I got a Borders gift card for Christmas and wanted to spend it as fast as I could, so last Monday I went to see what was out there. Armed with Mashable’s list of “10 Must-Read eBooks For Social Media Lovers” (http://mashable.com/2009/12/21/must-read-ebooks/), I picked up three that looked especially promising for my purposes — Crush It!: Why NOW Is the Time to Cash In on Your Passion by Gary Vaynerchuk , Reality Check: The Irreverent Guide to Outsmarting, Outmanaging, and Outmarketing Your Competition by Guy Kawasaki, and Trust Agents: Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation, and Earn Trustby Chris Brogan and Julien Smith . I vowed to give 20 minutes to each book, at the end of which time I would make a decision and cash-out. I’ll spare you the suspense. . . I chose Brogan and Smith.

I’ll explain why in a minute, but first a brief sidebar. As I started the process I sent a tweet asking my followers for their recommendation. Interestingly enough, @GuyKawasaki (or someone tweeting for him) shot back a reply, “all three!” As I said, I chose Brogan and Smith, so “sorry Guy” — but I have good reason, and the fact that you responded to my tweet puts you on top of the list for when I spend the Barnes and Noble card I got!

I am a Career Coach, Small Business Coach, and professional speaker. When I look for something to read I usually try to find something that will give me double mileage for my time, because, like you, I’m busy! I am currently doing a lot of work helping job seekers and small businesses integrate social media into their marketing strategy. My specialty is helping old people like me (I’ll be 50 this year) understand the value of Social Media basics like Twitter and Facebook. You see, my generation grew up without all of this fancy technology. My family had a black and white tv until I was in High School – ONE TV! There were 4 channels and we had to fight to watch our favorite shows. (Luckily, my favorite was everyone else’s favorite as well. Let’s just say we never missed a “Gilligan’s Island” re-run.)

Anyway, my generation wasn’t raised with computers. We didn’t have cell phones. My generation is skeptical, but we know that we need to learn how and why to use Social Media, if for no other reason than to keep up with our kids! Much of what I do in this space is to help my generation understand the strategic value and opportunities involved in Social Media for business and finding job opportunities. That’s why I chose Brogan and Smith. I’ve devoured Groundswell: Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies“ by Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff. I’ve drunk from the cup of professional bloggers such as Brian Clark, Darren Rowse, and Yaro Starak — I’m even a member of the “Teaching Sells” community. I have accounts at Digg.com, Technorati, and Delicious (although, admittedly. I don’t use them enough). I attend our local Wordcamp, Beer and Blog, and an ocassional SEMPdx event. I’m good friends with Joshua Waldman (affiliate link), Eric Mann (my publisher) and Pete Wright (my personal videographer) — three guys I consider to be SoMe Gurus. I’m pretty hooked on social media, but to the rest of my generation I’m a bit of an enigma. Most of us “old folks”*** are skeptical of these newfangled contraptions! I have heard on many occasions a statement that was recently made by my friend Elaine.  She said, “I don’t want everyone knowing my business.”

Well I have news for you Elaine, everyone already knows your business! Your life is an open book for all to see, all they need to do is Google your name and they can find your picture, your phone number, your home address, even the fact that you remodeled your basement to the tune of $7,500 in 2008 and took out a permit that cost you $75.00.

“Everyone already knows your business, Elaine.”

That’s the point I’m trying to make in this post. Part of my current mission is to help people raised on rotary phones and Gilligan’s Island re-runs learn the value of using social media to grow their business or find their perfect career position or simply to enhance their life. I picked up the three books mentioned above and chose the one I felt will best help me with that mission.  Vaynerchuk’s book is a great option for helping people find and live their passion.  I intend to use it in my coaching practice with job seekers, however, it didn’t quit hit the spot with my need to help my generation understand and use social media.  Kawasaki’s book (IMHO) felt like it is more aimed at the corporate enterprise than the individual. It’s got some gems, but is a little more corporate than I needed this time.  I will buy those books later, for a different purpose, just not now.  Right now, I need something that will give me the philosophical framework and language tools I need to help my generation embrace Web 2.0 and social media.  Brogan and Smith’s book does exactly that.  I think what really sold me was the little section titled: A Final Lesson: Don’t Be “That Guy” (p. 110 & following). Here’s the specific quote:

“A trust agent’s job is . . to make people feel comfortable, all the way, building deep relationships before ever asking something of others.  You should be there for THEM.”

