The "year of mobile" arrived last year, as more marketers embraced the medium after the introduction of game-changing devices such as the iPad. Now that mobile is here to stay, marketers must recruit talent to fill this niche.

Corporate America bears a striking resemblance to competitive sports. The CEO plays the role of team captain and the players work together to win the game, which translates to revenue growth, business development and client retention.

One of our 2010 quarterly hiring surveys included a question on how digital and direct marketing employers were leveraging the social networks to fill their open positions.

As executives bring their brands to life, they should invest in the people who know it best: their employees. Who better to tell a brand's story than those people who are most passionate about a brand.

Many companies abide by the traditional holiday practice of sending a greeting card to their customers, but how many actually try to accomplish more with their card than simply sending a generic "one size fits all" message?

It's not enough to think you're good.You have to ask. Have you ever considered how much of a negative impact you can have by not asking for feedback or criticism?

Human resource professionals and hiring managers in digital and direct marketing know all too well that recruitment procrastination can be a talent killer, not to mention the economic loss that can occur when a critical position remains unfilled over a prolonged period of time.

Training can't be "one size fits all." Training needs to match specific program needs, as well as the lead generation professional's skills. We divide our lead generation agents into three skill levels.

Doing "more with less" has become a mantra in many organizations still reeling from the recession. But for today's sales managers, the more may be too much (rapidly changing technology, unlimited access to leads, new ROI methodologies); the less too little (reduced staff, budgets and time to get back into the game).

Trust your gut. Don't be afraid to extend an offer to the candidate that "feels right," or dismiss a candidate who doesn't feel like the right pick, even if you can't put your finger on why. Your reaction to what was said — or what was left unsaid — is often remarkably accurate.