 represents a new iteration of an updated, technologically enhanced global intranet. Anyone working for a sizable organization knows the impact that an intranet can have on the business. Imagine the impact that such a tool has on several thousand users belonging to a geographically diverse corporation.

As Sodexo moves forward in the Comprehensive Service Solutions market, it’s critical that our behind-the scenes business tools guarantee our field operators an opportunity for success. This project in particular represents a new way for our organization to conduct its business and reflects the organizational commitment to support that transition. Glimpsing our new site you’ll find an account locator tool, enhanced search with tag clouds and multiple sort features, navigation organized with the end-user in mind and the ability for users to figuratively cross borders by allowing them toggle between their own local intranet pages and those of other countries within Sodexo.

Okay Randi, you say. Not bad. But I still want a better sense of Sodexo’s genetic makeup – its inner workings and the human element of its corporate DNA.

Now imagine for a moment receiving an employment welcome letter to Sodexo accompanied by a project management list of items related to this rather awesome SodexoNet 2.0 launch. That was me. You see, before arriving at Sodexo my background was based solely in communications and some project management. While I initiated the launch of an externally-focused web site in a previous role, I did so with the help of a vendor and relatively little technical insight.

Now, here I am several years later, working alongside a diverse group of people with myriad backgrounds who have all been charged with the task to launch this baby by February 1, 2010. And I’m at the center of it all: coordinating communications strategies, providing insight on global decisions, consulting with internal stakeholders and rapidly garnering new skills that I probably wouldn’t get elsewhere. It goes without saying that this is a unique opportunity for anyone, let alone someone in a communications function in a 120,000 plus global enterprise.

How’s that for corporate DNA?

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Randi Majors
Senior Communications Specialist

Diversity + Sodexo = Business Leadership

kerry.noone@sodexo.com (Kerry Noone) — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 15:29:00 +0000

by Guest Blogger, Texanna Reeves, Vice President Corporate Diversity

Wow! It’s January and just two months until Sodexo’s 2010 Diversity Business Leadership Summit (DBLS). We are gearing up for what will be the best DBLS yet!

This Summit is an annual event that focuses on building skills, knowledge, and awareness around different dimensions of diversity for our employees. It's an opportunity for our Diversity Leaders to share insight and information on how to leverage diversity and inclusion to gain a competitive advantage.

The Summit has a track record of success as survey results from our 2009 event indicated 99% of attendees found the Summit valuable and 93% of employees who attended felt more connected after the Summit. In addition, 98% of both our clients and employees felt the Summit provide them with a new skill or increased their knowledge-base relative to diversity and inclusion.

An effort to capitalize on this and bring the benefits of the DBLS to all Sodexo employees has us thrilled to announce that we will stream this year’s Summit LIVE so that any employee who wants to attend can do so virtually via the web. This is just another step in the evolution of what has become the nation’s premier Diversity Leadership Event.

This year’s DBLS will feature Thought Leaders from Sodexo’s Partner Organizations, such as the Hispanic College Fund, to enable us to showcase how the different groups we support are having an impact in those communities we serve, day in and day out.

Of course, the Summit will offer professional development via three distinct learning ‘tracks’ which will enable our employees to grow in market segment knowledge, cultural competency skills and provide them with the tools they need to make every day a better day.

The event promises to provide the latest research and best practices in the field of diversity and inclusion directly to participants so that Sodexo can continue to lead the way in leveraging the benefits of providing an open and inclusive working environment--to our employees, customers, and partner organizations. Stay tuned for more information on the 2010 DBLS, I look forward to seeing many of you there!

