Career change has been the buzzword ever since the recession hit hard across the globe. There have been reports and articles talking about the new shift in the job scene in this century and a career change might be likely for many of us to get moving with the flow. Well, easier said than done, transitions can be stressful and traumatic too.

What is the difference between job change and career change? Let's first look at the definition of job, according to the dictionary:

1. A piece of work, esp. a specific task done as part of the routine of one's occupation or for an agreed price
2. A post of employment; full-time or part-time position
3. Anything a person is expected or obliged to do; duty; responsibility

1. An occupation or profession, esp. one requiring special training, followed as one's lifework


2. A person's progress or general course of action through life or through a phase of life, as in some profession or undertaking

I am sure you get the point that there is a large difference between a job and a career. You may change a job within a career of choice but a career change is a larger and perhaps a longer process. However a well said explanation of the difference between a job and career comes from Earl Nightingale:

The biggest mistake that you can make is to believe that you are working for somebody else. Job security is gone. The driving force of a career must come from the individual. Remember: Jobs are owned by the company, you own your career!

What makes a career change daunting is that it requires and update or retraining on your skill set (well, most often) and that often takes a long time and effort. Now here are 5 steps towards overcoming the challenges of a career change:

Identify your Fears

Identify and list your fears of a career change. Why do you fear this transition and what aspects of this transition seem the toughest to you? Sometimes eliminating the negatives before getting on the positives is the best way to proceed on the new path. To identify your fears and then attain the freedom from fear releases the tensions and enables the positives to take the place of the uncertainties which reside deep within. List everything possible that seems like a hurdle or any unknown fears that you have.

Be Inspired by this New Change and be ready to Embrace it Wholeheartedly

It is now time to move on to the positives and let the positives only inspire you to an excited beginning. It would be a new change and it would not come easily and happily to you if you do not accept the change with your heart and mind. The second step is mental preparedness and feeling excited about this new step in your life. Take time and write out at least a few pages in a document on what is motivating you towards this career change, for example: more money, more satisfaction at work, a new challenge or any other need. The point is during the career change process you will need a lot of inspiration and motivation to drive the change and do your best to have it flow from you first.

Identify your Goals

As for every achievement in life, you cannot get there unless you have a goal in mind and also not only in mind but in concrete plans. Clarify your goals first. When changing a career you must identify your short-term goals and long-term goals towards achieving either new skill set or preparing for a new job. Spend time in planning and making your goals SMART.

Financial Planning

Now with your goals in mind chart out your estimate on financial commitment towards this career change. Money matters and financial pressures and tensions are the worst of tensions that can drive you off from any commitment, take care of them at the very beginning and this can be achieved by careful planning and practical analysis of what all is covered during your new career change move. You may also discuss this important step with your spouse, family or coach to get a good handle of what the near future might have in store for you as go for higher studies, certifications or retraining.

Seek Mentors and Those who have been there

Now with your personal fears, goals and planning taken care of, it is time to move on to the 5th but again a very important step towards the career change. Ask others. Ask and you shall get, there would be many questions as you walk this new transition. Would a new degree help in getting my dream job? Does a short-term course suffice for getting the skills I need? Will there be a demand in the field I wish to transition say 5 years from now?

There would be numerous questions on your mind right now. It is time to list them first and then seek guidance and help from mentors, career experts or those you know have been through a similar transition. It always helps to ask and cuts down on your anxiety curve. The sooner you learn from other's experience the faster you would be able to transition satisfactorily.

Article by Shweta L. Khare, founder and president of Careerbright and Speakbright and courtesy of Careerbright blogspot

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 31, 2009 at 4:07 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

As 2009 draws to a close, most job seekers can only say, "Good riddance."

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average job search as of November 2009 took 28.5 weeks -- more than 7 months. That's the longest since record keeping began in 1948.

But there is good news: People are still finding jobs, often faster than average.

How are they doing it?

From what I can see, talking to and counseling hundreds of people in 2009, successful job seekers do three things that can get you hired faster in 2010 ...

1. Start with clarity

Here's the best predictor of job-search duration: To the extent that you can clearly describe your target job title and a shortlist of 10-20 ideal employers, you will find work fast.

To the extent that you can't, you won't.

Think of it like this. If you walked into a bank and asked for a loan, they'd ask you a series of questions: How much do you need? What is it for? How will you pay it back?

If you can't clearly tell the bank what you want, they can't help you.

And if you can't clearly tell networking contacts and potential employers what you want, they can't help you, either.

2. Stop "networking" and start being helpful

Hands up -- who loves networking?

I thought so.

Like eating your broccoli, most people see networking as a necessary evil.

But it doesn't have to be that way.

You can make better connections that lead to better job leads -- and have a good time doing it -- by helping other people.

Fred Stuck, from northern New Jersey, was hired last month for an IT position after networking effectively. Did he "work the room" at networking events or spring a "30-second elevator pitch" on friends and family?

No. He simply tried to be helpful.

"When a recruiter contacted me, I would say, 'Send me the full job description,' even if I wasn't really interested in the job," says Stuck.

He then offered to help the recruiter find candidates by forwarding the job description to friends and colleagues who looked like a good fit.

Stuck did more.

After being contacted by a recruiter, he asked to connect with them on LinkedIn, where many recruiters update their status with jobs they're trying to fill. "I saw one update that said, 'I'm looking for a Linux Systems Administrator.' I knew someone and asked if they were in the job market. They said, 'Yes,' so I forwarded their LinkedIn profile to the recruiter. That person didn't get the job, but they did get an interview."

Meanwhile, Stuck was hired from a networking contact he made at a prior employer, in a job search that took only about half as long as the national average. He got what he wanted while helping others get what they wanted.

3. Go beyond email

Finally, let's look at how most job seekers communicate with employers and networking contacts. It's probably how you communicate, too.

It's email.

And I submit that email is the root of most employment struggles.

Yes, email is convenient. But is it effective?

Put another way, if you had to get a message to someone across town by 5:00 tonight or face certain death, would you email it and then update your Facebook profile until dinner?

No. You might email that message, yes, but here's what else you would do, in this order:

* pick up the phone, call, and ask if they got it;
* fax the message, call, and ask if they got it;
* get in your car and hand-deliver the message yourself.

So. If you wouldn't trust your life to email, why trust your career ... which provides the money you need to live your life?

If you make one resolution in 2010 make it this: Stop relying on email and online applications to find a job, and start doing whatever it takes to make personal contact at companies you want to work for.

To prove this non-email approach works, here are three mini-case studies from the Guerrilla Job Search files ...

1) Jeff Donaldson, former Chrysler program manager, hired in November 2009. He got his winning job lead from a letter he mailed to networking contacts. Time to hire: 45 days.

2) Gail Neal, sales rep, hired in November 2009, after mailing her resume and cover letter in a thank-you note to an employer she learned of by meeting a LinkedIn contact offline. Time to hire: 52 days.

3) Mary Berman, marketing executive assistant, also hired in November 2009, after mailing her resume and cover letter in a box, with a coffee cup, asking to meet the employer for coffee. Time to hire: 53 days.

Now. What do the three success traits in this article -- clear goals, helping others, going beyond email -- have in common?

They are uncommon.

If you adopt them, you will not be common, or average. And, with the average job search taking 7 months, who wants that?

Kevin Donlin is co-author of Guerrilla Resumes. Since 1996, he has provided job-search help to more than 20,000 people. Author of 3 books, Kevin has been interviewed by The New York Times, USA Today, Fox News, CBS Radio and others.

Courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates seeking entry-level jobs and other career opportunities, and posted on The Job Hunter Group's Blog.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 31, 2009 at 4:00 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Tonight we will celebrate the end of 2009 and herald in a new decade. From private parties and entire city celebrations to safe home celebrations, we all have our own way of saying "goodbye to 2009". Somewhere in the activities you are bound to hear the song "Auld Lang Syne". It's an old Scottish poem meaning "times gone by". So, should be forget acquaintances from times gone by? Not if we hope to be successful in the new decade.

Extracting your brand is important. Expressing it in a way that is authentic to your personal strengths is vital. Yet, without cultivating and nurturing your acquaintances then who and how will anyone know of you or your brand attributes?

Starting 2010 right

First, if you don't know your brand attributes and if you have not taken the time or effort to develop a communication for your brand - then do that first. Having a great communication plan makes no difference if you don't have a strong brand message or understand your unique promise of value.

Second, clean out your database. All of the people in your contact list or whatever program you use to house people's contact information needs to be reviewed. People change jobs, get married, get divorced, move or get iphones and change their numbers! Clean your existing database and make it your focus to add all those additional business cards to your database and get rid of that clutter! Business card scanners, a neat receipt scanner and even a virtual assistant can help get this done quickly.

Next, decide who and how you would like to stay connected with your contacts. Not sure who, maybe starting with the basic 18 connections you need to be successful would give a basic structure to who to put on your immediate list of contacts.

Why stay connected?

You never know who someone is, who they'll become or who they influence. Staying in relationship with people will make you memorable since common behavior is to lose contact and only rekindle that connection when you need something. Yet, the sincerity of the connection will determine how you nurture, develop and motivate that relationship. Relationships with people are vital to any of our success plans - personally and professionally. You are built by your associations - more than you know.

Keeping touch with acquaintances

With just a few hours left in 2009, it's time for you to make some decisions. What worked for you in 2009? Where do you want to be in 2010?

• Could it be that you want to create a community?
• Start a Twitter chat?
• Create a Facebook Fan Page?
• Become better at networking and follow-up skills?
• Craft a system to stay in touch?
• Better organize your contact list?
• Begin a blog?
• Start a eNewsletter?
• Begin a vlog?

What will you do differently to make those things you want happen? Make a list of what you want to happen. Write specifically "how" or what aspects would make you feel successful. After writing that list, take each item and break it down into 7 actionable steps. Start crafting a plan to take specific actions that will make your goals inevitable.

Maria Elena Duron | chief buzz officer, speaker and coach. Share your greatest personal branding challenge in the Brand NOT Brag Contest to win a strategic 5-point personalized plan to create positive word of mouth for you!

Article courtesy of Dan Schawbel, the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y. He authors the Personal Branding Blog and publishes Personal Branding Magazine and authored the upcoming book, Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (Kaplan, Spring 2009). Dan has been called a "personal branding force of nature" by Fast Company and his work has been published in BrandWeek Magazine, Advertising Age and countless other publications.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 31, 2009 at 3:51 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Today, I spoke to Emily Bazelon, who is a senior editor at Slate and co-editor of DoubleX, Slate's site for women. She is also a contributing writer for the New York Times Magazine and the Truman Capote law and media fellow at Yale Law School. In this interview, Emily talks about how she first got into journalism, the importance of controversy, global freelancing, how she landed her current job and where she believes journalism is heading.

How did you first get into journalism and how did you make a career out of it?

I worked on my high school newspaper, and then in college on Yale's general news magazine, The New Journal. In the spring of my senior year, I had the chance to intern at a local alt weekly, The Advocate, and that experience really made a difference to me. I worked on meaty stories and got to work with extremely talented people who took me far more seriously than I deserved.

You have written some controversial articles over the years such as the Hamdan v Rumsfeld trial. How does controversy help your journalism?

Controversy is like coffee: It gets the blood flowing and puts me on my toes. When it's about substantive debate, and real disagreement about interpretation of facts, then it's all to the good I think. That's not always true on the blogosphere, of course-sometimes, people distort what you're saying, or just get the facts wrong. But when the dispute is fully and fairly joined, then the web is an excellent place to hash it out in real time.

You were a freelance journalist in Israel. What was it like covering a different country? What were the cultural differences for you?

I was a freelance journalist in Israel in 1993 and 1994, which was an amazing time to be there. The Oslo peace process was getting off the ground and that opened up avenues to all kinds of interesting stories. I think that ideally every journalist would have the experience of reporting from abroad. It's so good for honing one's skills as a cultural translator and for running with one's every curiosity. It's also an excellent way for young writers to offer up reporting that magazines or any publication that relies on freelancers often can't easily get. Israelis are remarkably straightforward, which is a great thing for reporting. And sometimes I think it's easier to have critical distance about the problems besetting a different country.

How did you land your current gig with Slate? What has that done for your career?

I got my job at Slate after freelancing for the magazine for a year or more-that's one way to get to know a publication, and for them to get to know you. I've been a writer and editor here since 2005 and it's been a hugely fruitful time. I've gotten to write about legal issues I'm interested in, about my kids, about gender in politics and law. I've gotten to edit a fabulous roster of contributors. And for me the balance of editing and writing has great appeal. I think I'm a better writer for my editing work-better at structure, at seeing the elements of a story. And I hope I'm an empathetic editor because I know what it's like to be on the other side of the exchange.

Where do you see media headed? How can journalists prepare for the future?

Ah, where is media headed-the three-headed monster question of the moment! It's headed toward the web, more and more, to state the obvious. It's headed toward more opinion and less reporting, lamentably, I would say. The most important question, of course, is what forms of journalism will prove to be economically viable. Display and classified advertising are no longer necessarily married to news gathering, as they were for the last half century. And so the old models are crumbling. To be optimistic, for a moment, there's enormous creative energy in the field right now, a real intellectual foment. And so I'm hopeful that really good work will still find it's way to readers and listeners and viewers. Even if it has to find new ways to get there.

Article by, Dan Schawbel, the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y. He authors the Personal Branding Blog and publishes Personal Branding Magazine and authored the upcoming book, Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (Kaplan, Spring 2009). Dan has been called a "personal branding force of nature" by Fast Company and his work has been published in BrandWeek Magazine, Advertising Age and countless other publications.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 31, 2009 at 3:45 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Green jobs are predicted by many to be one of the fastest-growing segments in the US economy for the future decades (Global Insight, 2008, report to The United States Conference of Mayors and the Mayors Climate Protection Center). In fact, the O*NET Center (US Department of Labor) has identified 215 "green" occupations in 12 major industrial sectors, with more to be added.

These facts came to my attention as the result of reading "Building Windmills in the Green Economy" by Dr. Janet E. Wall in the most recent NCDA Career Developments publication (Winter 2009). Her article is available to NCDA members exclusively.

Dr. Wall's background as a career development expert, O*NET consultant, and one of the founders of the first Earth Day in Texas, demonstrates her experience and passion about career development and green careers. Her comprehensive article is a goldmine of green jobs information.

For example, she reports that the greening economy will directly impact the further development of existing occupations, as well as the emergence of new occupations, most consistently in 12 industrial sectors, such as Renewable Energy Generation, Transportation, Green Construction, Agriculture and Forestry, Environmental Protection, and Government and Regulatory Administration. Resources she cites include the Green Jobs Guidebook by the Environmental Defense Fund, The Occupational Outlook Quarterly (Summer 2009 issue), and the US Department of Labor's Career Voyages green jobs portal.

Reporting about green jobs and useful resources is also close to my heart, especially since I grew up on a farm where recycling and "green" job tasks were abundant. In addition, as a professional career counselor, I have encouraged career development and career management based on being knowledgeable about yourself and future careers. With the fast pace of change, those future careers could be right around the corner for many of you!

Read my "Follow the Green Jobs Road" post (April, 2009), as well as The Reach Personal Branding Career Advice Guide on Green Careers, to get up to speed quickly on the essentials. Do not let the greening of the economy leave you and your career in the dust!

Article by, Susan Guaneri and courtesy of CareerHub.com. The Career Hub blog connects job seekers with experts in career counseling, resume writing, personal branding and recruiting.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 31, 2009 at 3:18 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

I know it's not often that you hear confrontation referred to as a gift but when used properly it is a powerful management tool. If you are in any type of leadership position, you know there are times when confrontation is essential to your business. So with all the talk about avoiding confrontation, why is confrontation good?

We spend a lot of time talking about how to avoid confrontation. On the flip side, we rarely talk about how to confront people to create positive outcomes in the workplace or in your business. We fear confrontation so that we don't hurt people's feelings or rock the boat. When it comes down to it, it's much easier to be the "so-called" nice guy/gal rather than be the jerk. However, let me run you through a couple of scenarios and you can judge for yourself which you would prefer.

Scenario #1

You have been working with a company for a couple of years. You aren't sure what direction your career is headed but no one has really talked to you about doing poorly so you figure that no news is good news. The only feedback you get is the occasional, hollow sounding, "good job". Your manager is a real "players' coach". He gets along with people really well and everyone likes him. In your mind, you think he is the best manager you have ever had. Always agreeable, always nice, always telling you that you are doing great.

Then one day your manager calls you into his office. You see the look on his face and know there is a problem even though your manager is having a hard time spitting it out. As it turns out your performance has been below standard and the company needs to let you go as a result. When you ask for specifics, you get a laundry list of things that you have been doing wrong that no one has mentioned up until now. Unfortunately, you have no time to correct it because you're fired. All you get now is a sorry from your manager and a box to put your stuff in. Nice.

Scenario #2

You start with a new firm and you are a little nervous as is everyone who starts in a new position. Your boss sits you down day one and lays out expectations that they have for you and she also asks you for your goals that you want to attain with the company. Day 2 you fall short of the assigned expectations for that day and your new boss comes over to your desk after the day is over to see how you did. She hears how you fell short of expectations and makes you stay that night until you hit the expectations that you have been given. You drive home that night looking at the hour and a half of overtime that you just worked and can't believe what a hard ass your boss was on just your second day!

A funny thing happens to you over the course of the next year. Since you know the score very well and what's expected of you on a day-to-day basis, your performance gets better and better. In fact, you not only get a raise but you also hear that if you keep it up, you are in line for a promotion. Your boss isn't always buddy-buddy with you but she has you on track to hitting your goals.

These 2 scenarios certainly seem extreme but as a leader, the difference between someone succeeding or failing in your organization is your leadership. How you confront poor performance is an important part of great leadership. In the end, who would you rather work for? The nice guy who helped you get fired or the manager who isn't afraid to draw a hard line because they aren't willing to compromise your success? The above scenarios have varying degrees to them for sure. These scenarios can also be used in your personal relationships, parenting etc.

It all comes down to creating the right conditions in your life as well as other people's lives. Confrontation allows you to not only be more successful but it also allows for the people around you to be more successful. You are able to create better teamwork and come up with better solutions to problems.

We will be talking about the right way to confront over the next few days. In the meantime, what are your thoughts on confrontation? What has been your experience with confrontation good or bad?

Brandon Allen is a business and vision coach with The Business Blueprint. Brandon focuses on helping businesses get clear on their vision, mission, core values and leadership. Brandon is the author of the small business blog Build Your Soul Purpose ( www.buildyoursoulpurpose.com).

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 31, 2009 at 3:09 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Are you guilty of relying on your company's name and presence - and not working hard to establish your own personal brand? Unless you have an infamous past to hide, you'll do yourself and your company a big favor by relentlessly communicating a clear, consistent and compelling personal brand. Then, you may leverage your brand so it functions as a 24/7 ambassador, not just for yourself, but also for your organization.

People who don't "get it," always ask: "Why would my firm want me to be personally recognized - shouldn't the company brand be the be-all and end-all of my identity as an employee?"

Those folks don't know that "human assets" is the new term for "human resources," and has even replaced the more recent moniker "talent," when it comes to describing employees. Frankly, most companies don't want to spend much money on developing employees. Like getting dressed in the morning and showing up on time, your responsibility for the basics of self-management rest with you, not the company. Personal branding ranks above getting dressed and below speaking at the next TED conference, when it comes to desirable self-management.

Investing in human assets

Now that indentured servitude is illegal, many companies see that even paying for a skilled foreign worker's visa is a bad investment. We used to believe that foreign workers would stay because the company took on the work and expense of getting the visa. We found out, once you get the visa...well, you can pretty much go anywhere - and you do, no reimbursement (or even a hearty thank you) required.

What's also come to light over the last decade of stakeholders' scrutiny? Most companies' training dollars "invested" in employees disappear faster than their 401K plans did last year. As soon as you leave for the next job, the company's investment in you leaves as well.

So, companies want their employees to be competent, respected and committed to growing their own reputations, skills, connections and career path. Maybe your firm will part with some tuition reimbursement money, but frankly most employers want you to come in and be the best you can be, and lend them all the connections, visibility and relationships you have.

Your brand is part of what makes you a human asset, as opposed to a human liability.

Let's compare human assets to real assets. Most companies don't buy "real assets" like property and buildings, and hope those assets will be invisible to the naked eye. It's true not everyone is still ideating on the Taj Mahal concept of buildings as monuments to the founder's ego. However, most companies spend a good bit of coin to keep up the limestone, granite, wood, plastic and fiberboard based dwellings we call our headquarters or offices.

Brand YOU as a mobile branding platform

As you drive up, the building makes an impression, way before the sign does. In a weird way, the building has a personal brand. Even the office complex or the neighborhood is branded - elite, modern, efficient, convenient, near the freeway, off the beaten track and "by the way we have a squash court and a company gym," are components of the building's brand.

When I went to work for The Coca-Cola Company, I immediately got the "we are on a campus" branded land use, much like Allergan, Google and Yahoo later copied. The space communicates this brand message: "We care about our people and our image with visiting clients and partners."

So, consider yourself a mobile branding platform for your organization, even if all the mobile you're doing is running on a treadmill in the company T-shirt while chatting to the panting person next to you.

I bet you never call a restaurant, and make a reservation for:

"Party of 5 young, intelligent, happening kind of people."

Do you leave an amorphous description that could fit any group? Or, do you leave your name? Hopefully, you leave your name (and the number of guests the venue should expect). That way, the hostess doesn't give away your table to any equally hip group of five - before you arrive.

The connection to personal branding in business

People don't buy from Consolidated Waste Management Assets, Houston Office. They buy from you, Bunky. That is, if you're the hip, young and intelligent Bunky McFearson of Consolidated Waste Management Assets, Houston Office. Yes, customers write the PO to CWMA, Houston. They make the check out to the firm. But, they buy from YOU. You have to build your personal brand, even if you are in Large Company, Inc.

Certainly you are the brand when you're job hunting. Don't label your resume document: Resume.pdf. Label it: McFearson4AcmeWasteManagement.pdf

And, when you open your own shop, remember that the greats have leveraged their own names - way before they were large and famous.

• Parsons
• Northrop
• Morgan Stanley
• Ogilvy & Mather
• Holmes and Narver
• O'Melveny & Myers - and every humongous law firm.

Often small business owners have the misperception that using their own name makes them appear small. It's an unfortunate misunderstanding of business and business relationship development.

What is the power of using your name?

You may be the biggest point of leverage and differentiator among your competitors. Why hide that? It probably is the single best part of working with your firm - YOU!

To all my favorite personal brands, including YOU: Have a clear, consistent and compelling 2010!

Nance Rosen is the author of Speak Up! & Succeed. She speaks to business audiences around the world and is a resource for press, including print, broadcast and online journalists and bloggers covering social media and careers. Read more at NanceRosenBlog. Twitter name: nancerosen.

Article courtesy of Dan Schawbel, the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y. He authors the Personal Branding Blog and publishes Personal Branding Magazine and authored the upcoming book, Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (Kaplan, Spring 2009). Dan has been called a "personal branding force of nature" by Fast Company and his work has been published in BrandWeek Magazine, Advertising Age and countless other publications.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 31, 2009 at 1:04 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

The concept of personal branding came way before social media. Everyone has a personal brand, whether they like the concept or loathe it. It's inescapable. The issue most people have once they discover their authentic brand is how to manage it from the "big idea" to the execution of that idea and then actually protecting and marketing that brand for the rest of their life. Sure you can call yourself the "musical magician" or "the best doctor in Chicago for baby boomers" or "the social media surgeon," but without managing that brand over time, it will lose it's luster and visibility. In a sense, without brand management, all of your efforts will be for nothing.

Here are the top 10 reasons why you have to manage your personal brand:

1. If you don't manage it, it will be managed for you

Taking ownership of your personal brand is extremely important because otherwise, people will categorize you based on a first impression. That first impression might not align to your branding strategy and the brand attributes that you selected might not be displaying. People can freely communicate about you behind your back and if that word-of-mouth isn't accurately portraying you, then it will be much harder to reposition your brand in their minds. Brands of all capacities have lost a lot of control online (corporate, product, personal), but they still can stand for something and have a web presence that communicates what they are in business for. Without any time investment, you will start to find others who are branding you for better or worse.

2. People are searching for people just like you

Visibility creates opportunities (and more visibility). If you don't manage your brand, then it will be very challenging to stand out in search engines and social networks, where recruiters, hiring managers and others are searching for people with your experience. It will be a major competitive disadvantage of you if you are proactively marketing your online assets (no one else will for you unless you're Justin Timberlake - who hires people too!). If you search on LinkedIn or Bing for your name or your concepts name, will you be first? If you aren't, then someone else is landing the clients that you could have and being sought out by the media.

3. The world is changing much to fast to leave it stagnant

Just having a personal brand isn't enough because technology, the economy and the world in general are evolving much too fast. Facebook didn't even exist ten years ago, Twitter was launched in less than five years ago and now we have location based social networks this year. It's very hard to keep up with these changes, as well as figure out how to best use them for your career goals and/or business objectives. Make sure you're in the loop because getting left out, can put you out of business!

4. It will help you avoid a personal branding disaster

A lot of conversations that used to take place in reality are now taking place in virtual reality. If you decide to ignore them, then you might wind up in trouble. Domino's could have presented excess negative press by already being involved online and monitoring brand mentions. If people are starting to speak poorly about your brand and you aren't there to state facts or confront it head on, then it could severely impact your future, at least with that crowd of people. Knowing where your brand exists, who is talking about it and what they are saying that could impact your brand, is going to really help you.

5. You will miss out on conversations that you can benefit from

Aside from a disaster, you will neglect to be part of conversations that might build your personal brand. For example, if two people are tweeting about where to find a home in your area and you're a real estate agent, then you should be talking to both of them. Another example is if you were an internet marketer and you identify a series of posts within a LinkedIn group with people who are trying to figure out how market their businesses online, then you should be there. This is one of the reasons why Yahoo! answers and LinkedIn's answers are such valuable tools.

6. Your brand will lack expert positioning

Competitively, you can't afford to not manage your brand. The second you slack, you may lose your status in the search engines, and your face/name and words won't be seen by your audience. Remember that when your brand isn't there, a lot of other brands are, which means people may forget about you over time. By not managing your brand, you're telling the world that you don't care about your future. Also, it's like starting a community and then walking away from it completely. One of the big ideas with personal branding is to become an expert in your niche, so you can stand out and be recognized. Once you stop the branding process, you will lose some of that expertise because you won't be talking about what you know anymore.

7. It won't be up-to-date, factual and relevant

When you don't take the time to reflect, screen and update your brand with the latest information, then you become irrelevant. I like to use the example of someone who has a LinkedIn profile and decided not to update it with their latest job. That person is in severe trouble if they get laid off or if they are looking for some kind of career transition or escalation. The reason is because people are using keywords to search for experts online and if your latest experience (with the keywords to match) isn't there, then you won't appear in the search results!

8. Your competition is managing their brands

Smart people know that in order to get ahead in today's information and online driven world, you have to participate or be extinct. Your competition is working hard when you're not and visa versa. If you want to stay on top then you have to manage your brand. Competitors can manage your brand if you're not careful. They can reposition their brand to combat yours if you aren't active and they can come out with new content, products and services, while you are neglecting the change in your industry.

9. You decide what content is published and what doesn't

It's apparent these days that you have to be in the content game or be left out in the cold. Everything is content, from a tweet to a video to a podcast and a blog post. It is in your hands to decide what gets published and what doesn't from what's in your control. Everything else that is created and shared about your brand is based on what you publish or what information gets out there from other sources. If you only publish content related to your social life, then you are hurting your professional brand. That balance is important to keep and your profession voice is what's going to build your career (in most situations).

10. Technology evolves and could leave you in the dust

From desktop computers, to laptops, to handhelds to phones, who can keep up anymore? Technology is moving at a rapid pace and it cannot be stopped. This is why being in touch with tech shifts is so significant now. You always have to be aware of what's going on and if you're smart, you'll be ahead of the curve (an early adopter). If you don't manage your brand, you won't be able to take advantage of technology improvements and you won't know what tech isn't being used anymore (MySpace is dying, etc).

Article by, Dan Schawbel, the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y. He authors the Personal Branding Blog and publishes Personal Branding Magazine and authored the upcoming book, Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (Kaplan, Spring 2009). Dan has been called a "personal branding force of nature" by Fast Company and his work has been published in BrandWeek Magazine, Advertising Age and countless other publications.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 31, 2009 at 12:59 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

In order to make room for the great new work habits you're resolving to adopt on January 1st, be sure to ring out any bad office practices. And, yes, procrastination is on the list, so reading this now instead of later is a great first step in the right direction.

Here are some tips for banishing common office behaviors that can get in the way of success.

