You have to watch this video to believe it.  It's all about technology.  The coolest part is that you don't have to be a cybersleuth to use it.  So dig in job hunters, and learn about the new big deal.  Our thanks to Jim and his guest John Dennehy, CEO of Zartis.  It's a great watch, so have fun.  Oh, and would you please leave me a comment and answer this question: what would you do if your dream job popped into your lap as you watched your favorite job Tweets?

Hire Friday - Where Job Seekers Convene

You’re Fired. Now What? Practical Steps To Career Recovery!

Hire Friday - Where Job Seekers Convene

The new Facebook Graph Search holds promise for job seekers and recruiters.  Facebook introduces the social graph search this month. Recruiters who use social media sites such as Facebook will have an opportunity like never before to search for candidates based on what the "friend" likes.  For instance, one will be able to search, "Friends who like java software development."  Job hunters can search for companies, and hiring managers, "Friends who like Proctor and Gamble."  Of course the new graph search will allow you to search for fun things too like "My friends who like dogs," or "friends who like American Idol."  

Consider this: Facebook has one billion members with interests as diverse as its participants.  Facebook Graph Search is still in beta.  I happened to sign up immediately.  You can sign up to be on a waiting list, and be one of the first to get access to this tool that phenomenal potential.  Here's what Wired Magazine said in their article, "Facebook's Bold, Compelling, and Scary Engine Of Discovery: The Inside Story Of Facebook's Graph Search."

The new social graph allows you to explore your friend's photos, and use simple specific phrases like "Photos my friends took in Florida".  You can find just about anything you want.  You can discover music, restaurants, and schools all via the people you know.   You can find what you are looking for through your friends, and their connections. That's not all.  Facebook is introducing a new look for the news feed for mobile and desktop computers.  I tried the graph search and found friends who live in my City, and friends who like cycling, and live in Cincinnati.  When I posted several articles on the topic, one of my friends commented, "been there, none of my friends like having fun".

 Of course, the first thing people worry about is their privacy.  Facebook allows you to control your privacy settings so that you can participate as much, or as little as you like.Personally, I want to find and be found.  That's the point of Facebook's Graph Search.  I am on Facebook for personal reasons, and I also am there for professional networking.  While looking for a job, the graph search can unfold endless possibilities.  Explore.

Every time Facebook makes changes, or introduces something new people who are not tech savvy grumble and complain.  People who worry about their privacy worry it will compromise their boundaries.  The fact remains that Facebook will continue to experiment, grow, and improve.  You may not like the changes at first, but in six months you probably won't remember what your objections were.  Explore Facebook's Graph Search, get on the waiting list, and get ready to move your career forward.

Hire Friday - Where Job Seekers Convene

Every now and then it makes sense to take a breather.  Social media is so pervasive, it can become a time sink.  Recently, I took a media break.  Chris Brogan discussed the issue in a post last year.  We can become social media saturated.  Think about it. We are constantly being bombarded with media online, and off. If you are interested in keeping your job search fresh, meet the people you build relationships with on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, Pinterest, and all those apps you love on your smart phone.

When you first take your foray into social media, it's fun exciting, interesting, and engaging.  You will make very close and dear friends in your industry.  With that said, watch your time.  Time management is essential in any career.  It is even more important if you are looking for work.    If you are spending all of your time online, and you aren't moving the relationships into real life, you could be missing the entire point. Meet people online, and then pick up the phone.  I've heard experts say, "The phone is the most social tool we have."  Social media and face to face networking go hand in hand.

A long time ago I wrote a post: "Don't be a friend and follower horder."  In that post, I confronted the issue.  Find people you want to meet that work at the companies where you want to work on a digital site.  Engage them in a conversation.  Invite them to be a LinkedIn contact.  Then if they are a local contact, and you've established a relationship on the social network of your choice, invite them to have coffee with you.   Offer them information that is relevant and helpful.  Always prove you can provide value to them.  Some people hate the term, "Hi, I'd like to pick your brain."  Don't do that.  Instead, let them know you've read their blog, and comment.  Curate their tweets.  Make sure before you ask them to be a LinkedIn contact that you've established a professional relationship.  Then go live!!!