------------------------

Texanna Reeves

Vice President Corporate Diversity

Texanna leads the on-going advancement and implementation of Sodexho's integrated Diversity strategy for North America. She is responsible for the management of diversity training & consulting initiatives, network groups, mentoring, work life initiatives, EEO & Affirmative Action functions including diversity scorecard and metrics. Her diversity management experience extends to her former position with a Fortune 50 company as the Director Workforce Strategies & Programs. She was responsible for Sodexo's corporate diversity strategy in which she developed from the ground level a diversity management system that was recognized for award winning programs and best practices in the field. Texanna received a Masters in Business Administration from Mercer University and is a respected leader in Diversity and her board participation includes Conference Board Diversity Business Council, American Leadership Council on Diversity in Health Care, and the Advisory Board for American Institute for Managing Diversity.

Eat less, Do more

kerry.noone@sodexo.com (Kerry Noone) — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 16:58:00 +0000

by Guest Blogger, Susan Laramee, Clinical Recruitment Manager

Last week we celebrated the arrival of 2010, and like most of you, I committed to my New Year’s resolutions. For many Americans, the New Year’s resolutions often include “losing weight,” “eating healthy” and “exercise more.” All reflect our desire to be thinner and more fit, and achieve a healthier lifestyle. Succeeding with these resolutions would allow each of us to improve our health, but unfortunately, by the end of January most of us will have forgotten all the good intentions we had on New Year’s Day when we declared this goal.

If you are one of the millions who have made losing weight your 2010 goal, you have a lot of company, and a lot of help. Beginning with the day after Christmas, there has been a steady series of TV spots with stories and information to help motivate you to lose weight, magazine and newspaper articles, advertisements for products on services in all the media, and dozens of websites designed to assist you with your goal. Just this morning as I was eating breakfast there was a TV promotion for “The Biggest Loser,” Martha Stewart was preparing quick, low calorie meals, in between ads for weight loss programs, and the Wall Street Journal featured a full page article on the benefits of exercise. Weight loss in the US is a billion dollar industry and there are products and services to meet the needs of every potential dieter – weight loss groups, companies that will provide you with food, plans tailored for those with medical conditions such as diabetes, diet books, websites, such as WebMD with weight loss information, and sites that will provide one-on-one support. There are also gym memberships, fitness equipment and programs, and personal trainers ready to provide exercise programs. .

All successful weight loss programs have one common principle – Eat less, Do more. This remains the basis for successful weight loss. Despite all the promises of diet books and plans, each with their unique prescription for losing weight, this remains the fundamental goal for a long-term weight loss program. Most of us can be successful without any special program or service – many people, once they make a personal commitment, find that they can lose weight by limiting caloric intake each day and developing a daily habit of exercise The trick is to find the approach that works for you, that can fit into your lifestyle, and that you can maintain. Those excess pounds did not appear magically overnight, and will not disappear without a long-term plan.

How can you find out what is right for you? Many will benefit from a consultation with a Registered Dietitian (RD) who has expertise in weight management. Look for a Registered Dietitian who has completed the “Certificate of Training in Adult Weight Management” offered by the American Dietetic Association – there are more than 10,000 RD’s in the US who have completed this specialized training. At Sodexo we have developed a program, offered in many of our health care accounts, called “Create Your Weight” – a nine week program, available for adults and children, taught by a Registered Dietitian. This program is focused on individual goals and with group support. Weight management information is also available on the Sodexo Wellness site.

And for me?

My 2010 resolution (as in years past) is to follow my own advice – Eat Less, Do More. I have purged my home of all the left-over holiday goodies including my very favorite, chocolate. I have stocked up on fresh fruits and vegetables, low fat dairy products, whole grains and lean meats, and pulled out all my favorite low fat, low calorie recipes. I’ve committed to a 30 minute brisk walk each morning before work (I live in Florida, so I do not need to cope with cold, snow and ice). And of course, I am looking forward to the chocolate lover’s favorite holiday a short six weeks from now – Valentine’s Day – when I plan to reward my efforts with a bit of chocolate as a treat!

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Susan Laramee
Clinical Recruitment Manager

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.

