Choose Your Small Words Carefully. So, go, be ok!

Shakespeare had a way with small words: “To Be or Not To Be.” Small words strung together that pretty much says either you are or you aren’t.

On the other side we have Mary Poppins with “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!”

But we all need to remember that, sometimes, the smallest words can provide the biggest impact (especially in Scrabble!) They can help or hurt, so choose carefully! Consider:

TO – A sense of direction and movement. We all need to decide if where we are going to, and the direction we are taking, is best for us.

BE – The word is a jumping off, the pivot point that will decide. The word next to it can determine your whole mood, direction and focus. So when you start the day, choose the word next to the “be” very carefully. Will you: Be sad? Be angry? Be resentful? Be whiny? Or will you: Be present! Be strong! Be smart! Be brave!

OR – It’s always good to have options or to provide someone with the opportunity to choose.

DO – A sense of forward movement and direction; A motivator from a young age “You’re not sitting on that couch all summer! Get out and DO something!” Close to go…

GO – A forward motion. You need motivation in your life, whether it’s at work, at a hobby or volunteering. You can’t be stagnant, you can’t be content or complacent too long. Life’s too short. So, go!

UH – A word that is uttered by all at one time or another. Often used as our “pause” button. Many times in our lives when we are uncertain, this word comes into play. Don’t let this word be used too much, though. It can act as an excuse.

NO – Something we all need to say more often. Our calendars are full, as it is. Sometimes, we have to disappoint others, in order to maintain our own focus.

SO – With a question mark next to it, a good form of inquisitiveness. Without the question mark, a word to sum up all the parts. So? What now? So, as I see it…

HA – Put this word together into a string, several times a day. “Ha-ha-ha-ha…”

ON – What we need to be to succeed. We have to be on at our job, at home.

US – Whether in a personal or professional relationship, a small word that constantly needs attention.

OK – It’s going to be alright…really, it is! It’s all going to be ok!

There certainly are a lot more! Consider the Scrabble approved two letter list alone! Ka? Za? Jo? Ki?

So, go! Be ok!

Lessons from the Dying – 6 Ideas to Live By in 2015

As I’ve gotten older, it certainly feels like time is speeding up! One day we were worried about Y2K, now we are hitting the halfway point of the 2000 teens!

I recently finished the book “The Last Lecture” by Randy Pausch. I’m not even sure how I came across the book, but it was a quick and satisfying read. And it made me think about my own time and how I can better spend it. But first a bit of background:

Randy Pausch was a professor of computer science at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Pausch learned that he had pancreatic cancer in September 2006, and in August 2007 he was given a terminal diagnosis: “Three to six months of good health left”.

He gave an upbeat lecture titled “The Last Lecture: Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams” in September 2007, at Carnegie Mellon. It became a popular YouTube video and led to other media appearances. He then co-authored a book called “The Last Lecture” with Wall Street Journal writer Jeff Zaslow, which became a New York Times best-seller. Randy died in July 2008. Sadly, Jeff was killed in a car accident in western Michigan, in February 2012.

Jeff Zaslow: Author and writer for The Wall Street Journal

A little bit of personal work experience with Jeff. I had the honor to work with him on a story in 2004, while I was PR Manager at Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village (now the Henry Ford). I had pitched Jeff stories for about three years, starting in 2000. Every time, he would shoot me down (“Nope, doesn’t fit my style. Nope, not big enough!”) Yet, he always closed with “But keep sending me stuff. Don’t give up!” And finally in the fall of 2004, he bit on a story, initially pitched as a 40^th anniversary story on the assassination of President Kennedy (the Museum has a collection of presidential limousines, and the Kennedy assassination car is one of them.) Well, once he dug in, it was a whirlwind two-week period of visits by Jeff, interviews, fact-gathering and checking, right up until press time.

I didn’t know even what section the story would run in, and was pleasantly surprised when it landed on the front page…above the fold! A huge feather in my PR cap, I must say. And in talking to Jeff afterwards as a sort of wrap-up to the story he said something that sticks with me to this day: “See? You didn’t give up! And look where it got you!” Jeff was a great guy, gone too soon!

