3 Ways to Stand by Your Brand

In previous blog posts I have discussed the importance of personal branding and establishing your presence online. Once your personal brand is created, it is very important that you support your brand by doing what you can professionally to make sure it is seen and recognized.

1. Promote yourself. After all, if you are not going to support your brand, who will? For example, once you have created your blog, use your other social media sites to publicize it. Also if you post somewhere else and you have something meaningful to say related to your brand, don’t do so namelessly! You want to spread familiarity about yourself as a brand. However, don’t just plug shamelessly on someone else’s site. Be strategic about communicating about your personal brand.

2. Stay true to your brand. Keeping things consistent is key. Recently I read a great post about finding your niche in blogging and I could not agree more. Once you begin advocating yourself as an aficionado on certain topics, you need to stick with them. For example, if you have branded your blog as a food and fashion source then regularly writing about these subjects are important. This will build credibility within your brand.

3. Stability in all social media. This sort of echoes my last point, but apply consistency not only to your blog, but also your Twitter, online portfolio and so on. Connect and network with professionals who are experts in the same topics you have come to associate with your brand. Retweet and post articles that are related to your personal brand. This will not only represent you as credible, but also help create awareness about your brand.

What are some other things you would recommend doing to support your personal brand?

Healthcare or Health Crisis?

Quick, name the country that spends the most money on healthcare yet is ranked 50th in terms of their average life expectancy. Give up? It’s the U-S of A, and while we often boast of being the best at nearly everything from sports to our armed services, we drop the ball at the goal line in the healthcare game and have continued to do so for longer than most care to admit.

Universal healthcare may in fact not be the answer to the crisis, but with more than 40 million people uninsured and rising by the year, a solution needs to be obtained in the very near future.

The price of doing nothing and letting the prices of our premiums and continued domination of insurance agency over their consumers is simply too much to bear as a soon-to-be recent graduate and eventual provider for a family. While those of us who sit comfortably on our parents’ payrolls flip through the channels ignoring the latest on Capitol Hill and failed execution of tireless pieces of legislation get stalled on the floor due to egos and stubbornness, millions and millions continue to suffer the consequences.

There is simply no reason why we should be spending 1/6 of our economy on healthcare and spending more to stay alive then provide for ourselves. S,o as President Obama called out the insurance agencies in a spirited and invigorating address on Monday (Clip of Obama Health Care Address in Glenside, PA), so too will I call out Congress.

This is a call to Congress: Just because you can put a suit and tie on everyday does not  mean you can always effectively determine what the nation “wants.” Sometimes, it takes the whispers of many to make a giant yell by a selected few. Please, be the change that we as citizens of this great nation so desperately deserve.

While the majority of us are sailing the waters of unemployment leading up to post-graduation, obtaining affordable healthcare is just another unfortunate tidal wave that stands in our way of starting the rest of our lives.

If you want to learn more about the health insurance process, and how you as a soon-to-be graduate can benefit from knowledge provided by others, than I urge you to purchase a copy of Heather’s e-book.

One-Stop Shopping? No, Thank You

These days, online job boards may seem like a great way to find a job. Hey, they’re one-stop shopping for every available job, right?

Job boards like Monster.com or CareerBuilder.com might seem appealing because you can search for jobs, submit your resume and complete your application all in an hour while you are still updating your Facebook status, Twitter status and checking the scores of your favorite sports team, while sitting in your sweatpants.

The problem? In all likelihood, you won’t be doing your job while simultaneously managing your social network. You shouldn’t approach your job search like something you vaguely pay attention to while doing other things. This is not that lecture class you would drag yourself to, but spent the period surfing online and doing the Sudoku in the paper.

I will admit, I fell victim to this way of searching during my own job hunt. And though I tried not to, I often did the Sudoku during Dr. King’s psychology class. The point? Your job search cannot be a one-stop shop. Sure, Monster.com can aggregate a lot of job openings into one place, but this is most certainly not every job available. In fact, the postings on Monster make up only a very small fraction of all the available jobs. According to a recent article in The Economist, a job posting on Monster.com averages about 1,000 applicants. That’s just the average. No recruiter wants or has time to read even a fraction of those.

Job boards may be a good place to start your search, you can read company profiles, learn a little bit about the company make up, but they are certainly not the only place to look. More than that, you probably will not be satisfied with a job that you merely found out of convenience in between doing other things.

Remember, Come Recommended is NOT a job board. Come Recommended users need to have at least three recommendations to have access to its content. When an employer looks at your candidate profile on Come Recommended, he can see your complete profile, your achievements, your work history, and the recommendations from your previous employers. Used correctly, your Come Recommended profile is a complete digital resume. It goes beyond that polished, tailored piece of paper that you are sending out and helps employers see a more robust you.

The other Come Recommended interns will agree with me that the best way to conduct your job search is to make use of all of your resources. Make sure you count your Come Recommended profile as one of them.

