Are You Worth Following on Twitter?

This is an adapted excerpt from Brand-Yourself.com's new eBook, From Tweet to Hired: How to Leverage Twitter to Advance Your Career, by Pete Kistler and Patrick Ambron and including contributions from Chris Perry, Dan Schawbel and several other well-known career and social media experts.

How do you become someone worth following on Twitter?

Creating your profile is the easy part. The next step is to regularly push out tweets people will care about. This is where most people fail! Most tweeters join and don’t know what to do next. They end up following celebrities, tweeting about their day and the only people that follow them back are college buddies and spammers. Don’t worry: if you fall into this category, you are not alone. Only 5% of tweeters have more than 100 followers and only 8% of tweets are considered credible enough to be re-tweeted. Within this small percentage is where your opportunity lies.

The most important thing you can remember to be someone worth following is that Twitter is not about you - it’s about everyone. You can’t simply jump on Twitter and start shouting, “Look at me!” Twitter is a completely open, ongoing conversation, and unless you give people a reason to listen, no one will hear you. Adding value to someone’s day is not only the key to attracting followers, but also the foundation for building meaningful relationships. Here are some key techniques that can help you tweet the right stuff and earn relevant followers:

1. Tweet Helpful Links. People are not, and never will be, interested in what you ate for lunch. They are interested in tweets that yield a positive impact on their day. Take three minutes a day to post a relevant daily quote, tip or article. For example, at our @brandyourself account, we post daily job search tips that attract job seekers who have a use for our tools.To make daily tweets easier, use a tweet scheduler to build some of these up. This allows you to enter dozens of tweets at once and schedule them to post periodically at later dates. People in your field will begin to look for these valuable daily nuggets. If you’re in graphic design, tweet daily Photoshop tips. Your followers will remember you and be more willing to help you down the road because you helped them. To analyze the strength of your Twitter profile and get suggestions about who to connect to on Twitter, sign up for Brand-Yourself and visit the Twitter section of your dashboard.

2. Link to Interesting, Relevant Information. The best way to establish yourself as a valuable member of your community is to share new information on a regular basis. If you are consistently pushing out fresh, targeted content, people will begin to look to you as a source for industry trends. Since the information is valuable, you will earn a ton of re-tweets, and in turn, valuable followers. You will also gain the attention of those you promote. When an employer searches your profile, the hiring manager will see you are heavily involved in industry conversations. See the side bar (right) for a simple way to find, read and share interesting articles with your network.

3. Answer Relevant Questions. Another effective way to prove your worth is by providing help to people who need it. Take a little time each day to search for questions pertaining to your area of expertise using Twitter search tools (see eBook Appendix). Type in a specific keyword followed by a question mark to filter results, such as “graphic design?” or “civil engineer?” Make things easier by using monitoring tools that track these searches and people who need your help. For example, at Brand-Yourself we search for “resume tips?” to find people looking for help with their resume. We then answer their questions or point them to a helpful article we’ve written. This is an excellent way to attract more followers, and establish yourself as an authority in your line of work.

People remember when you go out of your way to help them, and will be happy to return the favor when called upon. If you are looking for freelance work, this is a great way to generate leads. There are hundreds of people looking for guidance, and Twitter allows you to build up credibility one answer at a time.

4. Engage Your Community. Make sure you are personable. Don’t hesitate to ask questions, reply to others using @replies, and ask for feedback. Offer your help for free, recommend products you love and contribute to topics. Use hashtag (#) trackers to find relevant topics and participate in related conversations.

To read more about using Twitter in your job search and personal branding efforts, download your free copy of From Tweet to Hired: How to Leverage Twitter to Advance Your Career today!

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Guest Expert:

Pete Kistler is a leading Online Reputation Management expert for Generation Y, one of the Top 30 Definitive Personal Branding Experts on Twitter, a widely-read career development blogger for Brand-Yourself.com, and a Judge for the 2009 Personal Brand Awards.

Pete is a young, enthusiastic and active entrepreneur. As CEO, he manages strategic vision for Brand‐Yourself.com, the world's first online reputation management platform for job applicants, named one of the Top 100 Most Innovative College Startups in the U.S. He has won a number of top honors for his writing, presentations and business plans.

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10 Job Search Tips for the Class of 2010

A small percentage of you were lucky enough to get recruited off campus and are ready to start your career. The rest of you are now preparing for the arduous task of finding a job, and many of you are scared and ill prepared.

So here are a few tips for you.

1: Set a Budget - Before you start to look for a full-time career opportunity talk with your family and see how much financial support you can expect from them, and for how long. Then determine how long you can financially afford to stay unemployed and if you also need to look for an interim part-time position to make ends meet. If you are not living at home budget your rent, utilities, food and entertainment and see if your savings and current income (if you have some) will cover them, and for how long.

You should also set aside money for the following pre-job search related expenses if you do not already possess these items. A means of transportation, two new interview outfits, a professional resume, a computer w/internet access, and a cell phone,

Also, if you do not have a credit card get one, this is your emergency fund. I suggest you get a credit limit of $750-$1000 to start, with as low an interest rate as possible. Don’t use this for anything non-job search related and only as a last resort.