Yep.  That’s what I need.  My generation is the generation of love, peace (and drugs).  We can understand a social media philosophy that encourages us to “be there for them.” This book is just what I need right now.

Thanks @Chrisbrogan and @julien. And sorry @guykawasaki.  Maybe next time. . .

*** [A old fella was telling his neighbor, 'I just bought a new hearing aid. It cost me four thousand dollars, but it's state of the art. It's perfect.'   'Really,' answered the neighbor. 'What kind is it?'   ' Twelve thirty.']

Related Posts:

• The ABCs of Career Management
• A Day In The Life Of A Successful Job Seeker
• How To COnduct An Informational Interview

When I asked for input on what to write about in this blog I received the following request from Doug:

“I would be interested in hearing about effective uses of time when you are looking for work.  How much time should be spent on internet search engines, linkedin, attending network marketing meetings, having one-on-one network meetings, time spend with an accountability partner, exercising, prayer/meditation, time spent not working on the job search (I feel guilty doing this), volunteering, or other valuable uses of time.  Alternately, what are poor uses of time.  As I go through this process, I have been advised to do everything and say a yes to everything.”

This is a GREAT question Doug, I’m glad you asked it. Let me take a shot at answering it. . .

Going through the job search process is challenging.  Because it’s so new to most of us, choosing how to spend out time each day/week/month can be confusing.  On top of the confusion there are several pressing issues, such as:

• our husband/wife wondering when we will find a job and asking us daily what we did to accomplish that goal.
• our own feelings of self worth (or lack thereof) — let’s be honest, in our culture one of the first questions asked when we meet a new person is, “What do you do?”  If we “don’t” then how do we answer that question?
• advice from everyone and their brother as to how we should navigate this time – “go to everything you can”  “put this on your resume” “don’t put that on your resume” “always wear a tie when you leave the house” “don’t dress to formal or people will know you are unemployed” and so on.
• a feeling that sometimes we just want to curl up in bed and avoid the whole thing.
• a desire to make the most of this time with family and friends — “After all, I have a lot more free time now that I don’t have work getting in the way.  So why do I feel guilty when I’m out enjoying myself with the kids?”

As someone who has helped hundreds of people successfully navigate unemployment and career transition this past year, let me share with you some of what I see to be most effective uses of your time in this process.

1. Don’t bother spending more than about 30 hours per week in the job search.  There are physical, social and psychological effects of being on a job search that make it unproductive for us when we go past 30 hours per week.  I know you are supposed to consider your job search to be a “full time job”, so for our purposes let’s consider 30 hours to be “full time.”
2. Spend some at least 20 minutes EVERY DAY doing some form of physical exercise.  Go for a walk. Go go the gym. Play with your kids on the jungle gym.  Exercise is good for clearing out the brain and increasing energy.
3. Don’t spend more than 37 minutes per day on the computer. Likewise, DON’T go online during daylight hours.  Think about it, if 80% of jobs are found through some form of networking, then you should spend at least 80% of your time networking.  The internet will be there when you get home, after everyone is in bed.  Heck, you are probably going to be awake at 3:00 this morning anyway.  If you spend the whole day online, what will you have to do when you wake up in the middle of the night?
4. Have a networking strategy and stick to your plan.  This is tricky, because your plan should evolve as you progress in your job search.  I would recommend that early on in your search you attend lots of events where other job seekers hang out.  These are great places to meet new people, develop and practice your elevator pitch, and get some support.  However, within 6-8 weeks you want to begin moving AWAY from those kinds of events to places where potential employers and people close to potential employers hang out. The former of these events will usually be free.  The latter may cost you something.  That’s why you want to work out the bugs in your verbal and printed “brand image” in the early stages of your job search.  And yes, Doug, this means you will say no to some things. You want to be strategic!
5. An accountability partner is a great idea! Plan to check in once a week for at least an hour.  Take notes and hold each other accountable for goals set at the previous meeting.  Choose wisely. To be successful at this you need to choose someone who will kick your butt — not be your friend.

