Got a Date? Get an Interview… Get a Job.

Got a date?  Get an interview… Get a job.

Had a date progress to a long-term relationship or marriage?

Think back; how did you meet that person –  how did it progress to dating?

Likely, its attributed to being available and receptive.

The same is true for getting an interview or job.  Opportunities don’t present themselves unless you make yourself available and receptive to them.

When coaching clients, I often compare interviewing to dating and jobs to committed relationships and marriage.   Dating can result in committed relationships and/or marriage.  Interviews can result in jobs.

The dating best practices found in the previous link are nearly identical to these job search and interview best practices:

1.   Stay positive, regardless of the outcome. Every interaction is an opportunity.  If the interview doesn’t result in a job, that’s ok.  The more you interview, the better you become at interviewing.   Its a learning experience.

2.   Look your best. Wear what makes you most confident and makes you look your best.  Do your hair, shave, trim your nails and tone down jewelry and fragrances.

3.   Relax and have fun.   Enjoy yourself.  Don’t force an outcome. Having a sense of entitlement or expecting something to result from the interview creates tension and can lead to hurt feelings.   Consider each interview a networking opportunity.

4.  Compliment. Within reason.  Don’t try to hard.  You could end up looking desperate or insincere.

5.   Be interesting and engaging. Stay knowledgeable about relevant news and events of interest to your industry or target company. Build rapport and find out what the other person enjoys doing.

6.   Be honest and forthcoming. With a caveat:  Don’t give too much away. Answer what’s asked of you, then stop.  As in dating,  its not time to share your life story or detail why you’re leaving your job.  Don’t scare them away.

7.  Plan Ahead and be timely. Who’s the interviewer?  What’s their background?  Research the company and their role in the company.  Make sure you have the right address and print the driving directions, job description and your resume the night before.  Your internet could go down the day of the interview!  Give yourself travel and parking time.  Don’t be late.

8.  Surround yourself with positive, like-minded people. Give and get support by networking with other job-seekers, encourage each other, share leads, share tips, share challenges, exchange ideas and learning opportunities!

Whether searching for dates or jobs, you’ve probably registered on dating websites and job sites.   Though helpful in your efforts, alone, they won’t get you noticed in a sea of available fish.  It takes more than just a website to make things happen.

When you make meeting new people a priority, you improve your odds immensely.    (click the link for tips on meeting new people)

How do you “Get a Date, Get an interview… Get a job?”  Get out there and make yourself available and receptive to new opportunities.

As Always, Happy Networking!

Terry

Let’s Get It Started… Start Up Club Networking

Hope August has been good to you.   If you’re still job hunting, hang in there!  If you’ve decided to go solo and start your own business, check this out!

Seattle Start Up Club … a networking group for Entrepreneurs and Start Up’s!

I formed the group in March 2009.   Though our membership is still small, it has steadily grown over the past year.

The interaction between like-minded professional’s is enlightening and educational.  Its great to learn something from another persons experience.

Feel free to join if you are in “Start-up-Mode” or plan to be!

Don’t forget Job Spot Groups are also on Linkedin and Facebook!

http://www.linkedin.com/groups?about=&gid=1236757
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Job-Spot-Seattle/239441710628

As Always, Happy Networking,

Terry
http://twitter.com/TerryJobs

Yoga + Social Media = Balance … Work-Life Balance

"OM"

I just finished my daily yoga practice as I’ve done for 13 years.

If you haven’t tried yoga because you think its for “tree-huggers” or really flexible vegetarians, think again.

Yoga, is something most people can do.  You don’t have to strike a King Dancer Pose (shown in my photo) or even touch your toes.

Doing basic yoga works fine! For a list of beginning poses, click the Yoga Journal link at post end.

I’ve considered a yoga blog, but didn’t start one because its not my social media focus.

Though I won’t start a yoga blog, I’ll continue yoga because it balances my life.

That brings me to my post topic.  ”Work-Life Balance”

The phrase “work-life balance” is used frequently in the corporate world.

However, many people in corporate jobs don’t practice it.   Check out this Scribed.com link for a recent study and its findings.

So, what IS balance… really?

Princeton’s Wordnetweb.com, defines balance as:

1.  State of equilibrium.

2.  Equality between the totals of the credit and debit sides of an account (work & life)

3.  Proportion: harmonious arrangement or relation of parts or elements within a whole (ie, design).

4.  Equality of distribution

5.  Remainder: something left after other parts have been taken away.

Work-life balance isn’t spending all your time at work. Its doing things you enjoy while still having time for loved ones and your job responsibilities.

