Sharing a relevant post-

My friend Sue Connelly and MB Deans have collaborated on this post for KIT List (keep in touch) members and with the rapidly growing use of social networking for a job search, these tips, reminders, and really good warnings about using social media will assist you in using good judgment.

Between December, 2008 and January, 2009, traffic on LinkedIn grew by 22% in the US, while time spent on the site doubled. In spite of the furor over Facebook’s Terms of Service agreements, more professionals are using Facebook than ever before. Twitter, a microblog, is gaining popularity as a tool to help job seekers. The lines between social use of Web 2.0 and business or professional uses are blurring, especially as more and more people turn to technology to help them find jobs. Recruiters have used LinkedIn to research job candidates for a long time, but in 2007, 15% of the recruiters hiring college grads used Facebook to check into their backgrounds. Savvy companies use Twitter more and more to attract, research and recruit new employees. But the rules are still evolving and etiquette isn’t always clear. While these tools are very different from each other, there are some common-sense guidelines that can help you navigate these new waters successfully.

Seven Important Rules to Follow

1. Start first with LinkedIn. If you don’t know where to begin and Web 2.0 is all Greek to you, start with the granddaddy, LinkedIn. Create a free account and enter profile information.

2. If you’re an active online networker, assume the entire world is watching. Once those annoying party photos are posted you have no way of knowing who might have seen them. If you wouldn’t want to explain it to your boss, a prospective employer or your mom…

3. Be interesting. Post links or retweet information you found intriguing, entertaining and/or useful. Share generously and you shall be rewarded.

4. Set clear boundaries between your professional and personal lives. Make sure security settings are appropriate to protect personal information.

5. Don’t give away more information than you’re comfortable with. Listen to that little voice in your head. If you’re not sure you should post something — don’t do it!

6. Figure out and follow the etiquette of the group(s) you’ve joined. Lurk for a while until you understand the unwritten rules of how people communicate. Post carefully and be willing to take feedback gracefully if you violate group norms.

7. Always act professionally. Always. You know those old email rules warning you that no one can see your face, ready your body language, or hear the tone of your voice? They’re especially true in the instant-response world of social networking. Always take the high road.

8. Check what the world sees and hears about you. Search for yourself by name in Facebook and on Twitter, and see what comes up. While there’s no going back, do clean up what you can.

Top 5 Things Guaranteed to Turn Off Your Audience

1. Making it all about you. Nobody (outside of your mother and maybe your closest friend) cares what you ate for breakfast, whether the baby spit up last night, or whether your new puppy demolished your apartment.

2. Stalking someone else on line. Don’t harass someone; if they’re not interested in connecting with you, move on.

3. Broadcasting strong or controversial opinions to an audience you don’t know. In spite of the fact that you can watch worldwide tweets scroll down your screen in the writers’ native languages, you don’t know who’s out there reading. And it’s a small world.

4. Misrepresenting yourself. Another downside to having a global audience: the darnedest people will find you at the darnedest times. Claim something that’s not rightfully yours and you’ve damaged your credibility to all.

5. Posting inappropriate information about someone else. Listen to that little voice in your ear: could you explain it to your grandmother?

During your job search, find things that inspire you to think differently.

Below is a classic that if you have not heard or have not heard lately, will do just that. I have also included the lyrics below so you can read (or sing) along. Finding one “golden nugget” of inspiration is all you need. Make sure to write down your “golden nuggets” and put them in a place where you will see them often. Enjoy!

BAZ LUHRMANN’S
EVERYBODY’S FREE (TO WEAR SUNSCREEN)

Click here for the u-tube video and return to this page for the lyrics

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfq_A8nXMsQ

Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of ’99

Wear Sunscreen

If I could offer you only one tip for the future,
sunscreen would be it.
The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists,
whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience
I will dispense this advice now.

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth, oh nevermind,
you will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they’ve faded.
But trust me, in 20 years you’ll look back at photos of yourself
and recall in a way you can’t grasp now, how much possibility lay before you
and how fabulous you really looked,
you are not as fat as you imagine.