6 Ideas to Live by in 2015

So, I challenge you to not give up in 2015! Below are some quotes I found very appropriate from the book, that might help you in the New Year:

1. “Experience is what you get, when you didn’t get what you wanted” – When I first read that quote, I had to read it a few times out loud to get a good understanding of it (Try it! It helps!)

It certainly can be a letdown when something doesn’t go the way we planned it to go. When an idea is rejected, a project falls through, a friendship ends, we feel empty inside with a huge sense of loss. But all the experience we gained is something we can file away when we dust ourselves off and try again. Use that disappointing experience to see how you can do things better in the future.

2. “Not everything needs to be fixed.” – Priorities are important and organizing them in a list of importance is, well…even more important. We can’t feel that we have to take on everything. Also, we need to remember the saying “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” In other words, know what needs to be worked on and stick with your list.

3. “If you want something badly enough, do not give up!” – As I mentioned about Jeff Zaslow, he told me not to give up. Though it can be hard at times, we have to keep on trying. It’s why we are here, to try.

4. “Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most powerful things humans can do for each other.” – We go through our days accomplishing tasks, and in many instances, taking our family, friends and co-workers for granted. Take a moment to thank them and tell them that you appreciate them in your life.

5. “Time is all you have and you may find one day that you have less than you think.” – I list this more from the idea that we should share our time and talent, whenever we can. Not to the point of maxing out the calendar, but sharing what we know with one another. Help one another. Consider volunteering today.

6. “When we’re connected to others, we become better people.” – This is the biggest passage I took from this book. When we engage with one another, sharing our time and talents, we can’t help but grow. We learn new things, we meet new people with different opinions, and we grow as an individual. Ask someone how they are doing, share your thoughts, worries and ideas. We can only grow and learn from one another.

So, let’s make today the day you do something about it.

Harness LinkedIn for Your Job Search – 31 Tips

I still believe that networking is one of the most important ways to find a new job. But, social media can certainly help! As you continue your job search, whether you are unemployed or simply looking, LinkedIn continues to be an important resource. Time recently posted The 31 Best LinkedIn Profile Tips for Job Seekers. Here’s some highlights:

– Use numbers right up front. Stats are very important nowadays, whether it’s on your resume or LinkedIn profile. How much money did you save your department last year? How much was a budget you prepared? How much did you increase customer satisfaction? All these and more are relevant information that should be shared.

– Add multi-media to your profile. LinkedIn has a section specifically for media. And by media, that can be  a presentation you gave, photos of you doing your work, stories, videos and more. Use this section!

-Share your volunteer experiences. It’s important if you are looking for work to bridge the gap. In other words, you should be volunteering in your community. LinkedIn has a section for specific volunteering opps. I personally have also included them in my work experiences section to show that I was indeed working while I was laid off for a year.

LinkedIn has a section for specific volunteering opportunities. Personally, I have also included them in my work experiences section to show that I was indeed working while I was laid off for a year.

Finally, one of the most important things you can do for any social media…

-Update your status! Take a few minutes to tend to your garden of social media applications. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest…don’t let these sites go dormant, especially if you include them on your resume!

Recruiters are going to look at you more favorably, if they notice that you are active in your social media accounts!

So, stay current, embrace social media in your job search, keep it relevant and get LinkedIn!

Now, let’s go out there and do something good together! Happy New Year!

Strive for consistency across your social media

Everyday, it seems there are more studies released as to what social media we should be using, both to get ahead in the business world and the social world.

Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Tout, Pinterest, Google+! And those are just the biggies!

But, I have always believed that you should use the social media that you are most comfortable using.

I recommend trying a few new ones every once in awhile, just to see what the hype is all about and to see if it’s something that might stick for you!

I am the great example of trying new social media like Tout and Instagram, only to have them fall below the line, a few weeks after using them religiously. Don’t get me wrong, they are fine social media tools. But, they just didn’t stick for me.

I’m a tried-and-true Facebook and LinkedIn devotee, with, unfortunately, Twitter a distant second. But I use all three on a regular basis. And I do feel comfortable using them all!