Top Ten Twitterville Nuggets

kerry.noone@sodexo.com (Kerry Noone) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 19:14:00 +0000

by Guest Blogger, Arie Ball, VP, Sourcing and Talent Acquisition

Earlier this fall as I was reading "Twitterville," by Shel Israel I found myself dog-earing (it's a word , I looked it up) the pages during my many "a-ha moments." I love reading about how other people and companies are using the new media technologies to create value and Shel's book is full of great ideas.

If I had to pick my favorite nugget of information from the book, it was ironically from the last page of the book. Shel ends by stating, "Chances are right now, there's a conversation going on in Twitterville that can impact what you do for a living." So true! It doesn't matter when I get on Twitter or from where, there is always someone who is sharing information that resonates with me and influences an action from me. I may retweet, reply to, forward, or even just retain that information for future use.

I've had conversations, built new relationships, and resurrected old ones with people I know I would have never had an opportunity to meet in real life, based on common interests or a common purpose. To list just a few, Shashi Bellamkonda (@Shashib), Joni Doolin (@LuckyPenny), Amanda Hite (@SexyThinker), Dana Kirk (@DanaKirk) , Shel Israel (@ShelIsrael), and so many more all with a passion for social media and its ability to impact our daily lives. Any way I look at it, these Twitter conversations have a personal and a professional impact on me every day.

When I finished the book, I wondered what the rest of Sodexo's Talent Acquisition's team would gain from reading the book. Would everyone find their own special message or would there be a common theme? So after sending them each a copy of Twitterville and learning that some of them had actually formed a book club to discuss it, I decided to survey the team to find out and build a David Letterman style, "Top Ten Twitterville Nuggets."

And as David Letterman would say, "here we go... number 10!" (drum roll....)

10. Learning how Twitter began, the amazing history of Twitter, and the growth of Social Media in general.

9. Twitter as a non-stop feedback loop. We can listen and learn.

8. I like the quote from @Ed_Dale “Twitter is not “getting” followers-its creating a reason to be followed-you are in the hands of your market-that’s how it should be.”

7. The concept that we trust our “friends / people in our network” vs the message that marketing might put out and wants us to hear.

6. Tweeting prior to and live tweeting at a conference helps to form our network and connect with potential candidates.

5. Learned to tweet things that matter to me and Sodexo and the kind of candidates I recruit for. Start slow and not be afraid about being boring and thus not tweet at all.

4. Lurking can be an effective way to get started.

3. Twitter is a conversation, not technology.

2. Following and engaging with the right people (people with interests in the professions I recruit for) is even more important than the number of followers.

1. Use Twitter more.

I'd love to hear if others who have read Twitterville or "joined the conversation" have nuggets of their own they would like to share. How do you think this new form of conversation will continue to evolve?

Where in the world might we be in 2011?

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Arie Ball
VP, Sourcing and Talent Acquisition

Building on more than 25 years of operational management experience with Sodexo, in 2004, Arie Ball assumed a leadership role within human resources as VP, Sourcing and Talent Acquisition. In this role, she leads the company’s first-ever centrally managed, cross divisional recruitment organization that focuses on sourcing, attracting and recruiting top talent to Sodexo, and on identifying internal employees for promotional opportunities. The Talent Acquisition Group, a high performing team, has become an award-winning organization, recognized for innovative approaches for attracting and recruiting the best talent the industry has to offer.Arie invites you to connect with her on Twitter, Linkedin and Facebook.

New Facebook Privacy Settings and You

kerry.noone@sodexo.com (Kerry Noone) — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 17:10:00 +0000

If you are an existing Facebook user you should know by now that Facebook recently made changes to their privacy settings and unless you request to maintain your old settings you may be unknowingly over-sharing. It's one thing to mindlessly over-share but unknowingly over-sharing is never good.

The setting changes were intended to "simplify" Facebook's somewhat confusing privacy settings and give you more control of your information. I am not going to get into the debate on the intention of Facebook to share information. I'm just going to share my observations because most of Sodexo's Talent Acquisition Team is on Facebook and the last thing I want them to do is unknowingly over-share.

