JIbberJobber Vision Follow-up is Essential

JIbberJobber Vision Follow-up is Essential Follow-up, and nurture relationships.  These are two things that every career professional says you must do.  Its easy to do this in the first week of your job search. But once you have a good 50 people youve been networking with (note, I didnt say 50 people in your network. there is a big difference!), and more informational interviews scheduled, you have enough follow-up obligations to make your head spin. So, you stop following-up. You wonder if you should (a) contact a new person and have the first conversation with them, or (b) follow-up with the 50 people youve talked with in the last month. This is a real quandary for job seekers.  One is to add another person to the list of people you should follow-up with, and the other is to open that box and reach out to dozens and dozens and dozens of people what do you say? What did you say last time? How long has it been since the last communication?  Where you supposed to do something and report back to them?  Are you going to mistakenly repeat the same message you sent them last month, because you forget you had talked to them? Those are questions that might cause you to not follow-up because you feel ill-prepared. But neglecting follow-up is a poor habit to create in your job search. You need people to help you, and you need to have multiple touch-points with them so they can (a) trust you, and (b) understand who you are and what your brand (or value proposition) is. There are various follow-up tools in JibberJobber. As I mentioned this week, JibberJobber is more than a repository where you collect and record data its a tool to help you make use of that data, and move towards your goals.  Following-up with people is a big part of that. This has been a part of our vision from the very beginning and as weve grown to understand the needs of a job seeker, networker, and career manager, weve figured out more ways to make JibberJobber more of a foll0w-up tool for YOU. JIbberJobber Vision Follow-up is Essential Follow-up, and nurture relationships.  These are two things that every career professional says you must do.  Its easy to do this in the first week of your job search. But once you have a good 50 people youve been networking with (note, I didnt say 50 people in your network. there is a big difference!), and more informational interviews scheduled, you have enough follow-up obligations to make your head spin. So, you stop following-up. You wonder if you should (a) contact a new person and have the first conversation with them, or (b) follow-up with the 50 people youve talked with in the last month. This is a real quandary for job seekers.  One is to add another person to the list of people you should follow-up with, and the other is to open that box and reach out to dozens and dozens and dozens of people what do you say? What did you say last time? How long has it been since the last communication?  Where you supposed to do something and report back to them?  Are you going to mistakenly repeat the same message you sent them last month, because you forget you had talked to them? Those are questions that might cause you to not follow-up because you feel ill-prepared. But neglecting follow-up is a poor habit to create in your job search. You need people to help you, and you need to have multiple touch-points with them so they can (a) trust you, and (b) understand who you are and what your brand (or value proposition) is. There are various follow-up tools in JibberJobber. As I mentioned this week, JibberJobber is more than a repository where you collect and record data its a tool to help you make use of that data, and move towards your goals.  Following-up with people is a big part of that. This has been a part of our vision from the very beginning and as weve grown to understand the needs of a job seeker, networker, and career manager, weve figured out more ways to make JibberJobber more of a foll0w-up tool for YOU. JIbberJobber Vision Follow-up is Essential Follow-up, and nurture relationships.  These are two things that every career professional says you must do.  Its easy to do this in the first week of your job search. But once you have a good 50 people youve been networking with (note, I didnt say 50 people in your network. there is a big difference!), and more informational interviews scheduled, you have enough follow-up obligations to make your head spin. So, you stop following-up. You wonder if you should (a) contact a new person and have the first conversation with them, or (b) follow-up with the 50 people youve talked with in the last month. This is a real quandary for job seekers.  One is to add another person to the list of people you should follow-up with, and the other is to open that box and reach out to dozens and dozens and dozens of people what do you say? What did you say last time? How long has it been since the last communication?  Where you supposed to do something and report back to them?  Are you going to mistakenly repeat the same message you sent them last month, because you forget you had talked to them? Those are questions that might cause you to not follow-up because you feel ill-prepared. But neglecting follow-up is a poor habit to create in your job search. You need people to help you, and you need to have multiple touch-points with them so they can (a) trust you, and (b) understand who you are and what your brand (or value proposition) is. There are various follow-up tools in JibberJobber. As I mentioned this week, JibberJobber is more than a repository where you collect and record data its a tool to help you make use of that data, and move towards your goals.  Following-up with people is a big part of that. This has been a part of our vision from the very beginning and as weve grown to understand the needs of a job seeker, networker, and career manager, weve figured out more ways to make JibberJobber more of a foll0w-up tool for YOU.

