How Millennials Use Facebook for Professional Networking

How Millennials Use Facebook for Professional Networking A new study shows us that Generation Y members on Facebook have on average 16 colleagues as friends. The fact that 18 to 29-year olds use Facebook both socially and professionally is hardly surprising but it does give HR departments and recruiters a great way to leverage Facebook as a platform to hire new talent. Dan Schawbel of Millennial Branding says  â€œWhen they go home [generation Y], they are still connected to the workplace… Their co-workers are their friends. And because people change jobs so often and have so many friends, their friends become co-workers. (Quote from ERE.net.) Some interesting stats from this study are that most Generation Y members on Facebook list their education (80%), whilst only about a third (36%) list their current job on their profile. The fifth most common job title happens to be owner perhaps a sign of the current economic climate where many people are freelancing or managing a portfolio career. In terms of friend count, yes the Gen Y users on Facebook are friends with an average of 16 work mates but that is a very little number in proportion to their total number of friends which is a staggering 696 on average. If anything, this proves that young professionals are open networkers on Facebook and connect with most people they know, not just friends. The question is really: Will they connect with recruiters? RELATED:  How To Search for Jobs on Facebook Source: Millennial Branding

The Dos and Donts of LinkedIn Job Hunting

The Dos and Donts of LinkedIn Job Hunting Theres no doubt that LinkedIn is a great way to find a new job. They have successfully implemented a way to advertise openings based on how closely they relate to your title. If you are a Human Resources Manager, chances are you will see a handful of ads for HR Manager positions local to you. On the flip side as a candidate it makes applying to positions so much easier. If you have applied to a position before you know that some companies have an application process that makes taking the SATs look easy. You have to individually write out every job youve had, schools youve attended, references, etc. etc. With LinkedIn in most cases you can click apply, attach your profile and youre done! However if you are going to use the tool you need to use it correctly in order to be successful with it. Do: Have a complete profile or resume attached. The beauty of LinkedIn is that you can apply to a job in just a few clicks. You do not have to  painstakingly fill out a profile with hundreds of text boxes. You can click apply, send your profile (or attach a resume) and done. As a result make sure your profile is complete. You wouldnt send a blank resume would you? Be well connected. I have written in the past that the best way to differentiate yourself from the hundreds of other applicants is to have direct connection with that company. If you are connected with someone from the hiring team you can drop a note or a message to that person specifically prompting them to give your resume a second look. Write your profile like a resume. LinkedIn profiles tend to not be written like resumes, even though they should be. For example I usually put a split of what my company does and what my responsibilities are in my profile. I do this because I want to showcase my company as well as how I fit into the mold. However if you are job searching it stands to reason your profile should read like your resume would. You should have full details of your responsibilities, a summary at the top explaining your career and make sure to fill out the awards/ honors section (employers want to know what makes you stand out). Dont: Apply to a job with an incomplete profile. I cant tell you how many times someone will send me their LinkedIn application with just job titles and company names only and no other details. Not only does this not show me the information I need to know, it also shows me you are lazy. If you arent willing to take the extra step to either attach a resume or complete your profile, what kind of employee will you be? Annoy the job poster. From time to time the contact information of the poster will be on the job. Or you will be connected to someone from that company yourself. Above I said that you should contact someone from the hiring team to get your resume noticed. However I said contact, not annoy. Do not send the job poster a daily message have you seen my profile yet?? There is a very fine line between professional persistence and being annoying. You dont want to be the latter. Apply across country without explaining why. This one is a little more specific to people who are looking to relocate, but a situation that does occur regularly. Depending on the job companies will perform a nation wide search having budgeted for relocation costs. However depending on the company more times than not this is not the case. So if you are looking for a job across the country, but the company doesnt have it in the budget you may get disregarded. If you are applying across country there may be a reason for that; your significant other is being relocated already, you are trying to move back home, etc. Dont put it on the job poster to try and figure out why you are willing to move so far, explain this situation up front so you are considered. LinkedIn has revolutionized the marketplace from a job hunting perspective. They have aligned hiring managers with candidates like no other company or site has before. However if you arent using it correctly you might as well continue applying by looking up companies in the phone book.

