Are You In The Tribe? What Seth Godin Teach’s Us About Creating Communities

Are you in The Tribe or any tribe for that matter? The tribe might be a channel on Jaiku, a group on Twitter, a group on LinkedIn, your local chamber of commerce, of even a fan page on Facebook.
What encourages us to become a member of a group or even a paid for member of a membership community?
Here are three things that I have noticed takes place when building a community:
1. Leadership Brand – Very often we join a community due to the person who is leading the group has a personal brand and reputation for something we are passionate in and want to know more about. They are likely to share with their community a compelling vision of what future success will be and have values that we can connect with at a personal level.
2. Connecting With Like-minded People – Sometimes it’s others in our network that we respect. People who are connectors and share with us information and ideas that they know will resonate with our personal or business interests.
3. An Irresistible Offer – And if the community is one that creates buzz whether it’s a free or a paid for community there is often a limited time in which to make a decision to join – you have to be decisive to take action – but those that create the most buzz have an irresistible offer and reward the early adopters and people that take action.
An example of those three points in action is the launch of a new community by Seth Godin which he announced yesterday to accompany the launch of his new book ‘Tribes, We Need You To Lead Us’:

• Leadership Brand – Seth has a remarkable reputation and following with people interested in marketing strategies. He announced his invitation to join him in a membership community to people who respect and follow him – he only made the announcement on his blog
• Connecting With Like-minded People – Tina Cook who is in my network in a special group on Facebook shared the details with her friends as she knew it would be of interest. I had missed the article in my RSS feeds as I was in meetings all day, but I quickly saw and took notice of Tina’s message
• An Irresistible Offer – Seth encouraged people to take action with invoking a date when the doors to his new membership site would close. He also has a small barrier to entry to ensure only those people who really do want to be part of the community will take action – pre-ordering his new book ‘Tribes, We Need You To Lead Us’.

Here is what Seth shares on his blog about the creation of the Tribe online community:
I’d like to invite you to join a members-only tribe. A tribe for marketers, for leaders, for those focused on building communities or creating products or spreading ideas.
This online community will live on a site we’ve created that will feature blogs, forums, social networking, comments, photos, videos and a job board. And it’s by invitation only until October. Spots are limited and early members get privileges and bragging rights.
Members get a password and the privilege of meeting each other, posting thoughts, connecting to big ideas or projects and more. The site will include excerpts from the book as well as a chance to contribute to a new jointly-authored ebook, with full credit and links to the contributors. The contents of the tribe forum won’t be posted to the public until October, so it’s really the only way to participate until then.
I’m launching my new book in mid-October, and as usual, doing something different to take my own advice.
One of the ideas I talk about briefly in the book is that powerful tribes aren’t open to everyone. The exclusivity makes it work. In this case, the exclusivity comes from two things:
1. I’m only announcing the Tribe here on my blog.
2. You have to be committed enough to pre-order my book, sight unseen (in some places for less than $14), months in advance. It’s not about selling more books, of course, it’s about creating a small hurdle to get the right people in the door.
If you are looking at establishing a new membership community or social network, study, learn and apply Seth’s approach – what can you learn and apply to support your success?
And if you want to become a member of Seth’s Tribe, all you need do is order a copy of ‘Tribes, We Need You To Lead Us’ on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, CEO Read, Borders or any bookstore that will give you an electronic receipt.
Yes it’s even listed in Amazon.co.uk for those of us in Europe HERE.
And if you join Seth’s Tribe, I look forward to seeing you there – creating the structure of a community, membership programme or social network is only the beginning – I am looking forward to what we can learn from Seth and each other in relation to engagement, creating brand ambassadors and sharing knowledge across the community.
Article by Krishna De and courtesy of Biz Growth News blog

Don’t Let the Glassdoor Hit You On the Way In

Starting a new job is always a little overwhelming. You don’t know anyone, you are unsure of the lingo used and there’s always stuff going on around you that you don’t quite understand. You don’t know if your boss is a complete jerk and you’re always watching what you say, trying to avoid sounding like an idiot.
Wouldn’t it be nice to have some more information about your working environment before beginning the job to help with the transition? A new site called Glassdoor.com may be able to help. More than that, the site will be able to help you decide what companies to apply to in the first place.
The site claims to have the opinion of over 40,000 employees from over 11,000 companies around the world (although mostly in the United States). Employees anonymously write reviews of their company focusing on important qualities such as compensation, work/life balance, CEO rating, and leadership.
The site is free, but in order to fully access all the reviews, you yourself have to write a review or post a salary. The site does offer previews of several major companies like Yahoo, Microsoft, Cisco Systems and Accenture. Here is a sample of one of the reviews. It’s from the “Advice to Senior Management” section of the review:
Instead of just talking about how Microsoft is great at innovation, actually take some chances and fund some true innovation instead of always copying the current market leader.
Here’s a quote from the pro/con section of a review, also about Microsoft (I’ll let you decide if it’s a pro or con):
“The people here are very driven and a little socially dysfunctional.”
There are plenty of other gems like that throughout the site. All in all, it’s a fun site to look around. And I did some searches for other types of companies, and they definitely have more than just tech companies on the site. The site has an impressive amount of content, and the reviews are interesting to read. Check it out if you want to blow off some steam about your own employer, or if you’re curious to see what your fellow employees are saying.
Article by Andrew G.R. and courtesy of jobacle.com – your cure for carbon copy career advice!

