ResumeBear Blog

---

50 Great Marketing Twitter Feeds Posted: 29 Apr 2012 08:56 AM PDT Marketing is everywhere. For consumers, this is probably not ideal, but for students of marketing it means that there is no shortage of examples, both good and bad, from which to learn about the craft. The easiest way to keep your finger on the pulse of marketing is to log in to Twitter. Almost every Twitter user is selling something, even if it's only a belief or an image they want to project. Here are 50 of the best Twitter accounts to which you'll keep coming back for more. Best corporate presences These companies are perfecting the art of integrating marketing with social media. Whole Foods Market: Nearly 2.5 million fans of organic food follow this feed to have their questions answered and be notified of wine tastings and other events at their local store. Bank of America: BoA takes advantage of Twitter as a means of resolving customer issues and is a terrific example of proactive customer service. Threadless: Twitter is the perfect home for an internet business based on creating shirts created by customers, and their nearly 2 million followers seem to agree. Chevrolet: With head PR guy @AdamDenison, Chevy tweets company news, chats with Chevy lovers, and shares pics of beautiful rides. JetBlue Airways: JetBlue's stated goal is to show customers the company is made up of real people, and it succeeds with a friendly tone and helpful information, to boot. Miami Heat: The Heat's feed is one of the most retweeted by a brand on Twitter. They connect with fans through giveaways, scores, highlights, and of course discussion. HTC: HTC's Twitter followers are frequently treated to company news before the press gets wind of it, a genius way of promoting its online presence. Comcast Cares: The cable company's feed is an arm of its customer service department, and it's a helpful and friendly one that ~56,000 people follow. Starbucks: In a way, Twitter is like a digital coffee shop. Starbucks capitalizes on the forum to chat with customers and inform them of new menu items and promotions. Marvel Entertainment: Comic fans are some of the most rabid fans in the galaxy. Industry giant Marvel uses its feed as a place to bring them first looks at new issues and keep them talking about their favorite heroes. Best personal branders These public figures use Twitter to market themselves, solidifying who they are and reminding fans on a daily basis exactly why fans love them. Richard Branson: The fascinating founder of Virgin knows how to grab headlines, and he never misses a chance to funnel attention for a cause or a personal event back to press for his company. Mark Cuban: People love Cuban because he shoots from the hip and seems like an Ordinary Joe, an image he cultivates by interacting regularly with his Twitter followers. John Hodgman: Hodgman owns the "pasty-white, nerdy intellectual everyone loves to hate" niche. His Twitter feed reproduces his trademark weird sense of humor. Bill Nye: "The Science Guy" is on a quest to "change the world." He fights that battle one tweet at a time, fielding questions and fanning the flames of people's interest in science. John Chow: Chow built a legendary brand by turning his blogging into a $40,000 a month enterprise. This is the Twitter feed for the social media guru. Donald Trump: The Donald's tweets give fans everything you might expect: Obama-bashing, stories of the high life, and his trademark bravado. Gary Valenciano: Gary V. has a large following on Twitter, who eat up the musician's positive tweets and UNICEF news and updates. Joel Osteen: Speaking of positive tweets, Pastor Joel connects with his disciples all over the world through Twitter and posts inspiring messages to get them through the day. Tony Robbins: No one is more synonymous with motivational speaking than Tony Robbins, and he's taken his brand to Twitter and cultivated a following of over 2 million. Barack Obama: The President's base is primarily young and technologically savvy. What better way to strengthen his brand than by connecting with that base on Twitter. School help Take advantage of marketing experts on Twitter as an aid in your academic undertakings. Internet Marketing: Need some advice for a project, like how to craft a catchy message or create a slogan? The guys behind this feed "love" marketing and SEO. Marketing B2B: This Twitter feed is the place pros in the business-to-business marketing world come together to chat, and if you eavesdrop you might learn a thing or