Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

Personal Branding Magazine – help lift up others to encourage personal success

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sampleissue6Your “personal brand” is what makes you special and unique – it is what you are known for in your circles (and beyond). It is amazing how a well-constructed online strategy can form a successful personal brand.

Dan Schawbel is one of the authorities on the topic of personal branding, particularly for the Millennial generation. I am happy to serve as a co-editor of Personal Branding Magazine.

This issue is dedicated to female brands and their impact on business and our culture. In this issue, we’ve interviewed some of the brightest and most talented female brands, including Sarah Austin, Laura Ries and Natalie Gulbis, to explore what these women are doing to make this world a better place. There are many tips and strategies for women who want to control their careers and command their futures, as well as for men who are looking to learn from these talented women.

This is an exerpt of my introduction to the magazine:

This issue of Personal Branding Magazine, “Female Power Brands” puts the spotlight on women who have made significant contributions in personal branding. By designating a special issue to highlight these women, I hope we don’t run the risk of marginalizing female contributions to the movement. Rather, it is a great opportunity to showcase some women whose work and insights are unique and significant.

Contributor Pamela Slim shares this quote that I believe helps set the tone for the issue:

“Success is liking yourself, liking what you do and liking how you do it.” — Maya Angelou

I hope our readers come away with the sense that one way to like yourself, what you do and how you do it is to focus on how you and your personal brand can benefit others. This is a theme that pervades this issue. Laura Ries points out that, “Using skills such as communication, compassion and candor allows women (and men) to be known as effective leaders and team players echos this sentiment. She asks, “How does one make sure to give meaning? Mostly by listening and learning, often by staying with it to help others. It’s that love thing. It has incredible power, when given freely.”

Contributor Judy Martin quotes Barbara Litrell, former publisher of Working Mother Magazine, as saying, “Women have been running businesses in great numbers since the 1970’s, but they are branding themselves more confidently now, as they support one another in partnerships, thus enhancing their own brands.”

So, brand yourself thoughtfully, but don’t forget how important it is for others to sense your kindness and generosity of spirit. One lesson to learn from this issue is that being a team player, giving of yourself and connecting with others because you genuinely care will help lift YOU to higher career heights.

FREE sample available today (HERE).

To subscribe to the magazine please follow THIS LINK.

Have no idea how to “brand” yourself? You aren’t comfortable self-promoting? I can help! From writing a great resume to showing you how to move your career forward – Keppie Careers is here for you.

Keep in touch with your job references

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phone2600570497_cd1a8038b1_mDo you know what your references are saying about you?

Many job seekers overlook this important part of the job hunt. Especially if you have often reached the final stages without landing the job, touching base with those who may hold the keys to your next position is a great idea!

Whom to Ask? Ideally, you should have a current or immediate past employer as a reference.  Co-workers and trusted subordinates may also be references, but most hiring managers will want to hear from employers. If you are a student or recently graduated, faculty members may serve as references. If you have had a leadership role in a volunteer organization, “supervisors” from that organization may be good references for you.

Keep a list of people to contact. Joann Lublin recently wrote about this topic for the Wall Street Journal and suggested taking this step to be extra prepared. It’s important not to be caught off guard. Having a list of contacts (and up-to-date information) is important. Lublin also reminds readers that it’s a good idea to keep in touch with references. Sending emails, notes, updates about your search – all of these are great ways to stay in touch with the people who are key to helping you land the job of your choice.

She quotes William Arruda, founder of Reach, a New York personal-branding organization, who suggests job seekers set up “Google Alerts” for references so that you can quickly email a congratulatory note. I always suggest that my clients set up Google alerts for networking contacts to give them an extra reason to be in touch; extending this idea to references is a great idea!

Ask permission. Once you have in mind who you’d like to serve, ask their permission. If they seem hesitant or hedge at all, allow them to bow out gracefully. You don’t want to browbeat your references into helping you. (They may hurt more than help.) The best references are those who are enthusiastically supportive.

