Getting social with your job search

Who isn’t looking for a job these days? I’m sure just about everyone knows of someone who has been laid off or is trying to find their first job out of college in this economic climate. Even people who are employed are cautiously looking elsewhere just in case things don’t work out at their current place of work.

Kate-Madonna Hindes - girlmeetsgeek.com

With that said, looking for a job has evolved into somewhat of an art. Crafting the perfect resume and cover letter could be the difference between whether an employer calls you for questioning or tosses your list of achievements into a bottomless pit of resume rejects. Basically, the competition is fierce.

There’s no doubt that social media has started to change the game of job hunting. Today, you can find just about anything on anyone using a variety of social sites. We’ve all heard the horror stories about employers finding questionable photos of applicants on Facebook or tweets about how they aren’t working on the job. If you’re currently job hunting and haven’t cleaned up all your profiles – do it now.

On the other hand, social media can actually work in the favor of job seekers. Kate-Madonna Hindes (or @girlmeetsgeek) is a writer, speaker, and resource professional for the Workforce Center of Minnesota. She’s a social media enthusiast and knows a thing or two about helping job seekers stand out to employers. Not to mention, she’s one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet.

So I decided to ask her if she’d be willing to provide some ideas and tips that I could share with all of you. I’m so grateful she agreed to help out. She’s passionate about what she does and is someone that people in any stage of their career can learn a lot from.

Here’s what she had to say:

Why should job seekers embrace social media?

I understand the questions of “why,” but instead I think we should all be asking “why not”? According to Mashable, 81% of employers are already screening their candidates online. The big word for companies right now is “innovation.” Innovation to me, means being fluid with new ideas and technology- a faster runner in a race. Don’t jeopardize your potential employment by not being willing to become fluent in change or innovation.

How can you make your social media profiles more attractive to employers? What are they looking for in an online presence?

They’re looking for a well-rounded candidate. It’s more than simply just filling in the blanks. Recruiters WANT recommendations. They want your strengths to shine out from others’ words. It makes you more believable as a candidate and one that doesn’t seem like such a risk. We’re coming out of a huge period of financial risk. Companies are hiring contract employees more than full-time employees. Make yourself worth their risk.

What are some common mistakes job seekers make on social sites? (Beyond avoiding posting inappropriate pictures of yourself or tweeting about how you don’t like your boss)

Biggest mistake? Not being on LinkedIn or Twitter. Both have recently partnered with Google and Microsoft Bing to offer profiles near the very top. You want to be found: Because you want the job.

LinkedIn is the major professional social site. Many people have an account but don’t do anything with it. Any tips for how to get more out of a job search using LinkedIn?

LinkedIn isn’t for getting the job, it’s for getting the connection. Jobs come and go- connections stay. To be successful at online networking, especially LinkedIn, you need to bring something to it’s table. Simply filling out a profile and expecting someone to hire you will never happen. Go under the Answers tab, answer the questions and set yourself apart by proving you know your content. Recommendations are especially important. Upload your resume using Box.net. Never mistake online networking as more important than in person actual networking. A face is much more important than a profile. LinkedIn helps you get yourself in the networking circle.

Are there any strategies or sites you would recommend for reaching out to potential employers? Is acceptable to contact them through social media?

Hiring managers and recruiters are busy. Any job posting could generate thousands of resumes. What better way to make a statement than to connect with them through social media  first? Value their time: bring something to their table and give them a reason to give you a second look. When you use social media you broadcast what you know and what you bring. It’s almost a no-brainer that they’ll want to connect with a fluid innovator, such as yourself. Remember: content and connection win the meeting while your personality and knowledge land the job.

A local tweet-a-thon for Haiti

Erica Mayer

The recent tragedy in Haiti has sparked compassion and generosity in people all over the world. One way we have seen that compassion come through is by the means of social media.

Facebook statuses, Twitter avatars, and even mobile marketing campaigns have all been ways people have expressed their sympathies and encouraged others to participate in the relief of Haiti.

One Twin Cities gal in particular recently caught my attention with her own use of social media to raise money and create awareness for those affected by this tragic event.

I met Erica Mayer through the first TweetCrawl event a month ago. She is one of those people who I continue to become a bigger fan of everyday. Not only is she a talented producer at WCCO TV, but she is also proving to be one of the more inspirational local social media users through her efforts of charitable giving.

