Fact: There are brands I use everyday that I do not want to “engage” with – especially on facebook. Furthermore, I’m sick of hearing what a “stellar user experience” all these brands have.  Use all the engagement metrics you want – the simple fact is I don’t want to post things about Crest or Colgate.  When it comes to brushing my teeth I care most about taste and secondly how easily it comes out of the tube.

Do you want your product/brand to stick out in my mind?  Do something for me that’s unexpected in a way that will make my life easier/better.  For example, give me a toothpaste tube that opens up to let me dip my toothbrush in it.  When I get down to the end make sure I can get in the corners to use all the toothpaste instead of wasting any (see crude drawing below) – and be sure to make it out of something recyclable.

To sum it up…There is a lot of company noise on facebook.  All that does is make me want to avoid the site at all costs. Some companies, such as lifestyle companies, have an obvious advantage over companies whose products have a much more utilitarian uses.  Those utilitarian products, however, can capture my attention by giving me something that’s unexpected.

I have much more to say on this, but in the interest of brevity I’ll stop here.

Also, things like “earn 10k,” “no experience necessary,” and “entrepreneurial minded” are huge Red Flag Words!  Get straight to the point when you write your post – I cannot stand sifting through the garbage!

Example for Business Development Position.

“We are brand X (link to website).  We develop software to measure how effective Clean Tech is compared to what is currently in use (a short synopsis of what you do).  Our goal is to expand into the San Diego market by identifying and pursuing companies who do Y (what’s your goal for the person you want to hire?).  We need Z qualities (tell them explicitly what you need).”

If you cannot put your company name down you don’t deserve the time it takes to write a response email…

Just who are Millennials? Too often I’ve seen people outside my generation try to define “who we are.”  Most of the time their answers are terrible.  If someone or some company really wanted to know more about Millennials they could just ask – we make public more information about ourselves than any other generation in history.  

Disclaimer: This is one person’s opinion.  Most of the content on here will be a critique – I apologize in advance.  It is much easier to critique than it is to build something.

In business terms I am still fairly inexperienced, having now set up 2 businesses with a third one on the way. So although I have that experience I would still be considered a newbie in the business world.

But experience has no part in valuing your employees, appreciating their qualities and helping to nurture their key strengths. This comes down to respect, respecting them as human beings and not just there to do as you say without being involved with the company, this is my “key” to a successful business.

I am lucky, my first company SBSG Limited (AKA Silver Bullet) is now established as being a highly respected print, display, Point Of Sale and branding company, with fully accomplished members of the team all having an integral part to play within the company, helping to develop the company and move into the areas that we are expert in. I am extremely proud of what we have achieved and all credit goes to the  whole team, I am under no illusions that without the staff I have in place things would not run as smooth and I would not be able to concentrate on moving the group forward, providing our clients with the services they require at the high standards we set, long may it continue.

Our most recent company SBSG Installations Limited is fast becoming renowned for the quality of graphic  installation work  we produce day in day out, this is a testament to the Installation Manager and install crews we have throughout the UK, working on many projects from vehicle wrapping, retail graphics and sign installations. Their ability to work almost completely remotely amazes me every week, and again this is down the the staff being valuable members of the group having an involvement in the way SBSG Installations goes forward, keep up the good work fellas!

The new company which I mentioned above is still in its infancy, SBSG Design is an exciting project that will I am sure fit straight into ethos of the group, our design manager who will head up the studio has all the attributes needed and has fitted in straight away within the company, I look forward to seeing SBSG Design grow and become an integral part of the group.

In summary what I am trying to say is, you can have the idea, the motivation, even the skills and can even set up the business on your own……but at some stage you will need help, whether someone to do the accounts, project manage, sales, manage teams or assist you. Its at this stage you will have to decide who to bring in, how you will manage them and what involvement will they have?

What path will you take?

Kind regards

Matthew

“your only as successful as the people you employ”

Via Wikipedia - Gates in (Nerdy) Business Casual

I recently remarked to my husband that I wish I could wear PJ’s to work or something equally as comfortable. He said the only socially acceptable way to do this is if we move to Staten Island or New Jersey. But what about all the other people in the office who are wearing things I wouldn’t paint my house in?

I’m not saying my office per se, but in general lines have blurred when it comes to what’s appropriate to wear to an office. I think the suits-only companies left are few and far between – primarily high-end law & accounting firms. I’m sure there may be others, but generally most offices have taken the ‘business casual’ or plain old ‘causal’ workforce attire.

Casual

Anything goes, and if you wear a suit people will assume you’re going for an interview somewhere else after work – unless the head honcho is in town. That doesn’t even apply if you work for a start-up or trendy DUMBO place – the CEO’s there probably are wearing their hipster faded jeans too.

Business Casual   

The ultimate of gray areas. When people ask me what that means at interviews, I generally say, “No jeans, sweats, sneakers, t-shirts, large logo’s, or workout wear – and anything else goes.” What does it really mean in an office environment? It means 3 people in the same exact position & salary – one will be in a collared shirt, tie and slacks. The next guy will be in flip flops, shorts, and a t-shirt. The third person will be in a head-to-toe ed hardy or similar design/logo-covered sweat suit with expensive sneakers. Depending on where you work is how much will fly causally.

