Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

Review of The Twitter Book

By

thetwitterbook4166iaPKDKL._SL500_AA240_You didn’t think you needed another social network to propel your job search? You’re on LinkedIn – isn’t that enough? If you are a regular reader, you know that I am a bit of a Twitter evangelist! I think that Twitter is a terrific resource for job seekers, entrepreneurs and all professionals for connecting and network expanding.

While I think of using Twitter as second nature, there are many “ins and outs,” and it really is not all that obvious to everyone. So, I was excited to receive The Twitter Book, by Tim O’Reilly and Sarah Milstein. As the authors note in Chapter 1, “Twitter lives a dual life. On one hand, it’s a simple service. Besides letting you share and read very short messages, it has few bells and whistles. On the other hand, it can be surprisingly hard to figure out. The screens aren’t particularly intuitive and the jargon and symbols are obscure.”

So, I read the book both as an expert user and as a coach looking for resources to help my clients become more frequent and successful Tweeps. I was not disappointed on either count!

For new users, the book offers a tutorial on how to get signed up and started and how to create a profile. I was surprised and delighted to find that Sarah and Tim actually quoted my Twitter profile as an example of a bio that tells a story (see page 23)!

The book covers all of the terminology that Twitter users need to know and provides pictures and examples throughout. Need to know how to find people? Done. How to tweeet from the road? Done. What’s a RT (retweet) and can you edit it if it is too long to send? (Yes, but consider using “via” if you change it substantially,” p. 115).

Power users – did YOU know that there is an opp called 140it that “uses common cutting conventions to whittle down” your posts if they are too long? (It doesn’t work for every post, but I had never heard about it, and I’ve been tweeting up a storm for a while now.)

Suffice to say that any detail you need to know is available in this handy, easy to use reference.

But, using Twitter successfully requires more than just a list of “how to,” practical concerns. There are many nuanced aspects, and Sarah and Tim don’t forget about them in this book. Included in the book: discussions about how many people to follow, how to have great conversations, how to @ reply so the user will know what you mean, how often to tweet and how to go beyond “what are you doing?” to be a contributing member of your Twitter community and more.

I’d recommend this book to anyone hesitant to try Twitter because it seems overwhelming and current “tweeps” who would like to pick up some tips from the pros. You can follow the authors at @timoreilly and @SarahM and you can follow the book’s hashtag (“demystified” on page 41) -  #twitterbook.

Need help getting started using Twitter for your job hunt? Your resume isn’t doing the job it needs to do? Click here for informtion about how I can help with your search.

Video resumes – more popular, but use with caution

By

video77430740_80140b845e_mVideo resumes. They are all the rage in the personal branding community, but the jury is still out as far as the majority of recruiters go. A recent post in the New York Times is headlined “Video Resumes Get More Popular.” However, if you read the article, there are many caveats. (In other words, just because they are popular with the job seekers does not mean they are popular on the hiring side!)

When Serene Buckley received her first video resume from an applicant, she was interested and reviewed it, it seems more out of curiosity than anything else! She noted that it would be important for the video to be accompanied by a strong, traditional resume.

As candidates attempt to “stand out” in a tight job market, more and more applicants are turning to video. However, there are many concerns that are important to consider before directing “Resume You.”

  • Recruiters and hiring managers don’t have time to review videos. You only get 8-10 seconds for a resume!
  • Most companies use computer software to scan resumes and are not equipped to review video resumes.
  • The obvious emphasis on the candidate’s appearance could lead to racial discrimination.
  • The video could actually hurt a candidate who is not attractive.
  • A non-professionally produced video could highlight negative qualities.

The Times article quotes Don Straits, CEO of Corporate Warriors, an executive placement firm in Auburn, CA, ”...The only way that video resumes are really effective is when they’re used in context with supporting documents.” That means combining a video with a strong written resume and information about a person’s past performance.

”When video resumes are not used properly, they are worthless,” Straits said. ”And in fact, may do more harm than good.”

Not surprisingly, the article highlights the importance of production quality. Job seekers who know how to produce and edit a quality video (or hire someone to do it) have a strong advantage. It would be a shame to send a video that actually detracts from your search.

Before you start sending out a video of yourself, you want to really study what image you present. Look at your appearance, mannerisms, listen to how you sound.

Assume that your video (even if is well done and appropriate for your industry) is unlikely to help you unless your written materials catch the hiring manager’s eye first! In most cases, you must attract attention by communicating your value via traditional means that are easy to scan and assess, which usually means a strong written resume.

I can help you create a strong resume and online presence.  Learn more about how I can help with your job hunt.

photo by ezalis

Seven Days to Online Networking – a review

By

seven days to online networkingJ5502If you want to stay competitive in today’s job market, it is crucial to incorporate today’s social networking tools into your job search. Not necessarily to find more job postings (although that is certainly possible), but to connect and interact with people you might not ever have another opportunity to “know” online or meet in person.

I first meet Ellen Sautter and Diane Crompton, co-authors of the book, Seven Days to Online Networking, last April, and wrote about their presentation sharing some details from the book. I have since had the opportunity to get to know Ellen by attending a weekly networking event with her. Anyone looking forward to reading the book should know that Ellen really lives by the philosophy of helping job seekers connect and goes out of her way to be generous and helpful to anyone who requests her advice and assistance.

Ellen and Diane’s book really does cut down the clutter to help job seekers and others dive into social networking in a short amount of time. By first explaining WHY you would want to network with millions of people (!), exploring the issue of how to find the time and identifying the importance of social networking, they bring the reader to the “guts” of the book – How to Stand Out in the Cyberspace Crowd.

