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How Exposing Yourself Can Save Your Personal Brand

2010-03-12T23:27:15Z

I recently attended an Internet conference here in Israel that included a session about online reputation management. One of the speakers in that session, my friend Shira Abel, discussed how to react in a branding crisis. Her advice was intended for companies, but as you'll see, her main points are just as relevant for personal brands.

Reacting in a branding crisis

Shira's talk focused on the story of Blake Robbins. Blake was a student at Lower Merrion High School and was disciplined by the school for "improper conduct". That in itself is not so unusual but what really made the story so newsworthy was how they caught him.

]]> Like every other student at Lower Merrion, Blake had been issued a laptop. What Blake didn't know was that Lower Merrion had installed software on these laptops that let them remotely activate the webcam so that they could see (spy on?) who was using the machine. Using this capability, the school was able to watch Blake live at home while he broke their rules (supposedly- they say he was doing drugs, his lawyer says he was eating candy).

After being disciplined, Blake sued the school for invading his privacy and the story hit the media, going viral on social media.

The school eventually apologized for not having told parents about the spyware - that was officially intended to catch laptop thieves (17 laptops were actually recovered using the software) - but by that point, people were already selling T-shirts poking fun at the school and Lower Merrion's reputation was tarnished.

What we can learn from this? According to Shira's presentation:

He who breaks the story controls the story

Regardless of whether Blake's actions were worse than Lower Merrion's error, he was able to tell his version of the story far and wide before Lower Merrion even realized what was going on. By then, he had already set the tone and the school was on the defensive from the start.

If you've made a mistake that could ruin your personal brand, come clean as soon as possible. Go public with your guilt before anyone else can expose you. Like Blake, being first to tell your story means that you can explain what really happened with your interests in mind instead of being defamed by someone with their own intentions and a version of events that might not even be true, making you look worse than you should.

Being first to come out also means you can choose the most appropriate time and place for your announcement, so that the people who are most likely to be impacted by it will make the discovery in the least brand-damaging way.

Turn a loss into a winDepending on how bad your mistake was, the way you handle the reaction can not only prevent brand destruction, it might even lead to brand growth.

At the time of this writing, I'm having a problem with a local company that signed me up for their service without my permission. Worse, when I complained to their customer service department, their reaction was to agree with me but to try and sell me on the service so that I would stay with them. Unbelievable! As I told them, "the best thing you could do right now is to solve the problem. That would build my confidence more than anything else because then I would know that if I ever wanted your service and had any subsequent problems (as inevitably happens), I could relax knowing that you would take care of it."

It's not what happens to us but what we do with what happens to us

Similarly, individuals are often best judged by how they react when things go wrong. Outing yourself first shows intellectual honesty and can increase your credibility at a moment when it should otherwise drop. Admitting your error builds trust because more than ever, people will think that you can be counted on.

Shira's conclusion was that you need to Control the Noise, but I'll take it one further: if you can control the noise around your mistakes, it will begin to sound like music.

Jacob Share, a job search expert, is the creator of JobMob, one of the biggest blogs in the world about finding jobs. Follow him on Twitter for job search tips and humor.

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.

The Falconi Test

2010-03-12T22:55:23Z

You may be quite adept at metrics, measurements, and even Role-Based Assessment, but if you haven't used the Falconi Test, read on.

I got a call today from Ken Krauss, VP of Operations for US Axle, a very cool manufacturing company about an hour outside Philadelphia. They use Role-Based Assessment because it predicts how people will work on a team, but he was calling to ask if I knew of anything useful for measuring engineering skills.

It turns out that people who are coherent tend to be better judges of their own abilities, and are less likely to cover up for their shortcomings. (In fact, many people revel in the things they do badly and are happy to tell you, for instance, how they can never find anything on their desk.) So RBA is a good start.

]]> But Ken wanted an answer. And I had one, pulled from the annals of my past life in manufacturing, as president of a sheet metal shop.

There was another president of another sheet metal manufacturing company, and he was the most brilliant test developer I have ever met. He didn't have a PhD. I am pretty sure he graduated high school, but I doubt he was ever interested in a career in research. He just understood people and he was a very clever entrepreneur, although he never patented his test. He didn't name it either. So, although Frank is probably now manufacturing halo holders for angels, I am going to name it after him: The Falconi Test.

The Falconi Test has one simple piece of equipment: a steel rule with the first inch cut off and neatly finished. The result is a rule that starts at the 1″ mark instead of zero. He would give it to a job applicant and say something like, "mark off 3 5/16 inches on that paper." As you can well guess, there were many who simply looked at the 3, then counted 5 little hashes and made their mark. And, of course, they were wrong.

