5 Twitter Job Services For Some Real-Time Job Search

by Saikat Basu


Twitter may not merit a serious look as a job hunting and recruitment tool. But that’s something a fresher or even an experienced professional will be ill advised to overlook. You can bet that when Twitter increasingly has the power to spread revolutions, it can be a vital ally of your job hunting campaign.
In its overreaching popularity lies its job hunting prowess. Companies are increasingly using it spread their updates. Vacancies and recruitment’s are just one of them.
Even if you do a simple search for a job lead on Twitter, you will be surprised at the number of links that total up. I am not even telling you to do an advanced Twitter search or develop industry specific social strategy. We are talking here of Twitter services that do the job of distilling relevant job tweets for you so that you can find jobs on Twitter.
Here are five of them.

Tweet My Jobs

Somehow the image on this Twitter job app says it all. It is probably the largest Twitter job board on the web. The About page says that they have 10,052 vertical job channels segmented by geography, job type, and industry. The service is used by people on both sides of the table, the recruiters as well as the job seekers. It is free for job seekers. As a job seeker, you can sign-up and subscribe to a channel of your interest. Any news jobs available are sent as instant notifications as a Twitter feed or on your mobile. Beyond this, you can use the service like a regular job site: post your resume to companies or forward jobs to friends. Using TweetMap, a Google Maps mashup, you can geographically target jobs of your interest.

TwitJobSearch

This Twitter job search engine is another well designed and maintained service which could be the answer to your job search prayers. You can instantly sign-in with your Twitter account and start a hunt. The site allows you to save jobs to your account, have an online resume, and network.  Creating a profile on this web service involves some fine-detailing as recruiters see what has been posted. You can also link the public LinkedIn URL or any other online CV you might have. The Advanced Search is just one way to trawl through Twitter job updates. For an industry specific browse, you can go to the directory which lists ‘Job Accounts’ for selected countries. Using the Job Map, you can visually see the jobs that have been tweeted about in the last 72 hours. The site also has a free iPhone app.

Job Shouts

The easiest way to get the dope on the latest job postings collected by this site is via Twitter. JobShouts.com is a social search tool for jobs across many job boards that include LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. All jobs are screened by the site, so the potential to hit the genuine ones is much higher for the job seeker.

Sites 4 - 5 and Complete Article

When Your Dream Company Is Hiring on Twitter

More companies are launching Twitter handles specifically to lure job applicants

By Alexis Grant

As more companies warm to the idea of recruiting on Twitter, the world of tweets, at symbols, and hashtags is becoming populated with a new kind of handle: usernames created specifically to lure applicants. And for job seekers, that means opportunity.

Think @HersheyCareers, @JobsatGates (by the Gates Foundation), @GEconnections, and @xboxjobs. Recruiters behind these handles—that's Twitterspeak for username on the social networking site—say interacting there helps them find talented candidates who aren't necessarily looking for a job and makes their company more appealing to applicants who are already in the running for positions. Spin that 180 degrees, and you've got a way for job seekers to connect directly with hiring managers, gain valuable insight about companies they want to work for, and even hear about openings before they're listed on over-crowded job boards.

"It's a fun way to interact that acts as a reminder for both parties that there's a real person in that recruiter role or at the other end of that resume," says Christopher Hoyt, who works on social recruiting strategies for PepsiCo and is one of the voices behind @PepsiCoJOBS. "[Candidates] are looking for confirmation that their resume doesn't just go into a black hole." PepsiCo launched the jobs handle about six months ago, Hoyt says, and it drives more traffic to the company's careers portal than LinkedIn or Facebook.


Many jobs-specific handles are new and have only a few hundred followers. But some organizations have made growing their jobs handle nearly as important as the company's main Twitter handle. Take Twitter itself: @JoinTheFlock, which launched in early 2010, has more than 94,000 followers, an impressive number by Twitter standards. (It helps, of course, that Twitter is a sought-after place to work among the tech community.)

More than half of human resources professionals now use social networking tools to source potential job candidates, according to a new poll from the Society for Human Resource Management. That's up from a third in 2008. But the majority of organizations focus recruiting efforts on LinkedIn. Of those who use social media for recruiting, 95 percent use LinkedIn, 58 percent use Facebook, and 42 percent use Twitter, the organization reports.

More Information and Complete USNews Article

Using Twitter For Career Networking

Evan Britton, ResourceWebs

There is an enormous amount of activity happening on Twitter each minute.  This activity opens up endless opportunities for businesses, marketers, and individuals. One rarely talked about strategy for utilizing Twitter’s widespread popularity is the seeking out of career connections on Twitter.

Many career experts discuss how to get hired from LinkedIn and how to find a job on Facebook; and while these continue to be solid job searching options, countless job seekers are already doing this.  One advantage of taking to Twitter for your career networking and job search quest is that you will be differentiating yourself and potentially giving yourself a chance to stand out from the crowd.

The first thing you should do is clean up your Twitter profile.  Make sure that your Twitter profile picture is a good head shot of yourself and also make sure your Twitter user name is professional.  You can easily change your Twitter user name if you don't feel it is appropriate for potential employers.  Lastly, make sure your bio talks about the sector for which you are seeking work.

Your Twitter updates should include relevant Tweets about your industry.  It is of course ok if some of your Tweets are personal, but it is wise to Tweet about your industry and job sector as it will show your passion and interest in your craft.  You should also Retweet others who post updates about your niche.

Read The Rest Of The Article and more: http://www.businessinsider.com/using-twitter-for-career-networking-2011-4#ixzz1IZYzV41w

Is Twitter the New LinkedIn?

Posted by Katie Kindelan


Pulling a page straight from the Charlie Sheen playbook, a prominent ad agency just hired its summer interns based on a search conducted solely through Twitter.  First Charlie Sheen and now an established advertising firm, it begs the question:  is Twitter #winning as the new LinkedIn?


Twitter, the real time social network better known for introducing random thoughts in 140 characters or less, may just be moving into a new market:  job search tool.