The way the new privacy settings are managed is a good thing because it's easier to find and navigate through the settings and it gives you the ability to customize privacy settings. So for example, you can specify if you want everyone on the internet to view your status updates or just your friends, or friends of friends or a custom combination. You can share some of your photo albums or all of your photo albums or some of them with some friends and others with everyone.

Are you following?

But it's not all peachy. The new privacy setting also make it so your name, profile picture, gender, current city, networks,and friend list (if you use them) are available to be viewed by "everyone" on Facebook and (correct me if I am wrong) you cannot change these settings at all right now. Oh yeah, and by default Facebook recommends that you set your status updates to share with everyone and by everyone I mean everyone on the internet.

Don't panic.

Really, there no need to delete your Facebook profile just because of a few changes. You can still control details like who can see your email and address and how you want people to contact you.

So what do you do?

If you haven't logged on to Facebook in a while you may want to today. Or if you have and you were welcomed by this screen (below) you may not want to skip over it.

(click on image to enlarge)

This screen leads you to the privacy setting tool that guides you through the new privacy settings and will "recommend" (and by recommend I mean preselected by default) the setting to share posted content to Facebook, such as status messages and wall posts, with everyone on the internet. If you accept these recommendations, items that you probably used to only share with people in your network or to your extended network will be visible to everyone on the internet. And remember by "everyone" I mean everyone on the internet.

Still no need for panic. Remember, you are in control.

Personally, I walked through the privacy setting tool and opted to share some of the information on my Facebook page with everyone, and other information with only my friends. friends of friends and network. What you decide to share is up to you. Ask yourself, "Would I be comfortable sharing this with my boss?" I've read that some people are recommending you bypass this screen all together but for me it was a good exercise.

After I used the provided tool, I went up to my "Privacy Settings" found under the "Settings" drop down and made sure my changes "took." You can do this by:

1. Go to the top of your screen and click on "Settings" first and then "Privacy Settings." You'll see this screen. (Note: if you do not see this screen go back up to the top place your cursor over the word "Settings" move it down to hover over "Privacy Settings" and CLICK)

(click on image to enlarge)

2. Choose to manage your "Profile Information" or green star #1 in the below screen shot. Once you get to that screen you'll see options for the information you share. What you decide to share is up to you. If you don't want your boss to see your upcoming New Year's Eve pictures then don't share them with everyone!

(click on image to enlarge)

3. You're not done yet. Go back to the "Privacy Settings" screen above and select "Contact Information" (green star #2). This is where you can let only your friends see your email address or phone numbers. Or... you can let everyone see it. And remember, by everyone I mean everyone on the internet.

4. Repeat step #3 because now you are going to control who can see your search result on Facebook and in search engines (green star #3). According to Facebook "there have been misleading rumors about Facebook indexing all of your information on Google." Facebook says this is not true. And in fact, they created public search listings a long time ago (2007) to allow people to search for your name and see a link to your Facebook profile. They will still only see a basic set of information or what ever you designate to be shared with everyone (and by everyone I mean everyone). I believe them.

As the admin for the Sodexo Careers Facebook page, I want people to find me in Google searches because I want past, present, and future Sodexo employees to connect with us through our Facebook page. So I have "allowed" (see screen shot below) search engines to access my publicly available information and any information I set to share with "everyone." And, just so you know, this does not include anything I've shared with just my friends or friends of friends.

(click on image to enlarge)

Remember, regardless of your privacy settings you should be mindful of your wall posts, status updates, photo uploads, and anything else you do on Facebook (or Twitter or Linkedin, etc). If you post a comment on a friend's wall (and you are sharing this information with your friends) this information will show up in the news feed of your friends. If you don't want other people "listening" to your conversation with a friend then send them a direct message that is only seen by you and the friend the message was intended for.

One last thing. Will you be my friend?