Don’t worry about the future, or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum.
The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that blindside you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday.

Do one thing everyday that scares you

Sing

Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts,
don’t put up with people who are reckless with yours.

Floss

Don’t waste your time on jealousy, sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind,
the race is long, and in the end, it’s only with yourself.

Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insults,
if you succeed in doing this, tell me how.

Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements.

Stretch

Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your life,
the most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22
what they wanted to do with their lives,
some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don’t.

Get plenty of calcium.

Be kind to your knees, you’ll miss them when they’re gone.

Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll have children, maybe you won’t,
Maybe you’ll divorce at 40,
Maybe you’ll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary
What ever you do, don’t congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either
Your choices are half chance, so are everybody else’s.
Enjoy your body, use it every way you can, don’t be afraid of it,
or what other people think of it, it’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever own

Dance, even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room.

Read the directions, even if you don’t follow them.

Do not read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly.

Brother and sister together we’ll make it through
Someday a spirit will take you and guide you there
I know you’ve been hurtin, but I’ve been waitin’ to be there for you
And I’ll be there just helping you out whenever I can

Get to know your parents, you never know when they’ll be gone for good.

Be nice to your siblings, they are the best link to your past
and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.

Understand that friends come and go, but for the precious few you should hold on.
Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle because the older you get,
the more you need the people you knew when you were young.

Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard,
Live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.

Travel.

Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will philander,
you too will get old, and when you do you’ll fantasize that when you were young
prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders.

Respect your elders.

Don’t expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund,
Maybe you have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one might run out.

Don’t mess too much with your hair, or by the time you’re 40, it will look 85.

Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it.
Advice is a form of nostalgia,
dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off,
painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it’s worth.

But trust me on the sunscreen

Brother and sister together we’ll make it through
Someday a spirit will take you and guide you there
I know you’ve been hurtin, but I’ve been waitin’ to be there for you
And I’ll be there just helping you out whenever I can
Everybody’s free oh yeah
Everybody’s free oh yeah

Think about your answers than write them out as practice. Otherwise, you are liable to just open your mouth and let your first thought come rolling out. Preparation is key in this competitive market.

1. Tell me a little about yourself.

2. In your current job, who is the person you report to – and what are his or her responsibilities?

3. I’ve read the various accomplishments you’ve cited on your resume. But if you had to pick the single greatest contribution you have made to an employer, what would that be?

4. All of us have a combination of strengths and weaknesses. Can you tell me a shortcoming that affected your work performance and what you did to address it?

5. If I were to ask your fellow workers to describe you, what would they say?

6. Like people, companies are a mix of strengths and weaknesses. What are some of the things your present company could do to be more successful?

7. Tell me about some of the people you’ve hired in recent years, how they’ve worked out and what you did with any poor performers.

8. What risks have you taken in your current job, and what were the results?

9. When you have the kind of “drop-everything” crisis at work, what techniques do you use to enlist the help of others?

10. Setting aside compensation and perks (which we’d all like to have more of), what changes or improvements in your current work situation would make the job so attractive that you wouldn’t want to leave?

When you turn on the news and all you see is bad news about the economy and the job market, it is easy to become so anxious that you actually scare yourself into inaction. Don’t let that happen to you! There are great jobs out there to be had. Stay competitive, remain in action and working toward your goals each day, and one of those jobs WILL be your new job. Job searching does take time, even at the best of times, but by leveraging these 21 tips you will find yourself back to work faster than you thought possible.
Here are 21 tips that you can put into action today to speed your own job search and drive it to a fast, successful conclusion.

1. Set goals for your job search – There are 720 hours in 30 days. What are you going to do with the next 4 hours, 8 hours, 16 hours, and 20 hours? You want to have a list of inspired actions to keep your job search moving forward I recommend you set manageable and motivating weekly goals. Your goals should be: Attainable while providing a challenge; Written; Specific; Stated in a positive way; Manageable; Measurable and trackable; Timed with a deadline.

