Viewing entries in
Social Media

Social Media For The Job Hunter 101 - Day 2: Maximize Your Network of Friends and Set Up Your Website and Blog

 

Now that you have read the Intro and Day 1 of this mini camp on how to use social media to find a job, it’s time to put some of those tools to work for you. Today, I’m going to cover how to utilize your organic network to look for a job for you, how to establish a website and blog, and how to use those tools effectively.

Put your friends to work for you


It drastically increases your effectiveness to have your entire network looking for jobs for you. To call upon your network, simply email all of your friends, family, associates, past teachers and professors, and anybody with whom you have a decent relationship. (Note: use the BCC field to input the addresses in order to protect their privacy by blocking their e-mail addresses). Here’s an example of an email you can use (taken from p. 249 of The 4-Hour Workweek , Timothy Ferris):

Dear all,

I am considering making a career move and am interested in all opportunities that might come to mind. Nothing is too outrageous or out of left field. [If you know what you want or don’t want on some level, feel free to add, “I am particularly interested in…” or “I would like to avoid…”]

Please let me know if anything comes to mind!

Best,

Michael Maine

214.699.1758

mail [at] michaelbmaine [dot] com

A friend of mine used this technique and was offered three interviews in one day and a job by the end of the week.

Bonus: After you’ve done this, copy and past the message (minus contact info) as a note in Facebook, Myspace, LinkedIn, or whichever social network where it makes sense to do so. Use twitter to drive traffic to the note.

Some additional tips I’d like to add:

  • Start using an email signature with your name, email address, and link to your website.
  • Use the BCC field when sending an email to multiple people
  • Let your network know that you have a résumé and references available upon request, but don’t send them in this email. Get permission first.

Your Personal Website and Blog

Personal web sites are no longer exclusively for celebrities. Everyone can, and should, use them to showcase their talents, increase their value, express opinions, and become easier to find for opportunities.

If you’re read the previous two posts, you should have already purchased your domain name. If you haven’t done so, go ahead and do it today. If you can’t afford to do this, keep reading. Check out this previous post for tips and recommended domain registrars. It’s now time to put that domain name to use. Some people like to keep their personal website separate from their blog, or have several blogs that serve different purposes. Personally, I have chosen to integrate my blog into my website so you can see a more complete picture of me as a person and professional in one space. For some this may work. However, everybody is different, so make the decision that suits you better. Below I’ll show you a few options and provide a step-by-step guide to get you started. I’ll also tell you exactly what I’m doing and my reasoning behind it. 

What I’m Doing

Where I host

I host my email, domain names, and a few sites with HostMonster.com. I pay about $8 or so total per month for unlimited email addresses, bandwidth, and storage space. They offer various levels of service if you need SSL security or need a dedicated server.

What website/blogging software I use

I host www.michaelbmaine.com website with Squarespace. For $20 a month, I get hosting, all the features I need in a personal website, a professionally designed template, and blogging capabilities. I could have used Wordpress, Joomla, Drupal, TypePad or another website/blogging software, but I prefer the convenience I have in squarespace. I also get much less spam comments than I ever had with an open source platform. However, even in the open source side, there are things you can do to prevent this. It just takes a little more effort (although not much). There are tradeoffs, but overall, I’m willing to pay for the service. It suits my needs well for now. Things may change later.

What You Can Do

Step 1: Purchase Domain Name

Step 2: Choose Hosting Provider

Step 3: Choose if you want to keep your website and blog separate or if you wan to integrate the two (This will help you decide what platforms to use)

Step 4: Either design your website or use software or services to do it

Step 5: Create content and promote site

Choose a Hosting Provider


There are several options to choose from here, and you’ll have to make your decision based on your needs, level of expertise with servers and databases, ability (or inability) to manage and design yourself, and price. If you are an IT guru, then you can manage everything yourself or use Rackspace or similar providers to remotely host your site. For others, like myself, options like HostMonster and GoDaddy offer a more user-friendly experience.

Some services, such as Google Site, offer free hosting and site publishing tools in exchange for the opportunity to advertise on your site. They make it easy with templates, access to various tools, and you don’t have to know any coding. However, I only recommend this route if you absolutely can’t afford to pay for hosting. If you can afford plans starting at about $8 per month, you will be able to have a much more professional looking site and more control over your content.

Alternatively: Wordpress.com allows you to host for free but you won’t be able to use your own domain name. However, this blogging software does allow you to scale it into a full-fledged website for free. It’s a viable alternative if you can’t afford hosting and want a good looking site with blogging capabilities. TypePad offers both a free and paid option and Squaespace offers a paid alternative.

*Check out the resources for some hosting companies to check out.