2: Don’t Think Too Big – In the ideal world most of you would love to work for a large company with strong brand identity. However the job market today is more fertile for 2010 grads among the small and mid-sized companies. These are the companies to target.

3: Research The Market – Print out 15 jobs that you think would be appropriate for you and they do not have to be in your geographic location. Then review them all to see what the employers are looking for in a new hire and how well you match the requirements. If you do not have 75% or more of what they want, look for another type of job.

4: Take a Personal Inventory – Now that you know what the employer wants from you, underline the requirements and write down how well you fit each requirement based on your academics and any work experience you have. List all you business and personal skill sets and rate them on a scale of 1-10.

5: Start A Network – You all know people in the business world. Get in touch with them and ask them for advice. Work every contact you have. Don't be shy about checking in with contacts you've made. Personal referrals remain one of the strongest door openers to a job.

6: Start A Job Search Group – Get together with 4 or 5 good friends in the same position as you and start a support group. Meet at least once a week to set weekly goals and see if you achieved them. Share leads and network buddies. Share news articles. Discuss the interviews you had, what questions you were asked, your responses and what you learned. You can also share the research assignments and do mock interviews to help you get ahead.

7: Follow Up – Don’t let leads get cold, jump on them as soon as you hear about them. The same holds true to any network suggestions you receive. Most important follow up on every job interview and make the people you meet part of your network if they do not hire you.

8: Job Fairs – I don’t recommend them for people with 4 or more years experience but I have found that most universities and colleges, as well as industries and companies, host job fairs. These are terrific places to meet many opportunities in one location. Make sure that you have a great resume and dress sharp. You may also want to invest in some business cards. Vista Print will do them in color for a very low price.

9: Get a Part Time Job or Interim Staffing Assignment – I know you are anxious to get a full time offer; however, part time and temp work in the right environment can also help you make your mark at a company. It also helps pay the bills. You can also use this to work for more than more than one company and expand your experience and network.

10: Keep Positive – Looking for your first job can be a frustrating mess, but you need to keep everything in perspective and never lose confidence. You can change your focus and job search strategies week to week, but a positive attitude is the one constant you need to get to where you want to go.

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Author:

Perry Newman, CPC CSMS is a nationally recognized executive resume writer, career coach, AIPC certified recruiter and SMMU certified social media strategist known for his ability to help his clients get results. You can view his sample resumes at http://www.perrynewman.com/, and email him your resume at perry@perrynewman.com for FREE resume critique.

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Get to the Top on LinkedIn

Linkedin just released a suite of premium tools targeted to help job seekers. Good news - they have some truly helpful features ... Bad news - They aren't free. For serious job seekers, I think it's worth the small monthly cost, giving candidates better viability and increased job search efficiency.

Linkedin helps job seekers accomplish two basic tasks - Finding target company contacts, and social branding. Job Seeker Premium makes both of these tasks easier and more effective.

As part of this review, I interviewed Parker Barrile, Director of Product Management for Linkedin's Jobs Business to get Linkedin's views about how their new tools are intended to help candidates. Parker mentioned that Linkedin has 3 major goals in for its premium job search products:

1) Allow candidates to manage job search more efficiently
2) Give job seekers more ways to efficiently contact hiring managers and recruiters
3) Help job seekers stand out, making it easier to be noticed

Parker stated that Linkedin "wants to be the place that people go to find their next job. We'll continue to provide free services, but Linkedin will also offer premium services for those who want greater connectivity and visibility in their search."

From my review of the features and discussion with Parker, I was impressed that Linkedin has made a good start in providing value adds that will help candidates in three areas they pointed out above. Parker also gave hints that this is just a start, and that Linkedin plans to release future user capabilities in its job seekers premium tools (Sadly, he wouldn't spill the beans to tell me what they would be).

Will Linkedin's new tools find you a job? No. Will Linkedin's new tools give you more ways to help yourself find a job? Definitely.

Linkedin offers 7-8 features fine tuned to the needs of job seekers, depending on the package offered. The three that can make the biggest difference are what make the service worthwhile. Other features may be helpful to job seekers as well, but these three are money.

Top of the list - This is the #1 reason for Job Seeker Premium, in my opinion. Businesses have been able to buy their way to the top of Google for years. Linkedin Job Seeker Premium allows candidates a way to get to the top of the list. When recruiters or hiring managers search for specific criteria they may get hundreds of results - Premium user results are listed at the top. Since recruiters and HR reps might only call the top 10-20 matches, being at the top of the list helps a job seeker stand out. If you're a Java developer, trying to stand out from the thousands of other Java developers looking for a new position - Top of the list is a huge advantage.

