Can you Tweet your way to a new job?

Lots of Gen-Y bloggers out there think so, however I think that the rules of marketing yourself are pretty much the same whether you are using social networking or going to cocktail parties to do it. There is something to be said for developing real relationships with real people and having the skills to discuss problems and opportunities face-to-face (or at least over the phone), whether those relationships start online or in-person. Employers are need skills, but ultimately they hire people, real people with real skills including real people skills. Go ahead and use the net but remember its just one more tool in your job search kit. And remember, the older the person, the slower they may be to adopt new technology; many managers are not net-savvy GenY-ers and won't be looking for you online, except on a passive job board or your emailed application to them. Eventually they will want to see a resume and meet you "for real". Will you be ready for that conversation?

Check out these pages:

How Blogging and Social Networking Can Impact Your Job Search

Will Social Networking Get You a Job? on Yahoo Hot Jobs

Twitter Your Way to a New Job on Employment Digest Net

KISS (Keeping it Simple for Seekers)
- Reflect your personality on your profile but keep it professional
- Post quality content that shows an employer the qualities and skills you can contribute
- Don’t blog, tweet or go on Facebook during company time unless its part of your job to do so
- Google yourself every once in a while; see what potential employers might see when they search for your name; you may be careful, but are your friends?
- Don't spam your followers or friends
- The quality of your effort determines the return you get from your investment of time
- Remember that social networking is just one tool

...Pam

Free Expert Advice

For the last few years I have studied and shared with others about mentorship in my role as the manager of a career centre at a college. Last summer I was invited to speak about mentorship at a national conference of college and university career centre staff, managers and the corporate human resources professionals that recruit our graduates. My focus, however, has been on “self-directed mentorships” that exist outside of a formal program. I believe we can achieve more for ourselves by finding and managing our own mentorships than we can when we are matched by someone else for the organization's benefit.

One Definition of Mentorship
• a deliberate, conscious, voluntary relationship:
• that may or may not have a specific time limit;
• that occurs between an experienced person (the mentor) and one or more other persons (the partners);
• who are generally not in a direct, hierarchical or supervisory chain-of-command;
• where the outcome of the relationship is expected to benefit all parties in the relationship (albeit at different times) for personal growth, career development, lifestyle enhancement, spiritual fulfillment, goal achievement, and other areas mutually designated by the mentor and partner;
• with benefit to the community within which the mentoring takes place;
• and such activities taking place on a one-to-one, small group, or by electronic or telecommunication means; and
• typically focused on interpersonal support, guidance, mutual exchange, sharing of wisdom, coaching, and role modeling.

KISS (Keeping it Simple for Seekers):

If you want a mentor, you need to determine two things, first:
1-ONE THING-- What is your goal? 2--at least ONE PERSON. What kind of person will get you there? You need to approach someone who is concerned for people and concerned for results. They should have no ulterior motive other than giving back to their community or field of expertise and/or developing their skills as an advisor. After you figure out what your goal really is, look around you. Who has achieved some of their goals and is active in answering questions for others who have similar challenges? Who models success to you?

Identifying a good mentor can be difficult. Asking someone to mentor you can feel even harder.

If your mentor isn’t aware of your goals or expectations of the relationship, you do not have an intentional mentorship.

So the first step in an intentional mentoring relationship is to ask them to help you. Tell them "I would really value your opinion.” Don’t ask for a big time commitment in the beginning. Answering your email, commenting on your blog or your tracker or a single phone conversation is lots to ask for to start with. Get to the point. Ask for what you want. This involves what I call "The Coffee Speech," because, in person, it can be done over coffee, or in an online community it would be sent by private message:
• outline your goal
• ask one or two quick questions
• ask if they would they consider being your mentor or helping you to achieve a goal or solve a problem
• tell them why you selected them
• tell them what you hope to learn
• outline the amount of time to be committed by each of you
• suggest what you will contribute (“I’m really very good at _____. If you ever need _____ give me a call, I’ll be more than happy to help out any way I can.”)

This is what is involved in that if you agree:

• contact frequently, set a schedule and method
• talk about current issues, short and long-term goals
• record the discussions, take notes to each meeting, start a file
• take interest in your mentor as a person
• don’t share your whole life story
• make yourself real and make it light and fun
• at each meeting, agree to an action step
• update your mentor when you’ve completed a step
• say thank you; ask how they’d like to be thanked or how you may contribute

I challenge you to identify a goal and identify at least one person who can help you to achieve it. Manage your own intentional mentorship! While you are at it, be open to mentoring others. Perhaps you can offer help to someone who is too afraid to ask. So while you are asking to have your needs met, why not offer to meet someone else's too. There is free, expert assistance out there for the taking. If we all give and receive, everyone benefits!