two. Market Motive: Tweets here regularly link to free video sessions where you can learn marketing techniques like YouTube marketing and page optimization. MarketingSherpa: Don't try to climb the marketing degree mountain alone. Let the Marketing Sherpa guide you there with case stuides, training, and research. Ann Handley: Head of content for MarketingProfs.com, Ms. Handley's followers come for interviews and inside scoops about marketing. Marketing Donut: It has nothing to do with fried, glazed bread and everything to do with free industry resources for pros and even students like you. Search Marketing Now: This feed is a great resource for homework and research help, with tweets with white papers about SEO and other industry topics. Guerrilla Marketing: If you've got an academic interest in guerrilla marketing, this feed is the place for you to learn about experimental and creative advertising. Restaurant Marketing: This globetrotter gives you the do's and don't’s of marketing in the restaurant business, grounded in his extensive consulting experiences. Avinash Kaushik: The author and self-described "digital marketing evangelist" brings you news and views on web analytics and internet marketing. Marketing publications and news ResumeBear Blog: Daily Updates on Job Market Stay glued to the news from these magazines and websites to keep you abreast of marketing goings-on. eMarketer: This feed is updated multiple times daily with tweets related to research and analysis of digital marketing and media. Marketing Week Mag: Find thousands of tweets with news from the world of marketing from this well-informed British magazine. Marketing Magazine: You don't have to be British to get breaking news and commentary aimed at marketing professionals from this leading magazine./ WSJ Media Marketing: There's a reason the Wall Street Journal is surviving in a dying medium: indispensable info and reporting. Get that here regarding the world of marketing. Marketing Mag: Not to be confused with Marketing Magazine, this mag's feed connects you with industry news from the Asian Pacific sector, which you know is an emerging player if you've been paying attention. Ad Age: This feed is a great source of cool interviews and off-the-wall articles like "March Madness for NFL Brands as Manning and Tebow Shift, Saints Get Punished." Marketing Land: Welcome to the land of the marketers, where tweets cover things like building brands on Facebook and marketing on Pinterest. Ecommerce Marketing: The name says it all. Find e-commerce trends and tips from the folks at the blog Ecommerce-Marketing.com. Search Engine Land: SEO is a huge part of digital marketing, so keep up to date on the latest developments from Google, Bing, and Yahoo. Pearson Marketing: The people from the "world's leading learning company" operate this feed that posts news and starts discussions about marketing campaigns and happenings. Marketing Jobs Last but not least, when finding a marketing job becomes your sole purpose in life, let these feeds assist you. Resumebear: Online Job Board and Resume Tracking Service NY Marketing Jobs: If you live in the Big Apple, this feed will be your addiction as you check in multiple times a day to search updated job postings. Marketing Pilgrim: With marketing job listings from around the country, Marketing Pilgrim is your friend on your journey that ends with a great job. Los Angeles Web Jobs: If you live in the L.A. area, or are one of many who wouldn't mind moving there, follow this feed for marketing and SEO jobs. AlbanyClericalJobs: With a wider range of jobs than the name implies, this feed tweets about job openings like marketing analyst entry-level marketing in the Atlanta area. Mark Lennox: If you've got an adventurous spirit (a good quality in a marketer), check out this feed for a steady supply of marketing jobs in London. Washington Post Jobs: This is an excellent source of industry jobs in the nation's capital and the surrounding areas, offering both jobs and internships. LinkedIn Jobs: This is the marketing-specific Twitter feed for jobs from the leading job connectedness site. ChicagoMarketingJobs: The Windy City needs marketers, and this feed is the one that gives you all the openings for marketing specialists and the like. Marketing Jobs: Simply Hired runs this account that helpfully connects you with marketing jobs all over the country. Marketing Jobs: If you want some freelance work to pay the bills until you find a steady salary, follow this feed for consulting opportunities.