InMail - Currently, Linkedin basic users can contact their first level connections. InMail is Linkedin's version of special delivery, allowing candidates to contact any of Linkedin's 60M users - even if they are not a connection. Linkedin's website claims "You’re 30x more likely to get a response to an InMail than to a cold call. Why? Your profile is attached to your message; plus, it never ends up in a spam filter." In addition, it may be challenging to find emails of people you want to reach - InMails make it quick and easy, saving you time. Depending on the premium package you choose you can get zero, five, or ten InMails with guaranteed response - or choose InMails a la carte at an additional $10 each. If you use them, InMails by themselves make the premium service worth while as packages are 1/2 the cost of individually purchased InMails. Use these for people you've just got to reach, or for those who keep their email private.

Gold Badge - Linkedin's premium service allows anyone to view your full profile and message you, even if not connected to you without either one burning through expensive InMails or Introductions, allowing unlimited free inbound email. As many new candidates haven't been as active in networking until their job search, having a small network means that few people can see your full profile or contact you freely. While this won't replace building your network, the gold badge gives job seekers with a small network a quick jump start.

While these are the most valuable services in the package, additional features can help job seekers as well:

Introductions - As a free user, you have a limited number of free introductions that pass your info along through three degrees of separation. Job Seeker Premium gives you between 10 -25 introductions per month depending on the package you choose. Using introductions wisely can help you gain inside information to your target companies, reach hiring managers, informational interview sources, or hubs to help in your networking efforts.

Expanded Search - the two top Premium service levels allow you to expand your search results beyond the 100 results you currently get as a free user - expanded up to 5x as many results. This can be valuable when searching within large centralized departments at single locations within enterprise companies. For instance, if you search for project manager at Allstate Insurance, there are thousands of results - free users only see 100.

Who searched me? Premium users can see the titles and companies of everyone who initiated a search that your name turned up in. If you've turned up in a recruiter's or company's search, these may be companies you want to put on your target list, or recruiters you might want to work with.

Folders - Linkedin premium services allow folders that job seekers can use to save and organize profiles, and store notes. It's not a contact management system, but it gives some capability to add some organization to your contacts.

These features have been needed for a while, and Linkedin has been offering premium services to businesses for over a year. When I first saw notices that Linkedin was offering premium services for job seekers I wondered ... What took them so long? This makes so much sense.

Linkedin premium has 3 packages priced at $19.95, $29.95, and $49.95. If you want the convenience and direct contacts of InMail I'd recommend the more expensive packages (it's an inexpensive way to use InMails). I don't know of any job seekers who couldn't benefit from being at the top of the list, included in even the least expensive package. That alone makes Linkedin Job Seeker Premium worth the price.

Please note: This is not a paid review, and Linkedin did not give me any free services (not even a lousy t-shirt). I wrote it because I think it's a true advance for candidates.

Source: http://recareered.blogspot.com/

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Guest Expert:

Phil Rosenberg is President of reCareered (http://www.recareered.blogspot.com/), a career coaching service, helping great people discover new career paths and beat the challenges of modern job searches. Phil runs the Career Change Central group (http://www.tinyurl.com/cccpost), recently named one of Linkedin's top groups that job seekers must join. An active blogger about career change, Phil's articles are republished by Business Week, The Wall Street Journal, ZDNet, CIO, FastCompany and dozens of job and recruiting sites. Phil can be contacted at phil.reCareered@gmail.com.

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27 Job Fair 'To Do's' Regardless of Age or Type of Job Desired

Are you a job fair goer? If you are, consider some of the following ideas and strategies as you represent you and your brand at that next job fair event...

1. Smile.

2. Walk confidently with good posture.

3. Shake hands firmly.

4. Maintain good eye contact.

5. Take a writing instrument with you.

6. Take a notepad for jotting info.

7. Take extra copies of your resume, references, business cards, etc.

8. Ask questions and show interest.

9. Initiate conversation and introduce yourself.

10. Say 'good morning, good afternoon, hello, or hi' -- it won't kill ya'! :)

11. Be pleasant and polite.

12. Act happy to be there.

13. Refrain from saying "I am looking for a job and will take about anything."

14. Show gratitude and appreciation.

15. Follow-up when you say you will.

16. Show energy and enthusiasm, regardless of how long you have been out of work.

17. Make yourself memorable -- in a good way.

18. Practice your 'elevator pitch' prior to arrival.

19. Treat fellow job seekers with respect.

20. Look your professional best.

21. Discover one new idea or one new bit of wisdom.

22. Meet at least one new person.

23. Take a moment to meet, greet workshop leaders.

24. Offer to help somebody with something.

25. Speak with confidence.

26. Share a job search tip with co-attendees.

27. And always, say thank you.

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Networking for the Socially Inept, Introverted and Reluctant

You know our type. We’re the kind of people who for whatever reason don’t really know how to start up a conversation. We’d rather hide under the table than start chatting with an unknown person or stay at home watching reruns than go to a party. We’re your awkward cousin or the kid that sat behind you in biology. Is there networking hope for us? There is hope and you will find comfort in knowing (for all of us procedural nerds) that it can be a process you can quickly and painlessly use.