What do you want to be when you grow up?

kerry.noone@sodexo.com (Kerry Noone) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 16:17:00 +0000

by guest blogger, Nanette Harty, Senior Recruiter for Sodexo.

What do you want to be when you grow up? That’s a question we have all heard right? I remember my friends would say, I want to be a teacher, or a doctor and even the President of the United States. Not me. As far back as I can remember, I can’t ever remember knowing what I thought I wanted to be when “I grew up.”

Fast forward 40 years and the same holds true today. I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up. Some may say that’s easy because I haven’t ever “grown up” and others would say you never fully grow up, one just evolves. Either way, with each passing year, I reflect on how fortunate I am to work for a company that provides countless different career opportunities.

My story isn’t much different than many others I work with at Sodexo. I joined the company three names ago (Marriott Management Services, Sodexho Marriott, Sodexho and now Sodexo), that’s going back a long time – 18 years to be exact! I’ve had the opportunity to work in a variety of roles – Patient Services Manager, Division Training Manager, General Manager, Project Work, Interim Human Resource Director and now as a Senior Recruiter. While in these various roles, I actually lived in five different states!

When I first joined the company 18 years ago, I recall attending meetings and always being in awe of the length of service of so many employees. Even then I thought, “they must be doing something right in order for people to stay loyal to a company for so many years.” Now I look back and can provide my very own testimony that indeed, they have done many things right and that’s why I’m so proud to be a part of this incredible organization - the Sodexo Foundation and STOP Hunger campaigns, our committment to Diversity and Inclusion, our Future Leader's Internship Proram and so much more . My career growth has been a winning combination of hard work, commitment, location and timing. Every role has presented its own rewards and challenges and contributed to who I am today. One of my motto’s as a recruiter has become, “whatever you are doing today can prepare you for where you are going tomorrow.” The opportunity for growth with Sodexo exists and I encourage you to consider the many options. You can search Sodexo job openings here.

I'll be celebrating my 19th Anniversary with Sodexo in February - here’s to our career paths crossing at some point in the future!

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Nanette Harty is a Senior Recruiter for Sodexo's Talent Acquisition Team and the recent recipient of the team's Spirit of Service Award winner. You can connect with Nanette on Twitter .

Susan Boyle is most viewed video on YouTube?

kerry.noone@sodexo.com (Kerry Noone) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 02:01:00 +0000

I just saw on the ABC evening world news with Charlie Gibson that Susan Boyle's "I Dreamed a Dream" video was the most viewed video on YouTube with more than 120 million views worldwide. You've seen this video right? Susan's rendition and groundbreaking performance of "I Dreamed a Dream"on "Britain's Got Talent" is "officially" the most popular video of 2009.

Respectfully, I'd like a recount.

I mean really YouTube... are you sure this count is accurate?

Are you sure it wasn't Sodexo's "Your Future" video?

Are you sure?

Here, take another look and you can let me know if you'd like to add us to your list. OK?

What was YOUR favorite most viewed video on YouTube in 2009?

Facebook for candidates: how it's suppose to work!

kerry.noone@sodexo.com (Kerry Noone) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 19:26:00 +0000

As I was reviewing the Sodexo Careers Facebook page the other day I noticed an exchange between a candidate and one of our senior recruiters and I thought to myself, "Yes! Now this is a perfect example of how Facebook is supposed to work." I've blued out (as opposed to blacked out) the candidate's name just in case - not that it would be hard to figure out if you are a frequent visitor to the Sodexo Careers Facebook page. We have created our Facebook Page and our other networking groups so you (past, present & future Sodexo employees and friends) can connect with us. I wrote an article in the last Career Connections Newsletter about using social networking tools to find a job, titled, "I joined Facebook, now what?" about using social media to find a job. Kudos to this candidate for actually reaching out to us! And kudos to Senior Recruiter, Rachel Hagos for being being responsive to the candidate within 2 hours! How's that for same day service!?

click photo above to enlarge

To help you understand the many different ways to network with our team of recruiters, check our our Network with us page on our career site. This is your "one stop shop" for connecting with us. Sodexo's entire Talent Acquisition Team is actively "talking" with candidates across the country about their career opportunities on Facebook, Linkedin, this blog and on Twitter and more.