Spend 20% of your time online, 20% engaging recruiters in your industry, 10% perusing job boards, and 50% networking live.  Attend professional associations.  Attend mixers that are not necessarily in your industry.  That way you can meet potential hiring managers verses your colleagues.  

When you use Twitter for instance, read what the people who work at one of your target companies writes about, and learn what they read, what they like, and what they don't like.  Then you have a basis for communication.  

Avoid social media over-saturation, and burn out.   Don't conduct a passive job search.  Don't just hit "apply to," and enter.  Do your research, and use job boards, and LinkedIn as a source of information.  That is only the beginning.  Make a list of target companies you'd like to work for, and conduct a social media audit of the company.  Then, go back to social media to find the contact that can lead you to a meeting.  

As my friend, Chris @Havrilla says: "read, call, email, call, meet, follow up, wait and follow up again.  Just make sure you time your follow up communication appropriately, and in alignment of your contact.  

If you get away from your computer screen, you will spend time doing the most important thing ever: meet face to face (or Skype) with the people who can hire you, move your career forward, and offer meaningful advice.

Hire Friday - Where Job Seekers Convene

(Go to google security protected image of "The Recruiting Animal Show).

A TWITTER PROFILE EITHER POSITION YOU AS AN OUTSTANDING THOUGHT LEADER.  IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO RUIN YOUR CAREER IF IT IS NOT DESIGNED, DEVELOPED, DELIVERED, AND MONITORED.

The Recruiting Animal has Twitter Profile instincts like very few people who are on the platform.  His instincts are spot on, whether you are a business person, or a job seeker, or a big 10 company brand, your Twitter profile can make you findable on the internet.  If crafted carefully, the findability factor make you visible to recruiters, thought leaders, and hiring managers, and customers. I'm a perfect case story for @AnimaI .  I hopped on Twitter in 2007 under the name of the petcare industry boutique that I owned.  I had the pleasure of listening to The Recruiting @Animal officially in 2008. @HRMargo

He's been a guest on my BlogTalkRadio, Compassionate HR And Social Media (give a listen to hear that interview) that I owned 2010-2012.  He's so charismatic listeners thronged to the show. In 2009, I won an AMMY on @Animal's weekly BlogTalkRadio Show.  I was named TwitterBug of the year.  Every year since then, I've won one if his fun, and coveted Ammy awards for thought leadership in the career professional, social media, and job search communities. Here's the truth: I didn't Tweet him until I wanted to change my career occupation, get back to my roots in human resources, and recruiting. Don't ask for help until you are ready to make significant changes.  You have to be ready to take advice and change when a leader like the recruiting animal taps you on the shoulder.

On this Twitter Profile, he says, "If You Are Sensitive, Don't Follow Me."  He tells it like it is, and in a very humorous way he's right.  @Animal was one of the first recruiters that had a blog, a blogtalkradio show, and Twitter Account.  He's galvanized a highly energized fan base in his industry.  I think the world of him not just as a colleague in our space, but as a true leader in changing people's opinions, perceptions, and action.   We've had fun arguing cases with one another back and forth over the years.   He's big, he's bold, he's a little bit snarky, and I happen to love his persona.   Now, I give your attention to this week's #HFChat Host The Recruiting @Animal.  