Like many things in my life, I’ve had to figure this out on my own but have followed it up with study. I know some people find it hard to believe that I am introverted since I have been known to speak to a crowd of a 1000 people but it’s true. It’s easier for me to do public speaking than make small talk. The difference is the type of talk and the setting for when that talking takes place. As a speaker, I develop and deliver content with a specific goal in mind. It has a goal and a destination. I can research the topic and get prepared. For networking all of that is out the door, you’re left by yourself to say something interesting. Ygads! The difference is huge. Here are the things I have learned about networking which really helps:

What is the purpose of networking?

In the context of a job search, your network will be the number one way you will find a job. If you’ve heard of the hidden job market, it’s the 80% of the jobs businesses are hiring for but never get posted. The only way you’ll find out about them is if you connect with enough people that know what and how to connect you.

Outside of the job search you can think of your network as a vast web of information and connections. When you need a plumber a doctor or a restaurant, you call your network. In other words, for your entire life you develop and nurture your network. You learn as a small child that your network will share toys and sack lunches. We all have networks but we often times think of them as family, friends and work associates. Whatever you call them, you have developed enough of a relationship to call upon them for help and support throughout your life.

Who is your network?

I could write one sentence here and be 100% accurate. Your network is everyone you know. The obvious ones like I mentioned above but also clients, vendors, people you hire, the wait staff at Starbucks and the list goes on. I should also add that you know something about them. You certainly know limited things about them because of the place of business or setting but that is enough to get started.

$64,000 question: How do you develop a network and get past the social willy’s?

Think of networking as creating relationships with people. Aaaannnddd, how do you create relationships with people? By getting to know them. You ask them questions about themselves! This was something I knew but didn’t “know”. People think you’re a fabulous conversationalist if you ask questions about them. The more you ask other’s about what’s going on in their life, the more you learn and can relate to in the future.

Let me give you a personal example. When we got married my dad didn’t know but 4 people at the reception. Yet for months afterward, people would convey to me the fact that they had got to know my dad and thought he was great. Turns out, he would approach someone and ask them “How do you know Terry and Dorothy?” That was all it took for him to enter in to other people’s lives. He asked these people about their life and found a mutual association to do it. Guess what I do at wedding receptions and parties now? I’m never at a loss of an opening line. I’ve now expanded to questions like: how long have you been a part of this group? What compelled you to join this group?

This means you don’t have to be a great conversationalist in the sense that you don’t really have to think of thought provoking banter. This isn’t about you; it’s about the other person. You simply need to ask good questions that are open ended. If you’re getting ready to go to an event, consider creating a list of questions associated with that event. If you can have some questions related to a person of mutual association that always works like my examples above. You can also ask about the event or group or business that is involved. It’s that simple. I wish someone would have told me that about X years ago.

Refinement tips:

• Think of your network in three layers. The first layer is people you know well, have a developed relationship and know details about. The second layer is people you know fairly well in that you know some details about them and periodically associate with them. The third layer is people you know only superficially. Your goal is to move a few more people into the first layer and a bunch into the second layer. I’ll give you some ideas on how to do that.


• When you go to an event and start introducing yourself to people concentrate on quality associations. You don’t need to “work the room”. If you can walk away from a room of strangers and feel like you have connected really well with a 3 or 4 people, then call your networking a success.


• If you’re like me, you need to make notes to remember some information about the people you’re meeting. Obviously, for a network to work you need contact information but make notes on key things you’ve learned about your new contacts. This will help you move the relationship forward if you’ve made them important enough to remember information about them.


• The first rule of any relationship is to give to it. You must give your time and attention. The simplest way is email. When I email, I often times simply ask about something going on with them. I’m also constantly thinking of things I can share like links, websites, and articles or connecting them with someone they might find valuable. You can’t tap into relationships without demonstrating your goodwill first. Following this process will not only move people into top two layers, it will enrich your life.

Your network is a living, breathing, dynamic organism. People will come in and go out of your network your whole life. The sooner you realize how easy it can be to develop a network the sooner you can breathe a sigh of relief about the next event you go to. See? That wasn’t so hard was it?

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Guest Expert:

Dorothy Tannahill-Moran is a Career Coach and expert on helping her clients achieve their goals. Her programs cover: Career growth and enhancement, Career Change, Retirement Alternatives and Job Search Strategy. Want to discover specific career change strategies that get results? Discover how by claiming your FREE gift, Career Makeover Toolkit at: http://CareerMakeoverToolKitShouldIstayorShouldIGo.com/

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What Does Your Resume Say About You?

Recently, I discovered Wordle. Wordle is a toy for generating word clouds from text that a user provides. It can help you figure out your brand.

The point of the Wordle for me was to verify whether or not I am profiled or branded properly. This picture above was created from my blog. It says a lot about the way that I think, what is important to me and shows that I AM branded properly!

Job seekers can use Wordle to see if their word cloud says the right thing about their resume. Most job seekers put together a document that is actually a C.V. or curriculum vitae (vital statistics of every place that they have ever worked). Instead they should be using a resume that talks about specific experience and education. (See Wikipedia)

The biggest mistake that most job seekers make is the dump of everything, especially the non-relevant stuff into the document. They hope that the recruiter or potential employer (usually HR or the hiring manager) will sift through the mess to find out what they can possibly do. Guess what happens? When the hiring manager cannot see immediately what you can do for them or what position you are applying for, you resume ends up in the great recycling box called Resume Hell!