Business Attire

AKA suits. Or at least a shirt and tie with a jacket perpetually on the back of your chair. The ladies get to mix it up with either pencil skirts or pants. It is expected that your clothing is tailored to fit you. You should look and act like a professional.

Dress-down Fridays?

I’ve seen the flip flops with shorts in one department of a company on a Friday, where a different department a supervisor remarked, “I couldn’t help but notice you were wearing jeans on Friday…” When in Rome…even if there is a dress-down policy in some departments, it may not apply to all. Take a hint from what your supervisor wears. Also if you have an important meeting on a Friday, that’s a good reason to dress well anyway.

Dress for the Job You Want, Not the Job You Have

This is old advice that many have lived by, and I’ve seen it work successfully. It may come across as awkward if you have a large divide in what the next level of administration up from you wears, i.e. if you’re level dresses casually as call takers, but the supervisors wear suits, it might seem weird if you walk in suddenly one day and going forward in suits. I suggest taking it up one step, but never over-dress. If the boss doesn’t wear a tie or suit, you shouldn’t either. It doesn’t mean that you have to go casual. Wear sleek, classic styles that would make you stand out from the jeans crowd, but not peg you as someone trying too hard.

Dress = Atmosphere

Business clothing brings with it the ‘business’ atmosphere. You wouldn’t yell out, “Who wants to come for pizza with me for lunch?” in a business environment. But if everyone’s dressed casually, why not? I saw an article featuring a start-up that had clothing for the start-up CEO. Yes, I’m serious. It was basically very overpriced durable hipster suit jackets to be worn with jeans and collared shirts. The craziest part? All the comments left on the article were either commending the company – that it’s so hard to figure out what to wear when you don’t want to overdress – but also don’t want to be the brunt of ‘Zuckerberg’ jokes because he’s still wearing sweats with flip flops a few billion later.

Then women got in on it in the comments section – like how men don’t need $400 suit jackets to wear with jeans – women do! That the men are all wearing collared shirts & jeans – but what do the women wear to look put together but casual, and still get taken seriously?

The women were jealous and were hoping this company would do a women’s line. Wow. All I could think was that uniforms are great. That high-paid executives, even business owners, have trouble presenting themselves with clothing – and wouldn’t it be easier to take out all the guessing?

Even if the uniform is black suit, light colored shirt, at least you won’t have to spend hours guessing what’s appropriate for work that day!

So in conclusion  –  know that whatever you wear will be judged in your place of employment. It may never be expressed to you, but the overall impression your coworkers and superiors have of you will be largely based on your appearance. Yep we’re that superficial, now you know – don’t pretend you don’t.

Wearing beach clothes to work is fine if you’re in a dead-ended job and plan to burn your bridges with them on your way out – but if you even think you might want to use them as a reference for your next ‘real job’ – dress up a bit more.

You have nothing to lose except a little comfort. Go get into your t-shirt as soon as you get home, pop open a cold beer, and return to being the unprofessional sloth you really are deep down inside. At least this way no one at work will ever be on to it, and you’ll have a professional reputation!

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http://www.crunchbase.com/product/iphone – edited

Yes, I waited months for it. Yes, I was talking about it with anticipation. Yes, I bought some stock in VZ. But no, I don’t think I’m getting an iphone after all.

Today’s post has nothing to do with jobs per se, but rather customer service & commitment. It’s so off topic for careers I might even end up deleting it from my blog. Regardless, it’s my site & I wanted to share.

In a service-oriented culture that has consumed America, we consumers want to feel like we’re getting our money’s worth in today’s pitiful economy. Boo to companies who take away customer perks without notification in general!

Verizon no doubt has the best service. This comes with the highest plan prices and poor customer service. I personally like to feel like when I’m paying a premium for a service, well, I want premium service.
So early the other day when the online iphone sales went public for Verizon customers (no I did not get up at 3am) we went to upgrade our phones, only to find out our discounts for upgrading have been eliminated. We specifically didn’t upgrade and waited for the iphone like millions of other customers, only to find out had we bought droid’s last year we would have gotten an additional $99 off each phone.

Sigh.

So once we’re looking at paying the retail price with a 2-yr. contract like everyone else is, with no benefit for existing customers, how do they expect to retain customers? I for one am a sucker for companies that go out of their way to retain me. Show me that you care that I’ve been with you for 8 years – or at least respect it. To take away perks without notifying customers reeks of low-class service.

Quick research shows I can get an AT&T iphone refurb today for $9 with a contract. So, 2 phones for $18 with AT&T which will drop calls pretty often – or $400 for Verizon iphones with great service?

Or neither. A big reason my hubby & I wanted iphones was because we love our ipod touches. They’re awesome. The apps are awesome. Looking for wifi all the time? Not cool. Also it was the idea of one less gadget to charge, one less to carry.

I bought an ereader & returned it because I realize I carry enough things already. I carry an HD flip camcorder, ipod touch, and cell phone. This would have combined the 3 for me.

The issues when I really thought about it?

Battery life.

At the end of the day I’ve drained my ipod & phone batteries. So that means I’d be charging my iphone at least once mid-day to keep it going – especially if I took video with it regularly. So I was thinking, if I charge it overnight, and while at the office a bit, and while I drive home from work…I should be fine. But what about Sundays? Wouldn’t make it the day. Then I guess I could buy those attachable emergency batteries, ugh.