1. Put off procrastination...now

Overwhelmed by the difficulty or size of a pending chore? Make use of calendars and computer alarms to plan out and schedule small pieces of big projects. Doing a little at a time is usually easier than tackling a whole project at once - and always more productive than putting it off 'til you're "up to" a big challenge.

2. If your system's broken, fix it

Do you clean up your act every few months only to find your folders empty and your desk a mess again in no time? If you're constantly unable to find things, you may be trying to adhere to a filing system that doesn't work for you. Notice where your various papers naturally end up and base a new categorization scheme on what works for you. Continue reading ...

Article by Laura Frongillo and courtesy of Salary.com®

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 31, 2009 at 11:48 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Opinions do vary, but on the whole, the general consensus is that the economy is looking up and that jobs are not going to be as difficult to find as they were during the past 18 months. But that's no reason to rejoice if you're a college graduate or in your final year of college, because irrespective of how the economy's doing, you need to have a few special skills to secure a decent job in today's world. So how do you know if you have what it takes to find suitable work after graduation? Well, you could answer a few questions to find out:

• How high is your confidence level? Confidence is a funny thing - if you don't have enough of it, you end up doing less than you're capable of, and if you have too much of it, you end up being underprepared for what you're going to face. You need just the right amount of confidence in yourself, the amount that comes with being well prepared and knowing that you have what it takes to succeed in your job hunt. This is the confidence that interviewers and employers perceive, the kind that tells them that you're confident but not cocky. So prepare adequately for job interviews and meetings, and your confidence automatically reaches the right level.
• How good are your grades? If you have bad grades all through college, you know that no employer is going to want to hire you as a first choice, unless you have some other special and rare qualification of course. Bad grades do not mean that you're stupid, but they send the message that you have not applied yourself and done your best at college. Employers do not look too well on students who have bad grades, even though they have additional qualifications, because they think that they are not capable of dedication to the job.
• Have you any experience? It's hard to have experience under your belt if you're just out of college, but part time work and internships do count in your favor when you're trying to find a job. Potential employers know that you're serious about your efforts to find a good job in the industry of your choice and they appreciate your sacrifice in working during college and vacation to gain some experience. Besides, when you have experience, the cost of training you comes down.
• How serious are you about finding a job? The more serious you are, the higher your chances are of finding a job. If you've done your research, prepared your lists of companies to apply to, sent out your resume and called people to ask for opportunities, and are persistent in your efforts, you know they're going to pay off soon enough.

Guest post by Shannon Wills, she writes on the topic of Online Engineering Degree. She welcomes your comments at her email id: shannonwills23@gmail.com.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 31, 2009 at 8:38 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

I wondered about this question when I read Penelope Trunk's comment on Nicole Crimaldi's blog, Ms. Career Girl.

I'm 42 years old. I have had a very successful career, and I can be judged on my track record. So I don't need a personal brand.

So, newsflash, you never hear me writing about my personal brand because I don't need one. I am not at the beginning of my career, I am not trying to figure out what I stand for. I am not trying to explain to people how they should view me.

While I'm normally not a follower of Ms. Trunk, her comment got me thinking: Is there a certain point in life when you no longer need a personal brand? Is it an age, or more of a milestone?

I asked this question of my Twitter followers, and @MAltaee responded, "When we die!" Similarly, @Critiques4Geeks said, "For some, reaching that point might not be anytime too soon! Especially re: entrepreneurs, small biz leaders, and C-suite level. Their business identity and persona are very closely linked, so personal branding is very much a part of the picture."

It's not your age

In reading her comment, I don't believe Ms. Trunk argues she no longer needs a personal brand because of her age, although she does mention she's 42. Age, in my opinion, is not the sole determiner of whether or not you need to maintain (or create) a personal brand. After all, as Ms. Trunk aptly goes on to point out, she's already had a successful career.

It's a milestone - that you set

Although "when we die" might be a little extreme, I am going to respectfully disagree with Ms. Trunk about the fact that she doesn't need a personal brand at this point in her life. While I don't know her - at all - I'm willing to bet she still has plenty of future plans. But the good news is, even though she might not be writing about her personal brand, she's been living it.

She makes some very important points about when it might be useful to create a personal brand: at the beginning of your career or when you're trying to establish yourself as an expert. And she's right - she's not at either of those points. However, as long as you still have a career-related goal to accomplish, regardless of your age, I argue that personal branding is still valuable.

What career-related goals do you have yet to accomplish in your life? What are your personal branding plans to help you get there?

Heather R. Huhman is a career expert and founder & president of Come Recommended, an exclusive online community connecting the best internship and entry-level job candidates with the best employers. She is also the national entry-level careers columnist for Examiner.com and blogs about career advice at HeatherHuhman.com.

Article courtesy of Dan Schawbel, the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y. He authors the Personal Branding Blog and publishes Personal Branding Magazine and authored the upcoming book, Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (Kaplan, Spring 2009). Dan has been called a "personal branding force of nature" by Fast Company and his work has been published in BrandWeek Magazine, Advertising Age and countless other publications.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 30, 2009 at 1:57 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

When it comes to work, many of us have the same resolutions. We figured we'd save you the time and type them up for you. If you truly want to get your career on the right track or just have a better attitude towards work, we recommend you start off slow, picking one or two of the items below and building from there. These were my resolutions in 2008, and they're pretty much the same this year!

Set a Deadline on "Perfecting" Your Resume

The longer you wait to send it out, the longer it will take you to land a new job. You need to get it error-free but not at the expense of never finishing it. Resumes are fluid. Do not be afraid to hit the send button.

Narrow Down What You Want to Do

Just saying that you want a new job is a temporary solution. You must ask yourself the hard questions. You also need to rely on family and friends to give you an unbiased view at what you are good (and not so good) at.

Stop Reading This Website

Ok. I really don't want you to give up your Jobacle addiction but I would like you to take more action and do less research. Trolling 15 career Websites a day is not likely to make you a happier person at work. You'll only get somewhere if you employ what you learn. If you're always reading, when will you find the time? Continue reading ...

Article by Andrew G.R. and courtesy of jobacle.com - your cure for carbon copy career advice!

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 30, 2009 at 1:33 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

2009 was a long and challenging year for jobseekers. Unemployment reached record highs, and competition for jobs was fierce. If you had trouble landing your ideal job, you weren't alone.

As we cross into 2010, it's a natural time to take stock of your 2009 job search: what worked, and what didn't; what time was well spent, and what time was wasted. If you were using methods that didn't give good returns on your time and energy, now is the time to drop them.

Then, resolve to channel your fresh start and high energy into new habits designed to get you into your ideal job in the coming year. Here are six recommended resolutions to make your job search successful in 2010.

Article by, Sarah and courtesy of RiseSmart.com - RiseSmart: Search Smarter. Rise Faster.

Resolution #1: I will create a list of targeted employers.

If you're only applying to jobs that you see being advertised, you're leaving key elements of your job search up to chance. Take control of your future by identifying the organizations in your industry where you would like to work -- even if they don't have any job openings at the moment. Do your research, and make up a list of 8-12 target employers with products or cultures you admire. Devote time to introducing yourself to them as a future candidate. Get on their radar now, before a job is even open, and sow the seeds for them to call on you later on when something opens up. This is one of the best ways to take advantage of the "hidden job market." It requires time and planning, but the end result is a position with a company you hand-selected as a good match for your skills and desires.

Resolution #2: I will carry job-search business cards.

A person's job is a large part of their identity, and sometimes displaced workers feel lost without the security of a title and a business card. But do you really want to be scribbling your contact information on a napkin or index card when you network in public? Increase your poise, confidence, and professional appearance by creating and carrying a personal business card just for your job search. They are easy to produce at home with a printer, or simply use a free service such as Vistaprint, which offers jobhunters 250 cards printed free (pay only shipping and handling). Job-search cards are the perfect positive marketing tool -- shorter than a resume, but something physical for people to take away and remember you by. This leads to our next resolution:

Resolution #3: I will expand my network.

No matter how much you are networking, you could undoubtedly do more. Jobseekers are often shy about expanding their network, but people are typically flattered to be asked for their expertise or connections. So take the plunge: if you haven't made the time for Facebook or LinkedIn, now is the time (keep it professional on Facebook, of course). And don't just concentrate on online, either! Whenever you talk with a friend, peer, neighbor, or relative, aim to get at least one informational contact (not a job interview, but a person you can call and chat with for 10 minutes or so about their industry) out of the conversation. While jobseeking, you should aim to have a short informational call or coffee meeting at least a few times a month. People will be impressed with your initiative, and flattered by your attention. You may be surprised where these short, no-pressure meetings can take you.

Resolution #4: I will build my personal brand.

This is a fairly new element of the job search, and as such, many older jobseekers are not aware of it. The candidate's role now goes far beyond their resume; it is now common for employers do preliminary research on you on the Internet before you are contacted. Your competitors are building their personal brand online, and so should you. Start commenting on an industry with a Twitter account or on a free blog at WordPress or Blogger; establish your expertise. Benefit #1 is that you'll make great industry connections. Benefit #2 is that you'll shape your online image for those who are researching you. Both are necessary for your successful 2010 job search.

Resolution #5: I will revamp my resume and cover letter.

When was the last time you really gave these crucial materials more than a simple update? Adding your last position is the bare minimum, and for 2010, you owe yourself an upgrade. Research current job ads for the hot keywords are in your field, and make sure your terminology matches the current jargon. Evaluate the entire document, even older sections that have served you well for years -- these are the very sections that could benefit from a re-write in the context of your later accomplishments. Aim for a clean, simple look. When you're done, save a formatted version for printing and email attachments, and a plain text version for online forms.

Resolution #6: I will genuinely seek out feedback.

Many jobseekers get "stuck" on some issue that they don't even know about. Maybe it's the presentation of their resume; maybe it's some interviewing quirk. The point is, they won't ever know about it unless they ask their "support squad" for constructive criticism. Unfortunately, due to rejection in the job market, these same people may feel too vulnerable to ask for any feedback. If this sounds like it might apply to you, turn to trusted friends and family for resume critiques, mock interviews, and ideas about where your talents might be useful. They know you better than anyone, and you should resolve not to let any insecurity prevent you from asking for their excellent help and perspective. Ask for feedback, and you may get a surprising boost!

Do you have any job-related resolutions for the New Year? We'd love to hear about them. Share your inspiration and progress in the comments.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 30, 2009 at 1:26 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

As we wait for the ball to drop in Times Square and hope for a better job market in 2010, I'm hitting the pause button...and taking a quick look at the last 12 months. Clearly, these were not the easiest of times in the labor market--but I've watched a lot of people land great jobs. Over the course of the year, I reviewed over 200 resumes from job seekers across the U.S. during a stint as a resume reviewer for Microsoft; I spoke with job applicants at employer fairs and facilitated a job seekers group in New York City. In the process, I saw many success stories.

Here are seven strategies that I've seen work in 2009.

1. Writing resumes for the "electronic eye." As many online applications are read by scanning technologies before they are viewed by humans, start your resume with a summary of keywords and phrases that line up with job qualifications.

Tip: Check out the free Career Hub Insider's Guide to Resume Writing

2. Looking in the mirror. While some make fun of the "ego search," it's important to know what employers will find when the "Google" your name--in an ExecuNet Survey, 86% of executive recruiters said they conduct online research of candidates. At best, your online presence can lead to new job opportunities. The worst-case scenario? Your candidacy could get eliminated based on your digital dirt.

Tip: Use William Arruda and Kirsten Dixson's Online ID Calculator to assess your Google results; ideally, you want your first two page results to include a professional summary--e.g. your LinkedIn profile.

3. Being picky (to some degree). The phrase "I'll do anything" should be left with Oliver Twist. Unless you really are happy performing the tasks in "50 Jobs Worse than Yours," be clear about the types of work you can do well. When you put your best strengths, experience, and interests forward--you have a greater chance of being hired for a role in which the employer's needs align with your strengths.

Tip: When applying for a job, show that you understand what the position entails--and ask questions that demonstrate you've given some thought to the specific position and hiring organization.

4. An appealing LinkedIn profile. As LinkedIn has a high search ranking, there's a strong chance that your LinkedIn profile will be the first thing employers see when they Google your name. Spend as much time on your LinkedIn profile as you do your resume--it's a great place for prospective hiring managers to assess your writing, interpersonal, and communications skills. My "top-of-mind" recommendation for writing a terrific LinkedIn profile is Chris Brogan's "Write Your LinkedIn Profile for Your Future."

Tip: Complete your profile--especially the "summary" and "specialties" section as employers and recruiters can search these fields by keyword. (One of my friends found a job this way--her employers found her!)

5. Getting "out there." Last year, RiseSmart found that the average job seeker spends 50 hours a month or more online in pursuit of a job. Ever heard the oft quoted stat that 60-80% of job leads happen through networking? If you consider how many leads come from personal contacts and "face time," spending hours online is not ideal. Several of the members of my job seekers group have found full-time work after taking on temp jobs, volunteering, and cold calling hiring managers in tandem with applying for jobs. There's no substitute for a real voice connection or face time!

Tip: If you need to expand your network, join LinkedIn groups in your area of interest--and consider creating your own community of interesting people through Twitter. You can find people (and groups) to connect with via Twitter through Twellow, Wefollow and Listorious. As you can take LinkedIn and Twitter connections off-line, look at your online time as a springboard to meeting face-to-face!

6. "Hire me" campaigns can work, but only if there's follow-up. From musical cover letters and sandwich boards to college graduates passing out resumes at stop lights, there's no shortage of ingenuity in today's labor pool. I've talked to many job seekers who've used the "clever approach" to get noticed. It often works, but once the 15 minutes of fame are up--employer attention often wanders as well.

Tip: If you use a "gimmick," make sure you have a way to capture and follow-up on any contact information that you receive--from e-mail addresses to outreach received from others.

7. Maintain friendships. One of my clients landed a job this year after sending a thank you note to a firm that had rejected her (they reconsidered.) A college friend found a job over Facebook in six days. And over 1,000 job seekers found jobs through JobAngels--a grassroots movement where job seekers can receive individual help from volunteers. Staying in touch--and asking for help when you need it-- can take you a long way in your job search.

Tip: Whenever possible, "tag team" your job applications--identify a friend or hiring manager within the company you've applied to, and let them know you've applied.

These are seven best practices I've observed. What have you seen? Do you have any to add or modify?

Article by, Chandlee Bryan and courtesy of CareerHub.com. The Career Hub blog connects job seekers with experts in career counseling, resume writing, personal branding and recruiting.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 30, 2009 at 1:21 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Having A Job Search Strategy Helps Job Seekers Compete.

Picture this: You're training for your first marathon, the long-distance kind of event that covers 26+ miles. You are running against experienced and non-experienced runners. You also figure that you'll be surrounded by sponsors, organizers, volunteers, cheerleaders, etc.--you will need all of these people to help make sure that all the runners are taking care of for the race.

Successful marathon-runners obviously prepare for many years. Just imagine the chaos if all the runners of the Boston Marathon just sort of showed around the time and maybe the place the race was to be held, failing to anticipate what it takes to compete and even participate with the 25,000 people including runners, organizers, and volunteers? In order to achieve the goals of being competitive or let's say just "finishing" the race, runners apply training strategies similar to that of the successful world-class runners use.

Now let's take it from the race course of Boston to the job search happening for a record number America's workforce...

A job search strategy serves as a road map for the job search, keeping you on the right course. I've seen the unintended consequences of what happens when job seekers are not prepared to be competitive in the job search, inadvertently starting the race at the wrong place and wrong time with no chance to even finish the race. So, don't be the runner getting lost on the course making apologies and losing out by not getting the job. It happens all too often: A job seeker is a great person, yet is unsuccessful in getting a position that might actually match up to their experience, personality and skills all because they're not prepared to discuss why they're good for the team.

To avoid such unintended consequences, here are a few tips and pointers....
First, research the positions for which you're applying, go online to the corporate website or Google job descriptions in reality a lot of HR departments are using these same job descriptions. These allow you to see what a recruiter or HR person is going to see. Next, research the company via news releases, online searching or get really radical and ask around to people about what they think about your company of interest.

What I consistently hear from HR for at least small and medium-sized businesses, is they typically do not feel they have the resources to manage the recruitment process in a "best practices" sort of way. So, suggestion to job seekers is, "Make life easier for over-burdened recruiter, HR Manager, or business owner" by having everything prepared; copies made, numbers available, be on-time, and have questions at the tip of your tongue. Ask your questions, and then LISTEN to the answers.

Your job search can benefits from having a job search strategy, it will help you:
1. Be prepared for every interview with answers about skills, experiences, motivations, etc.
2. Apply for the right jobs, with the right companies.
3. Reduce job search costs which help stretch resources as far as possible
4. Maintain a consistent process that helps minimize time wasted, limiting you missing opportunities'.

The ebb and flow of a job search can be a lot like a relationship; it can be as difficult, challenging and rewarding as running a marathon race. Job Search strategies can help job seekers be competitive for the tough race course ahead.

Bryan Wempen is a guest blogger for Blogging4Jobs. He is the Vice President of Strategic Alliances at People Clues an assessment company. Bryan is also a Partner with GET A CLUE!, a global provider information used by Jobseekers to help then get noticed and prepare for the job interview. You can connect with Bryan on Twitter, FaceBook, or LinkedIn.

Article courtesy of Jessica Miller-Merrell, SPHR, an author, new mother, and human resources professional with a passion for recruiting and all things social media. Her company, Xceptional HR provides businesses with social media, recruitment, and human resources strategy and consulting. Jessica's upcoming book, Tweet This! Twitter for Business will be released in February 2010. Follow Jessica on Twitter, LinkedIn, & FaceBook.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 30, 2009 at 1:13 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Job hunters who rely on head hunters or executive search firms for leads may be limiting themselves. Today, many corporations are creating in-house search departments and relying less on retained search firms, and candidates may be missing out on top positions at companies that tap talent from internal databases. Bon Secours Health System, for example, conducts 80 percent of their searches in-house.

Seth Lee, Vice President of Talent Acquisition at Bon Secours Health System, tells us why job hunters should pay attention more attention to internal recruiters than external ones:

• In-house recruitment teams are typically staffed with former executive search firm consultants, and have emulated many of the services that retained firms offer.
• Online talent communities are now routinely built by employers, allowing the candidate to keep in touch with the employers even when an opportunity does not exist right now. This is a very powerful candidate resource in a job search.
• Formerly, only retained search firms built candidate databases and kept notes about the movement of a candidate; now in house recruiters can do the same, especially if they are focused specific types of roles that they can build an expertise around, such as clinical leaders (RN, MD, etc.)
• In house recruiters can give candidates a larger perspective on the entire organization, not just the role being recruited; if another opening exists or if the skills can be used at a later date, the company can re-connect with the candidate and not pay a search firm for access to the candidate.
• Candidates have an advantage going through internal recruiters because other executives working for the company can refer them.

Working with internal recruiters is identical to working with search firms and requires no extra effort. Candidates can go directly to the company's website to learn how recruiting works and what types of positions are available. Candidates who seek to submit their information to internal databases for the future should email their credentials to head of research/head of recruitment in department. Candidates who seek a current specific position with the company should submit their credentials through online forms.
Remember that the more paths you try, the more likely you are to hit upon something.

Article by Alexandra Levit and courtesy of Water Cooler Wisdom blog.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 30, 2009 at 1:06 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Not long ago, I had the experience of working with a new intern. While we were having a coffee, I asked her about herself and how she saw herself helping us during her stay.

"Oh, I can do anything," she gushed. "I'm just so happy to be here that I'll do whatever you want me to do."

Obviously, she had a great attitude! But I was actually really disappointed with her answer - especially after I tried to prod her a little more and couldn't get anything more specific out of her.

Why? Because telling everyone you're a jack-of-all trades is a big personal branding mistake!

I actually learned this from my mother, a business-to-business sales expert. She taught me that the biggest mistake sellers make is to try to prove to a prospect that their company can solve ANY (semi-related) problem that prospect's company might have.

Jack of all trades, master of none

The reason sellers do this is because they don't want to lose any business. So they expand their target market from (e.g.) mid-sized utility companies in the Midwest to any business anywhere in the world that send out monthly bills.

If you're looking for a job, you're probably a lot like those sellers. It's so important for you to get the job that you don't want to disqualify yourself from any possibilities. It's even worse if you're running low on money and desperately need to win over the interviewer.

But doing that will actually hurt your cause.

The truth is, business prospects don't want to work with a company that does everything. They want to work with companies who work in their exact area and are experts on the unique challenges that prospect's company faces on a daily business.

The same goes for job seekers. Companies want employees with a great attitude, but it's just as important to them that they get the people who are the absolute best for the position. They want to hear from people who are good at exactly the sort of job that they need to fill.

They want the best

When you try to ensure that you don't miss any opportunities, you aren't viewed as the confident, competent person who can provide exactly what the company needs. Instead, acting like a jack-of-all-trades ends up causing others to think (that if you've spent the time learning how to do everything) you haven't had the time to become really good at what they actually need you to do.

To get other people to see you as the confident, competent person who can meet their needs, you actually need to be willing to close off some options - even if someone approaches you. This gives you a chance to tune your personal marketing materials especially for the job you really want, and it helps you become really good in that specific area.

Plus, when someone asks you what you can do, you actually are able to give them a concrete answer that will help them see how they can benefit from working with you - versus an interchangeable robot who does whatever it's told.

Katie Konrath writes about creativity, innovation and "ideas so fresh... they should be slapped!" at www.getFreshMinds.com.

Article courtesy of Dan Schawbel, the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y. He authors the Personal Branding Blog and publishes Personal Branding Magazine and authored the upcoming book, Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (Kaplan, Spring 2009). Dan has been called a "personal branding force of nature" by Fast Company and his work has been published in BrandWeek Magazine, Advertising Age and countless other publications.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 30, 2009 at 12:53 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

There are a lot of people who aren't very thrilled with healthcare in the United States. Yes, it can be atrociously expensive, but at least we have access to pretty much any medical procedure out there. Whether it's something very basic or something that has never been tried before, the US certainly has the medical infrastructure to get the job done. There are plenty of countries in the world where even the most basic medical care is out of reach, and there are other countries where basic medical care becomes out of reach due to a crisis. That's where New York City based Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières) comes in. They provide "aid in nearly 60 countries to people whose survival is threatened by violence, neglect, or catastrophe, primarily due to armed conflict, epidemics, malnutrition, exclusion from health care, or natural disasters." Doctors Without Borders does this by recruiting both medical and non-medical personnel to travel abroad to offer a level of medical assistance that is well beyond what is typically available.

Read the full article

Article by Willy Franzen of One Day, One Internship and One Day, One Job

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 30, 2009 at 11:22 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Have you ever considered whether you should create your personal brand? Have you been procrastinating? Are you thinking that 2010 will be the year you jump on the personal branding band wagon?

Maybe you should read this first before you take the plunge.

Here are 26 reasons to NOT create your personal brand:

• You do not want to differentiate yourself
• You want to receive less opportunities
• You want to achieve your goals slower
• You do not want to be found online
• You do not like meeting new people digitally
• You do not want to be seen as a thought leader
• You want to make less money

• You prefer more risk
• You want less job security
• You do not want to make sacrifices
• You do not want to take control of your career
• You do not see the value in social media
• You are unwilling to learn new trends
• You do not want to try something new
• You do not care about personal branding
• You are willing to let others speak for you
• You prefer to live in the past
• You are stubborn
• You are a late adopter
• You are not driven to succeed
• You do not want to rise above the noise
• You do not aspire to be a leader
• You do not want to create your circumstances
• You prefer to be passed over
• You prefer to not have a voice
• You think branding is only for companies

Personal branding is your gateway to success

I'm sure you all get it by now -- there is no good reason to not create your personal brand. If you have a goal and it is something you want to reach -- your personal brand can help get you there faster. I have still haven't heard a reasonable excuse to not create your personal brand -- and there are some creative excuses out there.

What do you think? Did I miss any reasons to NOT create your personal brand? Please leave your reason to NOT create your personal brand in the comment section below. Let's get some good one's going.

Have a great weekend.

Chad Levitt is the author of the New Sales Economy blog, which focuses on how Sales 2.0 & Social Media can help you connect, create more opportunities and increase your business. Chad is also the featured Sales 2.0 blogger at SalesGravy.com, the number one web portal for sales pros, the professional athletes of the business world. Make sure to connect with him on Twitter @chadalevitt.

Article courtesy of Dan Schawbel, the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y. He authors the Personal Branding Blog and publishes Personal Branding Magazine and authored the upcoming book, Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (Kaplan, Spring 2009). Dan has been called a "personal branding force of nature" by Fast Company and his work has been published in BrandWeek Magazine, Advertising Age and countless other publications.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 30, 2009 at 11:18 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Posted on December 25, 2009

Merry Christmas! I just had a wonderful morning with plenty of presents under the tree, and I hope that you did too. Despite being 25 years old, I am still a kid at heart. I've spent most of the morning playing with a remote control helicopter, while my dad is about to put batteries in the EyeClops Night Vision Infared Stealth Goggles that I just bought him. Yes, I got my dad a kid's toy. I'm hoping he'll use it for fishing, but I'm sure he'll find plenty of other uses for night vision goggles too. After purchasing my dad's gift, I wanted to see which company was behind it. It turns out that Malibu, CA JAKKS Pacific is behind ton of awesome stuff. You've got Club Penguin, the EyeClops Mini Projector, Jakks Creepy Crawlers Bugmaker, Discovery Kids toys, Girl Gourmet Cake Bakery, and all kinds of other cool things that you'd like to find under the Christmas tree.

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Article by Willy Franzen of One Day, One Internship and One Day, One Job

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 30, 2009 at 11:16 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

For the most of us, the end of the year signifies an opportunity to think, reflect, and remember the life lessons, events, and topics that demanded our attention over the last 12 months. And professionals within the Human Resource and Recruiting industry are no exception. I think that I can speak for everyone that 2009 was a year many businesses, job seekers, and people in general would like to forget. In short, 2009 pretty much sucked. I'd like to think we are better for it. I'm certainly a believer in that saying that good things don't come easy and 2009 was more than a pain in my ass.

Economy. Times have been tough. The banking crisis, AIG, rising unemployment, and declining consumer spending and confidence come to mind for 2009. Unemployment stands at 10.2% as of October for the general population according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. RealtyTrac reports that in 2009, 1 out of every 385 homeowners nationwide received notice of foreclosure.

Social Media. Social Media has been the one bright spot in 2009 for most businesses as a way to network and grow your business with little to no overhead. The rise in its popularity has also brought increased attention to companies who are fearful of these tools because of the potential legal and lost productivity ramifications. For myself, social media has been a great community in which to grow, learn, and network both personally and professionally.

Empowerment. This one is a biggie. Stories abound in the media of businesses who have made the best of bad situations and overcome obstacles. Consumers, businesses, and entrepreneurs have found creative ways to adapt in 2009. Small businesses and entrepreneurs have used the slowing economy as a way to differentiate themselves from their competitors while providing a high level of service in a new and creative way. Companies who leverage and build partnerships with these creative small businesses and entrepreneurs in 2010 will bounce back more quickly as these business influencers have a handle on the current and creative pulse of what works and what doesn't.

Employment Branding. As we begin to see the signs of an economic recovery in the future, companies have begun to start planning for the upcoming talent churn. Engaging your current employees through multiple communication channels while also listening are extremely important in building your internal brand. Your external image and brand and how you engage the external audience (i.e. potential candidates) are emerging topics that surfaced in mid 2009 and will continue into 2010. Companies must market to current and future employees through multiple channels outside of traditional recruiting channels including job boards and newspapers.

Healthcare. Average annual healthcare costs have rose according to SHRM 5.4% from 2007 to 2008. How will the proposed healthcare reform changes would, can, and will impact your company's health insurance offerings? Most HR professionals can certainly relate to cost concerns surrounding their 2010 healthcare plans from company and employee POVs as most companies recently completed annual re-enrollment for 2010 and many opted for high deductibles, new co-pay options, or eliminating certain paid benefits altogether.

Swine Flu Strategy Preparedness. While this was a huge concern in the latter part of 2009, the methods that HR teams put in place allowed for better communication and education plans within organizations in addition to disaster preparedness and H1N1 awareness. Discussions surround H1N1 led to executives being more open to flexible scheduling options including ROWE and virtual office work environment.

Compliance & Government. 2009 brought us new I-9 requirements for government contractors who scrambled to comply while government bills including the Employee Free Choice Act kept us more than busy lending to union avoidance planning and training. I spent more than my share of conference calls during the last year educating companies on the potential ramification if the bill would have passed.
Having working in both union and non-union environments, I cam thankful that it did not.

