Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

People to follow on Twitter to accelerate your job hunt

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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!

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Network with strangers

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My social Network on Flickr, Facebook, Twitter...
Image by luc legay via Flickr

I coach my clients to cultivate loose networking ties. (Effectively, connect with people outside of your immediate circle.) Many wonder how useful it is to reach out, especially  online, to people they only expect to “know” via the Internet.

My colleague, JT O’Donnell, recently wrote a great piece for Mashable asking, “Would you refer a stranger to a job?” Her response to her own question:

“I guess that all depends on what your definition of ‘stranger’ is these days…Last week, I sent an email to an HR Director introducing a candidate. Seems normal, right? Well, the catch is that I’ve never met the person I referred, or the HR Director – in person, that is. I met them on LinkedIn.”

JT explains her thought process in referring a virtual stranger for an opportunity:

1. In my mind, she’s not a stranger. While it is true that 93% of effective communication between two people is done face-to-face (i.e. voice tone and pace, eye contact, body language, facial expressions, etc.), the reality is that she only got to use 7% of her communication skills (the words and style of her writing) by e-mail to connect with me. I had multiple dialogs with her online – and all of them were consistently professional and enjoyable.

2. Networking online is easy an efficient. These days, it is estimated that over 80% of jobs are gotten by referral. FACT: The ‘Six Degrees of Separation Theory’ truly applies when it comes to job search. Just look at the evidence: it took me all of three minutes to learn that I was only two contacts away from the HR Director she wanted to meet, and just another five minutes of my time to send the e-mail recommending her.

3. Being helpful is good for your business-of-one. Leveraging our contacts online to help someone find a job in this economy is thoughtful and much needed. Not to mention, it boosts your own credibility as a professional. Besides, you just never know when you might need the favor returned. The reality is that anyone you refer still has to get the job, the assignment, or the sale on their own. So, it’s not a big investment on your part. I actually think the returns are greater for the person who does the referring.

I think that JT’s story is a wonderful reminder to job seekers – do NOT underestimate the value of “loose” connections and the opportunity to build relationships using technology and social media.

The majority of the 80% of jobs found via networking are not likely to be a result of “close” connections – What I like to call the “brother-in-law phenomenon,” where you have to hope your family member can connect you to an opportunity. Things are much more in the job seeker’s hands than that!

This contact JT  described in this story did everything right by building a relationship first. She did not cut to the chase to ask for a “favor.” JT was willing to refer the job seeker because she had a good feeling about her skills – and a sense that she would behave in a similarly professional way when connecting with another contact.

Job seekers who learn how to form relationships with people instead of looking at “networking” as a chore will be the success stories we career coaches point out for everyone else!

Use LinkedIn, Twitter and FaceBook to propel your search! I would be happy to help teach you how to leverage your job search network for success. Contact me!

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When should you take a mediocre job?

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In today’s economy, it is tough to counsel “choice” to job seekers. When bills need to be paid, and jobs seem few and far between, many don’t consider “options” as part of their job hunting mentality. That said, taking a bad job probably is not the wisest career move.

Forbes.com recently advised that it is “probably never” a good idea to take a job out of desperation.

Read the rest on my blog at GreatPlaceJobs…


Don’t get to the point of being desperate! Get help for your hunt today! Need a resume? Don’t know how to get started on your search? Keppie Careers is here to help!


photo by paperbackwriter

How to get ahead at work. Review of The High Achiever's Secret Codebook

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I am happy to share a review of a new book by Sandra Naiman, The High Achiever’s Secret Codebook. As a special treat, I’ll be offering a free copy of the book as a prize, courtesty of Jist Works Publishers, to one of my lucky readers…Be sure to read on for details about how to enter.

This book offers readers “Seven Secrets” to help careerists succeed at work. These rules, the author suggests, can make the difference between the professional who achieves his or her goals at work and the other, equally talented professional, who falters, stumbles and possibly never recovers.

I appreciate and agree with the author’s premise that how people perceive you at work is just as important as the choices you make. A successful leader must function in a nuanced, ever changing environment full of personalities, egos and varying interests. How to succeed? To start, remember Naiman’s message: “You are never finished getting off to a great start” and take action to learn how to conduct yourself in ways that help you get ahead.

The rules?

Tread lightly. Learn how to overcome your instincts to jump in and have an immediate impact. Instead, slowly integrate into an organization to lay a foundation for success.

Play nice with everyone. Understand where the influence in the organization rests. Note – it’s not always where you think!

Yield the floor. Don’t focus on “right” and “wrong.” Learn to incorporate a variety of factors before making a decision.

Listen between the lines. Be alert to feedback that may not come via your performance review.

Get over yourself. Don’t get too comfortable!

Blow your horn softly. Let others know what you have to offer without being labeled a blatant self-promoter.

Keep sight of the shore. Be mindful of the fine line between self-confidence and overconfidence.

The book is full of great advice, stories and action items to help you succeed in virtually any situation. It offers a plethora of common sense suggestions and ideas you may not have considered. For example:

  • “Be careful your email messages are not too brief. “Brief can be synonymous with “brusque.”
  • “Lower your voice and speak slowly and deliberately” to cue your body to relax in stressful situations.
  • “Talking about others is an excellent way to go about self-promotion.”

This book’s common sense and useful information will help readers understand and implement approaches that will help them be better employees, better managers and more successful in their business and personal lives.

I promised that one lucky reader will win a copy of The High Achiever’s Secret Codebook. For your chance to win, share an idea or “rule” that you live by (or know you should live by) at work. What has helped you succeed? Or, share a story about how you (or a colleague) didn’t conduct yourself so well. No ideas yet? Feel free to write why you’d like to win this book! You don’t need to use your full name, but do be sure to include a valid email address so I can contact you if you win. I’ll choose one commentator from comments on all of my blogs. Feel free to enter at each one:

Examiner.com
GreatPlaceJobs
Secrets of the Job Hunt

I’ll draw a winner on Friday!


Quoted in the Wall Street Journal!

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I wanted to share a piece in the Wall Street Journal written by Jonnelle Marte advising job seekers to consider creating an online presence to enhance their personal brands. I was delighted that Jonnelle contacted me to serve as a source for the article and even happier that she included a quote from me.

Read the complete story HERE.

How may I help you propel your job hunt forward? Don’t hesitate to be in touch!

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