...Pam

Keep Your Eyes on Your Goals

I spent five and a half hours at my office at the college on the weekend. I would have been resentful about spending a Saturday cooped up with no window to the world, but it was raining outside and I've been stressed about work. Among other challenges, we have been under renovations in our career centre since June. This week I returned from a leadership retreat all mentally "pumped" to do great things in my *brand new private office* (woo hoo!)... but I quickly realized I couldn't do much because I couldn't find anything and my computer didn't work the way it should.

In a previous blog I wrote about the importance of being organized if you want to be successful. As a dieter who's making lifestyle changes, hopefully for good this time, I believe that its important to set up your environment for success with that, too, by having having the right food available and equipment available and also by and eliminating temptations. De-cluttering, organizing, being comfortable, having the right tools and avoiding distraction are important to tackling big jobs of any sort, loosing weight and looking for work are just two examples.

After returning home Saturday evening I searched the net for ideas about Feng Shui as it applies to office decor. One big message in the articles I read is that its important to surround yourself with symbols of success. Always keep your eye on the goal or something that represents it.

Health-wise, I do need a constant reminder of what I'm trying to achieve and so, on my laptop at home, I have just created a screensaver of photos of people with the shape I think is attainable by me if I work hard enough at it. I've also got pics on there of vacation locations, one of which will be my reward if I go all the way and achieve my goal.

Today I'm be back at the office and contemplating the images of motivation that will be appropriate my work. I may frame the college's mission statement, oost a "to do" list to a cork board above my desk or have an inspirational quote painted on a wall. Or maybe something more subtle or symbolic will do for me, but I'd like to have something here that might just motivate others, too.

Keeping career/life balance in mind, I think I'll have to add some things to my personal space at work that keep at least some of my thoughts on health. Sneakers under my desk are a good start, even if they aren't particularly attractive.

KISS (Keeping It Simple for Seekers)

What is your job search goal? Have you clarified it in such a way that you can communicate it clearly to others? What is your dream job description? What does your work environment look like? What can you contribute to the organization or to that field of work? What other goals might you achieve if you get that job? Are there pictures, words or symbols that could motivate you to keep searching for it? Have you got your eyes on your goals? What distractions can you eliminate from your world now that may help you to achieve your career goals tomorrow? How do you stay motivated?


...Pam

Landing THE Job

Sorry I've been absent. A critical person on our team went on to bigger and better things and I have been doing two jobs. Over the last two weeks I have participated in the recruitment and selection of a new employment specialist for the career centre that I manage, “The Works” - Job and Career Services at Lethbridge College. The selection committee saw some interesting applications.

Half of the applicants didn’t bother to revise their resumes for this work and it was obvious that their objective was really something different, even if they told us they wanted this job. The four candidates we did interview were all very different, each one with the potential to do the job and to bring different gifts to our department, but the one we did hire was the only one who followed all of the job search steps outlined below.

Really it was surprising that, with so much information readily available on the web and elsewhere on how to land a job, that only one of the applicants for the role of employment specialist really demonstrated that they knew how to do it. No, we didn’t “settle” when we hired this person simply because they know how to do a job search. Like I said, all of the people we met in person were capable and had terrific potential, but I’m thrilled to say that we’re bringing to our office someone who really walks the talk. I'm hoping to have the person as a guest blogger here soon.

KISS (Keeping it Simple for Seekers)

There is a basic outline that I – and most other “experts” -- recommend that work seekers follow.

• Have a clearly defined career path and communicate it clearly in all the other steps you do.
• Be aware of your skills and how they may benefit the workplace.
• Research organizations to gain an understanding of their needs.
• Align your background with their needs; in your resume and letter, show and tell them specifically how you are a good fit; provide examples that prove you can do what they need.
• Remove from your resume details that may distract from demonstrating that you are a best match for the role you are applying for.
• Be prepared to tell stories during the interview that prove you have what the organization needs; offer examples if they are not requested.
• Have a portfolio ready that shows off examples of your best work; ideally, have it ready online or on a disk that you may provide at the time of application because you may not have the chance to show one off in an interview; a good portfolio may get you an interview.
• Have a list of references ready that will support your claims to fame. Work with your references in advance so they are not caught off-guard and so they know which of your demonstrated skills to support and highlight for each job you are interviewed for.
• Thank the interviewers for their time with a note sent the same day the interviews are held.

There are many strategies you could apply to address each of these points effectively, but that’s the list. Yes, you can find lists like this one all over the web and in lots of books. It isn’t rocket science. And yet, very few people follow the steps. Prove your genuine interest in the position offered by the employer and jump through the hoops. It can make a difference between landing “a job” and “the job”.


...Pam