Here’s a piece of advice, when it comes to social media and networking: As you try out new media, try and get a common extension across all the social media tools.

In my case, it’s /andrewkjohnson. Using the same extension may help you in tracking your social media tools, and it can help you be recognized across the different social media tools by your business associates, peers and potential new connections!

So, get out there, try a new social media tool, now and then! You might find something new that sticks for you! Now, let’s go out there and do something good together!

Rock that Resume – Six seconds to launch!

I recently came across a new article, related to the attention span of the hiring department. Read the article here. A few numbers to consider:

250 – On average, the number of resumes received for each corporate job opening.

200 – The number of seconds that pass before the first resume is submitted for an online job posting.

427,000 – The number of resumes posted on Monster alone every week.

6 – The number of seconds a resume is scanned during the review process.

Now, if you have hung around this little part of WordPress, you know that I stress the importance of networking.

I liken job websites as more of barometer, related to how many jobs are available in your field and hometown at a given time.

But this article really stresses the importance of being very clear with your submitted resume. Six seconds is just enough time to see where you worked, your title, a few keywords and your education.

Here’s one more stat:

61 – The percent of recruiters that will dismiss your resume instantly due to tipos…typoes…typos!

So, take your time, and here’s a tip: Read your resume back to front to see every word. When you read a sentence you mite miss a typo. But read typo…a…miss…mite…you…sentence….a…read…you…When, the typo can stand out!

Pass that resume around. Have someone read over carefully. And try your own six second scan. Does it work?

Now, let’s go out there and do something good together!

FDA posts social media guidelines – more accurate Tweets to follow?

Long before bitly.com and tinyurl.com, early Twitter account holders pretty much were at the mercy of the 140 character limit. Tweets could be quite literal “Going to lunch w/mom” or “Woke up this morning ‘Dude, Where’s My Car?’ LOL”.

But, as Twitter evolved, hyperlinks were able to be shrunk down, photos could be added as links and the 140-character window expanded exponentially!

Yet, as opportunities to communicate on Twitter expanded, there was more room for misinformation, libel and even slander (think attached videos). Organizations started to build intricate social media guidelines in hoping to keep social media on the up-and-up.

Case in point: the Food and Drug Administration recently released guidelines around correcting misinformation on social media channels. See article here.

In part, the article states:

“The FDA would require that companies spell out the exact indication for the product. In the case of NoFocus, for example, the drug is for “mild to moderate memory loss.” It would not be sufficient to describe NoFocus as a “memory loss” drug.”

It certainly sounds simple enough: It would be wrong to be misleading on social media outlets.

But the bigger part of the article is that the FDA would limit advertising on sites (like Twitter) where character space is limited.

So, while we’ve come a long way of sharing with our followers that we are having eggs for breakfast, many companies are going to have to brush up on writing effective, accurate posts in the future (some with a group watching over their shoulders!)

Now, let’s go out there and do something good together!

Twitter Times Tempting Tweet Tweaks

Twitter recently announced some updates to your Twitter home page. CBS News has a great summary here.

One of the bigger changes is that you can now have a full sized banner picture to go on your page (ala Facebook and Google +.) So, gone are the days of the little image in the corner. Now, you can dress up your page and put your best digital foot forward!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Twitter gives a nice, simple tutorial to get you set up and running in the new format.  Also, here are some tips when tweeting from Digital Trends:

Mentions & Replies. Two more ways you can connect with other Twitter users. Mentions and replies are updates that contain “@username” anywhere in the body of the tweet. Place a “@” in front of the person, business, organization or whatever you want to mention or reply to.

A recent change has made it so that your replies to someone will be seen only by mutual followers if you place their “@username” at the beginning of your tweet.

If you want your followers to see your mentions/replies to someone, set the “@username” at the end of the tweet or put a period in front of the ampersand like this: “.@”.  There is also a “Reply” option under tweets to save you precious time.

If you haven’t added Twitter to your arsenal. The link from Digital Trentds above will give you the steps to get started!

