Journalism and Public Relations Students: Are Your Social Media Profiles Ready For A Job Search?
Make A Good Impression
One of the goals you set for the year may include landing a new position or even a first job for some of you.
A week doesn’t seem to go by when I don’t get asked about getting a good internship or news job or about working the new media business.
Both industries are tough to crack into because of the competitive nature. Media outlets may receive a couple hundred applications for any given open position.
So, are your online profiles ready for the next step?
It’s not only about showing your abilities, but demonstrating to employers that you can represent a brand as well. If you can’t be the best marketer of your own brand, then it’s doubtful you can be a good marketer for an employer.
How do others see you?: Do an online search of yourself and see what the public sees about you. Make sure to log out of your Google account or use a browser you’re not logged into (Google personalizes results based on your account activity) and search for your name.
Do You Own Your Name?: I’ve written before about buying YourName.com for around $10 a year and hosting a “me” website with examples of your work and information about you.
Depending on the amount of time you have, you might should set up a static website or a blog. Having a blog with content being updated on a regular basis provides an advantage over a static website, because of the benefits of being ranked higher by Google and other search engines. Blogs also have the added benefit of demonstrating your expertise.
Even if you don’t have time to launch a website right now, you should buy YourName.com to keep others from buying up the domain name.
Clean up photos: Guard your brand with a fierce intensity, because it matters. Here’s a reason why.
The only thing worst than drunken party photographs is having social profiles using nicknames. Deleting unwanted photos is your best option for Facebook. Twitter is fairly easy.
If you find images on Google, you can ask them to remove the pages from their search results. Here is Google’s process to make that happen.
Are you searchable?: If you do not show up in Google, then you don’t really exist. Do some fairly basic search engine optimization. In addition to using your own name online, be sure to link all of your various online content to one another. Include a link on your website to your Twitter and LinkedIn profiles. Add links from your social media profiles back to your website.
Is Your LinkedIn Profile Updated?:If you haven’t looked at your LinkedIn profile, then now is the time to update your jobs, skills, activities, and resume.
LinkedIn is the go-to social networking for job hunting. So, make sure your profile is up-to-date.
Are You Active on Twitter?:
It’s not a good representation to have your last status update three months ago. Please do not post, “I’m in a job hunt, anyone have leads for me? Whose hiring?”
Ask your network for advice. For example “What is the best answer to ‘Tell me your greatest example of when you were a team player?’”
Or, link to helpful articles, tips, blogs posts, or videos that your network will appreciate and find helpful.
These are just some of the answers that I give each day when I’m asked about finding a new media job.
What tips do you have?
Do You Need To Get Away To Be Inspired?
Photo By Jay F. Hicks
Can traveling really benefit our lives?
The scent of freshly baked bread hung in the air as I sat drinking coffee and reading the newspaper in the French Quarter. It was one of those perfect spring mornings.
My family and I hit the road to New Orleans recently and the trip left me more motivated than when I left home.
For the most part, everyone agrees that regardless of age or career, inspiration is the secret sauce to fulfilling our success. Inspiration comes from experience and too often we forget that.
Our lives become busy with work, paying bills, and mowing the yard – all of which are important.
I was inspired walking around New Orleans, experiencing the architecture, music, culture, and foods. Learning about how founders settled the Crescent City or how early pioneers built the St. Louis Cathedral.
It’s important, as you are hammering away on your goals and building your businesses to take some time and get away.
Photo By Jay F. Hicks
It’s incredible to blown away by the accomplishments of others.
Seeing how others live is inspiring. I remember talking to a New Orleans man during my visit about how entrepreneurial startups are rapidly developing in the city. Of course, things are not easy in the Big Easy but they are working hard at making things better.
Have you ever looked back at the experiences or people you met as the defining moment or spark that changed your life?
It’s important to venture beyond our computer monitors and explore the world or at least the world near you.