Engineers need to be precise. If they aren't they can wreak havoc with expensive machinery or waste a lot of expensive material. Or worse.) But they also need to be good team players. Now Ken can have it all.

It's a good feeling to have a satisfied customer and to honor an old friend at the same time.

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

Entry Level Jobs With HBO

2010-03-12T16:40:31Z

It's the ultimate premium channel. The one that separates the haves from the have nots--at least when it comes to cable packages. HBO or Home Box Office is the pinnacle of cable television. Ok, maybe I'm going a bit far, but I remember how excited I was when one day HBO was suddenly part of my family's cable package. The cable company made a mistake, and I was now able to watch all kinds of great movies in the comfort of my own home (and without having my mom take me to Blockbuster). Of course, HBO, which is based in New York City, isn't just about movies. Their original programming is one of the key reasons that they have more than 40 million subscribers in the US. HBO's series past and present include Arliss, Sex and the City, Entourage, The Sopranos, Fraggle Rock, and plenty of others. Then there are their documentaries and sports coverage. It's why people pay extra for HBO (and Cinemax, its sister station): high quality programming without commercials.

Read the full article

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

Entry Level Jobs With Bank Information Center

2010-03-12T16:37:07Z

If you haven't already, please take 3 minutes (seriously, it's short) to complete our One Day, One Job survey. It's going to help us improve the site to make it easier for you to find awesome entry level jobs.

You've probably heard of the World Bank, but do you know what it is? Now's a good time to head over to Wikipedia to find out. The short version is that they're "an international financial institution that provides leveraged loans to developing countries for capital programs" with the goal of reducing poverty. Bank Information Center is a Washington, DC based non-profit that helps "developing and transitioning countries to influence the World Bank and other international financial institutions to promote social and economic justice and ecological sustainability." Basically that means that they work at the local level in countries across the world to make sure that the interests of the people are represented in the decisions of international financial institutions. Their aim is to democratize development.

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

Entry Level Jobs With Know Your Meme

2010-03-12T16:33:32Z

Today's post came from a reader recommendation (thanks Derek!), which is awesome because I was on the company's site a few days ago and never would have imagined that they offer jobs (or even considered them a company as opposed to a website). The reason that I was on the site was that I was reading the story of Epic Beard Man (it is tagged NSFW), which is another one of those ridiculous things that has become popular on the Internet. The term that many use to describe these phenomena is meme. Know Your Meme is a website that organizes all of the world's memes. Let's say that you're looking for the story behind Rickroll because you have no idea why people think it's so funny. Know Your Meme, which is based in New York City, will not only explain the meme to you, but it will also detail the history of how the meme became popular and how it evolved. To some Know Your Meme may seem frivolous, but in many ways it's the Historical Society of the Interwebs.

Read the full article

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

Is a Career as a Custodian Right for You?

2010-03-12T13:40:01Z

When I worked in office buildings as a temp, I usually came to work and sat down to clean desks on vacuumed carpets. I took my breaks in clean kitchens and washed my hands in clean ladies' rooms. Most people take it for granted that they will have the same when they go to work every day, too ... and they shouldn't because some people don't. I once worked in a place where it was my responsibility to clean my own office space, and that included vacuuming the floor and cleaning the office windows once a month. When I temped in the call center of a property management company, I fielded many calls from people whose custodians weren't cleaning the offices or restrooms and someone had to be sent in just to take care of the things that others have the luxury to take for granted.

For the most part, it doesn't take a bachelor's degree or years of specialized training for someone to be a custodian (more commonly called a janitor) but that doesn't make his job any less important than someone in HR, Accounts Payable or IT. It's the custodian who generally replaces light fixtures or gets desk drawers unstuck or fixes faulty coffee makers.

A custodian , must accomplish a wide variety of other tasks that are often overlooked and are presumed to be easy, such as carpet installation and plumbing repairs. Sometimes there is a mess to clean up, which would be unpleasant for anyone. But there are benefits to being a custodian, and some find the overall experience soothing. Imagine being able to work, while listening to music? This is one of the few career fields where it's permitted. Custodians can spend much of their time working alone, away from the more hectic offices and common areas. It's one of the few jobs that allows a person to clear his thoughts and work out personal problems while doing his job.

Custodians learn on-the-job, though some knowledge of basic math and repairing are helpful. New hires begin training with a more experienced co-worker or supervisor, then move on to work by themselves. There is enough of a variety of work to give a custodian unique experiences every day. Equipment is constantly changing. One day a person may work with a simple broom or mop, the next it may be a buffer or wet-dry vacuum. Hours may consist of day, evening, or night schedules.