The Recruiting Animal Says:

My first Twitter Avatar.  I was prompted to trade it up for a professionally shot photo.  As a side note, when I attended the first #HREvolution conference in 2009, everybody recognized me when I showed up looking exactly as I did on Twitter.  People came up to me "Oh you're @HRMargo".   "Everybody should attend conferences dressed as their current @Twitter Avatar.  I did have very professional photos taken by @Fleurdeliegh.  There's a thousand things wrong with this photo, can you tell? My professional brand photo is consistent with my current blog, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn photo.  I've tested many pictures, I go with the one that works.  Consistency is and professionalism is important. I'm nostalgic about my first Twitter Avatar.  I still have Twitter Followers who tell me: "I really miss the hat".    A picture says a lot of words.  What is your Twitter Avatar saying about you?  Here's a peak at the Twitter Avatar I've been using for several years http://twitter.com/hrmargo  I have another branded photo that I've used in between then and now.  Take a peak at it here: http://twitter.com/Hire_Friday.

Hire Friday - Where Job Seekers Convene

Why? With every horror story, or frustration you share about the job search process there are thousands of career professionals that frequent our chat who can help you do a "work around," and transform the situation into a useful learning experience. I know, another "growth experience," right? That's the beauty of Twitter, the more you share the more answers you can get. I'm not structuring questions. Rather, I am broaching a topic. Not only will I empower you to share your fears and failures, I also empower you to share your success stories, your learning experiences. It is in this way we can learn and grow. When I started #HireFriday and #HFChat in 2010 our chats were a career question free for all. We've always had real super star thought leaders participate which was a real honor and blessing. In addition to creating job seeker classifies on the #HireFriday hashtag, We helped write their own career search tweets. Our first chats were unstructured topics, and questions based on the zeitgeist of the week. So, I'm thinking about getting back to our roots.

The chat is about you, your journey, your problems, and let's find ways we can help one another. This year we will still have some wonderful hosts like @FishDogs (Craig Fisher), Kevin W. Grossman , @JohnSumser, @JoanGinsberg, Annette Richmond and many more. However, you'll notice that I'll be hosting on a regular basis. I've learned a lot about developing a Twitter chat over the past 3 years. It is organic, and it grows naturally. We've learned from our successes and busts. I hope to get back to the basics, and simplify our chats so they are tailored to you, and meet your needs. So, please let me hear from you. Leave a comment and let me know what you'd like to discuss in the future.

Sincerely, Margo Rose, M.Ed., HRD Founder of HireFriday and HFChat

Hire Friday - Where Job Seekers Convene

Q1. Your LinkedIn profile must be at 100% complete. Everyone tells you this. But why?

Q2. There’s a simple way to increase the reach of your network: groups. Do you know how?

Q3. The similarities between your elevator speech & your LinkedIn profile: what are they?

Q4 Do you know the relationship between behavioral interview questions and your profile?

Q5. How does one tell others that one is on LinkedIn often?

Learning how to harness LinkedIn will help you in your job search, and Ed Han is a great resource.

You can reach Ed

on Twitter

blog: edmusesupon.wordpress.com

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/en/edmhan

Hire Friday - Where Job Seekers Convene

As the founder of #HFChat and #HireFriday, I’ve had time to reflect on the topics that resonate the most with career candidates. It is a new year, and each of us gets a blank slate. The question is what will we do with it?

For those who’ve suffered long-term unemployment, January can bring about the winter blahs, and job search fatigue. We’ve all dealt with online applications that freeze mid-way, impersonal applicant tracking systems where we feel like we’ve been lost in the black hole, and recruiters who never call back.

Each of these problems can cause job search fatigue. Job search fatigue, and depression that can arise from unemployment can pierce the edges of our motivation and spirits.

With this in mind, here’s the questions I propose for this week’s #HFChat:

1. What are the top 3 things #Job seekers should do in January?
2. How do you cope with the winter job search fatigue blues?
3. In your opinion, is the January a good time for hiring?
4. What specific things can you do to standout among the crowd?
5. What are you going to do differently based on what you learned in 2012?

Please leave us a comment if you would like to add a question, or comment. We are always happy to hear from you. In fact, I’d like to recruit you to post a job seeker profile on our blog, and host one of our chats.