Doing things you enjoy takes discipline, but it gives you energy for your other responsibilities.  Maintaining energy, requires rest and nourishment of your mind and body.

ScienceDaily.com released an article on work-life balance, detailing the importance of brain cell rest. To read the science behind work-life balance, click here for the article.

You can achieve balance on your terms… it doesn’t have to be yoga.

In addition to yoga, I paint, ski, take photographs, spend time in nature or have coffee and a walk with friends.

Those things bring joy to my life… that’s my balance.

Whatever you choose, I hope it brings you joy and balance in life.

As Always, Happy Networking!

Terry

Related links:

Yoga Poses

Yoga Dork

Mayo Clinic Article

Corporate America vs. Work/Life balance article

Twitter-Boosted Networking via Linkedin + Facebook Connections

Tweet me!

Linkedin + Facebook are great ways to boost your Twitter following and network.  

I recently created a group focused solely on Twitter.

Meet and/or follow other “Tweeters” on “Tweet cha!”

Whether you’re already a Twitter user or want to be,  “Tweet cha!” is for you.

Join and introduce yourself… then post your Twitter-name for members to follow.

Check out Tweet cha! Networking groups: Linkedin & Facebook

A Twitter-user name account and mutual member following are not required for group membership.

Tweet with me! @TerryJobs or @WoWomen

Happy Networking!

Terry

Job Spot Networking
Women Veterans Networking

Tweet me! Facebook fan page

© 2005 – 2010 Copyright // Job Spot Seattle // ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

 

How Would You Promote Your Social Media Brand as a Guest Blogger?

My Newest Guest Blogger - "Kitty"

Bloggers & Blog Owners,

I’m considering guest bloggers and guest post submissions for both of my blogs:

WoVEN
Job Spot

My two-fold question is for bloggers and blog owners.

1. Writers/Bloggers:

How would you promote your brand in a guest post for another blogger’s site?  In other words, how can you leverage the power of Social Media via guest blog posts?

2. Blog owners:

What would you offer in exchange for guest posts to your blog? ie., draw traffic to guest brand, blog, cause, website, or other.

 

I look forward to hearing your feedback and ideas!

Happy Networking,

Terry

Twitter (Civilian) & Twitter (Military)
Job Spot and WoVEN

If you’re interested in submitting a guest blog post for WoVEN, please post a comment, or e-mail me via either of my websites.

Copyright 2005-2010 – All Rights Reserved (WoVEN Blog, Women Veterans Empowerment Network, Job Spot Seattle and The Job Spot Blog)

Are You Networking or “NOTworking” via Social Media Networks?

Last week, I removed a new member from an online networking group because their idea of networking was spamming other members.

Though new to the group, they weren’t new to social media.

Within an hour of joining, they spammed every group member and posted an ad and website link promoting their new business.  I termed this activity, “NOTworking”.

Removing members is a loathsome task. I use social media to network with people, not “police” them.   That brings me to my topic question:  Are you Networking or NOTworking?

What is “NOTworking”? Its the opposite of  “Networking” and it doesn’t work.  Its what “NOT” to do when  building a genuine network.

(My) Definition of NOTworking: (not a real word)

Under the guise of “genuine networking” – NOTworker’s ignore online etiquette and misuse venues for the sole purpose of self-promotion, personal agenda fulfillment and/or personal gain.

NOTworker’s don’t add value. They’re not interested in genuine networking, ie., collaboration, relationship cultivation and/or member engagement.

NOTworker’s suck up resources for self-benefit.  They either don’t know or don’t care about networking principles and online social networking etiquette. “Netiquette”.

Removing members is a last resort for me, but I don’t consider NOTworker’s group members.

Networking is more give – less take. I don’t network to get something in return; if something results, I’m happily surprised.

Genuine Networking isn’t about you. When you’re all about you, you don’t attract people – you repel them.

My suggestion:   Treat networkers as potential friends, neighbors or colleagues. Who knows, one of your online networking partners may be your boss someday.   Just something to consider.

To avoid “NOTworking” online, I follow networking principles, online etiquette and respect others.

If you plan to build your network, get to know your networking partners – that’s Networking … not “NOTworking”.

For additional online social networking tips, check out these article links:

The Principles of Reciprocity -  Wikipedia.org

Online Etiquette -  Netiquette Core Values of Networking

Happy Networking!

Terry

© 2005 – 2010 Copyright // Job Spot Seattle // ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Recruiting Metrics: An Evolving Hiring Process

Recruiting Metrics: An Evolving Hiring Process

Author: Byron Mackelroy

Let’s face it, the hiring process is and always will be a competition. From the perspective of the applicant, they are in a competition to beat out other applicants and get a job offer. On the other hand, companies are in a competition with other companies to secure top talent and maximize the goodness of fit for each new employee. In a race, a status quo approach will only get you in the middle of the pack, if you are lucky. To achieve greatness in hiring requires constantly improving the recruiting process to maximize efficiencies and minimize bottlenecks.