2. Be clear about your focus – Knowing what YOU want, what YOU are passionate about, and what YOU bring to the table will provide you with a confidence that simply can’t and won’t be matched by many of your competitors in the job market.

3. Create and follow a multi-pronged job search plan – An effective job search campaign is one that includes the strategic, planned, methodical use of a variety of job search approaches.

4. Approach your job search as if it were a job itself – Get organized and create a system for managing your job search. At the very least, you need a calendaring system, a system of logging inter-related and follow-up activities, a contact management system, and a filing system.

5. Assemble a support team – You should build a support team around you of people who can help you stay motivated and on track while giving you honest feedback and helping you stay accountable to your goals. Group with only “Yay-sayers”. This is the time to limit your interaction with “Nay-sayers” It’s not good for you or them so you are doing them a favor by setting an example.

6. Develop and promote your personal brand – Personal branding differentiates you from your peers and helps to position you as a leader in your field. By knowing and promoting your brand, you achieve instant, precision-like focus that positions you as the ideal candidate for the specific type of opportunity that interests you. What are the top five things people would say about you? You want to know this and speak it so they know it too! Be proud of your reputation!

7. Prepare your success stories – Take the time to think about success stories. When stated in this format you can make a list with these three columns 0Challenge-Action-Result. This is most effective to share some of your greatest accomplishments that illustrate the strengths you want to highlight in your interview. What were the challenges you faced related to these accomplishments? What actions did you take to meet the challenge? What were the results when of the actions that you took? You will use these in your resume, during networking meetings, and in especially interviews.

8. Perfect your resume – Your resume is your first introduction to most employers, and your only chance to make a good first impression. Keep your resume up-to-date at all times. Rewrite your resume to convey and illustrate your unique value including accomplishments. This will differentiate you from others.

9. Cultivate your network – There is no more effective job search technique than networking. Make networking a part of your daily routine and plan to spend the majority of your job search time on networking activities. Learn to build rapport with people. Rapport is a relationship including trust and connection. Practice building rapport with different age groups so you can see how effectively you can get into their view of the world. Like a 5 year old or a teenager, then someone with different interests. Practice, Practice, Practice! You will get good at it and soon be able to build instant rapport with all different types of people.

10. Create and practice your introduction – You will hear the “what do you do?” or “tell me about yourself?” questions over and over and over and over. Preparation is the key to confidence and the key to making a lasting, positive, and memorable first impression. Be ready with a 30-60 second pitch that confidently conveys to the listener who you are as a professional and what your value proposition is.

11. Do your research – Take the initiative and identify the companies that you really want to work for. Determine where you would fit in their structure and what you have to offer them. Develop a proposal that clearly illustrates how you would deliver a return on their investment in hiring you. Now leverage your network to set up meetings with the hiring decision-maker at the companies.

12. Strengthen your industry contacts and knowledge – Informational interviewing is a great technique for almost everyone. Contact people who can tell you what is going on in the field, help you better understand the competitive landscape, describe for you what it is like to work in the field, and ideally point you in the right direction for the next person you may want to speak with.

13. Build your online presence – Creating and maintaining a blog on your area of career expertise is an extraordinary way to build your credibility and visibility. Business networking sites like LinkedIn and FaceBook are increasingly popular ways to expand your network. Consider writing articles on industry and profession-related topics. You can also participate in online discussions on topics related to your career focus.

14. Introduce yourself to headhunters – There are presently well over 15,000 recruiting offices in just the United States alone. Do a little research and determine which firms specialize in your industry of choice or positions like you are seeking. This small, segmented list is the one you should focus your time and attention on.

15. Be prepared for salary negotiations – Know your value and be able to clearly articulate the returns that an employer can expect from hiring you. Never forget that as an employee you are investment. It is up to you to know what your worth is, to make sure the potential employer is clear on what that is, and to make sure that they pay you the best possible price for your contributions.