With a market flooded with profiles, blogs and digital dirt, can one person really make inroads and “be someone” online? The answer is yes – if you know what you are doing and how to get there! Ellen and Diane offer an easy to understand and digest tutorial to help even the most resistant networker join the fun online.

Readers will learn the “do’s and don’ts” of online networking, how to optimize their use of blogs (their own or others’), various professional networking sites to explore (such as XING and Ryze) and how to start thinking about a “webfolio” – information on a website identifying skills and accomplishments.

I highly recommend Seven Days to Online Networking to anyone who is overwhelmed at the prospect of jumping online, but recognizes how important it is for career success. WIN a copy! Leave a comment here and at my other blogs for a chance in a random drawing!

GreatPlaceJobs

Examiner.com

Secrets of the Job Hunt

Sometimes, it pays to  hire a coach to teach you everything you need to know! Need some help getting your job search jump started? Not sure you can put all of the great tools at your disposal to good use? Need a great resume? Learn how I can help you propel your job hunt forward.

30-Day Job Promotion – a review. Win a copy!

By

30.day job promotionJ4475I am a big proponent of “driving your own career bus.” I believe that each individual maintains responsibility for his or her career path. Sometimes, driving your own career bus means identifying red flags at work that indicate a potential lay-off, sometimes it means finding a new job because you really hate the current position or because there are no growth opportunities. However, sometimes, driving your own career bus means purposefully seeking a promotion at your current job.

Some may ask, “Can I really work on getting a promotion? Isn’t it more about waiting for the good news from my boss?” If that is your approach, RUN, don’t walk to get a copy of 30-Day Job Promotion by Susan Britton Whitcomb. So much about your career is in your hands, and you need to have good information and advice to empower yourself to drive to the next stop in your career plan!

Susan takes the reader, step-by-step through a series of tasks and considerations. First stop? Figure out what the promotion will really do for you? Are you sure that is the job you want? The fact is, while you may have a more prestigious title and earn more money, it is important to consider how a promotion will impact your life and day-to-day happiness.

There are many important factors when considering seeking a promotion. A few covered in the book: timing and your promotability. With detailed charts, checklists and explanations, the author helps the reader uncover key issues and outline a game plan.

Susan reminds readers that being promoted is “all about value” (p. 132). You need to know it AND you must be able to communicate it well if you expect a positive result. Suggestions of what to research, sample scripts and success stories round out this useful book for anyone thinking about taking the next step in his or her career.

Win a copy of 30-Day Job Promotion by commenting here or on these blogs. Comment on all of the posts to improve your chances  in the random drawing!

Examiner

GreatPlaceJobs
Secrets of the Job Hunt

If you’re thinking a new job is a better idea than a promotion, you may need some help getting your job search jump started! Not sure you can put all of the great tools at your disposal to good use? Need a great resume? Learn how I can help you propel your job hunt forward.

Review of Next-Day Job Interview

By

next day job interviewJ6042I would be the last one to suggest you leave your interview preparation to the last minute. So, I hesitated when I saw the title of this book and its subhead: “Prepare tonight and get the job tomorrow.” Hmm…Maybe not a good idea to suggest this tact to job seekers? In fact, the authors note that, ideally, you will spend a week or two preparing for an interview.

However, I like the gist of the book – you don’t need to memorize pat answers to questions in order to get the job. This is something I absolutely agree with, so I thought it would be worth reviewing Michael Farr and Dick Gaither’s Next-Day Job Interview for my readers.

I was not disappointed! Even reading the introduction can help job seekers dramatically improve their readiness for an interview. Questions such as: “Can you talk the talk of the industry, using buzzwords, jargon and acronyms that are common to the industry?” and “Can you identify three prominent employment-related successes or achievements you’ve had and talk about your role in them?” These are two of the key, important elements of interviewing that I teach my clients.

The book continues by describing various interview formats. It’s important to be prepared to handle all different circumstances and types of questions, so this section is a great help.

Self-analysis (knowing what you have to offer – and how it relates to your targeted job) is another crucial aspect of interviewing well, and the book helps walk the reader through identifying his or her skills, as well as outlines important skills that most employers seek, such as the ability to learn, communication and writing skills and others.

This in-depth book also offers four different approaches to the all important question, “Tell me about yourself?” (Skills based, personal history, defined focus and “returning the question.” The descriptions include impressive suggestions and tips to think about how to respond to this “make or break” question.

Next-Day Job Interview is a very thorough, well designed book to assist the job seeker in mastering the all important interview stage. However, I really think the title is a bit of a misnomer, as I have yet to meet  job seeker who can really take full advantage of this terrific information in less than several weeks without a coach.

So, my advice? Get this book NOW – before you are preparing for a specific interview – use the tips and tricks and you will be way ahead of the game when you get the call for an interview “tomorrow.”

Win a copy of this book! Just comment on one of my blogs regarding the review. Enter at all of my posts for a better chance at the random drawing:
GreatPlaceJobs
Secrets of the Job Hunt
Examiner

Sometimes, it pays to  hire a coach to help you prepare for an interview! Need some help getting your job search jump started? Not sure you can put all of the great tools at your disposal to good use? Need a great resume? Learn how I can help you propel your job hunt forward.

In Atlanta? GA is expecting > 10.7% unemployment. Get ahead of the game so you will be prepared to search for your next opportunity with local job search interventions: http://youneedajob.org/.