05 Feb 09 Using social media for a job search | Rachel Levy – Boston marketing pro (social networking, Twitter)

I initially started this blog as a resource for myself.  As I read and consume content that I think would be worthwhile sharing, I often consider it in that frame of reference.

Such is the case with this jewle  jewel from Rachel Levy:

Using social media for a job search | Rachel Levy – Boston marketing pro (social networking, Twitter).

Tags: job search, linkedin, rachel levy, social media, twitter

13 May 08 Utterz from the Road – Making your own opportunities

09 Jan 08 Show confidence without being arrogant

I was motivated to write this post from reading an article on Monster about Ten Tech Interview Errors. Specifically, I noticed the following passage from the article:

Too many techies come across as arrogant in interviews, says Sean Chou, CTO of Fieldglass, a software technology company. “A lot of techies are very talented, but what comes out is arrogance,” he says.

Confidence is desirable, not arrogance. Arrogance suggests “they can’t be a team player,” Chou notes.

So I posed the following question on Twitter earlier:

What ways can you show confidence without it coming across as arrogance?

I could have clarified that I was looking with respect to an interview situation, but I preferred asking an open-ended question (i.e., without context), just to see what the responses would have been. Here are some of the responses so far, again to my open-ended question:

• matthewebel Not breaking into a cold sweat when some director asks you to make a pass at iJustine.
• mindofandre I always like to attribute my knowledge due to the fact that others have helped me learn. You haven’t come this far without others.
• TheSatch I think a key for me is being willing to point to and discuss my own flaws, sometimes seriously and sometimes with humor.
• CollinDouma Best way to show confidence over arrgnc. Listen first, ask 3 questions for each of theirs + Hold your cool when “they” are proved wrong.
• jasonalba research the word “assertive” … that might have what you are looking for. very powerful.
• tonysteward 1. Never offer criticism without a prepared solution 2. Arrogance makes someone unreasonable – be reasonable. 3. Confidence doesn’t need everyone to agree – arrogance demands it or villianizes.
• fairminder state your opinion as fact and support it with an example from your experience. Quote other experts – birds of a feather…
• steveames One way is to be quiet – in other words, don’t try to show confidence. Just exude it…
• markbaars You need to KNOW that you’re confident, that people like you and that you can do whatever you want + KNOW that you’re NICE
• Sourcerer be the one to greet and make others comfortable at meeting/event, also witty self-deprecation goes a long way
• RichBecker Relevant stories play better than laundry lists.

What do you think? What are some ways to show confidence, or as Jason Alba put it, assertiveness, without it being perceived as arrogance?

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Check out my other blogs:
Daniel Johnson, Jr.
Journey Inside My Mind Blog
Journey Inside My Mind Podcast
QuotesBlog
Twitter.com/danieljohnsonjr

Related tags: getthatjob, get+that+job, job+hunt, job+search, career+advice, networking, professional+development, daniel+johnson+jr

03 Jan 08 Tech Job Aggregator on Twitter

Do you use Twitter? You might know that I’m an avid user of it. I just noticed this tech job aggregator, which has a presence on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Joblighted

Also, if you’re into Ruby on Rails, you might want to consider following http://twitter.com/rornews

—–
Check out my other blogs:
Daniel Johnson, Jr.
Journey Inside My Mind Blog
Journey Inside My Mind Podcast
QuotesBlog
Twitter.com/danieljohnsonjr

Related tags: getthatjob, get+that+job, job+hunt, job+search, career+advice, networking, twitter, daniel+johnson+jr, joblighted, ruby+on+rails

29 Oct 07 Craigslist Job Seeker Killed

I firmly believe in using social media and new media tools in our job searches; tools like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Craigslist. These and several others make it easier than ever to connect with people.

Having said that, we still need to be careful, as Steven Rothberg from College Recruiter.com mentions:

Front page news in the Minneapolis newspapers over the past couple of days has been the killing of Katherine Ann Olson. While any murder is tragic, this one is noteworthy to employers and job seekers alike because it appears to be related to the victim’s use of Craiglist to find a nanny position.

Ms. Olson was looking for a nanny job. She had successfully used Craigslist before and so searched it again. She found an ad of interest responded. She told her roommate that she was going to meet the family from the ad. After she didn’t come home, police initiated a search and found her dead in the trunk of her car at a park in Burnsville, Minnesota late Friday night.

I believe in the power of meeting up face-to-face with others, but I also strongly believe that these meetings must occur in public places like food courts at shopping malls or coffee shops, especially when meeting up for the first time.

What about you? What do make of all this? Join the conversation below.

Update: Craigslist scam avoidance tips

Related tags: getthatjob get+that+job job+hunt job+search career+advice networking collegerecruiter daniel+johnson+jr steven+rothberg katharine+ann+olson

DiversityJobs.com has thousands of jobs from employers committed to diversity.