Sheen, the troubled actor turned Twitter phenom, was the first to give the Twitter job search trend a boost earlier this month when he turned not to Careers.com, Monster.com or LinkedIn to advertise for an intern.
He sent a Tweet.

And 70,000 people applied to his #winning hashtag, while nearly 100,000 people clicked on the link in the first hour, AllTwitter reported at the time.

And now, one of the nation’s top ad agencies, Minneapolis-based Campbell Mithun, for the first time put its annual “Lucky 13” internship search solely on Twitter, and got its largest response ever.

Read the complete SocialTimes.com post

5 Worst Reasons to Use Twitter for Your Job Search

by Susan P. Joyce


5 Worst Reasons to Use Twitter for Job Search:
1.  Because your job search coach or career counselor told you that you should do it.
2.  Because you read somewhere that you should do it.
3.  Because “everyone else” is doing it.
4.  Because your spouse/significant other/teenager/tweener/neighbor set it up for you.
5.  Because you don’t have anything better to do.


Much MUCH better reasons to use Twitter for your job search exist! 



5 Best Reasons to Use Twitter for Your Job Search:





Online job search expert Susan P. Joyce, USMC veteran, has been observing the online job search world and teaching online job search skills since 1995. Susan is a two-time layoff “graduate” who has worked in human resources at Harvard University and in a compensation consulting firm. In 1998, her company, NETability, Inc. purchased Job-Hunt.org, and Susan has been editor and publisher of Job-Hunt since then. Follow Susan on Twitter at @JobHuntOrg.

Tweets can be used to impress employers

BY ALISHA YADAV | Editor-in-chief Purdue Exponent

I'm late to the Twitter party.
I messed up; I'm behind. I used to tweet occasionally, then Twitter smacked me in the face. It was everywhere, in virtually every aspect of my life, and here I was with ten tweets. Not anymore.

As a student journalist, college student, 19-year-old, smartphone owner and news junkie, Twitter is suddenly everywhere I look. Twitter helped start a revolution in Egypt and it's now supposed to be on my resume.

During last week's liberal arts career fair, Kyle Lacy, the man who wrote "Twitter Marketing for Dummies," came and spoke to students. He said that every student on Twitter should tweet six times a day - two retweets, two professional updates and two personal tweets. One's Twitter name can be put on one's resume next to one's GPA, e-mail address and reference list. I like to update my resume every couple of months, just in case, and now I'm supposed to add on my Twitter name? That concept baffles me.

LinkedIn made sense. The initial concept of LinkedIn was to put resumes online then be able to track your connections online. It's like a virtual career fair - your resume is out there for everyone to see and you can make connections and work contacts instantly. Twitter started with the connotation that it was a forum where you or I could post updates about our lives throughout the day and someone out there in cyberspace would be listening. It has done an excellent job of defining itself as something multi-faceted - it's a resume booster, a front page for different news sources and a place for Kanye West to exercise his caps lock key.

I'm not the only one late to the Twitter party or the only one who's suddenly discovered its potential - JP Morgan is in talks to buy a 10 percent stake of the company. It would value Twitter at $4.5 billion.

Student journalists have utilized Twitter in a creative way, too. A trend that has become increasingly more popular among student journalists is to tweet at sources for a story asking for interviews. The popular blog College Media Matters wrote a post about proper Twitter etiquette when tweeting a source. The post said to make sure the student includes a description of what his or her story is about and is sure to thank the potential source - all in 140 characters or less. The post also suggests that student journalists keep their Twitter feeds public, something I only recently changed. After being on Facebook for four years, I feel trained to protect as much of my personal information as possible. With Twitter, however, users are almost encouraged to put less about their personal information, like their birthday, hometown, etc., and more what they're doing in that moment.

Read The Rest Of The Exponent Article

Ascent of the social-media climbers

By Beth Teitell

Globe Staff 


After Valentina Monte accepts a date, the Boston University junior quickly goes online to see how many Twitter followers her suitor has. She checks her own follower count three times a day. When she meets someone who admits to following more people than follow him, she judges. “That means you’re a loser.’’

So when her Klout score hit an impressive 59 out of 100 recently, making it almost as high as Jay Leno’s score of 65, she was ecstatic. “I felt worthy.’’

Klout score? Learn it or, as Monte would say, be judged. Klout.com is one of a number of new status-measuring tools aimed at making social networking more like high school than it already is. Sites such as Klout and PeerIndex.net take public information from Twitter, and sometimes Facebook and LinkedIn, to determine a person’s influence on social media. Anyone can check her score or a rival’s by going to one of the sites and putting in her Twitter handle.

The companies use secret algorithms that go beyond simple numbers of followers — which can be bought in bulk — or friends or fans, and count retweets, the number of links clicked, and even how influential one’s followers are, among other indicators.

“A credit score for your reputation,’’ is how Dave Wieneke, director of digital marketing at Sokolove Law, in Boston, describes the Klout score.

Although many don’t know enough to worry about their Klout scores, for those keeping track, it can be one more ego boost or slap. “There’s a lot of emotion around this,’’ said Mark Schaefer, author of the “Tao of Twitter: Changing Your Life and Business 140 Characters at a Time.’’ “Generally it comes from people who have a low Klout score.’’

Garth Holsinger, vice president of global sales and business development at the San Francisco-based Klout, sees the desperation on a daily basis. “People call and say, ‘I work in social media, and I’m going to lose my job if my score doesn’t rise.’ We get celebrity managers asking how they can get their clients’ scores higher. We get people who are literally crying because their Klout score went down.’’

The stakes may only rise, Klout-wise. The company, which was founded in 2008, recently raised $8.5 million in new funding and said it plans to measure influence in more social networks — and beyond, to capture industry leaders who don’t bother tweeting or friending people.

Schaefer, an adjunct professor of marketing at Rutgers University, said the new score-keeping tools create a “disturbing’’ social media caste system that he dislikes. But, he adds, “from a marketer’s standpoint, they’re a dream.’’