The Evolution of the Internship

The Evolution of the Internship It’s hard to believe that the predecessor of today’s internship came to life in the 11th century. The interns of the past were actually apprentices seeking practical experience to grow their skill set in a trade, art, or calling. Today, students embark on internships during their college years to gain out-of-the-classroom experience prior to entering their industry. But just like the 11th century, internships are key to gaining the necessary experience to get hired in a full-time position. InternMatch, an online platform connecting the best intern candidates and employers, compiled the infographic below which showcases the impact internships have had on our world. In the 80s, only 3 percent of college students completed an internship, but today, 47 percent of employers boast structured internship programs. Here are some key points to note: 37% of students say internships are a good job search resource 81% of employers find they have better experiences with new hires that have intern experience 33% of employers hire virtual interns, a 20% increase from 2011 to 2012 The average wage rate for interns at bachelor’s level is $16.21 What do you think?  Do you think internships will continue to evolve into a mandatory aspect of every career? Related: Do Internships Really Lead to Job Opportunities?

The science of love at first sight

The science of love at first sight This is what the farm looks like when you drive up to it. For a while, I thought that the farm is really what I fell in love with. I felt an overwhelming sense that I belonged on this farm from the moment I got out of my car. But also, the moment I got out of my car, I fell in love with the farmer. And I did not fall in love with the farmer when I went to check him out at the farmers market before I agreed to drive out to his farm. Which tells me that love at first sight is a combination of things: the right setting and right person. I had love at first sight with my first husband, too. I remember seeing him in a group. I remember asking him if hes Jewish (very important to me then I wanted to raise Jewish kids) and I remember us being surrounded by the smartest people in LA who were trying to figure out nonlinear media before anyone had even heard of the Internet. The setting of smart people talking about ideas primed me to fall in love, like the farm setting primed me the next time. This started getting me thinking about how you fall in love at work. With your job. I think its also love at first sight. When people are interviewing each other face to face, its clear that all the candidates are qualifiedeveryone has been screened to know that the potential employees are skilled enough, the potential company is interesting enough, the job is a decent enough fit. So that leaves chemistry as the important thing in an interview. And I think it works similarly to falling in love. The obvious corollary, of course, is looks. We are cant help choosing to work with people who we think are good-looking. Its against the law, yes, I know. But we do it anyway, often subconsciously. The idea that our love-at-first-sight tools work similarly for other relationships is not that far-fetched. First, its clear that researchers at Ohio State University found that after just a few minutes of meeting someone face-to-face, people decide what sort of relationship they want to have with that person. And that decision is a good predictor of what will happen in the future between the two people because people act in accordance with their decision. Here are ways to apply what we know about love at first sight to getting the job you want: 1. Interviews during ovulation are bad. Women are more likely to fall in love with a man when ovulating. But ovulation changes the type of man women seek. Women prefer gender stereotypes during ovulationwhich means not only a square jaw, but a dominant caretaker and a poor-communicator questionable traits to seek in a co-worker. 2. Telling someone you really want them is good. You are more likely to have love at first sight if the person likes you. We are naturally more attracted to people who give us cues that they are attracted to us. So telling the interviewer how much you really really want the job is not optional. 3. When discussing your skills, focus on complementary not similar. We are genetically predisposed to fall in love with someone not like usit keeps the gene pool safe. So when you want someone to fall in love with the idea of working with you, focus on personality characteristics you offer them that they dont already have. We all know that love at first sight does not mean love forever. And it doesnt necessarily mean good for you, either. But love at first sight is fun and exciting and invigorating, and Im certain its good for the workplacethat is, if it is possible to have love at first sight with the idea of working with someone.