The pay is humble, but competitive. Someone who earns a reputation as a skilled and reliable custodian, is often given pay raises and sometimes bonuses, too. According to PayScale.com, a custodian with 20 years of experience or more, could earn up to approximately $43,000 a year. Someone with an entry level job as a custodian could earn anywhere from, roughly, $15,000 to $28,000 per year.

Environment also plays a role. Some may find themselves lucky enough to work in luscious environments, such as you might find in executive offices or law firms. Others may clean for smaller businesses like bank branches or churches. Both are acceptable, it just depends on your own preference.

A custodian in all honesty, works hard, doing the things that most of us would hate having to do every day. So the next time you walk into a clean sparkling kitchen or ladies room or sit down at a desk that shows obvious signs of having been dusted, with a trash can that's been emptied and lined with a fresh plastic trash bag, think about the "office fairy" who comes in every evening or early each morning to make it so.

Article co-written by a freelance writer

Assertiveness Techniques To Give You Power to Stand Up for Yourself with Co-Workers

2010-03-11T21:26:15Z

Assertiveness training is one of the most important tools anyone can have in life, especially when standing up to difficult and toxic co-workers. Rid yourself of childhood restrictions, fear, hesitation, and social misinformation. Know the difference between being aggressive - which includes bullying, yelling, screaming, intimidation - versus being assertive - which consists of being diplomatic, strong, factual, clear, and firm, which can successfully solve interpersonal difficulties in your life. Stop being a martyr, a victim, and a doormat. Avoid blaming other people for your situation. Believe that there is a workable resolution. Take responsibility and stand up for yourself to get what you need and want from others in a caring, direct way. Good co-workers know how to be positive, identify the faulty behavior, and focus quickly on a win/win solution.

Here are the steps of assertiveness:

1) State the Problem -- Use "The Sandwich Technique" - Start out with a positive compliment about the person. Then go directly to the problem and give clear feedback. Give examples of the toxic or faulty behavior and how you want it to change, and then end on a positive note of what you'd like to have happen.. Use the word "and" which is inclusive, and makes both statements true, and not the word, "but," which negates what precedes it. Example:

Bob: "Jack, I enjoy working with you, and we've been working together for five years so I know what a good job you do. I've noticed your work isn't in on time and I'm wondering what's wrong. It's unlike you. Is there anything I or any of us or even the company or our boss can do to help you meet your deadlines? We like you and want to empower you to meet your deadlines."

]]> 2) State Your Feelings -- Say how the person's behavior makes you feel. Use words like frustrated, angry, and annoyed. Be specific. Avoid accusations, blame, or finger-pointing. Stay away from words like "never" or "always." A phrase like, "When you do ___, I feel ___" is more specific and helpful. End on a positive note.

Bob: "When your work isn't completed on time, it slows up the whole department because we all depend on your reports. When you don't give me advance notice, I can't make arrangements with the others. I need to know what's wrong so we can correct it. When you don't tell me what's happening, I feel cut out of the loop, powerless, and frustrated. And because I like working with you I really would like to solve this so I can get my report in on time and everyone in the department can to since it's like a domino effect here."

3) Offer Solutions -- Give the person various options for their behavior and how much better it would be when behavior changes, ending on a positive note again.

Bob: "What can I do to help you to get the reports in on time? Do you need my help or should we ask the boss if we can hire another administrative assistant for a few days? Do you need to partner up with someone to share the workload? Should we all split an assignment to make it completed faster? Are there any problems at work I can take care of? Let me know so we can fix it and you can make your deadlines because we like working with you and hope that we can solve this quickly."

4) Give An Ultimatum - If the situation doesn't improve, you'll have to issue an ultimatum. Some people like to include it with the first conversation so the other person knows where they stand. State what you intend to do if compliance isn't achieved, like reporting it to the boss or HR.

Bob: "If you can't get the reports in on time, let me know immediately. If your work continues to be late, you are jeopardizing my job, other people's jobs, as well as your position at the company. You may be demoted or fired. If it continues, I may have to report it to our boss or to HR if it's not corrected and I'd rather not have to do that, so please get the reports in on time."

5) Look and Listen -- Hear the person's response and their feedback. Be quiet and listen to what the person is saying and how they're saying it. Observe their body language and what it conveys. Know what they are saying between the lines. Use Active Listening techniques formulated by Dr. Carl Rogers, founder of client-centered therapy, to establish rapport by paraphrasing what you hear, so both parties are in agreement in the communication. End on a positive note.