Read The Rest Of The Boston Globe Article

LinkedIn reveals best time to ask for a promotion

Do you think you deserve a promotion? A LinkedIn survey reveals when the best month to do it and career coach Phyllis Reardon gives you tips on how to prepare for your big pitch.
By: Nestor E. Arellano



f you didn't get promoted last month, don't lose heart – you still have eight more months this year to convince your boss that you've been working smart and hard, according to LinkedIn.
The online social networking site that focuses on career-based connections recently released a survey that indicates January, September and April are the top three months for professionals in Canada to get promoted within their company.
The global survey tracked promotion trends in companies of all sizes in the information technology and sciences, higher education, management consulting, and retail industries. By analyzing more than 90 million LinkedIn member's career histories, the site was able to observe the evolution of labour market trends and discover some “surprising, interesting or simply fun insights,” according to Monica Rogati, senior research analyst for analytics at LinkedIn in San Francisco.
For decades, January has been the top month for promotions, but the month is losing its claim to fame as more promotions are starting to be given out evenly throughout the year, Rogati said in a recent blog. “During the 1990s, 22 per cent of the promotions occurred in January, but in the most recent decade that number decreased to 16 per cent.”


The LinkedIn analyst attributes the trend to the rise of so-called millennials (individuals born in the 1980 and 1990s) in the workforce.
Compared to their parent's generation – the baby boomers – their promotions are less concentrated in January and instead spread more evenly throughout the year, according to LinkedIn's findings.
What's behind the shift? “Perhaps millennials have outlandish expectations of the workplace and are asking for promotions throughout the year,” said Rogati.
LinkedIn is also looking into the following possibilities:

• Do baby boomers hold more senior positions that are budgeted on a yearly cycle compared to the more junior positions held by millennials?
• Could it be that millennials are over-represented in industries where fast career progression is the norm? If so, is it a matter of correlation or causation?
• Are titles split across more “levels” these days? Has the labor market adapted to a workforce that demands more frequent incentives and feels a constant need to level up?

If you have any insights you'd like to share with LinkedIn, you can answer their poll here.

Read Complete Article

HOW TO: Use Career Branding to Bring Jobs to You

First of all, career branding is not the same as personal branding. Personal branding is everywhere, and people are starting to develop their personal brands with earnest. But what about career branding? What’s the difference between the two? It’s really quite simple. Personal branding is all about you, what you do, and the type of person you are and portray. A career brand is part of your personal brand, focused on highlighting your current and past professional accomplishments.
Finding a job in this market is harder than it ever has been. Gone are the days of merely looking for jobs on boards. Job searching has evolved into a two-way stream of conversations, connections, and ideas with individuals from around the world.
To pass the competition, you must impress employers with your online presence, your résumé, and in person. To do this, you need to present the unique value you bring to the table. Think of it like this: You are the “product,” and your potential employer is the “target audience.” Your message must compel the target audience to purchase the product. A successful career brand does just that.
Here are a few tips to get you started:
Make Your Brand Sizzle
Determine what special “features” you have to offer that your competitors don’t. This could be any and all of your skills, work experience, and even volunteer experience—it’s all valuable. As a leader in your industry, you have a unique blend of qualifications, talents, expertise, and accomplishments to offer a potential employer.
Use the Right Mediums
Showcase these strong points where recruiters and hiring managers can see—LinkedIn, and increasingly Facebook and Twitter, are great networks for this. Engage in discussions with employers—start by asking questions. Your involvement shows initiative and won’t be overlooked.

Read The Complete Career Rocketeer Article


Guest Expert:
Greg Coyle is the co-founder and Director of Product Development at MyWebCareer. For the past year, Greg and his co-founders at MyWebCareer have been working on developing online tools for career professionals that enable you to discover, evaluate, and monitor your professional online brand. You can visit the beta at www.mywebcareer.com and get your free, personalized Career Score.

Recruiters Rethink Online Playbook

By JOE LIGHT

As recruiters wade cautiously back into hiring mode, they're throwing out their old playbooks. Rather than sift through mounds of online applications, they are going out to hunt for candidates themselves.

Sodexo's U.S. unit has cut job posts on third-party sites since the recession started. Above, its Paris offices.

Many plan to scale back their use of online job boards, which they say generate mostly unqualified leads, and hunt for candidates with a particular expertise on places like LinkedIn Corp.'s professional networking site before they post an opening. As the market gets more competitive again, they are hiring recruiters with expertise in headhunting and networking, rather than those with experience processing paperwork.

Inundated by online applicants, McLean, Va.-based government contractor Science Applications International Corp. plans to cut the number of job boards it uses in the coming fiscal year to six from 15 or so, says company vice president Kara Yarnot.
SAIC has asked its 125 U.S. recruiters to find candidates for analyst, engineering, and other jobs on professional social networks instead.

"It's almost a throwback to the old, dial-for-dollars method of recruiting," says Ms. Yarnot. "We need to reach candidates earlier, before they're being pursued by competitors."

About 24% of companies plan to decrease their usage of third-party employment websites and job boards this year, according to a December survey from the Corporate Executive Board Co., a business consulting firm. Meanwhile, nearly 80% of respondents said they plan to increase their use of job-board alternative methods this year, such as employee referrals and other websites like Facebook Inc. or LinkedIn.

Food services company Sodexo USA, owned by Paris-based Sodexo SA, slashed the number of jobs it posts to third-party job boards by more than half since the recession started, says vice president of talent acquisition Arie Ball. The number of applications to some executive openings at Sodexo rose more than 50% to 300 since the downturn started, Ms. Ball says, but the increase brought many unqualified candidates.

"Recruiters had to put in all this extra time to read applications but we didn't get benefit from it," she says. Now, the company is hiring different types of recruiters who specialize in headhunting, including finding candidates to poach from competitors, rather than those who are good at processing and filtering applications.

Companies are adapting their plans as they start hiring again after the downturn. Between November 2009 and November 2010, the total number of job openings rose 32%, according to the Labor Department.

Job seekers who were reluctant to leave their existing jobs—as well as unemployed workers sitting on the sidelines—have begun casting about for opportunities, too. Between December 2009 and December 2010, recruiters saw a 17% increase in applications per opening, according to the Corporate Executive Board.