Improving the Recruiting Process

All recruiting programs have some degree of redundancy or inefficiency. Your attention to detail dictates the success of your recruiting program. Most corporate recruiters will agree that there are certain scheduling conflicts, redundant interviews or bottlenecks that crop up on a regular basis. These elements may vary dramatically from company to company. For one organization, it may be a hiring manager that is just too swamped with other tasks to dutifully handle their responsibilities to the recruiting program. For other organizations, it may be a result of an overly extended review process that results in missed opportunities and applicant dropouts.

Feedback, Feedback, Feedback

In any process, feedback is required to improve results. When you stub your toe, you decrease the chances that you will make the same mistake twice. Unfortunately, the hiring process covers more variables and a recruiting program’s responsibilities tend to be spread out over multiple people. With so many potential cracks to fall into, how do you ensure that the successes and failures of your corporate recruiting program make it into a feedback process? In the past, corporate recruiters would be responsible for taking notes and managing email strings to try and pinpoint errors and issues. This process tended to be fragmented and highly personal. When a recruiter tells a hiring manager that they are causing a bottleneck due to lack of availability, the situation can appear personal. How do you get around an antiquated feedback system? Capture data in a central location so all stakeholders have access. Modern applicant tracking systems are capable of storing a wealth of data on the “whos” and “whens” of your hiring process. This data can be incredibly granular and comprehensive. Half of structuring feedback is capturing the data required to extrapolate trends and pinpoint issues.

Presenting the Data

Structuring and mining your recruiting data is critical to finding areas for improvement. Information by itself is like a cluttered desk full of random papers. Each paper has some information, but there is no way to make heads or tails of the entire data set. Recently, some recruiting software companies have perfected the art of surfacing data and presenting usable formats to help quantify your corporate recruiting system. These Recruiting Metrics are providing tremendous insight into the hiring process. Imagine being able to view your bottlenecks in real-time with an easy to understand graph. These analytics packages offer a wide range of capabilities, from pinpointing which hiring manager’s cause the most holdups to a full-spectrum review of your corporate recruiters screening tasks. The basic goal of recruiting metrics is simple; make your data as usable and actionable as possible.

In the inherently competitive process of hiring, continuous improvement in key to achieving success. Improving your recruiting program is dependent on feedback. With modern applicant tracking software you can capture a wealth of information. New recruiting metrics features are taking aim at providing you corporate recruiters and HR managers with the data they require. These new recruiting analytics features are driving a new approach to hiring, the evolving recruiting process.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/human-resources-articles/recruiting-metrics-an-evolving-hiring-process-1308103.html

About the Author

I am an aspiring blogger who enjoys sharing helpful information with people. My three favorite topics are business, technology and travel.

Oh, Social Media! LinkedIn Network, Now “Followers”

Copy Cats (my cat)

Did I miss the memo? I must have, because my Linkedin “network”  has changed to “followers”.  I noticed today, while scrolling my groups ”members” tab.

Maybe I just didn’t see it before, but I’m sure I would have.  It would have been nice to get a “heads-up” before changes were made.

At least Facebook hasn’t jumped on the “follower” bandwagon… I checked today; my “friends” are still “friends”… that’s a relief!

Don’t get me wrong, followers are fabulous! I’m a follower of many on Twitter; celebrities, social media moguls, stores, brands, sports teams, companies, and average people with random or entertaining tweets.

But Let’s Be Real: @ChrisPirillo @Ellen_Degeneres, @ChrisBrogan, @AplusK or @LadyGaga don’t consider me part of their “trusted, professional network” just because I’m one of thousands (and thousands) of followers.

That being said, my followers aren’t all a part of my “trusted, professional network”, but who cares… I’m not on Twitter to “build a professional network” … I’m on Twitter to “tweet”!

My LinkedIn Network is relationships developed over many years; a trusted network, built from in-person, and/or mutually professional interactions.  In my opinion, the term “followers” dilutes the value of a professional network, something LinkedIn built its brand on.

About.com ‘s Definition of Followers: “Followers are the people who have agreed to receive your Tweets through Twitter. If you add someone else to the list of people you read, you “follow” them. Popularity on Twitter is often measured by the number of followers a person has.”

Is LinkedIn about Popularity? I think not. I don’t want “popularity” on LinkedIn; I want to be a valuable and respected networking resource for my connections.