I don’t need it.

Not that anyone needs a cell phone technically, or especially a smartphone, but with my ipod touch capable of making calls, I was thinking, what’s the difference?

Thanks to textfree, I have free texting and voice calls are about $2 for 1000 minutes. All I needed was a regular internet connection & it was an iphone basically, as long as I use a Bluetooth or headset with it. Many people use skype happily too, but again, same idea.

How about a wifi hotspot case for my ipod?

I looked into the ZTE peel – it had what I needed to make my ipod an iphone – but people said it’s not always reliable. Some carry a pay-as-you-go loser phone with them as backup. Again, another device to carry? Not reliable? No thanks. Great idea though.

I decided I’m better off with a different phone, android based, that allows for tethering to give my ipod wifi when I need it. Then I can access all the droid apps too. Best of both worlds.

Now where to get this new droid phone & service from?

I distinctly remember thinking, “What’s the point of having minutes if you can’t use them? If most calls drop or you can’t be understood?”

But that was my pre-verizon days.

In the past I had AT&T, Tmobile, and sprint as carriers. Definitely have been happiest with Verizon service. If I’m talking to you & the call drops, I know it was your phone. Do I want to give that up to save $50-70 a month on 2 phones? Just because I’m ticked about losing a small benefit?

That is the question. Tmobile will have all phones free rumored this weekend, $500 HTC ones included. Their service is bad but they’ll send you a mobile antennae for your home (creepy worries…but still).

Next cheap options is Sprint. Also cool phone selection, would run me $70 less a month at least than Verizon with more benefits (more minutes, unlimited cell to cell minutes etc.). Again service won’t be great, but it just might be good enough.

What about the metro PCS option? I’ve heard it’s service is so bad in some places it’s just not worth trying, even in NYC it can be that frustrating. Not sure if it’s true, so if I’m wrong please correct me!

Or do I just stick to my no-contract since it expired old school enV3? Love the keyboard…survives falls…hmm…or do I rethink this when the iphone 5 comes out?

What do you recommend?

Or, in other words, does it boil down to:

The Talent Profile vs. The Talent Myth?

The ‘Talent’ buzzword is beyond overused in the HR world nowadays (although not quite as stupidly as ‘HR should have a seat at the table blah blah…’). There’s an idea that some people are capable of ‘more’ than others, and that said talented people will be your ideal employees.

It reminds me of ‘talent’ programs for high IQ kids in elementary schools. But is that what it’s really about? Smart people are the best employees and therefore should be paid the most? If you got the highest GPA you win the job with a bonus?

I guess that leads to another question: Are there certain people who are really capable of more – or is it about willingness to do more? And what does this have to do with the talent profile?

I think the key thing to take into account is whether or not brains make the best employees. I’m not going to say brain power, aka, ‘talent’, isn’t important – especially for more senior level decision makers – it’s essential. It’s what I look for when I recruit for senior positions – but it’s more than just brains or a high GPA. Plenty of people have those with little ability for application of logic in the workplace.

Now for entry through average-level jobs – I personally think the best workers will be those who are doers, who play nicely with others, with good hearts who help others out. People with disabilities will generally be a better coworker/performer than the smart, lazy ‘talented’ jerk.

So what do you all think? Is ‘talent’ about brains, flexibility, a willingness to go beyond status quo – or something else entirely? Should ‘talent’ be directly linked to compensation?

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As that I attended a career fair as an employer today (or yesterday rather when this gets published), I feel it’s as good of a time as any to bring up etiquette for career fairs. I won’t go into serious detail about researching companies and applying to the jobs before the career fair (and before everyone else does) – I’m hoping that’s a given. This is more of what to expect from both the people at the employer table, and what should come from you on the other side to make a (decent) memorable impression.

(Disclaimer: You can disclaim anything you’d like by saying disclaimer, but as always, these are my thoughts and opinions, and no one else can dream of taking credit for them, especially my employer. Please note this is for a said employer whose positions and job advertisements I shall no longer be posting due to internal conflict).

So I’ll start with the ‘employer’ side at career fairs. There are prepared recruiters at fairs, and there’s the staff that’s dragged there and asked to do recruiting a favor. Not always the case, but depending on company size and number of recruiters left after downsizing, and you never know if the person you’re speaking to is the company lawyer (i.e. I have a tendency to recruit my OEO department to assist with OEO recruiting at these).

Some tables will have no one at it, just materials to take about the company or their jobs. Other tables will be giving away tons of things & having promotions to get attention. This generally boils down to company budget. Which leads into my personality type #1…

1. The Brazen Hand-Out Thief.

Oh yes, the not-so slick person who is obviously not looking for a job, who is immune to dirty looks – they want nothing more than your squeeze toy, pen, ruler, or IRS spray on hand sanitizer (ok the hand sanitizer one is justifiable at a hand-shaking event, especially for those loose, sweaty-hand shakes, but still…).