The trend has in many ways been a boon for job boards, which say they haven't noticed any impact from some companies' pullback. But some of the largest sites acknowledge that the new environment means they must do more to keep customers happy.

In the coming months, Monster Worldwide Inc. plans to roll out technology that ranks candidates based on how well their applications fit requirements set by the recruiter, says chief global marketing officer Ted Gilvar. The product has been available to some customers since late last year.

Pittsburgh-based PNC Financial Services Group Inc. remains concerned that relying too much on job boards could be bad for business.

Read The Rest Of The Wall Street Journal Article

Help! I’m boring. What would I tweet about?

By jamessnider

I lead social media labs for job seekers in the Dallas – Fort Worth area. After we have spruced up their LinkedIn profile, we frequently move on to Twitter as the next social media platform of interest. I often hear the same objection, “My life is boring….my job is boring…I am boring….what would I possibly have to tweet about?”

Let me introduce myself to you, “Hi. I’m James Snider, semiconductor marketer.” You know, I can not remember the last time I saw an action movie where the main character was a semiconductor marketer. It is just not that interesting.

So what am I going to tweet about? I could talk about the cost of through-hole vias or applications where gallium arsenide makes sense. I would probably put together a network of about 5 super geeky followers. However, it is not the super geeks who are going to hire a marketer. It is upper management I am after.

I am going to tweet about where semiconductor production is ramping up. Hint, think “southeast asia” as in “Viet Nam.” How did I find this information? I went to a Happy Hour with a bunch of my former bosses (and boss’s bosses). They are all VPs, CEOs, angel investors and the like. I just asked the question and then tweeted what they told me.

Which semiconductor companies are starting to make money or held their own during the terrible 2010 market? I stumbled across a great list on the Yahoo! financial web site. I was checking to see if my shares of Google were making any money (getting closer…maybe in 2011) and read an article about what stocks are set to pop…and why. I tweeted it.

Which semiconductor companies are starting to hire aggressively? I read it on Twitter. Retweets are fair.

What sorts of people are interested in this sort information? CEOs, CMOs, VPs Marketing, Directors….all the sorts of people whose attention I would like to attract. By making myself a source of good information…the sort of information people in my segment would like to know about, I build a good reputation and make myself a “person of interest” to people who might like to hire me.

James Snider
Global Business Development and Social Media Marketing
jsnider1394@gmail.com
817-905-1394
Anyone can give you social media. I make sure it’s marketing.

Original Post

Create Your Own Brand

By GLORIA LAU

Recently, PricewaterhouseCoopers' Paula Loop was at an event talking to MBA students trying to get noticed. "Those who had unique stories and personal brands still stand out in my mind," Loop, the U.S. and global talent leader for PwC, told IBD. "Everybody else ... a recruiter might not remember at all."

People at any point in their careers, not only those just finishing their master's in business, should develop a professional identity and use it to promote themselves, she says. Loop, based at PwC headquarters in New York City, and Ignacio Gallardo, associate director of career services at the University of California, Santa Barbara, share tips on building such an identity.

• Craft an elevator pitch. "Being able to do this well is invaluable," Loop said. Draft five sentences. The first two should highlight your background. Your middle sentence should cover what you've done recently and show your interests. If you spent the summer managing an orphanage in Thailand, mention it. The final sentences should address what you're seeking in a job and career. Keep it succinct, persuasive and memorable.

Loop suggests this approach: "My background is in consumer products. I've always worked in industries where I sell products to children. Recently I went to an innovation conference and saw all the great toys coming out. I want to join one of those companies to help bring their products to market."

• Highlight desires. "Passion is attractive to recruiters and demonstrates traits such as commitment, well-roundedness and enthusiasm," Loop said. "Do some soul-searching. What excites you when you work? ... What made you feel good about your job this week? These are your passions. When you walk out the door, they're still running through your head."

• Maintain links. Your network begins with family and friends, old schoolmates and folks from prior jobs. Schedule an hour every week to call, e-mail or meet contacts. Force yourself to do this regularly.

• Manage your online brand. Having an appropriate online presence can give colleagues and potential employers a good impression. Google yourself to see what pops up and put together a thoughtful profile, including what you've accomplished, on career networking sites such as LinkedIn, the privately held Mountain View, Calif., company. Keep it updated and invite others to join your network. Said Gallardo: "When I go to networking events, I collect business cards, look the names up on LinkedIn and invite them to connect. I customize the invitation to include something we discussed. ... I also use LinkedIn to connect to people I haven't spoken to in a while."

page 2 and the original article

14 ways to make LinkedIn work for your career

By Louisa Veidelis



Whether you’re happy in your job or are itching for new opportunities, signing up to LinkedIn and exploring its features can open up many opportunities for your career down the track.

LinkedIn was launched as a professional networking site 2003 and has become an essential networking tool, with 875,000 users in Australia, more than 50 million worldwide and many employers using the site to recruit staff.

So it’s time to stop ignoring all those invitations, and get linked in now.

1. Starting out: promote yourself
Admit it – do you Google yourself? Well, prospective employers will be sure to check out your online baggage too. Interestingly, an effectively built LinkedIn profile will appear above your Facebook page in search results, which gives a better first professional impression.

Once you sign up, change your profile to public in the ‘edit profile’ options. You can also customise your URL to make it more user friendly, featuring your first and last name. You can now include that URL on your resume and on your personal business cards.

2. Reconnect with old contacts
Finally, here’s a way to reconnect with old colleagues and people you meet at networking events. Better that industry contacts see your amazing work history rather than those embarrassing Facebook pics of you on a pub crawl.

Any less than 30 connections can look a little lonely but don’t go crazy adding every Tom, Dick and Harry – limit your connections to those people you truly want to stay in touch with.

And if any undesirables request you as a contact, you can simply archive their request to avoid awkwardness.

You also have the opportunity to view the connections of your connections (or, ‘second-degree connections’). If you would get in touch with one of them you can simply ask your contact for an introduction.

