Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Posted: 28 Jun 2011 05:51 AM PDT

I was speaking for a group yesterday on the topic of "Overcoming Failure to Educate," and afterwards one of the audience members came up to me and shared a story that really drove home a point that I'm guessing many of us really don't think about: be careful who you "friend."
Now, I'm sure most of us are conscious of certain types of people who may request online friendship and we accept/ignore them based on our own internal radar. But let me tell you this story and see if it doesn't impact your thinking a bit.
It seems a teen was applying for a job as security guard for the local Port Authority. He was a high school graduate, decent kid, kept himself out of trouble. Apparently a good candidate by all reason. During the interview, he was asked by the recruiter if he had ever been incarcerated or if any of his friends had been or were presently. The teen answered "no." To his knowledge, none of his friends had ever run afoul of the law. The recruiter asked him again if he was SURE none of them had any criminal history or were currently doing time. The teen answered again "No." The recruiter then pulls out a copy of the teen's Facebook page, with two of his 900+ "friends" highlighted. Turns out they were both presently being held in jail for varying crimes. The teen immediately responds that he has no idea who these people are…and you can see where this is going…the recruiter asks him "Then why are you listing them as 'friends' on your Facebook page?"
He didn't get the job.
Many of us have a wide following in social media because of what we do or causes we represent or "like." Thee's a train of thought that says, "Go ahead and accept anyone who wants to be a friend, and if they become a problem later, you can always drop them." But the story above really makes you stop and think. You certainly can't "know" much about 5000 friends you may have in your social media circle. What if someone is doing a background check on you for a position or opportunity, and they find you have someone "problematic" in that circle? You may be able to explain it away by saying you aren't responsible for the actions of people who "follow" you, but it almost sounds worse to say you are just indiscriminately accepting requests of anyone who wants to connect with you, even if that IS common practice today.
I don't have a real ready solution or answer to this. For myself, I am careful whose friend requests I accept. I generally do check out their profiles, and there are people whose requests I have blocked, for varying reasons. I'm also more likely to feel comfortable accepting the request if they have included a personal message citing some reason why they think we should connect such as mutual friends, specific interests in common, or maybe a regional proximity. But, honestly, I don't know many of the people who ask for connections; some I do get to know better online. Some I've even had the pleasure of meeting later in person. But, I can't "know" their complete history or what they do in their "offline" life.
Yes, this is a risk we take even with in-person relationships. While we think we can judge people pretty well, the media is rife with stories of people who have been duped by others they believed they "knew." But the problem becomes compounded online both because of access and quantity, as well as the lack of opportunity to "get to know one another" with all five senses engaged.
And, it almost goes without saying that our children are particularly vulnerable in this area as our story shows. Collecting friends is both a fun pastime as well as, sadly, a sign of popularity. The friends you are picking — or that are picking you — may have an unforseen impact on your life, both short- and longer-term. We counsel our kids to be careful who you pick as your friends…but most of us don't really think about the friends they are accepting online.
I would love your input on how you handle this issue, both for yourself and for your kids, if you have them. As I said, there's probably no "one perfect answer," but I'm sure many of you have strategies that are both safe and not too-restrictive. We do want to widen our networks, but it should be to ours — and our friends' — mutual benefit, not to our detriment. We have to be both socially smart and savvy to make the right decisions.

About Corinne Gregory

The 'Civil' Warrior & School Crusader

I'm an author, speaker, award-winning educator focused on social skills, character and values development for children, educators, and professionals. As the President and Founder of SocialSmarts, a nationally-recognized, schools-based program for building positive social skills, I'm very passionate about improving the education system for every child, every teacher, every family. While it may seem like a big job — changing our education system — it's a necessary one, and one we can do, if we work together and insist on it.

My experience and message about the power of social skills and positive character have been featured on such leading media as The Today Show, CNN, Good Morning America, Time Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The Washington Post and many more.

For more on SocialSmarts and how we are transforming education, click here.

To book me as a speaker for your students, education staff or business, email triciam@socialsmarts.com for info and schedule. You can also learn more about my presentations, view testimonials and videos at www.corinnegregory.com

How Not to Use Facebook for Professional Networking

The Monster Blog

How *Not* to Use Facebook for Professional Networking

Posted: 27 Jun 2011 11:42 AM PDT

If you're using Facebook to network with people who can potentially help you in your career, you have to keep it professional. So that means no poking, no extreme-partying pictures, and no games.
But that doesn't mean you have to stop having fun on Facebook and using it to socialize with all your friends. Now there's BeKnown, a new Facebook app from Monster that lets you separate your professional contacts from your friends -- so you can expand your network and grow your career, right from within the world's most actively used social network (while still enjoying the Facebook you've come to love).
Get BeKnown today.