How to Communicate Everything You Do - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

How to Communicate Everything You Do - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career A lot of people have trouble communicating what they do.  You might run into this problem already or  it will be a challenge in the near future.  The reason why I believe everyone will encounter this issue is that our jobs no longer completely define us.  Everything we do, whether it is inside or outside of the workplace, is becoming more visible online.   Yes, a blog is something you do.  And yes, working out at a gym is an activity that you do as well.  But what happens when you go to a networking event and introduce yourself to someone else?  What do you say to them so that they remember what you do and want to connect with you to deepen the relationship? Ive been challenged with communcating what I do because I do so much now.  Ive learned how to condense it and articulate my introduction, so its effective and is said confidently.  Today, Im going to teach you how to do just that. What you shouldnt do If I wanted to be real obnoxious, I would recite my entire biography to the opposite party, when introducing myself.  I would say: My name is Dan Schawbel and Im the leading personal branding expert for Gen-Y.  I am  the author of Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success, which is due out on April 7th.  I have a blog, magazine, awards, online podcast series and I write articles on personal branding for leading blogs such as Mashable.  Im also a social media specialist with EMC Corporation, a leading technology company.  I interview successful business people, speak to colleges and organizations and do some side consulting for individuals looking to build their brand and stand out from the crowd.   Without going any further, it seems like I just coughed up a summary of my resume to the person at the networking event.  If I were them, I would discount me as being self-serving, bragging and obnoxious.  They would probably still be nice to me, but not want to take it anywhere else based on my introduction. Goals for your introduction When introducting yourself to someone else, your goals should be as follows: To get people interested enough in who you are and what you do so they want to continue the conversation and, at least, exchange business cards with you. To promote your own business, the company you work, while positioning yourself. To come off the right way, so that you arent condescending or bragging to the opposite party. To make them want to ask you questions about what you do.  They might even be interested in your services or recommend you to their peers! Steps to building an effective introduction I think almost everyone can tighten up their own introduction and make it something of remark and special.  Aside from having an introduction that is too long, many people sell themselves short by only mentioning one thing they do (letting that define them).  An introduction is a chance to capture someones attention.  Here is a process Ive developed in order to help you communicate everything you do: Write down your bio straight from your memory, without looking at your website or resume. Take your bio and break it down into bullets, listing the most significant activity to the least. Circle the top three (or four) items listed (this could be your day job, your blog, etc). Write down a single sentence which captures all three (or four) major items and make sure it reads nicely. Recite your introduction ten times, so that it gets in your memory stream. Example)  My name is Dan Schawbel and Ive written a book, publish a magazine and author a blog on the topic of personal branding, and I help people  effectively brand themselves online using web 2.0 technologies. My situation might be unique because everything I do is somewhat connected to the topic of personal branding.  This allows me to use four items instead of three.  Plus, Im able to wow the listener because I do a lot in addition to a full-time job.  Based on this introduction, people may even assume that I do more than Ive actually listed here.  The point is that you dont want to give them too much and you dont want to give them too little. Contest What is your introduction?   Leave yours in the comment.  Ill give a free copy of Personal Branding Magazine to the best 3 introductions.