Like Twitter, Linkedin has its place; I use both for different reasons.  It’s pointless (and confusing) that Linkedin adopted a term that makes Twitter uniquely appealing to its users.

That’s just me, anyone else care to chime in?

Happy Networking!

Terry

Tweet Jobs & Social Media w/Terry

My LinkedIn Profile

What’s Your Social Media Mix?

 

My Off-Line Mix

How many social networking sites have you joined and which do you use most often? (Daily/Weekly)?

I’ve joined 100′s of networking sites since 2004, and use 20 (+/-) frequently.

My social media mix includes: Linkedin, Facebook, WordPress, Blogger, Google, Plaxo, Yahoo!, Twitter, Ning, Digg, YouTube, BlogTalkRadio, Photobucket & Flikr.

If you’re an avid networker, you’ve probably joined more than one social networking site in the social media ecosystem. 

If so, please reply to any or all of the following questions:

1.   How many networking sites have you joined?

2.   Which do you use and/or participate in often? (daily/weekly)

3.   What’s your favorite social networking site(s)?

4.   What keeps you engaged?  (ie., entertainment value, relevance, number of active networking participants, return on time investment)

Thanks & Happy Networking!

Terry

http://www.job-spot-seattle.com/

Tweet Jobs w/Terry

I’ve posted this question on LinkedIn and on my website:  Job Spot Blog

My LinkedIn Groups:

Job Spot Seattle &  Job Spot USA

http://www.linkedin.com/groupRegistration?gid=2060226

http://www.linkedin.com/groupRegistration?gid=1236757

Job Spot Yahoo! Sites:

http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/Job_Spot_Seattle

http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/Job_Spot_West_Coast/

—- Background —-

I share public responses on my blogs, networking groups and/or social networking site groups to help members and/or readers make informed decisions about the social media.  

I’m working on a social media project.  Public responses may be mentioned in my final work and on my websites, blogs or networking sites and groups.   

Responses to this question are available to the general internet public.

If you want to remain anonymous, please don’t answer publicly.

For a list of my networking groups, blogs, and social networking memberships, please visit my website @  http://www.job-spot-seattle.com/

World Map of Social Media Networks; Why Should You Care? Because Its Your Privacy

Techcrunch.com featured the  ”World Map Of Social Networks Shows Rise Of Facebook“ article on its site today.  

The article, with its brightly colored graphics and corresponding map legend, caught my immediate interest. 

The article took me off task from posting my planned blog post, “Are You Too Networked“, but I’ll get that posted soon.   …

Social Media and Social Networking Sites allow you to “meet” people you wouldn’t otherwise have met.   

It’s easy to feel comfortable when networking online and common to feel like you “know” and can trust who you network with.  On some levels, you probably can.  

Looking at the World Map of Social Networks, shows the depth and potential of strangers with access to your data.

The article and detailed map, released today on www.techcrunch.com, shows the “depth” and reach online social networks have across the globe.   http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/12/21/world-map-social-networks/

There are risks when networking reaches this magnitude.  To avoid potential “security & privacy risks” use common sense safety precautions. 

One suggestion: don’t share your private/personal data unless you know who you’re sharing it with.  

On a side note, Twitter allows users to have multiple accounts with different user-names.   (a point to ponder).

Want To Protect Your Identity & Privacy on Social Networking Sites?  Take a few of these precautions.  They may seem rash, but could help protect your privacy. 

Do Not Disclose or Use Your:

Birthdate

Home or Work Address.  Use a location central to your area

Work, Home and/or Cell Phone Numbers (I use my Google Voice Number instead)

Primary e-mail (especially if it includes your name or birthday year etc)

Specific dates, ie., dates and times of vacation or business travel

Mother’s Maiden Name, Spouse or Significant other’s Full Name, and/or their Places of Employment

Family Names, Children and/or Next of Kin Full Names

Drivers License or Social Security Number

ID Card Style Avatars:  Photos like those on State or Government issued ID Cards.   In other words, make it hard for identity thieves to create a convincing / real-looking fake ID. 

Additional resources:

Each Social Networking site has its own Privacy Policy Page.  Read and understand it before joining.  

Registering for membership on a site isn’t as serious as applying for credit or filling out an employment application. 

Ask yourself;  Do they really ”need” all that personal information?   

I’m not an online security and risk prevention professional, but I’ve safely used online social media since 1998.  

I also draw from my past military training when navigating the social media landscape.

For more info, check out this article on protecting your privacy: http://www.businessknowhow.com/security/opsec.htm 

Stay Safe & Happy Networking!

Terry

http://twitter.com/Twitr_Recruiter

http://www.Job-Spot-Seattle.com/