Set up your website


Congratulations! You’re almost there. You now have your domain name and a hosting provider. Now it’s time to get that website set up. If you’re good at web design, feel free to design it yourself. Otherwise now is a good time to choose a platform for your needs. If you used HostMonster or GoDaddy, installing a platform is easy as clicking a button and following the instructions. Popular platforms for setting up sites are Joomla!, Wordpress, and Drupal. There are several others, so feel free to use what you like best. I have used all of them and I like them all for various reasons. For ease of use, use Wordpress, especially if you want to use there sophisticated blogging system. If you want more site capabilities (weaker in blogging), and have more time and patience, then go with Joomla!. If you want a rock solid platform that can do anything you want it to do, but has a steeper learning curve, go with Drupal. All of these allow you to have a website with blogging built in. Also, all of them can serve as stand alone blogs.

Whichever you choose, here are some things to include on your site:

  • Home Page
  • About Me Page
  • Current Projects Page (If you have any)
  • Portfolio Page (If you have one)
  • Contact Me Page
  • RSS Feed Subscription Widget
  • Optional
    • Downloadable Resume (minus contact information)
    • Writing Samples
    • etc.

Additional tips for your website:

  • Submit your website to Google and other search engines
  • Place a link to your website in your email signature
  • Place a link to your website in all of your social network

Note: Wordpress.com vs. Wordpress.org

Wordpress.com allows you to have free hosting of your site. It’s really simple to use, there are tons of templates to allow you to have a nice looking site, and upgrades are automatic. However, you will not be able to use your own domain name. Instead you will have something like blogname.wordpress.com.

Wordpress.org is a standalone platform that you can integrate into your own hosting, allowing you to use your own domain name. It takes a little more work to set it up, but is the way to go if you have the capabilities. It takes a little longer to set up and slightly more work to maintain, but gives a more professional appearance and you can do more with it. You also have access to all the templates and widgets that make Wordpress appealing in general.

Set Up Your Blog


I’ve decided to merge my personal and professional blog posts into. I’m a fairly transparent person, and I want people to get the whole  picture. However, again, you may be different. Feel free to blog about anything you want to. The key is to be consistent and put up at least 2 - 3 posts per week. I aim for one everyday, but I know I’m crazy. For me, there’s a lesson everyday, and blogging is a way for me to reflect on them. Check out some of the following platforms to set up your own, unless you’re integrating it into your into a larger website. Also, you’d typically want to keep posts fairly short unless it’s of the “how-to” nature.

Alternative: Use RSS feed widgets or feed code from your various blogs and social networks to have a stream of content from various blogs display on your website. This way, you keep a steady stream from around web consolidated into one place.

Additional tips for your blog:

  • Update your blog at least 2 to 3 times per week
  • Claim your blog on Technorati (It’s where people search for blogs)
  • Place a link to your blog on your website (if it’s not part of your website) and on all of your social networks
  • Place a link to your blog in your email signature
  • Place a picture on the home page of your website and blog and on your “about me” page
  • Submit your blog to Google and other search engines
  • Promote your important links to your friends on Twitter and you status updates
  • Place the RSS feed to your blog to automatically appear on your social networks

Resoures:


Below are some resources. This is not an exhaustive list, but will hopefully be enough to get you started.

 Hosting Companies:

Content Management System (CMS) Platforms a.k.a. Website Platforms:

Blogging Platforms:

Conclusion:

As always, please let me know what you think. Was this helpful at all? Any questions? If you have any experiences with any of the mentioned resources, please leave your story here. Also, if you have something to add, feel free to leave your comments below. Let me know of any typos, etc. I’d also like to schedule an interview with some HR professionals to give more insights to people. If you or somebody you know may would be willing to give me a few moments, please let me know! Bookmark the site, subscribe to the RSS feed, and tell your friends about it. Until next time…peace.

Tomorrow I will discuss some of the little-known ways to use LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook to increase your exposure, help you search, and land a job.

Job Hunting Series

Social Media For The Job Hunter 101 - Day 1: Intro To E-Branding

E-branding is the process of developing your personal brand online. As more recruiters perform searches through various sources on the web such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Google as part of background checks, it is important to ensure that you have a positive presence online. The first step to developing your positive web presence is to know what is already out there about you.

Google yourself and set up Google alerts

Take a moment to “Google” yourself and see what results come up. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Associated Content profiles normally rank high in Google searches. Check the top ten search results and make sure they show you in a positive light. For example, if your social media profiles show up among the top, make sure they are free from photos that could jeopardize your chances of getting a job. Even if they are not among the top, chances are a recruiter will at least try to find you on Facebook. If the top result is a news article that shows you getting into legal trouble, it may be time for some person public relations work.

Go to www.google.com/alerts and set up an alert on your name. This will notify you whenever your name appears on the web and searchable on Google. Knowing where you are brought up and what is begin said will help you manage your online presence. Also set up an alert for industries and companies in which you are interested. They will help you have intelligent conversations during interviews.