3. Connect your websites
LinkedIn provides a central hub to connect all the various websites displaying your ideas and skills – including Twitter, blogs, your portfolio and company websites.

4. Include a photo
While the jury’s still out on adding a photo to a traditional resume, including your headshot in your LinkedIn profile is a good way to add your personality to your profile. Make sure it’s a professional-looking shot – it’s not the place to show off your latest designer bikini.

5. Get headhunted – use keywords
LinkedIn recently revealed that over 1000 companies in Australia use LinkedIn Talent Advantage to hire. Companies advertise jobs on the site and search users to find people with the exact skills they need. Promoting your skills effectively could the difference between being noticed and missing out.

People can search the database using keywords. Search results are displayed by keyword relevance, with the most important words being those included in a user’s headline and summary. Keyword density is also a factor, so try to repeat your main keywords a few times throughout your profile.

6. Create a strong headline
LinkedIn will make your current job title your headline by default, but you can change this to something more impressive or eye-catching. For example, if you are a freelance proofreader, you could make your headline ‘Independent Editorial and Proofreading Professional’.



Tips 7 - 14 and Original Article

Why I’m using Twitter to find a job

One thing I’ve consistently believed during my search for a new job is that it’s important to stand out from the crowd writes job-seeking blogger James Alexander.

For instance, it was recently reported on this blog about someone who actually made a nice little exhibition stand and used themselves as an exhibit to attract an employer into taking him on.
I think it’s also important to vary the ways in which one looks for a job now.

Whilst the job centre remains the biggest advertiser of new positions, there is a trend now for jobs to not only to be advertised online, but also via social media services such as Twitter.

Many people view Twitter as a banal exercise where people spend their lives telling the world what they had for breakfast and what they are watching on television, but companies are increasingly using it to advertise new roles.

For instance, one recruitment company I recently visited, Hart Recruitment have a twitter feed on which they advertise new roles that come in as they come in.

It would be nice if we lived in a pure meritocracy, but the fact is that we don’t.

I’ve noticed over time that there is truth to the maxim ‘it’s not what you know, but who you know.’
Social media has allowed me to network with people I might not necessarily have met in normal everyday life and I’m hoping via this network of contacts I might get recommended for a position that I may not have found out about otherwise.

Linkedin also looks to be a very useful site to advertise your skills to employers and other interested people and I’m hoping that by listing my details on there I may be contacted with regards to a new role.
Social media can of course be dangerous to a potential career and it makes sense to note that when using it in a professional capacity one has to be professional in their usage of it.

I’ve seen disaster stories online where people have lost jobs by slagging off their employer on Facebook only for said employer to read what they have said and I also know someone personally who has had to apologise on their Twitter feed for criticising the company they worked for.
Social media is a projection of yourself onto the virtual world and it’s important to potential candidates that they are seen in the best light possible.

I’m still in the early days of using social networking sites properly in order to enhance my job search, but the early signs are good – I have received more phone calls from recruiters in the past week than I have had in the month previously.

Already one or two have turned into fairly hot leads for a new role and I’m hoping my days of blogging about being unemployed may yet be numbered.


Read more: http://www.expressandstar.com/money/careers/2010/10/11/why-im-using-twitter-to-find-a-job/#ixzz129kMEOpU

Building Your Personal Brand With Social Media

The Internet has become an incredible resource for developing your career, networking, job searching and more.  No longer are we only given the opportunity to show employers who we are through a one-page resume.  In 2010, we can create our own website, blog, Facebook profile, LinkedIn profile and more.
We have the power to define our own brand promise and create new ways for business connections and hiring managers to find us every day.
This week, I had the opportunity to interview Dan Schawbel, author of the No. 1 international bestseller, Me 2.0, about personal branding as the second edition of his book prepares to hit stores.  I was particularly interested in learning what Dan thinks about personal branding via social media as it applies to men vs. women in the business world.  Keep reading to learn his insightful answer to that question and more.







Susan Gunelius: How is the new version of Me 2.0 different from your first, highly popular edition?
Dan Schawbel: Since the first edition of Me 2.0 came out in mid-2009, technology has changed rapidly, new research has become available, and there have been more case studies available. This edition has more advice and examples for older generations, who read this book out of curiosity and necessity because they are unhappy with their jobs, can’t get a job or are looking for support in dealing with new technology.
There’s also a new chapter on how to use social networks in your job search step-by-step, including Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. I see this chapter becoming extremely important to the millions of job seekers right now who are using traditional methods that are no longer relevant, including classified ads and job boards. There are also new recommended tools and resources, and more advice on Twitter and other networks that weren’t as popular in 2009.


How has online branding changed in the few short years since the first edition of Me 2.0 was released?
We’ve entered what I call “the age of resistance.” There is so much content online now, and so many advertisements, that it’s become harder to get noticed and to get your message out there. For instance, there are 2 billion tweets on Twitter each month (from Twitter’s CTO), and there are 500 million people on Facebook.
Personal branding is how you identify what makes you special, and then communicate that to the world. The advice in Me 2.0 has become more important because the internet is the global talent pool, and if you want to be in that pool, you need an online presence, and if you have an online presence, you need to manage it. There’s simply no way around it right now!
People need to be able to find you online if you want to attract new opportunities and have a successful career. Me 2.0 will walk you through the personal branding process: discover, create, communicate, and maintain. In the second edition, each step has more advice and tactics that you can use to become known for something, and achieve success.
How does branding influence entrepreneurship in 2010?
Aside from establishing your company’s identity, you need to create your own online presence as an entrepreneur. I recommend that entrepreneurs brand themselves as expert sources in something that relates to their company idea. For instance, if you own a bakery whose customers are students at a nearby college, then you’re the “bakery expert for students” and you can talk about what baked goods students purchase the most, and your favorite recipes. When entrepreneurs become experts, they are able to get media attention, and use those opportunities to promote their companies.
How can an individual monetize a personal brand?
Great question, especially since most people waste so much time on social networks these days. There are numerous ways to make money if you’re building your personal brand, including blog advertising, consulting, speaking, royalties on book sales, eBook sales, social network advertising, and endorsements, to name a few. You should be creative with your business model, and figure out a long-term monetization plan, because some of these strategies will only work when you have a significant follower base.