Don’t Be Afraid to Specialize

I recently read an excellent book by Seth Godin titled, “Purple Cow.” After reading it, I thought the strategies Godin describes could definitely be applied to job seekers. Godin explains that it is important to become so niche to the organization that you cannot be replaced. Now all I want to do is become a purple cow.

I am interested in healthcare and hoping to utilize my sector knowledge in conjunction with my public relations training at Georgetown to give value to one of my target organizations. Many people have told me it is important to be an integrated communications professional and keep my skill set broad, because for junior-level professional is it important to be able to move around within the organization. Other mentors have told me to find my own niche and specialize in that area in order to be an expert in that sector.

In my research, I have found that working for a small office will allow me to become a “jack of all trades,” while larger offices will require that I am more specialized with niche sectors in mind. Either way, I think it is important for all job seekers to keep in mind that it is important to mold your transferable skills and sector knowledge around your prospective or current target organizations. I found this concept of molding skills around an organization very interesting. For example, I have sector knowledge, language skills, and banking experience — and it’s all about how I package this for my prospective employers.

5 Things to Do Before Graduation

As I’ve said before, I’m finally taking my last semester of classes. This has made me realize I have a lot to think about before I feel like I’m “prepared” for the real world. Graduates this coming May or December need to be especially ready when it comes to looking for a job because there’s a lot of competition out there. A few things I would suggest to be ready for job seeking:

1. Get your network in order. I have been making a point to save contact information for everyone I have worked with or become friends with in my last few years at college. It seems trivial, especially with everyone having Facebook in our generation. But if they delete their account or change their phone number, how will you get ahold of them? I suggest requesting connections with these people on LinkedIn and Twitter, just to be safe.

2. Prepare your resume, cover letter and portfolio. This isn’t emphasized enough in classes, in my opinion. Make sure to keep track of everything you have accomplished throughout your school career and get your resume in order. Have a generic cover letter ready, but be sure to tailor it to each job you apply for. And start saving anything done in internships, classes or volunteer work for your portfolio.

3. Decide on what you really want to do. If your major is pretty broad, make sure you have an idea of what specific type of job you want after graduation, and why. Don’t just go into it with an “I’ll-take-what-I-can-get” attitude. Also, have you had experience in this area? Be sure to try out a few niches until you know it’s something you enjoy.

4. Get as much experience as you can. Volunteer to help an organization with something you’re good at. Participate in internships (yes, even if they are unpaid).

5. Know where you want to live. Are you moving home for a semester or two? Where do you want to live afterward? I would suggest looking at housing costs and typical salaries in your ideal area. That way, you know whether it is feasible to move there, or you would be better off staying somewhere with lower costs until you have saved enough.

Ask for Help

It’s no wonder that so many job hunters are becoming increasingly frustrated with the search. According to this New York Times article, only 3-5 percent of jobs are found online. When I read that, my heart sank. That’s primarily how I have been looking! I know a lot of my peers have been searching this way also. So what are we to do now?

First of all, do not stress and do not give up. If you continue to read the article, you will discover that while it is extremely difficult to find jobs online, it is not impossible. You are going to have to do some serious work. For example, if you see this on a company Web site, “For employment opportunities please contact careers@thiscompany.com,” don’t just settle for that. I learned this by asking for help from my internship supervisor, Heather Huhman.

Heather confirmed my questions about going out of your way to contact an actual person at the company. This goes back to the idea of “doing your homework” and researching. I really cannot stress the importance of this, as it will make you stand out from the rest of your peers inquiring about a job with the same company.

The point of this post is to really emphasize the point of asking for help during the job search. Just as I asked Heather for help on how to contact prospective employers, I have also turned to my peers, co-workers and professors for help, too. In regards to my resume, I asked all of the previously mentioned people for their opinion. Lucky for me, I work as the student publicity assistant for Career & Academic Planning on campus, so I have experts on resumes around me when I am working. Visit your on campus career and academic advising office, they can be an excellent resource for help with resumes.

Another thing to ask for help with is networking. You might not think you know anyone in your chosen career field, but it just might happen that your mother’s friend has a cousin that works for a company you would love to work for. Ask people you know to introduce you to people they know that can help you. Sometimes weak ties can land you in that interview room quicker than someone you have known for a long time.

How have you asked for help in your job search? Do you have any advice on asking for assistance when you need it?

Spend Your Summer Campaigning

Still without a summer internship or career opportunity? Consider joining a statewide Congressional or Senate campaign, where a world of opportunities can open to you.

Working on a political campaign can be everything from exhilarating to exhausting to frustrating to thrilling — and everything in between. Looking for a crash course in politics? No better place than to start with a campaign. Even if you do not find yourself among the politically persuaded, working on a campaign is a tremendous line on any resume and provides a fantastic opportunity to gain experience in any field or to hone one’s skills.

Young students and recent graduates can turn their experiences/volunteer work into a paid position upon learning basic office skills, public relations skills, and negotiation tactics, among a myriad of other things.