Legal Roundup including ADA, FMLA. I attended one too many legal summits, conference calls, and seminars regarding the changes to the definition of "disability" by the EEOC. Things like bending, reading, communicating, and bodily functions were added to the definition of major added as major work life activities. Yes, IBS or Irritable Bowel Syndrome could now be considered covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act. While in January of this year, the Family Medical Leave Act to include greater definition surrounding the care of military families whose active family member has been activated or to care for a member of the Armed Forces who is undergoing treatment.

Management/Leadership-multiple reorganizations within organizations have exposed fatal flaws within the management ranks. With little or no budget HR professionals have been tasked with training and developing their teams. Employees and their managers are being forced to do more with less-more work, more responsibilities, more pressure, and less resources to achieve company goals and directives.

HR & ROI. In 2009, most organizations and companies experienced some sort of downsizing or reorganization. Executive teams slashed budgets and outsourced, reorganized, and restructured teams, departments and companies on multiple occasions. Because Human Resource and Recruiting teams are not considered income generating departments, HR leaders worked hard to prove their value to the bottom line. By forcing us to prove our worth, we gained much needed credibility and earned a certain level of respect among our income generating peers leading to what I believe will propel our industry forward in the coming months and years.

Jessica Miller-Merrell, SPHR is an author, new mother, and human resources professional with a passion for recruiting and all things social media. Her company, Xceptional HR provides businesses with social media, recruitment, and human resources strategy and consulting. Jessica's upcoming book, Tweet This! Twitter for Business will be released in February 2010. Follow Jessica on Twitter, LinkedIn, & FaceBook.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 29, 2009 at 2:20 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

I'm not sure why, but I find most things easier to deal with when I can put a name to them.

It doesn't have anything to do with medication, either.

However, it does have a lot to do with determining the appropriate response. When you know that horrible soreness in your throat is strep throat, you also know what you should do to take care of it.

I've listed a number of difficult personality types we all might encounter at work, with the idea that sticking a label on them will give us all a heads-up on how to deal with these pesky co-workers.

Article by Danielle Dresden and courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Say you just stopped by the break room to get a cup of coffee and you suddenly find yourself ensnared in a tedious conversation. Try figuring out which of the top four difficult personality types best describes your colleague, and see what happens.

One of the first benefits you'll enjoy is the realization that the problem isn't yours, it's your colleague's.

Secondly, you'll be distanced enough from the situation to think of strategic ways to actually remove yourself.

Do these types sound familiar?

The Downer - According to him, nothing is ever going to work, new ideas are bound to fail and the sky should be coming down any minute now. Don't try to argue with him or change his mind. Just remember this -- although he may have a point now and again, he is not necessarily right.

The Climber - She's on her way to the top, and that's all that matters. If she is essentially honest you can work with her reasonably well, because a job well done helps everyone. Just make sure you get the credit you deserve. If she's unscrupulous, be very, very careful at all times. Documentation is your friend.

The Drama Queen - Some people seem to live at a higher emotional pitch than others, and they can come in either gender. They don't usually respond well when you tell them to calm down. A better approach is to do a rational walk-through of their crisis of the moment, defusing trigger points as you go.

The Gossip - Handle this one with care. One the one hand, you don't want to get dragged into a web of snark. But on the other hand, act too aloof and the snark could be about you. Since gossip is a fundamentally immature behavior, one of the best ways to get out of The Gossip's clutches is to do what works with toddlers - distraction. Move the conversation in a different direction and then make your escape.

These are only the top four offenders I've run into. What kinds of personality tropes do you find the most problematic?

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 29, 2009 at 1:33 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

The economy as a whole is coming out of a hole.

Americans ages 18 to 65 fill unemployment offices daily, looking for resume advice, stipends to help them financially and possible new leads on landing a job. Being a job seeker myself, frustration easily becomes a daily mood in my world of countless no's from employers.

There are several problems that could possibly be reasons why employers are less than excited about the potential employee. To start, the average job seeker has had the same resume for years and simply changes the objective to fit to what they think the employer for the current position they are applying for wants to hear.

Next, the interview outfit: A worn-out suit or dress that has been deemed "lucky" but its' current track record is not so much. Finally, the confidence level is dismal and uncertainty plagues the job seeker, leaving for a not-so-successful interview.

Going back to the drawing board and rethinking a few things was a tough process, but the decision to change things goes as follows:

First, utilize your resources. A nice visit to my friends at Tricholgy Salon in Edmond was definitely a priority. A trim or drastic cut can change the job seekers outlook on the employment process as a whole. Looking good equals feeling good. Then, change up the outfit a bit. Target had a dress that was perfect for an interview. Many department stores have clearance racks that have some nice ensembles, just takes a little bit of looking. Lastly, makeup and jewelry always make women feel important. Robin Johnson with Jewels by ParkLane assisted in that department. Gold and Silver are timeless colors that will go with any outfit.

Top it off with Brent Fuchs Photography taking a few shots for a portfolio or on- line profile and the total package is complete!

Job seeking is necessary for some and is what you make it. Consider taking the extra step and not only revamp your resume, revamp your look too!

To learn more about guest blogger, Tess Mack, visit her blog and follow her networking travels in Oklahoma and Texas at Life on the O List.

Article courtesy of Jessica Miller-Merrell, SPHR is an author, new mother, and human resources professional with a passion for recruiting and all things social media. Her company, Xceptional HR provides businesses with social media, recruitment, and human resources strategy and consulting. Jessica's upcoming book, Tweet This! Twitter for Business will be released in February 2010. Follow Jessica on Twitter, LinkedIn, & FaceBook.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 29, 2009 at 1:14 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

When you read the title of this post it seems fairly simple right? Talk about who you are not what you do. Unfortunately it is not that simple nor that easy. I would bet my company on the fact that many people reading this post combine what they do with who they are (identity = business). This is a powerful personal branding formula if there is balance between who you are and what you do.

When you initiate the process of business a personal brand it is important to talk about who you are... how you go about your daily routine... how YOU sell your product, service, or brand.

It seems fairly simple.. and yet.. it is one of the harder things for entrepreneurs and business professionals. I am speaking from experience here! It is so hard to write about yourself instead of your industry. An industry is proven... An industry has research reports, professional opinions, and hundreds of pages of content.

Only one you and thousands of them

There is only one of YOU... which is the point of this blog post.

There are millions of individuals in your business... in your industry. A portion of the individuals are writing content to spread over the many corners of the web. They are writing about the same thing... over and over... and over... and over again. Where do you differentiate yourself? How do you write and distribute content that will stand out.. that will drive business?

I will always resort back to the line inspired by the book Getting To Yes! : Customers are people first.

People buy from people. Remember that they next time you sit down to write a blog post or an article. Write about what you do! There is only one of you... and thousands of them.

Kyle Lacy writes a regular blog at KyleLacy.com and is founder and CEO of Brandswag, a social media strategy and training company. His blog has been featured on Wall Street Journal's website and Read Write Web's daily blog journal. Recently, Kyle was voted as one of the top 150 social media blogs in the world (on two websites), and produces regular keynote speeches across the Midwest. He also just finished writing Twitter Marketing for Dummies by Wiley Publishing.

Article courtesy of Dan Schawbel, the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y. He authors the Personal Branding Blog and publishes Personal Branding Magazine and authored the upcoming book, Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (Kaplan, Spring 2009). Dan has been called a "personal branding force of nature" by Fast Company and his work has been published in BrandWeek Magazine, Advertising Age and countless other publications.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 29, 2009 at 12:11 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

I can't remember whether it was late in my middle school years or early in my high school years, but there were certainly a couple of years in the late 90s when Kate Spade was as hot as could be. Whether it was a wallet, calendar, or other accessories from the New York based fashion designer, the girls in my classes went crazy for them. At that point in my life, I wasn't the most fashion conscious kid, so I probably thought Five Star binders were still cool. Despite my ignorance of fashion back then, even I knew what Kate Spade was. Since Kate Brosnahan started her line in 1993, her company has grown exceptionally. Hallmarked by "utility, wit and playful sophistication," Kate Spade's offering includes handbags, shoes, accesories, clothing, jewelry, baby items, fragrance, glasses, and even paper. The company now runs 46 retail shops and continues to be a huge name in the fashion industry.

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Article by Willy Franzen of One Day, One Internship and One Day, One Job

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 29, 2009 at 11:51 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

One of my earliest memories is from Detroit's Thanksgiving parade. I think that I was about 2 years old at the time, and I saw Oscar the Grouch on some sort of float. I don't remember much more about the parade, but I remember that. I guess that I'm an experiential marketers dream since I managed to remember that over all of the other cool things that happened when I was two years old (another early memory was getting my head stuck between the bars on a McDonald's playground--another branded memory). I think that the people at VEE Corporation would be especially happy to hear about my early memory since they're the company behind Sesame Street Live. They're a Minneapolis based firm that provides "live entertainment, promotion and event marketing services for America's most respected brands, properties and agencies." They're big on full-body costumes and mascots as well as merging marketing and entertainment.

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Article by Willy Franzen of One Day, One Internship and One Day, One Job

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 29, 2009 at 11:10 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Today, I spoke to Zack Whittaker, who is the youngest in the ZDNet network with his iGeneration blog. In this interview, Zach examines the Gen-Y stereotype about technology, names some pieces of technology that have changed our lives, gives us a glimpse into personal branding in the UK and more.

What is your take on the millennial stereotype that we are all tech experts?

In some respects we all are. Growing up in a small rural village in the north of England where the coal mines closed, the economy was shot to oblivion and morale was the lowest it'd ever been (since the week before: British joke). Most of my then school friends left education with nothing except chlamydia and a sense of having no purpose in the wider world, saying, "I'm no good at anything". Everyone's good at something, it just takes time finding the skill.

Technology has surrounded this generation since birth so we are accustomed to using it. The processes we make when writing documents or saving to the web - these are transferable to other objects, service and technologies. We can pick up a new phone and know how to use it through transferable skills we wouldn't have ordinarily learned in a different sociology. We may not be experts, but we're certainly keeping up with societies expectations, whether we mean to or not.

What three pieces of technology do you think have changed our lives over the past year?

There's a saying; "if you say drugs are bad and are awful, you've never taken them". I apply the same logic with the BlackBerry. It's a drug; a mind consuming, time depriving device which had the chance, most people would be buried with once they finally slide majestically off this mortal coil. For those who haven't signed away their lives to the device, consider yourself saved - otherwise the BlackBerry is number 1. The Internet is an obvious one - throw that one in as number 2 (and you can tell these are in no specific order as one couldn't survive without the other), and number 3 would be something as simple as the computer mouse, of which without this, modern computing would have been firmly stuck in the 1980's.

How has media changed your life and opened up opportunities for you?

Rockstars have underwear thrown at them on stage. Similarly, I often have underwear faxed to me by deranged fans who for some reason fantasize about me as they're tweeting. I'm the youngest in not only the ZDNet network, but the CBS Interactive network. It's a bit daunting, to say the least. Day in day out I know I have a massive audience and a lot of people reading, understanding, complaining and the rest of it, but I never forget who my audience is - people like me, next-generation students. I've spoken to Ballmer, Zuckerberg, even briefly Jobs - but social media is still a phenomenon to me, in that I speak to random people on Twitter every day and probably love it more. I like variety - it keeps life, and the job very interesting.

Do you have a role model?

Thankfully no, because through the truth of Tucker's Law, in the end everybody will let you down and in the long run, you can only 100% trust yourself. But don't get me wrong; the need for support and moral guidance is imperative to my work and the sociology of my life. Mary Jo Foley brought be into the media world, and has been a pillar of support, knowledge, honesty - not to mention a scratching post for anger, frustration and contempt for others. For some people call her the "Evil Queen of Microsoft", they clearly haven't met me yet. But anyone from my best friend to the master of my university college, my boss and my boss' boss - Christ, even my Dad. I never turn away advice or a greater sense of understanding; I just sometimes to choose not to take heed of it.

Can you give us a glimpse of what the social media and personal branding landscape looks like in the UK?

Students need to recognize their online identities. These identities can define a person online as well as offline. My colleague, Jen Leggio, is known as @mediaphyter in the online and offline world. She has this brand and uses it brilliantly to promote herself and her work, causes and personality. As the online world becomes more integrated with the offline and the two mesh together like some tripped-up Venn diagram of confusion, the need to maintain a personal brand of your own through social media is imperative. All it takes is an event like the Hudson River place crash and a camera phone and your established identity is necessary to bring copyrights, media coverage and even remuneration back to that one single person.

Article by, Dan Schawbel, the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y. He authors the Personal Branding Blog and publishes Personal Branding Magazine and authored the upcoming book, Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (Kaplan, Spring 2009). Dan has been called a "personal branding force of nature" by Fast Company and his work has been published in BrandWeek Magazine, Advertising Age and countless other publications.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 29, 2009 at 11:04 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

The new year is almost upon us. With it will come some new decisions for many college students and recent graduates who aren't so sure that regular, nine-to-five, entry level jobs are right for them.

For those who are certain they want to start their own businesses, Sramana Mitra scheduled four Webinars for the month of January to help current and aspiring entrepreneurs to find out if their ideas will work.

Each roundtable is a 60-minute event open to 1,000 attendees. The first five people to register will have three minutes to pitch their ideas and receive immediate feedback from Mitra. Afterward, if there is enough time, the remaining attendees may ask questions and pitch ideas, too. Mitra requests that entrepreneurs use the Clarify Your Story appendix of her Positioning book to prepare for their pitches.

For some people, a regular entry level job just isn't enough. They want to be the primary decision makers in their careers. But being an entrepreneur requires a lot of patience and dedication. Entrepreneurs who are passionate about their businesses and what they have to offer are already ahead of the game.

Follow the links below to register for one or more of Mitra's strategy roundtables.

January 7, 2010, 8 am PST
January 14, 2010, 8 am PST
January 21, 2010, 8 am PST
January 28, 2010, 8 am PST

To listen to recordings from previous roundtables, click here.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 29, 2009 at 10:39 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Ask any manager about their least favorite tasks, and more than likely they'll put 'performance evaluations' at or near the top of the list. Why? Lots of reasons - not the least of which is the "Gotcha!": an assumption that you need to find something deficient in each staff member, and come up with a prescription to fix it, thereby improving performance. All too often, you're going to find something that the person thinks they are doing very well (and they may be right), or something they have no interest in doing better. At worst, you're expected to assign tasks or reassign job responsibilities to develop one person's undesired 'something', which may well be a task or a job that someone else on your team really enjoys (or would enjoy) doing!

Here's a better approach. Just ask these three questions:

1. Are you doing enough of what you like?
2. Are you doing too much of what you don't like?
3. What can we do to change these things and make them better?

If someone isn't doing enough of what they really like, they are probably:

(a) in the wrong job,

(b) looking for another job,

(c) not very productive, or

(d) all of the above!

If someone on your team is doing too much of what they don't like, the problem may not reside in the individual, but rather, in the team. The causes: a team that is missing people with key needed Roles; the team's Vision, mission, or goals have not been communicated clearly enough; or, there is a less-than-optimal Coherence Ratio on the team.

The good news is that you can change these conditions and make the team work better for everyone.

Start with Role-Based Assessments for the whole team, yourself included. Then compare who you have (the Roles) with what you need (the right Roles for the team's mission). Finally, look at what needs to be done, figure out who the right person is to achieve each need, and confirm with people that they have the right tools - and teammates - to do their job better.

The whole point of performance evaluation is to improve performance. Try this approach and the improvement will be obvious to management, to your staff, and to you!

In addition to being CEO of The Gabriel Institute and one of the creators of Role-Based Assessment, Dr. Janice Presser is actively involved in helping
young people with internship, career, and entrepreneurial activities. She is a frequent speaker and panelist in programs at Temple University and other
schools in the mid-Atlantic region. Find Dr. Janice at http://Twitter.com/DrJanice, http://drjanice.wordpress.com, and http://Tools4Careers.wordpress.com

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 29, 2009 at 9:04 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Lately, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has been getting a lot of attention, thanks to television shows like "Without a Trace," "Criminal Minds," and "Numb3rs," which are centered around FBI special agents. Although these programs don't give a 100 percent accurate depiction of the FBI and its myriad departments, they give viewers a - glammed up - glimpse. It wouldn't be at all surprising to learn that there recent college graduates are applying for entry level jobs as FBI special agents than they have in the past.

Becoming an FBI special agent is no easy feat, and the process is far from quick. In fact, it could take a candidate close to a year to complete the application process. There are seven steps in all, beginning with filling out an online application and ending with a medical exam and drug screening.

The application process to become an FBI special agent is so long and complex that Thomas Ackerman, training manager and instructor for the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center wrote a book, FBI Careers, to help interested candidates to understand how it works and what they need to do to successfully navigate it.

In its third edition, FBI Careers, will not only guide aspiring special agents through the complicated application process, but it will also help them to know how to stand out from their competition. In that respect, applying for a job with the FBI is no different from applying for a job anywhere else; it's still important for candidates to write great resumes and cover letters tailored to the organization for which they want to work, highlighting those skills that they think might serve them well as special agents.

Landing an entry level job with any company is pretty difficulty, but landing one as a special agent with the FBI seems almost impossible, as it requires applicants to be physically healthy and strong, mentally stable, intelligent, and patient, among other things.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 28, 2009 at 12:35 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Being a newspaper these days is tough. I'd imagine it's especially tough in a place like San Francisco where people embrace new technologies so quickly. Although I'd also expect those early adopters to be just the types who are heavy users of newspapers. I'm not sure where that leaves the San Francisco Chronicle, but they do seem to have a strong history of adapting to changes in their business model. According to Wikipedia, they first went online with SFGate.com in 1994, and now they're moving towards a focus on subscriptions instead of advertising to generate revenue. I'm not sure that's going to work long term, but you have to like the flexibility that the San Francisco Chronicle has shown over the years. It's no surprise that they remain one of the largest newspapers in the country.

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Article by Willy Franzen of One Day, One Internship and One Day, One Job

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 28, 2009 at 11:06 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

I love boring businesses. It may not seem like it considering the fact that I'm often featuring startups that are on the cutting edge of technology, but I really do appreciate when a company is able to take an extremely simple idea and make it profitable. Uline is a perfect example. They are a Waukegan, IL based company that considers itself "the leading distributor of shipping, industrial, and packing materials to businesses throughout North America." It all started in 1980 when Liz and Dick Uihlein identified a need for a local shipping supplies distributer. They started the business in their basement with the H-101 carton sizer, and now they have a product line that fills a 452 page catalog. That's a lot of growth, and I expect it to continue as e-commerce and the shipping that results from it keep expanding (I have about a dozen boxes in my apartment from various holiday season shipments). And if for some reason the shipping business does slow down, Uline can always reorganize as a producer of forts for children--I always loved playing in cardboard boxes.

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Article by Willy Franzen of One Day, One Internship and One Day, One Job

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 28, 2009 at 11:03 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

There was a period when workers actually stayed on with an employer for a long time. Long enough to earn the famous "gold watch." Unfortunately times have changed and that is no longer an option for the majority of the workforce.

Another underlying issue is for the workers who aren't satisfied with their current employment. Maybe they don't feel like it's challenging enough. Maybe they don't feel like they have potential to move up the corporate ladder. And while most of us who are collecting unemployment benefits probably don't feel bad for those who actually have a job, we all have been in a place where we just want to get out of where we are at and move on already.

Below are some steps to take that can help you create that discretion you need to be able to both maintain your current employment and also devote time to searching for a new job. Searching for a new job is a job in and of itself, but sometimes being proactive might get you where you want to be.

Just make sure you do your search wisely so you don't lose your current job!

1. Take the time to update your current role into your resume. A potential employer needs to see what you are currently doing. Make sure you change your contact information to only your personal phone number and email address, not your work information.

2. Post your resume onto the job boards using the "hide your contact information" setting and confidential feature for your profile display. You wouldn't want your current employer stumbling upon your resumé!

3. Do not list your current manager as your reference! Only use previous employer references.

4. Use your current networking database as an attribute for your new career search. Be discerning with whom you speak to though about your search. When you do speak to them, make sure you let them know you are still employed and that you are just proactively seeking a new opportunity.

5. Don't use company time to search for openings or field phone calls. Your cubicle might not be conducive for that and your boss might notice if you're using the conference room or going to your car too much! Better yet, search classifieds and job boards after work or on weekends.

6. Schedule interviews before or after work, so you are not missing work. The potential employer will appreciate your mentioning that you cannot interview during company hours; it displays your respect for your profession and company.

7. Tell the interviewer that you wish to remain confidential and that you wish for them not to contact anyone at your current position.

8. Never bash your current employer during the interview. Enough said. Don't do it.

9. Don't tell your current colleagues you are searching for a new job.

10. While speaking to potential employers, make sure you promote your capability and not necessarily your availability.

11. There are various ways to self-market yourself without jeopardizing your current employment: Post your expertise on industry-specific blogs and comment boards under articles, write articles for industry publications and online sites, create your own blog and write about what you know, and speak at industry conferences on a panel of experts.

12. Finally, keep up the hard work, focus and attitude! Maintain a balance of searching for a new job and working hard at your current job!

Article by Matthew Warzel of MJW Careers

Courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates seeking entry-level jobs and other career opportunities, and posted on Talent Egg.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 23, 2009 at 1:51 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Well, 'ya know, this is a little disturbing...

Nobody even reads my cover letter!

All kidding aside, any of these apply to you?

Article by Phil Rosenberg, President, reCareered & Rainmakers Global and courtesy of reCareered blog.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 23, 2009 at 10:23 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

In the UK, the 1980's recession had a lasting impact on what remained of the dying Primary Sector industries - namely, coal mining and quarying. The recession wasn't totally responsible for killing off the jobs in those sectors, but it did act as the catalyst which sped up the transition of workers from the primary sector to the manufacturing and service sectors.

The recession accelerated the structural changes already under way within the employment market and so, in time, created new opportunities and prosperity for workers in another sector.

The 1990's recession hit the Secondary Sector (manufacturing) and became the catalyst for the loss of countless blue collar jobs and an acceleration in the shift in employment patterns from the manufacturing sector to the service based sector. The career transition and re-training of factory workers and colliery workers to become call centre workers in the North of England being a case in point.

Again, the recession didn't cause the shift in employment patterns, but merely accelerated the trend. And over time, created improved working conditions, new opportunities and prosperity for most of the workers impacted.

The 2008-09 recession has been dubbed the "Middle Class Recession" in view of the number of 'professionals' laid off.

Which explains why the vast majority of 'displaced' clients I've worked with this year have been highly educated professionals - namely bankers, lawyers, accountants, management consultants, surveyors, architects etc.

But the job losses we've seen in the last two years will, in my opinion, NOT be completely reversed once the recovery kicks in.

Instead what we'll begin to see over the next 3-5 years is one of the biggest shifts in employment patterns in a decade. A shift, by the way, which was already under way. The recession has, like previous downturns, merely accelerated the shift and will (just like previous recessions) create new opportunities and more prosperity after the initial pain of the recession and job losses.

Specifically, I'll stick my neck out and predict that we'll see an acceleration in the following 3 shifts which will become the legacy of the 2008-09 recession:

1. A Shift To A More Transient And Flexible Work Force

Approximately 25% of the individual clients I've worked with in the last 2 years have transitioned from permanent work to contract / consulting / freelance roles. A desire for freedom, autonomy and flexible work being some of the key drivers. Along with the obvious need to be flexible in order to secure work in a challenging market place.

Having become much leaner, organisations will over the next few years operate with a smaller number of core, permanent employees whilst utilizing the talents of freelancers to work on specific projects in a flexible fashion. That's the future of running a business in a highly globalized, technologised market so we better get used to it.

2. A Shift To The "4th Sector"

In previous recessions, employment patters have shifted to the next sequential sector. From primary to secondary. From secondary to tertiory.

What we'll see in the next few years is the next shift as some (not all) professional white colour workers shift from the tertiory service based sector to the 'Fourth Sector.'

Examples of the Fourth Sector include:

- The Green Economy
- Non-Profit sector
- Venture Philanthropy
- Social Enterprise
- Ethical organisations
- Micro Finance
- Sustainable Businesses
- Corporate Social Responsiblity

This once again reflects the changing expectations of individuals looking for a greater sense of meaning and purpose in their careers, whilst also reflecting the trend amongst organisations who recognise that 'doing good' makes commercial sense.

3. A Shift Towards The Arts, Design and Culture

We'll also see a shift towards the arts, design and culture in the next few years within the developed economies of the world. This trend is synonymous with the increased wealth that comes with mature economies and societies.

The recession, rather than curb this trend - will in fact accelerate it as more and more individuals focus on what they really want to do, rather than what they 'should' do.

Does that mean we'll have droves of professionals changing careers to become dancers, singers, painters and designers?

Not quite.

What's more likely is seeing elements of the arts, design and culture slot into people's "portfolio career"

For example:

- A freelance accountant who also sings on stage professionally with a theatre company
- A corporate lawyer who does some freelance interior design work whilst also being a trustee for a major charity
- A management consultant that designs and sells home made jewellry from an online store

In my experience, the 3 elements often 'missing' from the careers and lives of many 'middle class professionals' in the west is:

1. Flexibility, autonomy, work-life balance
2. A sense of meaning or purpose
3. An outlet for creative expression

What's interesting is that the 3 shifts mentioned above would actually create the environment to help people fill these 3 missing elements So as per previous recessions, the short term 'pain' felt by the work force could well lead on to greater progress and opportunities to build more satisfying careers and lifestyles.

So for all the talk about the negative aspects of the 'Middle Class Recession', the recent downturn may not be the curse it's made out to be.

Instead it could well be the catalyst that transforms the careers of a generation of middle class professionals in much the same way that previous recessions have helped generations of miners and blue collar workers transform their careers and lives.

What do you think..?

Article by, Sital Ruparelia and courtesy of CareerHub.com. The Career Hub blog connects job seekers with experts in career counseling, resume writing, personal branding and recruiting.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 23, 2009 at 9:57 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Traditionally, the holiday season is the most active networking time of year. During the next couple weeks is a terrific time to make new contacts and reestablish connections. The explosion of social media has dramatically impacted how we network 24/7/365. The mushrooming use of social networking means that even the "logistically-challenged" can't excuse themselves from networking purposefully and establishing new strategic relationships at this time of year. In fact, the growing adoption of social media means that business professionals expect colleagues to be accessible via social networking sites.

The hidden job market is represented by existing but unadvertised or unannounced openings and positions created specifically in order to hire a particular individual. Insider contacts have the best access to the hidden job market. They are usually the ones to know about unexpected vacancies, restructurings, M & A's, retirements, that generate new staffing requirements. Initiating and maintaining insider contacts is a good investment in your career. The payback is information about unadvertised positions and inside knowledge that you can leverage to seek a new opportunity as a preferred candidate.

While no one walks around with a sign announcing they are a prime connection to unadvertised positions or hidden job market opportunities, online research makes it convenient to identify individuals as potentially lucrative contacts based on their published affiliations. Employees, former employees, vendors, consultants, advisers, customers, etc. of companies on your target employer list can share leads to a new job before such openings are made official. Recommendations and referrals from your connections differentiate you, build trust, and provide a competitive advantage in a crowded field of qualified candidates.

During the holidays, there are many occasions to interact with family, friends, colleagues, and business contacts who may be aware of unadvertised jobs. The proliferation of virtual communities and electronic communications provides continuous contact, online visibility and inexpensive multimedia interactions through email, direct messages, IM's, video chat, video sharing, discussion forums, blogging, blog comments, photo uploads, etc. It's a natural time to initiate a new contact or to revive lapsed connections; conversations flow easily around familiar subjects like family celebrations and travel plans. People are more receptive to casual discussions with distant contacts and renewing old ties during holiday-related conversations. Follow up early in the New Year to have a more in depth exchange and explore mutual interests.

Article by, Debra Feldman and courtesy of CareerHub.com. The Career Hub blog connects job seekers with experts in career counseling, resume writing, personal branding and recruiting.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 23, 2009 at 9:52 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Staying current with industry changes is a must for any entrepreneur who wants to have a successful career. This is especially true for small- and medium-business owners, but it's certainly not the biggest challenge they face.

"It depends on their industry specifically, but I think the most pressing concern for all small and medium-business owners in today's economy is cash flow," said Dr. Greg Gillum, co-founder and Chief Learning Officer of Wealth Bridge Connect, an e-learning site. "Cash flow will make or break your business model. You have to understand the economic engine that drives your cash flow model, and understand how to leverage it better than anyone else. If you get that piece of financial literacy right, you will not only survive, but thrive."

During the height of the recession, interest in entrepreneurship grew among recent college graduates who were struggling to find satisfying entry level jobs. Dr. Gillum offers the following advice to help young, aspiring entrepreneurs gain some idea of what's needed to be successful business owners:

1. Have a great idea. Simple, right? Introduce a product or service into the marketplace that will do two things:

a) bring more value than what is currently being offered by any other company (that your client know of); and
b) offer it at a lower price.