Unemployment Benefits Extension: Effective Counterweight to Slowing Economy?

On June 30, President Bush signed a $162 billion war spending bill that included a 13-week extension of unemployment benefits.
The bill, originally introduced in January, was propelled through the political system this summer, largely because of worsening economic expectations and impending elections in the fall.
Attaching this unemployment extension to entirely unrelated war spending sought by the White House was effective in getting the extension passed despite significant Republican opposition.
This post describes the availability of the extended benefits and the economic and political considerations affecting the decision to undertake this significant additional domestic spending. Continue reading about unemployment extension …
Article by George Lenard, the originator of George’s Employment Blawg, has over twenty years of experience in all aspects of labor and employment law, including preventive law as well as litigation. His special interests include employment discrimination, sexual harassment, and noncompetition agreements. He is currently a managing partner with Harris, Dowell, Fisher & Harris, L.C., in St. Louis, Missouri, and lives in the suburb of University City with his wife and family.

Interviewing Strategies That Really Work

The following is an excerpt from Sylvia Landy’s book, “Ditch the Flip-Flops: Ace Your Job Interview Fresh Out of College”
Excerpt from Chapter 3:
“Draw Some Blood”
Because you will be bombarded with a great number of questions as you sit across from a prospective employer, you’re wise to familiarize yourself with recruiters’ favorites. Interview inquisition is often reminiscent of a starved dog attacking a bone. As you read on, remember that you’re not the Great Dane.
About the author: Sylvia I. Landy has had a successful corporate and entrepreneurial career,having sold a start-up she launched from her basement to a Fortune 500giant. For the past several years, she has dedicated herself to counselingcollege students intent on maximizing their potential. In just one year,Ditch the Flip-Flops has become the number one resource for internship andjob hunters at college campus career centers. Ms. Landy recently releasedher second book, “Campus Dirt: Insiders Come Clean on How to Succeed at College.”
Excerpt courtesy of Keystone Three, LLC, Maximizing opportunities for college students and young professionals

A Must Read For Every Entrepreneur And Start-Up Investor

Thanks to Fred Wilson (A VC) for calling attention to a blog post written by Roger Ehrenberg detailing the reasons behind the failure of Monitor 110. I couldn’t agree more with Fred’s assessment that this is an absolute must read for every entrepeneur and start-up investor. There are tremendous lessons in the story about virtually every major aspect of building a start-up including management, strategy, board/management relations, use of cash, PR, and creating shareholder value.
For me, however, the most important lessons in the story relate to software/product development and the difficulty of bringing a unique, highly functional software product to market. Through the retelling of the Monitor 110 story, Roger perfectly articulates the enormous challenge in striking a balance between the competing pressures of ‘business’ and software development. These are wildly powerful forces within early stage companies, capable of derailing even the smartest, most experienced entrepreneurs and private equity investors.
Trust me – read the post.
Article by Toby Dayton and courtesy of Diggings, a blog about recruitment advertising, media, publishing, HR, work, & technology, among other things.

Career Management Using Big Tent Thinking

Are the challenges in your career and job search, such as the competition, the economic situation, and getting noticed by quality employers getting you down? Or could it be that your perspective – a form of myopia or tunnel vision – is limiting your possibilities and endangering your can-do career management or job search attitude?
I’m throwing that out there because today’s post Your Perception Is Not Always Reality by Thom Singer (Some Assembly Required) struck me as relevant to career management.
What is real to one person may not be to another. Further, the impact of that reality will be different for different folks, as well as how to respond to the “reality”. For example, when you do not get a second interview call-back that you felt sure would come, what is your perception? Do you agonize that you were not “good enough” and that you did not “make the cut?” Or do you realize that the hiring manager might still be engaged in interviewing others? In that case, what could you do to keep your candidacy “top of mind” and “top of the list”?
Thom asserted that “there are always new solutions to beat down old problems” by uncovering the “prized ideas”. “Big tent thinkers” bring more folks under their tent to discuss and share these prized ideas, expand perceptions, and thrash out new approaches to challenging problems, such as finding that “dream job”. All you need do is simply invite folks into your tent!
Who have you invited recently under your big tent? Any social networking invites? Any twittering? Any face-to-face networking? What have you done for someone else lately so THEY can succeed? They will surely want to invite you under THEIR tent so you can succeed!
Article by, Susan Guarneri and courtesy of CareerHub.com. The Career Hub blog connects job seekers with experts in career counseling, resume writing, personal branding and recruiting.