What are the biggest personal branding mistakes that you see being made, particularly in the online space?
One mistake that’s commonly made is creating an online presence but failing to monitor and manage it. By having your last blog post dated 2009, you’re showing employers that you’re not committed. When you establish your online profiles, there’s an expectation that you’re going to be delivered fresh content on a regular basis. It’s your promise to your audience. Another problem I see is when people over-promote themselves online, putting links within blog comments, or just using their Twitter profile as a promotional tool. This doesn’t work and actually makes you look bad.


How would you explain the importance of personal branding for career development to businesswomen vs. businessmen?  What steps can businesswomen take to develop their brands and boost their careers in the male-dominated business world?
The same career and branding advice I give to men, I give to women. Everyone in the world needs their own website (yourname.com), existence on only the top three social networks (Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter), and enough time to dedicate to ensure each property is updated and relevant. The Internet puts everyone on the same playing field, and it’s up to you to decide how you want to be judged in and out of the workplace.
Figure out what your personal mission is, your long-term and short-term career goals, and what you truly want to be known for. Then base your personal brand around that, and use it to network with other people in your field. The possibilities are endless and the results are real.

About Dan Schawbel
Dan Schawbel is the author of the upcoming Me 2.0: 4 Steps to Building Your Future. He is known as a “personal branding guru” by The New York Times, and the Founder of Millennial Branding, LLC. Dan operates the syndicated and award winning Personal Branding Blog, and publishes Personal Branding Magazine. Recently, he was named to the Inc. Magazine 30 Under 30 list.

Original Forbes Post

Social Tools for Demonstrating your Expertise

By Stephen Joyce


There are many tools available for demonstrating your involvement in social media and your comfort with customer engagement.  Many of these tools you are probably already using without even thinking about it.  Let’s take a look at a few of the the tools/sites that you can use to demonstrate your expertise:

1. Facebook – Focus on your Facebook page and avoid creating a Facebook profile for your business. You will want to focus as much attention on the business as possible and since the Fan page is publicly accessible, it will provide the greatest search benefit. Feel free to syndicate your blog posts through your Fan page but try to create content that is relevant just to the Fan page as well.  This might include asking questions of your fans or updating on Facebook only specials or promotions. Since you will have a fairly low fan base to begin with, you will need to make it more enticing for people to become fans by inviting them directly or giving them an incentive for joining. Invite your customers to post their own comments, recommendations, or tips. Because Facebook fan pages are publically accessible, I recommend you post photos and videos to the fan page first. Although Flickr is more photo oriented, we are not necessarily talking about high quality photos, these are for sharing purposes.
2. Twitter –  Similar to the Facebook fan page, your Twitter account should not be used exclusively for delivering notifications of content posted on your blog site. Use your stored searches in Twitter to find out what people are talking about with regards to your preferred subjects and use your twitter account to respond to tweets from other users. This engagement will show that you are both listening and responding to customer (and potential customer) requests in the channel. When you contact customers via phone, email, or through the web, be sure to ask them to follow you on Twitter. WestJet has a weekly event called “Winglet Wednesday” where customers tweet their photos of WestJet winglets. The event has become a very popular part of the twitter experience.  The idea is to build interest by providing unique content that is geared towards the audience on Twitter rather than simply re-hashing existing content.
3. LinkedIn – B2B social networks are particularly well suited to organizations that are selling to businesses. There are a number of groups and sub-networks within LinkedIn that may be of interest to you. If the principals of your business do not have LinkedIn memberships, I highly recommend they create profiles. Use the tool to create connections with existing partners, vendors, and even customers. The opportunity to participate in groups will present itself, but you will want to establish your profile first before trying to market the business.
4. Ning – You may want to consider forming your own social network around your particular business or niche.  For example, if you are a wine tour company, you may want to start a social network around wine enthusiasts.  Be sure, though to keep the content and the social network separate from your brand.  In the same way that the Savvy Operator blog is sponsored by Rezgo or the Small Fish Big Ocean network is sponsored by TourCMS, you are free to sponsor your social network, just be careful not to make the network a sales platform or you will not attract or keep members.
5. BuddyPress – Another option to creating your own social network is to use BuddyPress, which is a plug-in to WordPress.  BuddyPress uses the existing blogging platform can allow your members to write their own posts and articles as well as message each other and create a profile page.  Although BuddyPress is a free opensource platform, the installation and set-up can vary in complexity.

I recommend that you focus on the the primary accounts and add only where you feel the addition is valuable to your brand or reputation. In the case of existing accounts, make sure that each account has a link back to your primary website. At the very least, these existing memberships should be driving traffic back to your main website. If the account has no way to link back, then leave it for now.  Remember that the quality of interaction is more important then the quantity.  Having a few social media channels that are well used and popular is more productive and will have more impact on your business then created profiles on a hundred different sites.
You’ll begin to see results right away with the demonstration phase. Because this phase is all about engagement and communication, you will be actively communicating with customers, vendors, or partners using the various social channels you have created. Whether you are responding to a message on Twitter, a wall post on Facebook, or a group message in LinkedIn, you will see the responses almost immediately and you will be able to gauge how engaged your customers are in the arenas in which you choose to engage with them.