At one career fair someone came right up to me and said, “What do you have for me? I said, of, are you interested in heard about our jobs? And he corrected me, and said, “No, what are you giving away?” I apologized that I had nothing – so the guy stole my water bottle just to walk away with something. Some people are like that at career fairs – they’re there for the handout pens. Make sure that’s not you – even if the company you walk up to doesn’t have a job for you. You don’t need a squishy light bulb anyway.

I’m not saying don’t take the pen – I’m just saying be polite. Understand these people may not actually have any say in the hiring process, and may in fact be from completely different departments than you’d be interested in working for.

So what’s a job seeker to do?

Have a conversation. Start with the usual introductions & handshakes (which again, why this is still done in flu season bewilders me) and then ask the person a question, like, “What type of positions do you have available now?” It’s simple, easy, and although it makes the person talk, it’s a natural conversation. Walking up and delivering your elevator speech about your sales expertise - only to find out a company has accounting openings only – will make you feel silly & will leave an awkward position. Take this to the extreme, and you have rude personality #2…

2. The Talker.

While you definitely want to talk to the companies presenting at the fair and make a good impression, as with all experience in life you need to make a brief, strong, memorable impression – and then leave. Overstaying your welcome applies to the career table too. Notice ques of when the conversation is winding down, offer a card or resume, and then walk away. Dragging out the conversation will not improve your chances of candidacy if it’s not natural or there’s nothing relevant to say. The talker also is inconsiderate to others waiting in line, and just keeps trying to monopolize the table’s time…but believe it or not, you can actually make it worse by…

3. The Salesman.

Oh, you don’t have any position available at your accounting firm for a doctor? Oh, well, here’s my card in case you ever get sick, you might be glad that you have my info. I can do x, y, and z for you as well…

Now is not the time. Career fairs are not your personal sales floor, and I really doubt this will drum up business for you. More on shameless promoting here.

4. The Liar.

Well, I’m sure they would just consider themselves the ‘boaster’ or ‘exaggerator’, but still, if you don’t fit the bill for the company’s open roles – man up and move along son, move along. No point trying to twist what you’ve done…why yes, I’m an accountant, but I think the fact that I’ve done the taxes for my doctor for the last six years qualifies me for you physician role…

Now this does not negate trying to translate your wanting to change fields and explaining how your experience is relevant to the new role/field - but keep it real.

5. The Non-Talker.

Wait, didn’t I just say don’t over-talk? Well it’s not good to walk up to a table and not say enough. Especially if you’re shy and small talk isn’t your specialty – consider it good interview practice, by making strong eye contact (without leering – #6 to come) and making professional small-talk with employers. It’s not a comfortable situation for the employers to have to try to figure out what jobs they should be telling you about. They also shouldn’t have to introduce themselves to you – they have a huge sign. You know who they are – after all their name is on the pen you just pocketed.

If you find it really hard to get talking, try to open the floor to them, say their materials show they have accounting positions only. You can ask if they anticipate any openings in your area in the near future. You can ask them for a card & connect with them on linkedin if they accept, and ask them to keep you in mind if roles in your area open up. Don’t force conversation, especially if it makes you anxious. You’re better off taking it online.

You can also ask if they can pass your resume on to the sales department. Could be there are positions being recruited for that the person at the career fair doesn’t even know about. Then walk away.

You also might benefit from preparing a script of potential things you’d like to ask or say to an employer, try rehearsing it in the bathroom mirror…whatever works for you to get you talking comfortably. A slick talker with no experience can make a better impression than an expereinced phD who is…

6. The Leering Candidate.

Ahh yes, you want to talk to your dream company. You came to the career fair because your dream company was attending. You’ve been waiting for this moment for years (Hey, why have I never gone to a career fair where google was presenting? Hmmm maybe I’m on to something).

So now you’re faced with your dream company, and you’re terrified. So you wait on line, staring at the table for 10 minutes. Then you lose your bravado, and circle the table again. Then you circle the room…all the while watching the recruiters.

And they know you’re watching. You’ve officially become a creepy leering candidate. They are now probable more scared of you than you are of them. Recruiters tend to be observant people-people. Just walk up, stand your ground, and get it over with. Just try not to grovel at their feet when you get to them. And finally…

7. The Legal Nightmare…aka the career fair version of an ambulance-chaser.

If you walk up to a table and say something that will put up red-alerts that you’re looking for places to sue more than jobs, your conversations might start with one-liners like…

“Does your company have any positions open for people ‘like me’?” Or, “I’m pregnant. Will this hurt my chance at candidacy?”

It’s the career fair equivalent of putting too much personal info on a resume. Once you offer information that’s not legal for a recruiter to ask you, you might be making them uncomfortable. Or, worse, if they’re closed-minded, you might have just given them ammunition to discriminate against you.

Now I’m not saying to hide things – but there’s a time and a place for everything, although in the professional world sometimes the right time is never.

This also extends to trying the ‘cultural or racial connection’ with the employer. Don’t think that because the recruiter at the table is the same demographic as you, that they’ll want to give you any special consideration or opportunity because of it, and to imply so is on the tasteless side.

Let me end with a personal example to drive this point home.

Say I’m at a career fair, and I see google. If I walk up to them and say, “Hi, I’m Sharon, and I need to leave work early on Fridays for personal religious reasons. Is that OK?” At this point, especially if the recruiter isn’t familiar with Jews, they’d be rolling their eyes behind my back. Or rather rolling their eyes over MY head – to see the next candidate in line, as that I just removed myself from the potential employee database.

