The post Social Media Mistakes That Make You Look Like a Rookie appeared first on Brazen Life.

Why does this matter to a careerist? Because your social profiles are a one-stop shop for job leads, networking, industry information and other resources that can help propel your career.

Using social media the right way gives you access to people who can impact your career, for better or worst.

Social media is important, so don’t waste your shot to make a positive impression. Are you making these social media mistakes? (Click here to tweet this question.)

Misattributing quotes or information

Ever see an awesome quote or powerful statistic on one of your social channels and share it without checking the information? If so, it’s time to change that.

Misattribution is a major faux pas that has become far too common. Though people know everything they read online isn’t necessarily true, they don’t always take the time to research before sharing.

Here’s a practical example:

According to Pew Research Center, 72 percent of adults in the United States were using social media as of May 2013. For 18 to 29 year olds, 89 percent reported using social media.

Notice how the statistic is supported by the time period the data came from and the facility that provided the research? If you so choose, you can go to Pew Research and see the study results for yourself. It gives substance to the information.

You don’t have to go into as much detail in a social post, but you definitely want to make sure that information is right before sharing it.

Sharing incorrect information, even if it’s trivial, can damage your credibility. Take the extra step and find the original source before sharing, especially if it’s a social media account for business.

Participating in every single trend

Social media trends aren’t for everyone. If your social profiles are used for work purposes, don’t jump into a trend unless it makes sense for the company or brand.

Even if you don’t use social media for work, it can still impact your career. If a job recruiter finds your profile, do you really want his or her first impression to be your results for “Which (Insert 90s Movie Title Here) Character Are You?”

#RememberWhenEveryoneWasUsingComicallyLongHashtags? Or doing the Harlem Shake? Some people love seeing a page full of social trends, but others find it irritating.

Don’t rely on memes to tell your message. If you can incorporate social trends in a smart or interesting way, go for it. If you’re just doing it because everyone else is, don’t bother.

Ignoring analytics

Not using analytics as part of your strategy is a wasted opportunity. Do you know how many people see what you share? Does anyone click on the links you share?

Analytics can help you figure out how engaged your followers are. You can learn what is and isn’t working and make adjustments.

What you measure will depend on your goals. If you’re trying to find a job and sharing your portfolio through social media, you can measure whether people open the link or not.

If you’re an entrepreneur trying to build brand awareness, tracking your mentions and social shares could do the trick.

You don’t have to be stuffy or super serious in your social efforts. Just be smart.

Erin Palmer is a writer and editor who tries to make the most of her social media channels (though she can’t resist a puppy video). She’s been published in The Chicago Tribune and The Huffington Post, yet she still gets excited every time she sees her byline.

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The post How to Use Google+ to Land Your Next Job appeared first on Brazen Life.

Unlike LinkedIn or Facebook, any recruiter or employer can find your profile and read what you’ve posted there. You don’t need to be connected with anyone for them to see your complete profile, so having a solid Google+ profile gives you a more powerful and complete online presence, especially since Google breaks up your about page into several boxes — or categories — of content about you.

Using your LinkedIn profile and resume content, expand on your greatness. (Click here to tweet this thought.) Here are four steps to do that.

1.  Complete the entire profile page

Google provides both the space and the ability to link to other web pages. Connect to your LinkedIn profile, Twitter account, blog, employer’s website or even your favorite posts on Brazen.

2.  Make your about page easy to read

The Google+ about page provides an amazing amount of virtual real estate. Writing in first person, create short but coherent paragraphs and short bulleted lists. These make your page easy for someone to skim as they look down their screen — particularly if the screen is on a smart phone.

Leverage the formatting tools Google+ provides. You can make text bold or italicized and include bulleted and numbered lists, too. Don’t just create a large paragraph that lists every keyword that could be applied to you. Keywords are important; lists of keywords are useless.

3.  Focus on your best keywords

This is Google, after all. Feed it keywords that’ll help your profile be found in Google searches. Recruiters usually know what they want, and they search using the keywords that’ll bring them the best results.

Job titles provide important keywords employers and recruiters use to search for people. Use the most appropriate job title for the job you have if you’re employed or for the job you want next if you’re unemployed. You can always change your mind and your profile later, but being vague or generalized won’t help.

Use whatever’s appropriate for your career goals. If you aren’t sure what to use, discover what’s best. Because the titles of the same job can differ from industry to industry and even employer to employer, search through Indeed.com’s collection of job postings to see what’s being used.

If more than one job title is used to describe the job you want, include the job titles you see most often. Plug the terms into Indeed’s Job Trends page to see which are used most often, and put the most frequently used terms in your tagline, like this: Investment sales assistant/sales associate.

Skills also provide useful keywords. Again, be as specific as you can. Focus on skills you have that employers seem to be searching for.

Match the language most employers use to describe a skill. For example, if “skill with Microsoft Office” is typically required in their job postings — and you have that skill — be sure to include the words “Microsoft Office” in your about page. Also include the names of the Microsoft products you can use, such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint or Outlook. This ensures the right keywords are available.

Include appropriate acronyms and explain what they mean. An employer may search on either the acronym or the term. Explaining the acronym adds more information about you, particularly when the acronym could have more than one meaning. For example, AIDS could be the acronym for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome or Aircraft Integrated Data System — two very different things representing different skills, experiences and industries.

4.  Craft your Google+ tagline carefully

Pay close attention to the contents of your Google+ tagline at the top of the story box. That tagline is often included in a Google search result that links to your Google+ profile. Your tagline is also what Google shows people in the pop-up window when someone runs a mouse over your profile picture. It should create interest and encourage people to click through to see the rest of your profile.

Your Google+ tagline defines your personal brand. Don’t describe yourself with useless, generic terms like “experienced business professional” or “new college graduate.” General terms like those aren’t interesting or memorable and are seldom — if ever — used by a recruiter searching for qualified applicants. And those terms certainly aren’t distinctive personal brands.

Put Google+ to work for you, and you’ll have a stronger presence on the web that attracts recruiters and potential employers. You don’t have to chase the opportunities if they track you down first.

Susan P. Joyce is a visiting scholar at the MIT Sloan School of Management and the chief technology writer, editor and publisher of Job-Hunt.org and WorkCoachCafe.com. Follow Susan on Twitter at @jobhuntorg and on Google+.

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The post Can Vacation Photos Hurt Your Career? appeared first on Brazen Life.

If you’re like most people, then your first move when you get back is to immediately post your photos on all forms of social media. You want to relish in the glory of your vacation for as long as possible, so show others how much fun you had. But you might want to start thinking twice–your vacation photos may hurt your career:

1. Coworker FOMO

As silly as it may be, coworkers could resent you for your vacation photos. (Click here to tweet this thought.) While they’re stuck in the dreary office and staring at pictures of you with your toes in the sand, it could spark some serious FOMO (fear of missing out). Everyone wishes they could take a sixth month vacation, twice a year, and the reminder that they’re not on vacation usually doesn’t sit well. Furthermore, no one genuinely enjoys covering for a coworker while they’re out of the office, and then to have the photos inadvertently thrown in their face just adds salt to the wound.

2. Extravagant spending

If your boss, or anyone in upper management, sees the photos from your extravagant vacation, you don’t want them thinking, “are we paying her too much?” or questioning how serious you are about you career based on your carefree (or wild) spirit captured in the photos.

3. A damaged reputation

The most obvious thing to consider before uploading any photos is whether or not they may damage your reputation. Would you be comfortable with coworkers knowing how you look in a bikini or six drinks deep? Any scantily clad photos or ones that show inebriation could cause your coworkers to think of you in a different light.

While it’s hard to refrain entirely from not posting a single vacation photo, here are a couple tips to keep in mind if you just can’t fight the urge:

Keep the amount of vacation posts to a minimum.

Multiple albums or constant tweets about your vacation are unnecessary and also may come off as bragging. No one wants to see 30 pictures of you in front of the same palm tree.

Be smart about the photos you do post.

Pictures showing you immersed in the culture, learning a new skill or making a new networking connection show that your vacation was also a learning experience–not just a break from reality.

Amy Wolf graduated from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and is a newbie to Chicago. When she is not exploring the city and spending time at Lake Michigan, she enjoys trying new recipes, obsessing over her planner, and listening to country music. Amy can be easily won over with dark chocolate, flowers, Carmex lip balm, and Cocoa Cola. Find her on Twitter @_A_Wolf

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The post New Graduates: Are You Following This Advice for LinkedIn? appeared first on Brazen Life.

Neither choice is wrong, but driven job seekers know that college graduates are plentiful — and jobs are not. They’re ready to do whatever it takes to position themselves for success. And one of the best ways to outshine your competition is by building a high-quality LinkedIn profile before hitting the job market:

LinkedIn: Facebook with a tie and briefcase

Unlike Facebook, where you can share keg stand pictures or your snapshots of eating cement after a missed parkour jump, LinkedIn is where you show the most polished version of yourself: The “you” someone would want to hire.

Think of it this way: LinkedIn is the place for your responsible daytime activities, while Facebook is where you post what you get up to once the sun goes down. (Click here to tweet this thought.)

It’s increasingly common for companies and recruiters to scour the Web for info about potential job candidates, and LinkedIn is one of their go-to sources. A lot of students don’t realize this, so they either don’t have a profile or they ruin it from the outset by plastering (no pun intended) a drunk photo as their profile picture.

Since there aren’t many students paying attention to LinkedIn, those who do make good profiles have a chance to get ahead of the curve when recruiters go hunting for information. Recruiters are out to gather as much data as they can, and a fleshed-out profile can cover a lot of bases.

Standing out from the crowd

There are a number of things you can do to make your LinkedIn profile pop:

• Use a good photo: Make sure you use a professional photo. You’d be surprised by how many students use grainy webcam shots of themselves.
• Make your headline count: Many people use the most visible space on their LinkedIn profile to state their name and job title. Instead, use this area to write a professional headline that will showcase your skills or make you stand out.
• List your experience: Document and describe any relevant experience, including internship and volunteer experience. Explain what you achieved in those roles, not just what your duties were.
• Make yourself “visible”: Recruiters will Google you, and your LinkedIn profile can be a valuable asset for reputation management. Next to the “Edit Profile” button, there is a drop-down menu that allows you to manage your public profile settings.
• Add connections: Connect with people in your desired field. If a recruiter looks at your profile and sees you’re connected to someone who works for the company he is hiring for, he’s more likely to start inquiring about you.
• Follow companies in your industry: Many organizations post job opportunities on their own LinkedIn pages, so this is a good place to begin researching the types of positions available in your industry.
• Master subtlety: A lot of people make the mistake of overselling themselves. You don’t need 50 recommendations attesting to how amazing you are. If you overload your profile, you run the risk of coming off as full of yourself — or desperate.
• Add examples of your work: LinkedIn lets you add photos, videos and slideshow presentations to your profile summary. Impress recruiters by showing what you can actually do.

Essentially, building a strong LinkedIn profile is all about making yourself visible. Headhunters are sick of job boards like Monster, which are flooded with unqualified candidates. LinkedIn allows them to digest a lot of info about candidates quickly and efficiently. But if your profile is incomplete or nonexistent, you’re not giving them a way to find out any info about you.

If you’re on a take-no-prisoners quest to land a job you’ll love, look over your LinkedIn profile and see what you can do to improve. Did you use a photo from a recent beer pong competition? Get a new profile pic. Does your profile include a recommendation from your mom testifying to how great you are? Axe it. Did your ex endorse you for your twerking skills? Make sure that doesn’t see the light of day.

Dress up your LinkedIn profile the same way you’d dress for an interview: professionally but not too aggressively. Remember, it’s hard to overcome a bad first impression — or an unremarkable one. Make the time you’re not spending at the Eiffel Tower worth it.

Stirling Cox is the managing director of AlphaSights USA, a company that connects today’s business leaders with the insight and expertise they need to prosper. The company assists a global client base, including private equity firms, asset managers, strategy consultancies and corporate executives, in making more informed decisions.

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The post Get the Most Out of Professional Conferences by Utilizing Social Media appeared first on Brazen Life.

Professional development is a hefty investment companies pony up for every year, but there’s typically very little discussion around expectations. All too often, employees are given a plane ticket and a conference badge and sent off to Orlando, Cincinnati or (if you’re lucky) Las Vegas, without any support on how to fully harness the experience for the good of the company. The responsibility lands on your shoulders to take the bull by the horns and figure out where you need to go, who you need to meet and what you need to learn.

Waiting until the last moment to prepare for a conference (or not preparing at all) is a major missed opportunity, for your employer and for you. (Click here to tweet this thought.) Use the guide below to maximize your conference experience through using social media — and become an industry mover and shaker in the process.

Articulate your goals

What is it exactly that you’re there to achieve? Is your objective to network? Find potential clients? Look for business partnerships on behalf of your company? Brush up on the most recent industry trends? At least one month before the conference, write down your top three objectives and make a plan for how you can achieve them.

Do your homework

Do not wait until the flight is over to start researching which speakers will be in attendance and which presentations you plan to participate in. Examine the conference agenda two to three weeks before the event and reach out to the speakers directly on Twitter. Sample Tweet:

@Presenter I’m really looking forward to your session at #XYZConf14. Would love to meet up with you to discuss my ideas on XYZ! You game?

Jump on the event hashtag, ASAP

Most conferences have an event hashtag to use, and people often use them weeks or months in advance. For bigger events, they’re used year-round! Start following the hashtag and use it when tweeting articles or news relevant to that audience. Learn who the influencers are, follow them and engage with them. If you tweet with them consistently in the days and weeks leading up to the conference, you’ll win yourself a natural icebreaker when approaching them during the event.

Use LinkedIn

Many large-scale conferences have their own LinkedIn groups. Find out if yours does, and if so, use it! Join the group and introduce yourself. Tell them (briefly) about yourself and your goals for the conference, and invite anyone in the group to eat lunch with you the first day. Define the goal: to discuss a particular industry trend, kick around some ideas and learn what’s worked for them and what hasn’t. Boom. Your first meeting has been scheduled.

Create curated Twitter lists

A surefire way to become everyone’s hero. Research the speakers and organizers and add them to your list if they’re on Twitter. Create a Twitter list of people who use the event hashtag. Update and share both every other day using the hashtag. In doing so, you’ve automatically boosted your visibility and positioned yourself as an influencer.

Make a YouTube video

Create a short video introducing yourself, your company and what you hope to achieve at the event. Encourage the audience to follow you on Twitter and to approach you in person. Invite them to join you at lunch or at the cocktail networking reception for a brainstorming session. People will recognize you and gravitate to you. No more standing in the corner, shuffling your feet and feeling awkward as you stare at your smartphone!

Write a killer recap blog

If (tsk, tsk) you didn’t have a chance to do anything listed above, it’s not too late to redeem yourself! Create an interactive recap of the conference highlights, post it to your blog and share it using the conference hashtag. You’ll boost traffic to your site, get visibility and look like a rockstar when you share it with your boss.

Follow up

Don’t stuff those business cards in your pocket and forget them, only to find them later, balled up in a pulp at the bottom of the washing machine. Download an app that turns business cards into contacts (CardMunch is a good one) and maximize your networking digitally in real time by doing so.

Wait two to three business days after the event has concluded and circle back with the people you met. Tell them you’re glad to have met them and propose coffee (either in person or on Skype) to stay in touch and explore mutually beneficial opportunities.

What are your top tips for maximizing your conference experience? Share them with us in the comments below!

Tatiana Natzke is a social media consultant, an avid sci-fi reader and a prolific gardener. As Senior Account Manager at Social Tribe, she works with clients to design and execute cutting-edge B2B and B2C social campaigns and strategies. Follow her on Twitter @TNatzke and @Socltribe.

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The post How to Avoid Social Media Burnout appeared first on Brazen Life.

The unthinkable happened during the first week in January.

TalentCulture CEO Meghan M. Biro went missing. She hadn’t returned a tweet from me for more than three days. Unheard of, I tell you.

Naturally, I was concerned about her well-being. I actually considered contacting Boston area hospitals. But instead, I did what any good friend would do. Resorting to an antiquated strategy, I picked up the phone and called her.

“Seriously Judy, I’m taking a break. I don’t want to burn out,” Meghan told me.

“What? A break from your BFF?” I almost blurted. Then, a calm washed over me, and instead I said, “Good for you.”

This sparked a conversation about how busy professionals like us can continue growing and navigating our social networks without compromising our stress levels. Connection and communication have taken on new importance in today’s 24/7 world of work. Those who manage the energy and minimize the stress are able to stay ahead of the competition and sustain high performance. But it’s not easy.

Everyone manages a social network differently. It’s an intimate and personal process. We all have close connections with whom we can exchange ideas and openly vent. That’s typically not a burden on our time and attention. But in this era of digital exuberance, our social circles are growing rapidly. We need to find the signal in our niche, while filtering out the noise of a much broader network. Keeping pace requires a strategy.

8 tips to reduce stress in the face of digital exuberance

1. Schedule social sessions

Timing is everything. And quality time counts. When does your network naturally buzz with activity? If you’re a rock star, you might be inclined to check Twitter in the late evening, but if you’re into talent management and business news like me, you’re probably trolling Twitter from 7-8 a.m.

Instead of trying to pay attention 24/7, pick one or two intervals each day to dip into the stream. Don’t just “fly by” with retweets — really dive in and engage in conversations that build relationships. But when your scheduled time is up, move on. Eventually, you’ll adjust to an established rhythm, and so will those in your inner circles.

2. Take breathing breaks

Twitter and Facebook interactions can become surprisingly intense. Periodically, take five minutes to literally sit back and just follow your breath. Close your eyes or look away from the screen. Simply being aware of how you’re breathing helps regulate cortisol, the “stress-producing” hormone. Count as you inhale – one, two, three. Then hold your breath for several seconds, and exhale to the count of three. Better managing stress “in the moment” gives you more energy later, when you may need to tap into your reserves.

3. Stand up and stretch

Once in a while, just walk away. Yes, leave the computer behind. This is important to get blood circulating in your body, which delivers more oxygen to your brain. If you prefer not to stand, push your chair away from the desk. Inhale and raise your arms above your head, clasping your hands in a “steeple” position. Look up and gaze at your hands for several moments. Then exhale slowly while your hands float gradually back down to your sides. You’ll feel refreshed and ready to shift back into business gear.

4. Hum with purpose

That’s right — make noise. Humming actually calms the mind and body. It’s an ancient yogic technique that helps focus attention prior to meditation. The sound reverberates in your skull and helps your brain rewire your attention.

Here’s how: Plug your ears with your fingers and inhale deeply. Pause. Then, as you exhale, hum for the remainder of the “out breath.” Repeat two more times. If you feel dizzy, stop. But ideally, it will help release tension and help you focus.

5. Let filtering tools work for you

Sometimes we need to look beyond human behavior for help. If we opened every link that came our way, we’d never sleep. (Click here to tweet this thought.)

Aggregation tools help consolidate and organize the chaos — news sources, blog posts and other information sources of interest. I’ve set up Google Alerts to deliver breaking news on keywords that matter most to me. For less critical topics, I receive news feeds once a week. You can use Hootsuite, Buffer, Tweetdeck and aggregation tools and dashboards to identify relevant content and create a delivery schedule that works for you.

