Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

How to make it easier to find you – in Google+ and via Google profiles

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You’re starting to think Google+ may be a good use of your social networking time? If you read Kelly Dingee’s post on Fistful of Talent about why she’s excited about using Google+ and Google profiles for recruiting, you should be!

One of the big reasons to use social media is to help you find people you want to know. I wrote about how to find people on Google+. Be sure to take a look at my post, because it gives you the tools to figure out the next important piece of the social networking puzzle: How to BE found!

Your Google profile (which you probably own but don’t pay much attention) is important. If you’re not already on Google+, you can find your profile via Google profiles: http://www.google.com/profiles.

If you are already on Google+, you can start to test out how easy (or difficult) it is to find you via your profile by searching the various tools I listed in the “how to find people on Google+ post.”Think of the keywords you want people to use to find you. Are you a graphic artist working mostly in Atlanta?  Search, {“graphic artist” and “Atlanta”}. How many pages does it take to find your profile?

Identify the keywords you want people to use to find you. (Follow that link for advice about how.) Maybe your location is not important, but the fact you design custom Facebook pages? Decide your KEY keywords.

NOW – pack your Google profile with those words. Similar to LinkedIn, where it is easier to find you if you include keywords in your titles, descriptions, skills, etc., it appears Google will index you higher in search if your profile is packed with your keywords. List all of your titles. Include professional associations. List anything including keywords in your profile.

A trick?

Google doesn’t offer a “keywords” section to “tag” yourself in the profile, which would be similar to LinkedIn’s “specialties” section, where it is appropriate to list words and phrases relevant to you. Why not add one in?

In your “Introduction” section, add KEYWORDS: and then fill in all the words and phrases you think will help people find you in search. I did it, and it immediately impacted my search results in Google+. Take a look at my profile.

Try a “before” and “after” search to see if your rankings improve. Let me know how it works for you!

photo by Auntie P

How to find people on Google+

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You may already know the Web is buzzing with information and insights about Google+, Google’s new social network. Reasons to use social networking for business or job search include:

1) To expand the number of people you know and who know you. To find and to be found!

2) To learn new information pertinent to your field from mentors and thought leaders.

3) To illustrate your expertise with a community of people who may connect you to opportunities based on learning about you and what you know.

It seems clear Google+ offers a lot (and a lot of potential) to satisfy these needs.

Today, I wanted to share some advice about how to address #1: How to find people on Google+

Recruiters in the social sphere are already buzzing about using Google+ profiles to find and source applicants. It’s important to know how they are looking and to make your profile as searchable as possible. Google doesn’t share its search algorithms, but there seem to be ways to make it easier for people to find you.

How are people searching?

I do not profess to be an expert at Boolean search. Luckily, I know how to find the people who are! If you’re not familiar with Boolean search, it’s a way to create (usually) complex strings of search requirements in order to find the exact results you want. For example, you can write a Boolean string to find engineers who graduated from a particular school. Depending on how complex the search, it may find engineers with a school name in their title, or only those who actually listed they “graduated” from the school. It’s possible to write a search to find people who work in a particular company, or those with a particular job title.

Kelly Dingee wrote a terrific post on Fistful of Talent about why she’s excited about using Google+ for recruiting. (Be sure to read her post; it may convince you to at least create a great profile and hop on board!) In addition to her ideas information about how she plans to use Google+ and Google profiles for search, Kelly provides what she calls a “simple” search string (to use directly in Google) to find an engineer in Google+:

site:plus.google.com google engineer

Irena Shamaeva wrote a great post about how to search Google+ profiles. Irena links to two searches I think are particularly useful for job seekers. Her first link is to search for people on Google+. This brings you to a page inside Google itself, set up to let you search within Google+ profiles. Search for anything you want to find here. Maybe you’ll be looking for expert career and social media advice? Search {“career coach” and “social media”}. Or, even, {career coach, social media}. You’re looking for someone who works in a particular company? The link brings you to “work at Google.” You can search for “work at” any company!