Simple, right? Well, it might be more easy than you think. If you want a graduate level education on this concept, read Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne - it will change your perspective on business and how to accomplish it.

2. Serve your customers. Simple, right? Customer service in today's world is defined by who answers the phone in what country. There are very few companies that do even a mediocre job in serving their customers well, so if you are attentive to your clients' needs, and can deliver on what you promise (most companies can't), you will be successful beyond your imagination. Think about the last time a company went out of their way to service your needs. See, it's simple.

3. Show your passion. Simple, right? If you are in the right business, this one is simple. I love management and leadership - I eat it for breakfast, lunch and sometimes as a midnight snack. Your passion for what you do will come through in a big way when you are with your clients / customers. People want to do business with people who are excited and passionate about what they do. I drive my dry-cleaning across town because the guy I take them to CARES about doing a great job - and he asks me every time I go in there!! I love that, and will pay extra for that kind of passionate desire to the best at what you do.

Entrepreneurship isn't for everyone, as I've said in a previous post. Again, Dr. Gillum weighs in with his thoughts and recommendations:

1. Self-awareness, an intimate knowledge of your strengths and weaknesses. To be a leader in the world today, you have to know yourself better than other people do. That means you have to carry the DNA trait pool of reflection, vision and thoughtful decision-making. Others will never follow the leader you are if you are not aware of the person you are.

2. Social management, the ability to build teams. Building a business that is profitable and sustainable takes many people. Having the emotional intelligence to build rapport with others, build lasting bonds and to put together teams of people who can take your vision into the marketplace is a special and essential skill to build.

3. Business is tough, but rewarding. As Jimmy V is immortalized for saying, "Don't ever, ever, ever, ever give up." There are few people in the world who run their own businesses. The reason? There are few people who can. Few can take the chronic ambiguity and swings of cash flow or the acute need to shift gears. Fewer still succeed long-term. So if you are ready to give it all you've got, you have a great idea, own a servant leader mentality and are passionate about what you do, you have a fighting chance. The world is full of people who gave up long before their ideas were ready to. Be part of the few of us who will never give up on a great idea, because the rewards are far too significant.

Although the media says the recession is over and recovery is under way, the competition for entry level jobs among recent college graduates is as tough as ever. For some, the answer is entrepreneurship. Dr. Gillum has provided some helpful tips for those recent grads who are still unsure whether the entrepreneurial life is right for them.

WealthBridge Connect is a leading provider of on-demand, interactive eLearning systems and business performance solutions for global enterprises, healthcare, government, education and small- to medium-sized businesses that offers executive coaching, corporate training, human behavioral assessment, strategic planning and eLearning resources for them and individual entrepreneurs. WealthBridge Connect launched its eLearning site, www.WealthBridgeConnect.com, in 2009 as a resource guide for organizations and executives to inform and advise business leaders on "how tomorrow thinks". For more information visit www.wealthbridgeconnect.com.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 22, 2009 at 12:37 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

When it comes to how flexible jobs (Click here) can have a positive impact on the overall economy and employment marketplace, the United States could learn something from Australia.

The World of Work Report 2009, a recent report on global labor markets from the International Labour Organization, found that several employment policy initiatives have helped to minimize job losses in Australia during the current global financial crisis.

Australia is one of the few countries that has managed to stay afloat despite the global economy. Part of the reason for that is the country's passage of the Fair Work Act 2009. Without that, employment would have declined by 1.3 percent from 2008 to 2009.

Just like the United States, Australia also had an economic stimulus package of its own, which focused on social assistance for targeted groups; supporting consumption through support for home buyers; infrastructure spending; skills and training; and job search assistance.

But it was more than an economic stimulus that helped Australia's economy avoid its own recession. The report noted that a combination of fast economic response, targeted labor market programs and adaptable employment practices helped to support employment and minimize job losses.

One of the most effective practices was an effort by businesses to change working arrangements, including implementing reduced hours and job sharing, to avoid making layoffs.

"Business also deserves a lot of credit for their actions during the downturn," Jason Clare, parliamentary secretary for employment, said. "Many have gone to great lengths to keep their staff on, moving staff to flexible working arrangements like part-time work."

However, the report notes that a premature withdrawal of public stimulus funds and employment initiatives could lead to a slowdown in growth and the loss of 100,000 jobs. As long as that is avoided, companies that have demonstrated flexibility and innovation will definitely see the rewards.

Posted by Joel Cheesman on December 22, 2009 at 12:14 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

A career aptitude test helps to see what job career is right for you. It is a test that a person can take to help understand the strengths and weaknesses that he or she may have. This test is supposed to be able to help a person find a job or career that fits the person better. Basically, it is a test to help discover which job careers are a good fit for a person based on the ability to do well at it.

Can Do:

Career aptitude testing measures your ability to learn different types of skills. It helps a person to see what they would do well at. It also helps to see if a person has the basic ability to be able to perform the task well. It tests a person's learning ability.

Measure:

Taking a career aptitude test will measure many different things that a person can do. It will show the person's ability to do and learn math. A career aptitude test will exhibit a person's fine motor skills like hand-eye coordination. It will also check a person's hearing and pitch. Continue reading ...

Article by, Debi Rideout and courtesy of Associated Content, Inc.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 22, 2009 at 10:16 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Your name is the single most important factor in your enterprise, whether you introduce and represent your company by speaking your name loudly and clearly while offering a hearty handshake - or write an equally hearty introductory post on a discussion thread.

Here's a slightly off topic tip: the back of your head or an avatar that looks like Gumby and Courtney Love had a child, not a good personal branding choice.

I counsel my clients to use their whole names, by the way. So unless you are Perez or Cher (who might be the same person since we've never seen them together), when you are introducing yourself or registering on a website use: Bunky McFearson. That is, if you are Bunky McFearson. So Bunky, when you're making a new acquaintance live and in-person, you might add: "That's McFearson with an F."

Give them a hook - give them a visual

You see, within seconds of making contact: you got to work in your last name twice. You might also add, "I know, I look a lot like Kenny in South Park. I figure the K in my first name: 'B-u-n-K-y', is our connection."

Always add something that forces your audience (one or one thousand plus people) to spend time remembering your name. You might give an association of your name and likeness to a famous person, develop a word picture or story, or create another reason that allows you to repeat your name.

Why is this an important factor in personal branding and not simply echolalia? Because you're helping your audience overcome a widespread and embarrassing problem. Almost everyone is nervous when it comes to remembering names of people they've just met. So, your name ritual is a personal branding tool for two reasons. One, you are making multiple impressions with your name. Two, you are perceived as ready, relaxed and helpful, perhaps even opening a window on your sense of humor. Simply put, you are relationship building.

Here's one of my self-introductions for a networking event.

"I'm Nance Rosen. Yes, just Nance, not NanCY. When I was born, my parents were too poor to afford more than one syllable, so they left off the 'Y' and stuck on an 'E.' So, I'm not Nancy Rosen just Nance Rosen." (Pause and Smile) Just kidding. Actually, there's only one other Nance I know. She's Nance Mitchell the famous Beverly Hills hairdresser. Obviously, no one would mistake us for each other (my hair is usually pinned up so I can shower and get to work in under ten minutes). Obviously, we have different businesses and priorities (Smile). I'm the executive publisher at Pegasus Media World and I speak to audiences on the topic of personal branding."

Avoid the vacuum

I want to break you of the habit of introducing yourself into a vacuum. The first time you say your name it is swallowed up and your audience's brain space goes vacant. You need to establish your name as a beachhead for your personal branding from now on. No, you don't have to do a soliloquy, but you do want to say something so people can later LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, and more, with you.

If they collect a pile of business cards, they will remember you when they see your name.

Do this before your next holiday gathering.

1. Consider how you can say your name and associate it with memorable images.

2. Create your "story" and say it 10 times before you greet your sister's boyfriend's cousin's daughter at your family's holiday party. Every new person you meet could be a prospect or referral source.

3. Never stop branding.

Nance Rosen is the author of Speak Up! & Succeed. She speaks to business audiences around the world and is a resource for press, including print, broadcast and online journalists and bloggers covering social media and careers. Read more at NanceRosenBlog. Twitter name: nancerosen.

Article courtesy of Dan Schawbel, the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y. He authors the Personal Branding Blog and publishes Personal Branding Magazine and authored the upcoming book, Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (Kaplan, Spring 2009). Dan has been called a "personal branding force of nature" by Fast Company and his work has been published in BrandWeek Magazine, Advertising Age and countless other publications.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 22, 2009 at 6:51 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Despite the number of celebrities appearing on talk shows nattering on about their careers, the actual practice of acting is often cloaked in mystery and clouded by myth.

Kind of like job interviews.

But just as you can study the process of acting and learn specific techniques to support you in your work, you can do the same with job interviews. In fact, the same set of skills can help you in both areas.

Time for a little full disclosure here - although I've been writing on career issues for nine years now, I have much more experience on the stage than in the human resource office. The following are some areas where I see the two worlds overlapping:

1. Know what you're doing - Actors need to know what their characters want to accomplish, and understand the world in which they live. So do job applicants. An actor in a Shakespearean play would want to make sure she understood status issues in the courts of kings, not to mention what all those words mean. Make sure you do the same. Prepare for your interview by researching the specific job you seek, the overall culture of the organization and its standing relative to other companies in the same field.

2. Practice - Rehearsing is not about learning lines. It's about internalizing the lines so you can communicate effectively. When you practice for a job interview by answering potential questions with a friend, the goal is not to come up with snappy answers that will wow the interviewer, although that would be nice. Use the process to identify what you really want to say, and find ways to say it clearly.

3. Honesty - Acting is not about putting on a false voice, or a phony attitude and trying to lie to people. Audiences can smell that kind of false behavior a mile away, and it doesn't play well. In a job interview, your task is to represent yourself as genuinely and sincerely as possible. Trying to be someone other than who you are doesn't ultimately work well for anyone.

4. Listen to feedback - During the rehearsal process and run of a show, actors get notes from directors and the stage manager to keep them on track and doing what they're supposed to do. You have to take in these comments and work with them to keep the whole production, and your position within it, chugging along. Actors also get reviews. While you're not likely to read about your job interview performance in the newspaper, solicit feedback from those you know and trust when you prepare for an interview. If you feel comfortable doing so, you can also request a response from your corporate interviewer.

One of the advantages of having a technique for anything, whether it's a tennis swing, audition, or job interview, is that it gives you something to fall back on when the pressure's on. Hopefully these tips can give you some support the next time the lights are on you.

Article by Danielle Dresden and courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 22, 2009 at 6:43 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Guest post by Allison Maslan

You have heard the story many times. What seems to be a tragedy, such as in an illness, job loss or divorce ends up turning to triumph when the person ends up making drastic positive changes through their forced set of circumstances.

Many have found themselves jobless in these trying times, frightened and wondering what to do next. The interesting twist is that a large percentage of those laid off have often said that they did not "love" their job. The job has represented security, which is of prime importance, however, in many cases, their work was not completely satisfying or fulfilling. In fact, a study prior to this economic downturn showed that 87% of people polled disliked their jobs. Since we spend approximately 75,000 hours at work from age 25 to 65, this seems to be an even sadder circumstance than a difficult job market.

Connie Delonge, president of Breakthrough Grief Recovery, wanted to start her own business for a very long time, but was afraid to take the leap and leave her job. She had been in the mortgage business for years for financial reason's only. "It is very stressful work and even though I am good at it, it was never very fulfilling for me." Connie's true passion has been grief recovery support which she had been doing for years on a volunteer basis through Horizon Hospice of Poway, California.

"This economy forced me to find a new way to pay the bills. My gut was telling me that at this point in my life, I could no longer work at a job that was unsatisfying. Life is too short to not go after your dreams. My life coach, Allison Maslan, helped me move past my fear of becoming an entrepreneur, and then supported me in laying out a step-by-step strategic plan to create my own grief counseling business. I have not been this excited about my life in years."

Connie is just one example of many individuals that are taking advantage of a challenging time and turning it into an opportunity to take the entrepreneurial leap. Slowdowns don't have to be roadblocks to starting new businesses, experts say.

It might seem counter-intuitive to start a new business when the economy is flailing, but a recession can actually be the ideal time for launching a new enterprise. In fact, many well-known and successful organizations were born during hard times because it is often easier to start a new company than find the right job during a recession.

Here are some examples of companies that laid the groundwork of their enterprise during tougher economic times. Hyatt Corporation opened its first hotel's doors at the Los Angeles International Airport during the Eisenhower recession (1957 to 1958). Bill Gates and Paul Allen launched Microsoft during the recession in 1975. CNN started its humble beginnings as a little-known station called The Cable Network News during the 1980 recession. The Fortune 500 is full of companies that were founded during down times: from Johnson and Johnson, to Disney, Cisco and Intel.

Prerna O'hara, president of Your Company Concierge has been working with the Blast Off Program over the past several to months develop her dream business. She was also employed as the Concierge/Patient Liason for a San Diego medical and day spa. When they let her go due to the down economy, it was the perfect excuse for Prerna to speed up the pace of her new business launch. She is taking the expertise she offered her employer and putting it to work for herself.

"I may have taken longer to get my business up and running, so losing my job has actually motivated me to open for business now. As Allison has said, poverty is a great motivator and failure is not an option! I have had so much fun putting all of this together.

I am so passionate about my new business and I am dedicated to making it work.
A recession can offer many advantages to a budding entrepreneur including, lower rents, better deals with suppliers, and employees are often willing to start in for less.

Often the worst of times can end up being an opportunity for the best of times, just as turning lemons into lemonade could be your most profitable and satisfying venture.

If you have a vision, go for it. It is never going to be the perfect time to go after your dreams. But if you don't do it now, years could pass and you may find yourself saying, "Why didn't I?"

Allison Maslan, HHP, CCH has been an entrepreneur for the past 25 years and has a vibrant array of nine successful businesses to her credit. She is an author, life and career coach, homeopathic physician and international speaker. Allison is the president of The Blast Off Life and Business Coaching. Through her years of working with thousands of clients on a one-on-one basis, she has come to understand how and why human beings create their own personal limits in every aspect of their lives. Her Blast Off One-on-One Coaching Program and Blastation Interactive Life Coaching Software help people tap into their passions, learn to release their self-limiting roadblocks, and guides them through a step-by-step flight plan for success and fulfillment in all areas of life. www.myblastoff.com 888-844-3550

Article courtesy of Shweta L. Khare, founder and president of Careerbright and Speakbright and Careerbright blogspot

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 22, 2009 at 6:34 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Today, I spoke to Vitor Lourenço, who is a 22 year old Product Designer for Twitter. In this interview, we get the inside scoop on what it's like to work for Twitter, what a typical day is like, how to get a job there, and much more. Vitor really paints the picture for what Twitter is like from the inside and I'm really excited to share it with you!

What has your experience been like working for Twitter?

It's been one of my most remarkable work experiences so far. I feel really lucky to be part of the team, since we have a great product and so many interesting people around. In addition to that, the company has a bottom-up approach to the way projects and ideas flourish, so I've been finding huge opportunities to make an impact. Also, we have a clear and challenging goal of fostering the open exchange of information--and it's amazing how much the company has already accomplished--even though this is just the beginning.

What is a typical day like in and out of the office?

We work from an amazing office located in SOMA, San Francisco. It's very open, has tons of windows and an awesome collaborative workspace. There's free breakfast and lunch, and a fully-stocked kitchen with snacks and drinks. You should take a look at some of our office photos; t's incredible. Outside of the office, I mostly build other types of stuff I enjoy. Making cool things is just something I love doing, so I usually work at home from 11pm to 3am, and I do my best to be awake by 10am. I'm definitely not a morning person, and I do my best work during late hours.

How did you get your job at Twitter and how do you recommend other people go about seeking jobs these days?

In 2007 I designed and developed a Twitter mashup called FoodFeed. It had a very simple concept around allowing people to track their eating habits through Twitter. A few months after the website went live, I got featured at Wired Magazine and some other interesting publications. That's how Evan Williams (one of the co-founders of Twitter) ended up finding FoodFeed. He liked the concept and invited me to do some design work for Twitter. One year later I would find myself moving from Brazil to San Francisco to work full-time for the company.

I believe job satisfaction is directly related to being able to work on stuff you're good at. If you're a creator of things and want to find an amazing job today, my advice would be for you to keep building interesting stuff--It's very important to be entrepreneurial, passionate about making an impact and have the ability to get things done quickly. And if you're integrating the Twitter API somehow into your ideas, there's even a bigger chance that you could end up working at Twitter. We're still a small company, which means that everyone who joins the company right now can have a big impact.

How do you use Twitter both personally and professionally?

My life doesn't have a clear separation of personal and professional stuff. I think I'm somewhere in between all the time, and that's reflected in the way I use Twitter. Most of my friends are previous co-workers that share similar interests and ideas--so we're always talking about design, code and funny YouTube videos. Other that, I use Twitter mostly to follow people that I admire and to keep track of interesting stuff going on around me.

What role will microblogging play in the future? How integrated will it be with life, business, etc?

People are clearly becoming more comfortable with sharing information online. Through Twitter they're already following the most relevant sources and accessing information as it happens. So, I would say that "microblogging" is going to be so much integrated into our lives that we won't even think about it anymore. However, in order to get there faster, we have to do a better job around exposing the benefits of sharing what's happening. One way of doing that would be to better understand what's being shared and expose meaningful information that could help people making better decisions.

Article by, Dan Schawbel, the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y. He authors the Personal Branding Blog and publishes Personal Branding Magazine and authored the upcoming book, Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (Kaplan, Spring 2009). Dan has been called a "personal branding force of nature" by Fast Company and his work has been published in BrandWeek Magazine, Advertising Age and countless other publications.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 22, 2009 at 6:27 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

You've worked hard to build your brand in order to land a job. Now you have a job (yay!), so what happens to your brand? Does it get consumed by your employer, or should you continue to develop it?

1. Devote XX amount of time each week to your brand.

Just like before you landed your job, decide what amount of time is necessary to either maintain or continue to enhance your personal brand now that you have a full-time job. This time will likely be less than in the past, but it's important not to stop devoting attention to your personal brand altogether. After all, what if you were to lose your job tomorrow? Scary thought, I know, but in this economy you have to be ready for the worst!

2. Commit to brand-promoting activities both within and outside of the workplace.

Your time isn't as free as it once was, but determine what avenues of promoting your brand have the most impact. For some people, that might be blogging - for others, Twitter. Just be sure not to over-commit your time.

Also, find ways while you're at work to promote your personal brand, even if just among your colleagues. Because you cannot possibly know what the future holds, consider everyone a potential audience. Does your personal brand involve being a "social media guru"? Offer to host a brown bag lunch to teach your co-workers how to use Twitter.

3. Be conscious of your appearance.

The Internet is a wonderful thing, and when it comes to personal branding, it allows us to shape the image of ourselves we want to portray to the world. However, once you enter the in-person workplace, you need to be sure to not let your appearance slide. Been hiding that nose ring? Save it for around the house and with your friends. Even seemingly minor "indiscretions" can tarnish a brand. Take the opportunity to dress at least one level above where you currently reside in the organization.

4. Involve yourself in workplace activities related to your personal brand.

Is there an opportunity to represent your organization at a networking event or trade show in which you brand would benefit your employer? Just because you now have a "9-to-5" doesn't mean your brand goes away. In fact, this could be a great opportunity to receive additional professional development and grow your brand faster than ever before!

5. Don't compromise your brand for your new employer.

You own your personal brand, not your employer. So, let's say your brands aligned when you started and now they no longer do. It's up to you whether you move on or stay put, but outside of work, your brand direction should be controlled by you, not your employer. If you're blogging, for example, be sure to include a disclaimer that the opinions on the blog are yours alone and do not necessarily align with those of your employer.

Heather R. Huhman is a career expert and founder & president of Come Recommended, an exclusive online community connecting the best internship and entry-level job candidates with the best employers. She is also the national entry-level careers columnist for Examiner.com and blogs about career advice at HeatherHuhman.com.

Article courtesy of Dan Schawbel, the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y. He authors the Personal Branding Blog and publishes Personal Branding Magazine and authored the upcoming book, Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (Kaplan, Spring 2009). Dan has been called a "personal branding force of nature" by Fast Company and his work has been published in BrandWeek Magazine, Advertising Age and countless other publications.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 21, 2009 at 3:40 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

In order to be successful in the business world, your supervisors and colleagues must view you as a consistent contributor. But assuming your boss isn't someone who recognizes your achievements every day, how can you let people know what you've accomplished without coming across as an arrogant braggart? Here are a few tips:

• Meet with your boss weekly to ensure she always knows the status of your projects. Show enthusiasm about what you've achieved, and your boss will think you're passionate and excited about your job (in addition to competent).
• If you get an e-mail from an executive or colleague praising your work, check to see if he cc'd your boss. If not, clip the e-mail, keep it in a folder marked "Positive Feedback," and reference it when you're putting together your performance review materials.
• When your team does an amazing job on a project you either led or worked on, send an e-mail thanking your colleagues for their hard work. CC your boss for double the points: he'll think you're a great team player AND a superstar employee.

I frequently tell the story of my first job, when I held a daily lockdown in my cube and churned out work like the future of the Middle East depended on it. I hardly saw our Group Head, whereas my super-procrastinator colleague made sure the big guy was always in the loop.

When our immediate boss left the firm, guess who the Group Head tapped to take her place? Not Ms. Super-Contributor, but Mr. Super-Procrastinator. If you don't assert your accomplishments, sometimes no one else will, and you'll be out-promoted by people who might not have as much to offer but are smarter about leveraging their contributions. Remember, it's not about what you do, it's about who knows what you do.

Article by Alexandra Levit and courtesy of Water Cooler Wisdom blog.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 21, 2009 at 3:21 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Everyone is putting their predictions out. Mine are always partially based on my work as well as the trends.

1. Companies will expect ROI from their Social Media efforts.

Social Media will shift from being experimental to mainstream. Larger organizations can't justify embracing it without having it meeting their business objectives. It has to increase their bottom line. I have been working on an ROI series and that will kick off in January. It is possible to establish metrics around your efforts and measure progress! Can you afford not to? How will you grow your program and justify the resources if you're not showing the progress & return? Olivier Blanchard has a great slide deck on Social Media ROI!

2. The Social Media Specialist (Community Manager) position will become mainstream.

Companies are going to quickly find that they need someone to guide their efforts externally and internally. Social efforts should be extended across the board.Jeremiah Owyang had a great post on how companies should plan a holistic approach and use social beyond marketing. My series will address that and it's the foundation for my work at Alterian. My list of Responsibilities and Goals for a Community Manager continues to be my most read post.

3. Cultural shift inside of companies.

This is going to be a challenge for many companies. In order to be successful in connecting with customers, organizations are going to have to have communications channels in place and the openness to utilize the information. I shared a diagram of how a community manager can increase sales & the many departments affected. Management is going to need to have a level of trust for their employees interacting online and understand that the risk can be mitigated by education & training.

4. Social Media Monitoring will be a necessary component

My colleague, John Tonini, made the prediction earlier this year that the market would shift from brands wondering if they should be monitoring social media to 'What tool should we be using?'. 2010 will see a huge shift in the adoption rate of social media monitoring. January of 2009 kicked off a wave and I foresee that growth in the industry continuing. The tools are going to evolve quickly too. Our customers are driving that process.

5. Agencies and companies will hire data analysts

A new position is emerging. My favorite title is Social Media Metrician. Social Media monitoring tools don't drive themselves. They need more than a human touch. They require people who enjoy digging into the analytics aspect, looking for patterns and trends. Web analytics people will be able to expand on their roles. Brands and agencies are going to need this new specialized position to drive their marketing intelligence. Marshall Sponder lists many predictions in regard to the role of the data analyst in 2010.

6. Integration of platforms and processes will be critical.

My job as Community Strategist at Alterian has me cognizant that marketing is going to be radically changing. My CEO listed our top 10 predictions at Alterian. One of them is:

There is a proliferation of things to monitor, measure and manage, making it very difficult and time consuming for marketers to pull together the overall picture for integrated campaigns. There will therefore be a move towards single integrated software platforms so that campaign planning and management are integrated with web and email.

Forrester is also looking towards the integration of platfroms too.

7. I will be meeting more of YOU in the new year!

The first six were very serious so I needed to lighten this up! The amount I traveled in the second half of 2009 made me quite aware that I no longer work with a startup! One of the exciting things about 2010 is that my calendar has me on the move! I love the TripIt feature in LinkedIn. It reminds me of who in my network live near my destination. And even more amazing, it shows the trips that coincide. I came close to meeting a friend from Spain when we were both in NYC! So if you use TripIt connect with me and I look forward to meeting you next year!

What would you add to my list?

Article by Connie Bensen, Community Strategist, and courtesy of ConnieBensen.com

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 21, 2009 at 1:43 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Don't kid yourself, it IS getting smaller...

Okay, better and funnier minds than mine (Scott Adam's Dilbert et al) excel at lampooning cubicle culture. But a recent Wall Street Journal article, Office Personal Space Is Crowded Out, by Sarah E. Needleman addresses the actual shrinking of the cubicle space and what that means for the workforce.

Needleman gives an example from an interior design group that is creating new work areas that are now 48 sq. ft., down from 64 sq. ft. five years ago. When I mentioned that to my husband, he said the 48 sq. ft. actually sounded roomier than his current space. I'm sure a number of very practical reasons go into these decreases; companies needing to cut costs during the recession, elimination of space for employees who work mostly away from the office or adapting to a more open floor plan. Continue reading ...

This is a post by Nancy LaFever. You can read more from her at the Centre for Emotional Wellbeing blog.

Article courtesy of Andrew G.R. and jobacle.com - your cure for carbon copy career advice!

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 21, 2009 at 12:11 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Productivity is not just about systems and getting tasks accomplished. It's more about where you spend your time and the specific tasks that you accomplish. One simple personal inventory task that you can implement for the coming year is to identify your most critical tasks and also the time waster/less important tasks that you need to stop doing altogether.

This is something that should take you maybe an hour to complete and once it's done, will help you in your goal setting and planning for next year. The first step is to look at what tasks that you could engage in that would ensure personal success. This could be in any area of your life: financially, family, career, business, you name it. Whatever your top 5 core values are, game plan around them. This is important as we often know what tasks are important but we don't commit them in writing and put a plan together for how we are going to achieve them. We just assume that because they are in our mind, that's good enough.

When you have your important tasks laid out for yourself, then take out a piece pf paper and write down every activity/person that exists in your life that is a time waster or that you have identified as tasks you don't want to do. If you aren't sure if a task falls in this category then write it down anyway because it probably does belong.

Go through each activity and ask the following questions:

• Is it a task that you can eliminate entirely? If not, how can you reduce the amount of time spent on the activity?


• Do you need to hire someone to take care of the tasks that you can't get to or don't do well?


• Are there people you need to cut out of your life that are dragging you down?


• Is there a system that may exist that would allow you to handle the task more efficiently?
  
• Is there automation that exists in the form of technology that would allow tasks to be handled in a more time efficient manner?

This simple inventory can make a big difference for you next year. We have all fallen victim to time wasters (Social media, e-mail, talking at the water cooler etc.) that we can manage better. We all get stuck trying to handle the many tasks that we are responsible for when we should get help to manage them.

Take some time in the next couple of weeks to do this and get your upcoming year started in a more productive and efficient manner and prosper in ways that you didn't know were possible.

Brandon Allen is a business and vision coach with The Business Blueprint. Brandon focuses on helping businesses get clear on their vision, mission, core values and leadership. Brandon is the author of the small business blog Build Your Soul Purpose ( www.buildyoursoulpurpose.com).

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 21, 2009 at 11:38 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Just read a cool article by Cali Yost on finding meaning in work and getting paid at the same time. The author talks about the thread of meaning that runs through her life and career. She also talks about the "encore careers" that many baby boomers are thinking about as they plan "retirement" that will combine making some money with some form of giving back to the community.

The core meaning she is talking about has a lot to do with our personal brand. It's hard to imagine delving deeply into our brand without encountering some foundational values that guide us in our lives and work. Questions to ask: What core commitments can be found in the way we have conducted the various jobs we have held? Do we want to retain that core meaning going forward? How will we do it?

She also talks about "job crafting" - where we shape the job we have to more closely align with the activities that create meaning for us. We all can try to do this. It means letting go as much as possible of parts of work that are not as authentic or on-brand and moving towards work that is more fulfilling and expresses more of who we really are.

As the new year approaches, I wish for all of us that we can move ever closer to a clearer expression of our brand in our lives and in our work. Happy New Year!