6. Harness hashtags

Hashtags are the fastest way to share and find relevant information on Twitter. For example, professionals who participate in the TalentCulture community share HR and business leadership knowledge by adding the #TChat hashtag to their tweets. At any moment, anyone can search for #TChat to see the community’s latest tweets. It’s like round-the-clock access to the most popular human resources conversation on the planet.

If you follow a hashtag like #TChat in your Twitter dashboard, you’ll quickly and easily find helpful peers, ideas and advice. Also, when you schedule Twitter posts, be sure to add hashtags that reflect your area of expertise. Your posts will reach people in your niche, even when you’re offline.

7. Leverage human relationships

Sometimes, all of us need to unplug for several days or more. When you do, plan ahead. Just because you’ll be off the grid doesn’t mean your networking must come to a standstill. Reach out to several people in your immediate network. Let them know you’re taking a break, and ask for a little extra support in sharing your work on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn — wherever you’re most active. You can even form ongoing support alliances and develop common “social backup” guidelines. Just remember, you’re not alone.

8. Create a FOMO-free zone

Perhaps the most important advice I can offer is to honor your social self. Competitive pressure shouldn’t drive your social brand development. Don’t let yourself become obsessed with how other people behave on social channels, or about whether the volume or frequency of their activity trumps your own efforts. Whatever your message is, you’ll succeed when you deliver it through your own lens, with your own voice, to an audience that is naturally interested in you.  Forget FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)!

Of course, even with healthy habits, it often feels like we’re networking at the speed of light. But hopefully these tips help you slow the pace a bit, focus on what matters and generate more energy to fuel your social success.

Do you have tips for reducing stress and improving productivity in the age of social networking? What techniques and tools work for you? Share your ideas in the comments below!

TalentCulture is a vibrant open online community, driven by professionals who share a passion for innovation, collaboration and a desire to advance the world of work. Join their #TChat Events every Wednesday from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. EST, or join the ongoing conversation anytime at #TChat on Twitter.)

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The post 4 Types of People You Should Add to Your LinkedIn Network appeared first on Brazen Life.

You’ve heard this well-worn axiom for career success countless times. But how often do you give thought to who those “who” really are?

During the course of my professional life, I’ve been incredibly fortunate to find a few individuals who started out as contacts, became my confidants and now function as career partners. My networking VIP is a wise and respected CEO of a private company. No matter the business decision or issue I’m facing, I know I can turn to him for insights.

While having successful and time-tested business pros to tap for advice is invaluable, it’s important to develop a deep and diverse network. Looking at some of the people who’ve helped me the most, here are four surprising individuals who might help you, too:

1. The outsider

It’s only natural you’d build the core of your network around people you have a lot in common with, whether it’s the job you perform, the company you work for, your industry or your location. The problem is that swimming in the same circle for too long can be hazardous to your professional growth and upward mobility.

Forge relationships with people who work in completely different roles or fields. While there’s comfort in connecting with like-minded people who have similar backgrounds, you’ll limit your exposure to new ideas, perspectives and career opportunities if you don’t reach beyond this group.

It’s smart to get involved with industry-specific associations, but joining general business organizations is also worthwhile. Consider going to training events on broad career topics, such as ethics, digital etiquette or work-life balance. Or attend networking get-togethers geared toward professionals in a related occupation. If you work at a big firm, volunteer for cross-departmental initiatives and get to know colleagues in all corners of the company.

Consider reaching out to non-coworkers you know (and trust) whose careers differ from yours. Examples might include neighbors, vendors, old classmates or your whip-smart cousin from Colorado. The point is to branch out. When working through the pros and cons of a difficult work-related decision, for instance, it’s beneficial to hear various viewpoints.

2. The networking philanthropist

Some networkers are stingy and protective. They’re far more interested in dropping names than facilitating introductions. Others view networking strictly as a numbers game, collecting as many connections as possible, no matter how tenuous they may be.

The networking philanthropist, on the other hand, methodically cultivates a smaller web of authentic relationships he can use to assist members of his circle. He makes time for you when you need help or a sounding board. He also passes along the names of people you should know, job leads and news articles of interest.

Learn from the networking philanthropist’s pay-it-forward approach and model his behavior. The more you do to aid other people’s careers, the more likely they are to reciprocate.

3. The caring critic

It’s great to have cheerleaders in your network who’ll celebrate your successes and share words of support when you face a career quandary. But it’s also smart to have someone in your corner who challenges you and tells it like it is, sans sugarcoating.

Full of frank feedback and tough questions, the caring critic pushes you to work through professional problems. While it might not be fun to get your resume picked apart or hear that your social media persona is hurting your career prospects, receiving some unvarnished straight talk can be instructive and motivating.

4. The up-and-comer

One of the most common networking mistakes is schmoozing solely with people who can help you today. What about tomorrow? Networking is like farming: plant seeds now so you can reap a harvest later. (Click here to tweet this thought.)

The up-and-comer is someone who isn’t in a position of power or influence at the moment, yet she’s clearly going places. Offering to be a go-to resource or mentor for a high-potential peer or an impressive recent graduate is a nice gesture that can be personally rewarding and prove to be a sound long-term investment in your own career.

The bottom line is that focusing all of your networking efforts on currying favor with perceived power players isn’t necessarily a recipe for success. It’s beneficial to connect with successful leaders, but don’t underestimate the importance of taking a balanced approach to networking, fostering and maintaining meaningful relationships with a wide array of talented people at all levels and stages of their careers.

Paul McDonald is Senior Executive Director for Robert Half (NYSE: RHI), which specializes in the placement of professionals in the accounting and finance, technology, legal, creative and administrative fields. He has advised thousands of job seekers and company leaders over the course of his nearly 30 years in recruiting.

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The post Get the Most Out of LinkedIn with These Easy Tips appeared first on Brazen Life.

Fortunately, WhoIsHostingThis put together this handy infographic to show you easy ways you can get the most from your LinkedIn profile. From connecting with new people to promoting your profile, it’s an easy guide to LinkedIn 101.

Check it out:

(Click here to tweet this infographic.)

So, what are you waiting for? Go forth and maximize your LinkedIn profile!

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The post Go Ahead, Post a Selfie On LinkedIn — Just Follow These 8 Tips appeared first on Brazen Life.

To the buttoned-up professional world, selfies can exist only with jeering and condescension — as if there’s something inherently embarrassing about taking a photo of yourself.

As you may be sensing, I’d like challenge this notion.

After all, online networks are for business as much as for socializing, and an up-to-date profile photo is a basic necessity. Any recruiter would be happy to point you to the plenty of bad self-portraits on LinkedIn that have come across their desks. But aren’t these only a subset of all the bad photos out there?

Smartphone selfies are not awful in and of themselves; most people just don’t know how to take them correctly.

With the following tips, you’ll find you can easily transform your selfie into a sensible photo suitable for all your professional profiles. Which means you’ll not only save time and money; you can also change your online image as often as you like.

Taking your selfie

1. Dress appropriately

Before you fire up your phone’s camera, ask yourself if you’d wear the same outfit, hairstyle and makeup to a job interview or first day of work.

Profile photos leave a first impression just as powerful as one made in person, so remember to present yourself accordingly. (Click here to tweet this thought.)

2. Select a safe background

While a professional photographer can get creative with where and how they place their subjects for photos, assume you lack the judgment needed to veer outside the safety zone.

Your most foolproof option is to stand in front of a solid background. A plain, clutter-free background mimics the look of a studio and ensures no objects (like a couch or bathroom mirror) alter the mood of your photo.

If a plain wall painfully cramps your style, capture yourself in a work environment like your home office. If done right, this setting can lend character and credibility. Just be mindful that the more “stuff” in the background, the more likely any given object can dial down the professionalism of the shot and work against you.

3. Go au naturel with lighting

Shoot in the daytime with a window open. A professional photographer once told me that natural light is an amateur’s best friend. It will keep harsh shadows away from your face or neck. Everyone looks awesome in natural light.

4. Pay attention to arm positioning

Keep your arm away from your body to give your photos maximum usable space, which will require less cropping later.

5. Don’t get too intellectual

Facial expression is another area that’s unfortunately not open for experimentation. As much as you might like to dabble in the intellectual side-gaze, it’s just not worth the risk.

Non-smiling faces can be interpreted in a myriad of ways. You might just end up looking bored or even angry. But a smile with solid eye contact is about as universal and friendly as you can get.

Editing Your Selfie

Once you finally have a few shots that look promising, the next step is a little editing.

No advanced or expensive software is needed here. A free online tool like PicMonkey will do. You don’t even need to create an account to use its basic features.

Here are three simple tasks to add quick, precision polish:

1. Crop

Even if you kept your camera-holding arm out of the shot, there’s still a chance your shoulder looks funny. No big deal; just crop out most of that area.

Crop your photos to a perfect square, as this is the standard for LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. A square photo will also translate well to Google+ and Instagram, which use circular profile photos.

2. Add contrast

Another super-quick edit is to adjust contrast. Bumping up contrast makes the photo look crisper and draws out your facial features. Just try not to go overboard, because too much contrast will look artificial.

3. Adjust color or choose a filter

Finally, consider the color quality of your photo. Is it tinted a little blue or red? Use color balance settings to even out colors.

Alternatively, if you find your photo underwhelming, you can always throw a cool filter on it. (PicMonkey has a variety of hip flavors to choose from.)

Selfies ready for business:

Not bad, right?

The next time you need new career-oriented photos, I hope you’ll remember a well-done selfie can more than earn its keep — not just in your dictionary, but on your LinkedIn profile as well.

Stephanie Peterson is co-founder of PhotoFeeler.com, a free profile photo testing tool. In addition to helping professionals choose their best photos to use online, PhotoFeeler is quickly becoming a leader in scientific research around professional image. For more easy photo tips backed by real user data, check out their blog.

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The post How Your Facebook Addiction Can Help You Land a Job appeared first on Brazen Life.

1.Your profile includes your headshot, skills and work experience and has space for a compelling, career-oriented bio.

2. Organizations are active on this network and have their own pages where they send updates and post jobs.

3. With more than a billion members, you can reach an average of more than 150,000 people through degrees of connections.

LinkedIn? Nope.

The answer is… Facebook.

Facebook?! Yes.

Let me get one thing out of the way: I love LinkedIn. I’ve written about the network, talk about it all the time and log in at least three times every day. LinkedIn is my highest-recommended resource for networking and job searching today. If you’re looking to step up your career game, the Jobseeker posts on LinkedIn’s blog are a great resource and place to start.

But LinkedIn isn’t the only network out there that can propel your career forward. Facebook can also be a powerful tool, especially considering the number of people who already use it. (Click here to Tweet this thought.)

With Facebook’s Graph Search launch this year and its recent move to encourage users to complete the Professional Skills section on profiles, there are more ways than ever to leverage Facebook for your career. Here are just a few:

1. Complete the career-related areas of your Facebook profile

Make sure to fill in your Work and Education, About Me and Professional Skills sections. When you complete these areas, focus on keywords and phrases relevant to your industry.

And it’s time to remove that wild profile photo from your 21st birthday. Select an appropriate, friendly headshot instead. Make sure to update your Current City as well so recruiters or employers who search by geography can easily find you.

2. Jumpstart your professional networking with Graph Search

The search bar at the top of your Facebook page just got kicked into hyperdrive with Graph Search. Facebook claims Graph Search will help you find more of what you’re looking for through your friends and connections. They have it right.

Here are some sample searches I could run to find specific people who could help me in my job search:

Example search #1

I know the exact employer I want to work for, but I’m pretty sure none of my friends work there. I can expand that search to “friends of friends” in Graph Search to find contacts with whom my friends could help connect me.

Example search #2

I’m about to graduate college. I like my major, and I know I want to live in a specific city. Graph Search can show me who’s just an introduction away and can make the right connection.

Example search #3

Finally, let’s say I’m trying to discover a new path because of a budding interest. It might be good to tap my university alumni network to see if other people with the same passion have started expressing it professionally, too.

Fair warning: Like other Graph Searchers have noted, the search isn’t flawless. Not everyone has fully completed their education or career-related sections on Facebook. But give it a shot anyway. You just might be surprised by some of the possibilities and connections you find via Facebook.

3. Search for open jobs on the Social Jobs Partnership

Facebook has partnered with four organizations, including the US Department of Labor, to bring you the Social Jobs Partnership. The goal is to “facilitate employment for America’s jobless through the use of social networks.”

You can “like” the page and even explore the Social Jobs Partnership app, which allows you to search millions of job openings available through the partner job listing sites.

What do you think about Facebook as a resource for your career?

Kevin Grubb is a career and social media expert and was named a “Top GenY Careerist to Follow on Twitter” by Brazen Careerist. Learn more about Kevin at www.kevincgrubb.com.

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The post How Mastering Advanced Social Media Search Will Change Your Life appeared first on Brazen Life.

To become a social media sleuth, don’t shy away from using advanced search tools offered by social media giants Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. It’s the best way to dodge irrelevant results and cut straight to the information that matters most — especially for your career.

Advanced Facebook navigation tips

At first glance, Facebook’s latest search tool may not look a whole lot different from its original platform. But with a closer look, you’ll discover more avenues to navigate for targeted Facebook information and fellow users.

Facebook’s graph search has been hailed as a new asset for online journalists because they can cut straight to the photo sources they want or even find potential interviewees. For example, with wider search capabilities, a writer can search for photos taken in August 2013 or recent celebrity photo uploads. If you’re writing a time-sensitive blog post about the Yosemite fires, you can find your image sources by narrowing your search to “photos of Yosemite wildfire.”

Web entrepreneurs can also use Facebook’s graph to search for professionals who work at certain companies or people interested in WordPress development.

This way, you don’t have to search in circles for hours and hope to stumble upon a user who fits your criteria. You can also search for people based on where they used to live or can sleuth around your friends’ lists by searching “friends of friends who…”

Twitter search’s hidden world

Twitter’s advanced search tools are often overlooked because of their quick, easy-as-pie text search. It works more like a basic Google search, which is familiar and comfortable to use. But you’re probably missing out on discovering even more tweets and potential followers relevant to your niche or business goals.

One of Twitter’s most valuable search features is the ability to save your search for later. This is especially useful if you’re a regular Twitter sleuth. It’s all too easy to forget about important searches when you’re not writing things down, so this is an easy-breezy method for taking note of your Twitter search activity.

If you prefer a more syntax-based search tool, you’re a perfect fit for Twitter’s advanced search operators. While they essentially works like Twitter’s standard advanced search tool, users can manually input their own search characters with minus and plus signs, as well as “not,” “near” and other terms.

Harnessing LinkedIn search tools

LinkedIn is one of the top five major social media sites. It’s proven to be a great connection tool for job seekers, up-and-coming startups, new clients and corporate headhunters. And it’s advantageous for any new entrepreneur to learn the ins and outs of LinkedIn search.

Within LinkedIn’s specialized groups, you have access to a polling feature that allows you to view questions relevant to your niche and find the Linkedin users who answered them.

To check out other existing polls within the group, go to the “search” tab and click “all polls” on the left sidebar or sort and filter according to what you’re looking for.

You can also use advanced search to expand your reach to your customers’ clients. By reaching out to those second-degree connections, you have the potential to generate more interest in your business, especially when those connections are communicating their enthusiasm to your clientele.

Advanced search provides an opportunity to build stronger win-win business relationships with both present and potential customers. (Click here to tweet this thought.)

Congrats, you’re now an expert on using Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn advanced search! Now it’s time to put your knowledge into action. After you do, come back here and leave a comment sharing your favorite use of advanced search.

Megan Hargroder works with startups to create social media strategies that work and empowers others to build an online buzz around their badass brands. You can download her Social Media Strategy Playbook ebook free when you sign up for her tips list at conversations.be.

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The post 4 Smart Ways to Use Facebook’s Graph Search in Your Job Search appeared first on Brazen Life.

You have your online professional network and your online social network, and the two never meet…. right?

Not so much. They can and do meet thanks to one of Facebook’s latest updates: Graph Search. Graph Search is a social search engine that pulls public info from Facebook to help you find what you’re looking for.

Let’s say you want to find restaurants your friends like in Nashville or people from your hometown who enjoy karate — a few clicks, and you have a detailed list of profiles at your disposal.

Beyond opportunities to discover cool new restaurants or fellow karate enthusiasts, Graph Search also offers huge possibilities for job seekers. And depending on how you play your hand, those possibilities could be good, bad or even a little ugly.

Follow these four tips to make the most of Graph Search during your job hunt:

1. Rethink your privacy settings

The first social task of most job seekers is the absolute lockdown of their Facebook page. Who wants to blow a job opportunity thanks to an unflattering keg stand photo? But with the advent of Graph Search, employers will be headed to Facebook not only to vet current candidates, but also to recruit. (Click to Tweet!)

Let’s say I own a physical therapy clinic in Philadelphia and need a new therapist to spearhead our running clinic. I type “physical therapists who live in Philadelphia and like running” and get a list of qualified candidates.

But here’s the thing: you only show up if your privacy settings allow people to find you. If you’re on the job hunt and have your profile under virtual lock and key, you could be missing out.

2. Refine your profile

Sure, you’ll want to go through your account and scrub any questionable content (if you haven’t already), but that’s not the end of refining your profile. Update your “about” section and make it search-friendly. Avoid acronyms or those “hip” names people give positions. You’re not an accounting ninja. You’re an accountant.

It’s also worth looking through your likes and interests.Your interests have probably changed since you set up your profile in college. Add interests that better reflect where you are now.

3. Discover new connections

Your Facebook network is different from LinkedIn. You likely aren’t “linked” to your senior prom date, but you could be Facebook friends. Just as LinkedIn allows you to find connections who work for the company you’re interested in, Facebook does, too.

Simply search for “friends who work at (insert dream company here)” and watch the magic happen. And who knows? Your prom date may be able to pull a few strings.

4. Flip the script

Graph Search doesn’t just help the right employer find you; it also helps you find the right employer. You can search for public relations firms your friends like or that friends of your friends like.

Once you find a couple of places you’re interested in, you can refine your search even more. Any employees from your alma mater? How about someone from your hometown? How many people at the company like Breaking Bad? You want to have someone to talk to on Monday morning.

Of course, this is no substitute for actually meeting your potential coworkers, but it does give you an opportunity to learn more about the culture and who you’ll be working with before you ever step foot in the door.

And if you’re still not convinced about the benefits of mixing your professional and personal social personas, know that you won’t be able to hold out much longer. With Bing’s social integration, Google+ and now Graph Search, social search is on its way to becoming the new norm.

Take the opportunity to get ahead now — or risk losing that potential job to someone else who’s willing to take the leap.

Kimberly Shrack is a social media strategist living in Philadelphia. You can find her on Twitter at @kjshrack or at kjshrack.com.

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The post How to Make Your Content So Valuable It Goes Viral appeared first on Brazen Life.

Investing in your content is essential to create a community of engaged followers. Harness your content ideas into something bigger. Give your networks a reason to talk about you. Online and social media buzz around your brand, business or product can translate into real word-of-mouth conversions.

Understanding how content becomes a linkable asset

People should be able to gain something from your linkable asset. It could be a white paper, blog post, infographic, video, webcast or anything else you can publish, embed or make available as a download. Valuable content will be linkable as long as it can be easily posted or shared with over email, messaging or social media.