Some of the activities that have proven to be the worst use of time for job seekers include:

1. Spending time on the Internet job boards – less than 6% of all available jobs are posted on these boards. If you were digging for gold, wouldn’t you want to spend your time in a place where other people have found gold rather than someplace where the prospects for finding gold are shallow?  Well guess what. . . you ARE digging for gold! The best place to find it is through your network of friends and colleagues.
2. Writing/revising your resume (or your LinkedIn profile. Or your Visual CV. . . ). Yeah, I know, you NEED a resume.  It needs to be polished and professional.  However, your resume is a dynamic, living document. It will need to be revised continuously throughout your career.  Work on it a little at a time and track your improvement.  Besides, YOU are your best resume, so get out there and show people what you have to offer!
3. Simultaneously, paying someone to write your resume for you is a huge waste of both time and money – unless you are a high level executive commanding a 7 figure salary.  If you feel the need to pay someone, pay them to coach you how to write a quality resume. You are going to go through the job search process again in the future, so this is a skill that is worth learning as best you can! Besides, the tools you use to write a resume will be extremely helpful in interviews, and it’s pretty tough to get a professional resume writer to go with you to an interview!

This is just a beginning list of how to structure your job search efforts.  The key is to have a strategic plan with specific goals that you can track and measure each day/week.  We have more resources on this topic inside the Careers 2.0 membership site.  The Basic Membership is free, so sign up and take a look!

Thanks for asking Doug!

How about the rest of you?  What would YOU like to read about in this blog?

Related Posts:

• Our 4 Step Process for Writing An Elevator Pitch
• How To Conduct An Informational Interview
• What Is A Personal Brand And Why Do You Need One?
• How to Work With A Recruiter In Your Job Search
• Why A Great Resume Is Not As Important As A Decent Network

Our friends over at Common Craft do some great work.  There videos are simple, yet full of great information.  Today I want to share with you this 3 minute goodie on using LinkedIn for more than just making contacts.

The protagonist in this story used LinkedIn to grow her business.  What can you learn from her, since you, as a job seeker, are the owner of your own business who’s sole purpose is to find you a job?  How can you search your contacts to find people who will help move your career forward?  Who do you need to meet?  How can you use LinkedIn to facilitate an introduction?

Don’t forget theses 2 important keys to graceful networking (even online);

1. It’s NOT about you. You may feel an urgent need to find a job.  However, when networking you will turn people off if you show it.  Approach people to find opportunity for them and their network FIRST.  When they know you have their best interest at heart they will want to help you fulfill your needs.
2. When asked, have a CLEAR statement of what you are looking for. (See the “4 Step Process for Writing an Elevator Pitch”) Be sure to include a call to action.  You don’t get if you don’t ask, so be sure to ask.  However, ONLY ask AFTER you have helped the other person.

LinkedIn can be an amazing tool for your job search if you use it correctly. I recommend that you do not just accept any link you are offered.  Take time to get to know the other person first.  Then, after a significant conversation, you will have created a quality link.

In the last month I’ve had a few clients who were contacted directly by HR professionals and Recruiters through their LinkedIn profile.  Make sure you have a solid profile, because you won’t get the chance to make a second impression!  Good luck, happy hunting, and great linking!

30 Day Blogging Challenge – day 21. Tomorrow’s post: “How To Conduct An Informational Interview”

Today’s post is a guest post by Joshua Waldman (http://CareerEnlightenment.net)

Everyone is on LinkedIn these days. Let’s face it. Almost
every CEO from every fortune 500. Last count was over 60 million users.

In contrast, job boards only have about 3.5% of available
jobs. This is common knowledge in the career industry, but why do so many
people spend so much time on job boards?

The answer is because it feels safer. LinkedIn is really all
about networking. And socializing in an unfamiliar environment can be
frightening. I know, I’m an introvert. I totally understand why job seekers try
to spend as little time as possible in front of LinkedIn.

So what I want to offer 3 of the most common mistakes in
using LinkedIn and how to avoid them. My goal is to help job seekers get over
any unconscious resistance to using the most powerful job finding tool ever
invented.

And if you want to register to a free webinar about how to proactively get job interviews using LinkedIn on 12/22, Click Here to Register.

Mistake 1: Not Having a Brand

Shoe companies have brands, not people!

Wrong.

Looking for a job is just another sales situation. You are
your product. And everything about you is going to either sell you, or turn
people away.

It’s really just a choice you have to make inside.

Just like how we make buying decisions emotionally,
sometimes based on silly things, like the color of the packaging. So too do hiring
managers unconsciously make decisions about our candidacy.

If your Resume doesn’t quite match your LinkedIn profile,
and that doesn’t match what your referral said about you, then you are in big
trouble.

The risk of being inconsistent is huge, and it helps to have
defined “who you are” long before you put yourself out there.

The second part of branding is knowing your audience. What
are their 2 biggest problems right now, that you could potentially solve?

