Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

JobAngels: A Twitter phenomenon helps job seekers

By

jobangels_winglogo_stacked“It is the one certainty in today’s environment – change is inevitable. Dynamic market conditions necessitate the timely and continuous deployment of thoughtful strategies and approaches.”

It doesn’t surprise me that these sentiments lead Mark Stelzner’s business site.
If you haven’t heard of Mark, you’ll be interested to know that he is a human resources consultant who, while pondering the excessive number of layoffs and out-of-work people who could benefit from resources and support, sent out a tweet that started a fast-growing, timely and thoughtful movement to help job seekers!

The tweet:

marks-tweet

Apparently, his followers, including many recruiters, were game! The resulting business, JobAngels, has become a viral Twitter phenomenon, growing to over 1,700 followers in just a few short weeks and nearing 3,000 across Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn since Mark’s initial message on January 29th. JobAngels now boasts a website (in development) that Mark refers to as the theoretical prodigy of Match.com and LinkedIn. More specifically, he said “If Match.com and LinkedIn had a child, this is what it would look like.”

I recently had a chance to speak to Charee Klimek, Chief Marketing Officer, COO and Guardian Angel. She originally became acquainted with Mark via Twitter, as did the rest of the core organizing team: Deirdre Honner, Chief Connection Officer and Guardian Angel and Chris Bailey, Chief Technical Officer and Community Manager. Charee marveled at how individuals in the community embraced the movement aimed at bringing like-minded people together for the common goal of helping just one person find a job.

Charee explained that JobAngels is working on becoming registered as a non-profit organization whose mission, vision and values will align with the generous outpouring of support this movement has engendered. JobAngels plans to maintain the “high-touch, high-tech” presence they have fostered and maintained since Mark’s original tweet. The organizing “Angels” (all volunteering their time) hope that their efforts to grow and strengthen this movement will serve as “sandbags” helping to stave off the flood of unemployment, one person at a time.

What do you need to know to get involved? If you are interested in helping to network or able to hire someone, simply follow @jobangels on Twitter or join their LinkedIn or Facebook communities and alert them that you are willing to be an ‘Angel.’ If you are looking for a job, feel free to DM @JobAngels with your location and the type of position you seek; they will broadcast your request for an Angel using #jobangels. You’ll also want to follow the hashtag: #jobangels to keep up with the stream of information on Twitter.

I have already experienced the amazing reach of this network myself! I tweeted a request for a client, a photographer in Georgia, and almost immediately heard back from a contact in Chicago who offered to try to help! Amazing!

Charee noted that the Guardian Angels believe that “every bit of help from an Angel, no matter how small, sets the foundation for a successful career search.” JobAngels seeks success stories as a result of this nascent movement. If you have a story to share, they ask that you send it to [email protected].

As hundreds of people roll up their sleeves to help – and job seekers recognize the value of “loose” networking connections – it’s only a matter of time before the stories start coming in!

Need help with your search? Assistance using Twitter and other social networking platforms to fuel your search? Contact me – I can help!

 


People to follow on Twitter to accelerate your job hunt

By

Since I first started writing about Twitter for your job search, it has continued to grow into an even better resource for job seekers. I am planning some posts to updates my readers in the near future, but in the meantime, I’d like to offer some compilations that my colleagues have put together.

Alison Doyle, the author of about.com’s job search blog, maintains a list of top job sites and career experts to follow on Twitter. Be sure to take a look at her list to find job search sites and many terrific career professionals to follow.

Willy Franzen from One Day, One Job compiled another list of the top 25 “must follow” Twitter users for your job search.

I’m so pleased to be named on both of these lists! I’m happy to share pertinent career advice and forward information from my colleagues (via “retweets”) on Twitter! I’d be delighted if you “follow” me on Twitter HERE.

What I liked most about Willy’s list is his suggestions about how to fill out your “top 50” people to follow on Twitter. He says,

“…The true power of Twitter comes through connecting with people who share your interests and passions. Instead of focusing on specific people, this second half of the list will focus on the types of people that you should look to connect with on Twitter. Finding them may not be easy at first, but once you find one, you’ll be able to look at whom they’re following to fill out the rest of your list.