How BeKnown Will Make Facebook Work for You

Posted: 27 Jun 2011 11:04 AM PDT

Monster.com has just launched a new professional networking app for Facebook users: BeKnown. BeKnown lets you identify and connect with friends and professional contacts from multiple sources to grow your professional network, enhance your online professional identity, and discover new jobs.

The great thing that BeKnown does for users is allow them to build a professional network on Facebook (the world's largest and most active social network), while keeping personal and work-related contacts and content completely separated. That's 700 million people on Facebook and 97% of Fortune 500 companies using Monster to find candidates coming together.
If you're on Facebook, you can now use BeKnown to:
    * Create professional networks within a professional environment, created by Monster -- without ever leaving Facebook. (No more need to switch back and forth between sites.)
    * Easily invite contacts from other social networks to expand your BeKnown network beyond your existing Facebook friends. (You can add a contact to BeKnown without having to become his or her Facebook friend.)
     * Keep social activity with friends and family separate from work-related activity with professional contacts.
     * See Monster's millions of job postings -- and see who among your professional contacts on BeKnown is connected to the companies you're interested in.
     * Connect professional networking to Monster's job search and browse tools and import your Monster or LinkedIn profile to BeKnown from right within the app.
Joining BeKnown is easy -- the app guides you through a very quick setup process. You can opt to use your Facebook profile information and/or pull information from other networking sites, as well as your Monster.com profile. Then, you simply invite connections to join your professional network and start earning badges to showcase on your profile. Ta-da! You're using BeKnown.
(Learn more about how BeKnown works, and check out this new AvidCareerist post on why you should join BeKnown.)
There's a new way to keep it professional Facebook and put your network to work. Get BeKnown today.

The Work Buzz's Latest News: Do you have one foot out the door?

Do you have one foot out the door?

Posted: 27 Jun 2011 10:37 AM PDT

The economy is beginning to improve, and — for the first time in a few years — you may be thinking of leaving your employer for a new job.
In fact, according to a survey released last week by Mercer LLC, a global consulting company, 40 percent of employees ages 25 to 34, and 44 percent of those 24 and younger say they are currently considering a job change.
But, if you've got one foot out the office door, you may want to pull it back inside. (Quick, before anyone sees!) Why? Because your employer may be more willing than ever to give you an incentive to stay.
"Employers are concerned about losing their top performers because as the economy improves, new positions are available for employees to take advantage of," says Tina Chen, vice president of operations at The Wilson Companies, a firm that provides outsourced human resources services to businesses nationwide. And, when an employee — especially a top one — leaves a company, it can put strain on the company in a number of ways, stress that many employers would rather avoid.
"When it comes to losing talent, it is not just about losing your top employees but also about losing the relationships the employees have built with clients, with other members of your staff, and lastly the loyalty and trust that they have gained in your company," Chen says. "Losing a top performer is like losing a small piece of the heartbeat of your business."
In addition to the stress that losing a great employee puts on an employer, replacing that employee can also prove challenging, Chen says. "The solution is no longer as easy as just hiring a replacement but rather, searching for the missing integral pieces that would complete the puzzle of your company."
As an employee, all of this boils down to one thing for you: that your employer might rather give you a raise or promotion, or concede to a more flexible schedule than see you walk out the door.
Now, before you go barging into your boss's office demanding a raise ('Now that the job market it looking up a bit, if you don't pay me more, I'm going to find someone who will!'), there are a few factors to consider. Namely, what's motivating your desire to change jobs. If it truly is just a matter of wanting a raise or promotion, then it's worth it to have "the talk" with your boss. If you don't like the company or want to explore new career options, then your job satisfaction probably won't increase just because your salary does.
If you do decide that your career needs could possibly be met by your current employer, the next thing to do is prepare a case for yourself, Chen says. "The employee should think the conversation through prior to approaching the employer because it is never certain where the conversation will go; the employee should chart out where they are, where they want to be, and how they can get there. If it is a matter of money, they need to justify it with examples of their work, positive contributions to the company, and if they have increased revenue or saved the company money during their tenure," she says.
Also, keep in mind that you don't need to mention that you will be looking around for other jobs if you don’t get what you’re asking for. Just expressing that you're not satisfied with your current pay, job level, schedule, etc., should be enough to tip off your boss that you may look elsewhere if your needs aren't met.
"Many times, top performing employees have an open relationship with their employers," Chen says. "The employer is more likely to hear the employee out and consider what the employee has to say because they would like to retain the employee within their organization."
Good luck!
For more on job change, see:
As the economy strengthens, so does employees’ resolve to change jobs
Best and worst states for job seekers
Is job hopping the new normal?

