On December 3rd, members and guests of the French-American Chamber of Commerce gathered at member firm Nixon Peabody LLP for a dynamic roundtable on Job-Seeking & Career Management in 2010: From Classified Ads to Social Networking.

Opening the discussion, Philippe Cesson, President of San Diego-based Cesson 3.0, explained the growing importance of online social networking tools to companies and job candidates today. Indeed, the rise of Generation Y brought with it an ever-evolving use of online and technological tools. He explained that it is critical for both companies and job candidates to effectively “surf this digital wave” and manage their presence online.

Ken Pollet, President, Answer Human Assets, and Chris Elmes, Managing Director, BPI Group, explored the impact of these online tools on companies and job candidates, respectively. While cautioning human resources managers to fully understand these tools in order to most effectively apply them, Mr. Pollet explained that social networking can be beneficial to companies looking to grow and market themselves. Offering the perspective of the candidate, Mr. Elmes echoed the need to fully understand the tools and make them “work for you”. Stating that “you are a brand”, Mr. Elmes reminded attendees that strong resumes and interviews remain critical as one’s career is developed.

Offering very concrete advice to job-seekers, Olivier Dirdarian, Director, Michael Page Executive Search, explored the recruitment techniques used by companies today and explained how candidates can best position themselves for job opportunities. Mr. Dirdarian encouraged attendees to visit job boards, such as CareerBuilder, regularly check recruiter databases, and build a solid profile on LinkedIn. He reminded attendees to “be selective” and carefully manage their online image and brand.

Turning to the legal implications of this social media revolution, Philip Berkowitz, Partner, Nixon Peabody LLP explored the many ways online tools have replaced traditional forms of communications. Pointing to such legal considerations as privacy and confidentiality issues, Mr. Berkowitz highlighted the importance of managing one’s information online very carefully and avoiding any potentially “damaging information.”

Natalie Marrero, Vice-President & HR Manager, HSBC Bank USA, offered the HR perspective and explaining the many tools used by HSBC to recruit and retain talent, including their own website as well as Monster.com. She also emphasized the importance of carefully managing one’s online profile, not only as a job candidate but also as a hired employee.

An informative question-and-answer session with the six experts concluded the roundtable. Attendees then gathered for wine and networking.

The FACC thanks its member Nixon Peabody LLP for very generously hosting the event.