Erica has been very vocal about the need to help Haiti through this disaster from the start. But it wasn’t until her recent second place finish in a contest that sparked her decision to really make a difference.

“I won second place in the Grain Belt beer commercial contest, but at the after-party it was pretty easy to tell a lot of the contestants were upset with the outcome because of a miscommunication with the voting process,” she said. “When I got home, I was surfing the Web looking at Haiti photos and things just seemed to snap into perspective. Why complain about such a small thing when bigger problems are happening in the world?”

That’s when Erica decided to donate a portion of her winnings to the Haiti relief, which she announced on both her Twitter and Facebook accounts. But she didn’t stop there.

“After I made the initial donation, it got a large response. But, I didn’t really feel like my contribution was enough. After all, it wasn’t my money in the first place, so I wasn’t even really sacrificing. So I decided to start a fundraiser via Twitter to spread the word,” she said.

Her strategy to generate donations began with asking people to retweet (RT) a quote she picked about giving and in return she would donate $1 per RT. After receiving approximately 75 RT’s on the first day, she took it a step further by matching each one of them, bringing her additional donation up to $150 for Haiti.

By the end of her second day conducting the tweet-a-thon, Erica’s RT count increased another 76 times to which she donated an additional $100.

So far, Erica’s efforts are proving to help motivate others to do their part. Through matched donations by friends and colleagues, as well as her personal contributions, she has managed to raise around $800 to date.

“The response has been wonderful. I am confident a lot of the reaction I haven’t even had the privilege of seeing because we have so many generous people out there,” she said. “Some have offered to give me money directly and others have told me privately [the fundraiser has] inspired them to give on their own.”

In just two days, Erica has already helped increase awareness and contributions towards Haiti relief, and in many ways thanks to the use of social media.

“There is no way I would have [reached out] to 1,000 people, some whom I don’t even know, and asked them to support this cause,” she said. “Twitter made it possible, and Facebook as well. People know how to give, it’s naturally within them. They just need a reminder, a catalyst. Hopefully I moved someone else to give in the process.”

Finding the ability to give is not easy for some, especially in these times. But Erica explained that even those with little to give are able to make a difference.

“I’d like to make something clear. I’m not swimming in money. Things are tight with our family just like everyone else. The money I donated on my own actually came from a savings account I had started to buy a new video edit system for freelancing,” she said. “I think we all have something we can give up. It may be something we’ve worked hard for, but compare said ‘thing’ to a human life and suddenly your physical possessions don’t seem so important anymore.”

Erica plans to continue her personal fundraiser for as long as she has the means to do so. She even announced through her Facebook status that she has started taking part in a modified fast and donating money she would normally spend on food to the Red Cross.

“I firmly believe one person can make a difference. I am not the only person raising money on my own. I’m just more vocal about it,” she said. “There are many silent heroes in this battle.”

With all the ways the Internet and new media has taken over our everyday lives, it’s both exciting and encouraging to see them be used to bring awareness and relief to a good cause. And it’s even more exciting to see it happen here in Minnesota.

What other causes or charities do you think are really embracing social media to make a difference? Is there someone like Erica in your town making a charitable impact using Twitter or Facebook?

If you want to learn more about Erica’s efforts for Haiti, visit her Twitter page.

To donate to the Red Cross click here.

And to see some of Erica’s awesome video and editing work, visit her YouTube channel.

A YPCTC wrap-up

Two days after the first Young Professional Communicators – Twin Cities event and I’m still on a high from how well it went.

Great location. Green Mill in Uptown was a perfect spot to kick off our first event. The banquet room was set up beautifully and our server, Michael, was working hard to bring drinks and food to over 40 people that came through. Special thanks to Jess for helping coordinate everything with Green Mill. I would love to have another YPCTC event there in the future.

Great prizes. Who doesn’t like free stuff? A $25 Green Mill gift card was donated along with two tickets to the U of M vs. Colorado College hockey game on February 19. Another shout out goes to Batteries R Us for donating the tickets (thanks, Dad!).

And most importantly, great people. I was pleasantly overwhelmed with how many people showed up. But even more so, I was so happy to watch people make new connections and offer advice to those looking to get started in communications. To be really cheesy, it warmed my heart. And it only confirmed how great of a community we have here in the Twin Cities.

If you haven’t seen them already, check out the Metromix site for pictures from the event. There are also a few more posted on the Facebook page.

Thank you to everyone who offered advice and helped promote YPCTC’s first event. I’m excited to continue working towards building this community. And stay tuned for information on another event happening next month!