Should You BeKnown or LinkedIn? plus 1 more | Career Rocketeer

Should You BeKnown or LinkedIn?

Posted: 28 Jun 2011 03:30 AM PDT

LinkedIn has long been the leading personal branding and professional networking tool and network online for professionals and students worldwide.
However, Monster.com just launched BeKnown, a professional networking app for Facebook that dramatically changes the way Facebook users can leverage this traditionally social network to establish their personal brands, develop connections and advance their job search and careers.
Many careerists have leaned on LinkedIn as one of the few effective tools for personal branding and career management, sharing concerns about conducting their professional networking and job search on Facebook due to the more social nature of the network and in some cases, due to the potential liability their profile content may be to them in their career. As a result, they have done everything from censoring their profile photos and details, hiding their Facebook profiles from non-friends with increased privacy controls, and even creating separate Facebook pages for their professional selves.
With BeKnown, these concerns are no longer an issue and such counter efforts are no longer necessary. BeKnown is an app that brings the power of professional brand building, career networking and job searching to Facebook while simultaneously keeping them as separate from your social profile, connections and activities as you feel comfortable.
On BeKnown, you can:

create a professional resume profile with their step-by-step guide, importing your current information from your Monster, Facebook and/or LinkedIn profiles
make selective career connections from both your social and professional spheres
follow companies and stay up-to-date on their activities and job postings
search jobs posted by your connections and via Monster.com
review job listings tailored specifically to your listed experience, education and skills
and much more…

Supported by both Monster.com and Facebook, BeKnown is already big and is just going to get bigger, conveniently consolidating all of these top features and benefits on the most popular social network on the web.
But, as per the post's title, now that BeKnown is available, should you BeKnown or LinkedIn?
Honestly, my recommendation is that you be present and active on both. The launch of BeKnown is very exciting and offers professionals and students a new and powerful tool to leverage in their career progression, but by no means negates LinkedIn or anything you have already done to build your brand and your network on this platform.
LinkedIn still provides incredible value with highly-search-engine-ranked profiles, a network of millions of professionals, networking groups and Q&A, a comprehensive company directory, its own job board with unique listings and countless other features and benefits.
I know that there are tons of different tools and networks available to you and it can be overwhelming to look at them all and decide where to dedicate your time and efforts for maximum career ROI. BeKnown and LinkedIn are easy to start, build and regularly maintain, are definitely worth the investment and will undoubtedly serve you in your career moving forward.
What do you think about BeKnown?

Author:
Chris Perry, MBA, is a Gen Y brand and marketing generator, career search and personal branding expert, speaker, brand consultant and the founder of Career Rocketeer and Launchpad.

Toot Your Horn in Interviews Like Miles Davis

Posted: 27 Jun 2011 03:40 AM PDT

One of if not the most common interview questions is "Tell me a little something about yourself?"
On the flip side, in my coaching practice and during Q&A sessions at seminars, talk shows and job fairs I've participated in people often tell me "I have no problem tooting someone else's horn, but I have a real problem tooting my own. What can I do?"
Worse yet during the thousands of interviews I have conducted too many candidates overextended themselves or kept rambling on about "some useless information that's supposed to fire my imagination" (Rolling Stones) and ended up talking themselves out of contention for a position I thought they were a good candidate for.
So the two-fold question is how to answer this ubiquitous question and what in the world does Miles Davis have to do with this?
Let me answer the second question first. Miles Davis had two qualities every job seeker needs to emulate. The first is obvious; Miles Davis could toot his own horn better than any musician I know. This was true in both his trumpet playing and when he spoke publicly about himself and his music. He had a confidence in his ability that came through loud and clear that was an integral part of his public persona. This is what every job seeker has to work on and perfect. No matter what your do for a living and how experienced or inexperienced you are you need to exude confidence in who you are and come across as poised and positive about whom you are and the value you possess.
The second and perhaps more valuable quality that Miles had was his ability to adapt and change with the times; and not just over a few years but over several decades. When music changed direction Miles Davis was always at the forefront and got ahead of the curve rather than falling behind it. This is an important lesson on survival for job seekers in today's job market, especially those in the vulnerable 40+ Club. Since the business world is constantly evolving it is imperative that you keep pace and let people know this about you.
Now let's dissect this question and see how you can improve your answer during your next job interview.
First off notice how the interviewer's question is phrased (if they do not say it assume this is their intention) "tell me a LITTLE bit about yourself"; the optimal word here being little. So here are a few tips in random order on how to prepare for and answer this ice breaking question and start the interview off on the right foot.
1: Have your answer prepared and rehearsed in advance and practice it over and over until it flows naturally from your lips just like the notes flow from Miles Davis.
2: Keep your answer between one to three minutes maximum. At the beginning or end you can try and gain some control of the interview by asking the interviewer this question, "is there something specific you want to know."
3: Research the company and the job so you know what it is they are looking for and what they value the most in a new hire and speak directly to these points and these points only, and under no circumstances ramble on about useless information
4: Do your C-A-R exercises so you know what your value is to this employer and showcase these points when answering this question. Improvisation may be great in jazz or rock music but not on a job interview
5: Never overstate your qualifications, experience, accomplishments or abilities.
6. Just like on your resume, focus on the present and the future and don't dwell on the distant past. Tell people about the most recent part of your life and let them know how you have evolved with the times.
7. You are only as good as you see yourself. Work with a coach, a friend or a peer who can help you to gain confidence in what you have to offer and help you hone your ability to toot your own horn.
8. Validate who you are. Seek and post endorsements on Linked In that corroborate what you tell people about yourself.
9: Just like in music, you need to control your vocal tone, pitch, phrasing and pacing when you converse with people on an interview.
Let me know if this helps.