Instead, if I walk up and say, “Hi, I’m Sharon, and I am so excited to meet you. I’m a big google fan, and think the google labs are so much fun! Do you happen to have any talent recruiting or organizational development roles available now besides the ones posted on your website? I applied to that one yesterday.”  By this I’ve just opened the floor, shown some knowledge of the company, my eagerness to work for them by putting in effort before coming to meet them – and most importantly – I won’t get the brush off from them saying, “The first step all potential candidates need to do is apply online, so you can go home and go to our website, h-t-t-p-:-/-/-g-o-o-g-l-e-.-c-o-m…, ok, thanks, bye”.

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I just realized that I started this blog in June 2010 – making sharon.cc exactly 6 months old!

Congrats, or as my people say, mazal tov, to anyone this may have helped, entertained, offended or bored!

With over 2000 readers (ok, well at least over 2000 unique visitors who’ve clicked on my pages) and lots of people who’ve told me this has helped them get jobs, I’m excited to blog on.

So let me encourage you today to follow me on twitter @sharondotcc

Subscribe to my blog, click the option on the top right navigation bar

Or just keep stopping back in for my newest, snarkiest posts about the career coaching and hiring worlds.

Thanks for reading!

Would you like an outlet for your career advice, job search struggles, free resume critique (anonymously published of course) or anything else you’d like to share?

Guest posters & interviews are encouraged – just send me what you’d like to share with my readers & I’ll post it if I feel they’ll benefit from it.

Also feel free to subscribe or follow me on twitter @sharondotcc to automatically be notified of new articles!

http://sullysblog.com/Sharon-Siegel

It’s a bit more insight into why I didn’t choose a .com for my site, and why you shouldn’t be afraid to step a bit outside the norm when it comes to branding & marketing yourself.

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There are very few places that offer better benefits than the government. Now imagine this place valued its employees, developed them, promoted talent, and only hired the best people to work with. Add in an incredible mission, forward thinking, world changing technology, and lots of perks. Then imagine this place is real and hiring.

Oh wait, it is real.

Working for google or similar (if there are) top-rated places to work does happen for some people. The question is, how to become one of them? How does one find employment in an amazing place?

I once spoke with a google recruiter I’m networked with from California a few years back. He politely explained to me that as that I did not attend an ivy league school and had not worked or consulted for one of the major firms, I had very little chance of being considered. Sigh. Was very discouraged, especially when I saw on the application you have to check off how long you worked at either: apple, bain, amazon, mckinsey, bcg, ibm, pixare, adobe, oracle, ebay, etc. It made me want to go get a job with one of those places to increase my chances of google wanting me.

Fast forward a few years later…I actually met people who work for google, people who went to good but not ivy universities (hey like me!). They never worked for those big reputation places, and they were hired fairly through their application system. When I mentioned what the google recruiter told me back in the day they were surprised, said it’s just not like that, and that people like me get hired all the time. Dare to dream.

And so I do dream, that one day I’ll find a great position in a place that doesn’t do things ‘the way they’ve always been done’, that might appreciate me and my talents, and hey, while we’re dreaming it’ll let me have a healthy work-life balance so I can see the kids once in awhile.

So I’d love to hear from you, faithful readers. Do you work for a great place or know of an amazing employer? Why do you love it? Are they hiring? Let us know!

For public notice post a comment here, for private requests please email: amazingemployers@sharon.cc

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“Self-promotion is an art, not a science, because it takes a bit of instinct and talent to tiptoe across the tightrope between tooting your own horn and sprinting down the street at 6 a.m. with an air horn blaring whilst your soon-to-be-former friends roll their eyes and plug their ears and discuss behind your back how desperately they wish you’d just shut the eff up.”  - Brenna Ehrlich, author of blog Stuff Hipsters Hate – see #5 for full article

1. Don’t be a school snob. You might have gone to Harvard, but if you don’t have an impressive resume or cover letter & think your school will open all doors for you, it won’t…well, it might open some, there are Ivy Snob hiring managers – but mine aren’t generally. And if you do, you’ll end up working for ‘the man’ you profess to hate.
2. Don’t be a workplace snob. You worked for google? Well obviously you left or were let go, or are on your way out for a reason. Don’t think that will get you your next job.
3. Make your online profiles & resumes easy to navigate. Viewers should be able to easily, immediately tell what and why you have done what you’ve done, when and where you’ve done it.
4. FAIL: Shameless Promoting. We’ve all probably done it at some point, but you have to offer value in return for asking for something. Goes back to the ME, ME, ME complex (see http://wp.me/pWfpN-2M for more about me, myself, and I).
5. Want tips on how to use social media for self-promotion that doesn’t make people gag? Try http://mashable.com/2010/09/22/promote-online/

Related Articles

• HOW TO: Gracefully Promote Yourself Online (mashable.com)

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My husband was mentioned (not by name though http://bit.ly/aYwmJo) in a recent article about Social Media  – Yes, we happen to have met a friendly writer for Bloomberg’s BusinessWeek at a Social Media day networking event – see the power of networking people???