Original Article

Quick Tips To Get Started Using Twitter For Your Job Search

Do you Tweet? If not, maybe you should.
Perhaps it would be misleading to say that as a job searcher you MUST be on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, or other social and business networking sites. But, assuming that you use social media in appropriate and professional ways, being connected and networking in these ways can only help. And, few people would argue that you shouldn’t seize on any edge that you can give yourself in a job market that is widely being called the most competitive in a quarter-century.
Twitter, for those unfamiliar, is a service that allows you to communicate and stay connected with your colleagues, current and former co-workers, friends, family, and other contacts through the exchange of quick, simple answers (140 characters or less) to the question, “What are you doing now?” While the premise is simple-so simple that you might at first question how “Tweeting” (Twitter-speak for posting an update to Twitter) could be helpful in your job search-I would urge you to take another look. Twitter has become vastly popular and you might be surprised at how many of your colleagues, friends, and even top experts in your field or profession are on Twitter.
If you are actively involved with managing your career or conducting a job search, here are just a few benefits that will justify the time you spend setting up your free Twitter account and learning how to use it:
1) Twitter can be a great tool to help you build, enhance, and promote your personal brand. Briefly, your personal brand (as it relates to your career) is what differentiates you and makes you and your contributions uniquely valuable in the workplace. As a job searcher, you can use Twitter to make your followers aware of your expertise, post links to interesting news stories about your industry, or post tips related to your profession. All of these are brand-building activities that will make you memorable to your contacts, boost your credibility, and help set you apart as a leader in your field.
2) Twitter is an extraordinary networking tool. Remember that networking is all about building relationships. Twitter helps you stay in contact with people in your network in a quick and easy way that was never before possible. It will allow you to keep your contacts up-to-date on your job search, it is a great way to learn about unadvertised job openings, and it is often an easy way to get referrals to people you should talk to. Of course, it is important to remember that networking is also about providing reciprocal help, and Twitter allows you a fast, easy way to let people in your network know about job openings you’ve heard about, or give other help or advice to your contacts when they need it.
3) Twitter provides you with a way to connect almost instantly with recruiters and other hiring authorities in your field. More and more recruiters are using Twitter and other social media tools to find candidates for job postings. Some companies are actively encouraging their employees to Tweet about (or discuss on LinkedIn or Facebook) job openings that they are trying to fill. If you are regularly Tweeting about your job search and posting other on-brand Twitter posts, it is just a matter of time before you start uncovering and being referred for attractive job or business opportunities.
Are you convinced? Even for the time-challenged professional (does that describe nearly all of us?), Twitter is easy to use. You don’t even need to be sitting at your computer as Twitter is mobile and can easily be used on your iPhone, Blackberry, or cell phone.
When you are ready to get started, here are some quick tips:

1. Sign up for your free Twitter account and fill out your profile. Remember that you will be using your account for networking and professional purposes, so use discretion and only include information or a photo that you would be comfortable sharing with recruiters, your colleagues, and the world. If you have a reason to keep your business and personal life separate, you should create separate accounts.

2. Search for and “follow” people that you know. Twitter provides easy tools and instructions for doing this. Consider friends, family, current and former co-workers, industry contacts, people you went to college with, etc. Once you are following these people, look through their contacts and selectively follow some of their contacts. Even if you don’t know someone, if you have a reason to do so, follow them. This is a way to build new relationships.

3. As you begin to build your list of people you are following, many will begin to follow you. When you are getting started, try to post Tweets daily-perhaps twice daily. Besides just answering the basic question “What are you doing now?” (always keeping in mind that your Tweets should be appropriate and follow basic rules of etiquette) try to regularly post useful, on-brand information and links.

4. When your contacts Tweet, respond if you can answer a question or have useful information or tips for them. Twitter gives you two ways to do this: direct messages and replies. Be selective about which method you use. A direct message will only be seen by the person you are responding to. A reply will go to everyone that follows you.

5. Search Twitter for keywords. This is a good way to find out what is going on and being discussed on topics of interest to you among people that you aren’t already following. You may also find interesting people that you will want to follow. The place to do that is search.twitter.com

6. Do you have a Facebook account, a LinkedIn profile, a blog, or another website? There are options to link them all and post status updates simultaneously to all of them. This can be a great timesaver, so it is worth taking the time to learn how to link them. You could also consider including your Twitter user name in your email signature files or on business cards. Doing so will quickly build your following, and the larger your following, the more beneficial Twitter will be to your job search and career.

One of the nation’s leading authorities on resume writing , personal branding, and job searching, Michelle Dumas is the founder of Distinctive Career Services LLC. Since 1996, Michelle and her team have empowered thousands of professionals all across the U.S. and worldwide with resumes and job search strategies that get results and win jobs fast. Visit http://www.distinctiveweb.com for more info and follow Michelle on Twitter @michelledumas.

Original Article

Becoming a social media maven not that difficult

Katy Piotrowski, M.Ed.

Eating lunch outside in Old Town recently, a man I didn't know approached my table. "You're the social media queen!" he said. I looked behind me, convinced he was talking to someone else. Social Media Queen isn't a label I'd attach to myself.

My confused look prompted him to explain. Turns out he's the business partner of a woman I know, and he and I had connected through her on LinkedIn (an online business networking site). Then I remembered that recently, I have been more consistent in posting updates on my LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook accounts.
Suddenly, a wave of joy swept over me. If this little bit of extra effort was building my reputation as an active social media maven, hooray!

People in my life would tell you that when it comes to jumping on technology advancement bandwagons, I'm usually hiding under them. But as much as I resisted the idea of social media, eventually I admitted that it offers some pretty cool pluses: direct connections to supporters and an effective, efficient way to differentiate myself.

So rather than fight it further, I've made social media part of my routine. Each Monday, I pick a theme, usually some universal topic such as passion, fear or courage. Then I study my calendar for the week, looking for ways to tie that theme into 140-character statements (the maximum length on Twitter) related to my activities.

For instance, this past week's theme was fishing (in honor of summer), and one day's post was, "True story: One job hunter sent a resume and intro letter to 20 co's that she liked, but who weren't advertising jobs. She landed a job offer!"

Once I've composed my five statements for the week (I reuse the same posts on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter), I schedule their delivery using a tool like Hootsuite.com. The entire process takes less than 30 minutes, yet voila! My messages are posted Monday through Friday, and people confuse me with being a social media guru.

Turns out it isn't painful and doesn't take much effort. So I still have plenty of time to enjoy lunch outside in Old Town.