The trick is to align the “who you are” with the “what they
need”, so that there is a nice overlap.

This, my friends, is your personal brand. It will define
your strategy, your writing style, your colors, photos and everything else
about you online.

Most people crank out their LinkedIn profile without doing
this step first.

Mistake 2: You are NOT Your J-o-b

“Systems Engineer”

“Marketing Executive”

“Fundraiser”

These appear under someone’s name in their LinkedIn
profiles. And they tell us nothing about who this person really is.

They are a commodity.

Quick story. I had a client, a network engineer, who wanted
to work for a very large shoe company. No, not Nike, but good guess.

He knew they had 2 problems. First, they had no internal
network. Second, their external network was so broken that it was affecting
supply chain.

So in order to really appeal to this company, we needed to
directly address their biggest challenges- challenges that he had the capacity
to solve.

So his headline went like this, “Powerful Intranet builder|Supply Chain
thought leader|Project management guru”

You have 120 characters to tell the world who you are and what value you bring.

And every communication you generate on LinkedIn will have
this professional headline attached to it.

So choose wisely.

Hint: don’t use your job title as your headline

Mistake 3: Don’t Look Like an Axe Murderer

Every single time I speak about social media in the job
search, someone always comes up to me afterward to ask me this question, “But
I’m just not that comfortable putting my picture up”. They are either too young
or too old or too something.

Yes, ageism, racism and sexism are very real. It’s sad and
terrible that they still happen in our society. But using a black and white
photo, or zooming way out to try and hide something about ourselves is not going to solve the
problem.

The only thing we can do is put some time and effort into
our photos, to reflect who we are honestly. And to make a nice looking photo.

All too often, people will put up a mug shot, and wonder why
they aren’t getting call backs.

This really happened to a friend’s client. And the day he changed
his photo, he got a job offer. No exaggeration. (I can hear the HR people
cringing from this story, but it’s true).

So the lesson from this is that it is worth getting a
professional headshot taken if you are serious about getting a job.

So When Do I Start Getting Job Interviews from LinkedIn

Join me for a free webinar this month (on 12/22) where I’ll share 4 easy steps you can take tonight to get you a job interview by next week.

No one wins a beauty contest for having the nicest LinkedIn profile.
We’ll discover some great strategies for proactively researching
companies and getting interviews.

There are limited seats, so please make sure you sign up for this Live Event right away, Click Here to Register.

30 Day Blogging Challenge – day 19. Tomorrow’s post: “Personal Branding Links”

Welcome December!  This month I am participating in a 30 Day Blogging Challenge with some other bloggers.  As you know, this blog is all about helping people find a new job. Not just any new job, mind you, but rather, the perfect career. That’s why we write about acing the interview, cutting time off your job search, and using Internet job boards (like LinkedIn, Monster.com, and Twitter).

This 30 day blog challenge will allow me to develop some new material to use in the Careers 2.0 website.  That means two things for you: 1) you get the opportunity to add your 2 cents to the conversation, and 2) you get it for free before everyone else! This blog is all about offering free job advice, free job resources, free resume examples, and much more. We deal with topics such as networking, building a personal brand, working with recruiters, unemployment, interviewing and salary negotiation. What would YOU like to see us cover during the 30 day challenge? I hope you will participate by adding your thoughts to the conversation.  Actually, it won’t be much fun without you! Oh, and don’t forget to pass the links along to your fellow job seekers.

While the long term goal of this blog is to help everyone in America find the perfect career for this time in their life, my short term goals are a bit more attainable. Here are my goals for 30 day blog challenge:

1. create 5 posts on Personal Branding as it relates to the job search.
2. create 5 posts on interviewing and interviewing tips for job seekers.
3. add 50 followers to Facebook blog list.
4. add 200 people to newsletter mailing list.
5. get 3 posts to get picked up by a national venue.

Thank you for joining (and encouraging) me on this 30 day blogging journey.  And don’t forget, happy hunting!

30 Day Blogging Challenge – day 1.  Tomorrow’s post: “Do You Have A Professional Photo?”

While preparing to write a post on staying positive during the job search I posted this tweet on Twitter and Facebook.  I thought I would glean some of the thoughts of my friends and followers – thinking perhaps one or two would respond.  Boy, was I surprised when I got more than 15 amazing comments!  Instead of compacting them, I thought I’d just share them with you.  There are some gems here . . . as well as some, well, let’s just say “tongue in cheek.”  I’ve condensed the name to just the initials, because I don’t have copyright permission to share the names.  Here’s what I posted, and the responses.