26-30. Thought leaders in your industry – You need to be up on the latest news. Find the big names in the industry that you want to be in and hang on their every word.

31-35. Local leaders in your industry.

36-40. People who share a common passion – Although you may not be pursing a career that is aligned with their interests, you never know when meeting someone with common interests might help your job search.

41-45. Amusing people – You need to stay entertained. A job search can be depressing, so make sure that you follow some people who can make you laugh.

46-50. Real life friends – It’s easy to get caught up in social media and social networking, but make sure that you’re using tools like Twitter to connect with people that you actually know. It’ll help you keep things in perspective.

I think this is great advice! Let me know if you have any additional recommendations of people to follow for useful career and job hunting information! Stay tuned for more up-to-date tips about optimizing Twitter for your search.

Still can’t figure out how to use all of this to help propel your search? I am happy to help get you started. Contact me to learn how a little coaching can go a long way!

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

Use Twitter for Your Job Search

By

Twitter is a great tool to leverage for your job hunt. You can tweet yourself to a job opportunity 140 characters at a time! It’s been done!  Statistics show that job search networking is much more effective when you make “loose” connections – touching base with people beyond your immediate circle whose networks and contacts are much different from your own. As an open network, Twitter offers an unparalleled opportunity to create an extended network.

Not convinced that Twitter is actually a high-powered job search tool? Read on to learn how Twitter can uniquely position you for job-hunting success!

What Can Twitter Do For You?

  1. Afford access to other professionals in your field. When you follow industry leaders, you’ll know who spends time with them, what conferences they attend (and what they think of the speakers!), what they’re reading and what is on their minds. This is great information to leverage for your search.
  2. Provide exposure and credibility as well as personal and professional relationships when you connect to others in your industry.
  3. Offer you a venue to demonstrate your expertise and share information in quick, pithy bursts of wisdom. This is perfect if you don’t have the time or energy to create a blog.

Unique Aspects of Twitter

  1. It is casual and immediate and a great place to “meet” informally.
  2. You’ll find an array of people on Twitter, including CEOs, top-level executives, hiring managers, recruiters and everyone in-between! It’s one-stop shopping for your networking needs. You’ll be surprised to find that stars in your field (mentors) may follow you if you reach out to them!
  3. Unlike Facebook, where it is kind of creepy if you start trying to “friend” people who are connected to your contacts, it is acceptable (and expected) to follow people on Twitter because another friend or colleague does.
  4. It forces you to be brief. Coming up with your “Twit-Pitch” – what you have to offer in 160 characters or less – will help you clarify your value proposition. Remember: less is more!

Convinced? What To Do First?

  1. Brand yourself professionally. If you are planning to use Twitter for a job search, set up a designated profile and account. Choose a professional Twitter handle using your name or some combination of your name and profession that sounds good and is easy to remember. For example, JaneSmith or PRProJane.
  2. Take time to create a professional profile that will attract your target market. If you don’t have a website, link to your LinkedIn profile.
  3. Before you follow anyone, start posting some tweets! Don’t succumb to the temptation to share your lunch menu…Tweet about an article, an idea or share a link of professional interest to your targeted followers. Do this for a few days. It may seem strange to be tweeting when no one is following, but you may be surprised to gain an audience before you even try. Once you have a great profile and a set of interesting tweets, start following people in your industry. Aim high! Follow stars – some will follow you back.
  4. Continue to build your network by using Twitter Search and Twitter’s Find People tool. Manually review profiles and use Twubble to help you find new people to follow. Use directories such as Twellow and TwitDir. Grow your network slowly – you don’t want to follow 1000 people and have only 30 following you. That makes you look spammy, not professional.
  5. Another tool to use to learn what is going on in your area of expertise is Monitter. (Hat tip Steve Cornelius.) Steve used it to look up information about a company where he was interviewing. It is also great to see what people are talking about and to find conversations to join on Twitter.
  6. Use hashtags (the # sign) to “tag” your posts and to search for tweets about subjects of interest to you. These tags make it easy for people to search for your content. Cision Blog explains this well:
    “Hashtags are used on Twitter to create groupings around a particular topic, event, community, industry, location, etc. By using a hashtag, tweeters can follow an entire conversation chain uninterrupted by other tweets.” Tagalus is a service that provide the definition of  hash tags, so take a look if you are following people and have no idea what their tags mean! For additional resources about hashtags, follow THIS LINK.
  7. Give, give, give! Think about what you can do for others. Don’t blatantly self-promote. Instead, help promote others. “Retweet” (pass along information someone else shared, giving them credit) – you will earn followers and friends this way. Those who know (and like) you will become part of your network and will be willing to help you. (See picture for an example of a retweet.)