We let excuses get in our way. How about taking a day trip or spending an hour at the park?
You might say that money keeps you from traveling. I’m sensitive to that. You might try going to a cash-only budgeting system, earning money by freelance blogging, picking up some spare work, or creating a plan to travel.
Want to be inspired? Buy an airline ticket or hop in the car for a road trip and find a new adventure. You won’t regret it. I promise.
Feel free to leave a comment with your feedback.
My Vblog From OKC Covering Baylor Lady Bears In Sweet 16
Photos by Robert Rogers / Baylor Photography. This video was shot and edited on an iPhone 5 except for first three photographs.
9 Things To Do After A Conference
Jay F. Hicks and Heath Nielsen
I just finished up with CenTex New Media Conference 2013, and have a lot of things to do. After returning home to 576 unread emails and a bunch of voice messages, it’s time to get back to work.
As an attendee and speaker, I’ve developed a few helpful tricks and tips to avoid dropping the ball.
Here are a few of the things that I do after returning home.
1. Scan all business cards
I have a pile of cards to scan and enter into my mobile phone, database, and Gmail contacts. I use CardMunch to take a picture with the app which stores the contact information in my phone, and cross references LinkedIn to see if the contact has an active profile.
For the time being, only iPhone users can utilize this app. I’m sure it will be available on other mobile devices in no time.
2. Connect Socially
I like to reach out to people I met. The speakers, the people who started following me during the conference. Find them on LinkedIn, Twitter, and possibly Facebook and talk to them.
3. Publish
We are all storytellers. We have photos, audio files and more to help share the story of our experience to help those who were unable to attend. I try to get all of my media uploaded and properly tagged so that the information can be easily found.
4. Write down three takeaways to implement
Present a conference summary to your co-workers, colleagues, peers..etc. Your network can benefit from your conference experience. Download some of the best slides, find the best tweets, and add in a couple videos. You might think about creating a Storify.
5. Send thank you notes
Yes, I’m talking about snail mail. When I return home, I pick up 10 cards or so and send a quick personal thank you note to my new friends. It forces me to remember the people I’ve just met, but could also lead to some interesting opportunities, friends, partnerships, or collaborations.
6. Track business expenses
Within three days of attending a conference, I file an expense report or record the itemized costs including travel, parking/garage fees, food and all other expenses. I pull together the original itemized receipts to submit an expense report or to submit later for tax purposes.
7. Get Things Started
Take out the conference schedule, check your notes and for each session and write down one takeaway. Create an email and send that to yourself in one month.
8. Keep Your Promises
We’ll make it happen. “I’ll call you.” “I’ll send you that.” “Let me connect you with him.” Create a list to follow up on all the promises made throughout the conference.
9. Connect With Family
After spending nearly sun up and sun down in meetings with little access to telephone, I like connect with family members and friends.
What else is there to do? I’d love to hear what what you do in the comments section below.
The Most Amazing Moment of CenTex New Media 2013
Photo by Amanda Hill
You know what the amazing moment of CenTex New Media Conference 2013 was?
During the tech startup panel when Felicia Goodman and Steve Golab were talking about the web tech and nonprofit communities coming together to solve problems that nonprofits are having with upgrading their digital infrastructure by using social exchange in an unstructured environment.
About 75% of the room had an aha moment look on their face. In that instance they were beginning to grasp how to use digital tools to build better community and solve problems.
That’s huge. That’s amazing. When Gene Hall and I first talked about creating a conference in order to share ideas with other bloggers, online marketers, web designers, and entrepreneurs — that is the sort of thing we envisioned.
We wanted to create a place where people can learn from one another about blogging, websites, social media and other new media related subjects.
The theme for our first conference was Next Step and the sessions fit the theme well. We all shared things from personal branding, content plans, social media 101, ways of using websites to market your business and the responsive web. There wasn’t much talk about the healing qualities of social media and how it is a life altering thing, but there were plenty of takeaways. (more…)
Want to Build Your Personal Brand By Blogging: Start By Solving A Problem
How do you stand out in a sea of job applicants or companies competing for business with similar products and services?