Hopefully, you are recognizing the opportunities to find people on Google+. As the number of people who sign on grows, the opportunities to find, learn from and connect to people will also grow.

Some additional, useful resources for finding people:

@recruiterdotcom details search strings and how to write them in their post. They also wrote a post about how to find people on Google+. They suggest two new tools to try, which seem similar in results to the link above, but are created outside of Google:

If you’re already using Google+, you may be familiar with “hangouts.” Recruiter.com also highlights a website called gphangouts.com aggregates all the public hangouts on the social network. It includes “recent” and search functions too.

Wait – you want to start from the beginning – what’s Google+? Read this post to get started learning what you need to know.

Stay tuned for more information about Google+. Please consider including me in your “Career Advice” circle. (No one has access to what your circles are named!) Find me in Google+ HERE.

photo by gwen

Personal branding helps you manufacture your own opportunities

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I tell clients they “drive their own career bus.” This issue of Personal Branding Magazine (I am co-editor along with Jessica Lewis) highlights how you can manufacture your own opportunities. Dan Schawbel explains:

“Volume 5, Issue 1 is focused on how to use your established brand to unlock new opportunities and beat your competition. Brooke Burke, featured in our cover story, is a great example of someone who’s successfully leveraged her brand. Brooke has taken the success of her TV and modeling career and used it to start her own company called Baboosh Baby. Since she is a well-known brand, she’s able to open doors and create new monetization opportunities. Whether you’re famous or just starting out, this issue will give you the tools and advice you need to create brand leverage in your industry.”

In my introduction for the magazine, I highlight the concept of using personal branding to create your own success. Social networking and brand building offers so much potential; I wanted my new book, Social Networking for Career Success, to include a bullet on the front saying, “Learn how to job search in your sleep,” because you can use your profiles and online networking to attract business prospects and jobs. In this issue, Nikolas Allen reminds readers, “One of the best results of creating a strong, coherent and positive personal brand is that, in time, opportunities start seeking you.” So true.

We all need to remember how much control we have over our career paths. In this issue, Howard Sholkin quotes Biz Stone, co-founder of Twitter, saying, “Opportunity can be manufactured. Yes, you can wait around for the right set of circumstances to fall into place and then leap into action, but you can also create those sets of circumstances on your own. In doing so, you manufacture your opportunities.”

I think that’s a great way to think about “personal branding” – an opportunity to manufacture your own opportunities.

Features

  • Full paid issue (August 1st):  22 articles
  • Sample issue (July 25th): 10 articles
  • Interviews with: Brooke Burke, Justin Haplern (Shit My DadSays), Jim Craig (Olympic Gold Medalist), Barbara Corcoran (ABC’s Shark Tank), Ali Brown, Adam Bryant (NY Times Columnist), and Peter Shankman (HARO).

Take a look!

Social networking, career advice

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The Web is buzzing with information and insights about Google+, Google’s new social network. My schedule finally allowed me to take some time to dive in to see what I think of Google+. One thing struck me: so much of social media, no matter the specifics, is similar. The reasons to use these networks (LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Google+) are the same:

1) To expand the number of people you know and who know you.

2) To learn new information pertinent to your field from mentors and thought leaders.

3) To illustrate your expertise with a community of people who may connect you to opportunities based on learning about you and what you know.

Thus far, my favorite network to direct clients has been Twitter, where there are no roadblocks or barricades to connecting and engaging with exponential numbers of potential contacts and colleagues. I believe Google+ has the potential to offer users the same levels of engagement and interaction, along with the benefit of the open network and ability to learn from and share with a “public” stream (like on Twitter).

To engage well, the importance of creating your profile and interacting efficiently is the same, no matter what network you use. For example, I noticed my advice is similar for creating your LinkedIn profile as it is for your Google profile. How you write a LinkedIn headline is the same and similarly important as your Google+ “occupation.” (Find my advice for LinkedIn headlines in a free chapter download from my book.)

