Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

Crush It! by Gary Vaynerchuk, a review

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book-header-transI’ve heard a lot about Gary Vaynerchuk. He is well known and widely lauded for his approach to personal branding for business owners. He “leveraged social media tools such as Twitter and Facebook to promote Wine Library TV,” a video blog about wine. He’s hob nobbed with Meredith and Ann on the Today Show, shared wine with Ellen and Conan and been featured on Nightline, among other appearances.

So, when I was invited to participate in launching his book, I was happy to join in. (I love reading advance copies to share with my readers!)

Gary’s book is a high-energy guide for business owners and would-be business owners to harnessing the power of social media to fuel not only your bottom line, but also your personal brand. (And, if you don’t think you need a personal brand because you are happy with your day job, Gary’s response, “What you think you’re invincible?” He notes, “Developing your personal brand is the same thing as living and breathing your resume every second that you’re working” (p. 38).

He reminds readers how important it is to create bonds with other professionals in your field and to share your ideas and expertise on the social networks. (I LOVE when other writers second what I tell my readers!)

Gary thinks traditional resumes are going to be irrelevant. This is a common belief among the social media elite. I agree that your reputation (aka, personal brand) will be key, but having a great traditional resume is still important for most people! The good thing? Pursuing a new media strategy to support your professional reputation does not prevent you from having a terrific, traditional resume. The best approach? A multi-tiered plan that has potential to appeal to everyone in your target audience.

Other terrific points relevant for job seekers from the book? Wait for it…this is key:

If you are authentic, you will sometimes lose people along the way!

Gary knows this – he admits that his loud, in your face, brash style does not appeal to all wine lovers. He says, “I lose about 12 percent of my viewers right off the bat because I yell and scream like a maniac” (page 85). You can’t be everything to all people, whether you are a job seeker or an entrepreneur. And, you really shouldn’t try. When you differentiate, you will lose some people, but those probably are not “your people.” On the other hand, by strongly focusing on what you have to offer – your best and authentic you – you have a better chance to connect and appeal to a community of “good matches.”

Crush It! is a terrific guide for anyone (entrepreneur or job seeker) who needs a nudge and a guide to begin to shift his or her mindset to move forward with today’s tools. Stay tuned for more thoughts from his book tomorrow, the official launch date!

If you need help using social networking tools for your business or job search and just need a helping hand, contact me to learn how I can help!

Guest post: You can do something new for your job hunt

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twitterpsych2382680812_34858bec65_mThis is a guest post from Jessica Lewis. Jessica is a job seeker who joined Twitter about a month ago with the intention of using it to help her drive her own career bus. She has been writing a Twitter-for-beginners series on her blog (which you should read!)

You can find Jessica on Twitter @copytailor.

If you’re reading this post, you’re obviously familiar with the concept of sharing information and opinions via blogs. And you’re familiar with the concept of niche blogs, like this one.

Remember back when blogs were a new concept? When they were generalized as boring ramblings from people enamored with themselves? No one I knew had a blog. I would have been embarrassed to write a blog back then because I would have been seen as enamored with myself.

The general perception of blogs back then is not much different from the general perception of Twitter now. It’s humorous when you realize Twitter is classified as microblogging! What’s wrong with the public perception is it’s making you miss out on great experiences and opportunities — two things that, I know from experience, you likely are sorely lacking as a job seeker.

If you’re going to be a sheep, at least be one with a clue.

Let’s say you feel uncomfortable joining Twitter because you think you’ll be one of the sheep. The people you know perceive Twitter in a negative, time-wasting way. And no one you know is on Twitter. These people are all just staying within their comfort zone, doing what they’ve always done, telling you they don’t have time for the silliness of Twitter.

Let me tell you something: You become a sheep anyway for following them.

You have read about Twitter on Keppie Careers. I know from experience that you likely have been turning away from such praise for Twitter — if you ignore it, it’ll go away and you can feel good that you kept doing what you’ve been doing and thinking, “Oh, I’m not falling for that one!”

One thing I’ve learned in my job search: Do not keep doing something if it’s not working. It sounds like common sense, but with you’re dealing with so many unknowns in a job search, it’s easy to fall back on old advice or latch onto one piece of advice you read online or do what other people do because it’s easier to follow than lead. You want to follow the herd you’re familiar with. The problem is that herd isn’t looking out for you.