Every year blogging has been pronounced dead since I took up the craft in 2006. The digital landscape may have changed, but blogging remains a powerful tool in building a bigger, stronger online brand.
Blogging is fairly simple. Begin looking at everything through the eyes of the user, audience, or those of your customer instead of your own. Next, start building an email list while writing content that provides solutions to your audience’s problems.
Be recognized as a expert in your field
Blogging has the power to change lives. Seth Godin was known to some, but writing his thoughts on a TypePad blog took him to another level. Today his books are widely successful, his blog posts get thousands of shares nearly everyday, and he is considered a marketing genius. Blogging took him from well known to expert. (more…)
5 Grammatical Mistakes That Make You Appear Unprofessional
Writing on the digital space for blogging, Facebook, Twitter, and other platforms requires a fun-to-read, conversational style.
That sometimes means violating the rules of proper grammar in order to connect with readers.
However, sloppy writing will make you look bad, and sometimes a small mistake can hurt your credibility.
Think Grammar Mistakes Don’t Matter?
British web entrepreneur Charles Duncombe has proved grammar and spelling mistakes can cost websites business. Dumcombe told the BBC News that “an analysis of website figures shows a single spelling mistake can cut online sales in half.”
You don’t want potential clients to be turned off by what appears to be a lack of attention to detail or lack of professionalism. (more…)
My 3 Words For 2013: Inspired by Chris Brogan
I have long ago given up New Year’s Resolutions. For me, 2012 was a really good year.
The other day I read Chris Brogran’s post My 3 Words for 2012. He recommends a plan for achieving your 2013 goals that involves chosing three words to help define your goals and experiences for the coming year. Sort of setting a theme for the year.
I love this challenge, and I want to share my 3 words for 2013 with you: Systems.Cultivate.Share (more…)
Journalism and Public Relations Students: Are Your Social Media Profiles Ready For A Job Search?
Make A Good Impression
One of the goals you set for the year may include landing a new position or even a first job for some of you.
A week doesn’t seem to go by when I don’t get asked about getting a good internship or news job or about working the new media business.
Both industries are tough to crack into because of the competitive nature. Media outlets may receive a couple hundred applications for any given open position.
So, are your online profiles ready for the next step?
It’s not only about showing your abilities, but demonstrating to employers that you can represent a brand as well. If you can’t be the best marketer of your own brand, then it’s doubtful you can be a good marketer for an employer.
How do others see you?: Do an online search of yourself and see what the public sees about you. Make sure to log out of your Google account or use a browser you’re not logged into (Google personalizes results based on your account activity) and search for your name.
Do You Own Your Name?: I’ve written before about buying YourName.com for around $10 a year and hosting a “me” website with examples of your work and information about you.
Depending on the amount of time you have, you might should set up a static website or a blog. Having a blog with content being updated on a regular basis provides an advantage over a static website, because of the benefits of being ranked higher by Google and other search engines. Blogs also have the added benefit of demonstrating your expertise.
Even if you don’t have time to launch a website right now, you should buy YourName.com to keep others from buying up the domain name.
Clean up photos: Guard your brand with a fierce intensity, because it matters. Here’s a reason why.
The only thing worst than drunken party photographs is having social profiles using nicknames. Deleting unwanted photos is your best option for Facebook. Twitter is fairly easy.
If you find images on Google, you can ask them to remove the pages from their search results. Here is Google’s process to make that happen.
Are you searchable?: If you do not show up in Google, then you don’t really exist. Do some fairly basic search engine optimization. In addition to using your own name online, be sure to link all of your various online content to one another. Include a link on your website to your Twitter and LinkedIn profiles. Add links from your social media profiles back to your website.