Bob: "I understand that you thought you could get it done without coming to me, and now you see you couldn't do it. I know how hard you're working and what pressure you must feel. You're looking down and having trouble looking me in the eye, so it seems like you're ashamed and know you should have come to me sooner. I understand. Let's correct it."

6) Dialogue -- Have an honest discussion, listen, don't interrupt each other, and comment on each thing the person says-be prepared to hear them respond to each thing you have said. Make notes to remember what points to reply to, especially when the person is talking to you and you don't want to interrupt.

Bob: "I'm not here to blame you, I'm here to find a win/win solution that works for all of us. Let's see how we can remedy this. Perhaps an assistant will be the solution and we should go to the boss to ask for one or to HR. And if they say no, we'll have to divide the workload. You'll also have to use better time management skills to get your work in on time because I don't know if other people will want to divide your work load again. Let's see what our options are."

7) Resolution -- Decide what the action plan will be and agree on it, perhaps in writing. Do the research, ask the questions, and make it happen to solve the challenging situation.

Bob: "So, Jack, since our boss and HR won't approve an assistant, I've talked to the people in the office and we'll have to divide your work load. They're not happy about this. They've agreed to do it just this one time. They're not being paid extra for it, so it shouldn't happen again. You've got to learn better time management techniques. We all like working with you and you're part of the team and we want to empower you to come up to speed here because we need this to be a win/win solution.. I'm sure you understand."

8 ) Follow Up - Send a letter and/or email summarizing the discussion and what the decision was. Bob should email it and cc it to whoever might also be affected - co-workers in the office, the boss, HR, etc., to cover himself, Jack, and others. I recommend hand delivering a copy directly to Jack as well so Jack can't say, "I never got it." According to one tech consultant, approximately 5%-7% of all emails never reach their intended place. Add a sentence at the end, like, "If you have any questions about or additions to this memo, please respond in writing." This allows the co-worker recourse to respond, and insures that you have covered your back, which is crucial in any company, whether you are the co-worker, boss, or owner. People can say, "I never said that," or "I didn't agree to that," but if you put it in writing, then you're covered. Ask them to send a reply email, agreeing to the solution. If they don't, ask them if they are in accord and get them to sign a paper that they are. Then proceed with the solution. If they refuse, then it's time to go to your boss and/or HR. You've done as much as you can.

These steps of assertiveness can assist and empower you no matter your position in a company when you are dealing with toxic situations. Be clear, firm, and compassionate. Stay focused, communicate honestly and openly, and cooperate for a win/win solution. It works!

Linnda Durre, Ph.D., is a psychotherapist, business consultant, corporate trainer, national speaker, and columnist. She has hosted and co-produced two live call-in TV shows, including "Ask The Family Therapist" on America's Health Network, which was associated with Mayo Clinic. She is the author of "Surviving The Toxic Workplace: Protect Yourself Against the Co-Workers, Bosses, and Work Environments That Poison Your Day" (2010 - McGraw-Hill). www.survivingthetoxicworkplace.com She has been interviewed on Oprah, 60 Minutes, The Today Show, Good Morning America, and O'Reilly, and the national and/or local news on ABC, CBS, NBC, NPR, PBS, Fox and CW. She has written for Forbes, Orlando Business Journal, and American Cities Business Journals. For more information about her consulting or speaking, contact her at Linnda.Durre@gmail.com and 407-739-8620.

Your Career As a Mystery Shopper

2010-03-11T21:04:10Z

Mystery shopping or secret shopping is a great way to secure outside income and enhance your resume. A mystery shopper is someone who provides normally a retail, restaurant, grocery store, or convenience store establishment an impartial evaluation on their location's performance regarding customer service, in-stock product, cleanliness, and the customer experience. Sometimes shoppers are asked to visit a location to take pictures of a display or a new grocery freezer for the competition.

Companies who recruit and provide mystery shop services to these retail companies have come under fire because of work at home and get rich quick scams that prey on people who are looking for a quick way to make a buck or are lured into signing up for a program by paying a fee. Reputable mystery shop companies never require a fee. They pay you after you complete a shop. There are a number of resources on the internet that provide how to's and guidelines for shoppers that are interested in getting paid to shop. The Mystery Shoppers Manual is one such resource. Cathy Stucker's website provides an online directory of legitimate mystery shopping companies as well as tips and guidelines on how to write shopper reviews and how to actually apply to companies online.