There’s been a buzz recently about web 2.0 & 3.0 people to fill jobs companies are struggling to create as that they barely understand what they need in these spheres. Companies will fail if they try to use a traditional customer service/advertising approach. No one will follow someone on twitter because they constantly tweet ads. They need to offer value, insight, discounts, or entertainment in their tweets to get people talking & following. No one signs up for commercials voluntarily, and if they do, they will unsubscribe. Stop following is just as quick and easy as starting.

Mashable keeps a job board (http://jobs.mashable.com) for Social Media jobs, and I’ve stumbled upon (and then added it to my http://stumbedupon.com account) http://socialmediaheadhunter.com/ – interesting insight into an Executive Recruiter who’s specializing in Social Media job placement.

The issue you always have to consider in making any career move is the experience this will give you both for life & on your resume. I’ve wondered if social media jobs are dead –end career moves.

Will it put you closer to your career goals? Is it a goal on its own to be a ‘social media’ person? You might enjoy it while you’re young, but when you’re 50 if you have to tweet about a company if might not be so exciting. So as with any job you make take, always stay connected to others in both your industry and others to network your way to advanced positions. Although big places might eventually need a ‘director’ of social media, most places nowadays won’t get beyond the mid-level manager, probably reporting up to marketing.

What’s to say for the future really depends on the evolution of technology and networking, both social online & off. As long as you’re on top of the progress and evolve and continue to learn, you’ll do just fine. Limit yourself, or decide that you can’t understand or embrace a new technology, and you’ll end up like your grandpa who has trouble using his VCR, let alone a DVD player or DVR…not that he wouldn’t enjoy tivo’ing the game so he doesn’t miss it when he comes over for the great grand-kid’s birthday party…oh wait, that’s my grandpa!
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“I’ve seen some entries that have been up for months, have hundreds of viewings, but never know if they’re actually filled. I think I did see one that was posted at a friend’s company and when asked they said it had been filled a while earlier. Any idea whether that was an exception or the rule?”

My response is not only for this job board, but for all ads placed by companies on external job boards:

- My advice: I say always apply – it’s worth the 3 minute effort & you never know if you’ll get your resume pulled for another job. Chances are if a company has the budget to advertise a job, they may have budget for other positions.

- Also sometimes a job may get thousands of views (i.e. popular company or generic title), and only 10 applicants, none qualified – so don’t let position view numbers discourage you from applying.

In general when I advertise jobs, the fee I pay only gives me a certain amount of time, i.e. 60 days, unless I pull it earlier. Even on free sites they generally require a close date for postings.

 If a job is posted a lot of places, it may get left up until it expires or indefinitely for a few reasons, like:

1. The hiring manager/poster may be lazy and not care that it’s a dead link & leading on candidates, they’ve found their person & have better things to do
2. They’re not sure the person they have will pan out & want candidates on the backburner

3. They have other similar jobs that they want candidates for but do not want to pay or put in the effort to advertise the new job

4. They may not have kept track of everywhere the position was posted to track where to pull it from
5. The person who posted the positions may no longer be working there or may be away from work, and most sites require usernames/passwords to update or remove positions

So I say ideally of course jobs should come to you, but if you need one and they aren’t, job boards are a great place to continue your search. I won’t say it’s the most effective way (I personally have never gotten a job from an advertised position) but I have hired off of advertised jobs. You never know if you’ll be the one to ask your boss to remove the ad once you start

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Although this is a sort-of follow-up on my last FailBlog, it’s worth noting the common mistake.

Certain people cannot be functioned without, at least not without proper succession planning to take over their functions. In cases like this companies need to suck up their pride, put their money where their mouth is, and make a offers to these people who hopefully will take them.

Next time future planning and making well thought out decisions might be a better idea. Here’s a chance for other employers to learn from the mistakes of others!

It’s sad to say that we all have to live in fear of getting sued – so allow today’s post to be my disclaimer.

I keep all records, interview notes, and documentation for at least three years out of fear that one day someone will wake up and say, hey, I’m X sexual orientation and really wanted that call center representative position I interviewed for. I bet they didn’t hire me because of that. I’ll sue so I can make lots of money off the city because they have it to spare.

Then I pull my notes.

 Their resume had spelling errors and they could not describe what they did at more than one place of employment, they cursed 3 times during the interview, which they showed up for 40 minutes late. They chewed gum, didn’t take off their blue sunglasses, and didn’t take off their Bluetooth. Their phone rang during the interview, which they did not apologize to the hiring manager for, even when they took the call, to tell the caller they would call them back later. Their clothing was disheveled and stained, hygiene issues noted…

Wow, and this person’s suing. That’s why we keep notes. But save yourself legal fees. It’s very hard to prove you weren’t hired for a specific role for a specific reason – but worse than that, you’ve now burned a bridge. You will never have another interview with the place you’re suing, or its parent companies or affiliates. You never know who owns whom nowadays, or when you might want to be considered again by the employer in the future.

I once had an employee cut due to budget cuts, and then someone voluntarily left the department. I knew the employee was still job hunting, so I recommended to the department’s director that he rehire her. And his answer, “I probably would have, but she’s suing us, claiming she was let go for discrimination, so I can’t.”

So next time you’re thinking of suing over being let go or over not getting a position, why not instead invest those dollars you’d have spent on the lawyer on a career coach, to help you figure out why you’re not getting the positions you want.