Is Your LinkedIn Profile Updated?:If you haven’t looked at your LinkedIn profile, then now is the time to update your jobs, skills, activities, and resume.
LinkedIn is the go-to social networking for job hunting. So, make sure your profile is up-to-date.
Are You Active on Twitter?:
It’s not a good representation to have your last status update three months ago. Please do not post, “I’m in a job hunt, anyone have leads for me? Whose hiring?”
Ask your network for advice. For example “What is the best answer to ‘Tell me your greatest example of when you were a team player?’”
Or, link to helpful articles, tips, blogs posts, or videos that your network will appreciate and find helpful.
These are just some of the answers that I give each day when I’m asked about finding a new media job.
What tips do you have?
Do You Need To Get Away To Be Inspired?
Photo By Jay F. Hicks
Can traveling really benefit our lives?
The scent of freshly baked bread hung in the air as I sat drinking coffee and reading the newspaper in the French Quarter. It was one of those perfect spring mornings.
My family and I hit the road to New Orleans recently and the trip left me more motivated than when I left home.
For the most part, everyone agrees that regardless of age or career, inspiration is the secret sauce to fulfilling our success. Inspiration comes from experience and too often we forget that.
Our lives become busy with work, paying bills, and mowing the yard – all of which are important.
I was inspired walking around New Orleans, experiencing the architecture, music, culture, and foods. Learning about how founders settled the Crescent City or how early pioneers built the St. Louis Cathedral.
It’s important, as you are hammering away on your goals and building your businesses to take some time and get away.
Photo By Jay F. Hicks
It’s incredible to blown away by the accomplishments of others.
Seeing how others live is inspiring. I remember talking to a New Orleans man during my visit about how entrepreneurial startups are rapidly developing in the city. Of course, things are not easy in the Big Easy but they are working hard at making things better.
Have you ever looked back at the experiences or people you met as the defining moment or spark that changed your life?
It’s important to venture beyond our computer monitors and explore the world or at least the world near you.
We let excuses get in our way. How about taking a day trip or spending an hour at the park?
You might say that money keeps you from traveling. I’m sensitive to that. You might try going to a cash-only budgeting system, earning money by freelance blogging, picking up some spare work, or creating a plan to travel.
Want to be inspired? Buy an airline ticket or hop in the car for a road trip and find a new adventure. You won’t regret it. I promise.
Feel free to leave a comment with your feedback.
My Vblog From OKC Covering Baylor Lady Bears In Sweet 16
Photos by Robert Rogers / Baylor Photography. This video was shot and edited on an iPhone 5 except for first three photographs.
9 Things To Do After A Conference
Jay F. Hicks and Heath Nielsen
I just finished up with CenTex New Media Conference 2013, and have a lot of things to do. After returning home to 576 unread emails and a bunch of voice messages, it’s time to get back to work.
As an attendee and speaker, I’ve developed a few helpful tricks and tips to avoid dropping the ball.
Here are a few of the things that I do after returning home.
1. Scan all business cards
I have a pile of cards to scan and enter into my mobile phone, database, and Gmail contacts. I use CardMunch to take a picture with the app which stores the contact information in my phone, and cross references LinkedIn to see if the contact has an active profile.
For the time being, only iPhone users can utilize this app. I’m sure it will be available on other mobile devices in no time.
2. Connect Socially
I like to reach out to people I met. The speakers, the people who started following me during the conference. Find them on LinkedIn, Twitter, and possibly Facebook and talk to them.
3. Publish
We are all storytellers. We have photos, audio files and more to help share the story of our experience to help those who were unable to attend. I try to get all of my media uploaded and properly tagged so that the information can be easily found.
4. Write down three takeaways to implement
Present a conference summary to your co-workers, colleagues, peers..etc. Your network can benefit from your conference experience. Download some of the best slides, find the best tweets, and add in a couple videos. You might think about creating a Storify.