The key to valuable content

Aim to create content that people will find useful and entertaining, but still unique. Try to come up with a new angle or perspective no one has ever seen before. Make viewers want to refer back and share it with their networks. No one will share content that’s old news or lame!

Keep in mind that content can’t only be created in hopes of acquiring links. Content that has the potential to go viral will be tailored to meet the needs of an audience and give viewers something of value. In-depth pieces of content that users want to revisit have a much stronger, lasting impact than basic pieces. Someone may take the time to read a short, simple post about “3 Ways to Make Your Garden Sustainable,” but a full post on “20 Tips to Make Your Garden Sustainable” will be a comprehensive, useful resource worthy of sharing and even bookmarking so they can keep referring back to it.

Choose a timeless subject

Focus on creating content that has staying power. Consider employing “evergreen” content that will always be relevant to your audience, compared to topics that may change over time. Topics tailored to current events and trending themes may go viral, but news today will fade out tomorrow.

For example, users will always want to know “How to Find the Perfect Hairstyle for Your Face,” because this topic won’t change much. But they will probably not be as interested in a dated version like “How to Get Hair Like Justin Bieber,” which will become less relevant as teen pop culture icon JBiebs phases out.

Set linkable assets up for success

Truly viral content will hopefully not require much promotion, but you still have to put in some effort. It’s not enough to simply publish a linkable asset in one place and hope it shows up in everyone’s Facebook feed.

Go above and beyond on social media

Your first resource should be your existing audience. Push out your content over the obvious social platforms where you’ve already built up a following. You can enhance this by tweeting to specific industry experts you want to grab the attention of, joining and posting in Google+ communities related to your industry, as well posting in professional groups on LinkedIn.

Find niche media sharing websites

Most types of media have a specific platform or network built up around them. Take advantage of the systems already in place by placing your content there. Use these platforms for your specific type of content:

• Video: youtube.com, vimeo.com
• Infographic: visual.ly
• Slide show: slideshare.net
• White paper: scribd.com

Make sure to add a descriptive title with relevant keywords and include a blurb or intro.

Basic outreach and networking

When you need to get something done, use your networking skills. Encourage blog owners, webmasters or business owners in your industry to reblog or share your content with their own audiences. Approach bloggers with guest posts that summarize or support your asset and ask for them to cite your asset as a source for more information.

Employ a newsworthy press release

Online press releases are read by bloggers and journalists. Developing a press release on your content containing quotes, statistics or other bits of information pulled from the content can make all the difference in attracting a variety of viewers and content promoters to start talking.

Take your content to the next level

Hopefully, you’re already creating high-quality content tailored to your audience and won’t find creating a linkable asset much of a stretch. With these guidelines in mind for creating viral content, marketers can expand the impact of their content and be rewarded with continuous traffic and greater brand exposure.

Phil Laboon has consulted for everything from startups to Fortune 500s, developing clients’ online presences and online credibility. Eyeflow Internet Marketing specializes in providing organic SEO, online marketing solutions, social media and PPC by utilizing strategic, ethical and natural techniques. Each campaign is customized based on customers’ unique industries and goals.

The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, the YEC recently launched #StartupLab, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses via live video chats, an expert content library and email lessons.

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The post 9 Gen Y Careerists to Follow on Twitter appeared first on Brazen Life.

We’ve seen lists of Gen Y career experts before, but they typically recycle the same names, and there are always new and interesting people to learn from. (Plus, if your Twitter bio says you’re a proud grandfather, chances are you’re not Gen Y, so please stop acting younger than you are.) It’s time to shift the spotlight to some fresh faces who have more than enough expertise to bring to the table.

So here are nine Gen Y careerists to follow in 2013, in random order. Not all of the people below tweet 100 percent about career advice, but their career paths are inspiring enough on their own.

1. Brian Stelter

Brian is a media and TV reporter for The New York Times. He’s a stellar modern day reporter, frequently tweeting from the scene of his newest stories. He’s even featured in the documentary Page One: Inside the New York Times. If you aspire to work in the field of journalism, be it digital or traditional, you can learn a lot by following Brian.

2. Jenna Johnson

Another reporter to make the list, Jenna writes about higher education for the Washington Post. Whether you’re applying to college, attending a university, about to graduate or trying to leverage your recently acquired degree, Jenna has something to offer. Aside from reporting on education, she tweets stories by other authors that any member of Gen Y can find useful.

3. Megan Berry

Megan was employee number four at Klout but has since left to become Director of Community at Rebel Mouse. With a focus on tech, Megan shares fascinating articles worth reading for any budding technology or marketing executive.

4. Josh Miller

Another for the techies out there, Josh Miller is the 22-year-old CEO of Branch, which is described as “curated groups of people [who] are invited to engage around issues in which they are knowledgeable.” The best links on Josh’s Twitter feed are discussions occurring on Branch, including this fascinating read about our generation and “success theater.” It’s also worth noting that Josh was recently named to the Forbes “30 Under 30” list.

5. Rachel Haot

Rachel, too, was recently named to the Forbes “30 Under 30” for her work as the Chief Digital Officer for the City of New York. Her Twitter stream skews more towards a New York audience (given her job), but she also shares many job opportunities, as well as exciting articles about technology and public policy.

6. Dan Klamm

Dan serves as the Director of Young Alumni Engagement in NYC for Syracuse University. Outside of that, he always curates the coolest job opportunities and employment statistics. And if you ever have a career question, a popular phrase among his followers is, “What Would Dan Klamm Do?”

7. Kevin Grubb and Shannon Kelly

Together, Kevin and Shannon write the blog social @ edu, which discusses the intersection of social media and higher education. Separately, they serve as Assistant Director of Career Center Student Services at Villanova University and Associate Director of Career Services for the University of Pennsylvania, respectively. Their focus on career advice for undergraduates is valuable for aspiring professionals at any university.

8. Lauren K. Gray

One of the youngest member of this list, Lauren offers valuable insights for any recent grad. She’s one herself (of Western Carolina University) and the National President of the Public Relations Student Society of America. Lauren shares a spectrum of insightful articles about PR, the job search and young professional life in general.

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The post 5 Ways to Boost Your Small Business Twitter Account appeared first on Brazen Life.

These user-friendly tips will take the confusion out of Twitter, so you can make your tweets more attractive your followers.

1. Have (Real) Conversations

The Twitterverse (which, incidentally, is apparently the fifth most annoying word of 2012) offers lots of opportunities to make great connections. If you admire a fellow entrepreneur, designer or writer, don’t be afraid to give them a shout—and make sure it’s a worthwhile shout.

Ask a question or start a conversation instead of simply saying “Cool pic!” or “Nice post!” If your cyber friend (well, maybe we aren’t to the “friend” stage yet) posts her new graphic design project, tell her you like the use of color or ask where she found her inspiration. These higher-quality threads can draw attention from her followers as well as yours.

2. Don’t Be Afraid of the Retweet

In lieu of services like delicious.com and Evernote, I use Twitter as a means of storing links I’m interested in coming back to read later in the day when things slow down. Most of the time, these links relate to my industry, and thus the interests of my followers, so I know that retweeting them will be valuable to my readers.

Don’t worry about having original content 100 percent of the time, but don’t lean too heavily on the RT, either. Make sure you’re also generating plenty of your own unique information to keep your followers following.

3. Add Small Personal Touches

No fail, Twitter followers seem to be interested in the personal details of the people they follow—even (or sometimes especially) the minutia. This could mean sharing a picture of your (organized) desk or latest lunch choice every once and awhile.

Yes, it may seem silly, but these little touches make you feel real and relatable and help your readers connect with you as a person.

4. Don’t Overdo the “!” and the “#”

Too many Twitter accounts (and Facebook accounts, for that matter) are littered with exclamation marks and hashtags. Your user would much rather to see this…

Jolly Jam pairs great with cream cheese and crackers. Try the #recipe! bit.ly/23jf98

…than this:

#JollyJam pairs #great with #creamcheese and #crackers! Try the #recipe!!! bit.ly/23jf98

Remember: you are promoting your product, service or self because you are inherently enthusiastic about it—and readers approach business-based Twitter handles with that in mind. There is no need to go over the top with the hard sale. Use Twitter as a way to simply (and professionally) engage your customers in what you would consider like interests—without all the overzealous punctuation.

5. Don’t be Afraid to Plan Ahead

Lastly, services like HootSuite and TweetDeck allow you to schedule your updates ahead of time, which can do wonders for the small business owner who doesn’t think he has the time to regularly update his social media accounts.

Also consider creating an editorial calendar. By planning your subject matter ahead of time, you won’t have to enter panic mode every morning when you turn on the computer.

You may even want to consider whether it’s time to add a social media manager to your team. This can be as low- or as high-commitment as you’d like. Some freelancers will manage your entire social media presence for you, preempting the need to hire another full-time staff member.

Regardless of which steps you take on Twitter this year, keep tweeting! If you’re going to have a social media presence, it’s best to actively participate, rather than have accounts simply for the sake of having them. Just like your product, you surely have some superb nuggets of information to share with (yes) the Twitterverse, so start sharing!

Grace Barkley is a freelance writer, social media manager and designer living in Savannah, Georgia. She currently helps small business owners with their social media and branding and is earning her M.F.A. in Professional Writing from the Savannah College of Art and Design.

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The post Facebook Becomes Your New Job-Search Friend appeared first on Brazen Life.

Facebook’s Social Jobs Partnership app, which officially launched Wednesday, has an impressive 1.7 million job listings. But the jury’s still out on whether those listings can actually be sorted in a way that makes them helpful and relevant for job seekers.

The new job-search engine was created to tap into the growing trend of talent acquisition through social media, Facebook said in a release. The company teamed up with the U.S. Department of Labor and five other job-listing services to help users access a wide variety of jobs throughout the country and abroad. Jobseekers can search for a posting based on industry, location and keywords, and there’s even a special filter for veteran-friendly job posts.

Here’s what happened when I gave the app a try:

After entering “journalist” in the keyword box and “within 20 miles” of Washington, D.C. as the location, I was fed 25 matching jobs via BranchOut and seven through US.jobs.

For each of those listings, you can read a brief description, send it to a friend or “like” it. After reading the brief summary, you can also click on another link that takes you to an application page.

But it appears Facebook hasn’t ironed out all of the kinks. There wasn’t a single job in my search from BranchOut that was within 20 miles of Washington, D.C. In fact, most of them were overseas, in the United Kingdom or in somewhere else in Europe. Since I’m not planning to move across the world, that wasn’t much help.

The US.jobs suggestions were more accurate; all but one posting was located in Washington, D.C.

The app doesn’t have a feature that lets you know whether any of your friends work at companies with openings, which is one of the benefits of LinkedIn and BranchOut; they help you leverage your network. Maybe Facebook will add that option in the future?

A recent Pew Research study found that some 60 percent of adults use social media. So Facebook should have no problem attracting some of the 12.3 million unemployed individuals — not to mention those of us who have a job but want a better one — to utilize their new app. If it’s a success, social media could play an even more significant role in the job search.

As of Thursday afternoon, the Social Jobs Partnership app’s Facebook page had more than 50,000 “likes.”

Have you tried Facebook’s new job-search app? What’d you think?

Jennifer DePaul is a tax reporter for The Bond Buyer in Washington, D.C. She hails from New Hampshire and loves to cook and travel. You can follow her on Twitter: @BondBuyerJen.

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The post Think You Have What It Takes to Be a Social Media Manager? appeared first on Brazen Life.

All the cool kids are social media managers nowadays. And after that brilliant post from Business Insider about avoiding handing out your social media to youngins, it’s becoming more important for both recent grads and hiring managers to better understand what a social media manager actually does.

No, it’s not playing on Facebook all day. (Okay, maybe a little.)

To be a social media manager, you need to be keyed in to two things:

1. Know your subject

If you post about running shoes and you’re not a runner, seriously consider becoming one. Talk to runners, visit the company’s factory, read books and blogs and talk to the engineer who created the shoes. This is so important because it means you can be current in your content and answer questions like you know what you’re talking about.

2. Know your voice (or rather, your brand’s voice)

We all have our own natural writing voice. I use a lot of exclamation points, short sentences, contractions and sarcasm, which might not be right for a custom-made running shoe company. So in talking to people passionate about these things and in reading other marketing material from the company, pay special attention to the words they use. Keep a notebook and jot those words down. Create a persona, and base your postings as if that person were talking, not you.

What your day will look like

Your day will be 75 percent emails. You need a direct connection to customer service, along with alerts set up for every single keyword, account and profile related to the company. Despite popular belief, fans can’t just complain on a Facebook page to get their project taken care of. While a social media manager might want to give them a refund or help solve their problems, most brands have escalation processes, and a manager will need to run it through the system first. Sometimes it goes through public relations and customer service before she can answer the customer’s question. (This doesn’t make it right, but it’s how it usually works.)

So as a social media manager, you’ll need to get in touch with these departments and constantly monitor/harass them for the right information. On top of that, PR and customer service departments usually have no idea what the appropriate answer might be for a social platform. They’ll give you something long and drawn out and skirt around the issue. Your job is to give a recommended response, then when said departments ignore you, convince them to see the light.

Here are a few skills that will also come in handy:

Know how to write — and write well

The daily life of a social media manager involves a lot of writing, a lot of Facebook advertising management and following your subject on blogs, Pinterest, YouTube and more. Then, of course, there’s the actual monitoring of the brand’s page. While I’d love the luxury of checking into my pages every hour on the hour, that’s often just not possible. Plus, it’s not the most productive use of your time.

Be willing to analyze (like, with numbers)

Then there’s the reporting time. Every week or month, you’ll need to analyze Facebook Insights data and report on which posts performed the best, which had the most shares and comments, which resulted in the most unlikes. Sometimes there’s going to be (gasp!) math involved. You’ve been warned.

Organize like a pro

Then there’s the inevitable project management. Most brand pages are always running campaigns you need to not only monitor, but create a strategy around. Brief the designers and the developers and constantly sense-check every little thing. Then go through the bug edits and fixes that always come up on Facebook. This constant page activity means you need to know what’s going live and when, what material you need from whom and have it all organized someplace awesome.

How many of you out there are already social managers? How does your day compare?

For anyone looking into this career, do you think you can hack it?

Marian Schembari is a blogger, traveler and all-around social media thug. She’s based in Auckland, New Zealand, hails from Connecticut and blogs at marianlibrarian.com.

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The post Think You Have What It Takes to Be a Social Media Manager? appeared first on Brazen Life.

The post Should Social Media Managers Be Under 25? appeared first on Brazen Life.

Why Every Social Media Manager Should Be Under 25

Here’s an excerpt from the piece:

The key is that we learned to use social media socially before professionally, rather than vice versa or simultaneously. After all, it is called social media; the seemingly obvious importance of incorporating comforting social aspects into professional usage seems to go over several companies’ heads. To many people in the generations above us, Facebook and Twitter are just the latest ways of getting messages out there to the public, that also happen to be the best.

And here’s another interesting snippet:

Every time I see a job posting for a Social Media Manager/Associate/etc. and find the employer is looking for five to ten years of direct experience, I wonder why they don’t realize the candidates who are in fact best suited for the position actually aren’t old enough to have that much experience.

The post got so many people talking that NextGen also published a response.

Since the Brazen community is full of social media types, and many of you are 25 or older (plus plenty who are under 25!), we’d love to hear you weigh in.

What do YOU think?

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The post 3 Common Obstacles to Starting a Social Media Business and Why You Shouldn’t Let Them Stop You appeared first on Brazen Life.

If you’re social-media-savvy, you’re staring in the face of opportunity; so many brands, both big and small, need help growing their online community.

But even if you know you want to use your social media skills to make money, it’s not always clear where to start.

Since launching my ebook How to Build a Part-Time Social Media Business, I’ve talked with lots of young professionals who want to make this move, whether to earn money on the side of their day job or as a stepping stone to working for themselves full time. Those who are held up often feel stymied by the same issues.

So let’s talk about those popular obstacles and how to overcome them:

Obstacle #1: Deciding which services to provide

Social media consultants run the gamut, from coaching clients to creating strategies to actually implementing those strategies. Others run classes or webinars, and others sell products that help clients help themselves. Which type of services do you want to provide? Where on this spectrum do you fit in?

A big part of this is deciding who to target. Saying you’ll “work with anyone who needs it” may keep you from closing any doors, but also deprives you of finding a niche — and that’s usually where the money’s at.

If you try to appeal to everyone, you’ll appeal to no one. Target clients by topic — travel, for example, or finance — based off your skills and interests. Or target by type of client, looking to work with non-profits, for example, or individual writers.

Once you’ve got this down, create a page on your blog about your services (here’s an example). Even if you don’t include prices on your site, being clear about what you offer will go a long way.

Obstacle #2: Figuring out what to charge

This is another piece that varies drastically, which is why it can be difficult to pinpoint how to approach it. How much you charge depends on your experience, what you’re offering and what the client can afford. Recent college graduates charge anywhere from $20-$100/hour.

For your first paying client or two, try to find a happy medium between how much you think they can afford and how much you’d like to make. Lean toward affordability at first if landing that client is essential to getting your business off the ground; you can always ask for more with your next client. In fact, transitioning to higher paid clients over time should be one of your long-term goals.

Also consider how many hours you’ll work for the client. If you’re working on an hourly basis, you can charge a fairly high rate for those few hours. If the client is retaining you month after month to implement their social media strategy, your hourly rate can be lower because you’re guaranteed a good number of hours. This second type of client — the recurring monthly client — is the best kind in my mind, because you know you’ll have that paycheck month after month.

Obstacle #3: Getting clients

Landing your first client could be the most difficult part of starting your own business — or, if serendipity is on your side, it could be the easiest.

The key here is to always be on the lookout for opportunities. Who within your network, or perhaps within one or two degrees of separation, could benefit from your skills? Which organizations that you’re involved with have a not-so-impressive online presence? Which businesses would reach their target demographic by making better use of online tools?

Pitch one of those brands, letting them know how you can help them reach their goals. But don’t expect to fill your pockets with cash from your first client. Instead, consider working for that client for free to gain experience, a recommendation and possibly referrals that will help you down the line. Once you’ve done a fabulous job for that client, it will be easier to land more.

If you’re past the point of working for free — and you should only work for free if it’s benefiting you significantly by, for example, helping you build your resume — the client search can be more challenging. In addition to going after possible clients, focus on helping them find you. Use your own online presence to market yourself, showcasing your value in this field so opportunities come to you. One of the best ways to do this is through a blog.

This is what I like to call “making your own luck.” The more value you provide online, the more people you connect with, the more you build your online community — the more likely that community will think of you when an opportunity arises that fits your skill set. If you continue to build that network and make it easy to find you, you’ll rarely be in the position where you have to look for clients.

What other challenges are keeping your from launching a social media business?

Alexis Grant, managing editor of Brazen Life and author of ebook How to Build a Part-Time Social Media Business, is offering a free Brazen webinar on making money off your social media skills. Sign up to join us!

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The post Top 7 Social Media Jobs appeared first on Brazen Life.

Since social media has become such a major part of daily and business life, demand is high for web-wise people with great analytic and communication skills. But what exactly are your career options?