Personal Branding Weekly and Managing Personal Word of Mouth Networking - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding Weekly and Managing Personal Word of Mouth Networking - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Personal Branding Weekly Editor’s Note:   The Young Entrepreneur’s Council and Glassdoor shared some great articles focused on our career interactions. Loyalty, friendships, strategy and even how to follow-up without being annoying encompassed some of the most popular posts of the week. 6 Ways to Riff Daily by Deborah Shane Start Your Brand Now; Iterate Later by Jun Loayza Is Your Personal Brand Making Ageism Worse? by Phil Rosenberg Does Karma Matter? Try It and See by Nance Rosen The Secret to Strengthening Your Personal Brand by Heather Huhman Entrepreneurial Habits to Embrace Moving from Stuck to Success by Elinor Stutz 5 Musts To Network Effectively Land the Job by Glassdoor.com Looking for New Job NOT Being Disloyal to Employer! by Skip Freeman Friendship: The True Engine Behind Social Media by Oscar Del Santo 3 Reasons Why Your Personal Brand Strategy Requires Video by Manoush Zomorodi Strong Personal Mission Statement Works Like a Career GPS by Beth Kuhel 6 Ways to Follow-Up Without Being Annoying by Pete Leibman This next week â€" we look forward to hearing more from the YEC on Labor Day and much more focus on networking your personal brand.   Happy Labor Day weekend! Managing Personal Word of Mouth Networking While people have managed to become completely fascinated by social media, there is still a place for face to face networking for businesses and this can still play a major role in the potential success of a company. There is; however, so much more to it than simply gathering a number of business cards and adding them to an ever increasing pile. What follows here are some simple tips on what you should be doing when carrying out your networking duties. 1. Ask fantastic questions during the conversation If you find yourself in a discussion with someone who is interesting and may indeed prove to be a good contact for the future, it is essential that you do not allow yourself to fall into the trap of only discussing how good you are yourself. Self-promotion is fine up until a certain point, but after this it does become rather tiresome and will make the other person lose interest. Instead, look at asking good questions that are either related to a particular topic, a hobby, ideas, or anything that lets them see you have an interest in them. By failing to ask the right questions, you can make the wrong impression and this is certainly something that must be avoided. 2. Be both interesting and interested Being a bore is a sure way to turn people away from you or they are likely to take your card out of politeness and simply throw it away. Having an interesting conversation and interacting in a way that shows you are genuinely curious about various things will give you a much better base to build upon. You can also quickly move from being complete strangers to basic acquaintances this way. 3. Learn how to use keywords and subtle comments Whilst blatant and constant self-promotion is frowned upon, you can still manage to work in some facts and figures about your business and what you do without it just being all about you. Instead, think about certain keywords that can be put into a conversation naturally as they will start to register in the mind of the person you are talking to and they will also help them to remember you in the future. The key things to mention include clearly your name, company name, your aims, or the products or services you offer. However, you should never just throw this information at them or they will tend to switch off and not listen to you. Finally, do consider telling them about some achievement or perhaps something humorous as all of this will help when it comes to them remembering you. 4. Listen to them It is impossible to stress enough just how important listening is to the other person as you will learn so much about them that may prove to be useful in the future. By doing this, you may be able to learn about their interests or goals and they may tie in perfectly with your own ideas. This will then give you something in common upon which a relationship can be built. You may even be able to pick up on a problem which you can help on which could be mutually beneficial for the two of you. So avoid becoming absorbed in your own story and pay attention to what they have to say. 5. Put in the effort as you will get results back In order to get the most out of networking, you must be willing to put in some effort into the relationship before you start asking the other party for anything. Before seeing what they can do for you, try to offer them something that you believe will be useful such as a particular website they may like or a contact you have that could help them out. A person is more likely to give you help if they see that you can indeed be a valuable resource for them. Author: Maria Elena Duron, is managing editor of the Personal Branding Blog, CEO (chief engagement officer) of  buzz2bucks.com  â€"  a word of mouth marketing firm. She helps create conversation, connection, credibility, community and commerce around your brand. Maria Duron is co-founder   and moderator of  #brandchat   a weekly Twitter chat focused on every aspect of branding that is recognized by Mashable as one the 15 Essential Twitter Chats for Social Media Marketers.