I was talking to a new client the other day with his resume. He had just been laid-off after 24 years with one of the large telecoms. Although he had some great qualifications, nowhere on the “resume” did I see a profile or what it is that he can really do. Was he really expecting to get some traction from a potential employer with that document?

The first cardinal rule of thumb on a resume is to create a killer profile. The profile tells an employer:

1. Who you are i.e. Senior Technical Manager. I always advise using the description from the job application.


2. What you can do i.e. Implemented complex desktop deployments for 100 users and internal customers. Tell the hiring manager what you are good at and can do for them.


3. What makes you that good at what you did or can do i.e. Created quick and painless cutover by doing 3-shift per day implementation over four days. Customer had no down time which means you can save them time, money and resources.


4. Why the potential employer wants to hire you i.e. Cost saving measures of the 3-shift implementation created under budget surplus to the satisfaction of the customer, thus netting each member of the team $5,000 bonus. Pure accomplishment statements.

A great resume has a profile, NOT an objective. So many people still use the word objective on their resumes. We all know that as a job seeker you want to work in a great company where your skills are utilized, where you are challenged, and made to feel welcome. Get off the idea of writing like a 15-year old. An objective is all about the job seeker. A profile is all about the potential employer.

It’s not about the person who wants the job but about what the job seeker can do for the employer to grow the company’s bottom line. Consider putting your resume through a spit-shine to clean it up a bit. (Tim Tyrell-Smith of Tim’s Strategy)

Here is an analogy that you about someone who is thinking of buying a house. The person searches the internet for house listings. A house listing has a profile not an objective. The objective is obvious – the seller wants to sell the house. Similarly, the job seeker wants a job. The resume gets you the interview and the interview gets you the job. The house has a profile that gives a potential buyer an idea of its specs, what it has to offer, how good it will be, and how much it will cost.

A killer career solo sheet or profile says upfront what the job seeker can do. This means that your professional experience had better match up to the profile. Don’t put the company first and job title after or below the company. Employers do not care so much where you worked as what you actually did for the company. Then show the highlights of qualifications in a section just below what you can do. This is the place to demonstrate what you did, how you did it and what make you that good. Any sort of awards for cost saving measures should be listed here. If you have special technical skills or certifications or languages or security clearances, list them here as well.

Remember, the career profile (the icing on the cake) is what sells you and the rest of the resume is just the supporting data (the plain cake). A potential employer can see from your profile what you do and can do, what makes you great, your accomplishments, and how you will do that great stuff for their company. Not only will a great resume drive interviews your way, but may even land you that dream job.

So, what does your resume say about you?

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Guest Expert:

Queen Schmooze is a Re-Positioning Strategist helping job seekers, career changers, recruiters, entrepreneurs and start-ups to gain greater market share. With 25+ years in communications in different areas including the political sphere, community and social activism, non-profits, and corporate business, Michelle J. Iseman, aka Queen Schmooze, uses branding and profiling to better position the client for their target market audience. When you want to STAND OUT in a crowd, you call on Queen Schmooze to enable them to see you. She is blunt, brutal and honest, making sure that you have a true SEO that can get you ahead.

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Emotion: The Dual-Edged Workplace Sword

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about emotion, and how emotion can help - or betray – us in the workplace. Emotion can override the effects of the most finely crafted personal brand, leaving us with our defenses down in challenging moments. And every workplace, every community, serves up plenty of challenging moments, so it’s important to be prepared to control emotions so they don’t undermine our personal brands.

But it’s a tall order.

When we’re thinking and reacting emotionally, we may not have access to the cognitive part of ourselves – the logical, process-oriented thinking that enables us to assess a situation, perceive a set of solutions, and reason our way to a resolution. Think of the last time you were in a performance appraisal and you received a criticism you weren’t expecting (though there should never be any surprises in a performance appraisal, which is a topic for another time.) Chances are you reacted emotionally to the comment, not from within the context of your cognitive self, the heart of your personal brand.

As an example of how we can prevent emotion from sideswiping us – and how to use personal brand to recover – let’s think about Max, an accomplished marketing manager whose boss had left the organization and been replaced with someone with whom Max wasn’t entirely comfortable. Max has a strong personal brand. He understands that he has a rather controlling personality – he’s a detail guy – and knows that his skills support the tasks a marketing manager needs to be competent on the job. He’s moderated his natural tendency to be controlling by mastering active listening skills and developing a set of non-work interests that require team skills to ensure success. He manages the emotional stress that is a byproduct of his controlling personality through exercise, meditation and paying close attention to key friendships (social community – another favorite TalentCulture topic.).

Although he had good culture fit with the organization, Max felt off-balance emotionally with his new boss. He caught himself worrying about his next performance appraisal – and to make matters worse a big bonus was attached to a good review. In the weeks leading up to the appraisal he knew he needed a way to control his emotional self so he could achieve his goal – maintain his success and standing at work, build a more productive relationship with his new boss, and secure a good review – and the bonus that went with it.