Article by, Jean Cummings and courtesy of CareerHub.com. The Career Hub blog connects job seekers with experts in career counseling, resume writing, personal branding and recruiting.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 21, 2009 at 10:24 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

SmartBrief on Workforce, an advisory board I am a part of, asked me to provide some predictions on workforce developments in 2010. I'll share a few here and would love to hear yours too:

As the economy recovers, people will flock to employment opportunities that allow them to do work that's personally meaningful to them: Once the job market stabilizes, all of the people who have been biding their time in unsatisfying jobs will look for ways to leave them, and employees will once again have the upper hand.

The workplace model of "same time, same place" will continue to disappear: Now that we can be connected regardless of our physical location, work activities will be distributed across central offices, remote locations, and community locations. The typical eight-hour workday will be spread across a 14 plus hour window to allow us to attend to needs at home and work with colleagues abroad.

Active Baby Boomers will force a new definition of retirement: Although the majority of Boomers are reaching official retirement age, many have no intention of leaving the workforce, opting instead for non-traditional careers that allow them to give back to society.

The hot button HR issue will be employees' use of social media: Executives will struggle with how to moderate it, and what rules and regulations should be put on the books to ensure that organizational resources and property aren't compromised and that reputations aren't risked.

A large influx of graduating college students (Generation Ys/Millennials) will put intergenerational dynamics on everyone's radar: 1988-1990 are the biggest birth years in American history. Up to now, studying and improving how the four generations communicate with one another has been reserved for a small number of elite organizations. In 2010, if you aren't paying attention, you're losing your competitive edge.

Article by Alexandra Levit and courtesy of Water Cooler Wisdom blog.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 21, 2009 at 10:06 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

I got a considerable amount of feedback on last week's article, which exhorted job seekers to ask the following question every time they learn of someone who got hired: How can I adapt what they did to my situation?

The example I used was this: If a sales rep got hired after bringing sales leads to a job interview, what could you bring to an interview to convince employers to hire you?

One reader, Mitch in Minneapolis, took me to task, writing:

"Could you have picked a better example than sales? What could a supervisor or middle manager bring to an interview that would be different? After all, they can't bring in sales leads to show they can do the job."

Apparently, Mitch didn't have the time or inclination to ask himself, "How can I adapt what they did to my situation?"

Instead, he defaulted to the common (and deadly) question, "But my job is different -- what about a tip just for me?"

I say deadly because, just as our ancestors had to adapt to survive in the jungle, you must adapt to survive in today's treacherous job market.

Let's simplify. There are only two ways to convince employers to hire you: perform your skills or prove them.

Either way works. And the world is full of success stories that you can adapt to your situation -- so you can get hired faster.

Here's how ...

1) Perform your skills

Think of American Idol. Does anyone get "hired" by Simon simply by talking about their singing skills in the interview? No. They must perform.

So, how can you perform your professional skills in a job interview?

A sales rep could make cold calls in front of the hiring manager. That's what sales authority David Sandler did with great success when he was starting out.

A trainer I know delivered a sample lesson in a job interview -- he prepared ahead of time, did well, and was hired.

A technical writer was asked to read and edit texts in his interview -- he failed to prepare, did poorly, and was not hired.

(By the way, those last two examples were me, back in the '80s and '90s. So I speak from experience.)

If you're a middle manager not sure how to perform your skills, ask yourself:

* Why was I on the payroll at my last 2-3 jobs?

* What 2-3 skills did I do most effectively?

* What will be required of me in my next job?

Let's say one of your most-valuable "middle manager" skills is team building. How could you perform those skills in an interview? You could:

* lead a brief, powerful exercise in team building;

* demonstrate the kind of pleasing personality that motivates others;

* bring a video (or a Youtube link) of you leading a team- building seminar.

The options are endless. But you have to think and choose one yourself. That's the hardest part -- thinking! The actual performing should come naturally.

2) Prove your skills

If you've wracked your brain and still can't imagine how to perform in an interview, use the second method: Prove your skills. This is relatively easy. Here are two examples ...

Example #1: Eugene, a software developer from Savage, Minn.

He saw a job posted online that he really wanted. "Like most people, I thought I would email my resume and wait. But that approach had not produced any callbacks for three months, so I decided to try something different," he says.

So he called the contact person listed in the job posting, after getting her phone number from the company switchboard. He asked if he could hand-deliver his resume. She said no.

This is where most people would give up. But not Eugene.

"I struck up a conversation [with her] and learned enough about the position to write a very targeted cover letter, which I emailed with my resume," says Eugene.

About a week later, he called and offered to hand-deliver a portfolio of material to supplement his resume. The hiring manager accepted.

After dropping off his portfolio, Eugene met several employees in the lobby. One question led to another, and he ended up interviewing them about ways to improve their software development efforts.

Eugene then went home, wrote, and submitted to the employer a white paper of possible solutions, based on his experience and his very recent, relevant research.

In other words, he proved his skills on paper.

Result? He was hired about 21 days later.

Example #2:

Bill McCausland, an executive from suburban Detroit, Mich.

Prior to his job interview, McCausland assembled testimonials from people about his work to create a two-page document, which he handed to the hiring manager.

Page one, titled "Accolades," was culled from written recommendations from three types of people: customers, managers, and business partners.

Page two was titled "Skills Required For Success."

In researching the employer, McCausland found they needed help with project management, problem solving, and execution. So he let others speak for him. "I took quotes from past performance reviews that tied into the skills they were looking for," he said. In other words, other people proved his skills on paper.

Result? He was hired on September 23, 2009, only 8 days after deciding to prove his skills. "I nailed the interview, thanks to researching and demonstrating that I was already on the job," he says.

Kevin Donlin is co-author of Guerrilla Resumes. Since 1996, he has provided job-search help to more than 20,000 people. Author of 3 books, Kevin has been interviewed by The New York Times, USA Today, Fox News, CBS Radio and others.

Courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates seeking entry-level jobs and other career opportunities, and posted on MN Headhunter.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 18, 2009 at 3:37 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Ever submit a resume and wondered why you didn't even get a call, when you felt that you were ideal for the job? Ever felt that your resume was buried in a database and not even getting seen?

Chances are your resume didn't demonstrate the 3 things an employer looks for on a resume. Even in the prescreening process (databases, recruiters and HR staff) are instructed to search for these 3 things, by the keywords they search for.

If you can clearly present these three things in your resume, you give yourself a much greater chance of scoring an interview. But what are they?

Read more ...

Can the candidate solve the specific top problems I have today: An employer is searching for evidence that you can solve their unique top problems. The best way you can demonstrate that you can solve their top problems is by clearly demonstrating that you've already solved those exact problems. Most resumes do a poor job answering this question, as most candidates create resumes that demonstrate general problem solving skills rather than solving the unique top problems a specific employer has today.

• Do your research to find out the specific problems, challenges, and goals a company has today (See: 4 Killer Ways to Use Research)
• Do more research to determine how those corporate challenges, problems, and goals affect the department and hiring manager
• Don't just list broad industry skills, hoping it meets your target's needs
• Don't just say that you can learn - Beyond entry level jobs, few companies will pay you for training or ramp-up time when they can find plenty of candidates who won't need training (See: Interview Road kill - "I Haven't Done it, but I Can Learn")

Can the candidate build shareholder value: Outside of the non-profit world, a company is willing to pay an employee because they believe you will make them more money than they pay - You are an investment. The best way you can demonstrate that you're a profitable investment is to demonstrate how you've already built shareholder value for past employers and clients. Most candidates forget this notion, writing a resume that focuses on what they themselves want (See: Egocentric resume) or a resume that describes how they spend their day (responsibilities based resume).

• Do your research to find out the type of value likely to be important to this specific company, department and manager (See: Guerrilla Job Search Tactics)
• Demonstrate your value in numerical results or percentages (See: Do You Create Employer Value?)
• Translate your accomplishments to shareholder value
• Claim responsibility
• Don't emphasize responsibilities
• Don't emphasize your past companies accomplishments over your specific achievements

Will the employee fit in with the company's culture: While this is really answered during the interview, your resume gives clues about how you'll fit in with the company's culture. But because these clues are so limited because you're not there in person, they typically only serve as disqualifiers rather than qualifiers.

• Learn as much as you can about a company's culture before applying for a position (See: 6 Ways To Become the Top Dog Before Your Interview)
• Be who you are, rather than trying to present a different persona (See: Job Search Trick or Treat)
• Do research to find companies and positions who will value an employee with your personality
• Don't fight ageism - embrace it
• Don't waste your time - If you're not a culture fit, apply somewhere else

So look closely at your resume...better yet have someone else look closely at it. Instead of asking the generic "What do you think?" ask your reviewer to view your resume as a specific targeted employer would and lay out the background details.

Then ask...Does your resume clearly answer the employer's 3 basic questions?

Article by Phil Rosenberg, President, reCareered & Rainmakers Global and courtesy of reCareered blog.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 18, 2009 at 3:27 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

If there's ever a time for retail stores to be firing on all cylinders, it's right now. Consumers are often very sensitive when it comes to making purchases, so it's no surprise that a substandard retail experience can cost companies money. It may be an employee with a rotten attitude or a poorly laid out store. It could be that the employees are uninformed about the products that they're selling or they may not be offering the promotions that they should be. Whatever it is, Louisville, CO based Market Force Information will find out. They're "the leading customer experience information and insights partner for multi-location businesses." Through their "integrated suite of mystery shopping, direct customer feedback, on-site merchandising and analytics services," they can tell a company why one of their stores is underperforming or identify ways that all stores can improve.

Read the full article

Article by Willy Franzen of One Day, One Internship and One Day, One Job

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 18, 2009 at 3:04 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

DO - Set boundaries as to how you use various social networks (e.g. Facebook for personal, LinkedIn for professional) and make sure you communicate those boundaries so that feelings aren't hurt.

DON'T let your boss and co-workers catch you chatting and playing with Facebook applications when you should be working.

DO - Use your real name on Twitter to network with people you wouldn't have the chance to communicate with in real life.

DO - send them valuable information or interesting tidbits about their field.

DON'T - get caught up in the heat of the moment. Before you post something on Twitter, think about whether you'd want to read it on the front page of the WSJ.

DO - Pursue friendships in other departments and with friends of your co-workers.

DON'T ever date a boss or a direct report, and

DON'T date an immediate co-worker unless you can handle seeing that person every day if the relationship goes south.

DO - Reply to all only if every person on the string really needs to hear what you're saying.

DO - check (always) the list of people in the TO and CC lines before sending any e-mail.

DON'T hit reply too quickly in case that Reply to All function is accidentally on, and

DON'T use e-mail for negative or controversial discussion.

DO - Deal with loud talkers by saying nicely that you're on the phone with a client and ask if they would mind keeping it down a bit. DON'T allow your desire to avoid confrontation affect your work effectiveness.

DO - Get negative emotions off your chest by venting to a close friend or family member.

DON'T complain at work at all - people won't like you.

DO - think of ways to turn a bad situation into a more positive one and approach your boss and co-workers with solutions instead of problems.

DO - Have fun at Happy Hour, but keep it to a one or two drink minimum.

DON'T - drink at lunch or during daytime business meetings.

DON'T - get drunk with co-workers even in evening, social settings. You'll end up saying or doing something you regret.

Article by Alexandra Levit and courtesy of Water Cooler Wisdom blog.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 18, 2009 at 2:58 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

When did Brooklyn become the cool place to live? It's definitely trendy, and I think a big part of that has to be the borough's unique culture. It's pretty artsy, which is why it makes sense that it's the home of "America's oldest continuously operating performing arts center," Brooklyn Academy of Music. BAM was founded in 1861 and is still going strong--they had an attendance of more than half a million people last year. Although they have the word academy in their name, BAM's mission is "to be the preeminent progressive performing and cinema arts center of the twenty-first century, engaging both global and local communities." That's not exactly what I think of when I hear academy, but maybe that's why they usually go by BAM.

Read the full article

Article by Willy Franzen of One Day, One Internship and One Day, One Job

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 18, 2009 at 2:57 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Want a crappy job? You're in luck. Today I came across WhatACrappyJob.com, which is actually the internship site for Bozell, a Omaha, NE based full-service public relations and advertising agency. There's nothing extraordinarily special about the site beyond the domain name, but it's well designed and informative, which is rare when it comes to Careers websites. I guess that's what you should expect from the agency behind the "Got Milk?" mustache campaign and the "Pork. The Other White Meat." slogan. Bozell's history includes quite a few mergers, acquisitions, and buybacks. As of 2001 Bozell has moved away from Wall Street and returned to it roots as "an independent, client-focused, employee-owned agency." They have an impressive portfolio of work and seem like a pretty cool place to work.

Read the full article

Article by Willy Franzen of One Day, One Internship and One Day, One Job

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 17, 2009 at 2:50 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

I think that online education is going to be a really big deal in the near future (possibly why I developed an online course for job seekers); however, I still have doubts about online degree programs. I get pitched quite often by online universities that want to advertise here on One Day, One Job, but it just doesn't feel right to me. I just don't know how to separate the "degree mills" from reputable online universities, so I stay away. Luckily, this won't be a problem for long. 2tor, a New York City based startup, is changing the face of online education by partnering "with preeminent institutions of higher education to deliver rigorous, selective degree programs online." Prestigious colleges and universities can bring their brand names and time tested curricula online by using the "tools, expertise, capital, and global recruiting" that 2tor provides.

Read the full article

Article by Willy Franzen of One Day, One Internship and One Day, One Job

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 17, 2009 at 2:44 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Remember that time that you predicted the walk off home run during the baseball game or the fact that your friend would get back together with his girlfriend for the 7th time? Of course you do. It was proof of your psychic abilities. Remember the time that you made a similar prediction but were wrong? Of course not. When you only count your wins and not your losses, it's easy to have a perfect record. Politicians take advantage of this all the time. The truth is that there aren't a lot of people out there who are good at predicting things, whether it's weather, the economy, sports, or any number of other things. Nouriel Roubini may be an exception. He could be insanely "lucky" with the fact that his descriptions and predictions of the current financial crisis were dead on, but you have to give him credit for the amount of detail included in his predictions, like when he said "the United States was likely to face a once-in-a-lifetime housing bust, an oil shock, sharply declining consumer confidence and, ultimately, a deep recession." He's very obviously a brilliant guy, and he's also the founder of New York City based Roubini Global Economics, a company that provides "a uniquely tailored look at the logic of the global economy" for its clients.

Read the full article

Article by Willy Franzen of One Day, One Internship and One Day, One Job

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 17, 2009 at 2:35 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Career advice for anyone having difficulty working with Gen Y

There's nothing wrong with being ambitious. In fact, it's a good thing to start an entry level job with a great company and dream about one day being promoted to supervisor, manager, or higher. But there's a lot wrong with believing that these promotions should start happening within the first six months of employment. As in the military, rank has to be earned; it isn't bestowed upon anyone (generally speaking).

According to psychologists, Nicole A. Lipkin and April J. Perrymore, in their book, Y in the Workplace: Managing the "Me First" Generation, the Gen Y notion of instant promotion is just one of many complaints that their Gen X and Baby Boomer employers and coworkers have about their young team members.

Lipkin and Perrymore feel the key to working harmoniously with Gen Y employees is understanding them. That's true for everyone, really, but it seems to be especially true for Gen Y because they were raised so differently from the way Gen X and Baby Boomers were brought up. For instance, most Gen Y employees grew up being told that they could do or be anything they wanted, they never lost because "everybody's a winner," and if anything ever went wrong, they were told that it wasn't their fault. Period.

"Growing up winners without the option or experience of failure, results in a huge disadvantage in the workforce. We know that mistakes and failures happen in all areas of life. Although these mistakes and failures can be devastating at times, they also serve as important lessons, building blocks in the development of coping mechanisms, learning tools to enhance the self, and they provide opportunities to learn how to accept feedback and constructive criticism," say Lipkin and Perrymore. The only thing worse is the helicopter parents who hover around their children ready and willing to fight every battle for them. Their "good intentions of protection result in the stunting of their children's independent growth and ability to make mistakes and learn from them," they caution.

Lipkin and Perrymore don't solely focus on the negative aspects of Gen Y. They also point out the many good qualities, some of which are derived from the same sources as the negative ones. For instance, because they've been raised to believe that they can do or be anything, Gen Y employees aren't afraid to take risks. They work well in teams because teamwork has been an integral part of their lives since elementary school. They have grown up with computers, so they are well versed in using the Internet and a variety of software applications, and many of them don't mind sharing their knowledge with others.

To help frustrated co-workers and employers, Lipkin and Perrymore have packed their book with what they call "coaching solutions." And for their readers' enjoyment, they have interspersed each chapter with quotes from human resources representatives, executives and professionals who have supervised or worked with Gen Y employees, and some Gen Y's, too. Although Lipkin and Perrymore wrote their book to help Gen X and Baby Boomers to better understand their Gen Y team members, the book could be beneficial for Gen Y, too. Since lack of self-awareness is another flaw among this group, it could help the Gen Y employee get a better understanding of himself and his coworkers' frustration with him.

The challenges of working with Gen Y are many, but so are the rewards for supervisors and managers who are willing take the time to accentuate the positive and (carefully) eliminate the negative behaviors of their Gen Y employees. Entry level jobs are just as hard to fill as they are to find, so taking the time to figure out how to co-exist with a talented Gen Y new hire is well worth the effort.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 17, 2009 at 1:48 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

If you're jobless this December -- and there are roughly 16 million Americans who are -- you know that being unemployed over the holiday season can make it feel like there is little to celebrate.

There are several types of stressors you may encounter over the holidays:

1. You may worry what to tell friends and family at social gatherings;
2. You may be facing a cash shortfall, yet still wish to provide gifts for your loved ones;
3. You may be feeling depressed, angry, or less worthy than usual;
4. You may be tempted to take a vacation from your job search.

Alone or combined, these situations can present a real challenge for downsized individuals. Fortunately, the holiday season also offers some special opportunities to rejuvenate your spirits and advance your job search. That's why we're providing six power tips on how to maximize the month of December and re-vamp your search for employment by January 1.

TIP 1: That "no one's hiring in December" thing? That's a myth. Keep trying.

It's true that lots of offices slow down during the holidays, but plenty of recruitment goes on in this period! Some departments face "lose it or use it" provisions on their hiring budgets, so you may find they're eager to seal a deal with you by December 31. On the other side of the coin, lots of projects come into brand-new funds as of Q1 2010, meaning your long wait may be over. Best of all, because so many people believe December is dead for hiring, there is greatly reduced competition for jobs. So don't slow down on submitting online applications, and make sure your resume is front-and-center with your desired employers all through the last month of the year.

TIP 2: Manage your downtime intelligently.

The holidays are a special time to relax and enjoy family traditions and get-togethers. While you are entitled to enjoy this time, I urge you not to have the same vacation expectations as your friends who have been working full-time. Some of them will take off from December 18 through January 4, and you just can't afford to neglect your job search for that long. Thoughtfully plan out your daily activities for the rest of the year using a calendar. Give yourself the "big days" off -- New Year's Eve, for instance -- but schedule a few hours of job-search work for almost every other day... even if your "working friends" aren't working at all. It's a tough break, but you'll feel better about yourself and your job hunt if you stick to a productive schedule throughout the holiday season.

TIP 3: Get ready to mingle, sip eggnog, and smile; you're going to network at holiday parties.

Don't hide at home, no matter how uncertain you may be feeling. There are increased social opportunities at the holidays, and these can really help with your personal feelings of satisfaction and support, as you re-connect with people who like you for you! Meeting new people is great, too: put on a nice sweater or sports jacket to network with rarely seen relatives and neighbors, and have a short speech ready stating what kind of professionals you'd like to chat with. It makes people happy to be able to make introductions or give advice. Accept this help gracefully and in the generous spirit that it is given.

TIP 4: Use this occasion to make over your family's gifting traditions.

When your cash flow is compromised, you must be very careful with your resources. It is probably best not to succumb to the pressures of a consumer culture that urges materialistic expressions of your emotions. Your loved ones will understand and likely welcome the proposal of a low-cost gift exchange or a "handmade holiday." Not only will they be happy to receive your gifts of love and time, but they will be relieved to see you not going into debt or suffering stress to provide a costly present. There are many creative, free gifts that you can put together easily.

TIP 5: While you're doing that, take a critical look at your own wish list.

If you're unemployed, you've probably been "doing without" for quite some time, concentrating on must-haves such as rent, utilities, and groceries. If you have been asking your family for any kind of assistance with cash or food, then it is not appropriate to request luxurious or lifestyle items at the holidays. You should postpone these as rewards for yourself when you have a paycheck again. In the meantime, if you need items for your job hunt, let your family know. They will probably be happy to fulfill requests for job-search necessities such as office supplies (quality resume paper, or ink cartridges for your printer); personal accessories (a silk tie or an attractive briefcase); or even personal services (a resume consultation or a LinkedIn premium upgrade might be in order). Note to well-meaning gift-givers: These are only things that should be given if on a jobhunter's wishlist: unsolicited career gifts to the unemployed can be seen as lacking tact.

TIP 6: Practice writing "2010″ and pull out some postage stamps!

Maybe you're not entirely confident about sending holiday cards to people in your network... or maybe you've already waited too long for them to be delivered on time. Consider New Year's cards as a professional, secular replacement. Now that most business mail is electronic, people have a re-discovered interest in physical mail. (Hang around any mailroom, and you'll notice how eagerly people rip open packages.) The strategy is to get yourself noticed just as everyone comes back to work from the holidays, ready to apply themselves in the New Year. In their in-box, they'll find a cheery New Year's card wishing them a happy and prosperous new year, along with a printed copy of your resume and a business card attached. Congratulations: you've just achieved top-of-mind awareness in the mind of an employer - and aren't you happy you worked on your job hunt over the holidays?

Article by, Sarah and courtesy of RiseSmart.com - RiseSmart: Search Smarter. Rise Faster.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 17, 2009 at 1:35 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Imagine going to a strange town, checking into a hotel, opening the window in your room, and screaming "Merry Christmas to anyone who can hear me!"

Now imagine that a friend did this and you just happened to be in the streets of that town, somewhere within earshot of that voice.

No matter which side of the equation you put yourself in within this scenario, it doesn't leave you feeling very special, does it?

It's amazing how many people do the equivilent of this when sending holiday cards out to friends and even their clients. They take a jump drive loaded with a digital photo of their family down to the local Walmart, Target, Walgreens, etc. and in a matter of minutes -- and with very little thought or effort -- they walk out with a box of 'personalized' holiday cards.

Once they get home, they print out their Outlook address file on Avrey labels and adhere them to the accompanying envelope. Then, as if the recipient needs further proof that they are nothing more than an electronic record in someone else's database, they don't even sign the "card" before stuffing it into the envelope and sticking a stamp on it, or worse -- metering it.

The only thing that could show less thought and care is when a generic holiday greeting is sent out as an email blast. Yeppers. Nothing says Merry Christmas quite like SPAM. And if you think email is the ultimate expression of the "check that off my 'to-do' holiday list" mentality, guess again. Early reports say that this year, a growing number of people are simply sending out mass "Mry Xmas" texts.

Advancements in technology now enable us to wish everyone we know Merry Christmas in 30 seconds or less.

Leaves you feeling all warm and mushy inside, doesn't it?

My father used to tell me (repeatedly) "Anything worth doing is worth doing right." I think that axiom applies here. If you can't take the time to make the person on the receiving end of a greeting feel, well, er... greeted, for heaven's sake, don't send anything.

Forgive my sarcasm long enough to see the relevance of this in all you do to connect with Gen Y in the workplace. There is no substitute for direct, one-to-one, personal interaction and communication.

Anything less is just SPAM.

By Eric Chester and courtesy of Generation Why? Whysblog

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 17, 2009 at 1:27 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

I often hear this comment from people - "I've been through many interviews and, therefore, I am quite good at them". Practice makes perfect, right?

In this case - not really.

It is important to realize a few things:

• In my experience, the majority of people are not really aware of best-practices for giving a great interview. So having gone through many interview situations doesn't really help because you've been practicing all the wrong things
• You should never just show-up for an interview, thinking that if you meet the requirements of the job, you will be selected
• It is not always the best and most qualified candidate who is selected. How well you handle the interview also plays a big role
• You can have a significant influence on how well your interview goes. There are many ways in which you can improve your interviewing skills, thereby increasing the chance of getting hired
• Techniques that interviewers use to conduct an interview keep changing and you should be aware of current trends so that you can prepare accordingly
• There are many resources (both free and paid) to help you get up-to-speed with interview techniques and to help you prepare/practice accordingly

So no matter how many interviews you've been through or how many years of work experience you have, I think your base assumption should be - "If I am about to look for a job, I need a lot of preparation/practice for upcoming interviews." This way you have nothing to lose and everything to gain, including being really well prepared for your next interview.

Article by Amit Puri of Sandbox Advisors

Courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates seeking entry-level jobs and other career opportunities, and posted on Gradversity.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 17, 2009 at 1:16 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

"On the road again - Just can't wait to get on the road again." - Willie Nelson

I was speaking with one of the recruiters that I work with and he told me that he has trouble filling all of the job openings he has. He told me that he has lots of mediocre applicants but very few high quality candidates. So what does that tell me? Well for one, there are way too many mediocre applicants out there, but it also tells me that the good ones are not marketing themselves to the right people.

Looking at the candidate side of the coin, there are so many job connections (search boards, recruiters, network, company career sites, etc.) and so little time. The generic list of links and contacts across the thousands and thousands of job search sites don't always get you to where you want to be (no pun intended). Job search should be focused based on your experience and industry, and while I'm a big believer of the mass market method, you still need to focus on the right mass market.

"On the Road Again", a familiar song for those of us who have been on the job hunt more than one time in our careers. But today's quote and picture have another meaning, and that is if you're not on the right road, it doesn't matter where you are going because you are not going to get there.

Today's post focuses on targeted job search for the Transportation industry. The same methodologies applied here can be (and should be) applied to every profession.

Jobsinlogistics.com - This is a job search site and, according to their tag line "Find careers in Logistics, Supply Chain, Transportation, Freight Forwarding, 3PL, Distribution, Purchasing & Manufacturing", covers the full range of transportation related jobs. The site has a box at top center for Job Seekers which allows search by category or city. You can also register on the site. Below this is the Job Search button which lists a number of job categories (or search all jobs). The center of the page has a very long list of companies (no links), which you can use a resource for looking directly at company career sites. There were over 2,500 job opportunities when I checked the site.
Kimmel & Associates - This firm is a recruiter and specializes in Supply Chain, Freight Forwarding and Logistics (among other fields). Their main page has tabs at the top and clicking Other Industries leads to their page with links to logistics and freight forwarding. Click on this for a full page on the topic which provides an overview as well as a list of the types of positions they've filled. The left hand side of the page has links for job seekers (including creating an account, search jobs and career resources). Either create an account or click on Contact Us from the links at top for their address, email address and phone number.
Logistics Publications List - This site provides a long list of trade publications associated with this industry.

• There are several benefits to reviewing trade publications:


• They keep you up to date on what is happening in the industry


• They provide resources (names of companies, individuals, etc.) which you can leverage for your search


• Many have career / job opportunity sections which can provide direct links to jobs

Good luck in your search.

Article by Career Alley

Courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates seeking entry-level jobs and other career opportunities, and posted on Daily Career Connection.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 17, 2009 at 1:07 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

"Identity is recognition. Personality is about character and charisma!" - Marc Gobe

If you are involved in the world of building trust through content in the world of social media you understand the concept of building an identity. The foundation of all personal branding initiatives is building recognition through your core group of either prospects or peers. Unfortunately, many social media users tend to put to much emphasis on the concept of identity over personality. Ego over control.

Recognition, trust and identity

There is a huge aspect of social media catered to the ego of an individual... that is where recognition plays a huge role. We conceptualize recognition as a form of success. Why? It is fun for users to gain 2000 to 4000 new followers. It is awesome when Chris Brogan or Robert Scoble mentions your name in a post or through a feed. The reality of all of this is that it doesn't matter. You may gain a few new followers because of the endorsement but relationships still have not been forged. And relationships are all that matters in the world of personal branding.

You are unique. The personality that you were gifted with needs to shine through when using social media tools. We are all an "identity" when first introduced to another on social media. We are all just another small 100 x 100 pixel face on Twitter until we create an emotional response... until we share some insight and join in the discussion.

Only then can we move from an identity to a personality..and be remembered.

Kyle writes a regular blog at KyleLacy.com and is founder and CEO of Brandswag, a social media strategy and training company. His blog has been featured on Wall Street Journal's website and Read Write Web's daily blog journal. Recently, Kyle was voted as one of the top 150 social media blogs in the world (on two websites), and produces regular keynote speeches across the Midwest. He also just finished writing Twitter Marketing for Dummies by Wiley Publishing.

Article courtesy of Dan Schawbel, the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y. He authors the Personal Branding Blog and publishes Personal Branding Magazine and authored the upcoming book, Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (Kaplan, Spring 2009). Dan has been called a "personal branding force of nature" by Fast Company and his work has been published in BrandWeek Magazine, Advertising Age and countless other publications.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 17, 2009 at 12:59 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

As someone who worked several years as a temp, I think the following career advice from Melanie Holmes is worth considering ca

Try it!