]]> When adding your experience as a mystery shopper to your resume consider doing the following:

* Refrain from using the words Mystery or Secret Shopper. Since people often associate scams with mystery shopping, consider using the title of Service Evaluator, Customer Service Consultant, Marketing Researcher and others.
* Refrain from listing each individual company and shop you completed. Consider choosing a name for your Customer Service Evaluation Company such as "Retail Expressions" or "JMM Consulting." As a mystery shopper, you will be paid as an independent contractor for the mystery shop company you work for. I recommend listing it on your resume as something like this.

Retail Expressions. Atlanta, GA. Dec 2008-present. Marketing Researcher.

* Have your pitch ready. Be prepared to provide an explanation and articulate your skills as a Marketing Researcher. What did you do, the scope of your projects, and what type of research was involved? A great mystery shopper isn't just a mystery shopper, they are an important part of the research, marketing, and evaluation process a company goes through when evaluating the level of service a company provides.
* Highlight your writing & evaluation skills. Mystery shoppers have to write detailed evaluations of their visit to the location they were required to shop. Keep examples of your work and be prepared to present them as a writing example to future employers and add to your career portfolio.

Jessica Miller-Merrell is a recruiter and human resource professional that helps companies leverage social media as a business growth strategy.

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 Mary Sevinsky's Blog.

And The Award Goes To ... Ed Hamilton for Most Creative Resume

2010-03-11T19:47:30Z

Ed Hamilton came up with one of the most creative resumes I've seen. This one even beats the resume I wrote about 2 years ago, delivered on a sheet cake.
It's not for everyone, but it's eye catching. So what did Ed do?

He created his resume on Google Maps.

Especially if your background is international, Google Maps can create a wonderful visual resume effect for your global experience. In addition, since Ed's background is in digital advertising and he's a writer, this works well in catching a reader's attention.

]]> Now this wouldn't so work so well for me, since I've spent my entire career in the Chicago area and I doubt an employer would care what city block I worked on back in the '80's.

And Ed caught some major attention, as his resume was published in a number of publications with slightly higher readership than reCareered - Huffington Post and bNet, for example. So far Ed's resume has been viewed over 14,000 times, and retweeted thousands of times so far.

Since a Google map is a link, I'd include it within a formal resume or even a online portfolio, so it can get ATS' and HR reps who won't know what to make of it.

What Ed's resume lacks in formal style and details, he makes up in creativity, demonstrating that sometimes the unusual works. For instance, for Ed's work in Trinidad & Tobago (shown above), he detailed ...

"During a three month stay in Tobago's capital, Scarborough, I liaised with health officials and local politicians to write HIV awareness communications. No easy task when we were prohibited by the government from using the words condom, sex or HIV."

If you want to try this type of geographic resume, play with Google Maps, and use the push pin and notes features to give detail by location. You might want to give a little more detail, like more accomplishments and employer value statements (http://recareered.blogspot.com/2010/03/employer-value-statements-make-your.html) than Ed used.

In addition, a personal branding statement (http://recareered.blogspot.com/2010/01/how-personal-branding-statement-can.html) would be ideal for this type of resume. Since you'll have limited space, consider combining a Google Map resume with an online resume, and give links within each note for additional detail of your accomplishments in each job.

This could also work really well combined with a resublog (http://recareered.blogspot.com/2008/05/you-dont-have-to-be-shakespeare-to.html) or online portfolio (http://recareered.blogspot.com/2008/06/how-online-portfolios-put-you-at-top-of.html), to demonstrate examples of your worldliness adding more value to each push-pin.

What kind of creative ways can you think of to portray your resume in a way that stands out, like Ed's?

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

Employer Value Statements Make Your Resume Sizzle

2010-03-11T19:40:34Z

Do you want to be perceived as the perfect candidate for the job? Who wouldn't, right?

When I talk to hiring managers, I often ask if they have ever seen the resume of a perfect candidate - one who was born to do the job.

The typical answer is not often ... but yes. The interesting thing, is how hiring managers typically answer this question - they usually go into a story about the candidate and usually raise the pitch of their voice, giving a very emotional response. The typical reaction signals that the hiring manager still remembers that perfect candidate and is still excited about them after all these years.

]]> Would it be helpful to your job search to elicit such an emotional response from your reader?

Gaining this response doesn't have to be accidental - it can be managed by the ambitious candidate.

What's In It For Them:

One way to be perceived as the perfect candidate is by using employer value statements. Employer value statements help candidates clearly present the ROI they have provided for past employers. In today's challenging job market, it is critical for candidates to clearly show a hiring manager What's In It For Them (WIFT) - hiring managers view past accomplishments as an estimate of WIFT.