So, get tweeting. I’ll start posting some stats and related stories shortly, on how online job searches have left job boards and the classified ads in the dust. From there, we’ll discuss the best way for you to get out there!

Now, let’s go out there and do something good!

 

I feel a resolution coming on: Keep Your Social Media Fresh in 2014!

Well, here we are at the end of 2013. It’s so hard to believe that a new year is just around the corner, filled with opportunities and decisions! And I must tell you, I am a victim of my own circumstances.

As I have written this blog over the years, I stressed the importance of keeping up with your social media while conducting your job search. And, unfortunately, time got the best of me.

When I logged in today, I thought that maybe I hadn’t posted since say August…turns out it was late June! My apologies.

So, a resolution: I will work harder on posting on a more timely basis in 2014. Wait, that is not specific enough. A resolution: I will work on posting once a month in 2014. Much better.

One thing I stress in this blog is to use social media on a regular basis. Also, I stress that if you indeed undertake a blog, that you keep it current and fresh. But, I clearly have not followed my own advice.

So, here’s to a more productive 2014 in the social media camp. Keep up on that Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and yes…your blog!

Now, let’s go out there together and do something good!

Accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative: HR flagging social media in hiring – Don’t end up in the shredder!

A new CareerBuilder survey (click here) found that while employers are certainly using social media for background research on potential candidates, many are finding more red flags, that would put many resumes in the shredder.

It has always been my thinking that, when you are in a job search, your social media pages are just as important as the pages of your resume.

You have to be engaged in social media, adding to it in a positive way and trying new social media on for size. (As an aside, I just got underway with Instagram this week. I know, late to the party, but I want to be able to master it and harness it in my job and on my social media pages.)

Among the findings of the social media report?

Top three negatives recruiters/HR departments found:

• Candidate posted provocative/inappropriate photos/info – 50 percent
• There was info about candidate drinking or using drugs – 48 percent
• Candidate bad mouthed previous employer – 33 percent

Top three positives recruiters/HR departments found:

• Candidate conveyed a professional image – 57 percent
• Got a good feel for candidate’s personality – 50 percent
• Candidate was well-rounded, showed a wide range of interests – 50 percent

So, as the old Johnny Mercer song goes: “You’ve got to accentuate the positive, Eliminate the negative, And latch on to the affirmative, Don’t mess with Mister In-Between” the same can be said for your social media efforts. 

Delete the negatives (bad pix, dumping on your past or current employer) and bold the positives (professional image, wide range of interests.) It can mean the difference between going to the top of pile and the top of the shred heap!

Now let’s go out there and do something good together!

Social media checklist – Take some time to keep it current!

A social media checklist…

1. Make sure your Facebook account is up-to-date with contact information.

2. Make sure that same Facebook account presents you in the best possible light. Be careful with postings and pictures that you wouldn’t want your boss or prospective employer to see!

3. Over at LinkedIn (you have a LinkedIn account, right?) review your work history. Check your dates of employment and that your current position is indeed where you are working at currently! I had a contractor call asking where my counterpart had gone, when it showed up on his LinkedIn account that his current position lasted less than a year (and I just saw him Friday!)

4. Are you represented well across the major social media outlets (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn). In other words, is your contact information consistent, do you have a consistent headshot or at least similar headshot on all your outlets?

5. Do you contribute to your accounts on a regular basis. I am very good about Facebook, I should do more on Twitter and my blog, well, it always needs attention!

6. Do you look for new social media opportunities? Tumblr and Pinterest are two that I am going to look into shortly.

7. Know when too much social media is too much social media!

8. Take a break every once in a while from that news feed or tweet list.

9. Realize that employers and potential employers can be looking over your shoulder at your social media (postings, pix, tweets and more) at any minute (maybe, this minute?)

10. Know which medium to harness when it comes to communicating effectively. Post, tweet, email, phone call or a hand written note? All have different strengths when it comes to reaching out to someone for information or to simply thank them for a networking opportunity.

Keep your social media current and strong and you’ve tackled a big part of your communications plan. Now, let’s go out there and do something good together!