I just read some good advice on Forbes.com in an article titled Three Tips For Starting the New Year With a New Job. The tips are sound and won't cost you anything.

I'll add one more tip. You might not feel it is the best career move for you, but I strongly recommend registering with a temporary help service (Manpower, of course!). I believe there are lots of good reasons why:

• Staffing services have access to most of the employers in your area -- registering with one gives your skills and abilities visibility at many potential places to work.
• The staff at temporary help services want the best for you and they'll work hard to find the right job.
• You'll be earning some money -- maybe not what you were making prior to being laid off, but you will be making something.
• One of the best ways to get hired permanently is to start as a temporary employee. The company gets to know you, sees your skills and experiences your work ethic first hand.

That's how I started at Manpower over 28 years ago -- during a recession that kept my resume from being noticed. And, as they say, the rest is history.

Article by Melanie Holmes, Vice President of World of Work Solutions for Manpower, and courtesy of Manpower's Contemporary Working blog. Melanie shares Manpower's extensive knowledge while building strategic partnerships with government, universities and other leadership organizations across the country. She is also responsible for social responsibility at Manpower, which includes diversity, volunteerism, community involvement, community relations, philanthropy and workforce development.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 17, 2009 at 12:52 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

A year or two ago I read an interesting book called Why Not?: How to Use Everyday Ingenuity to Solve Problems Big And Small (affiliate link) about invention and innovation. It was a good read, and it put all kinds of new ideas in my head. One of the stories in the book is bout how the author and Yale professor, Barry Nalebuff, and one of his students, Seth Goldman, teamed up to start Honest Tea, which now seems to go by the name Honest Beverages. They were doing a case study on Coke and Pepsi in class, and both Barry and Seth agreed that most retail beverage options were either way too sweet or way too watered down. They wanted something in between, and it happened that Barry had just returned from studying the tea industry in India when Seth e-mailed him to continue the conversation that started in class. They kept running with the idea, and soon after Honest Tea was born. In 1998 the Bethesda, MD based company had 3 employees and $250,000 in sales, and last year those numbers rose to 87 employees and $38 million in sales.

Read the full article

Article by Willy Franzen of One Day, One Internship and One Day, One Job

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 16, 2009 at 2:31 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

As a Yankees fan I am obliged to hate anything and everything related to the Red Sox--and even Boston sports in general. That's why it pains me to cover NESN (New England Sports Network) today. They're one of the most successful regional sports networks (RSNs) in the country ratings-wise (#1 for 6 straight years), and they do it in the 7th biggest media market. NESN is jointly owned by the Boston Red Sox and Boston Bruins, whom they cover along with the Celtics, Patriots, and plenty of local college teams. They were launched in 1984, which makes Watertown, MA based NESN one of the oldest RSNs in the country, and they now reach more than 4 million homes. I still don't understand why anyone would want to watch Boston sports on tv.

Read the full article

Article by Willy Franzen of One Day, One Internship and One Day, One Job

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 16, 2009 at 2:17 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

We're officially in the Christmas season, and that means lots of good things. One thing that isn't so good is all of the spending that comes with buying people gifts (whether you enjoy the consumerist aspects of the holidays or not). It feels great to be generous, but only until you look at your credit card statement at the end of the month. Cutting back on gifts or making your own is one idea, but it's a lot easier said than done. Your best bet is probably to find some other ways to save money so that you can buy everyone what you want to buy them. A great way to do that is BillShrink. They're a Redwood City, CA based startup that offers "a free, personalized savings tool that helps you save money on your everyday bills." If you can cut your cell phone, credit card, and gas bills, then you'll be able to buy me (or someone you actually know) more gifts.

Read the full article

Article by Willy Franzen of One Day, One Internship and One Day, One Job

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 16, 2009 at 2:14 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Have you ever felt that you are in a career or job because you have been doing what you have been doing for quite some time and you are good at it too, not because you like or love what you do now but because you are in the routine humdrum - you are comfortable with what you are doing now. But there is a colossal difference between doing what you love and having a meaningful career than being in a job or profession just because of others' expectations or because you kind of fit in it like a round peg in a round hole; much similar to the difference between living and existing.

But if you have given thought to it or are ready to explore more into what you would love to pursue, you have taken the first step toward realizing your true talent and moving towards your calling. Some thoughtful insights and practical analysis can help you move towards a larger purpose and a more meaningful career. }

In a very interesting book titled "Don't Waste Your Talent" by Bob McDonald and Don. E Hutcheson, the authors talk about escaping the dreaded Lemming Conspiracy. Read carefully these thoughts here and see how it applies to your career (if at all);

Throughout our adult lives, we experience regular cycles of stability and change. We launch ourselves into the beginning of our careers.. At first everything seems fine. We may feel that we are a good match for a system at the beginning. The system's values appear to match our own. Our lives seem interesting and exciting.
But with each passing year, we grow and change. We become different on the inside. We have new ideas, meet new people, have new goals and new wants. But the systems in which we remain do not change their views of us. To our systems (and this includes out family systems) we are always the same. Our systems assume we have remained on the same path, and that we have the same commitment to the systems' values and rules that we always had.

Systems have only a limited view of us. We are whole people, but systems see only limited roles and functions. How many middle-aged men have awakened in the middle of the night with the nightmarish realization that their lives feel utterly meaningless and their energies re being wasted? How many middle aged women have suddenly seen their lives lose meaning when their children leave home? Or how many to build a family? One 45-year old women we know, a successful marketing director, realized suddenly one say that she was living the life that others expected of her - not the life that would express her own true self. Her family hard-driving professional women wake up in their late thirties and realize they have forgotten of origin had blinded her to life's alternatives.

Some food for thought as the year ends and a new one begins. Are we ready to evaluate our systems and aspirations?

Article by Shweta L. Khare, founder and president of Careerbright and Speakbright and courtesy of Careerbright blogspot

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 16, 2009 at 1:00 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

The following career advice is courtesy of author and career coach, Thom Singer

The art of the handwritten note is long lost, especially on men. Many men have excuses why they don't practice personalized note writing in the workplace (ex. "I have bad handwriting." And "why write when I can email?"). According to speaker and author Thom Singer, these guys are missing an important networking opportunity.

1. "No one writes notes any more, it is old fashioned, I use email and it
is the same thing."

This is a common belief amongst people looking to not hand-write notes. Email is a great tool for communicating, but it is commonplace. Many people receive over 100 emails a day. They scan them, deleting ones that don't stand out, and forget about them instantly. Handwritten notes are rare. Since human beings are experiential creatures, the whole act of touching the envelope, holding the card, opening it and reading it become part of a tactical experience.

2. "I work in a technology field; I would appear out of touch communicated
by snail-mail."

Just because there are new modes of communication does not mean that the old methods are offensive. Nobody is offended when you take the extra time to show them that they matter to you. By making the effort to send a handwritten note, you show the other person that they are worth the use of your valuable time, not just another person who can get an email.

3. "Men don't write letters."

This is not a gender issue. Lazy and selfish men (and women) don't write letters, but successful and thoughtful business professionals do pen handwritten notes that express their gratitude. Many people look for any excuse to avoid tasks they do not choose to do, but smart mothers and grandmothers have made their boys (and girls) write thank you notes for generations.

4. "I don't have the time."

You don't have to write everyone you know daily, a handwritten note is reserved for special occasions. When you meet someone important for the first time, when someone makes a referral to you, or anytime you want to honor someone. Most people would not need to send more than three to eight such notes a week. Each one only takes a few minutes (you are not writing a novel). The impact the note makes on the person who receives it is an investment in your future.

5. "I don't have good handwriting."

Many people over-think the quality of their penmanship. With a little effort you can write an acceptable note that is legible to the recipient. If you believe that your handwriting is that horrible, practice improving it. Anybody who wants to advance their career will have to work on overcoming their shortcomings, if this is yours, you can make it a priority.
If this is just an excuse, get over it.

"Network like your job depends on it - because it does," says Singer, also known as "The Networking Specialist." He has trained thousands of professionals in the art of building professional contacts that lead to increased business in his 20-year career in sales and marketing. He has been featured by The New York Times, Forbes.com and Entrepreneur.com and is the author of six books: The ABC's of Networking, Networking
Unplugged, Batteries Not Included: 66 Tips to Energize Your Career, Some Assembly Required: How to Make, Grow, and Keep Your Business Relationships, Some Assembly Required: A Networking Guide for Women, Some Assembly Required: A Networking Guide for Real Estate. He resides in Austin, Texas. Learn more at http://www.thomsinger.com.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 16, 2009 at 12:20 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Choosing accountability--3 steps to owning your success at work and in life

Career advice from leadership consultant, Linda Galindo

How much of your success is up to you--your choices, your actions, your behaviors-- versus outside conditions?

If your mind-set is that you're at least 85% responsible for your success--and that just 15% could depend on the way the wind blows--you can get the results you're looking for. If not, odds are, you blame your problems and failures--big or small, personal or professional--on other people, "circumstances beyond my control," or just plain bad luck.

The good news? Accountability is not only a mind-set--it's also a skill-set that everyone can learn. It may not be as easy as one-two-three, but it is a three-step process:

1. Responsibility

Responsibility is not something you do--it's a way of thinking and being. When you're truly responsible, you believe that success or failure is up to you, even if you work within a team or are blind-sided by unforeseen circumstances. You own your commitment to a result before the fact--before you even take action. Getting started:

Be responsible "either way." It's easy to claim responsibility when things go well, but it's hard when they don't. A truly responsible person, however, is responsible either way. So next time you take on a project, be 100% responsible for the outcome. Not a little. Not somewhat. Not pretty much. Not "I guess so" or "as long as." Own it 100%--good or bad--with no wiggle room.

Recognize your power. You already have the ability to be 100% responsible-- everybody does. Yet most of us don't realize--or at least don't admit--that we alone have the power to manage our lives and careers. Sure, you can give that power away, but that is a conscious choice--it doesn't happen without your permission.

Deal with what is. When was the last time you were able to change the past? Truth is, it doesn't matter what should have happened--it matters what is. That saves you the trouble of figuring out who's to blame or worrying about how things "coulda woulda shoulda" been if only something had gone differently. It didn't--and that makes your choice a cinch: "How do I want to react to the situation that is?"

2. Self-empowerment

There is only one kind of empowerment, and that is self-empowerment. Unlike granting authority, empowerment comes from within. By empowering yourself, you take the actions--and the risks--to achieve a result and get what you want. Rather than waiting for someone to declare you empowered or give you that one lucky break, you step outside your comfort zone, make things happen, and answer for the outcomes. Getting started:

Manage expectations. The most direct route to self-empowerment is to be clear about expectations--not only what you expect, but also what's expected of you. To do that, you need to ask questions, make agreements, and clarify everything in writing. Otherwise, you risk suffering the source of all upset: missed expectations.

Take back your time. "No" is an empowering word. So every time you utter, "I can't say no," ask yourself if you can't--or if you're unwilling to. Take back your time in other ways, too: get rid of your to-do list (track projects and deadlines on a calendar instead); resist over-scheduling (you can't cram 12 hours of work into eight hours, so stop trying); and estimate realistically (let's face it, most everything takes longer than we think).

Sing your own praises. It's an all-too-common workplace mantra: "One day they'll notice how much I do around here and give me the recognition I deserve." NOT! Take stock of your personal talents and triumphs and let the higher-ups know who you are and what you contribute.

3. Personal accountability

Unlike responsibility (the before) and self-empowerment (the during), personal accountability is the after. It's a willingness--after all is said and done--to answer for the outcomes of your choices, actions, and behaviors. When you're personally accountable, you stop assigning blame, "should-ing" on people, and making excuses. Instead, you take the fall when your choices cause problems. Getting started:

Tell the truth. Everybody messes up sometimes. Lying about it or trying to cover it up always make it worse--no exceptions. (Just ask former President Bill Clinton, who paid a steep price--impeachment--for lying to a grand jury.) Save yourself some time: Don't tell untruths. Nobody believes them anyway--not even you.

Police yourself. Are you accountable for your actions even if nobody holds you accountable--or nobody catches you? You bet you are. So be your own "Accountability Cop" and police yourself. On the long and winding road of life, choose accountability at every turn.

Look to yourself--first. When trouble arises, look first to yourself. Ask four specific questions: "What is the problem?" "What am I doing--or not doing--to contribute to the problem?" What will I do differently to help solve the problem?" and "How will I be accountable for the result?"

Personal accountability is sorely lacking--and urgently needed--in our business culture and across society as a whole. Wait no longer--do it now. Choose accountability and own your success at work and in life.

Linda Galindo is a consultant specializing in individual and leadership accountability and the author of The 85% Solution: How Personal Accountability Guarantees Success--No Nonsense, No Excuses (Jossey-Bass, $22.95). An adviser to CEOs, executive teams, and boards of directors, she helps organizations make personal accountability their central organizing principle. Contact her on the Web at lindagalindo.com.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 16, 2009 at 12:07 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Awhile back, I wrote about skipping the office holiday parties, "How Do You Politely Decline the Workplace Ritual?" If you weren't able to dodge that bullet or have more work functions plus the usual family fetes coming up, here's another strategy.

We all have those annoying, borderline loony co-workers to contend with - the one who always labels her bag lunch in flowing script with the fat Sharpie, the office-supply Nazi who restricts your paperclip access or the incessant suck-up. I truly believe that we often act out our own little office "family" dysfunction with everyone assuming a specific role. Make it a game (ooh, maybe this could be the new Bingo?) and look around and see what roles you can identify. Continue reading ...

This is a guest post by Nancy LaFever. You can read more from her at the Centre for Emotional Wellbeing blog.

Article courtesy of Andrew G.R. and jobacle.com - your cure for carbon copy career advice!

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 16, 2009 at 11:35 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Assess Your Priorities and See If it is Time to Move On

Take a moment for a reality check. Ask yourself these questions - how many positive answers do you get?

1. Is what I do really worthwhile? In other words: Does my work make a difference to people? Does it help people? Am I adding something of value to the world? Doing something worthwhile makes us feel worthwhile and can compensate for other shortcomings in the position.
2. Do I enjoy my job? Do you you get a buzz from what you do?
3. Am I learning? If you are still developing and learning in the job then it is an investment of your time. If you have stopped learning and are repeating experiences then it may be time for a change.
4. Does this job lead to somewhere I want to go? Is this experience useful in preparing you for something else you might want to do?

Article by, Paul Sloane and courtesy of Associated Content, Inc.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 16, 2009 at 10:44 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

False job advertisements are the last thing we need right now. Canvasing, cold calling, street promoting, work at homes, and security positions are just a few of the devil's evil tricks in the career section of your newspaper or online job website.

I'm sure everyone has had this experience at least once in their life -- You find a job listing online or in a paper, you know you qualify for it, it looks good, so you applied to it. A day or two later, you get called in for an interview. It wasn't until halfway through the interview that you found out the hidden agenda which could involve anything from cold calling, selling products, working off of commission, and so forth.

So you kindly reject the offer and leave the interview, disappointed, discouraged, and just flat out upset that there's companies out there who are willing to deceive so many unemployed people out there. I know how you feel, because I'm looking for a second job right now and I've been going through the same thing. Let this be a guide for you to follow while job hunting. Continue reading ...

Article by, Stephen Brno and courtesy of Associated Content, Inc.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 16, 2009 at 10:24 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Ever run across a job that is on one of those job listing services that promises an exotic life of big bucks and promises the good life? Chances are, it is one of the thousands of typical overseas employment scams that many good people fall victim to. Let's face it, if a particular job seems too good to be true, there is at least a 50% chance that they are running overseas job scams.

One should educate oneself on how people actually conduct the scam and thereby gain insight on how to avoid employment scams. Avoid overseas job scams in any possible way you can and I will provide you some knowledge on how to better prepare yourself with basic common sense and logic. There is no job that comes that easy. Think about it, what kind of legitimate job actually charges a fee to get on with them and then they begin to pay you your annual paycheck? Continue reading ...

Article by, Andrew Miller and courtesy of Associated Content, Inc.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 16, 2009 at 10:16 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

"Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'Press On' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race."~ Calvin Coolidge

I have a four-year-old English Cocker--a 25-pound black bundle of energy named Ted, who is absolutely confident that the world revolves around him. Although there are many facets of his personality that I love, perhaps the most endearing are his zest for having fun wherever he is and his "doggedness" aka single-mindedness in going after what he wants.

And what Ted wants most often is rocks. At our lake place, he is able to run; he gathers them freely, hoarding them in his favorite spot. When outside at our home place, he is in a large steel-wire kennel surrounded by landscaping rocks. There is just enough room underneath so that he can extend his paws out to try and capture those rocks. And try he does! He is only out there to "take care of business" (from my perspective), but his focus is to reach and paw at those rocks with the goal of getting them into the kennel (and into his mouth for chewing). His paws are only so-so dexterous; he waves and scrapes, often pushing the rocks farther out than in. Like the Energizer bunny, he "keeps going and going and going". He often sits back and just stares at those rocks; then he pounces again. Sometimes he gets one; often he does not. I know that next time he'll try again; he always does. And he has a growing pile of "treasures" as a result.

The point here is that in the job search, there are goals that seem to be out of reach for one reason or another. Often obstacles can be the incentive to push through barriers, whether self-imposed or dictated elsewhere. There will be bumps in the road in your search! Expect it, and welcome it as preparation for the adventure that lies ahead. To Ted, each rock out there is a new quest!

In her book, Job Search Magic, Susan Britton Whitcomb speaks of persistence as the key to success. She says, "It trumps circumstances and motivates you to overcome whatever might be lacking in your candidacy. Persistence is initiative in action. It chooses wisely and takes action, especially during rough times." Susan further challenges us to use different language when thinking about the "turbulence" in our careers and lives. It's real to be sure. If we change our language and ways of thinking to describe it, however, it can take on a whole new perspective. Instead of thinking in terms of a "setback" or "problem," it can be reframed, in Susan's words, to a "place of possibility." She offers a checklist of personal and professional assessment. See which of these might relate to you. If there are others not mentioned here, jot them down.

Personal "Places of Possibility"

• Not enough time
• Lack of focus
• Limited finances
• Family commitments that prevent me from devoting more time to my career
• Lack of support and fear of criticism from family members, friends, or colleagues
• Lack of confidence
• Too shy or embarrassed to ask for help
• Too independent or overconfident to think I need help

Professional "Places of Possibility"

• Frustrated by too many (or too few) options
• Unsure of the best job search process
• Not enough contacts in my target field
• Missing the "right" experience
• Lack the right degree or training
• Skeletons in my career closet
• Relocating to a new area where I do not know anyone

Take inventory of your job-search roadblocks. If it's time, how can you rework your calendar and carve out hours? If it's confidence, can you gather a support team to encourage you and hold you accountable? If you're unsure of process or have career skeletons, check out a qualified career coach or your local workforce center. Do a self-assessment of what you want and then research the market to find out where there are gaps. If you lack the right skill sets or degree for your targeted job(s), where can you get your foot in the door for that experience? Would this be a good time to take some classes towards a degree, certification or to simply obtain new knowledge? How can you expand your network? Can you sharpen your interview skills? Do you have an action plan that includes a Plan B and even C?

Once you know what you want and have found where it is (jobs/employers), go get it! If the fit isn't there, what new fit can you make? The job search is about meeting people. Take the power in your job hunt; it's yours unless you give it away. Brush up on your skills, fine tune your résumé and marketing documents, research the market, devise a search strategy, take care of your network, manage your reputation, and keep on keeping on!

We are all well served to be persistent in our pursuit of personal and career success. We must be aware of the opportunities and the challenges looming in our future. Then we must position ourselves to our best advantage. Like Ted, when seemingly overwhelming obstacles cause you to step back, pounce again and keep pawing away.

"Courage is being afraid but going on anyhow."
~ Dan Rather

As President of Hire Imaging, LLC, Barb Poole has over 25 years' experience as a career coach, strategist and writer. She partners with global clients in all industries and levels to explore, find, get and keep their career dreams.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 16, 2009 at 10:10 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

When planning your entrepreneurial venture, I am sure you have been given a lot of advice on measuring your short-term and long-term goals and have a vision of the same order from here on. There can be a lot said about these goals and they all differ in different circumstances. But here are the three main important short-term goals that I advice the budding entrepreneurs to have in mind and in writing as they begin on the exciting path to entrepreneurship.

First Break Down Your Ideas

When you dream of seeing your ideas as a product or service, it is most often very difficult to curb the flow of what can be done. The idea is great and the possibilities are ever-expanding; but these things are also most often the reason for a "multi-directional" start to try out all possibilities and see what works. Or simply many diversions and fewer results. Sure enough you want to make a million at least in the second year revenue cycle or at least some profits this year. Great, but first break it down even further. Focus on the first three months first. What do you want to achieve, how you want to achieve and what tools you need to get it done - but just the plan for the first three months.

Not Success, Not Failure, First Get it Done

In most practical situations do not expect any success or failure in the first three months of your starting a venture. It is too short a time to evaluate if you are either. The focus must be on how you went about your plan. Analyze your time frame of achievement of the set goals. What went well and what did not, again it is not success or failure but the analysis on how you carried on the first steps and what you learnt from them matters most. Your focus should be on getting on the ramp, well begun is half done; there is a lot of truth in this saying! Now accordingly set course for the next breakdown of your plan. Note: your goals should always be measurable.

Fuel Motivation

Often the startup phase is the most daunting period of any ideas' evolution. Doubts, fears and lack of a concrete turnaround often can weaken momentum of achievement. Be prepared for this phase - seek motivation internally and externally. Depending upon what type of a person you are you may seek motivation from within or through a group of friends or an entrepreneurial circle. Although networking can be very time consuming, it is a good idea to start upfront and fuel your motivation. A lot can be achieved when two or more minds think together and the earlier you begin the better it could be. Else seek a mentor or a coach who can guide you through the first steps on the entrepreneurial path which can often be jittery.

Needless to say whenever you focus on the short-term planning always keep the long-term goals in mind but note that the long-term goals reaching depends on the success of your short-term achievements and with the changes and success and failure in your short-term goals the long-term ones might most probably change. Focus on the short-term first, always.

Article by Shweta L. Khare, founder and president of Careerbright and Speakbright and courtesy of Careerbright blogspot

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 16, 2009 at 9:54 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Candidates, like celebrities have no privacy.

While few job seekers would be the subject of TMZ or E!, candidates have similar reputation issues as celebrities. Candidates generally aren't as careful as celebrities about keeping a clean image, and most candidates don't have millions in hush money to keep personal dirt private.

Four words describe the candidate's dilemma: Google, Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace

Candidates beware ...Tiger-like surprises can show up unexpectedly if not managed carefully. Unless your name is incredibly unique, a Google search could list information relating to someone else who shares your name. Before making a final offer, most HR departments and recruiters will do an online search of at least Google, and often Facebook (and Linkedin) to find additional background information on a candidate. Perhaps your "evil twin sister" was convicted of fraud, indecency or even publicly accused of something you wouldn't want your next employer to even THINK could be you. Perhaps your "evil twin brother" posted some rude comments on Twitter (yes, Twitter posts now show up in Google searches - and Twitter posts CAN'T be erased).

Today's candidate can gain huge benefits through visibility ... if managed properly. This search can be a good thing - it gives candidates the chance to make online searches work in their favor, by managing favorable information that online searches reveal through a process called Online Reputation Management.

If you are carefully utilizing Online Reputation Management, you can make sure that favorable results appear under searches of your name. However, if you aren't managing your online presence on Google, Facebook, and Twitter at a minimum, you are leaving your great new job up to chance, and risk unfavorably surprising your potential employer.

Some candidates react by hiding, hoping to erase any online presence. Hiding this strategy is counter-productive for candidates. Here are 5 reasons you WANT to be found by employers online:

• Being found online is a great way to find unadvertised job opportunities, because employers find you
• If your own information can't be found online, you can't manage damaging "evil twin" results
• If an employer can't find any trace of you online, it raises suspicions
• Creating a favorable Online Reputation can add value to your unique skills
• Demonstrating a managed Online Reputation gives the impression of transparency, allowing your employer to see who you are as a person, so your online reputation acts as a character reference

How will you plan your Online Reputation Management strategy for your 2010 job search? Or will you fall into a Tiger trap?

Article by Phil Rosenberg, President, reCareered & Rainmakers Global and courtesy of reCareered blog.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 16, 2009 at 9:50 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

When I think about people like John Grisham, J.K. Rowling and Stephen King, it's easy to focus on the glamour of their lives and completely forget about all the work that goes into writing a novel, bestseller or not. In fact, a novelist is an entrepreneur of sorts. It probably sounds silly but there really are a lot of similarities between novelists - who are essentially freelance writers - and entrepreneurs.

The biggest difference between novelists and entrepreneurs is that novelists are trying to sell an experience whereas entrepreneurs are trying to sell a product or service. "I want to take readers to places they've never imagined and make them feel things they haven't felt before," says novelist, N.M. Kelby, in her article for the January 2010 issue of Writer's Digest, Taming the Beast.

Like anyone else who works from home, a novelist has to set boundaries that will allow him to work quietly, fully focused on his work for several hours each day. But there's more to writing a novel - or article - than just choosing a topic and writing about it. No, a novelist has to think like an entrepreneur if he wants to be successful.

Know your audience

Just as an entrepreneur has to know his chosen market and how it works and what products or services are most successful, so does a novelist have to understand what kind of books in his chosen genre are most successful. This will give him an idea what readers will expect him to include in his book. For example, mystery readers like to be surprised and romance readers want to get caught up in the experience of falling in love.

Satisfy your audience's desires

Just as an entrepreneur has to know what consumers in his chosen market want to buy, so does a novelist need to know what readers of his chosen genre want to read. Once the novelist knows what his audience expects, he must figure out how to satisfy them in a way that's at least entertaining, if not completely fresh. By the same token, if the entrepreneur can't produce a completely new product, he should be able to put a certain spin on an existing product that will make consumers want to buy his version more than any other. In her article, Kelby uses the difference between the books the "Wonderful Wizard of Oz" and "Wicked" as an example. The children's classic, by L. Frank Baum, was told from Dorothy's point of view, the more mature work by Gregory Maguire, which explores the nature of good and evil, is told from the Wicked Witch of West's perspective. By just changing the point of view, a completely new story was created. Imagine the story of "Othello" told from Iago's point of view.

Don't fear failure

Being a novelist, like being an entrepreneur, involves a great deal of risk. But without taking a chance on a radical idea, a novelist can never achieve the level of success achieved by John Grisham or J.K. Rowling. And how can anyone learn from his mistakes if he goes out of his way to avoid making them?

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 15, 2009 at 3:24 PM | Leave a Comment (2)

The workplace is no place for emotional outbursts, especially fits of temper. I know first hand how detrimental a loss of self-control can be. Stress levels are high in many workplaces because layoffs have left remaining employees with an increased workload. But even when times are good, things can go wrong and people can find themselves becoming tense and angry.

Christopher Steiner addresses this issue in his article, Soothing Anger-Management Techniques. Keeping cool under pressure is easier for some than it is for others. As Steiner says, it's a bad idea to suppress anger. Holding anger in can lead to either a huge, embarrassing outburst later or to illness, neither of which is good for your career.

Taking a deep breath and, silently, counting to ten is an age-old method that still works. Getting up and walking away - when possible - also helps because it gives you a chance to focus entirely on calming down before any decisions or comments are made.

Refusing to get sucked in to someone else's mood is another great method for keeping a tense situation from getting out of hand. It's only natural to feel defensive and angry when a supervisor or coworker is berating you, but if you can manage to listen to what's being said and ignore the way it's being said, some progress might be made. Taking a deep breath while you're listening would give you double protection against an angry retort, as would making every effort not to take personally what the other person is saying. People often say things in anger that aren't heartfelt sentiments. Keeping this in mind could go a long way toward to helping you stay calm.

One of Steiner's suggestions is to avoid jumping to conclusions. This ties in with not taking things too personally. If someone is taking too long on the copier you need to use, don't automatically assume that he's deliberately trying to delay you or make you upset. The average person isn't a mind reader and couldn't possibly know what your deadlines are. Things go wrong all the time. Children get sick, cars crash and cause delays on major roadways, people make mistakes.

Short of being clairvoyant, no one can predict what's going to happen. Getting angry when things go wrong only makes matters worse. It also hinders the creativity you'll need to improvise and overcome whatever obstacle is in your path.

