When I first started reading Wired.com’s wiki article on how to conduct a remote meeting, I chuckled a little. Step 1 is “Set a time” — isn’t that a little elementary? As I read on, though, I was reminded that sometimes it’s those simple “no duh” points that we can forget to pay attention to but can mean a big difference when it comes to how smoothly a meeting will run.

Here is a quick look at Wired.com’s 6 steps for running a remote meeting: read more…

You’ve probably heard that it’s good practice to Google your name every once in a while to see what’s floating out there on the Internet. By the same token, Google can be a great tool to look up the latest changes to employment law and trends in HR. But unless you pencil in a Google session once a week, chances are you aren’t going to get around to it often enough. That’s where Google Alerts come in.

With Google Alerts, you to set up a search one time, and then Google does the work of sifting through new posts to the Internet — including web pages, newspaper articles, and blogs — periodically sending you an e-mail listing the new results that match your search term.

To set up a Google Alert, go to www.google.com/alerts.  Here are some things to keep in mind when you are setting up a search: read more…

More evidence that HR needs to enact strong social media policies for the entire workplace, including, and especially, the C-Suite!

The child emperor of Web 2.0, Facebook, turns seven today. What happens when the “king of all social media” enters puberty? The possibilities are endless and chilling all at the same time.

Note to HR pros with training responsibilities: the e-reader rocks among your older employees.

Must-see Web TV of Google accusing Microsoft’s Bing search engine of stealing its search results. Wow! The search wars have officially entered the realm of the petty and the surreal.

Countdown to Smartphone Heaven? David Pogue of The New York Times seems to think so as Verizon prepares to sell iPhones next Thursday.

And, hat tip to the Dr. HR, PhD blog for listing Technology for HR blog as one of the “Top 50 Up and Coming HR Blogs” of 2010. And, an enormous “Thank You” to our readers for making this possible.

What else is happening?

-Ralph Gaillard

For the final post of the year, I thought I’d include a link to Google’s top searches of 2010. It’s an interesting snapshot of how the world interacted with the Internet this past year, so I highly recommend a glance during what I hope will be a quiet and relaxing holiday for all of you.

Celeste and I will be off for the next 10 days or so and will return the week of Jan. 3. Until then, enjoy the holidays- and feel free to tell us about your favorite holiday gifts and workplace tech plans for the New Year.

-Ralph Gaillard

Had the pleasure of listening to our very own Molly DiBianca speak at AEIS in Nashville last week. Her session addressed using social media and Internet searches to find information on applicants, and two of her points really jumped out at me.

1. You don’t have to fear using the Internet as a way to research applicants. In fact, a lot of the information out there striking fear into the hearts of HR professionals who want to use the Internet as a tool in their hiring process is produced by companies that  do your background checks. When you use the Internet instead of their services, they lose money. read more…

More fodder for those who advocate banning Twitter and all other social media tools from the workplace.

More fodder for those who advocate the opposite. Skype video is going places, which begs the question: How many would be interested in attending a Webinar on how HR can incorporate video calling into their daily routines?

Here’s a fun read on how Facebook and social networking in general can lower your IQ, ruin your career and turn you into a narcissist. Anti-social media in the workplace proponents take note.

Google continues its drive to dominate the world of technology with its latest invention: Google Instant, a new search feature that attempts to read your mind when you search.

Here’s how it works: Google users now will see search results pop up as soon as they type in the first letter of a word, saving users two to five seconds per search.

I don’t know what scares me more: Google’s ability to “read” my mind, or the fact that I (somewhat) care about shaving seconds off my Internet searches.

What else is happening?

-Ralph Gaillard