Prepare your references to support you! Be sure they have the most updated version of your resume and a cover letter for the position if you have one. Let them know if you expect they will be called, and offer suggestions of topics they may want to emphasize.

When I was applying for one of my jobs, I knew that teamwork and the willingness to pitch in when necessary were crucial for my potential employer. I emphasized how I was the perfect match (I really was!) in the interview. I also asked my current supervisor (who knew about my search and was my #1 reference) if she could mention some examples of my teamwork when she spoke to my potential boss, who offered me the job as soon as he spoke to her!

Hopefully, you will have a strong relationship with your references and will be comfortable making them partners in your search. Let’s face it – you can get right to the job’s door by having a great resume and interviewing well. The key to get in is in the hands of those who are willing to recommend you for the job!

Don’t overlook anything in your job search! I will help you every step of the way! Need a great resume? Interview help? Contact me!

photo by willposh

Facebook applications for your job search

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Facebook, Inc.
Image via Wikipedia

I highly recommend using social networking tools to help propel your job search. My favorites are LinkedIn and Twitter, but Facebook has a lot applications to help job seekers. Just remember that the BEST use of Facebook (in my opinion) is to make networking connections that will help inform your search. I don’t advise spending too much time looking for and applying to jobs online.

There are many Facebook applications that are targeted to job seekers…

I’m happy to share this list, as posted on AskBink: 

  1. jobsterJobster Career Network – Join the Talent Networks of your favorite companies, and get personalized job alerts based on your career interests. Plus, get career advice from your friends; post your resume online, search for jobs, and more!officebook
  2. OfficeBook – What would you tell a friend about your office if he or she was interested in working there? Love your company? Hate it? Say It!indeed
  3. Indeed – Job Search – Find jobs where your friends work. Search millions of jobs from thousands of job sites and company career pages. Receive job proposals and resumes from your profile page.testimonials
  4. Testimonials – Use Testimonials to gather your personal, professional and academic references in one place from your teachers, friends, and co-workers.
  5. Professional Profile – Create a professional profile on Facebook. With one-click,professionalupload your resume in or import your LinkedIn profile and recommendations. Get recommendations from friends. See resumes in your network.
  6. Career Builder – Find a Better Job – Users who add the applications will receivefind-a-better-jobcontinuously updated job and internship listings. Based on information like major in school, hometown and network, users will receive the most relevant jobs from CareerBuilder’s database in their profile. You can apply to jobs directly or access a link to search for more job on the CareerBuilder.com Web site.job_search_agent
  7. MonsterTrack Job Search Agent – Want to get jobs delivered right to your profile? Download MonsterTRAK’s Job Search Agent application today! Your own personal Agent will pimp your profile with only the jobs you want to see.work-with-us
  8. Work With Us by Jobvite – The Work With Us application displays jobs on profile or fan pages. Anyone can browse interesting opportunities at companies where friends work, apply to the jobs and send Jobvites to their own friends and contacts.meetingwave
  9. MeetingWave – MeetingWave is a business or social networking tool that helps you connect offline with people you would like to meet – whether traveling or near home. You can set up meetings with friends only or with a mix of friends and “new” people.
  10. Inside Job – InSide Job connects you to helpful people at places you want to work next by inside_jobgiving you access to where people have interviewed, worked, or are currently employed. Find the right person you are looking for. Post jobs. Get the inside scoop.
  11. Workin It by Simply Hired – Give gold stars to your friends to thank them—think of it as workin-itprofessional props for the people in your network. A good excuse to thank your friends…and a great excuse to get to know everyone else in your network a little bit better. You will thank YOURSELF when you need that “friend of a friend” to help you find your dream job or give you an internal referral at their company, since 80% of jobs are found through friends.seek-job-search
  12. Seek Job Search – SEEK & you shall find. The SEEK Job Search application lets you personalize relevant job search results in your Facebook Profile. Get the freshest jobs delivered every time you log in. Send it to your friends so they stay informed too.konoker
  13. Konoker Jobs – KONOKER Jobs is a job advertisement and job search tool allowing individuals to advertise regular and freelance jobs for free, as well as apply for postings from within the application. KONOKER speaks English and Danish and follow the users’ settingsjobs
  14. Jobs – Search thousands of open jobs, directly from employers. Find jobs where your friends work. See what jobs your friends are interested in. Find a job by updating your profile with your work status and dream job.brave-new-talent
  15. BraveNewTalent – BraveNewTalent.com is a new social networking site that allows you to connect to employers online. It allows you to take control of your career, engage directly with employers that interest you, and be part of their online incircle-connectionscommunity.
  16. InCircle Connections – Receive exclusive job opportunities. Connect with other members. Join inCircle today to get connected and get ahead.my-linkedin-profile
  17. My LinkedIn Profile – Promote your LinkedIn account with a badge on your Facebook profile.
  18. LinkedIn Contacts – LinkedIn Contacts allows you to view and share your LinkedIn linkedin-contactsContacts.
  19. Business Cards – Business Cards will help you network better on Facebook. business-cardsPersonalize your card and attach it to your Facebook messages! View postings and network with others!
  20. Easy CV – Easy CV is an add-on to the famous on-line resume service easy-easy-cvcv.com. It adds a short view of your CV on your profile and a dedicated page. Resume is available in PDF, MS Word or video. Take benefits of your network to get jobs opportunities!
  21.  CollegeRecruiter.com – CollegeRecruiter.com features 250,000 active job posting ads 