Author:
Perry Newman, CPC CSMS is a nationally recognized executive resume writer, career coach, AIPC certified recruiter and SMMU certified social media strategist known for his ability to help his clients get results. You can view his sample resumes at http://www.perrynewman.com, and email him your resume at perry@perrynewman.com for FREE resume critique.

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Research Reveals How HR Uses Social Media

Posted: 27 Jun 2011 04:17 AM PDT

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I’m often asked about how human resource pros, recruiters, and talent management people are using or can use social media in the professional and corporate work environment. It’s more than just sitting around on Facebook all day or playing Farmville. Social media can provide a distinct business advantage. HR Toolbox recently unveiled a survey that provides some interesting insights into how the HR industry is using social media and their findings might surprise you.
HR pros are using social media, nearly 83% of the 376 surveyed to stay current on industry trends and keep up to date with their industry colleagues. I’ve found that my colleagues now span the globe. Social media allows you access to industry experts and practitioners who are writing, talking, and dealing with the same issues that other HR folks are dealing with everyday. Instead of waiting for a professional publication or the Harvard Business Review to spotlight a corporate thought leader, industry professionals can learn better, faster, and from their peer’s perspective.
Another interesting finding is the use of social media to learn about human resource vendors and service providers. Thirty-seven percent of those surveyed are using social media to learn about HR related products and services. These testimonials and engagements with social media go beyond the brochure once again either with the end user , industry expert, or HR vendor. All the more reason it’s important for HR service providers to be using social media to establish relationships, answer questions, and monitor the industry back channel.

corporate social media, HR social media, social media human resources,

Remember the days when social media when everyone thought that social media was just a quick flash in the pan? For the majority of business leaders, those days are long behind us. Don’t get me wrong. There are still a few stragglers and late adopters who are holding out hope that social media will go the way of the velvet Elvis, liquid paper, and the Palm Pilot. Average social media consumption is in excess of 7.5 hours a week. Social media beat out traditional news publications like CNN and the Wall Street Journal in addition to HR vendor and service provider generated white papers and webcast materials furthering supporting my earlier statement of the importance of service providers to establish relationships on social media platforms and with online influencers. Bottom line is people trust people they know either in person or online. Social media allows for a more personal connection with products, peers, and friends.

When I bought my iPhone, my world literally stopped. It changed my life. Eighty-six percent of those surveyed currently own a mobile device. Smartphones like the Blackberry, Android, and iPhones have fueled the increase in popularity of the telecommuting workforce and have helped make the case for the he importance of engagement and the rise of the smartphone. So it’s not surprising that SHRM launched their Annual Conference Smartphone and iPad app. Companies like Lumesse and O.C. Tanner have released apps in the few weeks specifically targeting the human resource industry which sounds like a smart move considering almost 34% of HR Toolbox survey respondents planned on purchasing a new smartphone in the next six months.

It’s surveys like these that are extremely powerful in making the case for social media not just within your human resource or recruiting department but also your entire company. As HR begins to understand the benefits and importance that social media brings to the user, it’s safe to say that companies will continue to adopt more aggressive corporate social media integration strategies because of HR’s involvement with senior leaders, employee law, and the employee policy and procedure process.

Photo Credit Unstrappd and HR.Toolbox.