Besides Google, you can also set up a search on Twitter for “jobs in (city, industry, etc.).” You can also establish a search for your name, companies, and industries there as well. I prefer TweetDeck, but feel free to use whatever Twitter client you like.

Secure your name where you can

On almost all social network you have the option to set your own sub domain name (profile URL). For example, my linked in address is: http://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelmaine. Set these up with your name if available. If they are not available, try to get as close as you can. That way, when a recruiter searches your name, there’s a better chance your profile will be among the top results, helping you control your online identity.

Purchase your own domain name

Domain names are becoming scarcer each day. Try to purchase your name as a domain. Some reputable registrars are GoDaddy, HostMonster, and Joker. Again, once put to use, having your own domain will help you control what recruiters find and place you among the top of search engine results for your name.

Email Addresses and Voice mail Messages

When you are looking for  a job, it is not a good time to use comical email addresses or voice mail messages (unless the industry you are targeting appreciates that kind of creativity). Make sure your name is present in both. For example, try using firstname.lastname[at]gmail.com instead of sillyeyedgoofball[at]gmail.com. This way a recruiter doesn’t have to struggle to find out who is contacting them or vice versa. Ringback tones are not helpful here. If you absolutely want to have funny email addresses and voice mail messages, consider creating a new email account for more professional uses and a service such as Google Voice or YouMail to establish group-specific voice mail messages.

Clean up your social profiles

  • If you have any suggestive pictures, remove them.
  • If you are under 21, take down any pictures of you drinking.
  • Don’t have any pictures of you doing drugs.
  • Update privacy settings allow only you to tag yourself in photos.
  • Make sure your “about me,” “favorite quotes,” and other sections are appropriate.

Job Hunting Series

Social Media For The Job Hunter 101 - Introduction

Today I was reading FML when I came across this post:

Today, I was turned down for a job as a cashier at Best Buy. I worked like hell to get into and then graduate from one of the top Telecommunication schools in the country. I spent all my time with extracurriculars to help my resume instead of partying like my friends. I can’t even be a cashier. FML.

Finding a job, especially right now, can be difficult. Sometimes it seems like you’ve done everything right, but still can’t get things to fall in your favor. There are jobs out there, and you can have the best credentials in the world, but if the people doing the hiring don’t know about you or your credentials, you won’t get the job.

Today’s job market is extremely competitive and differentiation is key to landing and keeping your job. Starting next Monday, I will publish a 5-day “minicamp” on using social media to find a job, network, and advance your career. In the meantime, here’s a homework assignment for the weekend.

 

Resume

Your resume, while becoming a dated method of screening, is still heavily used in the hiring process. Remember, recruiters are getting several resumes a day and only spend about fifteen seconds with each one, so you need it to be as effective as possible:

  • Proof read for ALL errors and typos.
  • Have somebody else critique it. An HR person would be ideal.
  • Use keywords in your resume to make it searchable in databases, but don’t overdo it or use them for the sake of using them.
  • Don’t just list what you’ve done. Make your experience relevant to what you can do for the prospective company.
  • Please, please, please make sure you include a valid phone number and email address. There are several cases when the employer wanted to hire a candidate but couldn’t reach them to offer the job.
  • Proof read for ALL errors and typos…again.

Cover Letter

I know it sounds tedious, but each cover letter should be tailored to the particular employer (not industry) for which you want to work. Here’s a list of questions to answer in your cover letter:

  • Why do I want for this company?
  • What skills are necessary for this job?
  • Do I have these skills? If so, how can I demonstrate them?
  • What unique qualities to I bring to the table?
  • What makes me the ONLY qualified candidate?

References

Although not always required, a list of professional references can help set you apart from other applicants. Take the time to build a list of 4-6 people (ask for the permission first) and create a center-aligned document that shows: Company Name, Person Name, Phone Number, Email Address, Years Known.

Network

I can’t stress this enough. Take a while (an hour, two hours, however long it takes) to map out your network. Look at family, friends, friends of friends, teachers, coaches, neighbors, anybody with whom you have a positive rapport and ask around for any potential leads. By the way, you should be networking all the time, not only when you are looking for a job. 

Online

If you haven’t already done so, purchase your name as a domain name. Some of the popular places to purchase a name are GoDaddy, HostMonster, and Nettica. If your name is already taken, try using adding a middle initial or name. I wanted michaelmaine.com, but that was already taken, so I added my middle initial to get michaelbmaine.com. Maybe one day, the other one will become available and I’ll have both pointed to the same place. Having your own domain name will help when people search for you during the job hunt. Also it will create a space where you can control your image. I’ll give more details next week.

Those are the basics. I hope this gives you something to get you started. Check back on Monday when I start covering how to use various social media maximize your job search efficiency. Please subscribe to this blog or pass it along to anybody you think might benefit from the help. Also, if you have any other tips, comments are always welcomed. Until next time…peace.

 

Job Hunting Series