Unfortunately, few resumes I see as a coach, that I saw as a recruiter and as hiring manager effectively convey WIFT. Instead, most tend to be egocentric (http://recareered.blogspot.com/2008/05/do-you-recognize-these-early-warning.html) and focused on WIFM (What's In It For Me - the candidate). Most recruiters, HR reps and hiring managers who see many resumes will recognize this trend in the majority of resumes they see and share that WIFM resumes often get passed over. This occurs because most candidates have been taught and reinforced to concentrate on responsibility and experience (what's important to candidates) ... at the expense of value and accomplishments (what's important to employers).

Demonstrating employer value is relevant for employees at all levels - including admins, manufacturing floor employees, all the way to CEO's ... from rookies (volunteer, part time and internship experience) to highly experienced industry vets.

In "3 Things Your Next Employer Will Search For In Your Resume" (http://recareered.blogspot.com/2009/12/3-things-your-next-employer-will-search.html) I explain that employers look for a solution to their problems, employer value, and fit. Strong employer value statements can help a candidate cover two of the three items employers search for, solutions and value, increasing a candidate's chance to be perceived as perfect.

Employers list experience criteria, but are really searching for value:

Don't confuse experience with value. Few employers list value in their job descriptions, because they have difficulty explaining the value they seek - but they can recognize it when they see it. Employers list experience based criteria as a proxy for value, hoping that by asking for certain experience, the value will become apparent in a few candidates (hint: those candidates are referred to by a special name ... finalists).

I'm not suggesting you ignore experience completely - you'll need to list it to get through the pre-screen processes of HR, recruiters, and databases. Just don't make the mistake of emphasizing experience over value. Employer value is almost always more important, but only if that value you present is relevant to the employer's current problems.

How to demonstrate value:

Create an extensive list of employer value statements, so you can select ones that are relevant for your target company and target hiring manager. Often this is a brainstorming session. Remember that some of the greatest value you provided your employer may not have taken a great deal of effort or time. Some candidates may find that the greatest value they provided was an idea that took only a short time to develop, but yielded great value for their employer. However, candidates often perceive less time intensive activities as less valuable because there wasn't heavy lifting involved - don't fall into this WIFM trap.

Claim responsibility for your participation. Rather than using words like participated in, or responsible for, use action words to describe the value you delivered. Make it easy for the employer to see by describing it simply, and by tying your accomplishment to revenue, profits or costs. Suggested language includes:

I increased revenues by X (or X%) by doing Y
I cut costs by X (or X%) by doing Y
I increased profits by X (or X%) by doing Y

Listing the result first catches the readers eye, telling them that the accomplishment was significant (http://recareered.blogspot.com/2008/04/do-you-create-employer-value.html). Tailor your accomplishments to the company's needs - If you discover the company is in cost cutting mode, list items from your list that demonstrate how you've cut costs. If the company is in growth mode, list the value you provided that built revenue. If you work for a Fortune 500 company, the value you provided may not be significant to the billions of corporate profits, so compare to your division, product line, or expense category for more impressive results.

Estimate:

No one is going to audit these numbers - they don't have to be exact. I'm not suggesting that you lie, nor am I suggesting you make them up. Rather, I recommend you take an educated guess if you don't have exact figures. This is especially relevant for past companies, accomplishments that did not deliver full results until after you left, or post implementation numbers that you didn't have access to. Use estimates, from project scope if you don't have post implementation numbers. These numbers don't have to stand up to the IRS.

Choose relevant value statements:

Use Guerrilla job search tactics (http://recareered.blogspot.com/2009/11/guerrilla-job-search-tactics.html) before you send a resume, to first understand the current problems of your target company and manager. The inside information you gain will help you choose which value statements you include, which you emphasize, and which you exclude. Your most important statements (to the employer - WIFT) should be highest on the list, and less important accomplishments should be near the end of your bullet pointed list. At the very end of your list of bullet points, list experience, just to match listed criteria to help HR, Recruiters, and databases find you. Value statements are best presented as bullets under a specific job experience.

The better you are at understanding your target company's and manager's problems, demonstrating that you've already solved those problems using the target company's own language, and demonstrating that those solutions provided great value to your past employers ... the more you start to look like the perfect candidate.

Rethink your resume ... what items can you add to demonstrate the value you have provided your past employers?