Stay tuned for more from Jessica tomorrow!

Need help getting your job hunt going? Learn what I offer job seekers!

photo by xotoko

Desperately seeking a job

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calendar3000315559_bd77043616Stop. Deep breath. You’ve been looking for a job for a long time. Maybe it’s been longer than the “average 25-week search reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.” What should you NOT do? You should, absolutely NOT, under any circumstances act desperate for a job. Even if you are. No matter how you feel, act like the confident, competent professional you know you are. Why?

A Forbes post by Susan Adams recently revealed data from a survey of 500 executive recruiters that suggested executive level job seekers are “are preparing poorly for interviews, putting together weak resumes and appearing too desperate to take any job that comes their way.”

Biggest mistakes, according to the article?

Not listening well during an interview. Using your mouth more than your ears is usually a red flag – no matter what type of job you seek.

Letting people know you feel down and out.

“Susan Weil, a New York career transition coach, recalls one client, who was an unemployed banker, finding himself in a social situation with people from his field. When asked what he had been doing lately, he answered, “I’ve been up to nothing.”

Wouldn’t that have been a great opportunity to talk himself up and possibly made some new connections?

Don’t spend a lot of energy trying to apply for  job that you’re overqualified to do. While there are strategies you can use to overcome the “overqualified” label, chasing after these jobs is not a good use of your time.

Go the extra mile…Write a thank you note. Send it with a stamp. Make sure it is personalized.

The article suggests that “… you may have to talk to 150 people before you get a job.” Does it sound like a lot? Maybe that is good news for those of you who haven’t been talking to many people…Maybe it can give you hope that there IS something new you CAN do to get your search moving!

Learn what I can do to help you with your search!

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Tired of looking for a job? Jump start your job hunt – here's how…

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divein204029032_5875c6a292If you’re involved in a long-term job search (the average is 25 weeks, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics), you may be getting to the point that you can’t imagine doing something different that will move your search forward.

If you haven’t started, dive into social media and Web 2.0 applications! Yes, this can take some time if you are going to do it full force. But, you have time, so go for it! Start searching for blogs in your niche. Guy Kawasaki’s Alltop list is a perfect place to find blogs in an array of topics, but you can certainly use Google to find current information in your field of interest. Spend some time researching and exploring. See if you can identify the stars in your field. Use online mechanisms to connect to them!

How? Post smart comments on their blogs. See if they use Twitter and follow them. (Read more of my suggestions about using Twitter for the job hunt HERE.) Make sure that you are using LinkedIn effectively. You may be amazed at  how quickly you can connect and “befriend” people online.

Consider authoring a blog. If you are a strong writer, there isn’t a better way to influence your Google rankings and demonstrate authority in your subject matter. If you have the time, why not try? You have nothing to lose. Ideally, you will start a blog at www.yourname.com, but if you just want to dip your toe in the waters, consider writing for Examiner.com. I am the National Career Coach Examiner and would be happy to help you get started if you are a strong writer with a niche topic in mind. (For example, maybe you want to be the “Seattle PR Examiner” or the “Miami Accounting Examiner.” Contact me if you are interested in learning more!

Stop and think about what you really want to do. Use your time to assess yourself, your goals and plans for the future. How often are we forced to take a moment to really think about the future. This is your chance. Do you like the way your life is going? Are you happy with your path? If not, consider a coach to help you figure out a new direction.

Learn a new skill. Have you been thinking about taking a class in something that will help you with your job? Maybe you’ve always wanted to learn how to knit? This is a good time. Doing something new and learning a new skill is good for your attitude and will help you in multiple ways. If you can be excited about something that you can obviously control (since your job search SEEMS less control-able), it should help your outlook.

There is so much information and opportunities to learn new things online for free. High-profile and talented people are offering free teleclasses, webinars and seminars all of the time. If you plug in, you’ll learn about these opportunities and benefit from them. Take advantage of your public library as a resource for information. Check in with the librarian for information you might be missing!

Don’t be afraid to pay for some great content as well! Once you know and trust a source for information, invest in yourself and your plans and learn something new.