4 Easy Ways to Wow Your Clients - Classy Career Girl

4 Easy Ways to Wow Your Clients You landed an awesome client! But now how to keep them? It’s not enough to provide a good service, there are plenty of other providers out there who can offer the same; you need to stand out from the crowd. The key is to provide an excellent customer experience and wow your clients. Your clients will continue to return to you for services and refer others to you as well. You’ve got to take care of your VIPs! Here are four easy ways to show your appreciation and wow your clients. 1. Give Them First Dibs Do you have amazing clients that you’ve worked with for a while and value their opinion? Next time you’re about to launch a product or service,  consider sending it to these VIPs first. You can ask for feedback or offer a social media mention in exchange. Always let them know that you want them in on everything first because of their value to you and your business. 2. Educate Them Your clients don’t know what you know, that’s why they hired you! You don’t need to teach them specific skills, but explaining WHY you did things a certain way will go a long way in helping clients understand and trust you. For example, if you’re a web designer, something as simple as a site’s navigation can make a big impact on visitor experience. Explain why you designed the navigation in a certain way and help the client understand that there’s more involved in creating a website than just choosing shades of color and fonts. Beyond just educating them, provide clients with the tools they need to make it without you. Yes, you want them to come back to you but you don’t want them completely reliant on you every time they need to make an update or change in their system or process. 3. Thank Them for Their Referrals Our businesses are built on referrals and word of mouth  if a great client is always singing your praises, thank them for it! An easy way is to offer small gifts such as a Starbucks or Target gift cards for every 3 referrals. Or, if they are a returning client, offer them a discount on your services. You want them to know that you appreciate their kind words and that it really does help your business grow! 4. Follow-Up Just because the project is over doesn’t mean the relationship has to be! Following up with clients after their project ends shows them that you care about their success. More than anything else in my business, this has made the greatest impact in getting referrals and more business. This adds up to the wow factor. By checking in on clients, they remember you when they hear of someone looking for a referral. It also prompts them to ask about maintenance work or new projects. I get a lot of, “Oh, you know what? I was actually thinking of launching a new course, can you help with that?” or similar requests from simple emails checking in with clients. Following up with clients doesn’t mean you’re selling to them every time you hit “send” on an email. Following up means you’re actually checking in because you know if they have a problem, you can help. It’s not sleazy, and clients love knowing that you care. The goal here is to go above and beyond for clients and customers that go above and beyond for you. Simply producing quality work means nothing if the clients leave unhappy with the overall experience. Be so good that they can’t forget you! Thats how you can wow them! Related Post:  Facebook Ads Strategies to Attract More Clients

Personal Branding for Dummies® Hits the Bookstores - Executive Career Brand™

Personal Branding for Dummies ® Hits the Bookstores Why is personal branding important? It allows you to show the world your best true self. It helps you align every part of your life with your characteristics, strengths, values, and goals. By doing so, you create a meaningful, lasting impression on everyone you meet. That impression can translate into success on the job, in a new business, and in every aspect of your life. Susan Chritton leads her powerhouse  new book, Personal Branding for Dummies ®, with this wisdom. Need help  reaching your personal and career goals?  This how-to will compel  you to dig deep to uncover your unique  value proposition  and show the world what makes you an original. Packed with worksheets, exercises and working examples, Susan has laid out a program to follow through from initial Who am I? questions, to writing your brand communications content and broadcasting it to the world. Chapters include: Defining Who You Are Spotting Your Target Audience Case Studies In Personal Branding Success â€" including such well-known brands as Barack Obama, Lady Gaga, Steve Jobs, Meryl Streep and Cal Ripkin. Writing Your Story Branding Your Communications Tools Communicating Your Brand Online Personal Branding in the Workplace Controlling Your Brand Ecosystem Ten Ways You Can Sink Your Brand Along with my input on executive branding, contributors include a long list of some of the top names in personal branding for job search, career management and business: Winnie Anderson, William Arruda, Paula Asinof, Mina Brown, Randi Bussin, Rand Chritton, Sarah David, Kirsten Dixson, Maren Finzer, Megan Fitzgerald, Robin S. Fox, Rachel Gogos, Susan Guarneri, Kristen Jacoway, Diana Jennings, Tara Kachaturoff, Ruth Kaiser, Bernadette Martin, Kim McAtee, Tripper Ortman, Valerie Sokolosky, Wendy Terwelp, and Kelly Welch. You can buy the book at Amazon or Barnes Noble. 00 0

