This book was interesting to me because it presents information from the hiring side of the table. The authors spoke to 35 hiring managers from Fortune 500 companies to learn how social media and online technology is influencing their hiring strategy. The authors mention that many more professionals were invited to participate but opted-out stating the technology was too new for them to have specific guidance to offer just yet. So it goes to show it’s not too late to start building your professional brand online, since companies are still learning too!

The book begins by defining personal brand and how to do company research, then on to creation of a resume that hiring professionals will want to see; all the while providing relevant quotes from hiring managers. The importance of continual, proactive networking and how to do it is a theme running through the entire book. The authors also cover applicant tracking systems and emphasize keyword importance. Next, they walk you through creating a LinkedIn profile and an effective social networking strategy. The authors present valuable insider information that will be directly applicable to your job search.

I recommend this book. You can find it on Amazon.com. Also, see the Facebook page.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of “The Web 2.0 Job Finder” by Brenda Greene and Coleen Byrne. I received no other compensation for this review.

The Get Hired Bootcamp team is providing a free webinar on “Keys To A Successful Job Search” (affiliate link) this week and I’m helping to spread the word. This bootcamp will be helpful for people who are currently job hunting and want to speed up their search to get an offer quicker.

Looking for work is a skill. There are things you can learn to increase your chances.

• Skills to make it easier to target a good job.
• Skills to handle the interview.
• Skills to network to find the hidden jobs.
• Skills to position yourself as the top candidate.
• Skills to negotiate your salary.

I just listened in on one of the free webinars myself and there are several things I like about this bootcamp format.

1. The Get Hired Bootcamp sessions are all presented via webinar with each session recorded and transcripts provided too.
2. They have developed a nice curriculum plan to hit the essentials within 3 weeks time with access to the VIP area for 3 months after registering.
3. Many of the experts that will be presenting are human resource professionals and recruiters so they can share how they work when filling an open position.
4. There will be Q&A time after each call so you can have the experts address your specific situation.
5. They offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee which you will see near the bottom of the page and hear more about during the free webinar.

Job search is a vulnerable time. Fears and worries can fill the mind and bring energy and confidence levels down big-time. It is a critical time to control your focus! Here are a few things to remember to keep it all in perspective.

• Know that you are worthy of acceptance and belonging just as you are.
• Embrace the vulnerability. Job search is a part of life for most people. Face it with the courage to be yourself.
• Develop empathy which is essential in order to be liked by others…and being liked is essential to being hired.
• Catch yourself if you begin catastrophizing then proceed with a knowing that all will work out.

I ran across this post from Hunter Edwards recently. It contains particularly relevant information for people looking to get hired in the accounting field. The reason it caught my eye though, is that it is a fine example of a special report. You could create something similar for your portfolio where you identify a relevant question for your industry, conduct the research, and write it up.

Video inspired by this narrative written by Barbara Zarrella and reprinted here with permission.

Power
Just saying the word emits force. The emphasis on the first syllable, the way your mouth has to round out to form the word, the way the air pushes the word out into sound.

Power is everywhere. Consider the commercial airliner. Remember the thrust that pushes you into your seat on take-off. Think of how many people are riding with you. This huge craft can be lifted into the air by a single person! That’s power.

Power
Coveted since the beginning of time. Two generals standing in a battlefield posturing. One points to one of his men and requests that he fight and defend though it may mean certain death. That soldier runs brave and mighty to fulfill that task. The other general retreats. That’s power.

Power
Nature at her best. See the dark clouds, smell the cool dampness in the breeze. Take mental inventory of loved ones. Are they home? Safe? Check around the estate. Pick up, put away, tie down, close up. The soft dance of raindrops begin followed by battering hail, then the sound of a train. All of a sudden it is quiet and sunny as if nothing happened. The splinters and broken glass prove the devastation. That’s power.

Power
The miracle of new life. The anticipation of a new human being forming in the womb. Old life is changing forever. So many goals, so many plans, so many decisions, so many surprises. How could such a tiny creature hold our entire soul in its grasp? Nothing can match the power of a child standing with open arms looking at you. A tiny voice says “up”. That’s power.

If you are thinking of starting a publicly viewable blog, you have a few important decisions to make. I will sum them up here an add my opinion along the way.

Self-hosted vs Free

Self-hosted requires some money to start. There is a less expensive way and a more expensive way. WordPress.org with one of their recommended hosts will cost around $85/year. A less expensive way is to use Blogger.com and buy a domain name through them for $10/year and it will still be hosted for free.