“Working on a blog post- what do you do to stay positive during your job search? Please RT.”

NS - Exercise!

SA - Hang-out with an Optimist… no, really!

LG - Think positive things, count blessings and be grateful.

SW - Honestly? I vent to Mom, who reminds me that I will find something. That I always do. Oh, and a dose or two of chocolate.

DC – Burbon and valium.

JG - Read Sean Harry’s facebook updates.

BP – Network….

FD - Do your job search outside of the home (at a coffee shop, the library etc) it keeps you social and moving. Also, networking events are rife with equally unemployed people, so instead of focusing only on making connections in professional circles, pick up a hobby that you wouldn’t ordinarily do. It’s a great way to meet new people without pushing your resume and you feel insanely accomplished for exploring something new.

LW - No matter what the circumstances I am in are, I, and only I, am responsible for how I experience those circumstances.

I create a possibility to live my life into every day. That is, I create a way of being that is empowering to me, and recreate myself in that way of being. And I take on experiencing all my circumstances, all day long, from that point of view.

I have people I touch base with on a daily basis regarding this.

I thus make myself accountable for:
What I did yesterday,
What I’m doing today, and
Where I’m stopped.

(software people will recognize this as an ‘Agile scrum’)

AUS – When I was in my transition time out of general ministry and into… whatever the future was going to be… I worked closely with a career coach and touched base with her a couple of times a month. I was a proactive networker, seeing more than 250 people in the course of nine months or so. I guess the positive thing for me was not seeing it as a “job search” but as a search for a new direction. Big difference.

LG – Since I tried thinking positive and was having a hard day, I took NS’ advice and exercised (while praying thanks for blessings) … woo-hoo … when in doubt, do it all!

SL - Attend a Toastmasters meeting and volunteer for Table Topics.

SVD - The October issue of Guideposts magazine had a great article about a man named Seth Reams, in Portland, OR(!) who found himself depressed due to extended unemployment. He wrote a post on Craigslist and joined with other jobless people to volunteer to help others with needs. They started a blog: wevegottimetohelp.blogspot.com.

RS – Take it to the outdoors! As long as it’s not pouring rain, I have taken more walks and hikes than ever before. It’s refreshing to get back to nature and have time to literally “stop and smell the roses.” I also play with my dog way more, he’s going to have withdrawls when I go back to work Oh – and volunteer!!!!

I have learned 2 things from this exercise:
1) YES, people DO read what you post on social media (i.e. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter).
2) My friends are SMART!

Of course, I would add that if you don’t have your FREE account set up on Careers 2.0, you are missing out on an amazing opportunity.  (Of course I would say that!

What do YOU do to stay positive during the job search?  We’d love to see your responses too!

I don’t often hand out testimonials for other career coaches, but when it comes to getting the most out of your job search I’ve been impressed with the work of Joshua Waldman. Joshua runs a website called Career Enlightenment (at www.joshuawaldman.net).  Joshua is a former sales and marketing professional who brings his expertise to help job seekers learn how to effectively use social media in the job search. His career advice is right on. In my opinion, Joshua gets it.

Joshua knows that the job search is about more than simply checking out the job boards.  He knows that in order to find the perfect career, you must utilize the best job search tools available to you.  Joshua teaches his clients how to use LinkedIn, facebook, Twitter and other social media tools to promote your personal brand.  Joshua searches the Internet to find helpful tools that make your job search more effective.  He conducts interviews with key career coaches and industry leaders. His recent blog post (“Is Your Brand The Ultimate Narcissism?”)  has even been featured in the Brazen Careerist.  Other professionals recognize Joshua’s work as well!

One of the reasons I feel so strongly about Joshua’s work is because he understands how to network.  Joshua’s philosophy on networking is a lot like mine – give, give, give, and good things will come back to you. Joshua gives of himself, his time and his expertise to help people in their job search.  Lately Joshua has been speaking to job seekers in my home town of Portland, Oregon.  I caught his workshop and was impressed with his knowledge.  For those who see the value in what Joshua has to offer, he is available for individual coaching.  If you want to learn how to use social media to extend your personal brand, give Joshua a call. I have learned a lot from Joshua, and you can too!

If you are in a job search, thinking about changing careers or just getting started at choosing a career, check out Joshua Waldman’s work.  He is a great networker and a powerful resource for anyone in the job hunt.

Join us next time for: “The Cost of Being Unemployed”