Katy Piotrowski, M.Ed., is the author of "The Career Coward's Guides", and provides career and job search support with Career Solutions Group in Fort Collins. She can be reached at 224-4042, or send email to katy@careersolutionsgroup.net.


Original Article

Your LinkedIn Profile Is Done. Now What?

As Jason and I spend time coaching clients and prospects on LinkedIn, the first thing we do is educate them on the steps involved in creating a complete profile.
We often refer to this (and all social media infrastructure setup) as “the plumbing” because it’s a necessary step before you can effectively use any social media tool.
So once your LinkedIn profile is complete, what are some of the things you should do next?
Here are  7 LinkedIn Quick Tips to get you headed in the right direction…

LinkedIn Quick Tips

1. MARK YOUR CALENDAR: Ideally, you will spend some time on LinkedIn every week. A good way to remind yourself to do that is by setting up a recurring, weekly calendar appointment for a minimum of 15-30 minutes dedicated to LinkedIn. In fact, cut and paste these LinkedIn Quick Tips right into your calendar entry to remind you what you need to do each week!
2. CONNECT TO PEOPLE: Start connecting to people that you know, trust and respect. There are a few ways to do this and you can see them all by clicking “Contacts” at the top of the page and then  “Add Connections”. And when you send an invitation to someone, be sure to personalize it!
3. RECOMMENDATIONS: Provide recommendations to those “rock stars” you’ve worked with over the years. Be authentic in your recommendations and write them in a way that lets people know why the person is great to work with. For examples of recommendations, take a look at some that Jason and I have written and received on our LinkedIn profiles. (Note: You must be logged into your LinkedIn account to view these.) Mic’s LinkedIn Profile; Jason’s LinkedIn Profile 
4. SEE WHAT YOUR NETWORK IS UP TO: If you click on “Home” at the top of the page when logged into your LinkedIn account, you will see a list of updates from people in your network and groups that you belong to. See what they are saying…see who they are connecting to….see what updates they are making to their profile. You never know what opportunities might come up. If you aren’t paying attention to what people are doing, you’ll miss those opportunities!
5. JOIN, AND PARTICIPATE IN, GROUPS: If you click on “Groups” at the top of the page when logged into LinkedIn, and then click on “Groups Directory”, you will see that there are tons of groups that you can join and participate in. Do searches for groups in your industry or groups that interest you (I am a part of several Jayhawk/KU groups..shocking, I know!) This is another great way for you to connect with like-minded people and share your opinions and expertise.
6. TAKE A LOOK AT WHO’S HIRING: Many people don’t realize that there are jobs posted on LinkedIn. Click on “Jobs” at the top of the page when logged into LinkedIn and take a peek at who’s hiring. That might give you some insight into companies that are growing…or you might know someone that you can refer to a company. Again, if you don’t make a habit of looking, you miss out on those opportunities.
7. FOLLOW COMPANIES THAT ARE CLIENTS OR THAT INTEREST YOU: Using the search box in the upper right hand corner of LinkedIn, search for companies that are your clients, that you are interested in, that you used to work for, etc. Once you’ve found them, you can choose “Follow Company” on their LinkedIn Company Profile Page. For an example, and to follow Blue Gurus, click here:

Those are just a few helpful tips to get you in the habit of proactively using LinkedIn each week.
Have you put these tips into practice? What have you learned? Do you have other tips that have been helpful to you or your business?

Original Blue Gurus Posting

Take the Back to School LinkedIn Challenge

By: Claudine Meilink



Today I challenged 20 of my LinkedIn contacts – all students – to take the Back to School Linked In Challenge. Why? Because they had initially created a LinkedIn profile to expand their network and, while their initial intentions were good, they had made the grave error of forgetting about that half-finished LinkedIn profile and allowed it to become a poor representation of who they are.
In the virtual world of the internet, it is almost better to have no presence rather than a negative presence. A half-finished or poorly done LinkedIn profile equals a negative presence. As more and more recruiters use LinkedIn to find candidates to fill positions, you will want to ensure you are representing yourself positively online.
Is your LinkedIn profile at least 85% complete? If not, take my Back to School LinkedIn Challenge now so you are ready for fall recruitment when employers arrive on campus in September.

Phase I (Week 1)

1. Upload a photo if you haven’t already. Your photo should be a headshot and not include half of someone else’s head chopped off, bar signs in the back ground, or a straw in your mouth.
2. Complete the “Education” section with your major/minor, GPA, student organizations, extracurricular activities, academic accolades, and other school-related accomplishments. This is your chance to present information that wouldn’t typically fit on your resume. Don’t forget study abroad experiences, independent studies,
3. Update your “Experience” to include all relevant work experiences such as internships, as well as past positions that demonstrated your transferable skills, volunteer experiences, and internships for academic credit. This is your opportunity to present your resume on steroids. Take it.
4. Link to your twitter page, your website, or your blog but only if it is a professional representation of yourself. If you use twitter to communicate with your friends about how hungover you are on Sunday morning or swear like a sailor, skip the link to twitter. However, if you use twitter to network like a pro and find resources in your field of study, show your stuff!
5. Last, but not least, write a meaningful summary that adequately describes your skills and abilities, your strengths and accomplishments, and future goals. Your summary should give an employer an idea of why they would want to hire you. This is your time to shine!

Congratulations! You’ve passed the first step of the Back-to-School Linked In Challenge. Feel free to connect with me on Linked In if you would like to officially enter my contest. Prizes will be awarded. Don’t forget to personalize your invitation by telling me why you would like to connect.
Phase II will be posted next Friday, August 6th, 2010.

Author

Claudine is a Career Services Consultant for the Center for Career Opportunities (CCO) at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana.  Among other things, Claudine provides career and major counseling to students and alumni, assists employers with achieving their recruitment goals at Purdue, and dabbles in the use of social media to engage students. You can connect with Claudine on twitter or LinkedIn.
Related posts:

1. The Back to School LinkedIn Challenge (Phase II)
2. The Back to School LinkedIn Challenge Phase III
3. Weekend Challenge: Beef Up Your LinkedIn Profile

Original Student Branding Blog Post