collegerecruiter1  from all industries.

 

For help with all things job search – contact me!

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Quoted in ABCnews.com and Forbes.com

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megaphone2590025080_d5ce7bf163_mIt’s always a lot of fun to speak to serve as an expert source for reporters. I find it inspiring as a coach to talk to someone who writes for the mainstream media; it’s an opportunity to share good advice with a new audience. This week, I was honored to be interviewed for two great outlets: Forbes.com and ABCnews.com. Here are links to the articles:

ABC News.com – Furloughs: The Vacation You Never Wanted
Michelle Goodman reports on what some careerists are doing with their unpaid, unexpected “time off.” My advice – keep an eye on the future and use some of your time to plan for your career!

Forbes.com – Twitter to Find a Job
Tara Weiss reports about one of my favorite subjects! Twitter is a terrific tool for job seekers. Tara gives a good overview of how to get started using Twitter.

Want job search advice specific to your situation? Contact me!

photo by djfoobarmatt

Some takeaways for job seekers

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takeaways342261936_7ada1a750b_mEarlier this week, I was interviewed for the Career Success Radio show with Andy and Carrie Robinson. I love doing interviews, because they always inspire me to write about something that came up in the discussion.

In this case, Andy and Carrie asked me for some closing thoughts for their job seeking listeners to consider. How to sum up things for a job seeker in just a few minutes? For someone who writes (and tweets) about the topic daily, it’s a challenge to choose just a few topics.

There are jobs. If you optimize your search and your materials, “the economy” will not keep you from finding a job. It is easy to think that the situation is out of your control as a job seeker. However, I believe that job seekers control a lot more than they realize. I like to suggest that my clients “drive their own career bus.”

Do not ignore the power of social networking – the connections you can make online are only limited by the amount of time you have to pursue them. You may be surprised to learn that people you hardly know are willing to connect and provide you with information and contacts that are key to landing your next opportunity. Job seekers who shrug off LinkedIn and Twitter do so at their own risk.

Don’t underestimate the importance of a positive attitude and planning your search. Job seekers must take the reigns and be focused and purposeful. In my experience working with clients, those who plan are successful and those who leave things to chance experience a much longer than necessary search period. 

Finally, it’s important to ensure that your job search materials are up-to-date and optimized. If your resume isn’t targeted and packed with skills and accomplishments, it’s no wonder that you aren’t getting interviews! Does your LinkedIn profile match what you are saying on your resume? Are you taking advantage of all of LinkedIn’s features? If not, you are missing opportunities left and right!

Do you need help getting your search in gear? I can write your resume and teach you how to optimize your social networking to help you land the job you want. Contact me to see how I can help!

photo by artisan shooting