You are subscribed to email updates from Resumebear Online Resume To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610

From: Lubbock Used Cars Via: StartUpHire

ResumeBear Blog

---

Become a Thought Leader in Your Industry: The Power of Social Media Posted: 27 Apr 2012 06:55 AM PDT Social Media has become one of the most powerful influences on the global society to-date. It is an amazing prospect when you consider that everyday members of society are considered just as and sometimes even more inspirational than magnates of any industry. Social media has given every man and woman a voice and creates a unique, far-reaching platform to share their trials and strengths. Who is a Thought Leader? Thought leaders come from every walk of life, have jobs that range from junior to executive and tap into the very basics of humanity by distributing themselves to the masses, freely. Drawing from the strength, availability and ease of use of social media, thought leaders have found their soap box. The every-man and every-woman of the 21st century is able to reach out and touch thousands, even millions of fellow humans, unlimited by race, gender, orientation, age or location. Likewise, they can refine their audience without sacrificing numbers for designation. By inspiring people with the expertise and honesty of your words, you too can be a modern day leader! How Can Social Media Help? Everyone is wired in and those who aren't at least have access to those who are. We are a living, breathing, thinking network of people who go through life, succeeding and failing along the way – we may be from different ends of the spectrum but the network, aided and abetted by social media, interlinks us at a visceral level. Social media networks like Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Tumblr are free and connect friends, family and enthusiasts to each other's thoughts and opinions. More than that, their formats give account holders the opportunity to broadcast their thoughts, opinions and advice to vast numbers of people. Thought Leaders are able to rouse excitement and provoke thoughts and actions by the power of their words and social media is the universal megaphone! Tips On How To Use Social Media To Be A Powerful Thought Leader: •    When you think it up, post it up – How many great ideas have you lost because you didn't get them out there when you could have? Tweet it or weave it into your Facebook status as soon as it strikes and give yourself and your message a fighting chance at visibility and relevance. •    Bigger than a blurb? Blog it! – Sometimes 140 characters aren't enough for you to say what's on your mind. No need to rent a conference room – put it on your blog! If you want to draft it in Word, toggle with the style and spell-check first, that's great, but go green and be seen! No need to waste paper on a flyer when you can employ a weblog like Tumblr or WordPress. •    Put a face to your name – You want people to know you, know who you are and have faith in whatever maxims you’re preaching? Put a picture up or make a video! There's something of a personal touch that comes with a body in motion and sites like Youtube and Vimeo help thought leaders spread their word. Abby Evans is an avid blogger who writes on everything from how to find jobs in Toronto to outlining the principals of how to write a killer blog post.

You are subscribed to email updates from Resumebear Online Resume To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610

The Work Buzz's Latest News: How to conduct a job search with a criminal record

---

How to conduct a job search with a criminal record Posted: 27 Apr 2012 09:22 AM PDT According to a 2010 survey by the Society for Human Resource Management, 73 percent of polled HR professionals said their company, or an agency hired by their company, conducted criminal background checks for all job candidates. That you may receive a background check upon applying for a job isn't noteworthy, but for job seekers with a criminal record it can feel like an inevitable uphill battle. "While persons with a criminal record cannot be discriminated against, they may be prohibited from working in some industries such as health care and financial services," says Bruce Hurwitz, president