Don’t wait until you have an interview scheduled to prepare for the interview! Do you know what you’ll wear to an interview? Does it fit? Is it clean and pressed? How about your shoes? Do they pass muster? Don’t wait until you’ve been searching for two months and get a call for an interview tomorrow to look in your closet!

Once you have an outfit ready, start planning and practicing what you will say in an interview, in a networking situation…Use your time to get ready. Consider hiring Keppie Careers to do a mock interview so you will really know what skills you can improve. If you are prepared, when you start pulling in opportunities, you won’t panic!

Of course, much of your “free” time will be taken up with job hunting. Don’t forget that many of the activities listed above are part of your job hunt. I would be remiss if I didn’t specifically mention that networking (in person and online) is key – spend more time doing this than searching for online postings. Are you on Twitter? Tweetups are a great way to meet new people and learn how you can help each other. Make sure your resume and materials are top-notch and use your time to prep for everything you will need.

Of course, no list of things to do would be complete with suggesting volunteering with an organization you support. I’ve already shared great reasons to volunteer if you have some free time. You never know when you might meet someone influential for your career and/or learn and use new skills. Volunteering is an amazing opportunity to do some good while helping yourself as well!

What ideas do you have?

Need some help getting started with any of these ideas? Learn more about how I can help you get a job.

photo by soylentgreen23

Do you know what your “invisible resume” says?

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foggy3072712788_0f57d48dbaI bet you’ve thought a lot about your resume (hopefully), and you may have even spent some brain power evaluating your “digital footprint,” but have you ever considered your “invisible resume?” I recently read a terrific piece by Dr. Vicky Gordon, CEO of the Gordon Group, a Chicago-based leadership and organizational development consulting firm, for the Harvard Business Review that explains the concept and offers job seekers a lot to think about! (Hat tip to my friend @jonathanduarte for tweeting about the article!)

Your invisible resume, in essence, is your reputation! Just as your digital footprint impacts how people will think about you, your reputation, as the old saying goes, absolutely precedes you. When is the last time you stopped to think about what your supervisors and employees think (and say) about you? You don’t want your “invisible resume” to be, as Gordon notes in her post, “visible to everyone but you.” If you are a little foggy on the subject, Some examples from the Harvard Business Review piece:

The vice president of sales for a major technology company delivered the numbers quarter after quarter. Relentlessly pushing for higher sales, he thought of himself as passionate about the business. During a 360º feedback exercise, he discovered that his colleagues saw him as “unreasonably demanding” and “a slave driver.”

Another example:

The co-founder of a highly successful online company had difficulty delegating responsibility. He would assure people that he would get to the work that went into his office, but somehow he never did. As a result, his colleagues regarded him as untrustworthy, and people began to question his integrity.

Gordon makes several suggestions to help you increase your awareness of your “invisible resume” (bold points are her’s, commentary is my own):

Find out what’s on your invisible resume. The only way to do this is to actively make a point to consider what other people are thinking about you. Ask them!

Ask your manager for substantive feedback beyond perfunctory annual performance reviews. Do you know how you stand in the pecking order of your organization? Would you be surprised to be passed over for a promotion? Not all managers are skilled at offering useful feedback. It’s your responsibility to manage your own career. In this case, ignorance is no excuse. Make it your business to find out what you need to know. Gordon suggests “going directly to HR or…asking your manager.”

Begin to rewrite the story. If you find out that your invisible resume doesn’t read the way you would like, it’s in your hands to make a change. Changing how people perceive you is not easy, but with direct communication and some honest reflection and work, it is not impossible. You may even want to consider enlisting the help of a coach to address your needs and create a plan for change. The fact is, you will need to change how you act in order to adjust how people perceive you. It is not easy, but you can’t do anything unless your recognize the problem and move for change.

Establish channels for ongoing feedback. Gordon recommends “regular 360 degree feedback…augmented with more frequent feedback from a trusted peer.” She reminds readers that it is a good idea to identify a trusted mentor who can offer honest and useful feedback.

Periodic self-assessment. It’s easy to be “too busy” to purposefully manage your own career. I advise my clients to “drive their own career bus” with regard to the job search, and the same advice applies to anyone who hopes to go places professionally. Stop and identify areas for improvement before it’s too late!

Need some help with a job hunt? I can help!

photo by aidanmorgan