You’ll need to decide on a domain name too. You can use your name or something clever or catchy. I like to see people use their own name for personal blogging so it becomes a hub and electronic portfolio for their online presence. Choose that route if you intend to maintain a professional presence online with your new blog.

One reason to consider a different name is if you are wanting to build a community around a certain topic. Then you need a keyword in your site name. The free Google Keyword Tool is helpful in that case. For brainstorming self-hosted site names check out NameBoy.com and InstantDomainSearch.com.

Free blogging is available too and takes about 5 minutes to get started. The biggies are Blogger.com or WordPress.com. Both are very good options. I suggest you check both sites, see blogs build with each, and see which appeals to you most. I do think of WordPress.com has having better potential to grow with you but that may be just my personal bias. I have used both platforms though.

Comments or Not?

A blog doesn’t have to have comments turned on. Many people love having comments though because the feedback or interaction is important to them.

I usually do not take comments on my blogs mainly because I have no interest in moderating them, but also I like to encourage people to set up their own blog. There are a few reasons I think it is good for people to have their own blog.

1. It helps you develop your online presence and personal brand.
2. It encourages learning about online technology.
3. You don’t need permission to say what you would like to say (many blog owners moderate the comments that come in deciding who gets through and who doesn’t).
4. It helps you practice creating –which doesn’t only have to be done through writing…for example, you can have a blog of photos, you can have vlog (video blog), or you could have a audio blog (aka podcast).

The Rest of the Story

Even after you decide on the these initial choices there are still other decisions to make like deciding on the look of your blog and how to organize information. As you post to your blog, you’ll start developing your personal style which will happen as the process rolls along. Then you will need to decide on a posting schedule and topics to write about. There is a learning curve whatever route you choose but consider starting a blog to be the beginning of an adventure!

I began posting just once a month a few years ago on this blog and I can definitely recommend it as a low stress way to begin. If you want to start even smaller though, you can do microblogging with Twitter, Tumblr, or Posterous which are all easy and free.

A short summary of some successful CEOs who didn’t major in Business. Cool report!

September 2 was the last day of the 14 day waiting period before my account got deleted off Facebook. I must tell you, I unintentionally deleted my account in a not so graceful way.

Because I knew that it would take 14 days of no activity or logging in to Facebook to delete my account, I posted a status update saying goodbye to my Facebook friends, and that it has been fun, and where they can find me online. I got a couple of quick responses from people who wanted to know why I was leaving. I responded by saying I felt herded around by Facebook leadership and that their unethical way of defaulting new features to on was irritating me. I also provided a link on how to delete your Facebook account without having to run the gauntlet

Little did I know that although there’s a 14 day waiting period, my Facebook profile was instantly withdrawn from view of my connections. So basically, to them it could look I “unfriended” them. Yikes! That was not my intention at all. I realize many, if not most, of my connections will not notice but it feels like bad etiquette anyway.

So if you decide to delete your Facebook account, you may want to consider leaving a goodbye in a status update, or sending it in a Facebook note, or otherwise mentioning it to friends off Facebook to fill them a few days or a week before you actually schedule your account for deletion.

I gotta tell you, I’m very pleased with Flavors.me for putting an electronic portfolio together. It was easy, it’s pretty, and you can get it on your own domain with a little extra work. Take a look at mine for an example, SteviePuckett.com. Other than just the front page, it is bringing in content that I have already created with my blogs and social media…wowza! It makes a nice impression for hiring managers and networking, don’t you think?

If you decide to put one together, please Tweet Me the link. I’d love to take a look and give you a pat on the back. Go for it!

Carole Martin, The Interview Coach, recently had a free teleseminar that I attended. I have known Carole for a few years. As usual she is producing high quality info to help people win interviews. I wanted to share a few highlights from the call and mention the products on her website. This is not an affiliate link, I just love to share high quality info when I find it.

Teleseminar Highlights

• Prepare a short bio. Call your voicemail and record it. Wait a couple days then listen to it with fresh ears and critique yourself then make changes where needed.
• Remember: as soon as you say something in the interview, you open the door for the interviewer to go through and ask you to prove what you said. Be prepared with an inventory of stories from your personal experience to use as examples and proof.
• Leave your modesty at home and bring your heart to the interview. They want to get to know your style and personality.