Here’s a snapshot of the seven most common jobs in this evolving industry:

1. Social Media Strategist

You’re in charge of the whole game—planning what strategic moves to make next, deciding on which platforms to grow communities, and giving your stamp of approval to the content your team shares online.

A knack for leadership and communication are key, but it’s your innovative thinking that will set you apart. The rest of the internet is competing for your clients’ eyes—how will you make your company stand out?

Average salary: $23,000 – $86,000

2. Content Curator

Rohit Bahargava, author of Manifesto for the Content Curator, summed up this position best: “Someone whose job it is not to create more content, but to make sense of all the content that others are creating.”

It’s your role to scour the web and bring back viral videos, articles, infographics and images to feed your company’s social platforms. Some products will be created in-house, but no matter where it comes from, you look for content that’s contagious.

Average salary: $23,000 – $86,000

3. Social Media Analyst

If you write a great blog post, and nobody reads it, is it still a great blog post? You track the numbers and establish metrics to determine which social media campaigns are flopping or flying high. Your quantitative brain sees the big picture as you advise your team on their next move—all based on the numbers.

Average salary: $33,000 – $96,000

4. Online Reputation Manager

While not strictly a social media position, online reputation managers work with social streams on a daily basis. It’s your task to make sure undesirable online info about your client is removed or pushed as far down the Google results page as possible.

As such, you focus on filling social platforms with positive reviews, answers, and posts to drown out any negative stuff.

Average salary: $31,000 – $85,000

5. Community Manager

Good content is great, but a strong online community of fans, followers and friends is essential. As your company’s resident social butterfly, you develop campaigns or spaces to grow and nurture these virtual connections.

Average salary: $23,000 – $86,000

6. Social Media Customer Service Rep

Almost 62 percent of consumers have used social media for customer service issues. Which means the role of a customer service rep has gone over to the social side!

You might tweet instructions to a confused client, or help pro-actively resolve an issue someone has posted on Facebook. No matter which platform, it’s your job to keep consumers happy.

Average salary: $20,000 – $49,000

7. Social Media Consultant

Working as an outside consultant, you help organizations get their social media efforts up and running.

While you may offer specific advice or develop strategic actions plans, you also work to get everyone in a company on the same social media page. That can range from convincing out-of-step executives of the need for new media, to simply teaching a team the basic dos and don’ts of tweeting.

Average salary: $23,000 – $86,000 (all salary data from the US Department of Labor)

In this growing industry, what other new and emerging social media jobs should we add to this list?

Annie Favreau works for Inside Jobs, a site designed to help you discover and pursue a career you’ll love. Join the conversation @InsideJobs.

Trying to land a job in social media? Whether you’re just starting out, or aiming high, you can learn some inside secrets from a senior social media recruiter at Ogilvy and Mather and Brazen’s experienced marketing executives in this free one-hour video.

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The post 5 Stellar Strategies to Land Your First #SocialMedia Job appeared first on Brazen Life.

Social media management is a trending career path for 2012, and entry-level strategists are in high demand. In nearly every industry nationwide and even globally, businesses are turning to young, tech-savvy professionals to help them navigate social networks — seeking more sales, better engagement and business leads for their products for less cost than traditional print and TV advertising. A quick search on Indeed returns nearly 30,000 openings in the United States alone, and Simply Hired lists more than 40,000 positions in social media.

But what can young professionals do to get hired for one of these entry-level openings, especially without prior experience? It’s probably not enough to tell a hiring manager that you have a Facebook page, so where do you start?

After talking with dozens of recruiters over the past several months and helping hundreds of participants complete social media courses and job skills classes, I’ve compiled a list of my top five strategies:

1. Test your mettle by committing to an internship

Not only are full-time positions in social media abundant, so are internships, many of which you can do from home. The grunt work involved in social media marketing can be tedious, and it’s not for everyone — but it’s essential that you understand the time commitment involved in being successful in your online engagement strategies. If you’ve never helped manage a brand or company social media profile, find an internship to get a little experience under your belt before committing to a full-time position.

In short, you don’t necessarily need to have a prior paid job managing social media channels professionally, as long as you can prove you’ve been exposed to the trade and know what you need to learn. So dive in and and start practicing.

2. Target your potential employer with a social media ad campaign

One of the most direct ways to get a job in social media is to demonstrate your ability to target your audience with social media ads. Set up a simple website or splash page with your resume and your best video introduction and bullet points about why you are the best person for the job, and then target Facebook ads at the company where you’re seeking employment. Sam Solomon is one job seeker who used this strategy successfully.

He cautions however, that just setting up the ads is not enough. “The most important part of this campaign is your landing page. This is where potential employers that click your ad will be directed. Do not simply send employers to your LinkedIn, or Visual CV page. Great advertising for a product with a terrible presentation does not lead to any sales.” So spend some time learning about how to create an effective sales page and give this technique a try.

3. Take an online course to show you’re savvy about learning new skills

Few applicants applying for entry-level social media positions have any direct experience at the business level in social media management, and unless you’ve sought out internships to supplement your college education, your university marketing classes probably didn’t give you enough exposure to the newest online tools that companies need you to know.

“I don’t believe this is something that can be taught in school, so I don’t look for any specific educational backgrounds,” said Tracy Terry, president and founder of Trust eMedia.

One way to set yourself apart is to enroll in a professional training program that gives you a tangible skill to add to your resume and career portfolio. If you don’t live in New York City or San Francisco, chances are in-person training is hard to come by, so check out online opportunities like Brazen Careerist’s 4 Hour Social Media Strategy Course,  MediaBistro’s online classes or Hubspot’s Inbound Marketing University. Adding professional training to your resume will truly set you apart and give you a leg up once you get hired.

Since social media is a field that’s changing quickly, employers look for applicants with proven ability to continue their education outside the classroom. How will you stay on top of technology trends if you’re not committed to ongoing training and learning?

4. Highlight your outgoing personality traits

When you apply for an open position, make sure your resume and cover letter reflect an outgoing and well-connected personality — even if you’re an introvert. In the online world, it’s all about your first impression, said Sarah Rapp, community manager at Behance Network. “Social Media is all about personality, and if real passion for the field comes across, this is much more valuable in a candidate than relevant experience.”

Many of us in the social media field aren’t actually extroverts. (That’s why we love playing on computers all day.) But you can’t let that show in your daily interactions within your community. When Dave Brown, director of digital strategy for MKG in New York City hired a new social media coordinator for the top-ranked advertising agency last year, his first concern was character: the right candidate would have a sense of humor, be supremely creative, passionate and a great communicator, he told me in a recent conversation.

5. Optimize your own social profiles and point employers to them

Finally, you should have an up-to-date and professional-looking personal Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter or Youtube account, according to Amy Porterfield, co-author of Facebook Marketing All-in-One for Dummies. Jennifer Hasche, a senior recruiter for Intuit, agreed in a recent conversation, and recommended pointing potential employers in the right direction by listing all of your social networks on your resume and in your cover letter.

This might sound narcissistic to start creating a brand around yourself, especially if you’re on the shy side, but Amy suggests a way around that. “To really highlight your personality and skills, build your social media networks around a passion you have or something that interests you,” Amy said. “For example, if you are an avid runner, set up a Facebook page to give advice and create a community around the best runs in your local area. Another idea is to set up a YouTube channel that is optimized with keywords to attract other avid runners and post your videos and other’s videos spotlighting topics related running.”

Not only will this demonstrate your grasp of social media tools, but it also gives you a platform to explore your passions, which in turn can lead to other career opportunities later on. Afterall, if you set up a YouTube video series related to your love of golf, why not apply for an internship with Adidas social media team and merge your passions for golf and social media? The best of both worlds!

The opportunity for new job seekers is clear: social media is trending as a career path for the next several years, and employers are ready to hire. The challenge will be to set yourself apart with added skill and moxie, even if your experience seems thin.

Whitney Parker is vice president for user experience at Brazen Careerist, where she co-hosts a bootcamp on how to create and implement a social media strategy and a 7-lesson job search course available on-demand. She’s co-hosting a free webinar on how to get a job in social media on April 5 from 4-5pm with special guest Nando Rodriguez, the senior social media recruiter for Ogilvy & Mather in NYC.

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The post Our Must-Read List… of Must-Read Trend Lists appeared first on Brazen Life.

Then trend lists come along with all the things we should be watching for in the new year. These are a little more interesting if you ask me. Nod to Brazen, the 20 Young Professionals to Watch in 2012 was a nice compilation of push-the-envelope go-getters.

Here are a few other trend lists that caught my eye:

6 Social Media Networks to Watch in 2012:  Do you know how many social networks you’re signed up for? I mean, the TOTAL number, because I sometimes forget.  Sometimes I hear about a new social network or social media tool and go to check it out — only to discover that I already have an account.  That’s the curse of being a digital marketing professional, I guess!

Read this list by Jeff Bullas because it takes a minute to step back and “reflect on some significant events and evolutionary changes that are impacting how we communicate and connect.” Oh, and there are infographics!

Top 5 Diets to Watch in 2012: I decided that January would be the month when I cut back on drinking and continue improving my lifestyle.  I’ve never been a diet person but there are plenty of different ways to modify habits and lose weight.  This article says 2012 “looks like a return to sensible eating” after the year of fad diets in 2011. From science-based slim downs to “real food” diets, you just might find the plan that’ll fulfill your needs.

Fitness Bloggers to Watch in 2012: There’s been a rise in niche blogging over the last couple of years, and fitness is one of the biggies. If you’re into that sort of thing, this post has a list of 13 fitness bloggers to watch this year.

5 Tech Trends to Watch:  Mashable is great when it comes to lists and they didn’t let me down when coming up with a tech trends to watch list in 2012. In this article, Lance Ulanoff, Mashable’s editor-in-chief, has collected what he thinks will be the five big memorable trends that will make a “big impact in our technologically-enhanced lives.” I’m personally curious to see how augmented reality will grow and take over our lives.

12 Education Tech Trends to Watch in 2012: There’s no denying that technology is reshaping education from K-12 to colleges. From adaptive learning to game-based learning, technology is creating new ways for educators to incorporate technology into their curriculum.

Four Employment Trends to Watch in 2012: According to the latest job report, the unemployment rate fell to 8.5 percent as the economy added 200,000 new jobs.  What does that mean for jobs in 2012? According to this International Business Times article, “[t]hirty-eight percent [of employers] plan to train people who don’t have experience in their particular industry and hire them for positions within their organizations in 2012.”

6 Important Marketing Trends to Watch in 2012: My favorite part of this list is the predication that creativity will take center stage and “if your company’s DNA doesn’t carry the gene for nimble creativity, you may not make it to 2013.”

20 Bloggers to Watch in 2012: I’m a huge fan of Problogger and look forward to the site’s “bloggers to watch” list every year.  This year, the list includes a few people who are already at the top of my Google Reader, but I will definitely be adding a few more based on these recommendations.

12 Cute Animals to Watch in 2012: I mean, really, what is the internet without our fuzzy friends?

What are some fun trends that you’re watching this year?

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The post Are You Overlooking How Facebook Could Help Your Career? [NEW STUDY] appeared first on Brazen Life.

Users between the ages of 18 and 29 tend to use the site mainly to interact with friends and family, not as a career resource, according to a new study by Millennial Branding, a Boston-based branding consultancy that worked with Identified.com to pull data.

Only a third of GenY users add a job title to their Facebook profile, the study found, yet more than half of those young professionals add at least a handful of work contacts as their Facebook friends.

That leaves Generation Y in a bind. While many don’t see Facebook as a professional space, we still interact with work contacts – which means how we present ourselves on the social networking site spills over into our professional life.

“GenY needs to be aware that what they publish online can come back to haunt them in the workplace,” said Dan Schwabel, a personal branding expert and managing partner of Millennial Branding. “GenY managers and co-workers have insight into their social lives, which could create an awkward workplace setting or even result in a termination.”

Before it gets that far, you can take some simple steps to ensure your Facebook profile feels and looks professional, even while remaining personal. It might even help you use your network to your advantage.

Facebook as a resume

First, add your current and past job titles. While 80 percent of Millennials include their college or university on their profile, only 36 percent list an employer, Millennial Branding reports. Especially if you’ve changed jobs recently, make sure to keep your work information current.

Then check out Facebook’s recent design changes, which make your work history even more important. The redesigned profile is more than a new look; it presents a timeline of each user’s life, with past events ordered chronologically and easily accessible.

The timeline format could effectively become a digital resume, says Job coach Gerrit Hall. He predicts employers will increasingly turn to Facebook to vet potential hires.

“From the giant cover image at the top to the chronological organization down the line, your Facebook profile is a resume for your life, not just your career,” Hall, co-founder of RezScore, a company that analyzes and grades resumes for job seekers, wrote on digital news site Mashable.

If you activate the new look, Facebook gives you a week to review everything on your profile before making the changes public. Take that time to review old status updates or photos, and delete ones that might not be appropriate for your professional friends. And don’t just think about what to take off; the switch is a good opportunity to literally see what information, including your work experience, is missing and what you might add.

Other helpful Facebook features

Hall also recommends taking advantage of another relatively new feature on Facebook: the ability to tailor status updates for specific groups of people. If you organize your contacts into lists of friends, classmates or business contacts, you can then make updates visible only to certain groups.

That way, you can share personal news only with your real-life friends. Have an industry-related piece of information? Share it with your business contacts. On average, young professionals have 16 friends from their professional circle, Millennial Branding reports.

And don’t forget that Facebook isn’t just a place for you to offer information; you can also gather precious details about possible employers and co-workers, which can be helpful during a job search.

In the end, using Facebook to your advantage in the workplace should fit well with the entrepreneurial spirit of GenY. Among those who did list a job title, the fifth most popular entry is “owner.”

What’s your policy on friending co-workers? Do you use Facebook’s list feature to send updates only to certain friends?

Jessica Binsch is a digital journalist living and working in Washington, D.C. She holds a master’s degree from the Medill School of Journalism and blogs at CuriousontheRoad.com.

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The post The Ultimate Guide to Using Twitter Hashtags at Events appeared first on Brazen Life.

Something we don’t see enough of, however, (and I think this is slowly becoming more and more common) is people taking social to an actual social level and meeting tweeps in real life.

My favorite way to do this? Using Twitter hashtags at events to break the ice and put myself out there.

Attending industry events may be the traditional way to network, but Twitter takes this to the next level. Whether it’s a monthly drinks event, talk, course or conference, most organizers will create a designated Twitter hashtag (if you’re totally out of the loop on what a hashtag is, Google it).

If the organizers are on the ball, they’ll announce the hashtag multiple times; after all, it can only help promote their event and connect their community. If they’re not on top of it, you can figure out the hashtag attendees are using by searching the event name on Twitter.

For example, I recently went to an MSN mini-conference in Auckland, and the organizers hadn’t created a hashtag. But when I searched for MSN in New Zealand, a couple attendees had banded together and made up their own!

The three big reasons you want to use hashtags at events:

1. Pick up on points attendees find useful

People tend to tweet interesting quotes by speakers, statistics or basic event information. I can’t tell you how useful this has been in the past to go refer to later and use as “notes” – regardless of whether I attended the event.

These are especially helpful if you’re reporting back to a boss or writing an event recap on your blog.

2. Meet people

When you follow along with the event hashtag, it’s easy to figure out who else is at the event. And with the beauty of Twitter avatars, you can usually recognize these people when you run into them later on.

I like to use a tweet to start conversations with people I probably won’t have met otherwise. I’ll say something like, “I loved that tweet you sent out about there not being any vegetarian options! What gives?” Then you’ve started a conversation without awkwardly standing in the corner pretending to check your cell phone because you have no one to talk to.

3. Put yourself out there

When you’re regularly tweeting at an event, you’re seen as being involved without being that annoying conference-goer who throws business cards at anyone and everyone. And if your Twitter avatar is clear, you’ll be recognizable.

That means it’s likely people will come up to you and say something like, “Oh, hey, you’re @MarianSchembari, aren’t you?” Boom. You’ve made a new friend. Win-win.

Even if you’re not a huge tweeter before the event, no worries. Here are a few sure-fire topics you can post on the big day:

• Points from the event you’ve found interesting.

Example: Great stat from speaker @BobSmith “66% of statistics are made up.” #awesomeevent2011

• Questions to the speaker. He or she probably won’t respond during the event, but A. you never know and B. this is a great way to start a dialogue outside the event, which can be even more powerful.

Example: @BobSmith What do you mean 66% of statistics? Didn’t you mean 99%?

• Addressing other attendees. Suggest grabbing a drink at Bar X after the last talk or simply ask people’s thoughts on the last speaker.

Example: I’m heading to Awesome Bar after this, anyone want to join? We’re going to talk shop while throwing back tequila shots.

Don’t over-think this, though. Just share points you find interesting and connect with a few people you might not have met otherwise.

Finally, if you’re at a loss for the kind of event to go to, consider doing a search on Twitter for tweetups in your area, ask your co-workers or clients, and pay attention to industry bloggers and sites like Eventbrite. You also might consider joining something like Social Media Club, a network of people who meet up in cities around the world to discuss new technologies and how they effect business. It’s not just for digital folks, so regardless of whether you’re super familiar with social media, it’s a great way to learn new things and meet some pretty cool people. Plus, they always have a hashtag.

How many of you have been active on Twitter during an event? Meet anyone cool because of it?

Marian Schembari is a blogger, traveler and all-around social media thug. She’s based in Auckland, New Zealand, hails from Connecticut and blogs at marianlibrarian.com.

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The post A Twitter for Turkey Day? #BrazenStuff 11.25.11 appeared first on Brazen Life.

Today we’ve rounded up some Turkey Day / Black Friday content that we think you’ll enjoy. Have a great weekend!

1. Some good ideas for those of you who work with clients: eight ways freelancers can show gratitude.

2. Were you under the impression that Black Friday is just a U.S. thing? Not so much.

3. The best Black Friday/Cyber Monday shopping apps.

4. Did you think this time of year would give you a little lift? Beware. Thanksgiving might not brighten your mood.

5. Thanksgiving from a Brazen expat’s perspective.

6. What’s this? A Turkey-themed Twitter competitor? See what’s up.

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The post Andre Blackman: Rocking at the Intersection of Tech and Public Health appeared first on Brazen Life.

In our podcast series, we’re hoping to provide insights and answers to that very question. We talk to young people who have amazing jobs or are doing something really cool and interesting and ask them how they did it. So listen along for good information and some inspiration, too.

Blogging, networking, social media, health. It’s all in day’s work for Andre Blackman, the director of digital communications/new media for the American Heart Association’s mid-Atlantic affiliate.

Though Andre was on the engineering track when he started college, he soon discovered his interest in public health and started using the problem-solving skills he learned as an engineer to think of innovative solutions for health problems. He launched his blog, Pulse + Signal as a way to further explore the intersection of public health, innovation and technology.

“Blogging has opened up numerous doors for me and has really played an integral role in my own personal development,” Andre said in our interview. And how’s this for cool? Some of the opportunities he’s landed through blogging and other social media connections include serving on the advisory boards for the Mayo Clinic Center for Social Media, and SXSW Health.