Max decided it was time to add new skills and tools to his personal brand. He called and I recommended he read the book Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High by Kerry Patterson et al (do a quick search to learn more.)

I won’t go through the book here – it’s a recommended read – but it gave Max the tools he needed to begin to find ways to initiate and stay in conversations with his new boss that he had been avoiding for fear of emotional landmines. The last time I checked in with him things were going better and he was feeling – there’s emotion again – positive about his relationship with his boss – and his upcoming review.

The lesson here is that we all have emotions, and we can control those emotions by adding skills to our repertoire of coping mechanisms, which in turn strengthens personal brand. It’s always possible to add to and refine personal brand – in fact, it’s part of staying vital, connected and valuable in every job market.

How do you stay connected, in the moment and in charge of your emotions in difficult situations? What tools do you rely on to forge common cause with someone when there’s no obvious connection? And what are the challenges you face maintaining your personal brand? I’d love to hear.

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Guest Expert:

Meghan M. Biro, founder of TalentCulture, is a globally-recognized expert in talent acquisition, creative personal and corporate branding and new media strategies that accelerate talent acquisition. Meghan's recruitment, coaching, and branding organization is built on her extensive experience in executive search and talent acquisition for clients ranging from Fortune 500 corporations to start-ups and mid-size organizations. Her background encompasses over 250 successful searches for clients ranging from Fortune 500 corporations to start ups and mid-size organizations. These searches range from C-level executives to matches made with recent college graduates, and are driven by her unique fusion of search strategy proficiency and fundamental belief in the importance of corporate culture and candidate personality. A career strategist,Meghan guides her clients to build distinctive corporate, employer and personalbrands-both on and offline.Based in Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA, TalentCulture partners with clients, corporations and individuals to ensure a match between hiring needs, brand and culture/personality.

Reach at mbiro@talentculture.com
Twitter: @MeghanMBiro, @TalentCulture
LinkedIn:http://www.linkedin.com/in/meghanmbiro

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Love Letter to My New Resume

Hey -

You know how when we first hooked up together, I liked you, right? You were interesting and looked OK and we had a lot in common. But now I have to say I’m like really into you in a big way!

When I really noticed this was after you got back from that long trip to London and Dubai. We went to that dinner with the CEO guy and you were wearing that great suit you got tailored at Savile Row (?!!!). I hope you don’t take this the wrong way, but you looked so much better! In fact, you looked great!!

You know the way your arms are kinda long? I’m not telling you anything new here. It made you good at basketball in college. But those old suits you used to wear to interview in just came up short. Sorry, but that’s just the way I feel. Nobody's perfect.

But in that new suit! I know this may sound superficial, but it made me feel proud and confident just to be with you. It made your long arms look powerful, instead of just a little weird. That new suit gave you a real aura, you know, of power or something.

You talked better too. I just got the feeling that you knew what you were doing. You sounded so sort of savvy, you know? I don’t see how that guy could not give you a job! Now you’re charas– what’s the word? Yeah, charismatic.

I feel the real you has come out and you’re so sure of yourself. Like, if I had a problem, you’d just take care of it. Anyway, to make a long story short, as I say, the way you are now - it's waaaay better -

Later, me

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At the Movies: Job Search Lessons from the Silver Screen

From my prior posts you may know I am a music lover and American Idol fan, and I try to keep my CR blog posts fresh, informative and entertaining 52 weeks a year. So a few weeks ago I thought I would have some fun and write a post on job search tips I gleamed from American Idol. In response I got this comment from Andrew C.; “Being in the careers space myself, I read a lot of content that is helpful for job-seekers. The correlation with American Idol was pure genius though. Sometimes in order to understand a set of circumstances better, you need to compare it with other situations that you're familiar with.” So today I will share my movie buff side with you and take you on a tour of the silver screen and see what we can learn “At The Movies.”

ACTION / CAMERA / ROLL UM

Lost in Translation
You know how great you are! Your former boss - the one who regretted laying you off – is going to miss taking credit for your ideas and accomplishments! The team members you led for the past X years know how much your valuable leadership skills will be missed! The vendors you dealt with will sorely miss your problem solving and relationship management skills! The receptionist will miss your warm smile and kind words of encouragement! The accounting, IT, sales and marketing departments will miss the little things you do that make their work product better than it will be without you! As a matter of fact everyone you have come into contact with in business knows that you are no Average Joe, and they can all attest to the fact that you are one of the best in the business at what you do. The only people who will think of you as just another one of the myriad number of average out of work employees, managers and executives are the people who judged you by your resume.

So here are two suggestions I think all job seekers, and especially mid level to senior level managers, VPs and CXO level executives should take to heart. One is to make sure you look as good on paper as you do in the flesh. Be very selective when choosing someone to help you write your resume. Make sure you are an equal partner and can collaborate freely with the resume writer; be carful what information you agree to put on or leave off your resume; and most important make sure your resume looks and reads crisp, clean and clear, and makes you come across as a candidate every prospective employer must meet.