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

Personal Branding Interview: Rahaf Harfoush

2010-03-11T19:35:52Z

Today, I spoke to Rahaf Harfoush, who is a social media strategist, author of Yes We Did, research coordinator for Wikinomics and a contributor on Grown Up Digital. She supported the Obama campaign with regards to social media. In this interview, Rahaf talks about the common mistakes businesses make when it comes to branding and social media, how to conquer the fear most companies have with regards to social media, and more.

In your opinion, what are the most common mistakes businesses and organizations make when it comes to social media and branding?

The most common mistake I see are businesses who think they need to be doing every new thing. They are all over the place simply because they feel like they should be without necessarily considering how much value it's adding to their overall strategic objectives. Your best bet is to really sit down and think your strategy through. Where are your consumers naturally congregating online? What are they doing there? How would you like to engage with them? These thoughts have to be carefully considered before entering this space, otherwise you end up wasting valuable time and money, not to mention potentially irritating potential customers as well.

]]> Many large companies hesitate to engage their audience online, fearing it will backfire. How do you help them move past that fear and see the value in engagement?

Fear is a natural reaction. We are in a space where information travels so fast and companies no longer have the same type of control that they did with other mediums. The easiest way to show the value of these tools is to show these companies that conversations are already happening about their brand, products and competitors whether they are involved in the dialogue or not. In my opinion, it is better to be involved and know what is being said about you, then to be caught unaware! The trick is to take each comment as a learning opportunity, be ready to hear things that might be difficult and to show a willingness to want to improve your service offerings. The conversation is already taking place, will you risk not being involved?

Are there companies that CANNOT benefit from using social media?

I'm sure there are. Social Media is just an evolution of an existing set of marketing tools. If for whatever reason your audience is not online, maybe SMS, direct mailing campaigns and traditional media outlets might be a better solution. While I believe that every company should have SOME type of online presence it's up to each individual company to find the right balance that allows them to be visible and accessible to their clients.

You recently attended a conference in Switzerland - what are some personal branding and social media trends that are emerging in Europe?People are turning more towards social media, however Forrester research reported that Europeans trust blogs and online sources far less than their North American neighbors. It will be interesting to see how these different cultures will impact the evolution of online relationships. This is still such a new field that we are still only just beginning to grasp its potential.

How do you predict future generations will be impacted by the increasing popularity of social networking, location-based networking, etc.?

I think your grandchildren will know you far better then you know your own grandparents. We have created such a rich history of digital footprints that the way we are changing our definition of "identity" to encompass a much broader spectrum of digital tools. What will be interesting is to see how the legislation evolves particularly around the areas of privacy, data ownership and online accountability. I was quite concerned with Italy's recent conviction of Google executives for Google's hosting of an inappropriate video. It will be interesting to see how these laws will impact our rights as online citizens.

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.

You Can't Get Anywhere Unless You Start

2010-03-11T19:26:44Z

On the Web recently, I ran across the reminiscence of a senior citizen about his first job as a shelf stocker at a supermarket. "They told me I would get two weeks paid vacation," he recalls. "I couldn't wait to find out where they were going to send me. I wasn't the brightest crayon in the box."

When you're in the job market for the first time, it pays to listen to everything you're told . . . and not told, most especially before they welcome you aboard. Always remember: If you're hearing something that's too good to be true, it probably isn't . . . and you are the one who's likely making it up.

The 3 different categories of first time job seekers

In my experience, young people usually fall into three different categories when looking for their first job.

]]> The first sort imagines a perfect job will land in their laps. The paycheck, the coworkers and the challenges couldn't be better. A short and bitter collision with reality bursts that bubble, and these exasperated souls give up and just avoid looking for work as long as they can.

The second type is more practical. They willingly punch any time clock, rationalizing that the job of the moment is just a stopgap until they put their mind to finding something better. Most people, unfortunately, fall into that category. They just forget where to put their mind. Instead, they spend their entire working lives more or less falling into one job after another, only half-heartedly trying to create a meaningful career.

The third group is a rare breed.

They constantly ask themselves what they really want to do. They learn precisely the skills they have to perfect, and they find ways to meet and understudy people who are now what these beginners want to be.
They forever fine-tune their plans for where they want to be in five years.
They don't waste opportunity. Always on the prowl, they learn from their present job and contacts. They leverage what they have into something they really want to do.

Today I'm chairman of a $100 million envelope company, Outside of paper routes and setting pins in a bowling alley, my first real job was as a summer fill-in at Howard's Men's Store in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota.

The 3 C's

Sounds like a pretty remote switch, but was it really? I still consider a CEO to be any firm's #1 salesman, and what I learned about sales at Howard's was epic:

Choices: Never put more than three ties on the counter. It only confuses the customer.
Convenience: Never start locking up, even if the customer is a couple minutes late.
Commitment: When the customer tries on the pants, it's usually a done deal.