Steiner also recommends becoming familiar with your personal buttons. Everybody has them, those little pet peeves that always seem to get our blood boiling. Some people delight in pushing other people's buttons, that's why it's a good idea to not only recognize what yours are, but to also devise ways to neutralize them so that you don't find yourself flying off the handle just because someone keeps taking your favorite pen off your desk. Find another favorite pen or stop leaving it behind. If your button is an empty tray in the copier, then make it a point to check to make sure the paper tray is full before you start making copies or designate yourself as the one to make sure the copier always has plenty of paper in every usable tray. I know for a fact that these techniques work. And always remember that deep breathing.

Angry outbursts in the workplace are embarrassing and make everyone uncomfortable. They're also very bad career moves that should be avoided at all costs. By practicing some simple, effective anger-management techniques, you can save your job and preserve your personal brand at the same time.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 15, 2009 at 1:06 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

A lot of people I've spoken to don't know where to start when it comes to personal branding, so today I wanted to focus on how to build your own personal branding system by modeling my own. A personal branding system is how you consume, organize and share information every single day in order to maintain your voice, remain relevant and to be able to communicate interesting ideas and opinions to your audience. If you don't have an efficient system of your own set up, then you will end up wasting your own time and therefore, your brand won't reach it's full potential online.

The following personal branding system allows you to monitor online conversations, keep up with industry trends, protect your online identity, and much more. It is fairly basic and doesn't have most of the social networking sites, which I also use. Those sites are typically used in the distribution step.

1. Gather and monitor

The first step in your personal branding system is to gather information. In this step, you want to focus on aggregating information from a variety of sources. You may add new blogs or alerts in the future, but most of the effort comes when you're first starting. I recommend setting alerts for your brand name, your company's brand name, competitors, partners, and keywords in your industry. Also, you want to subscribe to popular blogs in your niche and news sources that deliver broader information about your niche, from media channels such as the New York Times. Once you setup all of your alerts and gather the right blog and media subscriptions, centralize it in one Google Reader account, so that you can capture new information daily.

Here are my recommended tools:

Google Reader: At the center of your universe should be Google reader. It serves as an aggregator for all information that you consume daily. For me, Google reader has been the only way to follow larger conversations, keep a tab on brand mentions and ensure that I have all the necessary information and content available for brand distribution.

Google.com/Alerts: Set a comprehensive alert, delivered through a feed (RSS), with search terms such as your name and industry keywords. A comprehensive alert covers blogs, news, web and video. If there are mispellings of your name, then set alerts for those as well. For instance, most people spell my name wrong, so since I have those alerts setup, I'm still able to monitor my reputation without letting those mentions slip away.

Alltop.com and Technorati.com: I figure out which blogs you should be subscribing to, use Alltop.com and find your category. Then, subscribe to every blog in that category and if you're finding that some of the blogs aren't as useful at a later date, unsubscribe. Technorati lists the top blogs in various categories and you can search for categories as well. Aside from these two sites, I recommend that you subscribe to Mashable.com, TechCrunch.com and ReadWriteWeb.com to gain insight into the technology and social media landscape.

Tweetbeep: Twitter is a great place to find out what people are saying about you or certain keywords right now. The best way to keep track of it, without using a third party application or logging into Twitter on your web browser of choice, is to use a site called Tweetbeep.com. It has hourly updates, so even if you're using search.twitter.com for real-time Twitter search, you won't be missing other tweets. You can even keep track of who's tweeting your website or blog.

Backtype: This is a great tool for seeing conversations around a topic or a blog post. It's also a site that allows you to subscibe to mentions of a brand or topic in blog comments. Most of the time, people are unaware of what people are saying in blog comments if they haven't subscribed to the comments or seen the post. This site solves that and drives that information into your Google reader.

Boardtracker: This tool will monitor discussion forums where your brand name is cited or topics that are relevant to your industry. Sometimes blog posts get copied into discussion threads too.

2. Organize

Now that you have set yourself up for success by capturing all the information that is important to you, your business and your career, it's time to organize it so that you can refer back to it at a later point. This step is significant because if you just collect and distribute, it will be hard to locate certain articles or mentions that might help you in a new project.

I use Delicious.com to organize information into categories. It gives you the ability to not only organize by subject, but also by date and search against all of your bookmarks. This is valuable when you want to archive the best articles from around the web to use at a later point. It's also interesting to see what other people are bookmarking because it shows what the hot topics are.

3. Distribute

Once you've collecting all the information that's relevant to you and then organized it, it's time to communicate it to your audience in some form or another.

Twitter: Aside from starting and continuing discussions and retweeting on Twitter, it's very important you are seen as a valuable contributor. By leveraging the work you've already done organizing the best and most interesting content in your world, you should share it with your following. You will get more retweets because you've put more effort into finding articles that are retweetable.

Presentations: A lot of presentations have facts, stories and examples woven through them. Since you've already organized research you've seen floating across the web and case studies in your industry that you've bookmarked, you already have the content for your presentations. Your presentations can be kept current by the work you do every day gathering and organizing content in your world.

Your blog: Instead of tweeting or in addition to tweeting a story that's in your Delicious page, you can continue the discussion on your blog. I recommend that you lead with a fact or a quote from the article, link to it, and then take a stance on it. This way, it shows that you're keeping up with your industry and you have a topic that you can write about.

Article by, Dan Schawbel, the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y. He authors the Personal Branding Blog and publishes Personal Branding Magazine and authored the upcoming book, Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (Kaplan, Spring 2009). Dan has been called a "personal branding force of nature" by Fast Company and his work has been published in BrandWeek Magazine, Advertising Age and countless other publications.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 15, 2009 at 12:40 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Today, I spoke to Lisa Orrell, who is The Generation Relations Expert and author of "Millennials Into Leadership." In this interview, Lisa explains some Gen-Y stereotypes, what it takes to be a millennial leader, what millennials complain about in the workplace, and how she's built her own personal brand.

Name at least 3 Millennial stereotypes and how they can impact the workplace for better or worse?

The first stereotype I hear a lot is that Millennials aren't loyal to employers. I don't agree with this. Millennials are very loyal by nature; they simply have less tolerance than generations before them. If they are not being treated well by their managers or employers, or don't feel challenged and supported, they'll leave. Whereas older generations were raised to "put up with" these things and stay at a job no matter what, Millennials won't. Millennials are really making front-line managers step up their game in terms of being effective leaders, and I think that's a good thing.

Another stereotype I hear from audience members during presentations is that Millennials need a lot of handholding. This is somewhat true, but it's not a bad thing. It's simply something that older managers aren't used to. Millennials are basically forcing older managers and leaders to improve their communications styles, and their communication frequency, and I don't see that as a bad thing.

The third thing I hear often is that Millennials require a lot of praise. Again, this is not a bad thing. The number one reason employees of any generation leave a job is due to not feeling valued. So Millennials are causing companies and managers to improve their employee rewards and recognition programs, and it's improving the retention of all employees.

The bottom line is that Millennials really don't want anything hugely different than older generations at work; they're just being more vocal about it. And it's shaking things up for many companies..., which I think is positive.

What makes a Millennial leader?

Wow. Well, this is a big question and something that my new book is all about, "Millennials Into Leadership". The whole book was written for Millennial employees about how to be effective, respected young leaders, so clearly I could go on and on about this question. But for the purposes of this interview I'll keep my answer short.

A couple of things Millennials need to be aware of as they enter management roles are: Treat everyone with respect and really get to know your employees and co-workers. You cannot build rapport and lead effectively if you don't know whom you're working with.

Another key point is to realize that an effective leader focuses on bringing out the best in their employees, and doesn't make the relationship all about them. If you are not constantly looking at ways to empower each employee individually, and as a team, and you find yourself always de-powering them, you are blowing it. Being an effective leader is about creating employee commitment, not creating employee compliance. There is a very big difference between those two approaches, and I discuss them a lot in my book and in my leadership seminars.

One last thing (out of a million) is an effective Millennial leader takes the time to develop their personal leadership brand. I have a whole chapter on this in my book, and it's a topic many Millennials in my seminars get excited about. The sooner you can determine "who" you are, and how you want to be known in the workforce, the better off you'll be. I know people in their 50's who have never even thought about this, so if I can get people in their 20's thinking about it, I'll be ecstatic. Knowing who you are and what you stand for provides a road map for everything you say and do at work...and that can also keep your moral compass on track, too.

What do Millennials complain about in the workplace most?

The Millennials I coach, or conduct seminars for, tend to vent about not feeling respected at work. They get frustrated that the older generations, co-workers or their managers, don't take their ideas seriously and feel these older employees are "stuck in their ways". I let them know that if they keep working hard, that over time that will change. It's very naïve to think you'll attract followers quickly. It takes time for people to build trust in your abilities and ideas, but it will happen.

They also complain about lack of guidance and support. This is why I educate employers on the importance of developing mentorship and training programs for their younger employees. Not only will those strategies build loyalty in their Millennial employees but they will also increase retention. Luckily, companies who hire me take this advice seriously and typically notice a benefit quickly by implementing good programs for their Millennial talent.

Your first book, "Millennials Incorporated", focused on how to recruit and manage Millennials, but your new book was written for the Millennials. Why?

I saw that many employers were struggling with understanding this new generation entering their worlds, so I felt a book filled with tips and strategies would be helpful. That first book led to many companies hiring me for seminars and consultation, so it clearly struck a cord with many companies, executives, and front line managers. The book is still selling well and companies still hire me to come in and discuss Millennials and how to improve generation relations. Plus, I just got booked to conduct a seminar at a large HR conference in Brazil, so the focus of my first book certainly hasn't become passé yet.

But I saw Millennials starting to expand out of their entry-level positions and enter management roles, so I decided to write a book to help them enter leadership roles effectively. I have many Millennials come to me entering leadership roles that are between 24-27 years old. They often struggle with this new responsibility because "leadership" is not typically taught in college, and they lack workforce experience, but are expected to lead their teams effectively. Many companies move them up the ranks but don't train them for management and leadership. It boggles my mind.

So my new book is a guide to help younger employees get a good grip on what leadership means and how to be a good one. And I also explain things like the difference between a leadership and management mindset. That topic alone is confusing for many young people...it's even confusing for members of older generations, but knowing the difference is critical for career success.

Did you need a second book to expand your platform?

Yes. Although I'm still being booked in 2010 to conduct seminars "about" Millennials for industry conferences and corporations, I know this won't be a hot topic forever. And, as a certified Leadership Coach, I really like expanding into working with younger employees about leadership. Millennials are obviously the future of our world and workforce, so if I can impact them in a positive way, we'll all benefit.

Another bonus is that my Leadership and Career Coaching for Millennials is also attracting young entrepreneurs to me. I have quite a few clients in their 20's who have started their own businesses and are hiring me to help them build their leadership skills so that they can run their businesses effectively. Plus, I have a 20-year history of owning a successful marketing agency so they benefit from my consultation in that area, too.

I believe my leadership platform has longevity to it, and I truly enjoy traveling down this new path of working with Millennials directly. They are a terrific, bright, enthusiastic generation, so I'm excited about supporting their personal and career growth.

Article by, Dan Schawbel, the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y. He authors the Personal Branding Blog and publishes Personal Branding Magazine and authored the upcoming book, Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (Kaplan, Spring 2009). Dan has been called a "personal branding force of nature" by Fast Company and his work has been published in BrandWeek Magazine, Advertising Age and countless other publications.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 15, 2009 at 12:35 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Posted on November 26, 2009

It's Thanksgiving! That means that we're going to run with the theme and talk about a... chicken company? I know we're all getting ready to chow down on some turkey, but first we should take a look at Pilgrim's Pride, a Pittsburg, TX based company that happens to be our country's largest chicken producer. Much like how our tradition of Thanksgiving started with one small group and grew to be celebrated by hundreds of millions of people, Pilgrim's Pride started as a single feed store and grew to be an $8.5 billion company. Unfortunately, Pilgrim's Pride has hit some problems as of late, as they're going through a bankruptcy. Still, they couldn't have a more appropriate name (it came from their founder's last name) for a Thanksgiving themed post, and they do still appear to be hiring; in fact, they even seem to have turned a profit in their most recent quarter.

Read the full article

Article by Willy Franzen of One Day, One Internship and One Day, One Job

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 15, 2009 at 10:22 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Last spring when sports fans on the North Side of Chicago were still hopeful, Amy and I decided that we wanted to go to a Cubs game. It was the day of the game, and we didn't have tickets. We checked out StubHub, and saw some pretty good prices, but we decided that waiting would get us even better prices. We waited. The prices went down. We waited some more. The prices went down some more. And then disaster struck. StubHub stops selling tickets 2 hours before a game. We were shut out. We ended up heading to Wrigley and buying from some "ticket brokers" outside of the park. We got a pretty decent price, and we had a great time (I may or may not have been listening to the Yankees game on my iPhone at the same time), but we were left with the question of when is the best time to buy tickets on the secondary market. Apparently SeatGeek has the answer--they're a New York City based web startup that predicts the price of sports and concert tickets. We've seen similar startups succeed in the travel market, and I think this business may make even more sense for event tickets.

Read the full article

Article by Willy Franzen of One Day, One Internship and One Day, One Job

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 15, 2009 at 10:18 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Everyone wants to know how to write the best cover letter possible but the truth of the matter is what works for one person doesn't necessarily for another. No two people fit the same cover letter. So if you're trying to bum off someone else or use what a professional has written for another candidate you're doing yourself more harm than good.

Take a moment and review the 5 most common cover letter mistakes.

1. Using what someone else has written for yourself. Cover letter sin number one is not only plagiarism but it's just bad practice. It certainly won't get you very far either because no two job seekers are alike. Your experience, expertise, and credentials are completely different than job seeker Joe over there and your cover letter better be too if you want that job! Create something unique that reflects YOU, not someone else.

2. General cover letters work best. Nope, wrong again. Customize your cover letter to the position you are applying to. This includes incorporating the hiring manager's name, contact info, and position title. It also includes writing in the title of the position, where you heard about it, and making the content of your cover letter EXTREMELY relevant to the position description.

3. Copying your resume into your cover letter. This is by far the most common mistake I've seen. Give me something juicy in the cover letter, something that entices me to read your resume but doesn't just repeat what I'm going to read on your resume. I want - to want - to read your resume, make your cover letter make me want to read your resume.

4. Using BORING and OVERUSED openers. Blah! I'm so tired of "In response to your ad for XYZ position with XYZ Inc." That is not original or creative. I want an employee that is creative, original, and dynamic. Show me that in your cover letter, captivate me in that first sentence. Remember job searches are based on exclusion not inclusion. Hiring managers are looking for a reason to toss your resume and you have to fight to be at the top. Instead, try something bold like: "Your Sales Management advertisement addresses my qualifications so ideally, one would think we've met. And we should - because I can offer you precisely the experience for which you have been searching."
Matching doesn't matter. Ooooh myth number

5. All I have to say is your cover letter better match your resume; in font, font size, format, layout, design, etc. While the content of your cover letter should be different than your resume, your cover letter design should definitely match your resume design. This shows organization, attention-to-detail, and that extra effort that goes much further than you would believe.

Jessica Holbrook is a former Executive Hiring Manager for Fortune 500 companies and President/CEO of Great Resumes Fast. She creates powerful, customized, and targeted resumes that are guaranteed to get her clients interviews. For a free resume analysis visit http://www.greatresumesfast.com or for a free phone consultation call 1.877.875.7706.

Courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates seeking entry-level jobs and other career opportunities, and posted on JobsinStockholm.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 15, 2009 at 9:29 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Typically, it's not the best, but the one who can take the stress and makes it to the top of any company, industry or career path is the person who can take a punch, get past the burn and play injured that makes it to number one. It's the person who cleans and dresses their own wounds - and knows how to unwind rather than blow up - that other people trust and admire.

Soothing self-talk is way under recognized as a career and reputation management tool.

While our personal brands must be distinct from the masses around us, those of us who succeed have one thing in common: we are low maintenance for other people. We appear to be self-cleaning ovens, effortlessly churning out fresh, hot and delicious chocolate chip cookies without leaving a mess. Even when we don't have the perfect temperature, ingredients and other conditions that we wish made our missions easier - we perform reliably.

Do you know your opponent?

If you embrace the facts: business is not nice, people don't play fair and cheaters often prosper, and if you're okay with that - you can save your energy for the real fight. Guess who is your opponent?

The real fight is always with yourself, not with your circumstances or other people. The fight is to maintain your calm, measure your words and keep things in perspective.

My business partner says the toughest part of deal-making is: "getting over yourself." Getting over the loss of "must-haves," that turn out to be "not right now haves." Getting over what feels like career ending injuries - like getting fired or being passed over for the ideal job. Getting over the client who breaches a contract, the boss who goes back on his word, and getting on with the real job you wind up with - which rarely looks like the job description you signed on for.

Stretch but don't break

Dream big but don't torment yourself. Goals are meant to stretch you, but not so far as to break you. We all have an internal thermostat regulating our sense of well-being, with a surprisingly small range for novelty and change in any one space of time. So, do yourself a favor, and set the next upward threshold at 2 degrees not 20 degrees higher as you make the climb in your mind, which is where success starts.

As you rise in reality, acclimate to the stress, the perks, the people, and the altitude. The air gets thinner and it can be really hard to take that centering, cleansing breath - as you go higher and higher in your business or career. Like any great ascent, you have to see it and take it, in stages. People who manage their careers, reputations and the growth of their brands are not just self-confident.They have soothing self-talk. Most of the time, we're thinking about the next step, not the entire mind-boggling journey.

If you are pushed or pulled over your limit, even by your own imagination, you may creatively find ways to self-sabotage.

As soon as you've laid down the great get, such as: "I will be the leading social media strategist or blogger or pundit or accountant or tech genius in my field," drop in mini-goals. You eat an elephant and an apple the same way, one bite at a time.

So survey the buffets that are spread out this season, and resolve to enjoy just enough holiday punch and cookies to satisfy you in one sitting. Your eyes may not be the best judge of what your stomach can hold down.

What other reasonable resolutions are you going to make at this time of year?

Nance Rosen is the author of Speak Up! & Succeed. She speaks to business audiences around the world and is a resource for press, including print, broadcast and online journalists and bloggers covering social media and careers. Read more at NanceRosenBlog. Twitter name: nancerosen.

Article courtesy of Dan Schawbel, the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y. He authors the Personal Branding Blog and publishes Personal Branding Magazine and authored the upcoming book, Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (Kaplan, Spring 2009). Dan has been called a "personal branding force of nature" by Fast Company and his work has been published in BrandWeek Magazine, Advertising Age and countless other publications.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 15, 2009 at 8:57 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Unemployment is up, and job openings are down. But there is one sector where hiring is on the upswing -- the hiring of interns. And within many companies, the roles and responsibilities of interns are expanding.

There are certainly pros for the interns and the companies alike: the interns get needed on-the-job experience, and the companies get eager (and often free) assistance. There are many strong and well-respected intern programs out there, and most professionals will tell you they couldn't have gotten where they are today without a key internship.

But there are cons, too. The most worrying item is that the recent ubiquity and "upsizing" of the intern role means that regular, paid entry-level work is increasingly scarce, which can result in difficulties for younger workers.

In the recent The New York Times article, "Hiring Is Rising in One Area: Low-Paid Interns," business owners were very clear on how valuable interns are to them. The owner of one marketing firm says bringing on interns is "a brilliant, recession-proof way to double your work force," and that he experiences a certain personal satisfaction when an intern succeeds and he knows that he gave them "that little boost." The Times went on to quote C. Mason Gates, the president and founder of Internships.com, as saying that with economic uncertainty, smaller businesses would continue to view interns as a source of growth, talent development and project-based work.

It's clear that such internships are win-win. People are using them to get ahead, and companies are using them to stay strong in a tough economy. But is the upsizing of the internship coming at the expense of paid, entry-level positions? And what might be the consequences of this?

Among my job-seeking peers, I am more and more often hearing the complaint that "all" the entry-level openings have been re-tooled as internships where you are offered "experience" and "exposure" but very rarely pay. These people (most of whom have been laid off after 2-6 years of experience) consider themselves "past" seeking internships, and would prefer paid work. But these increasingly upsized internships, they claim, are eclipsing regular work.

I found myself curious about my own profession: has the role of intern shifted in the past few years? Just to check, I took a an unscientific, but well-informed, whirl through the want ads on craigslist.org, checking the openings in my own specialty. I've kept daily tabs on this website and this category for seven years or so, and I often contributed to posting and writing the ads myself for big-name local firms. I figured I could easily spot some differences in titles, duties, and pay, if they existed.

Some former employers jumped out immediately, and so did the terms of their ads. I can say with certainty that at one former employer -- a medium-sized publishing company -- entry-level jobs seem to no longer exist. What we would have once called an "assistant editor" is now an unpaid intern with a full load of responsibilities such as reviewing products, writing articles, proofing pages for publication, and more.

While I don't begrudge the interns their chance to shine, I uneasily recalled that some of these activities come with a journalistic code of ethics and corporate exposure to liability. I wondered what kind of legal oversight a company has over unpaid workers. When I worked there (and the economy was good), unpaid interns were given mostly "grunt work" concerning mailing lists, data back-ups, contest administration, and organization, coupled with the chance of possibly writing one heavily-supervised article each issue. With training, good interns eventually made their way into paid entry-level positions -- which are now, in turn, internships.

I have to say that something does seem wrong with this picture. I am a strong supporter of internships, but I am concerned that the poor economy is leading to a deficiency in paid entry-level work. Ironically, it seems that the solution to this is to -- you guessed it -- get a great internship, get your experience, and try to transition it into a paid position. It may simply be a reality that market forces have led to a shift, and we may all have to adjust expectations accordingly.

Do you have any observations about the changing role of the intern?

Article by, Sarah and courtesy of RiseSmart.com - RiseSmart: Search Smarter. Rise Faster.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 14, 2009 at 3:29 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Are you ready to navigate the coming decade of 10% unemployment?

The jobless rate is at its highest level since 1983 at 10%, this is known as the U3 unemployment rate. An even more comprehensive measure of unemployment, known as the U6, which includes all marginally attached workers, puts the unemployment rate at 17.2%. That leaves about 1 in every 5 Americans without a job.

The politicians will tell you there will be a healthier job market when the economy rebounds and that unemployment will trend down to more normalized levels. The reality is that nobody, including politicians and economists really knows what the job market will look like in the years ahead.

It is a fool's game to try and predict what the job market will look like in the next 10 years -- there are too many moving factors and variables in our global economy. Those that will have you believe that "full employment", widely accepted to be at 5% unemployment, is achievable within the next four years may be overly optimistic.

The sobering reality, is that we may be heading towards a lost decade for jobs.

Excerpt:

The jobless rate usually sees a sizeable drop during the economic recovery - and bigger recessionary spikes in unemployment are typically followed by larger declines during the first year of improving unemployment. So it would be no surprise if, a year after the unemployment rate begins to drop, it falls to the nine percent range.

If that pattern persists, the U.S. economy needs to keep expanding without interruption until 2020 for unemployment to fall to its pre-recession low. Even to get back to 5%, often considered to be "full employment," it would take a business cycle upswing lasting about as long as the record-setting 1991-2001 expansion. Should the next recession arrive earlier, as we suspect, it will take much longer. The implications constitute nothing short of a wake-up call for policy makers who promise to get job growth back on track.

The data and rational thought is pointing to a very tough road ahead for jobs.

I find it sad that so many good people are without jobs and are struggling to make ends meet. I have heard many stories about the hardships that many people and families are going through. I truly hope that the unemployment situation becomes better and those that are struggling find their way.

But, hope is not enough -- you need to do more then ever before in this job market to find a job or keep your job. This is the reality of our new world good bad or indifferent.

Action items to take on

Here are 9 action items that you can take to defend yourself from the lost jobs decade and go on the attack with your personal brand:

1.) Create your personal website (www.yourname.com)

Having your own website is a great way to feature and differentiate yourself from other job candidates. Your experience and credentials are the meat of your site and should highlight why you are the best candidate in your field or niche. Your website should be your personal virtual billboard that screams "you need to hire me!"

2.) Join Linkedin, Facebook and Twitter and get involved

Linkedin should be the first social network you should be on to help create your social network safety net. The more quality connections you have the better off you will be. It is essential to network in this job market and Linkedin is one of the fastest and most efficient platforms to help you network. Also, establish your profiles on Facebook and Twitter -- they are great ways to network, build relationships and be exposed to opportunities.

Here is a post I wrote on how to use Linkedin to get the job you want.

3.) Create a blog about a passion

Blogs are a great way to demonstrate thought leadership in your niche, field, or profession. Through documenting your ideas for others to read you will gain mindshare and credibility -- this is of course if your creating valuable content. Think of ways to fix common business problems at work, do something better, be more innovative, shorten a process, or shed new light on something. People will notice.

4.) Be an avid reader and subscribe to blogs in your niche

Through reading the latest and most up to date information you will create a wealth of knowledge over time. Through constantly seeking out knowledge from thought leaders in your niche you can become one yourself. Ideas come from ideas so start reading and subscribing to the great blogs on the web.

5.) Regularly comment on industry leading blogs or any blog you are interested in

When you consistently comment on a blog you will begin to form a relationship with the blog's author. This is a great way to build your social network and create some opportunities for yourself. If there is a job at a company you would like to work at try commenting regularly on their blog -- someone will notice.

6.) Execute on the job -- be a leader

If you are fortunate enough to be employed and would like to advance at the company you need to differentiate yourself. Make sure you are excelling at everything you do and pay attention to the details. Take courses that will help you learn the skills you need to succeed on the job and keep learning. Managers notice the top performers on their team -- be a top performer or learn how.

7.) Promote your personal brand

Through promoting your personal brand properly you will accelerate your career path and create more opportunities for yourself. Use all the social networking tools at your disposal to spread your personal brand and give your brand some legs. Add links to your website and blog in your email signature. You will be amazed at how quickly your personal brand will be noticed by those in positions of power and your colleagues at work.

8.) Monitor your personal brand

Setup Google Alerts for your name and terms you are interested in. This is the easiest way to monitor the conversations that are happening about you on the web. If something is said about you on the web (good and bad) you want to be able to respond to either elaborate the discussion or defend your personal brand.

Another great tip is to set up Google Alerts for topics you are interested in -- this is a great way to stay up to date and learn a ton. Read enough and you will be very knowledgeable sooner then you think. Knowledge is power.

9.) Have a written plan with steps to reach your goals

Human beings have the highest emotional capacity of any species on earth, however so many people seem to live an uninspired life and feel stuck where they are. This is truly unfortunate. Well, the good news is that no matter where you find yourself in life, all it takes is one choice to move you in a new direction. A series of purposeful choices can start creating leverage in your life and bring you to places you once thought impossible.

From the beginning of time, every human accomplishment started as an idea in somebody's mind. This idea then became real as choices were made with the realization of the idea as the end goal. When we're growing and working towards the attainment of any worthwhile, self-defined goal it brings forth a sense of happiness and accomplishment few other things can. Remember, it all starts with an idea and the first decision that moves you towards its realization. Stop waiting for things to happen and start deciding!

Write down your goals and take action.

Please retweet this post and share with your social networks.

Your Ideas

What would you add to these 9 action items? Did I miss anything? If you have any other tips or action items please share your comments. Let's talk about it some more.

Chad Levitt is the author of the New Sales Economy blog, which focuses on how Sales 2.0 & Social Media can help you connect, create more opportunities and increase your business. Chad is also the featured Sales 2.0 blogger at SalesGravy.com, the number one web portal for sales pros, the professional athletes of the business world. Make sure to connect with him on Twitter @chadalevitt.

Article courtesy of Dan Schawbel, the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y. He authors the Personal Branding Blog and publishes Personal Branding Magazine and authored the upcoming book, Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (Kaplan, Spring 2009). Dan has been called a "personal branding force of nature" by Fast Company and his work has been published in BrandWeek Magazine, Advertising Age and countless other publications.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 14, 2009 at 12:22 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Today, I spoke to James Hamilton, who is the Charles S. Sydnor Professor of Public Policy, and Professor of Economics and Political Science at Duke University. He is also the coauthor of You Are What You Choose. In this interview, James talks about what shapes our decisions, explains how decision making impacts marketing campaigns, and goes over a lot of the research in his new book.

What are the six core traits that shape every decision?

When you make choices you face decisions about whether to focus on today or tomorrow, on the possibility of a bad outcome, and on the spillovers that your decisions could have on others. You need to decide whether you're going to gather a lot of information, look to others for guidance, or simply go with what you've always done before. In You Are What You Choose, Scott de Marchi and I show that a person approaches decision making in the same way across many different areas of life. We call the way that people make decisions their TRAITS, an acronym for Time, Risk, Altruism, Information, meToo, and Stickiness. In our research, we use decisions people make every day to measure their decision-making approaches.