Ribnick Furs’ luxurious direct marketing

The other day my mom received a package in the mail from Ribnick Furs and passed it along to me to check out. Inside the gold foil packaging it came in was a flyer and one leather glove. Not a cheap, flimsy glove – but one that looked like it was taken right off of their rack. The flyer explained that this was their way of introducing my mom to Ribnick Furs and if she came into the store with this glove, she would get a match for free.

My first thought? Whoa, this must have been expensive to execute.

My second thought? This is a creative way to generate buzz around their store. Here you have people in the Twin Cities receiving unsolicited leather gloves from a high end retailer. It kind of reminds me of the “golden ticket” idea (especially because of the gold wrapping, of course): Not everyone is so lucky to receive one of these in the mail so you should feel special and see what Ribnick Furs is all about!

While I can’t knock them for coming up with a creative way to reach out to potential customers, I’m wondering if this was the smartest strategy coming from a public relations standpoint.

Minnesota is in the midst of one of its coldest winters. The homeless and those who cannot afford proper winter clothing are feeling the effects of this the most. As a luxury retailer with a budget to give away quality winter gloves to people who can probably afford to buy their own, I think they could have used this opportunity to better their name in the community. For example, how about instead of coming in to redeem your own pair of gloves, the redeemed pair would be donated to a charity that distributes winter necessities to those in need?

Just a thought.

Were you one of the selected to receive a free pair of gloves? How did you react? And you are you going to stop in to redeem their offer?

PR folks: What do you think about this? Smart? Not so smart? What would you have done differently, if anything?

One week until YPCTC’s first event at Green Mill!

Are you getting excited for the Young Professional Communicators – Twin Cities first gathering next Wednesday? Because I am!

If you are someone just starting out in the communications industry and looking to connect with others in the same boat, make sure to stop by and introduce yourself!

Wednesday, January 13th, 5:30 – 8:00 p.m.

Green Mill – Uptown (2626 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN)

Happy hour specials will be offered until 7:00 which include:

$2.50 Classic Drafts

$2.50 House Wine

$2.50 Rail Drinks

$1.00 Off Preferred and Superior Drafts

$4.99 Appetizers

Wednesday Daily Drink: $3.00 ABSOLUT (selected) All Day Long

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A couple YPCTC updates…

• We’re getting a logo! I am excited to say that Twin Cities designer Marcus Baysinger has donated his time and talent to create a logo for YPCTC. It’s still in the works so stay tuned. And be sure to check out his portfolio – he’s super talented! Thank you, Marcus!
• Have you become a Facebook Fan of YPCTC? If not, visit our page here. And while you’re there, be sure to RSVP to the Green Mill event next week!
• Don’t think I forgot about LinkedIn. Connect with other young pro’s by joining the YPCTC LinkedIn group here.

That’s all for now, folks. Looking forward to meeting many of you next week!

Blogging buddies and looking ahead

It has been about 3 months since I started this blog. I can already say it’s been a great learning experience creatively, technically, and professionally. I can’t wait to keep going.

Yesterday I came across Tim Bursch’s post, Blog Accountability for 2010, which talks about having a partner to hold you accountable for updating your blog. It’s a great idea. How many people have blogs out there that haven’t posted in months? Tons. There are probably so many brilliant ideas just sitting in a draft file waiting to be edited and published but never are because of an excuse to continue putting it off. People have workout partners to help get motivated to hit the gym. This is the blogging version of that. I love blogging, but sometimes I just need a little burst of motivation or help with an idea to get going. Blogging partners help with this by holding you accountable for when you don’t post and encourage you to achieve your goals.

My goal is to end the slacking with my blog. This is why I’ve followed Tim’s lead and rounded up Sydney and Doniree to hold me accountable for when I don’t reach my weekly blog goals. And vice versa. As blogging partners, we’ll act not only as the Post Police, but also as a source for ideas and feedback. I’m very lucky because they are both blog rockstars and I could learn a lot from them. We’ll see how this system works out. I can say that just telling them I want them to keep my blogging butt in gear has already given me a focus for what I want to get done. Hopefully it sticks!

I’ve been reading a lot of goals that people have for their own blogs this year. If you’re one of those people, I wish you all the best in your blogging endeavors. Maybe consider finding a blog buddy of your own? It could make a big difference. We’ll see if it does for me.

Happy 2010 everyone!