My second tip is to accumulate as many written recommendations as you can from people who will validate your achievements and the truthful claims to greatness you have made on your resume. Post them on your linked-in page or personal website. Then direct people in your network and prospective employers to them by hyperlinking them to your resume or by word of mouth. If you are really bold you might even put two or three select references or quotes from them on your resume as validation of who you claim to be. What ever you do make sure the’ Hero Story’ you tell about yourself, a great prospective hire, does not get lost in the translation. If you are not sure where your resume stands ask for a free resume critique by sending me your resume at perry@perrynewman.com

Network
You have heard and read this a hundred times before, however not every job hunter heeds this advise. A job search is in and of itself a full time job that requires serious game planning, meticulous execution, and a minimum commitment of 30 hours every week.

So how much time and effort do you put into your job search? Be honest now. Are you unemployed, slacking off, and putting golf, the gym, watching TV and personal tasks ahead of your job search way too often? If you are, I suggest you go to the nearest mirror, look yourself straight in the eyes and shout at the top of your lungs “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it.” Then make a commitment to yourself that from now on you will elevate your job search to the top, rather than keeping it in the middle or at the bottom of your list of “Important Things to do Today’.

Four Weddings and a Funeral
Gotcha…. you thought the previous tip was about networking for a job; well you were wrong, this one is. Being a Certified Social Media Strategist I am one of the biggest proponents of using Linked-in, Twitter, Facebook, blogs like this, and any quality social media outlet to network and establish your bonifides. Still equally important is the need for face-time. This is why you need to get out more and attend weddings, funerals, chamber of commerce meeting, alumni gatherings, CPE courses, network nights, workshops, and even religious events so you can see and be seen by the right people. As you can see I did not mention job fairs as I find them to be cattle calls, but there is a place for them as well.

You might have an outstanding virtual image but there is nothing like being out there and having people see you as a human being. Social media, websites, emailing and texting are all nice networking tools to use, but meeting with people face to face as often as possible should have a place near the top of your job search list of ‘Things To Do.’

Close Encounters of the Third Kind MEETS The Color of Money
Ok, the HR department loved you and so did the department manager who asked you how much you will accept, and then tells you he wants to make you a fair offer. All you need to do is “come in and see my boss, the VP, for a 10 minute meet and greet and it’s a done deal.” You go home and tell your spouse and best friend that the long wait is finally over, a new job is in the bag. Two days later you go into this meeting over-confident that the job is yours and you let down your guard. You dress and act a little more casually; you speak to the manager as if she is your life-long friend; you say things that contradict what you said before; and when she asks you how much you want you ask for 10% above what you told the department manager. A few days go by and you have not heard back from the company and they did not reply to your follow up emails. Then when you call and are lucky enough to get the department manager on the phone, not wanting to hurt your feelings he says “’I’m glad you called. I just got out of a meeting with the VP and we were told the job you interviewed for was just rescinded” or, “I’m sorry but a great candidate internal candidate just surfaced and the VP offered her the job.”

The scenario I just described in some form or another plays out every day at every level in the fickle word of job search. So whatever you do keep the immortal words of the Baseball Hall of Famer Yogi Berra in mind, “It aint over till it’s over.” Remember to keep your guard up at all times; treat every interview as if it’s your first interview and you have to sell the heck out of yourself to this person; and be very carful how and with whom you negotiate salary. In my experience a new job is never in the bag until the day you start work, so beware of what you say and do every step along the way.

A Nightmare On Elm Street
Most people I question tell me that interviewing is the most frightening aspect of their job search. Quite a number of them tell me that they are happy to get a chance to sell themselves, but once they walk in the door they are as comfortable as they would be alone, in a dark alley at midnight with Freddy Kruger. For most of us this is only natural; no one likes to be on the hot seat, and many people who are going on job interviews today are more accustomed to being on the other side of the desk asking the questions, as opposed to having the questions directed at them by someone they feel is their inferior. To improve your interviewing skills, I recommend you put together a “Board of Directors” consisting of professional people who know you well (try to include a few from your field) and who you trust and will not feel embarrassed in front of.

When you convene the first board meeting the agenda should be to discuss what general and specific questions you might expect on a phone or live first interview, and brainstorm what you think should be the proper responses. At the next meeting begin your mock interviews around a desk or table. Appoint a ‘Director’ who will handle the video camera and the rest of the board members will take turns as the interviewers. You can then practice 15-30 minute interviews having them ask you the same and different questions in different interview roles. One scenario is a friendly HR first interview and another is a hard nosed interrogation style first interview. In subsequent tapings you can conduct the technical and/or line manager’s interview, the let’s get down to the nitty gritty interview, the final decision maker interview, and most important the salary negotiation interview.

At the end of each session, or the beginning of the next, you need to review the tape and judge several factors: How did you answer the questions; how was your body language; how was your eye contact; how was your voice modulation; did you come across as convincing, nervous, unprepared, cocky, too light weight, too overqualified, too arrogant, or too humble. Another thing is when you go on an actual job interview, as soon as you can jot down the questions you were asked, your responses and any notes that stick out in you mind. After a number of mock and real interviews you will hopefully find your comfort zone and confidence, and get job offers instead of rejection notices.

