Career Goddess

Turn Social Networking into Real Friends and Real Dollars

Social networking and social media are all the rage for connecting with others - for career development, business growth, personal branding, and just plain fun! But not everyone was born with the "Social Networking" Rosetta Stone. There are a few folks (like moi) who could use a jumpstart in networking effectively and with panache.

Voila! Plan on attending the Reach Branding Club's February teleseminar "Some Assembly Required: How to Make, Grow, and Keep Your Business Relationships" with Thom Singer on February 21, 2008 at 12 noon EST. You will learn the answers to such burning questions as:

• What's the difference between networking and making connections?
• How can I fit developing real relationships into my already busy life?
• What are the elements of a memorable thank-you note?
• How can I keep track of everyone and what makes them so special?
• Is there any way to turn this "networking" into real dollars?

Just FYI - Thom is a business development / networking / professional speaking guru and author of two books on the power of business networking and relationships. With an active Some Assembly Required blog and BlogTalkRadio show that attracts high-caliber speakers, Thom is definitely into communicating his personal brand and value proposition with style and sincerity.

For a taste of Thom's musings, check out his recent blog posts on Manufacture Your Own Luck (Tip#56 of 66 Tips to Better Networking) and I>U...not in the on-line social media world! where he says:

The world is flat. We are all just people trying to make our own way on this big blue ball. I=U...but I+U=Infinite Possibilities!!!

Now that should be the tagline for the socially connected! Anyone for a T-shirt?

Online Identity and Personal Branding for Career Advancement

The notion of online identity management, personal branding, and social media as tools for career success is making ever-growing inroads in academia and career counseling. Note the recent Careers Conference 2008 with a theme of "Preparing for a Lifetime of Change", which was hosted by The Center for Education and Work, part of the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin.

This 22nd annual 2-day conference featured Penelope Trunk, author of The Brazen Careerist:The New Rules for Success, as a keynote speaker (among others). Called "a cookbook for hacking the corporate work world" by Wired Magazine, The Brazen Careerist turned traditional ideas about career advice upside down. Her message on the new rules for career success was greeted with enthusiasm by a packed assemblage of nearly 1,000 career counselors from colleges, technical institutes, universities, high schools, workforce development, and state employment and training job centers.

At this same conference, my presentation on "Online Identity Management for Job Search and Career Success" brought rave reviews from academic and career counselors. Their interest in the new Web 2.0 concepts for career management bodes well for their students' (and their own) success.

I have been speaking about online identity management for job-search and self-marketing for several years as evidenced, for example, by my blog posting "Personal Branding on High Octane (July 2006). In this post I cited a job seeker who created a blog that used to be called "WhyProvoLabsWantstoHireCarolynnDuncann" to "WhyProvoLabsIsHiringCarolynnDuncan" for self-promotion to a targeted employer. Not only did she attain the job at her employer of choice, she also transitioned this blog to her own domain name Carolynn Duncan immediately after being hired. Smart move! Have you claimed your domain name yet?

Here's someone else who has: Kate Herrick. Cited as the January 08 You Get It Winner:Kate Herrick by Jason Alba of JibberJobber, Kate's website and online brand demonstrate the incredible effectiveness of online self-marketing for job-search purposes when done well.

For additional resources on online identity management, personal branding, and the new social media for career advancement, check out the following:

• Online ID Calculator  This online tool, created by William Arruda and Kirsten Dixson, generates your online ID score or Google quotient. Can you be found online? Is the content really about you? Is it favorable? Would a potential employer or recruiter want to call you in for an interview based on what was found?

• The New Rules of Viral Marketing: A Word-of-Mouse Success Story by David Meerman Scott, an online thought leadership and viral marketing strategist and the author of three books on marketing. In particular this e-book's chapter "A Resume? Or an E-book?" is intriguing for using the new rules of online identity and self-marketing to promote your credibility with potential employers.

• Effective Internet Presence, Now Required for Success in Business and Life by  Ted Demopoulos,a multi-published author on blogging and Internet visibility.

• Reach Branding Club founded by William Arruda, a pioneering leader in personal branding. Sign up for the monthly Teleseminar Series and explore the content-rich site for articles and Flash videos related to personal branding, online identity, and career and business advancement.