16. Put together a strong list of references – Contact each person that you intend to list and ask for their permission. Never provide someone as a reference unless you have discussed it with them first and briefed them on your current job search. Verify the contact information for each reference and ask for permission to list a telephone number and email address. Only give out references when requested. Don’t put your references contact info on your resume.

17. Get out and meet people – Join and then take part in events held by professional associations and other groups. Attend workshops and trainings in your field or industry. Attend job fairs to meet directly with hiring decision-makers. Volunteer your career related skills in your community. If you are an expert at something, offer to speak on the topic to various groups.

18. Always follow up – A hand-written thank you note or a more formal, typed thank you letter can make a lasting positive impression that gives you a distinct competitive advantage. A follow-up phone call on every resume you send, whether it is a resume sent cold, in response to an ad, or based on a referral from one of your networking contacts can make all the difference in whether your resume is actually read and considered or not.

19. Adopt a “failure is not an option” attitude – Celebrate your accomplishments daily and weekly, but recognize that a successful job search requires persistence and consistent effort. It can be difficult to remain motivated when you don’t immediately see results but remind yourself that job searching is a process and that it takes time. Reward yourself not just for the results, but also for the effort.

20. Consider an “outside the box” solution to employment – If you are having trouble finding that one, perfect full-time position, consider a “portfolio” career that is built around a variety of part-time jobs, which may include some combination of employment, self-employment, freelancing, consulting, and temporary jobs. While many of us have been raised to believe that a full-time job is really the only secure work arrangement, a portfolio career may actually be more secure because it involves multiple streams of income.

21. Adjust your attitude – An enthusiastic, “can-do” attitude that exudes self-confidence and a clear understanding of the value you offer in the workplace will make all the difference. Always put a smile on your face when you talk on the phone; it will shine through in your voice. Make eye contact and watch your body signals and posture when you meet with contacts in person. Your positive, confident attitude is one that people will like to be around and will make it more likely that you will be hired.

Susan Boyle is a 47 year old volunteer church worker who aspires to become a musician. Life has not been easy for Susan and she has encountered her fair share of bumps along the road.  At birth, she was starved of oxygen and has learning difficulties as a result.  As a child, she was bullied, has never had a boyfriend nor has she ever been kissed.  She lived with her mother and father and cared for them due to their failing health. Her father passed away ten years ago and then her mother, just two years ago.

Susan’s mother had encouraged her to sing at the age of 12.  And so she began to sing.  And did she sing.  She would sing in front of her family,  friends and at church but never had the opportunity to perform beyond that.  Once her mother died, she couldn’t find the courage to sing any more.

That all changed on Saturday.

In front of 12 million TV viewers and a live audience, this shy, somewhat disheveled persona walked onto the stage of Britain’s Got Talent and she was greeted with heckles and smirks.  And then she began to sing. And did she sing.  She sang the most beautiful rendition of I Dreamed A Dream from Les Miserables.  Within seconds the audience was on their feet cheering, moved to tears and in awe of the beautiful voice that came out of this obscure yet charming woman.

Susan is not only a refreshing reminder of what the human spirit is capable of, but also the quiet embodiment of decency and compassion that this world is so in need of right now.

To view Susan Boyle’s performance on Britain’s Got Talent, click on the video below:

Welcome to Ignite Your Job Search

Our blog is dedicated to inspire you to reach for your best in your job search and in life!

I am truly inspired and grateful to the brilliant human beings that I have the privilege to  share this planet with!  That means you too! All the power there is, you already have inside of you!

Here is an example of a truly great thought leader. Consider what your life would be like if you began with his perspective of “morning”!

Morning… By Henry David Thoreau

Morning is when I am awake and there is a dawn in me…

We must learn to reawaken and keep ourselves awake, not by mechanical aids, but by an infinite expectation of the dawn, which does not forsake us in our soundest sleep.  I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by conscious endeavor.

It is something to be able to paint a particular picture, or to carve a statue, and so to make a few objects beautiful; but it is far more glorious to carve and paint the very atmosphere and medium though which we look…

To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts.

Henry David Thoreau, Walden