They’ll tell you to shut the cellphone, take off the Bluetooth and sunglasses, spit out the gum, show up on time, oh yeah, and apply for position’s you’re qualified for.

I’m very sorry to all people who lose their positions or don’t get the ones they’re after, it’s happened to all of us, but suing isn’t the solution. You’ll just end up in years of conflict with bad karma and a bad name. Maybe you will make some money, but probably not as much as if you had put all that time, money, and effort into finding a better career.

When companies need to cut, it’s not always personal. And yes, I feel this way even about my own family’s lay-offs. Even if it were my own.

Unfortunately business is not family or friendship, and cannot be run as one. You have to remove people from your company if you can’t afford them. I’ve seen many institutions fail because they love their employees and want to keep them, even to the bitter end of bankruptcy. It just doesn’t make business sense. 

This is easy when you have an obvious weakest link situation. You trim the uncooperative, least helpful, most time wasting employees. Then another budget cut comes. You cut the redundant positions, and eliminate the weaker employees. Another cut. You deice which functions don’t have a strong ROI (return on investment, very important for marking & business decisions), then you eliminate those functions that are not worth their keep. Another cut. No excesses left, but your company will go into debt (or worse debt than it’s already in) if you don’t eliminate big ticket people – but chances are those are your best.

The next step many places take: Outsourcing. Whether a local vendor or over to India, it can save money while increasing your manpower.

How do you eliminate talent? Well smart companies generally don’t. They’ll move people around, and keep their best people by adding to their responsibilities.

Now I’ll get personal: My husband’s company has decided to reduce some of their talent as of today. While yes they are keeping him as a consultant, they have decided to outsource graphics & marketing. That’s another strategy to save money they’ve found. I’m sure the new marketing won’t be nearly as successful, but perhaps that’s ok – maybe they don’t need such a fabulous image anymore, that mediocre is good enough for today’s economy.

So if anyone needs an incredible website, logo or design, let me know, a talented consultant just became available! Let one company’s loss be your gain.

1. It’s easier to remember that http://waytoolongblogaddress.com

2. You’ll remember it

3. I’m not afraid to avoid the .com. I’m way cooler than .com. I’ve embraced the .cc, and made it mine. Move over islands extension – I felt .cc was fitting – .cc=career coach (at least to me, but I get the feeling I just might start a .cc trend!)

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There are hundreds of free business card templates if you can’t design your own. Don’t take the one with the drop of water into the pond. You want people to remember what your card looks like, why its design is relevant to what you do. I’m not saying to shape the entire card like a tooth if you’re a dentist, but hey, that would get you remembered. People would know what it is when the see it in their wallet. They might even show it to friends – hey, that’s free advertising!

2.  Your Email/website?

Is your email: firstnamebusinessname@hotmail.com? Is it long, hard to remember, or even worse, hard to spell? Is it unprofessional?

http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/domains - you can register a website/domain address for under $30 a year. If you have any company, no matter how small, this can be beneficial in that it’s professional, and looks like a ‘real company’. Just make sure you find a domain that’s easy to remember, and appropriate for your purpose (i.e. .org for non-profit, .com for almost everything else).

If you need to go the free route at least make it something people can remember – like sharonsjobs@yahoo.com – not sharonsjobassistancehelpsite@yahoo.com

3.  Your social networking profiles? You resume?

Do they look just like everyone else’s? Is it basically a bunch of job descriptions from various positions that have come together and look just like that?

Take my LinkedIn Profile as an example. It tells you that I’m unique. That I’ve got a wacky sense of humor, but accomplish a lot, and have an interesting writing style.

“Summary: You can pick my brain, if I can pick yours. Let’s work smarter, not harder.

Young brilliant dynamic creative overachiever with unlimited ambition. The sky’s the limit when it comes to my efforts to attain the impossible. I’m an expert at whatever I set my mind to, whether it be QA or making Wedding Cakes. I’m going to change the world, yes, even more than I already have. Before I forget to mention it, I have an amazing personality, natural knack for networking, and a hysterical sense of humor.

I started my first successful consulting company a few years back, designsdesigns.com which is steadily growing in three countries! I’ve edited a book (Journey Among Nations, buy it on amazon, check out the beautiful cover design, that’s my company at work!), written countless marketing campaigns, and designed corporate image makeovers.

My experience? I’m a talented wife, mother, city employee, job placer, recruiter, resume writer, fundraiser, project manager, program developer, and matchmaker to the not-so-rich-and-famous-yet happily married. I’m always open to new experiences.

Specialties: Brilliant copy writing, enthralling process contributions, policy making, ROI-guaranteeing guru for all Marketing needs.”

What has that gotten me you ask? Numerous job interview offers & lots of people I don’t know wanting to connect with me (some I do, some I don’t, I’ll go into who to/not to connect with another time).  

I’ve heard other people say that LinkedIn is where you go when you’re looking for a job, a friend even said to me once, “Does anyone hire through it?” Well, I’ve gotten job offers through it, and I’ve personally recruited through it for hard-to-fill positions. But if your profile is generic or incomplete, don’t expect much. I’m not saying your profile has to be as out there as mine is, hey, decorum is in order when you’re looking for a job (which yes, you should always be doing). You never know when your current position will be eliminated, or when a better opportunity may come your way, if you’re open to it.

