August 27, 2012

To Tweet or Not To Tweet (When in Job Search)

Do you realize how accessible information is today versus perhaps even five years ago? Many people now know about LinkedIn company pages and options around finding information through LinkedIn. But now just about every company possesses social media recruiting strategies. Many marketing professionals must keep up on new social media strategies to stay relevant on a weekly and monthly basis. It’s become almost that intense for today’s job seekers. You now must become your own best social media marketing strategist when it comes to searching for a new job.

The dilemma for some people searching for a job is that they already have a job. It’s nice to know how easy it now is to find information on companies, connect to their Twitter or Facebook pages but how do you lock down your activity on “social” media so your current company is not alerted that you are searching for a job?

You Don’t Have to Tweet – I get push back seemingly all the time from people who believe they need to actually Tweet out messages on Twitter when the have a Twitter account. The bottom line? You do not have to Tweet to have a Twitter account. You can get a Twitter account with your name or you can make up a name for your Twitter account, follow key decision makers in your field, companies, recruiters and anyone else you want. You do not have to add your thoughts, tweets and personal bio on Twitter. In fact if you are looking for a job and part of your current job does not require you to be on or actively Tweeting it’s a good idea not to loudly broadcast your ideas or opinions out in this way.

When It’s Good to Tweet – It’s good to push messages out on Twitter if Twitter aligns exactly with your current company or organization’s strategy for you. For example, if you are your company’s Twitter person and your current company expects you to Tweet under your own name then go ahead and do it. Of course. Also, if your personal and professional brand would benefit from publishing, promoting or “tweeting” your thoughts then by all means add tweets to your conversation within your field and the world and tweet away.

Use Twitter as an LP – Now you old guard reading this far may be thinking vinyl album here. Hey, I hear vinyl records may make a little come back. But what do I mean but LP. I mean you should think about picking up a Twitter account to use as a Listening Post (LP). If you are looking for your next career opportunity then by all means pick up a Twitter account and make sure you follow, under an assumed name or a more anonymous name, key companies and their postings for jobs. You can use helpful resources like Tweet My Jobs as well for this kind of LP mentality. But what’s the point here? Listen to subject matter experts, issues related to your career and your profession. Listen to hiring authorities and subscribe to the kinds of Twitter feeds that will connect you to hiring decision makers.

Today social networking websites and online search engines have become a core human resources standard for attracting new talent. You need to tap into those resources daily for to be on the leading edge of job search whether you are confidentially looking for a job or starting the new discipline of your search. LinkedIn still serves as the most dominant player in the room but Twitter and Facebook will continue to dominate the world of online information collecting as you move in your career.

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August 20, 2012

Career Advice from Jordy Nelson and Warren Buffet

If you need to earnestly look for a job as someone in, around, or above the six-figure mark a few things may have changed for you in the last several years. Did you know that in most industries and markets there has been a recession? Some called this the Great Recession. Are we in it or out of it? At this moment we look squarely in the eyes of new leadership in Washington, DC regardless of who the CEO elected or re-elected as President may be. What can we expect in the next four years? I really do not have predictions here; however, I can bring to you several career, personal branding and job search oriented myths worth knowing then quickly avoiding as you look at the next four years. Choose to think differently about your career then you did in the last four years. Of course I can read everything through the career lens and I guess I do. Here are a couple of nuggets I thought about this week from a young athlete and a wise billionaire.

Jordy Nelson – Just because you have a career, a title and a strong income doesnt mean it will always be there. Expect the next four years to usher in lots of change and even faster changes in corporations. One way to think properly is to think like a smart NFL player. In other words think like a top NFL player or anyone who lives in the present. I heard a football player interviewed on ESPN radio the other night. The interviewer said to this kid, yes kid, something like this as I remember: “Jordy, going from basically a walk on in college to being on the receiving end of one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, do you ever look back at the Super Bowl win and your accomplishments and say wow?” It was funny because there was a delay on the other end and the interviewer was waiting for Jordy Nelson of the Green Bay Packers to reply. “I guess his cell went out. We’ll try to get Jordy back on the line.” After a few more seconds Jordy got back on the other end of the phone. The interviewer asked him the question again and Jordy said: ” I just live for the moment in this league. I mean according to experts I shouldn’t even be here and I started as a defensive back. Anything can happen to end or change your career on any one play. I may read my press clippings later but I am just trying to be the best I can be for Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers and of course my friends, family, coaches and myself.” To me this lesson to top performing executives is clear. Work like it’s your last day and work like you don’t have it made for years and years. Continue to earn your next opportunity while your in your current opportunity. You may not have to deal with a 269 pound lineman running a 4.5 second 40 into you but you might. Be ready for any career storm.