Recently, Andre also helped organize the first Fast Forward Health film festival to highlight innovative public health stories from around the world. I checked out the event a few weeks ago in D.C. and it absolutely rocked! Unique, fun and edgy. It was even written up on NPR’s Shots blog. NPR wrote:

Organizers and speakers described the film festival as a fun way to approach a serious subject, and a great counterpoint to the American Public Health Association’s annual meeting also taking place in DC this week. They dubbed their event “the un-conference.”

In the interview, we discussed how Andre and his co-organizers came up with the idea for the film festival. And bloggers, listen up! You’ll want to hear the part about how Andre is using a unique niche job board to monetize his blog.

Andre Blackman

So listen now, and be sure to connect with Andre in the comments here or on Twitter.

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The post More For Your Money: 10 Quirky Daily Deals appeared first on Brazen Life.

Ready for some randomness? Here we go:

1. This deal on a five-night stay at the Tower Club might sound familiar. That’s because the Bangkok destination was featured in The Hangover Part II. Let’s just hope amnesia wasn’t also part of the deal.

2. Here’s a good one for car enthusiasts: a deal to drive a dream car. For just under 100 bucks, you could drive something like a Lamborghini Gallardo around a race track.

3. Living Social Austin had a deal for an ’80s roller skate night complete with a light show and fog machine. Awesome for a Twisted Sister.

4. Now this is a safe deal: “stylish” condoms from blissmo. Nope, we’re not kidding. For each condom purchased another condom gets donated to someone in a developing country.

5. You’ve probably never had a desire to get your own custom-made, portable speakers. But if you did, you could have gotten it on the cheap with this Abilene, Texas Groupon.

6. There’s even a daily deal site for medical marijuana. The coupon site is from the folks at Weedmaps.com, a community for medical marijuana patients.

7. Amazing buy? Sad deal? You be the judge of this 70 percent discount on non-surgical nose jobs London Groupon. Twenty-two were bought!

8. This is just kind of random: a Living Social deal for one dozen steamed crabs (with free shipping). Hmm.

9. This deal isn’t for those who scare easily: it’s a discounted ticket to an abandoned 19th century coffin factory.

10. Finally, here’s a deal that is just obscure. Nothing against The Economist, but who can really get that excited about 26 percent off their 2011 wall calendar? Forty-seven people bought it, but the deal required at least 50 to run.

Any odd deals we missed? Add them in the comments!

Jaclyn Schiff is managing editor of Brazen Life. When she’s not Brazenly thinking about careers, she can often be found writing or tweeting about obscure diseases or media trends.

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The post How A Blogger Used ‘A View From the Cave’ to Advance His Global Career appeared first on Brazen Life.

In our podcast series, we’re hoping to provide insights and answers to that very question. We talk to young people who have amazing jobs or are doing something really cool and interesting and ask them how they did it. So listen along for good information and some inspiration, too.

Here at Brazen, we’re all about using a blog to establish yourself as an authority in your field and networking your way to awesomeness. After all, that is how Brazen was founded.

As an international news junkie and a global health geek, I’m especially a sucker for a rising blogger like Tom Murphy. Tom started his blog, A View From The Cave, to document his year abroad in Kenya, and it has evolved into a must-read for anyone interested in humanitarian issues. He’s also a dynamic presence on Twitter, making connections all day, sharing important blog posts and news and live-tweeting the occasional event.

In the interview, Tom talks about how blogging helped him land his current gig as deputy editor for PSI Healthy Lives. Another recent blogging accomplishment: Tom was selected to participate in the 2011 United Nations Foundation Press Fellowship: Global Health, Global Challenges last month in New York.

These days, Tom is experimenting with being a solopreneur. He left his job and is working on a couple of different projects, including the DAWNS Digest, a daily roundup of news and opinion for individuals who work in the international humanitarian space. Tom co-founded the project with UN Dispatch editor Mark Goldberg with the goal of creating a platform to support journalism for the humanitarian community.

Blog visibility leads to opportunity

When it comes to getting your blogging noticed, especially as a younger person in your field, Tom is a huge advocate of consistency and volume.

“One of the beautiful things about blogging is you can write multiple posts in a day. It doesn’t have to be one every night. So being able to put a bunch of things down and to have content that you’re getting people to consistently read what it is that you have to offer — whether its a really long, in-depth piece or it’s a video with a quick comment — having content and being able to turn people on to different things has certainly been something that I’ve stumbled into and realized that works well,” he says.

Tom Murphy

I hope you enjoy this interview. Feel free to leave questions and feedback in the comments!

[podcast]http://static.brazencareerist.com/brazenlife/2011/10/TomM.mp3[/podcast]

Jaclyn Schiff is managing editor of Brazen Life. When she’s not Brazenly thinking about careers, she can often be found writing or tweeting about obscure diseases or media trends.

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The post Hey, Recruiters: 5 Tips for Using Social Media to Find Job Candidates appeared first on Brazen Life.

Social recruiting is nothing new, and don’t let anyone tell you any differently. The best part is you don’t need to have “guru” or “strategist” in your title to succeed with social recruiting, despite what the gurus and strategists may tell you. But there is a lot to learn to do it right.

Social networks — including LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter — have become core components of any solid recruiting strategy. Indeed, survey after survey shows social recruiting tops the areas where recruiters plan to spend more time in 2012.

But just because you’re on Twitter doesn’t mean you’re going to find your company’s future project leader or inspirational manager in 140 characters. Like accomplishing anything on social media, social recruiting is about strategic engagement — not one-hit wonders — and conversation rather than broadcasting.

Here are five things to remember about social recruiting, whether you’re new to the block or a social media pro:

1. Keep up with latest trends — or risk falling behind

The social media landscape changes fast. Just when you think you’ve mastered Facebook or could get your PhD in LinkedIn, the companies roll out major updates that nullify certain components of your strategy. Fortunately, those same updates can also make you much more effective.

So spend some time keeping up with the latest trends in social recruiting. Dedicate a portion of your re-certification hours to social recruiting training and look for certified courses online that are typically more cost-effective and time-efficient for you and your company.

2. Don’t just jump in — think first

One of the most common reasons companies can’t figure out whether their social media efforts are worthwhile is because they don’t have a strategy. How can you know whether you’re meeting your objectives if you haven’t outlined them? The same is true for social recruiting. It doesn’t have to be a 30-slide powerpoint, but you need some sort of plan.

Before you post all your jobs to LinkedIn, join groups, create a “Jobs” tab on your Facebook page or run a Twitter campaign to promote your careers section, spend some time thinking about your objectives and goals for social recruiting, how your tweets and Facebook/LinkedIn status updates will help you meet them, and how and when you will measure your progress. It will be much easier to measure your efforts and calculate your ROI if you have a strategy up front.

3. Use Facebook’s flexiblity to your advantage

One of the easiest and least intrusive ways to utilize Facebook for recruiting efforts is to add a home for your career offerings on your company Facebook page — and there are a variety of options, some that cost money and others that don’t, to help you do that. Indeed, Facebook is one of the most flexible platforms for social recruiting.

For instance, the IRS maintains a simple recruiting page on Facebook that generates a great deal of comments and interaction every day. Companies like Citi and Intuit have also integrated job postings into their Facebook page, which gives them added visibility to candidates who might not venture to the corporate website. A host of new job board apps like Work for Us and LinkUp make it easy to add these features to your page.

If your company is large, consider establishing a separate Facebook page just for your recruiting team. A great example is Intuit’s Facebook page, where they host chats, videos and podcasts to encourage potential candidates to apply for open positions.

4. Have conversations, don’t just blast

Twitter has become a go-to place for job seekers who are looking for the inside scoop on new job openings. That means if you’re a recruiter or employer, you should make sure you’re right there with them.

First, participate in live online conversations where you might meet potential candidates. #HireFriday, created by Margo Rose, is one such chat created to help job seekers connect with recruiters. You can participate in the chat every Friday by simply following #HireFriday via Twitter search, responding to comments and questions, and tagging your comment with #HireFriday. #Jobhuntchat is another popular live conversation between recruiters and job seekers, and tools like Hootsuite and Tweetchat.com make it easy to the follow threads.

Second, if you’re tweeting about jobs and open positions, make sure your profile description uses relevant keywords so job seekers can easily find you. Mention “recruiter,” “careers,” “jobs” or “human resources.” Think about which keywords candidates might use to search for you, and keep it simple. Being clever or over-complicated can hurt your cause.

Always remember, Twitter is a vehicle for conversation, not a megaphone. Connect with other thought leaders in the recruiting space, and share relevant content even if it doesn’t have your brand stamp.

5. Use Linkedin for more than search

Most recruiters are aware of Linkedin’s expensive search tools. Sure, they’re helpful, but not required.

Here’s another way to find candidates with specific skills (for free): use LinkedIn’s new Skills section. You can only enter one skill at a time (hopefully LinkedIn will soon allow users to search for combined skill sets), and the search results will show people with those skill sets who are most closely connected to you. Since the results identify people in your network (up to third-degree connections), it’s easier to find an “in” who will introduce you to potential candidates.

In addition to listing people in your network, the new skills search also shows the largest Linkedin groups for people with these skills. If you’re looking to post a job that reaches this market, join these groups and share a link to your job posting.

Want to go beyond search? Think about where your target audience may be, and go there. Are you a recruiter for technical positions? Drupal gurus? Marketing or PR positions? Join industry-focused groups and make substantive connections with members. Post relevant articles, engage in discussions, comment on and “like” status updates. Be active!

With social recruiting, you’ll get out of it what you put in. Spend the time to think about what you’re trying to achieve, actively engage on your networks and be creative about how you reach out.

Remember, the skills that made recruiters successful before social have not changed. Networking, listening and communicating will prove your success — one tweet or “like” at a time.

Whitney Parker (@whitneymparker) is Vice President of User Experience and Ashley Hoffman (@ashleyhoffman) is Director of Marketing and Communications at Brazen Careerist. They reguarly host online bootcamps to help people learn new skills to find a job they love. Find out more over at BrazenU.com.

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The post Tips for Using Social Media’s Neglected Child, LinkedIn appeared first on Brazen Life.

Either way, one thing is certain — you’re probably not taking full advantage of LinkedIn. That’s why freelance writer and author Susan Johnston refers to the site as the “neglected child of social media.”

Yet with her new ebook, LinkedIn and Lovin’ It: Unleash Your Business Potential with LinkedIn, there’s no excuse to ignore the tool’s potential.

If LinkedIn lacks tender love and care, that’s a perception that will soon change. For some websites, referral traffic from LinkedIn dwarfs that from Twitter, TechCrunch reports. And hundreds of freelancers worldwide, some of whom Johnston interviewed for her book, vouch for LinkedIn’s ability to drive traffic, clients and business.

Here’s a sneak peek at Johnston’s hints for using LinkedIn to make new connections, showcase your skills, and find an “in” with companies you admire – rather than as a two-dimensional resume.

Have fun — without security concerns and distractions

The fact that LinkedIn is geared more toward professional networking may be “a benefit, not a bug,” Johnston says. “You don’t have to worry about creating circles or limited profiles because you should assume that everything you post on LinkedIn might be viewed by a boss or prospective client. That awareness lets you focus on building your professional network but that doesn’t mean you have to be all business all the time.”

But don’t be fooled: Just because the site isn’t all fun and games doesn’t mean you can’t give your profile a bit of pizzazz. “There’s room for personality but there are fewer distractions, silly polls, and so on,” says Johnston.

So what’s one creative way to stand out and give your profile character? Johnston encourages adding apps to display your portfolio, link to blog posts, create events, identify travel plans or present slideshows.

Avoid awkwardness with flattery

LinkedIn’s main purpose is linking people, yet sometimes it’s difficult to do that when you don’t actually know the person you want to connect with. Johnston recommends approaching someone you only sorta, kinda know by requesting an introduction from a mutual connection or using InMail. But how can you do so without seeming creepy?

“I’d recommend customizing your invitation to connect instead of using the default,” says Johnston. “For instance, ‘I didn’t get a chance to introduce myself at the Designer’s Conference last month, but I really admire your packaging designs (especially the ones for Old Spice) and I’d love to connect if you’re game.’ Flattery can’t hurt, right?”

Need proof that LinkedIn messages are more credible than cold e-mails?

One of Johnston’s favorite stories is about an author who set up an interview with Zappos’ director of customer loyalty. “She didn’t have an email address but she’d worked with someone from Zappos before, so she sent a customized LinkedIn invitation and that person referred her to his colleague,” says Johnston. “She’s now connected to both people and told me she doesn’t think she would have landed that interview without LinkedIn.”

Explore uncharted territory

Like other social networking sites, LinkedIn is constantly evolving and adding new features. Even once you think you’ve mastered the network, there are probably tools or simply ways to use them that you’re overlooking. Even Johnston was surprised to learn of several throughout her research. Which topped her list? SpeechIn, which allows you to listen to LinkedIn headlines on the go, whether you’re on your computer or smartphone. And InMaps, which offers a color-coded visualization of your network.

Remember: Just because LinkedIn can be more straightforward than Facebook and Twitter doesn’t mean it’s no fun. Earning new clients, securing a job or simply researching your options all sound like great fun to me!

How have you used LinkedIn to grow professionally? Got any tips to share?

Alyssa Martino is a writer and editor who loves digging for stories that connect people, place and possibility. Click your way over to her website to learn more.

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The post Brazen.me: Get Your Infographic Resume on Facebook! appeared first on Brazen Life.

The idea behind the app is to give you 1) a way to easily visualize your personal profile information; 2) a unique and creative way to show an employer who you are and what you bring to the table so you can stand out from the crowd; and 3) career feedback and advice that highlights your strengths and areas you can improve.

Infographics are all the buzz right now, and there’s good reason for that. An infographic is all about clear, concise, visual communication. An effective infographic can break down complicated stats, data and ideas into a simple, easy-to-read document.  Major brands are jumping on the bandwagon and creating infographics to communicate big data and big ideas, and with our new Facebook app, we let you do the same for your resume.

The best part is, we’ve done all the heavy lifting for you. As long as you have complete and up-to-date LinkedIn and Facebook profiles, you can automatically create an infographic resume with the app. If you realize you need to update your information (like specialties, skills or honors on LinkedIn), just go ahead and update them, and refresh your infographic.  For all the fun details, you can check out the FAQ here.

As a bonus, a personal Career Portfolio is automatically created as well. Our algorithm scans your profile info on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter to determine your strengths. Those strengths are then given to you as badges with explanations of how you earned them. You can also see other badges you can earn over time with clear explanations on how to get them.  Turns out I’m a Schmoozer because I have more than 500 connections on LinkedIn, a Loyal Colleague because I’ve been at Brazen for 3+ years and almost a Social Media Ninja because I have more than the required 400 twitter followers, but less than 800 Facebook friends.

One of our key goals with this app is to strike a healthy balance between fun and practical. In this vein, you’ll also notice that you can easily export and download your infographic resume to a pdf with one click to share it with employers. Also, your unique URL will live at http://Brazen.me/u/yourfacebookid (check out the FAQ section to learn how to make sure your URL is customized to you and not a number string), so when you share this with anyone, the URL will be short, sweet and personally branded.

Some of my other favorite features include your Career Success Score (Mine is a 65, so apparently I still have some work to do), which is calculated by the number of badges you’ve earned or partially earned and is out of 100, and the Top Schools and Companies leaderboard (Penn State isn’t cracking the list, any Nittany Lions out there? Help!).

Resumes are boring, but managing and growing your career doesn’t have to be. We’ve put a lot of time, effort and late nights into building an application that can actually help you think about and improve your career in a number of ways, and be fun at the same time. Give it a shot for yourself and let us know what you think.

As always, you can continue to count on Brazen to push the boundaries when it comes to your professional life, so stay tuned for more engaging products, interesting content and important updates to help your career in the coming months.

Ryan Healy is the co-founder of Brazen Careerist where he is the COO. He was recently named one of Worth Magazine’s 20 Entrepreneurs To Watch.

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The post Meet the Voice Behind the Travel Channel’s Social Profiles appeared first on Brazen Life.

In our new podcast series, we’re hoping to provide insights and answers to that very question. We talk to young people who have amazing jobs or are doing something really cool and interesting and ask them how they did it. So listen along for good information and some inspiration, too.

This week we spoke to Nisha Chittal, social media and digital platform strategy manager at the Travel Channel. Nisha’s job involves managing the Travel Channel’s social media accounts on different platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare etc.), figuring out how to incorporate the latest digital trends into the Travel Channel’s online strategy, and um, watching Travel Channel shows. Not gonna lie, it was a little hard to pretend I wasn’t jealous in our interview… I mean that’s a Sweet Job!

In the interview, Nisha talks about how she got the job, what skills you need to land a job like hers, thoughts on working after hours and more. Here are some snippets from the interview, which have been slightly edited for context.

On not discussing her age:

I’m obviously young … when you’re young and you’re early in your career, people tend to not want to take you seriously, especially if they know how old you are.

I think young people tend to emphasize their age, and emphasize and tell people that they’re recent college graduates, which I don’t think is something you should necessarily ever give away. I don’t think your age is anyone’s business, and I think as long as your work is good, your work should speak for itself.

On networking:

When people find out that you’re looking for a job, they really want to help. They want to connect you with people, they want to tell you about openings at their company. So just being upfront about that is to your advantage. You have to demonstrate that you know how to use the platforms strategically.

On the qualifications needed for a hot social media job:

To work in social media professionally, you can’t just [use it to chat with your friends]. You have to know how to use the platforms a little more strategically.

Nisha Chittal

Listen now to the full interview:

Connect with Nisha on Twitter or Tumblr. Let her know you heard her on Brazen!

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The post How to Get Your Company to Fund Professional Training and Development appeared first on Brazen Life.

But even if you forgo a pricey master’s degree, decent professional development classes can cost hundreds, even thousands, of dollars. So, why not try getting your company to fund some extra training? Plenty of organizations are more than willing to help employees grow professionally. But in this tight economy, it’s easy to feel awkward or nervous about asking for financial assistance from your current employer, even if they too will reap benefits from your participation in a class.

Here are several steps you can take to help secure funding from your boss for professional training and development opportunities:

Rock the research

I’m lucky enough to have a boss who understands the importance of continuing education. So, when I asked to enroll in several online mediabistro courses, she was happy to sign off — but only because I provided her with the information she needed.

The worst thing you can do when asking your boss to fund training is be unprepared, so make sure to present your employer with multiple well-researched options.

There are several ways to go about researching training opportunities. Check with professional associations, which offer annual conferences, webinars or courses for specified industries—and members often receive discounts. Local universities and community colleges have extensive course listings and certificate programs and so do training institutes and think tanks. You can also ask your coworkers for recommendations because it’s likely they may have experience with development in your field.

After the research phase is complete, I send my boss an e-mail with the facts:

• Information about the opportunity
• Up-front fees and any other related expenses (i.e. travel, food, etc.)
• Benefits to me and the organization
• Where and when it will take place

End your email with the deadline for signing up and offer to discuss it further in person. Even if you don’t include every detail in the pitch, you should have the information readily available in case your boss has follow-up questions.

Be reasonable and considerate

Recognize that if you work for a small non-profit struggling to stay afloat, then it’s not the time to ask for a $1,000 plane ticket to a 3-day conference in Geneva, Switzerland. When pitching your boss, I also recommend including three options in different price ranges: low, medium and high.