and CEO of Hurwitz Strategic Staffing. "Except in rare cases, employers will want to do a background check on the candidate." Yet not all hope is lost. Because you know a background check is likely coming, you can take steps to prove to hiring managers that you are an upstanding member of society. Ultimately employers want to know you have the skills necessary to be successful in the civilian workforce. Here are some ways to do so: Look into getting your criminal record expunged Depending on the type of crime committed, it may be possible to get your criminal record expunged, or sealed. While this doesn't mean your record is erased completely, it does limit who can access it. Consult a legal professional about your options or visit your state government's website for more information. The website eHow.com provides additional information on how this can be done and the process it takes to get one's record expunged. Know everything about your conviction Donna Ballman, a Florida-based employment attorney and author of "Stand Up For Yourself Without Getting Fired," says it's important to know exactly what you've been convicted of and whether the record was expunged. "Lots of people have no idea [about] the actual charges that they were convicted of," Ballman says. "It makes a difference. If you don’t care enough about your criminal record to explain the details, employers may assume you think committing crimes is okay." Explore volunteer opportunities "If people want to shake the stigma of a questionable past, they need to find at least two civic organizations to volunteer at so they have solid references behind their applications," says David Perry, co-author of "Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters 3.0." "Six to 18 months of volunteer work — and I do mean sincere volunteer work — will go a long way in getting a useable reference." Consider the type of company to which you're applying Depending on the type, size or management style of a company, it may or may not conduct a criminal background check or be more lenient in terms of accepting applicants with a criminal past. "Most applications ask whether you have been arrested or convicted of a crime," says Mary Greenwood, attorney, human resources director and author of "How to Interview Like a Pro." "Some will say felony so that conviction of a misdemeanor might be allowed." John Millikin, clinical professor of management at Arizona State University’s W.P. Carey School of Business, adds, "For a convicted felon, it may be better to look for something in small business, where you may have an opportunity to explain what happened directly to the owner.” Participate in a re-entry program There are programs available to help job seekers with a criminal record re-enter society and secure employment. One such initiative is the Prison Entrepreneurship Program, a Houston-based nonprofit whose mission is to "stimulate positive life transformation for executives and inmates, uniting them through entrepreneurial passion, education and mentoring." According to Jeremy Gregg, the organization's chief development officer, their "entrepreneurship boot camp" connects convicted felons with top executives, MBA students and politicians, and provides education, training and support. While this is just one example, search the Web for local organizations that offer similar services. Be honest Perhaps the best piece of advice? Be honest. It's true for all job seekers — whether you're talking about work history, references or past salaries. It's especially true for job seekers with a record. "If you fail to disclose a criminal record when asked, and you aren’t allowed to say it didn’t happen — as with an expunction — then the employer can fire you for failing to disclose it, even if you’ve worked there for years with no problems," Ballman says. Adds Millikin: "A job seeker with a felony record who has 'paid his or her debt' should be transparent about it without having to wear it on his or her sleeve. You should mention it after real interest has been expressed in you but before you get an offer. You should always answer questions about it truthfully, and never act as if you are hiding something, as it is worse to have it exposed in a background check."