The Devil Wears Prada
Didn’t you love how the clothes changed Ann Hathaway’s personality in this movie, and took her from being an outcast to be taken lightly to a real up and comer who people took seriously? A job seeker may have the brains, the skills and the experience an employer wants. But I have found that in most job interviews -just like in your resume- looking the part will be an equal if not a deciding factor in the decision making process, especially in certain fields where you are in the public eye such as retail, fashion, sales, and even public accounting. My suggestion is to designate in your current wardrobe at least one outfit and accessories (shit/blouse, tie/scarf, earring, shined shoes) that will be used almost exclusively for interviewing. If you don’t already have appropriate interview cloths go out and buy some. If you are short on cash arrange with a friend or family member to borrow a suitable interview outfit, or check the web to see if there are organizations in your area that loan people clothes for job interviews.

Now it’s your turn: To better help me help others in their job search efforts please rate this article and leave a comment.

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Author:

Perry Newman, CPC CSMS is a nationally recognized executive resume writer, career coach, AIPC certified recruiter and SMMU certified social media strategist known for his ability to help his clients get results. You can view his sample resumes at http://www.perrynewman.com, and email him your resume at perry@perrynewman.com for FREE resume critique.

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The 5 Stages of Reinvention

1. The Trigger

Something happens which stops you in your tracks:

• Major changes at work which make you think… “Is this what I really want?”

• Redundancy

• A major health problem (for you or a family member)

• The death of a close friend or family member

• A divorce or major a relationship break-up

• Financial difficulties

• Extended travel or volunteering activities that make you question what you’re doing

• External factors that move you (e.g. 9/11, the tsunami in Asia, earthquake in Haiti)

Tip:

Remember, everything happens for a reason. Some of the worst things that happen to you will teach you the biggest lessons. Sounds very clichéd – but in years to come, you’ll know them to be true.

2. The Reaction

You’re angry, upset and in denial. Some days you’re relieved and pleased, but then the next day you feel down again. You get the ‘3am sweats’ – waking up in the middle of the night with that sickly knot in the pit of your stomach.

Tip:

Remember that it’s perfectly normal to be ‘all over the place’ – there’s nothing wrong with you. It’s just the process you go through as you shift from one stage in your career and life to the next. The 3am sweats are a signal that it’s time for change.

3. The Withdrawal

Your confidence is low, you feel pretty unsociable, much quieter than normal and simply want to withdraw and hybernate.

As you withdraw, you may indulge in a few vices to make yourself feel better on a day-to-day basis. Which means you may drink more, smoke more, eat more sugary junk food , watch more junk TV, shop more and gamble more. But it’s completely normal when you’re going through change.

Tip:

Give yourself permission to withdraw and spend time with yourself. Educate people around you to give you space and time to reflect to ‘just be’ (e.g. get them to read this article).

Slow down, take good care of yourself. Politely say “no” to invitations and new projects.

Read, reflect and journal to capture any insights and ideas which come to mind. Think about what you want and what’s most important to you in the next chapter of your life.

When you give yourself time and space, you’ll start getting insights and ideas about what you really want from the next phase of your career and life. You’ll come across chance conversations, chance meetings and read random articles that start pointing you in a certain direction (this could well be one of those random articles that you were ‘meant’ to read).

4. The Research and Planning Phase

The insights you gain from the withdrawal stages start giving you clues about what you want from the next phase in your career and life. You start researching and becoming more outgoing once again.

You start waking up in the middle of the night again. But instead of the knot in your stomach, you’re waking up excited about an idea or insight and want to grab a pen and pad before you lose the inspiration. You suddenly have a spring in your step, your eyes light up and your family and friends feel relieved to ‘have you back’.

Tip:

When making a change, the dots join up backwards, not forwards. So don’t over-plan or over-think things at this phase. For now, forget what’s “realistic” – trust your intuition, be open-minded and explore options and ideas you’re drawn to. The precise ideas, contacts and insights come from getting ‘out there’, not from sitting at home creating plans.

5. The Next Chapter

You’ve made decisions, developed a plan and are now well into the next phase of your career. It may be a new job, new career, new business – or simply a new outlook or adjustments of your priorities in life.

You’re excited and enthused: you’ve well and truly turned the page in the next chapter of your career.

Tip:

Enjoy…!

This is the process of reinvention we all go through when moving to the next chapter of our careers and our lives. The triggered event was just that – a trigger or catalyst to get you moving. To force you to make some decisions and take some actions which deep down you wanted to go for but had been resisting.

So if you’re faced with a major ‘trigger’ situation right now, remember that these things often happen for a reason. Whilst you may be in shock and a little scared, follow some of the tips above and have faith that, in time, things will turn out fine.

If you’re stuck in the ‘reaction’ or ‘withdrawal’ phases – remember, there’s nothing wrong with you. You simply need to go through those phases to come out the other side. So hang in there.

And if you’re in the ‘planning and research’ or ‘next chapter’ phases – enjoy the journey!

So what stage are you at?

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