We capture a person's preferences about Time by looking at whether they're willing to take actions today that bring benefits tomorrow, like going to the dentist or working out. We measure a taste for Risk by studying whether a person gambles, smokes, drives fast, or plays risky sports. We measure Altruism in part by whether people give blood, donate to charity, and believe in jury duty. People score high on our Information measure by buying more books, consulting more sources for financial information, and searching out news on the web and cable. Rating whether a person is high on meToo depends on the degree they look to the brand and product decisions of others and are part of a large network of friends. A person's Stickiness rating depends on factors such as the number of cars they considered when shopping, how many fast food or casual dining restaurants they go to, and the number of different cuisines they eat.

Using information on 30,000 survey respondents gathered by the Knowledge Networks firm, we're able to study how you can use the TRAITS to predict how people shop, drive, invest, and vote.

What is the most fascinating part of your research that you came across?

Before Scott and I did our research, I thought that people's decision to live a green lifestyle would be heavily influenced by whether they were Democrats or Republicans. It turns out, however, that the TRAITS have a great deal of power in predicting who is likely to be driving a Prius. We find that people who shop and drive green are folks who score high on our Time measure. They think about the future in their daily lives, and this translates into concern about the planet's future. They are high on our Altruism measure. They show up at the blood drive, and they recycle. They love Information, and living the green lifestyle in part involves gathering data and learning about choices.

Why is the gambler always a gambler?

People who are high on Risk are easy to spot. They may smoke, drink, and be more likely to be speeding on the road. This taste for rolling the dice in life also translates into other areas. Even after you take into account a person's age, gender, education, and income, if they score higher on our risk measure they're more likely to be invested in stocks and more likely to be trading those stocks. People high on risk are willing to experiment with new ideas, which also translates into being early adopters in product markets and being political independents in elections.

How does learning how we make decisions impact marketing campaigns?

Knowing a person's TRAITS gives you insight into how you should frame marketing appeals to that person. If you're selling a car, for example, you can talk about safety if the person is low on Risk, about environmental impact if the person is high on altruism, and about performance stats and quality ratings if the person is high on Information. Realizing that the TRAITS span different types of choices can also open up how you think about what groups to target. If you have a high tech product targeted at people in their thirties, you might be looking for people who like risks, enjoy information, don't look to the decisions of others for status or acceptance, and are much less likely to stick with previous decisions. If you add in a dose of Altruism, this describes political independents. So you might want to target political independents in your search for early adopters.

Can you relate any of your research to personal branding?

"Part of developing a personal brand is knowing who you are and how you make choices."

Before you can convey your skills to employers, for example, you need to analyze what your strengths are. If you're interesting in learning more about how you make choices, you can go to our website youchoosebook.com and take our TRAITS test. You can even share the results now on Facebook, so that your friends can see your style of decision making.

Article by, Dan Schawbel, the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y. He authors the Personal Branding Blog and publishes Personal Branding Magazine and authored the upcoming book, Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (Kaplan, Spring 2009). Dan has been called a "personal branding force of nature" by Fast Company and his work has been published in BrandWeek Magazine, Advertising Age and countless other publications.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 14, 2009 at 12:16 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Amy, my girlfriend, loves trivia. There's no better way to win her over than to ask her a quiz question or share a random factoid. Since she travels every week for work, I recently bought her The Visual Miscellaneum: A Colorful Guide to the World's Most Consequential Trivia (affiliate link) to read on the plane. It's an amazingly cool book that any information geek will love--I definitely spent some time with it before I gave it to her. It's all about taking data, facts, and trivia and making it visual through design. The book was written by David Mccandless, who is also behind the website Information is Beautiful. There's a good chance that you've seen his infographics before--here's one called The Billion Dollar Gram and here's another called Caffeine and Calories. I think it's truly brilliant work.

Read the full article

Article by Willy Franzen of One Day, One Internship and One Day, One Job

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 14, 2009 at 10:12 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

If you had a laser that could scan 3-dimensional objects and create digital models of them on your computer, what would you do with it? I'd probably use it on myself first. Then I'd try it on all kinds of stuff that is lying around the house. Maybe it's just me, but I don't think that I'd ever get sick of such a toy. Unfortunately, these things don't exist for consumers yet, but Research Triangle Park, NC based Geomagic has the technology to do this for inspection and manufacturing processes. Names like Ford, Harley-Davidson, Richard Childress Racing, Timberland, Fisher Price, Pratt & Whitney, NASA, Alcoa Howmet, Danaher and Invisalign use Geomagic's technology to improve their products. Whether it's for custom fitting dental products or repairing a NASA space shuttle, digitizing 3D objects opens up all kinds of opportunities.

Read the full article

Article by Willy Franzen of One Day, One Internship and One Day, One Job

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 14, 2009 at 10:09 AM | Leave a Comment (1)

Imagine you are looking for a job. You find one, but it is above your level of experience. Should you apply for it? This is a question that I didn't think I would be dealing with for a long time. I started a solid job with a great company about seven months ago. I love what I do and have a great culture at work. But I recently found out that a position will be opening up internally that would be a step up for me. The only problem? I have little experience.

However, in the past I have encouraged people to go for jobs that are above their level, because the requirements are really a sort of "wish list" for the company that they use to screen out undesirable candidates. I have nothing to lose from applying for this position, but if I wimp out, I will always wonder if I could have done it or not. I sat down and made a list of what I have going for me in this, and it's actually not as bad as I thought. Continue reading ...

Article by Ben Eubanks and courtesy of Andrew G.R. and jobacle.com - your cure for carbon copy career advice!

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 14, 2009 at 9:35 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

If, as the saying goes, you are what you eat, then Americans are just too much. According to the website Mindfully.org, we eat 815 billion calories of food a day, roughly 200 billion more than we need. And those extra calories are enough to feed another 80 million people.

This over-eating is a weight (literally) on the planet, and it doesn't do the chowhounds themselves any good.

Here's another not so fun fact - according to statistics from the USDA, Americans spend almost 49% of their food dollars on eating out.

Since eating out is more expensive than making your own food, and it's usually less healthy to boot, it seems to me that the smart thing to do in this tough economy is to prepare your own food and make healthy choices.

I also find that when I eat better, I feel better and I'm more productive.

Experts have identified the following foods as being smart in more ways than one. Not only will eating them help you keep your weight and budget within reasonable limits, they can actually boost your over-all thought process:

Blueberries - According to Psychology Today, these flavorful berries and their antioxidants can improve memory and motor skills;

Salmon, sardines & herring - Experts say a fish diet can help nerve cells communicate better, which boosts learning and memory;

Iron - The old Geritol commercial once warned of the dangers of "iron poor blood." Turns out they might have been on to something. Your brain depends on iron to access and use the oxygen it needs to perform well. You can find it in meat, as well as cooked beans and dark, leafy greens;

Antioxidants - These handy substances ward off attacks from free radicals, which, over time, can wear down your memory and ability to think. But you can fight back by supplying your system with antioxidant defenses like orange juice, strawberries, carrots, dark colored fruits and veggies;

Caffeine - It's not in your head, although, in a way it is; coffee and tea are stimulants which can make you more alert and increase your capacity for mental and physical labor. It's important to use it in moderation, which means between 2-3 cups a day. But the trick is timing your caffeine use appropriately, and not drinking it with tons of sugar and cream.

Does this mean that brown bagging a salmon salad on a bed of dark greens, with blueberries and strawberries for desert will make you a star at work?

Why not try it and find out?

Article by Danielle Dresden and courtesy of WorkBloom, an employment blog incorporating a comprehensive career resources section, including the largest database of professionally written resume and cover letter samples on the Web.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 14, 2009 at 8:31 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Implementing Time Management in Workplace and at Home

We are all taught the importance of time management, but do we realize just how important it is? Time management is what is known as effectively using your time to complete necessary tasks. The need for time management most often occurs in school or in the workplace; however, they are not the only places where time management may be needed. Managing your time may seem easy enough, but the reality is that it is not as easy as it sounds. Whether it is positive or negative, time management can have an affect on everyone's life.

The affects of proper time management are unlimited. Both at the workplace and at home, proper time management can allow more activities or duties to be accomplished. At the workplace understanding the benefits of time management and implementing a time management plan can result in quality work being produced at a quicker rate of speed. In the workplace time management may involve developing a schedule for working and taking a break. Many employees find that managing their work time instead of socializing with co-workers will allow them to feel more satisfied with their productivity and more stable in their job. Continue reading ...

Article by, Jennifer Foote and courtesy of Associated Content, Inc.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 14, 2009 at 7:58 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

If you're one of the millions of Americans in the market for a new career, there are plenty of places to look for Austin TX jobs.

Austin, which is home to 757,688 residents, is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 15th-largest city in the country. The government, education, construction and high-tech industries all are prominent in Austin.

Austin has received several recognitions, including: the twelfth-best biotech and life science center by the Milken Institute; the second- and third-best place to live among big cities by Money Magazine; the greenest city in America by MSN; the second-best people by CNN Headline News and Travel & Leisure Magazine; the best college town by the Travel Channel; the fifth-safest city; and the least stressful large metro area by Forbes.

Texas is home to 118 Fortune 500 companies, with three of those located in Austin, including Whole Foods Market, Temple-Inland and Freescale Semiconductor.

Technology has become so prominent in Austin that the area is often called "Silicon Hills." High-tech companies 3M, Apple Inc. Hewlett-Packard, Google, AMD, Applied Materials, Cirrus Logic, Cisco Systems, eBay/PayPal, Hoover's Intel Corporation, National Instruments, Samsung Group, Silicon Laboratories, Sun Microsystems and United Devices all have operations in Austin.

The largest employers in the city are: Austin Independent School District; the City of Austin; the United States Federal Government; Freescale Semiconductor; IBM; St. David's Healthcare Partnership; Seton Healthcare Network; the State of Texas; Texas State University-San Marcos and the University of Texas at Austin.

The pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries are growing in Austin, with about 85 companies in those industries based in the city. Advertising also is big in Austin, with the city serving as home to GSD&M idea city, LatinWorks and Enfatico.

Austin also is often referred to as "The Live Music Capital of the World" due to its popular live music scene.

Austin's strong economy has kept the city in better shape than most others throughout the country during the current economic recession. The city has maintained a relatively low unemployment rate and continued to add jobs on a monthly basis while only losing a small amount of workers when compared to last year.

During October, the Austin-Round Rock area saw its unemployment rate remain at 7.2 percent for the third month in a row. The area's current rate is well below the national unemployment rate at the time of 10.2 percent.

The area had a total non-farm employment of 780,700 workers during October, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is up from 774,700 workers during September and only a .4 percent decrease from last year.

Posted by Joel Cheesman on December 11, 2009 at 5:08 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

When I was in college, campus sustainability was just starting to become a common buzzword. I guess it makes sense that higher education institutions would be at the forefront of such a movement--you know, since they deal with students protesting by camping in tree tops all the time. Second Nature is a Boston based non-profit organization that is continuing this movement (no not the camping out in tree tops). They initiate and support "high-leverage national initiatives and programs aimed at re-orienting the higher education sector toward more sustainable outcomes." It's a smart idea, because they're targeting the places where their ideas are most likely to catch on. If they can succeed by pushing sustainability forward on college campuses, then there's a good chance that the sustainability movement can go a lot farther.

Read the full article

Article by Willy Franzen of One Day, One Internship and One Day, One Job

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 11, 2009 at 4:06 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

I've been building websites since 1998 (I think). Even back then, there were online services that made it easy to build a web site without any knowledge of HTML. The difference is that now there are services that enable you to make a website that looks good with no HTML knowledge. These website builders are extremely powerful, and server the purposes of most people who want a relatively simple website. Weebly is a company that offers the ability to create a free website and/or blog. They're based in San Francisco, and they were named one of TIME's 50 Best Websites of 2007. Weebly has some of the best names in the Venture Capital world behind them, and they're actually profitable (based on the freemium model).

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Article by Willy Franzen of One Day, One Internship and One Day, One Job

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 11, 2009 at 4:02 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Today, I spoke to Michael Beer, who is a Professor at Harvard Business School and author of High Commitment, High Performance. In this interview, Michael discusses how high commitment yields high performance, the six barriers to commitment, how people can succeed in a shifting workplace environment, why leaders need to be transparent and how to stand out at work.

What does high commitment have to do with high performance?

Truly successful companies that have maintained a competitive advantage in their industry and developed resilience over a sustained period of time are characterized by high commitment and high performance. One without the other will not lead to sustainable success.

High commitment is reflected in the commitment of all stakeholders - employees, customers, investors and community - to the values and vision of the company, no matter what the circumstances are. For example, this means employees are deeply engaged in being strategic actors - taking initiative to help the company achieve its strategic goals - and attached to the company, thus reducing voluntary turnover. Customers are committed to the brand. Investors are committed to investing in the firm for the long term and will not sell their stock at the first sign of performance problems. Finally, institutions and regulatory trust the company and provide a favorable context, creating community commitment. These commitments by a diverse set of stakeholders allow the firm to achieve its performance goals and adapt to changing circumstances.

What are the six silent barriers to commitment and performance that must be overcome?

Organizational and managerial barriers can stand in the way of developing high commitment, high performance (HCHP) organizations and leadership practices. The six silent barriers include:

• Conflicting priorities, unclear strategy, or unclear values
• An ineffective senior team
• Top-down or laissez-fair leadership
• Poor horizontal coordination and communication
• Inadequate leadership development and paucity of down-the-line leaders
• Poor vertical communication

These barriers are known throughout an organization, but rarely discussed publicly by senior management. The way to address these barriers is to create a learning and governance process that engages key people in the organization in an open and honest dialogue about these barriers, thereby not only learning what the barriers are but obtaining commitment by everyone - top management and lower levels - to make necessary changes. By enabling truth to speak to power, management sends clear messages that they are open to change and are willing to engage key people in making change happen. Failure to achieve sustained commitment and performance occur precisely because sensitive management problems like the silent killers cannot be discussed with those who can alter them: top management.

How can individuals further their careers in a bad economy?

The biggest challenge to individuals in a bad economy is to remain relevant to the changing conditions of the company. Individuals who learn to adapt and stay relevant in the new scenario are more likely to be successful. To do this, individuals must adapt to the changing environment and be willing to develop new capabilities. For example, operational managers who are willing to learn new cost saving techniques or go even further by taking on new roles in different functions are likely to be more successful even in a bad economy. In addition to adding to their capabilities, this also enhances their reputation and standing within the company.

Why is transparency so important for leaders right now?

The recent economic breakdown has demonstrated that transparency and adaptability underlie a firm's ability to achieve sustained high commitment and performance. The senior leaders of the failed banks and automobile companies in 2008, for example, did not possess a disciplined and institutionalized learning and governance process that would have enabled them to learn the truth about what was really going on inside their organizations before it was too late.

To enable transparency, leaders must establish a collective learning process that allows leaders and their people to learn together the truth about problems the organization faces and the actions they as leaders must take. By leading honest conversations that engage all employees, leaders establish their own legitimacy and credibility. This will enable continuous improvement in the quality of leadership and management and lead to greater commitment and higher performance from all employees.

How can you stand out in your organization right now and get more visibility?

To stand out in an organization, you must be willing to take on new roles and additional responsibilities. Show the clear desire to acquire new skills. Sign up for the difficult assignments that nobody seems to want. Be willing to show management that you are ready to be held accountable and are willing to show leadership in the way you manage yourself and your colleagues. Finally, show the courage to confront reality and undertake improvement before problems become severe and demand change. Doing so will encourage your colleagues to do so as well.

Article by, Dan Schawbel, the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y. He authors the Personal Branding Blog and publishes Personal Branding Magazine and authored the upcoming book, Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (Kaplan, Spring 2009). Dan has been called a "personal branding force of nature" by Fast Company and his work has been published in BrandWeek Magazine, Advertising Age and countless other publications.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 11, 2009 at 9:06 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

There are several programs that large brands use to "monitor" the conversation and to know what's being said.

What if you're a small brand? Or, even smaller - what if the brand is YOU?

Listening as a brand

1. Listen to how people introduce you.

This simple exercise will give you insight into what people are really thinking about you, what they've derived you do. What's worse is when they don't even know what to say so they hand the introduction "off to you". Then, you know that your brand is so muddled they cannot even speak it.

2. Set up Google Alerts and Tweet Beeps.

Know what's being said about you in written format, in blogs, on Twitter, on comments and posts.

3. Ask three of your best contacts what they feel you bring to the table.

And, listen to what they say. Don't fill in the blanks for them. Steer clear of trying to fill the silence with possibilities or ideas.

4. Ask someone close to you - if they could change one thing about you, for the better, what would that be?

The key here it to stay silent. If you talk, you lose. This answer will reveal much about who you are and the areas in your brand that need work.

5. Use Tweet Stats.

To know how well you engage others and know if you're contributing to the conversation as opposed to just blasting out information. (http://tweetstats.com)

6. Ask for feedback.

Not just when you have something to sell or renew - just to let them know they're valued and their thoughts and opinions matter.

7. Set up your own personal brand listening site.

I don't market any of these yet I find these sites invaluable to 'listening' to what's being said virtually.

Netvibes.com: is a great tool to set up your own personal listening site. You can RSS any of the following sites I'll list into Netvibes and it will track and highlight when new comments have been made and what they are. In fact, it's my home page and I log into every day to see what's out on-line right now where someone is talking about of to me.

Twitter Search: (http://search.twitter.com), it tracks who has mentioned my name, my company and also who has asked questions about "Personal Branding" and "Word of Mouth". In fact, Twitter Search's advanced search function can search for those comments that are question as opposed to just straight statements about personal branding or word of mouth. If you would like to know how to use it for searches other than your own personal brand, ask me on my Facebook page and I would be happy to go further in-depth.

Backtweets.com: I use to search items not readily found in the Twitter Search Site. It captures conversations that people are having about you or your company. It can distinguish links that are using some sort of "link shortening service" like bit.ly or tinyurl.com and reveal if someone is indeed talking about you or something you posted.

The following sites combined will give you great insights and feed back on whose talkingi about your in forums and communities:

• Boardreader.com
• Omgili.com
• SocialMention.com

Then use the following to see where you're being chatted about in blogs:
Google Blog Search (http://blogsearch.google.com)

And, even if you're chatted about in the news - this site will help:
Google News (http://news.google.com/)

If you search for your name, in any of these sites, and then RSS feed that query into Netvibes it can be a true listening site hub.

If you utilize other listening tools, please make a comment and share!

Maria Elena Duron | chief buzz officer, speaker and coach focused on helping you move, touch and inspire others to action and speak positively on your behalf at buzz2bucks | word of mouth firm

Article courtesy of Dan Schawbel, the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y. He authors the Personal Branding Blog and publishes Personal Branding Magazine and authored the upcoming book, Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success (Kaplan, Spring 2009). Dan has been called a "personal branding force of nature" by Fast Company and his work has been published in BrandWeek Magazine, Advertising Age and countless other publications.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 11, 2009 at 8:59 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

Ladies, what if.....

You were in a toxic relationship with a man who didn't treat you particularly well. He had little awareness about your needs, didn't hold a lot of respect for you in private and often was quite disrespectful of you in public. And as a result you suffered a dip in confidence and constantly wished you could just get back to being your old self again.

Now tell me, if you were in this situation, what would your girlfriends be telling you?

"Walk away..." they'd say,

".....you deserve much better ."

For a while, you'd probably create all sorts of excuses for him - it's not his fault, he's having problems at work, he's got financial problems, he doesn't mean it.....and oh, maybe I'm exaggerating and things aren't quite that bad.

In time, your girlfriends would convince you that the more you accepted and tolerated the situation, the worse things would get. The situation would become toxic and affect your health, relationships, career and self confidence.

So you either need to:

a) Tackle him and the situation or
b) Leave him

Sounds sensible right?

But the 2 things that will stop you are:

i) Your self-esteem
ii) Knowing what/how to deal with him and the situation

I think the very same things happen when you have a toxic relationship with your employer.

When your needs are not being met at work for a length of time or you feel you're compromising your values or maybe putting your dreams on hold longer that you'd like to - it's toxic. In addition to effecting your work life - your health, your relationships and your confidence get hit too.

But to change things you need to be willing to

i) Develop a strong self-respect and
ii) know what actions to take.

Here are 5 steps that will help:

1. Be clear about the value you bring to your employer

Without a strong sense of self-esteem, it's impossible to be successful in achieving a change in your personal relationships.

The same applies to your career: with low self-esteem you can't achieve change and improvements.

So get focused on identifying your unique talents, get clear about the commercial value you have created for your employers and clients to date. Dig out those testimonials, glowing feedback and appraisals to get back your self-belief.

All of this helps you start to build a healthy self-respect which in turn gives you the courage to resolve your situation instead of putting up with something that is grinding at you.

2. Get clear about your needs

What is the work you really want to do? What are the personal and professional values that you never ever want to compromise on? What are the skills and strengths you want to utilise on a day-to-day basis?

What are your financial needs? What's the lifestyle you want?

3. Identify what's missing

Your partner can't change unless you and they both know what the issue is.

Similarly, in a toxic employee-employer relationship, you need to know which of your needs are not being met before seeking to make changes.

If not, you can very easily make an impulsive decision that takes you 'out of the frying pan and into the fire.'

4. Engage in a dialogue

Whatever the problem - the minute you engage in constructive conversations about how to resolve the problem, you start making progress.

Do it without anger or judgement and you'll learn how you can change to make the situation better. Be willing and open minded to changing yourself first and you'll find the other party/employer is more open to compromises. Not always, but probably more often than people think.

Will such an open dialogue be uncomfortable?

Yes. But then again, most things we strive for in life require us to feel uncomfortable at some point.

Will such a dialogue always work?

No. And that's why you must always have options....

5. Have options

Let's imagine that you're feeling a little depressed being stuck in that toxic relationship with your partner.

And then suddenly one day you get a compliment from a male friend about your new hairstyle. Then the next day a handsome man on the train flashes a smile at you.

Now how do you feel? Much better about yourself I bet.

That's because when you're stuck, fleeting moments like this make you realise that you may have a future beyond your current situation, that the outside world places a value on you. And that in turn gives you the confidence to stand up for yourself to instigate a change in your partner - or make the decision to walk away with your head held high.

The exact same thing happens in your career when you feel stuck. A random call from a head hunter to discuss a potential position makes your heart flutter and gives you a slight lift for the rest of the day. An email from a friend asking if you'd be interested in a role at their firm gives you a slight spring in your step as you feel you have some options.

But instead of passively waiting for someone else to call or email you, start creating options for yourself by 'flirting' with other firms. It doesn't mean you have to leave your existing employer - it just gives you the confidence and 'options' to tackle your situation instead of getting to the stage where things become untenable.

Throughout our lives and careers, we all get stuck in difficult stages of a relationship - both with partners and employers. Most of us will usually tolerate a bad situation for a while until it becomes extremely uncomfortable. But some people never tackle such situations until something "breaks." The complete breakdown of trust between them and their employer, the breakdown of personal relationships away from work or a break down in their health from all the stress.

Which forces them to just resign, burn their bridges and leave with no job to go to - and so store up a different set of problems.

Having seen so many people go through this cycle, I'd encourage you not to wait for that breaking point. Instead, take a deep breath and follow the 5 steps above. Whilst it will be a scary and slightly rocky road at times, it's nothing like the trouble that you may be storing up for yourself if you don't take action.

Life's short so stop tolerating a situation any longer than you really have to. As your girlfriends would say:"You deserve a lot better..."

Article by, Sital Ruparelia and courtesy of CareerHub.com. The Career Hub blog connects job seekers with experts in career counseling, resume writing, personal branding and recruiting.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 11, 2009 at 8:32 AM | Leave a Comment (0)

What can you do if nothing's working in your job search? Change your search....

I talked to a candidate today who was frustrated. He'd been job searching for about a year, and he was getting nowhere. He'd sent 1,000 resumes, and had gotten just five face-to-face interviews....a response rate of 1/2%

I asked a few more questions to learn that he sent about 950 resumes to recruiters, and about 50 directly to ads.

I asked what he thought he should do differently in his search. He responded "Send more resumes? Maybe hiring will improve next year."

Wow...this poor guy is sending over 2.5 resumes per day, 7 days a week, and his answer is send more.

Send more resumes is the answer if you're sending less than 10 resumes, maybe 20 resumes per month. He was already sending 85 resumes per month. This reminds me of a piece I wrote last year called The Definition of Insanity quoting Albert Einstein....I figure a really smart guy like Einstein might have some interesting things to say, so I quoted him.

When your job search strategy isn't working...why not change your strategy?

This is the toughest job market in our lifetime. The Department of Labor just released figures that show there are 6 times more unemployed than open jobs.

It's easy to blame poor job search results on the economy. But it won't get you anywhere.

Why not try a tougher alternative? Why not try changing your activities, rather than just increasing them? I'm not saying it's easy and it may push you from your comfort zone. But it's probably more effective than complaining about the job market, and doing more of the same old thing. How about working smarter?

This guy had a basic problem...he was chasing after jobs the same way everyone else is. It's an easy approach, because we're all used to it. We were taught this approach early in our career, often when we graduated school. For many of us, we sent resumes in to jobs advertised in the paper (or online), and sent resumes to recruiters. It's a passive way to search for a job and one that emotionally protects us from direct rejection.

Some others take a slightly more active, but still flawed approach - they drop in to HR offices and ask to speak with a HR representative, without an appointment, dropping off a resume and asking if the company is hiring. It's how our parents looked for jobs, so it should be good enough for today. Again, it's something we're used to, so it's within our comfort zone...just not very effective.

The problem with all of these approaches is they target the advertised job market, when 80% of jobs are unadvertised (maybe more...I saw an article that quoted CNN saying 95%, but I haven't found the source).

The unadvertised job market has much less competition, and gives the candidate a much greater chance to differentiate themselves against the competition...because in the unadvertised job market, the candidate designs the job.

The problem is that most candidates don't know how to approach the unadvertised market, because it's not easy...but it can be very effective.

Suggested 2010 strategy change - Here are four steps you can take to move your job search into the unadvertised market:

1. Create a target list of at least 20 companies that have specific problems that your unique skills can solve better than anyone else. The key word is unique. Don't focus on what you could do, one of the 15 things you're qualified to do, or what you could learn to do. Instead, focus on problems you've already solved before and that you can solve better than anyone else.
2. Find multiple contacts to talk to at each target company, the closer to the specific problem the better. Use your in-person contacts, Linkedin network, alumni networks, etc. to find people to talk to.
3. Don't send this contact your resume, or even talk about a job - instead just talk to them, find out what's going on inside their company, and learn more about the specific problems that you can solve. Learn who this problem impacts, how it impacts the company, and how much it's worth to the company to have it solved. If your contact doesn't know the answers, keep networking until you find someone who does. Use other job search espionage tactics outlined in Guerrilla Job Search.
4. Create a customized resume that clearly shows how you've already solved the problems this company has today, and how much money you made for your past employer by solving it. Email your resume - without a cover - to the hiring manager. Call the hiring manager the next day to set up an appointment to talk about this company's specific problem. If you can't reach the hiring manager, over the next two weeks, Fed Ex a hard copy resume for morning delivery - and call that afternoon for an appointment.

The major difference with this approach is that you're not looking for a job - you're looking for a problem, defining the solution (you), presenting a strong ROI, and making yourself the only candidate for a job that's not advertised.

Yes, this approach is tougher, because it will take you out of your comfort zone. But you've got to admit....you'll see a whole lot less competition that you would through job boards and recruiters.

Are you going to give this a try in 2010? Or will you stay the course, and blame the rotten economy?

It's your choice...

Article by Phil Rosenberg, President, reCareered & Rainmakers Global and courtesy of reCareered blog.

Posted by Candice Arnold on December 10, 2009 at 4:33 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

December 10, 2009 marks the 61st anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Adopted by the UN in 1948, this was
the first document in human history that talked about and enshrined the notion that each of us, by virtue of our membership in the human race, are deserving of respectful and dignified treatment. The Universal Declaration also stressed the importance of enshrining these rights in law.

As Canadians, we can be particularly proud of the fact that John Peter Humphrey, from the province of New Brunswick, was the principal author of this document. As we mark this anniversary we can be proud of what we have accomplished in the last 60 years. Basic human rights have improved for many citizens in the world, in particular those that live in Canada.

However, here in Canada our human rights framework and our human rights commissions are under attack. Funding for social justice programs is being cut. Beyond our borders we can see mounting evidence of the lack of respect for the values enshrined in the Universal Declaration.

It was the Holocaust, where the world witnessed how power misused could deprive millions of individuals of their most basic human right, the right to life, that prompted the adoption of the Universal Declaration. Sadly, today we are witnessing a resurgence in the anti-Semitism that allowed the murder of 6 million Jews, as world wide Holocaust deniers and their followers are gaining strength and credibility. Discrimination, racism, homophobia and gender inequality are a daily reality for millions of individuals.

Tolerance and respect for difference is still very much the exception, rather than the rule in the world. Why not make today the day we start thinking about what we can do to promote respect and dignity within ou