You are subscribed to email updates from The Work Buzz To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610

ResumeBear Blog

---

• Coaches Who Should Not Of Been Fired?
• Headline Bloopers That Probably Got Someone Fired
• Questions For Your Social Media Expert, Wizard or Guru

Coaches Who Should Not Of Been Fired? Posted: 16 Apr 2012 05:42 AM PDT When it comes to coaching, a termination is much more than the loss of a job. It has the potential to tarnish one’s reputation and damage a coaching career for life. For the most part, coaches are measured on their wins and losses. They depend on the talent, health, and cooperation of their players to make wins happen, but when the team falls short, somebody is to blame. And as the figurehead of team, it’s typically the coaches who get the boot first. Sometimes the win-loss ratio isn’t the problem at all, but actually an issue of insubordination or bad judgment on the coach’s part. But are these good enough reasons to fire a coach and damage the team morale? If everyone deserves a second chance, then maybe we should reconsider the fairness in these eight coaches’ dismissals. Sam Mitchell Former Toronto Raptors coach Sam Mitchell may have been honored as the NBA’s coach of the year for 2006-2007, but his unfair termination proves that even the league’s most prestigious awards don’t hold much weight if your team isn’t winning. Toronto decided to let go of Mitchell after only 17 games into the 2008-2009 season and a disappointing 8-9 start, which was mostly due to injuries. Although Mitchell’s last season was an ugly one, he did help rebuild the Raptors and propel them into the playoffs during his last two seasons. Todd Haley In 2009, the Kansas City Chiefs took a chance on a young, lightly experienced Todd Haley and gave him the job as head coach. In Haley’s second season, he helped bring the Chiefs its first AFC West championship since 2003 and finish the season with an impressive 10-6 record. In 2010, the Chiefs made a six-win improvement, marking the franchise’s biggest victory jump ever. But the 2011 season proved to be less than stellar, falling to a 5-8 record before he was pulled from his role as head coach. Terry Francona The firing of Boston Red Sox coach Terry Francona in 2011 was a controversial decision considering the incredible record the team had under his eight years of coaching. Last year was one of the most unforgiving seasons for Francona and the Red Sox, who went 7-20 during the month of September and had one of the worst collapses in MLB history. It was the last straw for Francona, and he was let go at the end of the season. It was an ugly showing on his part, but what about all of the amazing records and milestones Francona helped bring to Boston? Under Francona, the Red Sox won 744 games and took home two World Series titles in 2004 and 2007, which ended the legendary “Curse of the Bambino.” What else could Boston ask for? Mike Leach Texas Tech’s decision to fire football coach Mike Leach was a controversial one that left many wondering if it was justified or set up. Leach coached for nine years at Tech and helped propel the team to new heights. The Red Raiders quickly became known for their high-scoring offense and dramatic comeback victories. 2008 was a great year for the Red Raiders, who defeated the No. 1 Texas Longhorns and ended the regular season with an 11-1 record. Leach won several awards and honors for the successful season, including “Big 12 Coach of the Year” by the Associated Press and the 2008 George Munger Award. In the December 2009, Coach Leach was suspended by Texas Tech in relation to an investigation of alleged mistreatment of one of his players, Adam James. Although Leach denied the allegations, he was fired for insubordination because he refused to apologize to James. Bill Belichick Bill Belichick has certainly had a successful career coaching the New England Patriots over the last 11 years, but before he was winning Super Bowls with Tom Brady and Co., he was busy rebuilding the Cleveland Browns franchise from 1991-1995. As head coach of the Browns, Belichick helped lead the problematic team to a 36-44 record and get them to the playoffs in 1994. Despite the noticeable improvements, the Browns continued to disappoint both offensively and defensively, and Belichick was let go by owner Art Modell before he moved the team to Baltimore. Hue Jackson After wrapping up an 8-8 season, the Oakland Raiders fired coach Hue Jackson after just one year of coaching. Over the last seven years, the Raiders have become notorious for firing coaches every one to two years, which has left many players and fans frustrated beyond belief. Jackson was the fifth coach the team has had in seven years. Although the season ended with a handful of losses and a devastating 28-27 loss at home, Jackson wasn’t given enough time to show what else he could do for the team. Roger Neilson Roger Neilson was a legendary hockey coach who, despite his important contributions to the game, was consistently mistreated by those above him. During his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Neilson helped lead the team to a .500 record and a conference final with a 41-29-10 record. The following year, Neilson was fired by the owner, Harold Ballard, because the team was having a bad slump. But when the owner couldn’t find a replacement, he was forced to hire back the distraught Neilson and even asked if he would wear a paper bag over his head for more publicity, but like any self-respecting coach, Neilson refused to do it. Avery Johnson Avery Johnson has been praised for rebuilding the Dallas Mavericks and guiding the once lowly team to the highest winning percentage in franchise history. Under Avery, the Mavericks made their very first NBA Finals appearance in 2006. The following year, the team and its beloved coach set an NBA record for winning 67 regular-season games over the course of Johnson’s first 82 games as coach. But the winning streak came to a halt in the 2007-2008 season, when the Mavs failed to make it past the first round of the playoffs and Johnson was sadly let go as head coach.