5. Send thank you notes
Yes, I’m talking about snail mail. When I return home, I pick up 10 cards or so and send a quick personal thank you note to my new friends. It forces me to remember the people I’ve just met, but could also lead to some interesting opportunities, friends, partnerships, or collaborations.
6. Track business expenses
Within three days of attending a conference, I file an expense report or record the itemized costs including travel, parking/garage fees, food and all other expenses. I pull together the original itemized receipts to submit an expense report or to submit later for tax purposes.
7. Get Things Started
Take out the conference schedule, check your notes and for each session and write down one takeaway. Create an email and send that to yourself in one month.
8. Keep Your Promises
We’ll make it happen. “I’ll call you.” “I’ll send you that.” “Let me connect you with him.” Create a list to follow up on all the promises made throughout the conference.
9. Connect With Family
After spending nearly sun up and sun down in meetings with little access to telephone, I like connect with family members and friends.
What else is there to do? I’d love to hear what what you do in the comments section below.
The Most Amazing Moment of CenTex New Media 2013
Photo by Amanda Hill
You know what the amazing moment of CenTex New Media Conference 2013 was?
During the tech startup panel when Felicia Goodman and Steve Golab were talking about the web tech and nonprofit communities coming together to solve problems that nonprofits are having with upgrading their digital infrastructure by using social exchange in an unstructured environment.
About 75% of the room had an aha moment look on their face. In that instance they were beginning to grasp how to use digital tools to build better community and solve problems.
That’s huge. That’s amazing. When Gene Hall and I first talked about creating a conference in order to share ideas with other bloggers, online marketers, web designers, and entrepreneurs — that is the sort of thing we envisioned.
We wanted to create a place where people can learn from one another about blogging, websites, social media and other new media related subjects.
The theme for our first conference was Next Step and the sessions fit the theme well. We all shared things from personal branding, content plans, social media 101, ways of using websites to market your business and the responsive web. There wasn’t much talk about the healing qualities of social media and how it is a life altering thing, but there were plenty of takeaways. (more…)
Want to Build Your Personal Brand By Blogging: Start By Solving A Problem
How do you stand out in a sea of job applicants or companies competing for business with similar products and services?
Every year blogging has been pronounced dead since I took up the craft in 2006. The digital landscape may have changed, but blogging remains a powerful tool in building a bigger, stronger online brand.
Blogging is fairly simple. Begin looking at everything through the eyes of the user, audience, or those of your customer instead of your own. Next, start building an email list while writing content that provides solutions to your audience’s problems.
Be recognized as a expert in your field
Blogging has the power to change lives. Seth Godin was known to some, but writing his thoughts on a TypePad blog took him to another level. Today his books are widely successful, his blog posts get thousands of shares nearly everyday, and he is considered a marketing genius. Blogging took him from well known to expert. (more…)
5 Grammatical Mistakes That Make You Appear Unprofessional
Writing on the digital space for blogging, Facebook, Twitter, and other platforms requires a fun-to-read, conversational style.
That sometimes means violating the rules of proper grammar in order to connect with readers.
However, sloppy writing will make you look bad, and sometimes a small mistake can hurt your credibility.
Think Grammar Mistakes Don’t Matter?
British web entrepreneur Charles Duncombe has proved grammar and spelling mistakes can cost websites business. Dumcombe told the BBC News that “an analysis of website figures shows a single spelling mistake can cut online sales in half.”
You don’t want potential clients to be turned off by what appears to be a lack of attention to detail or lack of professionalism. (more…)
My 3 Words For 2013: Inspired by Chris Brogan
I have long ago given up New Year’s Resolutions. For me, 2012 was a really good year.
The other day I read Chris Brogran’s post My 3 Words for 2012. He recommends a plan for achieving your 2013 goals that involves chosing three words to help define your goals and experiences for the coming year. Sort of setting a theme for the year.
I love this challenge, and I want to share my 3 words for 2013 with you: Systems.Cultivate.Share (more…)
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