SourceCon Community, 

Have you read the latest jobs report? Its quite interesting and I can't help but make the analogy of a party. If you think of the US job market as this huge, exciting party. In January, everyone thought around 200 guests (jobs) would show up, but surprise! A whopping 353 guests arrived, making it the talk of the town. The party planners (economists) were left with dropped jaws because it was way more than they expected. 

The party just got wilder and more exciting! There was something for everyone: waiters (retail), doctors (healthcare), office workers (business services). Almost every part of the party had something going on, and it made the celebration diverse and lively. On top of the festivities, party favors (a little extra money) was passed around making it a great time for everyone's wallets. However, there's a catch – too much money floating around might make the party a bit more expensive (inflation).

The person in charge of planning the party (Federal Reserve) was a bit concerned. Too many guests and high prices can make things a bit chaotic. They might have to adjust the party a bit (interest rates) to keep everything in check and make sure it's still a blast for everyone. But off in the corner is a cynical wallflower. While everyone is busy cheering at the unexpectedly lively party, the cynical wallflower, who's been quietly observing from the corner, can't help but raise an eyebrow. Why? 

In this grand party (the job market), where more guests (jobs) are arriving than anyone anticipated, there's a twist. Since it's an election year, the DJ at the party (politics), was spinning its own tunes. A recent Bloomberg News/Morning Consult poll among swing state voters revealed that, surprise, surprise, the economy was still the star of the show for voters by a wide margin.

So, while the crowd was getting pumped on the latest Tik Tok dance challenge (the unexpected job bonanza), the cynical wallflower was thinking, "Hmm, isn't it convenient that this jobs surge is happening right in the middle of the election season? Could this be some well-timed political playlist to sway voter opinions?" It's like the DJ (politics) suddenly cranked up the volume on the new Taylor Swift song to distract everyone from what's really going on. 

If you haven't guessed, I'm the cynical wallflower. Although I hope for the best, I still brace myself for the worse. How does this apply to you? Now may be the best time for you to improve your bag of tricks. Learning new skills will increase your value in the marketplace and bring (some) job security. One way to do this is to engage in the training available at SourceCon Academy, signing up for an upcoming webinar,  and/or searching through the archives of the SourceCon blog. You can never know too much about your profession. Just sayin'. 

Okay, enough of that. 

I'm looking forward to this week because I am doing a bit of an experiment. For the past three weeks I have been releasing one episode of "The Source!" per week. However, this week I am releasing two because I am so anxious to get them out and get your feedback. So, this is what you can expect this week. 

This week on “The Source!”

On Tuesday, February 6, 2024, episode 4 debuts. 

How To Source Personal Emails from ChatGPT

Rui Zhu, a Ph.D. candidate at Indiana University Bloomington, was able to use ChatGPT to find the emails of NY Times reporters. Umm... How did he do that? Jim Stroud, your SourceCon Editor, asked Mr. Zhu to demonstrate how he was able to do that and he did. Tune in to watch how it is done. Plus, shout-outs from the sourcing community prove that some people are watching this video series. Thank you!

On Thursday, February 8, 2024, episode 5 premieres!

Customizing ChatGPT with April Elias

🔥 Are you ready to revolutionize your hiring process? Join us in this game-changing video where the brilliant April Elias takes you on a journey of unleashing the true potential of ChatGPT for recruitment!

👩‍💻 In this hands-on demonstration, April, a seasoned expert in AI customization, will guide you through the steps to tailor ChatGPT specifically for recruitment purposes. Discover how to harness the power of artificial intelligence to streamline your hiring workflow, saving time and resources while identifying the best talents for your team.

As always, these videos will post on YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter) at the same time. So, it will be hard to miss it if you follow us on social media. I may switch to producing two videos per week if I have enough comunity support. (Hint-hint) Please like, share, and comment on these videos when you see them. Your support would be very much apprecated.

If you want to be a guest on "The Source!" let me know. I am always looking for ideas and people to promote in my continuing quest to find the next SourcingOG! 

Already, that's it for now. SourceCon is fast approaching. I look forward to seeing you there. Until that time, may the source be with you. 

Sincerely, 

Jim Stroud
Your SourceCon Editor

P.S. Click here for a link to all things SourceCon. (There might be one or two things you were unaware of.) 

;-) 

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