Posts Tagged: Facebook
3 Ways to Spring Clean Your Career
Posted in Career Advice Social Media on March 19, 2010 at 11:42 am
I’m having trouble writing this blog post, because all I want to do is go outside and enjoy the warm spring air.
Alas, I am inside at my computer, occasionally staring out my window at the bright blue sky. And, after I finish writing, there is more inside work to be done today. I’ve just received a delivery of three brown boxes filled with file folders, storage bins, crates and plastic hangers. I have a stack of garbage bags at the ready. There are fresh batteries in my label maker.
That’s right; it’s spring cleaning time.
The truth is that I absolutely love organizing, filing, folding, purging and alphabetizing (my accountant told me I am her only client who color-codes my tax documents). Yes, I am a Virgo.
But I know that spring cleaning (or any-time-of-year cleaning) is not easy for everyone. It can be hard to let go of the old and make room for the new. But it must be done, and spring is a great time to refresh and renew every nook and cranny of your home, office, garage or any other space that needs sprucing up. It’s also a great time to spring clean your career. Here are three important ways to do that:
1. Clean your career (literally). When was the last time your organized all of your career documents, both on paper and on your computer? Take time now to toss or delete outdated versions of your resume, file past cover letters, put company information you’ve gathered into marked folders and organize that rubber-banded stack of business cards you’ve collected over the past several months. (Hint: if there’s a card whose owner you can’t remember, Google that person or check out his or her LinkedIn profile to see if you can jog your memory. If not, toss the card.)
Read the rest of this post on my “College to Career” blog at MyPath.com…
Image: ApartmentTherapy.com
Tags: Career Advice, Facebook, LinkedIn, organizing
Highlights from my weekend reading stack: the economy, entrepreneurship and Facebook
Posted in Career Advice Entrepreneurship First Job Out of College Generation Y Recommended Resources Uncategorized on October 13, 2008 at 1:25 am
I spent Sunday afternoon diving into a tall stack of weekend newspapers and this month’s magazines, looking for articles relevant to young professionals.
Here are some interesting stories I recommend, with a little bit of personal commentary: (more…)
Can you get a job by advertising yourself on Facebook?
Posted in Career Advice First Job Out of College Generation Y Job Hunting Social Media on September 4, 2008 at 8:16 pm
How 5 recent college grads used Facebook to entice employers…
Willy Franzen over at One Day, One Job blogged today about a unique experiment he coordinated with some entry-level job candidates:
Instead of helping employers target students with recruitment messages, why not help students/new grads target employers with Facebook ads? Basically, we want you to create an ad for yourself. The goal is to sell yourself in a few short sentences and convince any recruiters who may see your ads to click through to your resume/web page/contact information.
Read Willy’s post to see how five job candidates fared with their Facebook ads. He also provides a step-by-step guide to how you can apply this strategy if you’re interested in trying it.
All of this reminds me of the former investment banker who drew headlines this summer. Frustrated with his job search, he decided to stand on Park Avenue handing out resumes and wearing a sandwich board that said, “Experienced M.I.T. Grad for Hire.” The Facebook experiment seems to be the online version of the sandwich board job search strategy. (more…)
Read this before you delete your social networking profile
Posted in Career Advice Social Media on June 25, 2008 at 6:00 am
The news is full of stories about the dangers of having an inappropriate presence on Facebook, MySpace, YouTube and other social networks (read my favorite horror story at Gradspot.com). If you’re looking for a job or trying to get promoted, should you just delete your online profiles altogether?
To find out my answer, check out 20-Something Manifesto author Christine Hassler’s recent column for the Huffington Post, where she interviews me and shares her advice on net etiquette…
Yes, people really get jobs through social networking
Posted in Career Advice Job Hunting Social Media on May 6, 2008 at 11:37 pm
I often recommend social networking sites such as LinkedIn and Facebook for professional networking. But do these sites really help people get jobs?
Yes.
The proof is currently sitting on the couch a few feet away from me, watching the Indiana returns on CNN. My husband Evan got his job on LinkedIn. It’s such a good story that LinkedIn featured him on the LinkedIn blog, and Alison Doyle, the About.com guide to job searching, wrote an article featuring Evan and other professionals who landed jobs through LinkedIn. Check out these stories for tips on how to use LinkedIn and other social networks to find real opportunities.
I like Doyle’s other articles on this topic, too. Check out “How to Use LinkedIn to Job Search” and “Should You Use Facebook for Professional Networking?” for more tips. Here are a few highlights:
- Be sure to include keywords in your profile that are related to the jobs you want to find. Not sure what words will pop? Grab words and phrases directly from job listings that appeal to you.
- Post content that is professional and relevant to your career, such as links to articles you’ve written and testimonials about your professional skills and experience.
- Increase your visibility to potential employers by building your network. Remember, it’s not just who you know, it’s who knows you (and can see your profile).
- Be active. People are more likely to contact you if you are actively updating your profile, updating your status and adding connections.
Have you found job opportunities, new clients or other professional benefits from social networking? Please share!
Tags: Facebook, Job Hunting, LinkedIn, Social Media