How Much Social Media Is Enough - Executive Career Brandâ„¢

How Much Social Media Is Enough When working with busy c-level executives on online identity-building and online reputation management, I advise that they only take on as many social media commitments as they can realistically manage, and leverage well. Without question, I urge them to devote a good percentage of their social media allotment to  â€" getting their targeted, on-brand profile 100% complete, updating regularly, connecting with hiring decision makers, joining and contributing to the right Groups, getting strong recommendations from the right people, contributing to Answers, etc. Beyond , if they know they wont have time to devote to Twitter,

Spiff Up Your Pitch

Spiff Up Your Pitch While searching for a new job, the most dreaded questions are usually the ones we are not prepared to answer. Shouldnt this mean you spiff up your pitch? You can wing it and botch it, or you can nail your pitch! Here is the scenarioyou decide to attend a networking meeting and within minutes of walking in the door someone asks you What do you do? Fear and panic set in. You want to say $@i% out loud and run far far away.   But instead, you blabber something about being out of work and begin listing your past work assignments. Honestly, you cant even remember exactly what you said. The next thing you know, the person who asked you this question is excusing themselves to go to the bathroom. Thats the worst-case scenario, but not that far from the truth. All humor aside, whether you are employed or unemployed, you must prepare your answer to this question! I Need a Pitch? You absolutely need to have a solid answer to explain what you do because you know what happens when you dont. You might be thinking you are set in your job or you arent comfortable being a sales person, but let me warn you, the time to build your reputation is now! Short and Sweet Isn’t Going to Work Do you try and answer the question as quickly as possible with this response “I am [insert your job title] with [insert your company name].” And exactly what impression do you leave with that? What Can You Say in Less Than Two Minutes? Jeffrey Hayzlett, former CMO at Kodak, writes about the importance of the pitch in his book “The Mirror Test”. He calls it a 118 Pitch. In the first eight seconds you hook your listener and during the remaining 110 seconds you drive it home. This is how Hayzlett describes the mission of today’s new pitch: “Simply, your 118 Pitch must do the following: Grab the attention of your prospect. Convey who you are. Describe what your business offers. Explain the promises you will deliver on.” Then Theres the 45 Second Elevator Pitch You want to use the right length pitch at the right timeso if you are looking for more guidance on what to put into your pitch, check out  Using the Right Pitch at the Right Time Youll find an easy formula you can use to develop your pitch. Even Shorter? What about a 10-20 second pitch (micro-pitch)? Its purpose is to engage the person you are talking with, not bore  them. Heres an example: “Have you ever used an online app for your banking? I helped make that happen at X bank. I’m the person who researched the options and coordinated all the details. Outside of work, I love taking pictures of people with their dogs. It’s fascinating to capture the relationship.” Learn more about crafting your micro-pitch here But before you go, I wanted to share this short video with you. Chris Westfall won the Best Elevator Pitch Contest sponsored by Mirror Test. What do you think about this and how well does it work? Are you drawn in during the first 8 seconds? Chris Westfall Best Elevator Pitch from YourOnlineVideo on Vimeo.

Writing a Personal Cover Letter

Writing a Personal Cover LetterMost students these days prefer writing personal cover letters as opposed to making use of official forms. This is due to the fact that personal form letters are always more personal and are therefore more appealing than official ones.As a result, your chances of getting accepted or getting the interview are much higher when compared to writing formal paper. Besides this, this also helps you to differentiate yourself from the crowd of people applying for the same job. That is why most of the students now prefer writing a resume in an informal manner overwriting an official one.Now that you have chosen the appropriate format for writing a resume, you need to create a personal profile. Start with a set of personal details about yourself. The first thing that you should do is to define your own occupation. The second thing that you should do is to describe your personal history in the same light.Then you can describe your background by going through your r esume and by conducting an extensive background check. You should also include your educational qualifications, previous experiences and job accomplishments. However, make sure that you provide all the required information in a concise way so that your resume is not too long.After completing this task, you must create a page for the entire job history. Write down your resume dates and your work history. Also, fill in the appropriate box about the contact details and the contact numbers, and then get ready to write your personal summary.Finally, you must provide complete and detailed details about your references. It will help your personal profile to be more eye-catching and thus increase your chances of getting hired.Finally, you must add a link to your personal profile where all the forms of contacting you are specified. Finally, when it comes to the completion of your resume, ensure that you give the complete information so that it is not long and boring. However, it is important that you must not forget to include the contact details of your references as well as your cover letter.