While some recruiters have already been searching Google profiles to find good potential hires, no doubt the introduction of Google+ and its inevitable result — more people updating their existing Google profiles — will encourage more sourcers and recruiters to turn to these profiles to mine information about candidates. It’s up to you to make sure it’s easy for you to be found!

Even if you don’t have access to the limited Google+ beta, yet, start out by visiting Google profiles (http://www.google.com/profiles). Upload the same avatar you use for other social networks, so potential followers will easily recognize you. (Check this out for tips to select the right online photo.)

Add several professional photos at the top of your profile. Then, use the “introduction” to include your “pitch,” which could be very similar or the same as what you use in your LinkedIn “summary.” Unless you are in a really creative industry that values humor, fill in “bragging rights” with industry awards. As noted, “Occupation” is important. Use the advice in the sample chapter about LinkedIn’s headline to fill this in. (It can be especially tricky to describe your “occupation” if you are unemployed, but I walk you through all of the considerations in the sample chapter.)

Once your profile is complete, you’re ready to think about how you’d like to use Google+ (even if you don’t have an invitation, yet).

Take a look at some great graphic comparisons of the various networks on the TweetSmarter blog, where Dave and Sarah share information from Stefano Epifani and Hutch Carpenter (VP of Product, Spigit).

Learn more about Google+ and its new sharing tool, called “circles” from their introductory materials.

Rich DeMatteo, of Corn on the Job (and a contributor to Social Networking for Career Success) created a post linking to various information about Google+. Click through to review what several recruiters and coaches are saying.

Hannah Morgan, of Career Sherpa, (another book contributor) provides several useful Google+ resources in her post.

Stay tuned for more information about Google+. Please consider including me in your “Career Advice” circle. (No one has access to what your circles are named!) Find me in Google+ HERE.

Job search inspiration from New York City

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When I travel, I try not to worry about how often I blog. For me, I’ve found it’s better to try to have some new experiences to inspire my posts. I recently returned from New York City, where I visit every year to meet colleagues and to see family and friends. I have a list of job search related ideas to consider adding to my blog. I already wrote about how the horse-and-buggy driver provided a great lesson about defining your unique value proposition.

It’s been a hectic week returning from being away, so I thought I’d re-share a post I wrote several years ago after visiting NYC. I think it’s still relevant. Stay tuned for a few more career lessons inspired by my trip to the Big Apple!

Recently, I had an opportunity to ride the New York City subway. I say “opportunity,” because watching other passengers and what goes on in and around the subway offers an array of ideas for my blog.

One passenger stands out in my mind. Anyone who’s ridden the subway knows that you rarely get from point A to point B without encountering someone asking for money. Sometimes, it’s in exchange for some type of “entertainment,” other times simply because the person is hungry.

While sitting and minding my own business, I noticed a man in a wheelchair making his way through the train asking for change. At the other side of the train, another panhandler burst into the car with a loud and boisterous call for assistance. “Uh oh,” I thought, “Dueling panhandlers. What now?” The loud newcomer immediately noticed the man in the wheelchair. He stopped calling for a handout and came to sit down next to me.

I watched him go through his pockets and pull out all of his change. He counted it. It wasn’t much – maybe several dollars worth of coins. He sorted and fingered through it as I watched on the sly. He stood up and approached the man in the wheelchair. “What now?” I thought. I lived in NYC and rode the trains daily for years, but I don’t remember ever seeing two people in the same train car asking for money. (Maybe this is a sign of the times and is now commonplace.)

I admit that I was pretty surprised to see the man who had carefully counted his change offer a portion to the panhandler in the wheelchair. Here was someone who clearly didn’t have much offering part of his take to someone else who may have an even more difficult life.

I thought this made an inspiring story. Looking for a job is tough and trying work for even the most intrepid job seeker. Stop and take stock: how can you assist someone who needs help even more than you?

I’ve suggested volunteering as a great activity for a job seeker, as it offers networking opportunities as well as a chance to really give back to your community. But the panhandler offering some of his “loot” to another really put a spotlight on the issue of helping your neighbor.

photo by Shuggy™