How you tackle your first job will likely shape how you manage your career for the rest of life. And, I surely learned from my share of mistakes: such as asking for time off, even though the main reason I was hired was so that senior staff could enjoy their vacations.

If you're like most people, you'll churn through 3-5 career shifts and 12-15 job changes in your working life. Smart people probably switch less, and they surely determine when and why they make most of the changes.

The difference starts with positive attitude and perseverance. Remember, if you think you can . . . or if you think you can't . . . you're right.

Harvey Mackay is the author of the New York Times #1 bestsellers Swim With The Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive and Beware the Naked Man Who Offers You His Shirt. Both books are among the top 15 inspirational business books of all time, according to the New York Times. In total, Harvey's books have sold 10 million copies worldwide, been translated into 37 languages and sold in 80 countries. Harvey is a nationally syndicated columnist for United Feature Syndicate, whose weekly articles appear in 52 newspapers around the country. Toastmasters International named him one of the top five speakers in the world. His latest book is called Use Your Head to Get Your Foot in The Door.

Next-Level Networking

2010-03-11T19:07:00Z

I'm going to the SXSW Interactive Conference in Austin this week, and a lot of high-profile people whom I've wanted to meet for a long time will be there.

I've talked to some other attendees, and we all have the same goal. But if everyone has the same goal, how can we make the most of the little time we might get with the big shots, and how can we encourage them to remember us?

First, we should be optimistic. We need to assume that we will, in fact, come face to face with our role models, and we need to be prepared. We will have done our homework to determine if said big shot (or said big shot's company) has been in the news lately, and our opening statement will demonstrate this knowledge. We will have a goal for the brief conversation -- a specific question we want to ask, for example.

]]> Although we will, no doubt, be screwing up the courage to approach the big shot after his or her session, we must recognize that a different type of meeting might happen by chance. We could unexpectedly meet a big shot in the elevator or at a social event. When opportunity strikes, we must move quickly.

When approaching the big shot, we can't be too informal, as he or she won't appreciate a hug from a stranger, but we shouldn't be too stiff, either. We should be conscious of time, and the longer the line behind us is, the faster we should get out of there.
Finally, we should let no more than three days pass before sending a thank-you e-mail and following up. If we're lucky, this could be the start of a fruitful new relationship.

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

Entry Level Jobs With Rosetta

2010-03-11T16:30:26Z

I got a tip on this one from a fellow Cornellian (which is cool because a few of my friends from Cornell work at Rosetta). If you ever find a company that you think that we should feature, e-mail me at willy@onedayonejob.com. We feature a lot of interactive marketing agencies because they're usually pretty big on hiring young talent whether it be at the intern or entry level. Rosetta stands out because of their size and sophistication--they almost seem more like a consulting firm than a marketing agency, at least in the way that they present themselves. For instance, they recently become a "top ten interactive agency" by means of an acquisition. That seems so different from the image that most agencies try to portray, but it's working. Through "dedication to client work within Consumer Products & Retail, Healthcare, Financial Services, Consumer Technology & Media, B2B, and Travel & Hospitality industries" Rosetta "has created enduring partnerships with [their] clients including Scholastic, Coach, Borders, Johnson & Johnson, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Nationwide, Marriott and Microsoft." Those are huge names, so you know Rosetta, which is headquartered in Princeton with offices in New York, Cleveland, Boston, Chicago, and Denver, is capable of delivering results.

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

Entry Level Jobs With Aircell

2010-03-11T16:26:53Z

After a week of cold weather in Florida at the end of February, I headed back to Chicago. Since I wanted to enjoy the last night of my vacation, I decided that I'd try to get this post to you from 31,000 feet. I flew on AirTran (maybe we'll look at their jobs another time), and all of their flights offer Gogo Inflight Wi-Fi, which is a service provided by Itasca, IL based AirCell (I used this promotion to get a free access coupon code). The business of Internet Service Providers was a big one in the 90s, but as we've become more accustomed to broadband, we've mostly started using major telecom companies to feed our Internet addictions. Now, the business opportunities are all about providing Internet access in locations with captive audiences--hotels, convention centers, airports, and now airplanes, although 3G card providers are offering some fierce competition. Luckily for Aircell, that's not an option in the air, which means that, for now, Gogo has a dominant market position with their because of their FCC sanctioned rights to be the "exclusive provider of Wi-Fi communications to airlines, business aviation, military, government, and specialty aircraft across North America."

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