Thanks for your participation.

Margo Rose, M.Ed., HRD
Connect with me on LinkedIn
Send an email to hrsocialstrategy@gmail.com

Hire Friday - Where Job Seekers Convene

HireFriday’s #HFChat has been a wonderful year.  Why, because you participated.  Since the holidays are such a busy time of year, #HFChat is going to take a holiday vacation.  We know how busy you are.  We will resume our chat and #HireFriday website posts after the first of the year.

Our career experts and I will still be on Twitter so if you need us just tweet us, and we’ll help you.  I’m @HRMargo.  Also, contact @TomBolt, @CyndyTrivella, @Interviewingcom, @SteveLevy and @EmilieMeck.  We love hearing from you, and it is gratifying for us to offer you support.  Now here’s a great way to get found by people in a position who can hire you.

#HFChat and #HireFriday was born to accelerate the re-employment of career seekers around the world.  We put people in touch with hiring managers, recruiters, resume writers, career coaches, and leaders from the major job boards.

• Write a guest post “career seeker profile”.    It’s quite easy, and effective.  Answer two simple questions:

What is your dream job?  What skills, knowledge, and abilities do you have to help you get there?  Add a picture, a link to your Twitter account, LinkedIn account, or a link to your infographic, or online cv/resume.  We’ll post it, and promote it on all of our networks.

• This will put you in touch with all our readers, and community. 

• We’d also like to invite job seekers in the #HireFriday community to be guest hosts of #HFChat.  .t’s very easy. 

We send out a package with tips for how to host a chat, and a video that shows you how to use Tweetchat.  We also prepare you for the chat on the phone the week of the chat.  Please leave a comment if you’d like to host one of our chats in the coming year.

Wouldn’t be fun to be one of our  thought leaders?  Again, our mission to is help you land, help you get found by people in a position to hire you. Networking via #HFChat is a great way to do so.

Next week, I’m going to write a year in review, and thank all of our guest hosts and the topics we covered 2012,

Let’s keep the spirit of community, collaboration, compassion and helpfulness alive.

Please leave us a few comments and let us know how we can improve and better meet your needs.

Happy holidays!

Margo Rose, M.Ed., Human Resource Development

Founder of the HireFriday Community and #HFChat on Twitter

Hire Friday - Where Job Seekers Convene

So, the Mayan doomsayers were incorrect, and we are still here going about our lives. For many people, the forecast for 2013 appears to be the same as 2012 and the years before: the frustration and demoralization of being in a job search that does not have a light at the end of the tunnel. But, perhaps this is a time for rebirth and hope after all.

Do you believe that 2013 will be a continuation of what previous years have presented, or that 2013 will be the year of the job search turning point? Either way, join us at #HFchat on Friday, December 21 at Noon EST to participate with guest host Ron Marshall (@ron_marshall) in a lively conversation and to share your POV on job search in 2013.

Proposed questions:

• Q1: What industries are likely to be great for job seekers in 2013?
• Q2: If you knew your next job would be your last, what would it be?
• Q3: What would entice you to relocate for a new job?
• Q4: How do you practice constant self-improvement to improve your value as a job candidate?
• Q5: What is the single most valuable resource to job seekers?
• Q6: Have you considered making your own job via entrepreneurship?

Ron Marshall

Ron Marshall is an entrepreneurial career consultant working to help dreamers become doers. Making his first foray into self-employment at the age of 21, Ron has established himself as a go-to small business adviser and career counselor using the principles of networking, communication, and technology to guide professionals and organizations on their journeys.

Ron manages Romacoma, LLC, which helps people develop brands. Their methods include managerial consulting for entrepreneurs in startup, marketing guidance, and training on the skills needed to grow personal and corporate brands online and offline. Find out more at romacoma.com.

Image credit: febris / 123RF Stock Photo

Hire Friday - Where Job Seekers Convene