Warren Buffett – So many clients I see in my office never expected the “hit” of losing their job to hit them. But it happened. Some people who have left there position learned about a buyout and had two weeks to prepare to be gone. I just saw that happen recently where Berkshire Hathaway bought a company. The word at the company was when Buffet buys you you better start looking for a job. According to my client Warren Buffett likes “to bring in his own people to run companies, not always, but almost always.” So the person knew that despite their own top, executive performance it would be time to go. Instead of “hanging on” to the position my client hired us and we went to work to find the next executive opportunity. Indirectly I feel like Warren Buffett’s advice is that even if you are a top performer you may have a job and even if you are a top performer I may want to bring in my team. My team fits better with the kind of leadership and direction I want so it may be time for you to go. Actually on YouTube here is what he said as his best career advice from his father is the biggest advice is to “offer unconditional love…I would say that every parent out there that can extend that to a child at a very young age is going to make a better human being.” Here is more http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_d5fZB0K6o if you want to watch it for yourself.

Lastly it may seem to ring hollow about career advice from a company who comes in and let’s key people go to improve the company but that’s not always the worst thing a Berkshire Hathaway and a Warren Buffett can do here. What can we learn from Buffett and Nelson? Be ready for anything. Don’t worry about your role now because it could change. Live in the moment. Don’t read your press clippings. Don’t think you are let go or need to leave a company as a bad thing. Any good thing and often something perceived as a bad thing can end abruptly. Ending a job or career option for now doesn’t mean your a failure. Well I could just go on. What has been your best career advice as a kid or as an athlete or as a professional?

Image Credit: Instantshift.com

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August 08, 2012

How to Network Like An Event Planner

To make the most of any event you really need to find out about your Guest List. What if you found out about a guest list in advance for every event you planned to attend? In general networking events where it’s whoever shows up this may seem really hard. But if you were an event planner you certainly would know what to do to find the all important guest list. How even planners handle guests, speakers, hired crew and others matter. How you network at any kind of formal or informal meetings matter. Additionally, please look at this advice for online and in person events. Why do they need to be mutually exclusive?

Here are a few secrets from the world of event planning that may help you:

Invite Key People to Events
People in career transition seem to focus on events where they may meet key decision makers. This tactic works and should be utilized by anyone in a career advancement mode or career transition mode. How can you think  like an event planner in this case? Think guest list. What events do you plan to attend and who do you want to attend those events? Why don’t you become proactive in your networking instead of reactive and invite people, influencers and powerful connections to an event? This will help you break the ice with critical new contacts and open doors. Event planners think guests lists and so even you aren’t technically considered the event planner start inviting a who’s who of who you need to know. New contacts? Key executives? Decision makers? People you need to know? All of these and more would be good choices.

Event Planners Need Volunteers
To make the most out of your networking think like a highly stressed event planner. What happens at most events? Do event planners have enough paid help and volunteers to do all they need to do to pull off the event – big or small? Ask any event planner if they would like productive, spirited and helpful people to volunteer and I think you will find a yes answer from them. So volunteer to assist with the guest list, the set up and with any kind of prior, during or post event hosting. To think like an event planner, it should not matter the size of the event. Anyone who plans an event needs help. By volunteering you may add value, be remembered and actually have access to people, information and benefits that others who attend will not have at their disposal. What good can come out of a tactic like this one? You gain a reference in the event planner and their staff for volunteering. You may have access to people, information and insight that others don’t. You may be recognized publicly. The list can go on.

Get a Positive Out of Every Event
I love events for anyone in a career progression and career transition mode but I often hear people say things like I just didn’t get that much out of the event. A thought process focusing on positive outcomes helps here. Look for association or industry events where you can learn, connect and follow up with people involved. Event planners cannot take the risk on creating an event that does not work. They do not have a choice to attend an event; they must do their best and make the most out of the event. So if you attend the event you can determine, by planning, productive outcomes. What value could you get out of an event even if you do not make a key connection for your career or career search? Look at each event as a learning experience and get at least one or more positive out of every event you attend.

Here are five ideas:
1. Obtain Information and Put It to Use. Use the information you gain and blog about it or use it in an article that you author on the subject of the event.

2. Springboard Into New Conversations. Master the ideas talked about at the event to start new conversations and inform others.

3. Build Your Resume. Add the event to a new section on your Linked In profile or resume called Recent Training or add the information that you learned/performed into the body of your resume.

4. Brainstorm Productive Ideas. Write down ideas for future events or how to improve the event experience and write this or share this with the event host or event planner.

5. Own It. Take notes on how to create an event of your own based on the pros and cons of this event.

As an event planner always focus on the small details. Whether you attend virtual or in person events remember every aspect of the event needs attention. How can you make the most of your time as your own event planner to advance your career?

Image Credit: instantshift.com

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