Headline Bloopers That Probably Got Someone Fired Posted: 15 Apr 2012 08:16 AM PDT One of the most important skills a copy editor can have is a dirty, skeptical mind. If you can spot sexual innuendo from a mile away and pick up on unintended racial slurs, you might have a future in headline writing and proofreading. The people at these newspapers and websites clearly didn’t possess that necessary ability and let these terrible (and sometimes terribly awesome) headlines slip through the cracks. These headline mistakes probably got someone in trouble, but at least we can all learn from or at least laugh at them. Chink in the Armor This headline about Knicks star Jeremy Lin was almost as big of a story as Lin’s rise to fame. Anthony Federico, an ESPN editor at the time, wrote and posted the now-infamous headline at 2:30 a.m. before heading out for the night. It was taken down from the site within 35 minutes because of its inappropriate use of the Chinese racial slur, chink. Federico, who had been at ESPN since 2006, was fired the day after the incident. He has apologized, saying that it was just a mistake and he hadn’t considered the connotation of the word that appears in the common phrase. Gook double earns victory You might think that the Lin headline fiasco would make ESPN.com editors hyper-sensitive to any ethnic slurs, especially against Asians. Apparently that wasn’t the case, because just a week after the Lin debacle, the headline “Gook double earns victory” appeared on the soccer home page. The soccer player the title refers to is Lee Dong-Gook, a member of the South Korea national team. Considering Dong-Gook is his first name, in the style of many Asian countries, and that even if the headline writer didn’t understand that, he should’ve written Dong-Gook rather than just Gook, this mistake is as offensive as the Lin blooper. Gook is a well-known derogatory term for Koreans and East Asians. The headline has since been changed to “Lee double earns victory.” Reader fingers murder suspect Commuters in D.C. were treated to a weird mental image when they picked up their free copy of The Examiner in early December 2011. On first read, it sounds like a reader and a killer were having a romantic tryst, which definitely should not make front-page news. The real meaning is more significant, with a reader helping police get a new lead in a cold case — more newsworthy, but not nearly as scandalous a headline. Those copy editors probably felt a little sheepish after they realized the meaning they had conveyed. Can we all just agree that “fingers” is no longer an appropriate verb to use for anything that you want to be taken seriously? Tired Gay succumbs to Dix in 200 meters You can hardly blame the copy editor for going with this headline. When you get a chance like this to make a perfectly innocent, informative title so dirty, you take it. The story refers to runners Walter Dix and Tyson Gay and the outcome of a race. They just happen to have unfortunate last names to be put together. If Reuters got any complaints about this one, I’m sure they just told the reader to get his mind out of the gutter and then giggled when they got off the phone. French B.O. up 9% The French are getting stinkier? Is that even possible? Most people associate the abbreviation B.O. with body odor, though it apparently stands for box office in some circles. It’s unclear exactly why it needed to be shortened since it’s on the Internet and there is plenty of space, so we can only assume that some headline writer had a personal beef (or maybe boeuf) with the French. Pow wow wow yippee yo yippy yay The Union Weekly, a student newspaper at California State University, Long Beach, ran this headline on top of a review of a campus event involving American Indians. The event was called a Pow Wow, which may have prompted the headline writer to come up with this offensive line, but there’s no justifying it. Not only is it offensive, basically mocking the way Native Americans sound, but it’s bad writing — you have no idea what the story is about by reading the headline. It doesn’t help that the article itself bashed the American Indian culture, as well. The newspaper apologized, and we wouldn’t be surprised if someone’s name stopped appearing in the masthead after this. After sex sting, AP governor Tiwari ejects prematurely We’ll cut this web editor a break since this headline is from The Times of India and his first language may not be English, but we kind of doubt he didn’t know exactly what he was doing. He at least got a quick lesson in our language’s sexual phrases after posting this gem of a headline. The story discusses a governor who was stepping down after being caught on film in the company of three women. Many readers blasted the paper for providing the serious news with such a sleazy, cheap-shot headline, but it’s not clear if it cost anyone their jobs. Politics in spades: why the Obama veg patch matters This headline, and others involving Obama and the word spade, might seem innocuous to the younger generation, but many older people might still recognize spade as a derogatory name for an African American. The term originated in the early 20th century and isn’t used much today, but it’s understandable that it could be incredibly offensive to put a racial slur as the title of a story about the U.S. president. Copy editors probably need to have a list handy of every racist term out there just to be safe. Missippi’s literacy program shows improvement Yes, you read that right. The literacy program in “Missippi” is improving. It apparently hasn’t made its way to the newspapers there yet, though. This mistake wouldn’t be so awful if it weren’t for the glaring irony of it — and the fact that we all learned how to spell Mississippi in the second grade. This headline writer and everyone who proofread this paper should be temporarily suspended until they complete an elementary spelling class. headline headghgh This mistake by the Times & Citizen in the United Kingdom isn’t just a matter of missing the connotation of a word. This is full-blown carelessness. It’s happened to papers all over the world: the dreaded filler headline that gets looked over and makes it into the published version. It’s rare that it happens on the main headline of the front page, though, as it does in this case. The paper blamed a new production method they and other British newspapers were using, but it’s still hard to pass the buck on something so glaring as a 50-size font, placeholder head on the front page.