How2Become shortlisted for National Publishing Awards 2014

How2Become shortlisted for National Publishing Awards 2014 How2Become shortlisted for Independent Publishing Awards 2014 How2Become shortlisted for Independent Publishing Awards 2014How2Become just been shortlisted for the 3rd year running in the Independent Publishing Awards 2014 â€" this time in the “Worldwide Specialist Consumer Publisher of the Year” category!  We are in a tough group with a number of other strong publishers â€"  Absolute Press, Quiller Publishing  and  Search Press.The 2014 shortlists were compiled over two days of judging by panels of experts from across the publishing world. They feature 27 different companies and three individuals, between them representing all corners of independent publishing. Nosy Crow, Bloomsbury, Barefoot Books, Faber Faber and Constable Robinson each receive more than one nomination.Here’s what the judges said  about how2become:“How2Become  grew its list of career guides grew to 150 last year, when sales and web traffic hit best-ever levels… and judges also admired its mission of helping people find new careers. “It’s just great publishing â€"niche, focused and doing exactly what it says on the tin,” they said. “A brilliant idea, brilliantly executed.”We have previously been short listed in the best newcomer category and are delighted to be shortlisted this year as well.We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our customers and our staff who have supported us and the IPG for the nomination. Without them this wouldn’t be possible!  The IPG’s Annual Conference is on Thursday 27 February 2014 and we will find out the outcome then.       This entry was posted in Awards. Bookmark the permalink. Richard Police Service RanksFirefighter Ranks

Career Change Masterclass is open! - When I Grow Up

Career Change Masterclass is open! - When I Grow Up {Trumpets blaring} {Firecrackers cracking} {Dance parties dancing} Im over-the-moon to announce that Career Change Masterclass is open for registration. This program is the result of me realizing that its not enough to get clarity on the WHAT of your dream career it needs to go hand in hand with your HOW. Its the result of me knowing that my clients get the best results when Im able to work one-on-one with them, and we can dive deep together over the course of a 3-month process. Its also the result of me realizing I cant offer one-on-one coaching until April at the earliest, and crafting something that gets the participants individual attention now. Career Change Masterclass is the result of being The When I Grow Up Coach over the last 7 years, working personally with hundreds of creative women and helping tens of thousands online. The creative women who work with me are ready to make the commitment to do what they love and love what they do, and give a sliver of trust that they can make a grown-up living from it. Theyre tired of feeling like theyre wearing a mask at work. Theyre tired of stressful Sunday nights, dreading the five long days ahead of them. Theyre tired of not feeling valued and fulfilled. Theyre tired of, well, feeling tired and frustrated, like non-stop complaining machines. Newsflash: Not only is it possible for you to have a fulfilling career, but getting it is closer than you realize. If you want clarity on your dream career without feeling confined or stuck, Career Change Masterclass will give it to you. If you want your own personalized action plan so you know exactly what you need to do to quit your job and work on your dream career full-time (and when!), Career Change Masterclass will give it to you. Just think: You, in March of 2016, knowing your own dream career â€" and having a plan to put the wheels in motion. I know youre ready to make a grown-up living doing what you love, and I know with absolute certainty that its possible. Click here to see what Career Change Masterclass can do for you. Hey hey!  The first 5 people to register get a bonus worth $400, and there are only 15 spots available total for the program. Check it out now by clicking here.