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It’s safe for us all to relate to one concept: “We don’t know what we know until we know it.” How could we possibly know what we don’t know? It is honest and commendable to admit when you don’t know something, and even better, often, when you state that you’re willing to learn.

I learned this advice through a man who interviewed me years ago and an old professor, and will live on to repeat their pearls of wisdom.

That being said, step up to the plate and get ready to bat. It’s business time.

Young entrepreneurs, recent college graduates, interviewees, listen up! Feeling overwhelmed? Has the economy got you down? Are you stuck feeling intimidated and overwhelmed by the competition? Let’s take a few practice swings, shall we? ( I know I sound like a commercial, but I can’t help myself. I’m in marketing and advertising. )

Before you step up to the plate, you always need to warm up. Right? Here is your warm-up:

1: Get yourself in gear: If you want to be treated like a professional in the professional world, you need to act like one. That’s right. Leave the horrible drunken Facebook pictures in the past and chop, CHOP! No one cares about how you danced on the bar last Saturday. Well, some may, but that’s a different story.

Step one: Update your resume. Tweak it. Add to it. Spice it up with active language. If you want to become known in the world, time to MARKET yourself.

I had the pleasure recently of coming across an old friend, who took a look at my resume and threw me a few pointers. Surround yourself with brilliant people, and you too, will become brilliant. We learn from those that reach out their hands along our journey. Never think you know all that you CAN know. Always remain open to change and critique. It fortifies you. It’s fortified me.

Step two: Facebook, Twitter, Digg and various other social media platforms are MORE than a way to socialize with friends. These are TOOLS. Use them! As active users continue to grow within these platforms, you should take full advantage of contributing your expertise and knowledge. Write a blog? Tweet it. Digg it. FB Share. Buzz it (sounds like the game “bop it!” [Twist it! Pull it! Spin it!]). Take advantage of learning from the internet. You have the resources you need available at your finger tips. No excuses. PLAY BALL!

Step three: Dress the part. A prospective lawyer does not walk into an interview wearing crocks and Columbia gear ( no offense to the gear, I love both ). A prospective lawyer walks in the door strong, wearing a button down shirt ( solid color ), suit and tie with polished black shoes. If you want to play the part, learn the part and act accordingly. Need some guidance? Google is your best friend. Get to work.

Step four: Know your value and have some confidence for crying out loud! Interviewers are more than people with a set of questions. They KNOW, like animal instinct, what you can bring to the game. Take yourself seriously, in a serious (but not overly serious) kind of way. Be proud of yourself and your accomplishments. If a company has called you in for an interview or meeting, they have already considered you as a potential candidate for the position/opportunity available. Now, paint a picture for them. Why are you a good match? Do your research about the company and know your skill set well. What can you offer? What can you bring to the table? Shake their hand firm, look them in the eyes, keep your shoulders relaxed and back and breath easy. Never be over anxious, always listen.

For some, interview prep is an essential process. I’m talking everything from soup to nuts. Groom yourself. Treat yourself well. Vitamins, water, yoga, gym, pedi/mani, hair, tanning – whatever it is that makes you feel spiffy -.

The key? Find or talk with a mentor. Someone you trust who can lend you pointers and possibly practice with you. Always use Standpoint Theory as a guide to help you better understand what questions your potential employer(s) may ask you. Research interview questions online. Here is a great link for potential/current Social Media Marketers: http://www.socialmediaheadhunter.com/2008/03/social-media-qu.html.

2: Follow-up and Don’t Put All of Your Eggs in One basket. You think you might really want it. In fact, you know you really want it. The position is great. The firm in wonderful. Well, that may be the case, but in a perfect world, we know there are two ways it can go. You either get it, or you don’t. Be smart. Make a Plan A, Plan B, Plan C. Network as much as you can, and always be sure to follow up.

Step 1: Following up: There has never been a better time than now to polish your interview/meeting skills. Written thank you letters and emails are crucial. They show that you are serious, committed and professional. They show that you are determined, polished and experienced. Invest some money into thank you letters or professional cards with your letterhead. Always keep your correspondence brief and concise. Always pull from the highlights in your meeting. Did you notice a particular angle that will come in handy when addressing this person? Is there something mentionable from your conversation that you can incorporate in your letter? Hook ‘em.

Step 2: Stash your eggs in multiple baskets. One basket holds them, but does you absolutely no good if you trip and they all break. Safe guard yourself and always be proactive. Create backup plans, send out applications on a daily basis and line up your schedule with some quality options. If you find you are having difficulty getting hits? Reassess. Is what you’re doing not working? Time to switch it up. Rewrite your cover letter. Redo your resume. Pack some punch and keep trying until you get what you need and want. Why stand still when you can move forward?

- – Use these suggestions as starting points or reminders. I can vouch for these because I know what I know because I…well, let’s just say, I’ve been there before. I’ve learned from various company CEO’s and professionals along the way, and each lesson has become leverage and knowledge for me to embrace and use along my path to success.

Don’t get down for what you don’t know. Get down if you don’t push yourself to learn it. The world is here for the taking. Take it, or leave it.