Every two years in between Presidential election years are what are known as “midterm” elections, where essentially every House Representative office is up for grabs, and some Senate seats. 2010 is considered by many to be one of the most pivotal mid elections in recent memory because of the political turmoil, disgust, and attention that has arisen out of Washington, D.C. since President Obama’s election. Additionally, state governor’s races are always worth looking into.

Be aggressive, do your job well, and continue to expand your network with whomever you come in contact with and reap the benefits no matter how successful (or not) the candidate you find yourself working for ends up being. Win or lose, the knowledge, skills, and abilities you walk out the door with will be what last with you the longest.

Hot List of 2010 Campaigns:

Check here for a full list of the most up-to-date polls of the hottest races for primary seats and November elections.

Keep Your Social Activities Up Outside the Classroom

You’ve read the blog posts, the advice, and you know the drill — you need to engage in meaningful activities while you are still in school and network with people in your field of choice.

When you are no longer in school, these activities may be a little more difficult. Since I have been home, going to a job fair means I have to factor in driving and parking, as opposed to walking across campus. Because I went away to school, socializing and networking requires a little extra effort.

Most cities have sports activities or volunteer groups for young professionals. I highly recommend joining. I just sent in my deposits for both the Baltimore Sports and Social Club and the Baltimore Kickball League. This was a big step. I had to join by myself and I am not athletic, so flag football could potentially be embarrassing.

But participating in a sports team is useful, even in a job hunt. For one, it gives you an excuse to do physical activity outside of the gym. For another, joining a team gives you a new network of friends and young professionals across the city. Not only are you making new friends, but you are going to be in direct contact with people who can provide you with new leads and even information about possible career paths.

If you are like me, taking part in these activities is a little troublesome. I went to school six hours from home, and I grew to enjoy the comfort of my new “school family.” These friends are no longer in the area, so being a social butterfly requires me to do some extra work. It is not impossible, but it does mean I have to swallow my fear and put myself out on the line.

Don’t forget, being engaged in your community and with people your own age doesn’t stop when you leave the comfort of campus.

Remember to Engage Your Job References

I recently read a very interesting article regarding references, and two thoughts immediately struck me:

1) Why is this step of finding the right reference(s) often overlooked by job candidates?
2) Why are we forgetting our manners when seeking help?

References may influence your placement within the company or even compensation:

Candidates spend hours attending networking events, revamping their resumes, personalizing their cover letters and yet such a crucial aspect of the job search process is so often overlooked. Why? References have insights on your work ethic, professional conduct and academic abilities. These people can strongly influence your future position within a company.

Not only is it mandatory to have strong professional references, but many mentors have also encouraged me to know what these references would say when called by an employer. It is no longer enough to have consent from someone that they will be your reference. It is now crucial that candidates ask smart and proactive questions to discover what in fact these references would say about them! Worst nightmare for a job-seeker: choosing the wrong reference!

But, don’t forget your manners:

Once you have found the perfect reference, remember to remember your manners. A simple gesture can mean so much. I think job seekers are so engaged in the entire search process that they sometimes forget their manners. So, this is just a reminder from a fellow job seeker to another to always demonstrate gratitude for the career help and advice that you receive. Whether you receive advice from a friend, family member, employer, professor or mentor, it is still important to say “thanks.”

This step is crucial to differentiate yourself in the mind of that individual. Plus, they will probably be more willing to continue helping you in the future if you remember your manners. I know our generation is immersed in the Internet age, where digital and mobile technologies allow us to stay connected at fast rates, but forgetting to say courtesies such as “please” and “thank you” are simply non-negotiable.

That being said, I am so thankful for my professors, friends and family, current and past employers, and careers mentors who continue to inspire me and provide me with guidance and valuable insight.

Tags: mentors, references

When Are You Most Productive?

Lately, I’ve been reading a lot of posts with tips about working from home. Many emphasize that you need to work when you are most productive, although how many people actually know when that is?

Are you a night owl? Do you enjoy waking up early and getting things done? These are all factors in your productivity if you are going to work from home.

I’m not a morning person. I learned that quickly when I first started college and scheduled my classes from 9 a.m. to 11. a.m. everyday. I was half-awake for the first class, and not much better for the next. So the next semester, I decided to take classes in the afternoon. This way I was able to wake up, shower and eat some breakfast — and actually BE awake for my classes. It worked out a lot better.

But, there are some drawbacks  to the flexibility. A lot of people still work “normal hours” and it may be hard on your social life if you decide to do all of your work at night (because that’s potentially other people’s free time).

As James Chartrand says in his post on Freelance Switch:

“Be prepared for your productive hours to be scattered all over the day in little bits and chunks. This isn’t just likely – it’s almost guaranteed. Very, very few people can actually work productively for a solid eight-hour block, freelancers or no. Don’t fool yourself that you’re above being human like everyone else.”

In the end, do what works best for you. Working from home definitely takes some getting used to. Many people have to experiment with their schedules until they fall into a comfortable routine.

When are you most productive? Do you have a routine when you work from home?