Questions For Your Social Media Expert, Wizard or Guru Posted: 14 Apr 2012 07:08 AM PDT By Sean R. Nicholson Finding a social media professional to help you with your online activities can sometimes be a tough process. There are plenty of "experts", "gurus" and "wizards" out there and many of them don't have the experience you need. Hopefully, these 1o questions can help you in the process of finding someone who really understands your business and can help formulate and execute a plan to engage with your community online. 1) How long have you been engaged in social networking and/or social media channels? Will you provide me with links to your accounts? Believe it or not, online social networking didn't start with Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Plenty of social media professionals have experience that goes back to online bulletin boards, forums on CompuServe, Prodigy, and AOL, and online forums. Look for professionals who have been building online relationships for more than five years. Most social media professionals will be willing to share links to their profiles and it would be a good idea to look them over for professional activity. If your social media "expert" spends more time talking about their Friday parties and drops F-bombs frequently, think twice… 2) Are you familiar with any restrictions or limitations on social media activities that might impact my industry? Every business and organization is not the same, so a one-size-fits-all social media strategy is generally a bad idea. If you're in non-profit, you might want to look for a social media professional with experience in that sector. If you operate in a regulated industry such as pharmaceutical, tobacco, alcohol, finance, insurance, or a host of others….it would be a good idea to find a professional who has significant experience in your industry and understands any limitations or restrictions. 3) What are my competitors doing? Any professional worth their salt will do some preliminary research before sitting down with you. If the person you interview doesn't know (at least at a high level) what your competitors are doing, it might be a cause for concern.  IMHO, they should be able to give you insight on the way your competitors are using the major social networks like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. 4) What social networks do you specialize in? Why are these networks right for my business? Every social network is not right for every industry. Just ask anyone in the pharmaceutical industry how they could possibly engage in drug marketing on Twitter.  The reality is that most organizations can take full advantage of the networks out there, but if there are limitations, you want your social media professional to be aware of them. 5) What does "community management" mean to you? Do you include community management in your social media services? Social media engagement doesn't end when you publish your Facebook page or launch your Twitter account. Heck…creating those channel profiles is often the easiest part of the process. The community engagement/management process that follows is the more difficult (and more expensive) element. It's important that you know how your social media professional approaches community management and what strategies and tactics they will use to interact with the members of your community (a.k.a your customers, members, employees, etc…) 6) Can you provide me with a list of client references in my industry? Pretty self-explanatory. If they don't have references….be cautious. 7) What is your perception of social media marketing and how will it help my in my business goals? How will we measure success? This one forces them to explain what they perceive to be your business goals. Are you selling product or services? Are you attracting members to your professional organization? Your social networking approach should be tailored to your business goals and your activities should be measurable. They might not be hard metrics in terms of sales or conversions, but there should be some measurement involved, even if its the increasing the number of positive online interactions and reducing the amount of negative chatter around your brand. 8 ) How do you evaluate new social networks and do you alert your clients of new opportunities? Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube may be the juggernauts right now but remember the days of AOL, CompuServe, MySpace and eBay? Would you hire a social media professional who pitched engaging your customers on Prodigy? Probably not. My point is that social networks come and go, and your social media professional should be constantly evaluating new platforms and making recommendations on whether you should explore them. 9) What distinguishes you from your competitors? Social media "experts" are quickly becoming a dime-a-dozen. There are thousands of self-proclaimed experts out there, but you need a professional who knows your business and cares about your success. Be sure that the person you engage as your company/brand representative knows what sets them apart from their competition. 10) Can you give me an example of a limitation of a social network that you have experienced and overcome or worked around? Bandwidth limitations, API calls, character limits…social networks come with limitations. Beware of an social media professionals who have never run into limitations and don't have experience overcoming them. If they haven't run into limitations, it doesn't mean they don't exist but, instead, likely means that this so called "expert" hasn't had the range of experiences you might need. I hope these 10 questions are helpful! Do you have questions that you consistently use to find the best social media professionals out there? Feel free to share them via comments or tweets! About the Author: Sean R. Nicholson Social Media Strategist, Tech Geek, Attorney, coffee addict. I connect people, enhance the workplace, & drive business

You are subscribed to email updates from Resumebear Online Resume To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610