 

Sustain Your Twitter Network

  1. Twitter doesn’t have to be very time-consuming, but if it’s going to be part of your job search strategy, make a point to keep up with it by sending out something useful every day.
  2. Read what other people write and respond. Join conversations and start your own.
  3. Don’t be afraid to send a message directly to a star in your field. Simply address your tweet to @their Twitter name, and they should receive it. (Be aware that Twitter isn’t 100% reliable, so feel free to try again if you don’t hear back or have reason to believe your message wasn’t delivered.)
  4. Feel free to tweet that you are looking for an opportunity. (See below for a success story!)

People Who Found Jobs and How!

  1. Jessica Smith found her current “dream job” as Chief Mom Officer simply by tweeting to approximately 400 followers, “Anyone looking for a marketing or biz dev person?”  Within minutes, she received a DM from the founder of Wishpot.com, asking for a phone interview that resulted in a perfect position!
  2. Kyle Flaherty used Twitter to find a job that moved him and his family to Austin, TX from Boston. He tweeted to approximately 650 contacts that he had left his job. He included a link to a blog post outlining his interest in connecting. He explains, “Within hours I had several emails, IMs, phone calls and tweets about the topic and it actually ended up that I took a new job.” Follow this link for an interview with Kyle’s new boss, Pam O’Neil, who explains how she and Kyle used Twitter to fill the position.
  3. Heidi Miller, the “Podcasting Princess,” found a freelance project using Twitter by tweeting updates about her job hunt. Many of her colleagues questioned the wisdom of being so open about her search; they worried she look desperate or foolish. However, the ends justified the means.

 

As more and more get involved (dare I say addicted?) to Twitter, opportunities to leverage this tool for job search networking will grow exponentially. Don’t be the one left behind! Get on board and start connecting for success.

How are you using Twitter for your job hunt? Share in the comments section below!

A version of this blog was posted on Problogger’s new site about Twitter.

Keppie Careers is a one-stop shop to help you get your job search on the right track. Need a resume? Help getting going? We can help!

When Your Past Impacts Your (Job) Future

By

Much is being written about President-elect Obama’s application for employment. The new administration will fill about 7,000 jobs that last until the end of his time in office. Sarah Needleman at the Wall Street Journal wrote that you can find listings at gpoaccess.gov. She notes, “The positions are projected to be filled throughout the first year of the new administration, and will range from jobs such as director of accounting services for the Department of Defense to deputy manager of cleanup for the Department of Energy.”

Applications are available at change.gov. The site shares information about the transition and various updates, including an ethics policy.

The application itself, which includes 63 detailed questions, may deter many job seekers. In fact, Nisha Chittal at Brazen Careerist suggested that anyone who posts information online not even bother with the application. She points to questions such as:

“If you have ever sent an electronic communication, including but not limited to an email, text message or instant message, that could suggest a conflict of interest or be a possible source of embarrassment to you, your family, or the President-elect if it were made public, please describe.”

“Please provide the URL address of any websites that feature you in either a personal or professional capacity (e.g. Facebook, My Space, etc.)”

“If you keep or have ever kept a diary that contains anything that could suggest a conflict of interest or be a possible source of embarrassment to you, your family, or the President-Elect if it were made public, please describe.”

“Please list, and, if readily available, provide a copy of each book, article, column, or publication (including but not limited to any posts or comments on blogs or other websites) you have authored, individually or with others. Please list all aliases or ‘handles’ you have used to communicate on the internet.”

Certainly, anyone with a deep digital footprint would need to be careful about answering these questions. What? You forgot about that diary/blog you kept two years ago detailing an intimate relationship with someone who is anti-government? Can you imagine providing copies of everything you’ve ever published? Including comments on other blogs? What about offering your online aliases? What is the point of an alias if it’s not anonymous?