Be sure to consider and compare each option. Is there an online opportunity so you can save on travel and accommodation? What about a local community college or training institute instead of an accredited university? If you feel very strongly that the more expensive option is superior, that’s okay, just make sure you list what’s missing from the cheaper alternative.

Be sensitive to the fact that your training may also interfere with the typical work week. Reassure your boss that you’re willing to work overtime if you will be out of the office for a conference, and make it clear that you plan to complete all readings or assignments on your own time.

Show tangible takeaways

It’s clear that investing in training and development can have positive effects for employees and companies. After she was able to demonstrate tangible benefits of a narrative journalism course, Steph Auteri, a freelance writer, editor and career coach, received partial funding from a past employer. “It’s all about painting a picture of how the class will help you be an even better employee, whether it’s a class that will hone a particular skill that you use on the job, or provide you with a greater understanding of the inner workings of the industry,” she explains. “If you can find that connection, you’re golden.”

I like to focus on how the professional development opportunity I am seeking could help an aspect of the organization that can clearly be improved. If the company only has 40 followers on Facebook, offer to take a social media class so you can build visibility of the brand.

It’s the boss’s job to think about bottom lines, so think of ways you can show savings in conjunction with a higher quality output. Let’s say you want to hone your web skills and your company outsources these duties to a consultant. Offering to take over these responsibilities with the right training could lead to big savings and earn you points.

Offer to pitch in

This is perhaps the simplest way to show your boss you’re really serious about an opportunity. If you suggest using some of your own funds, you will show that you believe in the investment as well.  More often than not, if a request is well thought out, your boss may still offer to pay in full.

Many organizations now offer tuition assistance programs, so don’t forget to check with your supervisor or HR to see if that’s available and what courses qualify.

Be persistent!

If your boss’s initial answer is negative, don’t give up right away. “Open up a dialogue about why they turned you down,” Auteri says. “Perhaps they weren’t clear on why the class is relevant, and you could either A) further explain it to them or B) pinpoint a different class they think would be more relevant to your job.” You could also ask your boss if they would reevaluate in three months or at your next appraisal.

In the meantime, explore free training options, including online webinars, video lectures and educational blogs. If communications is your field, check out the excellent online tutorials from Knight Digital Media Center. Or find and watch relevant TED talks, which are always a great source of inspiration. Think outside of the box, too; did you know the Apple Store offers free workshops?

If you still feel adamant that a specific course is crucial to your career growth, it may be time to suck it up and front the bill yourself. “If a class truly is something you think would help you in your career, you need to be willing to make that investment, whether your employer is backing you or not,” concludes Auteri.

So look out for new training opportunities at all times. It will show your boss that you’re a keeper and make clear that you’re continually willing to learn new things.

Alyssa Martino is a writer and editor based just outside the nation’s capital. She loves digging for stories that connect people, place and possibility. Click your way over to her website to learn more.

Ed. note: Why not test Alyssa’s ideas for Brazen’s Executive Social Media Bootcamp? This four-week online course is designed to take your social media efforts to the next level. Check out the agenda here. It’ll be an easy sell for your boss, we promise.

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The post Millennials: Stop Cruising for a ‘Like’ on the Job appeared first on Brazen Life.

No big deal, right?  It only makes sense to seek the opinions of our peers before spending an evening — and our money — at a new, trendy dinner spot.  And in the larger landscape of Yelp, daily deal websites and now Google’s ‘+1’ feature, a group mentality for selecting the next dining locale has become standard fare.

But what about the even larger landscape?  Group decision-making helps avoid bad table service or lackluster surf ‘n turf, but a pack mentality has its limits.  Will such reliance on the food we eat hinder our ability to make bigger choices and ultimately hurt us professionally?

In business, the right move isn’t always the most popular one.  Leadership takes vision, boldness and a streak of independence.  Sometimes it’s not sound practice to ask everyone’s opinion before making a big decision.  If you are in a position of authority, you get paid to take risks and chart a course for the rest of the office.

I am not advocating we should dwell in isolation in an office and make rash decisions without warning.  But we can’t always depend on our peers to tell us ‘yes’ or ‘no.’  Use the facts and figures on the table, listen to those you respect, and then…

Trust yourself to do what you think is best.

Face it.  Our economy is in shambles, and when we assume the reigns at our various companies, we will face difficult challenges: having to freeze wages, let people go and pare down a budget.  And when it comes to managing a budget, everyone’s got an opinion (see: Capitol Hill all day, every day). But there’s no Google ‘+1’ or ‘like’ button for the best way to cut costs.  Should we seek the counsel of those we respect?  Absolutely.  But in the end, the decision may be ours and ours alone.  No help from Yelp or anywhere else.

Lost in a world of GPS, smartphones and online peer reviews is that we can be quite resourceful and discerning on our own.  The web frees us from the burden of having to choose based on our gut instinct.   But offline, in the real world, we Millennials can and should think for ourselves.

It might not always fetch the best BBQ ribs in town, but it will show toughness and individuality on the job, where it matters most.

Danny Rubin is a member of the Brazen Contributor Network.

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The post How to Make Money Off Your Social Media Smarts appeared first on Brazen Life.

Surprisingly, I found few. Lots of people work full time in social media, but not as many consult in the space on a part-time basis. Which makes sense, I suppose, because it’s not easy to work a side gig in addition to your day job.

But if you’re social-media savvy, hear me out: This is a fabulous opportunity to make money. As more businesses and organizations see the value of using social media, there’s a growing demand for freelancers to help them.

How do you launch this type of business? Here are a few steps to help you get started:

Build your credibility. Do an awesome job of building your own brand online, because that’s an indication of how well you’ll do it for someone else. Who’s going to hire you if you don’t act professionally, have your own solid followings and offer value through your own channels?

Know what you want to offer. Do you want to teach people how to use social media or do you want to grow online communities for your clients? There’s also the in-between option of creating a strategy and then teaching the client to implement it themselves. Of course, your business can include a combination of these services. But before anyone will hire you, you have to have a good idea of what you want to offer.

Consider choosing a niche. Is there a specific type of business or organization you’d like to work for? Travel companies? Non-profits? Politicans? The more specific you can get, the more likely someone’s eyes will light up when you tell them about your services. You can always take clients outside of that niche, but targeting a specific group is an effective way to grow your client list.

Start fishing for clients. Even if you’re starting small, the best way to get your business rolling is to tell everyone you’re available for hire. Be specific about what you offer, whether it’s one-on-one coaching or strategy for businesses or corporate seminars.

If you’re looking to make money off your social media smarts, you probably have strong followings on Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin – use them! Ask your networks to help spread the word about your business. But don’t forget that the people who need your services most probably don’t know how to use social media. The best way to meet them may be through in-person networking.

Figure out how to juggle your new gig with your day job. This could determine whether you succeed. Can you set priorities? Manage your time well? I like to do my side-gig work in the morning before I go to my day job, but the key is figuring out what works for you.

Alexis Grant is a journalist and social media coach. She blogs at The Traveling Writer and recently launched her e-guide “How to Build a Part-Time Social Media Business.”

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The post Google+ Is Good For Your Career appeared first on Brazen Life.

You’ve probably also found yourself wondering whether Google+ can benefit your career and your professional life. Or is it just a place to extend your social life so that you can always be “nerding out and exploring a subject together” with a friend? That’s an actual quote from the video below, by the way.

Google+ is not a magic wand

You and I both know, thanks to J.K. Rowling, that wands tend towards their rightful owner and that they have something akin to a consciousness or soul (yes that was a Harry Potter reference, and there’s another one in this paragraph). Google+ is not your magic wand, it was not made with the hair of a unicorn, and thus, it will not help you adjust to a new office or begin a new career. So, what is it?

Google+ is a communication tool, not a branding tool

That is, unless you’re already kind of a big deal. Folks like Tom Anderson and Chris Brogan are able to leverage the platform to share content and messaging with the public. Guess what? You don’t need to share everything with the public. In fact, the whole point is that you can share information with exactly who you want, when you want, how you want.

So, yes, you can use Google+ to drunkenly message all of your fraternity brothers about that 60-second keg stand, but you can also use it to share your company’s latest job opening with your regional alumni network. You don’t use Google+ to create a brand, you use it to more accurately communicate with your truly separate and fragmented “circles” of connections.

I’ve already taken my connections from Brazen and created a circle so that I can communicate more readily with them. Want me to add you to that circle? Just ask.

Google+ is good for your career

Understanding the latest technology is absolutely vital to your career. Companies always recognize innovators and early-adopters, and they’ll often reward employees who “get it” and are ahead of the curve. Whole agencies are created because someone understood a technology and how it applied to their industry.

Google+ is going to change the way the Internet works, not because it is a Facebook-killer or a Twitter-destroyer, but because it represents the absolute first step for the normal user to migrate completely to the cloud. This is huge, and if you understand this, and all of the history that comes with it, you’re an incredibly valuable asset for any company.

So, early-adopter, what do you see as the most valuable functions of Google+, and how are you planning on using Google+ for your career networking?

Jason Parker is the director of strategic partnerships & college strategy at Brazen Careerist. Connect with him on Twitter.

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The post ‘Viral Video’ Is So 2010. What’s Next? appeared first on Brazen Life.

Viral videos have jumped the shark.

I had a feeling it happened when corporations started to film advertisements with “viral video” elements, like T-Mobile’s Flash Mob. In fact, T-Mobile has tried to bank on viral videos for much of their current campaigns with videos featuring YouTube celebrities and parodies of popular YouTube hits.

The phenomenon of viral videos has made people like Paul “Bear” Vasquez into a corporate spokesperson and brought the phrase “let’s make a viral video” into boardrooms across the country.

I hate that phrase.

It is impossible to ensure with 100% certainty that something will go viral. Now that YouTube has become a mainstream media channel, the bar is even higher for something to truly go viral.

Rap videos, flash mobs, remixes, and parody vids have become the old standby of viral content.  When done right they are still entertaining but, like Eiffel 65, Baha Men, and Terror Squad, the viral video is becoming the flavor of the month; a one-hit wonder doomed to be pushed aside by the next funny cat video.

So what will the next wave of viral videos look like? I think humor and comedy will continue to be a big part of the online video landscape. However, I think there’s an opportunity to create content that will make an impact by thinking outside the newly established viral video box.

New point of views

Webcams, Flipcams, and iPhones turned the average person into an amateur filmmaker. Video has never been easier to create and upload. Now GoPro, Contour, and other wearable/mountable cameras will give viewers a new point of view. Whether it is viewing what it’s like to fly like a bird or zoom up and explode like fireworks, we’ll be captivated by seeing the world in a different light.

Platform innovation

While many try and find new, creative videos to make — few are thinking of new ways to stretch the platform. One of my favorite creative executions for YouTube is Tippex’s Hunter Shoots a Bear video, which truly puts the entertainment experience into the viewer hands. Another example is the rise of “Choose Your Own Adventure” format videos like those done by Totally Sketch. I think more and more videos will not just focus on the content, but the implementation within the platform.

Insight & criticism

YouTube is already flooded with the talking heads of vloggers, offering their take on anything and everything. Those who know not only know how to create, but how to tell a more compelling story, will get noticed by the masses. It could be a clip that examines a blockbuster’s secret music cue, or a mash-up that drives home a comparison between two movies, YouTube will not only be an entertainment platform, but a channel for driving home your message.

Patrick Pho is a self-professed videophile and quarter life crisis enthusiast. He has been experimenting on the Web for more than 10 years and works in social media in Washington, D.C. For more information, visit his blog.

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The post Did You See These? appeared first on Brazen Life.

Also, send us your cool stuff for this roundup, mention it in the comments or tweet it and include the #BrazenStuff hashtag. Have a great weekend!

Here goes:

1. If you’re in a job you hate, Amber J.’s post, “You Are Replaceable. Now, Go Do Cool Shit,” will give you the attitude tune-up you need. (Thanks for pointing us to it, @tatianarichards!)

2. Pete Cashmore, the 25-year-old founder of Mashable, talks about his success in business and how being an outsider can be an advantage.

3. Classy Career Girl says there is one thing you”absolutely MUST” do if you want a raise or promotion.

4. Yeah, job searching can be rough. But it is even more of a challenge for educated immigrants who aren’t accustomed to American job hunting norms. That’s where the nonprofit Upwardly Global comes in.

5. If you’ve ever thought about becoming a sports recruiter, you’ll want to check out this interview with an NFL scout by our excellent Brazen Life contributor Tim Murphy.

6. Looking for your first job? Here are three traits that can help you identify an ideal job for you regardless of your industry.

7. Could Google+ be a useful tool for work?

8. There’s an active debate over at Ask A Manager about whether advising candidates to “use a land line” is outdated advice for phone interviews.

9. There are some good tips in this Forbes article about how interns can avoid being sidelined.

10. What’s the “Twitter Job Hustle?”

Twitter Job Hustle from Wonder Years on Vimeo.

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The post A Fight in the Journalism World Invites Questions About Personal Branding & Integrity appeared first on Brazen Life.

The debate began when Medill School of Journalism student Leslie Trew Magraw requested to interview two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post columnist Gene Weingarten about how he built his brand. Instead of discussing how he’d grown his reputation throughout his four-decade career, Weingarten used Leslie’s assignment to deliver an indictment of the media’s focus on marketing and the consumer’s influence on content. He then took a shot at the new generation of journalists for not being willing to work hard to earn their reputations:

Now, the first goal seems to be self-promotion — the fame part, the “brand.”

Many veteran journalists are very uncomfortable with the notion of a person having a brand, believing that focusing on marketing your talent automatically detracts from attention to your work and compromises your integrity. They came up in the business at a time when journalists didn’t have to worry about marketing their careers; producing good work and being associated with a reputable news organization was enough to “make a name for yourself.”

Not anymore.

For many journalists, the changing media landscape’s effect on employment dynamics – from long-term job security to professional nomadism – requires proactive management of their careers. Fortunately, having a career strategy and professional integrity and are not mutually exclusive, and it is from that perspective that I write about personal branding.

I have to believe those on both sides of the branding argument want the same thing: to make a living with integrity while doing a job they love. If we can rise above the branding versus reputation semantics and generational finger pointing, young professionals in all fields can benefit from journalism’s branding discussion as they seek to establish their careers.

Personal branding is fundamentally about how to distinguish yourself from those with whom you share general characteristics. That is to say, your brand is your intrinsically unique set of qualities that give you value. If you want the people with whom you interact professionally to see your singular value, you first have to be aware of it yourself first:

Be authentic. Your personality, passions, life experiences, values system and beliefs inform the kind of work you naturally are drawn to. Use that knowledge of your core values as the foundation for your career decisions. Without that awareness, that compass to guide you, you won’t be able to determine whether an opportunity is a good fit. As an extroverted news junkie who’s happiest when I’m providing people with information they find useful, my working as a social media producer allows me to professionally be true to who I am and do so confidently and credibly.

Understand where your talent and skills lie and use them. Your brand is meaningless unless you produce quality work to support it, and that starts with knowing what you do well. Many resources are available to help you identify your intellectual strengths and natural talents. You may have figured that out a long time ago or may still be struggling to pinpoint your greatest asset. Taking aptitude tests and talent assessments helped me appreciate my interest in languages and affinity for storytelling that I’d taken for granted, which eventually led me to journalism.

Communicate effectively. All the passion, hard work and talent in the world won’t get you where you want to go if nobody knows about it. That’s why I’m writing my blog, participating in Twitter chats and connecting online. Knowing how to clearly and effectively share what you’re about as a person and an employee is the difference between being in the loop as opportunities arise and being left in the dark.

• Reach out to colleagues at work, at events and online to learn more about your profession.
• Make sure you can tell them what you have to offer that sets you apart from others.
• Take advantage of tools such as blogs, portfolio sites and YouTube to create a digital footprint where you can express creatively express why you have value in your field.
• Keep your online profiles up to date, making sure they collectively provide consistent information.
• And finally, be smart about what you post on social networks and Twitter. Whether you consider it personal or professional, it all affects your brand.

These strategies don’t relieve you of the responsibility of hard work; in fact, they add to it. And when it’s done to build a personal brand authentically and competently, I don’t know how anyone could argue with that.

Jennifer Gaie Hellum blogs at Brand Me a Journalist: Using Social Media to Create a Professional Niche. She is a recent graduate of Arizona State University’s Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, where she was named Fall 2010 Outstanding Graduate Student. Jennifer currently works as a social media producer in Phoenix, Arizona.

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The post How to Use Facebook for Your Job Search appeared first on Brazen Life.

However, ignoring Facebook as a job search tool is a huge mistake because of the vast number of users who regularly peruse the site. More than 50 percent of active users log in to their accounts on any given day, according to statistics from Facebook. Users are constantly interacting with friends, checking fan pages and creating new content. This is a prime opportunity to interact with people in your network who would be willing to help you land a job if they knew you were looking.

Here are a few ways you can use Facebook to help you succeed in your job search:

Share updates through your status

Tell your network how your job search is going. Talk about the companies that interest you and why you’re thinking of applying. Chances are, someone you know knows someone at one of those places where you would like to work—and it’s possible they’ll help you out by sharing your name and interest or introducing you to a contact of theirs.

Start a dedicated professional page

If your personal profile is strictly for friend’s eyes only, consider creating your own page to display only professional information. This way, you can still write status updates and connect with specific individuals, but you don’t need to worry about cleaning up your profile or mixing your personal and professional life.

Join groups and pages pertaining to your industry and interests

Niche groups and communities are a prime way to grow your network and increase your visibility. Search for keywords in Facebook’s search bar to find relevant groups and pages. Look for the Facebook icon on your favorite blogs, websites and online communities to connect with them on Facebook.

Search Facebook Marketplace for available opportunities

The Marketplace is one of the most underutilized tools on Facebook. With a specific job section, it’s a prime way to search local opportunities and connect directly with the hiring manager or recruiter who posted the ad. You can also see how you’re connected to that person and identify mutual friends.

Create a highly targeted ad

There’s a reason so many companies choose to advertise on Facebook — the ads are inexpensive and allow for segmentation of the audience, resulting in more effective advertising to the right people. And job seekers have seen the potential of advertising themselves to potential employers, too. Remember copywriter Alec Brownstein’s Google AdWords campaign where he purchased several creative directors’ names in Google? You probably heard that it ultimately landed him two job offers, one of which he took.

Display employment information on your profile

How will those old acquaintances know the industry in which you work if you don’t share it with them? Adding employment info to your profile helps your network get to know more about your experience and expertise. It also makes a positive impression on employers if they search for you and see your professional information come up.

Seek out helpful job search applications

Many major job boards and aggregators offer apps to help you search directly from Facebook. Other applications allow you to display additional information on your profile, such as a resume/CV, presentations, etc.

How else can you use Facebook in your job search?

Tony Morrison is the vice president at Cachinko, a professional community where social networking and job opportunities come together.  Find him on Twitter or visit Cachinko’s Facebook page.

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The post What Does it Take To Be a Great Community Manager? appeared first on Brazen Life.

The growth of social media platforms has left many companies scrambling for qualified professionals to manage content and maintain active accounts. Though it has become an essential role, many are still left scratching their heads when it comes to the specific duties a community manager must perform.

To get a better understanding of this new and evolving job, I reached out to four community managers who have taught me a lot. I posed two questions:

1) What is the most important part of the community manager’s job, and
2) What strategies do you use to achieve this?

