Month: August 2006

Inside Scoop – from a hiring gatekeeper

Wendy Terwelp Leave a comment

George Blomgren is sharing the inside scoop on his blog For Job Seekers. George is a gatekeeper.

What I love about George’s Insider’s Scoop article is that he shares some of the top reasons why a person is not chosen for the job. This info is important to know – and review – when you’re in the market for a new gig.

My personal favorite is attitude. Attitude is everything, the old saying goes. In this case, it’s true. When working with a labor relations director during a major outplacement program I ran, she told me, “I look for attitude. Attitude is everything. You can always teach a skill. You can never teach someone to have a positive attitude.”

Here are some quick “attitude” tips when networking and interviewing during your job search: Be positive. Convey enthusiasm. Demonstrate to employers that you want the job.

Social Networking: Not just for college students

Wendy Terwelp Leave a comment

Social networking sites like MySpace and FaceBook are not just for college students. While this iMedia link highlights how to use the sites for marketing a business, there are some great tips here for marketing and branding yourself.

Does it work? Heck yes. Check out the Wall Street Journal article, “Moguls of New Media,” profiling many of the sites’ stars and their results. For example, according to the article “Christine Dolce, whose MySpace page boasts nearly one million friends — making her arguably one of the most connected people on the Internet. A 24-year-old cosmetologist who until a few months ago worked at a makeup counter in a mall, she now has a manager and a start-up jeans company and has won promotional deals for two mainstream consumer brands.” She also snags $5,000 per personal appearance. Another site profiled, YouTube.com, helped some musicians gain a fan base. Flickr.com helped one photographer land a gig with Toyota.

The samples demonstrated in the Wall Street Journal article are pretty amazing. A lot went into the online identity and presentation of these self-made “stars.” They created brands for themselves and gained a fan base.

These are tips you can use to increase your professional brand identity online. Maybe the next job offer we’ll hear about is yours!