So... are you going to take advantage of these resources to get to know us?

More Than Just a Red Suit and Beard

kerry.noone@sodexo.com (Kerry Noone) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 19:14:00 +0000

by return Guest Blogger, Michele Posehn, Sodexo Senior Recruiter

It was happening again. I was nervous, my heart racing and my stomach doing its best Mary Lou Retton impersonation. I stood there thinking that if I could make it through the next few minutes still standing, then I could call it a success. I started wringing my hands and silently wishing for the strength to face the challenge that was now only a few feet away. And just as I thought my legs were about to buckle from the anxiety, the woman dressed in green motioned to me to move forward. So I grabbed my two year old daughter’s hand and led her up to see Santa Claus.

I have always been a fan of the big guy but now, as a parent, trips to see the guy in red have become a roller coaster of emotion, like watching a horror movie: you know it’s not going to end well and it’s only a matter of how gory it’s going to get. You see, we’ve had three Christmases with my daughter. The first, when she was three months old, was quiet and peaceful. We simply placed her in Santa’s arms and click, done. Last year was a little more tense.

We visited two Santas that year. As we walked up to Santa’s chair, I could feel my daughter literally dragging her feet and, at times, picking them up in order to throw her body weight to the ground. She started to protest and whimper. Surely Santa, I thought, will recognize this as an opportunity to show off that famous jolly old personality and to let out a resounding “bowl full of laughter” laugh. Nothing. The guy sat there and never moved, never said a word. He sat, frozen in fear, as I did my best to coax her forward. I tried to pick her up for the standard “Santa’s lap” photo but she wasn’t going to go willingly and with no help from the bearded guy in the red suit, I decided that desperate times called for desperate measures. I picked her up in my arms and planted myself squarely on his knee.

Having had plenty of pictures of me on Santa’s lap from my childhood, I decided to keep up the quest for a picture perfect visit with Santa. A week later, we encountered Santa at another mall. We circled his village a few times so she could establish the relationship from a distance. Santa picked up on our plan of attack because after a few trips around, we noticed he started waving hello. Ok, I thought, he gets it. Maybe this time was going to be different.

It was different. He engaged my daughter, asking her to give him a high five, commenting on the pretty shoes she was wearing. He referred to her by name and suggested toys that he might be leaving under the tree for her. Ok, so she still wasn’t a fan and did cry a bit, but I was pleased to see that this Santa had proven him worthy of the $20 I was shelling out.

We visited that same Santa this year and, well, you’ll see the results below. Let’s just say that as a first time parent, I have discovered the hard way that as they grow, kids get smarter – and a little more sure of what they like and don’t like. But just as he was last year, Santa was kind and understanding and tried his hardest to make my daughter feel comfortable – she just had other ideas.

Finding a company to work for is very much like finding the perfect Santa; it’s important to remember that your decision should be based on the overall picture. Take into account the entire package, not just the obvious beard and red suit. When I talk about Sodexo to prospective candidates, I discuss the many benefits that extend beyond the salary. It’s the commitment to stopping hunger and overall sense of community responsibility that sets Sodexo apart from others in its industry. It’s an understanding that employees’ needs are not going to be the same and addressing them in different ways like flexible work arrangements and medical plans.

Getting a picture taken is a fleeting moment but your career isn’t. Your employer of choice should dress and act the part not just appear to from the outside and disappoint once you get ready to say cheese.
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Michele Posehn started with Sodexo as a Senior Recruiter in February 2007. She currently recruits for culinary related positions for the Hospitals division in the New York metro area. Michele welcomes anyone out there looking for a company that is diverse and full of opportunity to follow her on Twitter.