Here’s what they said:

Jen Capenito, community manager, Pongo Resume

The most important part is listening and then responding in an authentic, meaningful way. The people who are talking about your brand/company should know they are talking to a real person and walk away with the feeling that you care about what they have to say, whether it’s a thank you, a conversation, resolving a problem, etc.

I use tools like Hootsuite to monitor brand mentions on a daily basis. I also try to stick to the basics like sending a personalized message to each and every person who follows us across our networks. It’s easy to get away from doing the simple things once you get more involved, but it’s the little things that count and people remember.

Becky Benishek, community manager, Crisis Prevention Institute

Be authentic and transparent. Whether you’re in a forum on the corporate website or posting on your company’s Facebook Page, make it clear who you are and what your job is. This can be very simple: If you’re the admin on the Facebook Page, sign your name to posts to show that there’s a real person behind the logo. If you’re moderating a forum, make sure your own profile is filled out.

Pay attention. Automated tools make it easy to “set it and forget it,” but you still have to be there to respond to questions, concerns, and kudos. If someone’s expressing their love for your brand/company, thank them! If someone has a complaint, help them out. Letting issues and complaints linger is like a black hole in your brand: Unsolved problems and negativity get bigger and bigger until you lose all credibility (collapse!).

Use your own tone versus corporate-speak. Whether you’re on the company site, LinkedIn, Facebook, etc., communities are not the place to spout marketing copy line by line. Be respectful and be aware of the company brand at all times, but also be yourself. Each social media platform has its own style and its own audience.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions–of the community itself! Sometimes the best way to figure out what you’re doing right and what you’re doing wrong is simply to ask. People love giving advice, especially if you show that you respect what they have to say. Ask generally or ask a few key supporters, but ASK.

Keep learning. If there’s one thing social media has taught us, it’s that we never stop finding out something new. Build in time for research, block off your calendar if you have to, but do it. Take advantage of free webinars on LinkedIn, BrightTalk and HubSpot; attend Twitter chats, look at other sites in your niche to see how they’re managing their communities. And have fun!

Ryan Paugh, community director, Young Entrepreneur Council (Brazen Careerist co-founder)

Listening is most important. Good communities become great because of a community manager who has taken the time to step back and watch what the community does on its own, then take steps to build new tools and engagement opportunities to empower members. Get it out of your head that you are the leader of the community and instead focus on scouting for your communities real leaders. When you find them, find ways to empower them to do the community-building job for you so you can focus on building the tools and resources that your community needs to continue to grow.

Dave Ellis, community manager, YouTern

Community managers have an opportunity to build and maintain the company’s “voice.” This can have such a huge impact on everything from networking to building partner relationships, assisting with customer service, establishing the company as an expert in its field, as well as developing and strengthening the brand. If the company puts an emphasis on social media, the community manager can have significant influence.

I make sure to participate regularly in several Twitter chats, in order to build and maintain relationships and to help partners and our users through advice and information. I am also active in maintaining consistent activity on YouTern’s blog. This helps us inform and mentor our users. Our internships are regularly tweeted on a daily schedule with humorous, attention-getting descriptions – “irreverent, fun and informative” is the look we’ve created there.

Are you a community manager with something to add to the conversation? Are you interested in becoming a community manager and have questions about how to get started? Leave your thoughts in the comments below and join us for a special Network Roulette event for community managers on June 15.

Noel Rozny is a member of the Brazen Life Contributor Network.

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The post The Future of Personal Branding: 5 Predictions appeared first on Brazen Life.

Despite the mainstream adoption of social media globally, the basic principles of personal branding still apply. You have to define your brand, position yourself in the marketplace, and constantly reinvent your brand over time. You have to figure out what makes you special and then communicate that to the right people, who are interested in your story and message.

Social network profiles, and blogs, have made it easier to build a brand because you’re investing your time instead of thousands of dollars. In today’s competitive landscape, just having a presence isn’t enough. You have to maintain it for the rest of your existence and be committed to your career and business objectives.

I’ve been following the personal branding movement for over four years and have identified several trends that you need to become aware of if you want to remain competitive. Each trend will have a dramatic impact on your life moving forward and the sooner you build your brand, and take advantage of new technologies, the more prepared you will be for a successful future!

1. LinkedIn will replace resumes and job boards

About a week ago, I predicted the end of resumes and job boards in Forbes and the recruiting world retaliated. Although, you will still see job boards for time to come, the real pathway to employment is through the connections that we all share. Companies such as BranchOut.com and LinkedIn.com have put a “social graph” over our job search, which allows us to tap into the people we already know to get job referrals. Networking is clearly the key to getting the best jobs in the world, and applying through job boards isn’t going to get you anywhere.

Traditional resumes as we know them don’t fit into the new workplace paradigm. Forget the Microsoft Word resume and start building your online presence so that recruiters can find you and place you. Soon companies won’t even ask for your resume; they will ask for a single URL that should point them to a reason why they should hire you.

2. Your personal and professional lives will converge

Did you know that 96 percent of Americans under 50 are on Facebook? Facebook connects the world and even when we leave our laptop or desktop computers, we login through our mobile phones. Forty-six million Americans check their social networking sites multiple times each day. When you live online, your actions can affect the way people around you treat you, in and out of the workplace. Everything you publish, and whatever is published about you and can haunt your career for time to come. Rep. Anthony Weiner found this out the hard way. He, like many other politicians, celebrities and regular people, learned what you say online is in the public domain and can be used against you to ruin your reputation.

3. The recruitment process will have a mandatory online presence background check

A 2010 study by Jobvite  reported that approximately 80 percent of companies plan to use social networks in the background check process. Eventually, all companies will use the Internet to verify candidates and it will be as common as a drug test. If you aren’t found online, it will show that you aren’t as valuable to employers as other candidates. My advice is to build a website and manage your reputation before other people do it for you.

4. Online influence will be a determining factor of whether you get a job

A decade or so ago, if you had the right hard skills, you would be almost guaranteed a job. Then, when the market became more competitive, companies started looking for soft skills, including presentation, writing, organization and leadership. This way, companies could recruit the individuals who would be the best fit to the organization. Today, you need to have hard skills, soft skills and online influence. You might be hired based on the number of Twitter followers you have or if Lady Gaga retweets you. Individuals who have the largest and most influential networks bring more to a company – they bring an audience of potential buyers.

5. Relevancy will become our greatest challenge

It’s becoming a great challenge to keep up with the latest information and technology that’s pertinent to your career. I see relevancy becoming even more important but very challenging because our brains can’t process the sheer amount of information out there. I skim through eight hundred blog posts each day and that number isn’t going to decrease anytime soon. You need to know what’s going on in your marketplace and react to it. Consumers are expecting more from businesses and if you aren’t current then you’re irrelevant to the marketplace, which means that you will eventually go out of business or get laid off.
Dan Schawbel is the managing partner of Millennial Branding, LLC, a full-service personal branding agency. Dan is the author of “Me 2.0: 4 Steps to Building Your Future,” the founder of the Personal Branding Blog, and publisher of Personal Branding Magazine.

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The post 10 Common SEO Myths appeared first on Brazen Life.

In an effort to clear up at least some of the noise (and search punditry is loud, I know), I’ll be debunking 10 common SEO myths:

1. Google endorses and/or collaborates with search engine optimization experts/firms

Have you been contacted by an “expert” who “has a special inside agreement with Google” or claims that they’ve been “endorsed” by the search company? Don’t give them the time of day. Google explicitly states: “There is no priority submit for Google.” Additionally, Google never endorses SEO experts, as illustrated in this video from their Webmaster Help series.

Solution: Use Google’s guide for vetting SEO experts. You should expect a transparent process and detailed reporting on the effectiveness of an SEO firm’s efforts. It’s important that I note that there is official Google certification their analytics tool. I recently received my Google Analytics Individual (GAIQ) after I took the “official” test.  Professionals with any kind of Google certification should be able to present a Google-verified certification number. Other certifications relate to AdWords and App development, both of which have no bearing on organic SEO.

2. PageRank is highly relevant to your site’s search rankings.

PageRank is a feature of the Google Toolbar that offers a score of 1-10, indicating the “importance” of the page. Because the ranking score is only updated a couple times each year and search rankings can change by the day, PageRank isn’t a useful metric when making adjustments to your search strategy.

Solution: Instead, use the array of metrics available in your website analytics software (such as Google Analytics) to learn which keywords are driving traffic to your site, and how that traffic is performing. Also, there are many tools available online that use a broad spectrum of metrics (including data from Google) to report on your search performance.

3. Using the “keywords” and “description” meta tags in the header of your website will help boost search rankings

There are meta tags (descriptive HTML tags that are placed in the header of your webpage to pass information which is not displayed to the user on the rendered page) that help your website perform better in search results, but neither the “keywords” nor the “description” tags do. As verified by Google in this video, the search engine had been ignoring the meta keywords tag for some time due to rampant, spammy abuse. While the “description” meta tag is sometimes used by search engines to display as a snippet under the corresponding search result, it does not factor into page rank.

Solution: Save your gem keywords for the title tag and the body of your page. If they’re appropriate to the content of your website, users will benefit from seeing them anyway. Similarly, approach your description from the perspective of a search engine user. Give them a clear description of what they’ll get when they click through to your site and present a strong call to action.

4. Reciprocal links help boost search engine result page rankings

“I’ll link to you if you link to me” is not an effective back-linking strategy. Search engine companies house some of the most powerful computers on Earth which are, in part, designed to identify (and potentially penalize) this kind of behavior. In fact, you could be further harming your website’s ranking by linking to low ranking or spammy websites.

Solution: Link to websites only when it’s appropriate (ex. reference, news story). If you must cross link with a partner or sponsor site, try to relegate the link to a single page, rather than in the footer of every page on your site. Earn reputable back links by creating “link bait” (interesting content) or employ a good PR strategy to earn press coverage.

5. SEO is something you do when you launch a new website

In fact, quite the opposite. Not only is “optimal optimization” nearly impossible to achieve for most websites (especially on your first try), but it’s a job all its own keeping up with the changes made by popular search engines. As shown by this Wired Magazine article covering the history of Google Algorithm updates, search engines frequently make updates to their indexing algorithms.

Solution: Search engine optimization, among many other aspects of managing a website, must be held to the tenant of “perpetual beta.” Use webmaster tools and website analytics to analyze the performance of traffic referred to your website via search. Try updating content, keywords and site structure for underperforming aspects of your site.

6. Your homepage should be the focus of your search engine optimization efforts.

If your website is one page, sure. Otherwise, the subsequent pages of your site are undoubtedly more specific than your homepage and are therefore more likely to provide the user exactly what they’re searching for. This is illustrated by a commonly accepted concept called “The Long Tail”, which states that searches performed by users using popular search phrases make up only 30% of search volume. The remaining 70% is comprised of a vast amount of very unique keyword/keyphrase combinations, often resulting in highly targeted search results. [http://www.seomoz.org/beginners-guide-to-seo/keyword-research] Your homepage, as it typically covers the entirety of what your site has to offer, will likely be indexed in broader terms.

Solution: Give your website a holistic treatment. Each page has a chance to perform well in search, and therefore you should use all pages as an opportunity to entice users to take valuable action (sign up for a service, buy a product, subscribe to a newsletter etc.)

7. Use SEO keywords on your website as much as possible

If we were to title this article “SEO, Search Engine Optimization, Search Engine Marketing, Google and Keyword Myths Busted” we would have committed a heinous act of “keyword stuffing.”  Throughout Google’s Search Engine Optimization Starter Guide (PDF), they warn against employing this kind of behavior. The myth of “keyword stuffing” comes from simpler search engine times, when there was a commonly held belief among SEO experts that rankings relied upon “keyword density” (how many times a keyword/keyphrase appeared) as a means of ranking.

Solution: Certainly use your star keywords, just don’t be obnoxious about it. A good measure of your keyword usage is reading your page title, URL, headings and body content: if it seems repetitive or overly descriptive (“Buzzword bingo!”), you could be abusing target keywords. Take this article for example: it’s a relatively natural narrative (I hope), but surely Google understands that the content pertains to search engine optimization.

8. Links to your website from social networks do not effect rankings

This was true up until earlier this year when Google confirmed that the search engine had started including links from Twitter users as a factor for ranking. And here’s hoping that Justin Bieber links this article, since they’ve started to analyze social media users’ “influence” as a means of weighting backlinks from them. In fact, Google recently bought PostRank in an effort to further delve into the “social influence” sphere, so stay tuned.

Solution: If it makes sense for you or your business and you haven’t already done so, jump into that social media game. Have a strategy in place for being part human, part public relations officer and part “backlink building machine.” Mashable is a good place to get some ideas.

9. Flash websites kill SEO

Once revered for its unrivaled capabilities in website animation and media handling, Flash is now under fire for Apple iOS’s lack of support and the fact that it hasn’t always been search engine friendly. Earlier in its development, Google could not crawl/index any content residing in a Flash file. In June of 2008, the woes of web developers reliant on Flash were put at ease by the release of a new algorithm from Google, allowing it to index text, discover URLs and other essential crawling features.

Solution: From a search perspective, feel free to use Flash for your website. Now if only Apple would allow Flash to show on its iPod, iPhone and iPad…

10. You need to regularly update your homepage to stay highly ranked

This myth is founded on the premise that if your homepage is regularly updated, search engines may crawl the page more frequently. While this is true, the crawl rate of your web page has no bearing on its rank in search engine results. Take the “logged-out” homepage of Facebook for example. Changes are rarely made and there is no timely content.

Solution: To be clear, if you’re updating your homepage to try a new scheme for search engine optimization (ex. new content, new titles, different keywords) by all means, make the updates. However, the idea that frequent activity in and of itself on your homepage will boost rankings is simply not true.

Bottom Line: Focus On SEO Facts and What You Can Accomplish

This is by no means a comprehensive list of all the misaligned perceptions of search engine optimization. The search companies give us plenty of rules to play by, but the industry is flush with experts running their own experiments, supplementing those rules with their own “golden SEO techniques.”

Lest you be caught up in the fervor and become a full-time search engine marketing expert yourself, I recommend you identify how much time you can commit to SEO. If you don’t have much, stick to the fundamental aspects of good website optimization. If you can commit more time, do some basic keyword research and keep tabs with your site analytics. Make changes accordingly.

Happy optimizing!

Jared Brickman is a digital specialist at Greteman Group. Visit his website for contact details. When not glued to a computer, Jared enjoys playing piano, outdoor adventuring and listening to east coast underground hip hop.

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The post How Twitter Chats Can Improve In-Person Networking appeared first on Brazen Life.

The important role nonverbal communication plays in human interaction is well documented.  This is one of several reasons why face-to-face networking tends to allow people to build stronger relationships. But that doesn’t mean online networking is useless. In addition to initiating relationships, online networking tools, such as topic-specific Twitter chats, can help professionals prepare for in-person networking events.

Here’s how they do that:

Improve your ability to focus

If you’re like me, you do about 18 things at a time when you’re on the computer. For example, just while writing this post, I’ve responded to emails, sent LinkedIn invitations, checked my feed on Brazen Careerist and had a conversation with my mom.

Though distractions are sure to be abundant while participating in a Twitter chat, Maria Elena Duron, chief engagement officer of the marketing firm Buzz 2 Bucks, said it is important to pay attention and avoid other activities during a chat, just like you would during an in-person networking event.  “Steer clear of multi-tasking,” said Duron, who was an early participant in the well known #journchat and went on to establish #brandchat. “You’ll miss the great benefits of the chat if your attention is diluted.”

Help you learn to be patient

What other Twitter chat lessons translate to in-person networking situations?

Ruth Harper is a member of the Brazen Life Contributor Network.

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The post How Your Blog Can Land You a Job appeared first on Brazen Life.

Just take a look around the Internet, people! Big names like Leo Babauta and Darren Rowse have been making a living from their blogs for years. There are also lesser-known bloggers who have used their blogs to create money-making side projects, land book deals and start blog-centric businesses. And just last week, my blog, which I’ve successfully used to land several clients, helped me get a full-time job offer. But more on that later.

So what’s the secret? How do people use their blogs to get projects and job offers? They do it by providing thoughtful, substantive content that appeals to employers.

Your Blog as a Portfolio of Excellence

I have used my blog as a portfolio to show potential clients that I know how to write. Some of them were so impressed that I knew my way around WordPress and the written word that they didn’t hesitate to offer me good rates for projects. Likewise, I have had other people find me through my blog and request me for their projects.

The secret is to use your blog like a portfolio. While it’s perfectly fine to add your own personal flair (after all, you are the editor-in-chief), keep in mind that professionalism is key. You need to find a focus and not ramble on and on about the random events of your day. Potential clients are looking for substance, professionalism and an ability to connect with an audience.

Nail those three things and you’ll nab readers from all over, all of whom have the potential to become clients or provide job opportunities.

A Place to Highlight Your Expertise

Blogs give you the perfect opportunity to become an expert on any given subject. Do you have an affinity for rock climbing? Is cooking your thing? Does gardening make you warm and fuzzy inside? Are you particularly passionate about a political issue or movement?

Whatever your passions and talents, blogging helps you become an authority on the subject. Pick a focus by looking at your life experience, educate yourself as much as possible, and share the wealth with others.

Need an example? I had no idea what I was doing when I got out of college, so I started a blog to keep myself focused and help others. There are plenty of bloggers out there, from mommies to skydivers, who have taken some experience from their actual lives, made a successful blog out of it and found exciting projects as a result.

A Unique Edge for Your Resume

Perhaps having multiple clients isn’t your thing and you prefer a traditional full-time job. No problem. Blogs can help you there too.

With today’s job market you’re facing a sea of tough competition for very few positions, so you’d better stand out and bring something unique to the table. I just used my Gen Y personal development blog on a resume and landed a full-time job at a local career consulting agency that specializes in placing college grads in professional positions. The president of the company was so impressed by my interest in the business and my creative abilities that she hired me on the spot.

Providing content of substance will not only get you readers, but it will also open your blog to a world of job opportunities. Untraditional as it may be, blogging can give you the creative edge employers are looking for while building a clientele of your own.

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The post How Not to Ruin Your Political Career on Social Media appeared first on Brazen Life.

If I were considering running for public office, I wouldn’t fearlessly tweet on a daily basis about how D.C. Metro riders and tourists should escort themselves to the gates of hell (like I do now). When you’re a political candidate in the age of social media and “gotcha” journalism, those party pictures from senior year and temptingly profane ideological rants can go viral just when your campaign needs them the least.

Should young people use social media now if they want to run for political office later?

Yes — especially if they treat social media like other communications tools and learn how to balance being human with being a candidate.

This process begins with the acceptance that we can’t control what other people post about us online. It’s a risk that every social media user takes, especially those who aspire to a political career.

Congressional Hopeful: O.K. to Make Mistakes

Krystal Ball is a mother, small business owner and CPA who ran as the Democratic nominee for Virginia’s first congressional district last year. Some people mistakenly assumed she wouldn’t fight back when, a mere month before election day, photographs of her dressed as a naughty Santa six years earlier began to surface in the media.