29 Jun 07 Test drive your dream job

This is interesting. One of my Twitter friends told me to check out Vocation Vacations.

Related tags: getthatjob get+that+job job+hunt job+search career+advice networking daniel+johnson+jr twitter vocation+vacations

26 Jun 07 Career strategies for using MySpace, Facebook and other social networking sites

I’ve listened to Peter Clayton‘s interview with Steven Rothberg two days in a row, because it’s got me thinking about my own career strategies for using social networking sites, as well as my portfolio blog. You need to listen to this, too.

From the shownotes at TotalPicture.com:

Did you know that MySpace is the 3rd most visited U.S. website and that the average age of a MySpace user is 35? Check out this interview, which covers an overview of CollegeRecruiter.com, and an in-depth analysis – from a career strategy perspective – of MySpace, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Second Life.

Click on the player to hear the 39-minute interview:

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Alternate links that get you the content:

• Direct download (mp3) from the Total Picture Radio site
• Total Picture Radio shownotes
• Odeo audio page
• PodShow+

Related tags: getthatjob get+that+job job+hunt job+search career+advice networking professional+development daniel+johnson+jr

Find thousands of Bilingual jobs at LatPro.com.

25 Jun 07 Ron Hittle inspired me with one sentence

“To touch the soul of another human being is to walk on holy ground.” – Stephen R. Covey, via QuotesBlog

I met Ron Hittle about 3-1/2 years ago at a career workshop at Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio. I remember that it was an encouraging and inspiring time for me, since I was really struggling for direction in my career. The encounter and events since then have showed me how powerful connecting with one person can positively affect another.

That year I also met a recruiter in the Dayton area, and we’ve exchanged e-mails and phone conversations over the past three years or so, having become part of each other’s professional network.

She mentioned early on that I must have met Ron Hittle.

“How did you know that?” I asked.

“From then ending of your voicemail message,” she replied. “I do that, too.”

Imitation, it’s been said, is the sincerest form of flattery. This recruiter and I at different times had adopted Ron’s way of closing a message as our own.

It’s a little bittersweet that I share all of this, because a few moments ago, she called me to say that Ron Hittle passed away this weekend. He’d retired some time ago and had been dealing with some health issues, but it still came suddenly. My thoughts and prayers go up to the family, as well as those who knew Ron well. He will surely be missed.

As I mentioned, I didn’t know Ron that well, but he left a lasting impression on me just from one statement from his voicemail message, because it points to my own ability to do something about my life versus letting something happen.

If you’ve received an email from me or have heard me sign off on my mostly music podcast, you probably already know what I’m about to say.

Most people I know usually end a conversation by saying, “Have a great day!”

Ron Hittle would say, “Make it a great day!”

Thanks, Ron. I think I will.

Related tags: getthatjob get+that+job job+hunt job+search career+advice networking professional+development daniel+johnson+jr ron+hittle sinclair+community+college

Find information on Diversity recruiting at DiversityJobs.com.

14 May 07 Happy Birthday JibberJobber!

I just found out from Jason Alba that tomorrow is the first birthday of JibberJobber, a career toolset used by many – including yours truly – to manage aspects of a job search and networking relationships. I have yet to delve into the unchartered territories within the tool, but I have to say that it is EXCELLENT for managing the minute details of a job search.

If you haven’t yet checked it out, click on the link on the sidebar. You certainly get a lot with a free membership; with the premium membership you naturally get more.

Update: Jason wrote a bit about the birthday on the JibberJobber Blog.

Related tags: getthatjob get+that+job job+hunt job+search career+advice networking jibberjobber daniel+johnson+jr jason+alba

27 Mar 07 Job Searching vs Career Management

Jason wrote a great article about changing the way we approach job searching and career management:

I frequently think about how we think of our job transitions – we are supposed to have lots of them during our career.

I’m completely intrigued by the people who have forgotten what a forced transition is like, or by those that feel totally secure in their job (or their ability to find a new job) – and their reactions to a “job search.”

I’m finding that Career Management was easier when I was looking for work. Now that I’m working, it’s harder and harder for me to stay in that mindset. I’m spending more time thinking about projects at work than my own career management.

But I try to do a little bit every day to manage my career, whether it’s setting up a lunch appointment with a friend, or use my LinkedIn URL as I comment on this and many other posts. I also maintain a portfolio blog. I also look for other ways to share what I’m learning about career management.

I don’t want to be misled into a false sense of job security. Right now work is going strong, but I still need to keep my eyes on the big picture.

What practical things do you do every day to manage your career?

Related tags: getthatjob get+that+job job+hunt job+search career+advice networking professional+development daniel+johnson+jr career+management jibberjobber