Clearly, most people are not going to be applying for one of these 7,000 jobs, but I think the application should make all of us think about what we are doing online and in our personal lives that may impact our employability later on. The fact is, when you go online, you enter a very public space and content you create will be out in cyber-space forever. Think before you post (or do) things that could incriminate you. Don’t assume that “it won’t matter” or that you “won’t use your own name, so no one will know.” I wouldn’t be surprised to see more employers asking for online aliases, and to answer honestly, it would be necessary to provide them.

So, whether or not you are thinking of going to work for President-elect Obama, this application is a wake-up call for every professional. Be sure your digital footprint isn’t resting on a pile of quicksand that is ready to swallow you whole!

Are you prepared to respond to personal questions for a job application? Share your thoughts in the comments section!

Don’t forget that Keppie Careers is here to help you succeed in your search!

photo by orebokech

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

Using Facebook Groups for Job Hunting

By

Facebook, Inc.
Image via Wikipedia

Thanks to Alphonse Ha , social media marketing strategist and the Communication & Marketing Coordinator at Télé-Ressources Staffing Services Ltd., for this guest post!

Use these simple steps add Facebook groups to your job hunt networking strategy! The overall strategy revolves around a simple logic.  Social networks are SOCIAL. Thus, join the conversation and network!

Before you join the conversation, be aware of the image you project to potential employers or anybody that can help you meet potential employers.  It is important to know how to manage your personal branding on Facebook in order to maximize your chances to be hired via the social network.

Where are the conversations?

Conversations are everywhere, on people’s walls, in private messages, on event walls, on picture comments, ect.  The important thing is to have a strategy.  There is so much happening on Facebook, it can be overwhelming.  Stay focused.  What do you want to do with Facebook?  Find a job? Ok.  What kind of job? In a certain field? A certain position? Write it down on a post-it and stick it on your monitor, because Facebook can be quite distracting.

Use the Search Function

Look for groups related to the field that interests you.  Some Facebook groups are even dedicated to certain professions.  If you have a certain company in mind that you would like to work for, search for the company’s group.

Join the Conversation!

Talk to the people on the group’s wall. If there are no conversation (which is very likely for most groups), look up the members in the group and send them private messages.  Facebook groups are a gold mine of resources.

Initiating Conversations Through Private Messages

How you approach these people is very important.  There is a certain etiquette you must follow.  Nobody likes to be solicited and you don’t have time to waste. Here are a few suggestions:

  • Be genuine, honest and transparent.
  • Introduce yourself and state your intentions.
  • Be aware that you are entering somebody else’s private space and be respectful.  I like to mention where or how I stumbled on their profile, i.e., that you saw they are members of a certain group or they listed their job in their profile. This introduction doesn’t need to be more than 2 or 3 sentences.
  • Explain your situation and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Suggestions to consider: Ask about the best ways to get a foot in the door in their field. Ask if they can suggest resources or organizations for you to explore for information. Ideally, mention something that you have learned about them that you admire or make a connection. (For example, “I see you attended the University of Illinois; so did I!” or, “I read your article about ______ and was thrilled to find you on Facebook.”)  Be sure to offer something in return. (I produce podcasts as a hobby, and I’d be happy to share my expertise if you’re interested.) Limit yourself to 1 or 2 questions per message.

Facebook can help you contact men or women who are currently working your dream job or in your field of choice.  It is a great way to ask for informational interviews.  If your contacts are geographically close to the area where you would like to work, be sure to solicit them for an informational meeting.

I don’t recommend sending over 10 private messages per day because Facebook might flag you as a spammer and you can get your account suspended.  My suggestion is to send around 5 to 7 private messages a day and spread them throughout the day.

Facebook is a great self-promoting tool, especially if you are creative and know how to manage your image.  For instance, www.onedayonejob.com created a job search experiment using Facebook ads. The idea was to target potential employers and have the job hunters become the hunted. Be creative and respectful and you may be surprised by the results!

Happy hunting!

Have you used Facebook groups to propel your search? Share your thoughts in the comments section!

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]