In a Huffington Post piece last year, Ball called the photos sexist and wrote:

The tactic of making female politicians into whores is nothing new … I realized that photos like the ones of me, and ones much racier, would end up coming into the public sphere when women of my generation run for office.
The moral of Ball’s story is that political aspirants can’t just sit on the sidelines out of fear. Today, Ball is an advocate for using social media in the right way as a political candidate. That means choosing topics carefully, but not sanitizing them and purging them of any useful meaning.

When I spoke with Ball last week, she acknowledged that everyone does stupid things from time to time, and sometimes those blunders are caught on camera or video.

“Don’t let knowledge of unflattering photos keep you from running, because voters are accepting and forgiving,” she said. “The person who put those photos out there wanted to hurt me. Instead it gave me an opportunity to say something that I thought was very important.”

Don’t let the past hold you back, but when you can control what is said or posted about you online, try not to act like a complete idiot.

Self-Editing for Positive Advocacy

Michael Komo graduated from George Washington University this month. Komo is the kind of 20-something who will make the country a better place. He ran the university’s LGBT Resource Center, served as the president of Allied in Pride and interned for Senator Robert Casey Jr. (D-Pa.).

As a campus leader, Komo believes that social media can be a successful tool for promoting causes and running for office, but he consciously self-edits his posts, so his words don’t negatively impact the organizations he supports. He adds the line “opinions are mine” on his Twitter profile and tries to focus on positive advocacy.

“I am more likely to commend a politician for a stance I agree with (voting for the repeal of DADT) rather than attack a politician for a stance I disagree with (not supporting marriage equality),” said Komo. “There are, of course, times when I cannot help but express my disappointment with some people (Westboro Baptist Church) and their deplorable actions (protesting funerals). Social media can be a double-edged sword. If someone attaches his or her name to an opinion, political stance or action online it will be recorded forever.”

Using Social Media to Leverage a Political Career

Jill Miller Zimon is one of a handful of political bloggers who have run for and won elected office.

When Zimon ran for her hometown’s city council, she was the first candidate to have an Internet presence and use social media. Zimon, who has blogged since 2005 on her own site and for national outlets, recommends setting ground rules for social media that encourage healthy conversation without detracting from one’s personality as a writer and a candidate.

“Most people who know me are very clear about my expectations for engagement in terms of civility (both in language and how we debate each other) and I’m not shy about reminding people about those expectations,” says Zimon. “Having a recognizable set of limitations on what I will or won’t tolerate in how others engage also allows people to say to me, ‘Jill – that’s not like you!’ and that helps figure out the boundaries as well.”

When she does use unusually harsh language, Zimon knows people will take note of it.

“That’s very important,” she says. “My constituents can engage with me at many different levels and figure out how strongly I feel about something just from how I tweet or Facebook-comment about it.”

Zimon points out that successful candidates will find as many opportunities as possible to communicate one-on-one with voters. Good candidates engage their constituents in conversation at community events, on the phone and when knocking on doors. This increasingly requires using social media well.

Republican political consultant Mindy Finn, who worked on two presidential campaigns before founding Engage DC, believes “social media breaks down the barrier for any candidate, regardless of age, wealth or resume, to show what they have to offer.” Think thoroughly about how your posts will affect others, and be prepared to respond appropriately when someone engages you in conversation.

“There are still basic rules that apply to social as they do to any form of public communication,” says Finn.

In other words, don’t turn off your brain before logging into Facebook. Use it, along with other tools, to communicate effectively and connect with others. Accept your past. Engage in the present. Don’t allow fear to prevent you from being the kind of leader that your community needs.

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Julie Barko Germany is the vice president of digital strategy at DCI Group, a global grassroots public affairs firm in Washington, D.C. The opinions expressed here are her own and do not reflect her organization or its clients.

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The post 3 Predictions on the Future of Nonprofits appeared first on Brazen Life.

This increasingly important sector of the global economy offers opportunities for young professionals to exercise their unique skills and perspectives to meet the demands of the digital era. Here are three trends we see in the nonprofit sector that bode well for motivated young professionals.

1. Getting more strategic about social media marketing

Nonprofits struggle with how much to spend on communications and outreach. These expenses are often perceived as a cost to be avoided or minimized rather than as a strategic tool for enhancing the long term efficacy of an organization.

But attitudes are shifting, and leaders in the nonprofit world are realizing that social media marketing offers an effective way to reach large numbers of stakeholders on a shoestring budget.

However, as social media and guerrilla marketing tactics become integrated within organizations’ communication and outreach plans, the nonprofit community must accept that being an efficient organization doesn’t necessarily mean minimizing costs, but rather ensuring that money is spent effectively through smart results-based management.

Too often we hear about nonprofits that are more willing to waste hours upon hours of valuable staff time using free online tools to meet their social media marketing goals rather than pay even relatively modest sums for Facebook ads, Google Adwords, Linkedin Ads, subscriptions to Hootsuite or Tweetdeck, and the like. But the math according to the conventional thinking just doesn’t add up. It’s remarkably more efficient in terms of maximizing impact-per-dollar to pay $50 for a Facebook ad (which might get you 50 to 100 new fans), than it is ask a $15-per-hour staff member to spend even a single workday to try to generate the same result ‘for free’ — actually $120, well over twice the cost — via guerrilla marketing. And some service providers, like Google Adwords, even offer nonprofits special advertising programs. More nonprofit managers will eventually realize that it’s often much cheaper to pay for some services than to try to do it ‘for free.’

So, in the next few years, we predict that we’re going to see more concerted and strategic use of social media:

• Nonprofits will increasingly understand the power and limitations of social media and its rightful place in their toolbox of communication and outreach options. They will consider the need for a documented social media strategy.
• Nonprofits will establish more (and more senior) full-time staff positions in social media marketing rather than relying on consultants, temps, and interns.
• Nonprofits will become more serious about measuring the impact of their social media marketing efforts.

2. More online transparency and accountability

In recent years, donors and the general public have come to demand and expect a level of transparency and accountability from nonprofits (just consider the recent debacle with Three Cups of Tea author Greg Mortenson’s charity). Historically, the focus has been on financial accountability through IRS reporting, which requires nonprofits to disclose how much money they spend on programs, administration and fundraising. Online designation agencies like Charity Navigator use this information to create composite ratings of nonprofits and generate various top-ten lists. One important criticism of such systems is that they are fundamentally incapable of revealing whether an organization’s spending actually accomplishes anything, which, after all, is really all you want to know in the first place. As a result, Charity Navigator is revamping its ratings system to take account of a nonprofit’s accountability and transparency practices, and eventually, its results.

This marks a broad shift in the mentality of the nonprofit sector and has important implications for nonprofit managers and young professionals aspiring to careers in nonprofits. As independent agencies like Charity Navigator transition from an exclusive focus on financial ratios to a multidimensional approach encompassing financial sustainability, transparency and outcome accountability, nonprofits will face even stronger incentives to improve the quality and quantity of information available on their websites. Their  new system, which is currently being pilot-tested, evaluates nonprofits based not only on financial ratios, but also whether basic information is conspicuously disclosed on nonprofits’ websites.

This trend means that nonprofits will have to get more serious about investing in their websites and disclosing credible information about their programs and managerial practices online. Nonprofits’ websites are a critical source of information for stakeholders, and these sites will come under dramatically increased scrutiny in the future. To be prepared, nonprofit managers need to make major investments in website design and functionality. For smaller organizations this might mean outsourcing, while for larger nonprofits this may mean more (and higher paid) dedicated staff.

3. Nonprofits will look to young talent and trained professionals to lead the next generation

The nonprofit sector has grown rapidly since the WWII period, with the number of nonprofit organizations expanding exponentially. These ‘boomer’ nonprofits now need an influx of new talent that is professionally educated, technically savvy, and more international than ever before.

Today, our higher education system struggles to provide the type of dynamic leadership training programs that will prepare future nonprofit leaders for the challenges they will face. Many MBA and MPA programs offer concentrations in nonprofit management and leadership, and the demand for academic courses and programs is strong and growing. A new generation of potential managers and leaders — professionally trained and technologically savvy — is slowly emerging from America’s universities. The current ‘boomer’ generation must appreciate this new talent and learn how to harness it effectively. Consider the implications. A young intern with a bachelor’s degree and coursework in web design, communications and nonprofit management could stuff envelopes, or more fittingly, become your dedicated go-to staff person for social media who doubles your fundraising efficiency.

As nonprofit staffs continue to become more professionalized with career-focused managers, nonprofit leadership institutes and other specialized programs (like seminars, executive education programs, webinars and conferences) will materialize to fill the gap left by traditional education. Experienced practitioners wishing to make the leap to a leadership role increasingly have the capability to do so, and current leaders need to think realistically about who will lead and staff their organizations to meet the demands of the future.

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Whitney May Parker is vice president of user experience for Brazen Careerist, director of social media for Young Professionals in Foreign Policy, and media coordinator for the Institute of National Security and Counterterrorism. You can follow her on twitter @whitneymparker.

George E. Mitchell is assistant professor of political science at the City College of New York and Moynihan Research Fellow for the Transnational NGO Initiative at Syracuse University’s Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs. Visit his website.

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Are you in the nonprofit space and interested in networking with other professionals in the field? Join the authors of this post for a special virtual network roulette event on Thursday, June 2 at 7:30pm ET / 4:30pm PT. You can ask the authors questions and get ideas and exchange tips with your peers. Register here.

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The post 3 Easy Steps for Using Twitter Lists to Network and Find a Job appeared first on Brazen Life.

Sure, lists are great for keeping tabs on communities that interest you or identifying them, but did you know that they’re much more useful than the content of the tweet stream itself? Being on lists increase your social networking metric scores on platforms such as Klout, make it more likely that you will be followed and — most importantly for job seekers — are a valuable tool that should be utilized in your job search.

So how can Twitter lists help you find a job? Follow these three steps, which are easy to remember using the mnemonic “ICE”:

Identify

Foremost, you need to find a few lists that contain users that you want to interact with and follow.  There are a few ways to do this, and I’ve included two ways to get you started.

First, find an individual’s account of interest and look at their lists they maintain and are included within.  Using myself as an example, you may notice that my account (@AdamZ) is a member of the DCtech list, which might interest you if you’re interested in tech, start ups or social media in the DC area.

Second, visit a site that maintains list directories such as Listorious.com, lists.tweetmeme.com, or twitaholic.com.

Communicate

In addition to the name and description, every list contains three components — the actual tweets, the users the list is following and the followers of the list. Locate the “following” tab in the middle of the page and you’ll be able to view the individuals that the list is following. Scroll down, read the bios (which often contain titles, and other helpful bits of information), and follow people you want to interact with.  Not sure if you want to dive in headfirst and follow someone right away? No problem.  Add them to a list of your own.

Engage

If you’ve been on Twitter for a while, you know how responsive the community can be. If you’re just starting out, the interactivity might surprise you.

Reach out to someone a few times with public tweets (respond to their tweets, cc them on tweets you think they may find interesting, etc.) and if they follow you back start a dialogue with them over direct message. If you play your cards right, parlay the direct message into a face-to-face meeting and take it from there.

Lastly, if you’re going to begin utilizing lists, here are 10 quick notes you should keep in mind:

1. You don’t need to follow another user to add them to a list, nor do they need to follow you.

2. Following a list doesn’t mean you follow all of the users in that list. Instead, you follow the list itself.

3. You cannot add yourself to a list you did not create.

4. Lists can be either public (open to anyone) or private (available only to you).

5. You can maintain up to 20 lists at a time, but can be included on an infinite number of lists.

6. List names must begin with a letter, which means numbers and symbols are out.

7. List names cannot exceed 25 characters.

8. Each list has a maximum number of 500 people.

9. You can follow and unfollow people directly from the “following” and “followers’ tabs.

10. The following tab lists people in the chronological order in which they were added. Scroll to the bottom to see early additions.

Adam Zuckerman, an entrepreneurial attorney with an MBA, is a blogger and people connector inspired by the intersections of business, law, media, technology, and all things outdoors. Connect with him on Twitter.

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The post The Anti-Stalker’s Guide for Converting Online Contact into Real World Collaboration appeared first on Brazen Life.

While on the one hand it’s admirable that your connections are reaching out and making the effort to get to know you, moving your online networking to offline collaborations can take some finesse. It’s sort of like dating: you have to take it slow, and have a good sense of how much is too much and how soon is too soon.

Here are four tips for successfully transitioning your online networking into the real world:

1. Stick to One Medium at First

When you’re first getting to know someone you’d like to connect with, it’s often best to converse primarily on the original platform where you were introduced. Everyone has different preferences when it comes to using social media, so until you learn more about your contact’s  social and professional preferences, sticking to the original platform allows you to play it safe. In other words, if you connected with someone at a Network Roulette event, focus on continuing the conversation on Brazen. If you met on a Twitter chat, stick to Twitter.

Of course, if a new contact has other social media accounts clearly listed in his or her bio, connecting with him or her in those places is fine. The contact obviously wants to connect in additional ways. Just take it slow, as this will give you a chance to get to know each other better (and make sure the connection is one you that’s also right for you to make on all of your accounts).

2. Move from Platforms to Email

Once you’ve become more familiar with a new contact, take the relationship to the next level: email. Ask your contact if they’d mind if you talked over email and check which email address they’d prefer to use.

The key here is ask—while people’s emails, especially work emails, are often accessible on the web, asking your contacts if it’s all right to email them shows your respect for their privacy. And with so much personal information available these days, that respect can be really important to your relationships in the future.

3. Treat Facebook with Care

Maybe it’s just me, but I prefer to keep Facebook pretty much exclusive to friends and family. (After all, you never know when an elementary school friend is going to post an embarrassing second grade Little League photo.) Just like with email, if you want to link up with your contacts on Facebook, it’s nice to shoot them an email asking their permission first. This gives you the opportunity to find out how they prefer to communicate and manage their social accounts, and it also gives them a chance to set and explain their boundaries (without feeling like they are going to offend you if they chose to ignore your request). And please note: if they say no, you shouldn’t be offended. Some people really just prefer to keep their business and social accounts separate.

4. Organize a TweetUp (or Other F2F Connection)

It’s true: you can make really great connections for your blog, your job search, or your start-up on social media. You can move forward, get ahead, and do business without even meeting many of your contacts. But as great as these mediums are, getting to meet a contact or partner face-to-face, shake their hand, and have a bite (or a cocktail) together is the best way to cement a professional relationship.

If you’re traveling, run through your list of regular contacts and see who lives in the area and wants to get together. (This can be a great way to get a local view of wherever you’re visiting!) If you live in the same area as many of your contacts, organize a tweet up. And if there are some connections who you just can’t find a way to meet in person, organize a Skype call. Nothing beats a face to face connection, even if it can only be on a computer screen.

Noël Rozny is the web editor and content manager for myFootpath, a career and education resource for students of all ages. She writes and edits the site’s  career and education blog, myPathfinder by day, and works on her personal blog by night. You can find her on Twitter @myfootpath or @noelrozny.

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The post Why Every Company Needs to Embrace Social Media appeared first on Brazen Life.

Social media is changing everything. Business Week recently published an article about the power of social media and how companies are beginning to embrace it, because they really don’t have a choice. Not everyone has a blog, or wants to blog, but you would be hard pressed to find many people who aren’t on some type of social network. Now it’s time for corporate America to follow suit and meet their potential customers on their own turf, or risk falling behind the times.

The article says, “It’s as if the walls around our companies are vanishing and old org charts are lying on their sides.”

There is truth to that statement. Social media is changing how business works, so businesses better figure out how social media works. Here’s why every company needs to embrace social media, now.

Brand Awareness and Traffic

Brand awareness is crucial, it always was. But today you have to go beyond old media to market your message to the masses.

On Friday, my post about Gen Y changing the work place was picked up on Stumble Upon and Digg. On Sunday, 60 Minutes re-aired a segment featuring my blog. Guess what? Our site received 4 times more traffic and 10 times more comments on Friday then it did on Sunday. When prime time national media attention can’t compete with a couple of niche websites on a Friday afternoon before a holiday weekend, you know that things just aren’t what they used to be. These days, if you want to create real brand awareness, you better start with the niche communities.

Passive Job Seekers

Job boards are dying, fast. In a recent Wall Street Journal article, Lou Adler, a chief executive of the Adler Group, a company that trains corporate recruiters on hiring practices, says, “I certainly see many, many companies posting their jobs on job boards….and not getting any results and wondering why.”

8digg

The reason why is because people aren’t actively looking for jobs. They are, however, actively browsing social media sites and spending time on social networks, and even if they don’t know it, they’re passively looking for jobs. The smartest companies are taking advantage of this and creating a social media presence.

Someone may not be looking for a job, but if they stumble across an interesting blog post, Facebook page, or Twitter profile that mentions a great company, they will take the time to investigate further. So everyone is a passive job seeker. It’s up to every company to create a large enough online presence so the right people will stumble on them.

Credibility

Online credibility comes from the way you handle your brand and the links and references your blog or website receives. When people link to you, it’s like an unofficial endorsement from that person. Think of it like politics. When John Edwards endorsed Barack Obama, it made a big splash. A company can gain serious online street-cred when one of the big guns endorses them.

But again, like politics, the common folks matter too. You must first establish credibility with the masses, and then the big fish can provide you that final push. Even if it takes a while, online credibility will eventually lead to mainstream coolness.

The Coolness factor

The majority of social networks and social media sites are not “mainstream cool.” Outside of Silicon Valley and the 900,000 tech crunch readers, the majority of people don’t know what Friend Feed, Digg, or even Twitter is. But your company should, if you want to be cool. Why be cool?

If your company can adopt a bunch of these new technologies and figure out how to properly use them to leverage your brand, at some point it will pay off. Not only will your company immediately be considered cool in the tech world, but when one of these sites becomes a legitimate hit, like Twitter is about to become, your company will be mainstream-cool as well.

And when you’re mainstream cool, everything changes. You’ll have people knocking down your doors trying to get an interview with your company. Just ask Google.

Controlling the conversation

Social media is a constant conversation and because of this, business is now a constant conversation. It’s acomment string on Brazen Careerist, its someone’s Facebook wall, and it’s a Linked In recommendation. Someone, somewhere is out there talking about your company, and they can say whatever they want. All you can do is control the conversation.

Controlling the conversation does not mean telling people how to talk about your company or spamming a couple bloggers with job postings or company descriptions. It means creating a presence where you can initiate and continue a conversation.

What social media requires is authenticity, because even a newbie social media user can sniff out a phony quickly. But authentic conversation isn’t what most companies do naturally. So when corporations want to initiate a conversation, they have to find the right people, and they better empower those people to tell the truth, which isn’t always great news to deliver.

Starbucks is a great example. When things started going south, they publicly admitted to being at fault. They started a social networking site to ask for help from the customers. And we all remember when they shut down the stores across the country for an afternoon to address some fundamental problems. Smart decisions like that come when you take the time to start a conversation and then remember to listen, too.

It’s not easy. It takes a ton of time and it may even consist of a couple full time hires, but establishing a social media presence is worth it. Sooner or later every company will be actively using social media, but the trendsetters are the one’s who will get the most out of it. Don’t be left behind.

Ryan Healy is the COO/Co-Founder of Brazen Careerist and regularly writes and speaks on all things Gen Y, Careers and Entrepreneurship‬

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The post Why Every Company Needs to Embrace Social Media appeared first on Brazen Life.