What, Exactly, is “Negotiating at Work?”

Nearly every day I meet or speak with new clients who come to my firm seeking help negotiating some aspect of their employment or career. They may be seeking a new title, or a raise, a promotion, a bonus, a larger territory, or even severance. One of our first and most important discussion topics is “What, exactly, do we mean by ‘negotiating at work?’”
When we say “negotiating” most people conjure up a picture of two or more people, seated on opposite sides of a desk or table, haggling over the price of something. It might be a car, or a house, or a watch. One says, “I will pay you X,” and the other says, “No, I want at least Y.” That, to me, is not “negotiating.” Rather, it is “haggling,” a rather inconsequential, late-stage step in the overall negotiation process.
Negotiating is perhaps best explained by using a more “accessible,” more easily understood word: “motivating.” Negotiation is a process of motivating another person to do something that he or she is – at that moment – not inclined to do. Motivation is the essence of negotiation.

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The Resume vs. Curriculum Vitae (CV)

Have you ever wondered what the differences are between a resume and curriculum vitae? In college, you may have heard about them both, yet since graduating, you probably have heard less about the CV and more about the resume.
Though the CV may not be as well-known as the resume, it is a very relevant job seeking tool depending on your field. So before you prepare for your first – or next – career, let’s take a look at the differences between the resume and CV to help you determine which one is best for you.
The Major Differences
The purpose of both the resume and CV are similar: to provide insight into your qualifications as a potential employee. However, there are some major differences between them. A resume is a brief synopsis (one or two pages) of your professional strengths, typically including standard sections such as your objective (or executive summary), educational background, work history and additional skills. The CV goes into more depth in each section, and even looks at teaching and research you’ve conducted, works you’ve published, and major presentations. However, because this information is not relevant in many professions, the CV is usually used by those looking for academic, research, scientific, or medical positions that require a more comprehensive look at the applicant.
Writing Your CV
Your main goal when writing your CV should be to focus on all of your professional involvement from college onward. Luckily, with a CV you have no suggested page limits to worry about, so you can let loose on all of your accomplishments.
Much of your CV will look like a resume (name, address, contact info at the top, employment history, educational background, training and awards); however, you can also include sections that cover detailed professional skills, certifications, professional memberships, and even individuals you’ve mentored. The more skills and accomplishments you have, the more sections you can create to highlight them. Just make sure to keep them all organized and easy to find. Also, try to tailor your CV to each job you apply for (i.e. highlight more research accomplishments in research-driven positions). Placing your last name and page number at the top of each page is also recommended.
The Successful Resume
Though you may already be familiar with how to create a successful resume, you can always use more great tips to catch the attention of the hiring employer. For example, it is good to use action-oriented statements to describe your skills. So instead of saying, “Duties included assisting manager with documentation and organization of studies,” you might say, “Documented and developed electronic filing system for 10 studies on internal company growth conducted by the manager of organizational development, which were made accessible to the public via the company’s website.” Also, you’ll want to include keywords, like “pharma” or “tradeshows” that can showcase your knowledge of your field. And don’t forget to research the company you’re applying for to help match your skills to their mission.
Whether you’re using the resume or CV to fulfill your job seeking goals, it is important to maintain focus on your purpose, which is to market your skills and abilities. By doing so, you can move yourself that much closer to your desired position in the field you love.
Heather Eagar is a former professional resume writer and owner of http://www.ResumeLines.com who is now dedicated to providing job seekers with resources and products that promote job search success from beginning to end.

Entry Level Physical Therapists

The primary responsibility of physical therapists is to provide quality care for their patients in order to improve their health. Therapists can work with patients having a variety of conditions, which create some type of disability. Wherever there is pain on the body, physical therapists will look into reducing it during therapy.

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What was the best “perk” that ever came with a job?

All the “Open Bar” parties when I assisted an Event Coordinator. Memorable spots : Metropolitan Museum rooftop, World Yacht cruise around NYC, The Rainbow Room

– Submitted by N. R. from Sunnyside, New York, United States through the CollegeRecruiter.com Career Blog Application on Facebook.com.