Keeping up with the social media Joneses

Even churches are going social

To be of a generation that has had a personal computer as a fixture in life and not be on social media is now regarded as either backwards or rebellious, depending on who you talk to.

Malcolm Gladwell, always a provocative writer, famously said last year that social media's role in uprisings such as Moldova's and Iran's was not as significant as people thought it was. "Some of this grandiosity is to be expected," Gladwell wrote in the New Yorker. "Innovators tend to be solipsists. They often want to cram every stray fact and experience into their new model."

The response was predictably scathing. Gladwell was contemptuous of social media because he's not on it. You know, like your ancient auntie who still has to figure out texting. 

Edison Research says 52 per cent of Americans 12-year-old and above have a profile on one or more social networks. That means there are 48 per cent who either choose not to be on social media or are blissfully unaware that there's such a thing as Twitter. Arguably it must be choice: The Edison Research study also says that 92 per cent of Americans know what Twitter is, yet only eight per cent use the microblogging service.

The 48 per cent feel the pressure. make no mistake about it. One of my most in-demand services is giving a discreet one-hour boot camp where senior executives learn the absolute minimum, just enough that they're not identified as Luddites at corporate or social gatherings. Think of it as the social media equivalent of a spray-on tan.

If you are one of those opposed to social media, have a think whether it closes you off to opportunity more than it preserves whatever you're protecting. Saying you don't want to know what people are having for lunch is fine except for one small detail: You are the ultimate decision-maker on how much you interact and who you interact with. 

Among the token people inundating the world with photos of their appetisers are legitimate employers, business partners and potential clients who may be on a quest for someone like you. In that case a LinkedIn profile, no matter how cryptic, will help in a web search. 

These days I also advise establishing accounts, no matter how fallow they'll lie, for security reasons. It takes just one disgruntled employee or enraged ex-partner to establish your presence online in the most unflattering way.

And if there is no reason whatsoever apart from the above? The earth will continue spinning on its axis with or without Facebook. 

If anyone pointedly asks, just smile serenely and say, "I prefer being social in the traditional sense. I hear it's a dying art." Then ask questions about how social media shapes their normal day. Just because you're not on it doesn't mean you can't talk about it.

Get on social media only if it represents true value to you.

Car + nail art = One memorable ad

If it had gone the predictable route -- tout its compact features, gas mileage, yada yada -- the Kia Picanto would've been just another forgettable car. Instead, we get this utterly delightful, off-the-wall stop motion ad using perhaps the most talented manicurists on the planet. Whoever thought of this, bravo.

One Less Maverick

Yes this is another post about Steve Jobs leaving Apple, but not quite either. This post may just possibly be about you.

The announcement of Jobs stepping down as CEO was met with universal grief, akin to a death. Stock issues and Apple's future aside, majority lamented the end of an era marked, uniquely, by one man's ethos. One man.

In a world where you learn to acquiesce to mediocrity for survival, and consensus and conformity are prized, Jobs perversely chose the thornier path. He pursued a vision of design, function and aesthetics that made sense to him, not the world. And the world's collective breath was taken away because his ideas were always bold, risky and one step ahead of the times.

How many of us have shelved ideas that got shredded by committees and the unimaginative? Who among us have stopped initiating creative, provocative projects that the mainstream will reject? More poignantly, who has eschewed originality for banality because it is what the public wants?

We need our mavericks in life, if only to reiterate that being different -- or thinking different, as Apple's famous ad goes -- is what drives humanity's progress. It was the mavericks who were inventors, civilisation-builders, discoverers of unknown lands. 

We mourn the end of the Jobs era, but in some ways we are really mourning ourselves. To go against the grain, take risks and not fear the consequences -- he did what we always secretly wanted to do. 

Jobs may leave a vacuum but all is not lost. Apple's success is proof that being true to yourself is possible and profitable. Here's hoping we find even just a little spark of something similar in ourselves. Here's hoping you find the Steve Jobs in you.

The New Rules of Job Interviewing

For individuals who've worked for companies for several years and now have to pound the pavement in search of a new position, job interviewing can be quite stressful, in large part due to the unfamiliarity of it all. In fact it barely resembles the job interview they had years ago when they landed their last position.

Technology, the economy, the ubiquity of social media -- all these have contributed to a vastly different interviewing process that may come as a shock. Following are some candid observations and anecdotes from job seekers and recruiters alike on how the interviewing landscape has changed and what you can do to prepare and adapt.

A pre-interview is now standard. Also called a pre-screen, it's a conversation that should not be mistaken for a formal interview even if it's done face-to-face. The hiring company fields questions to the potential candidate to see whether he or she qualifies for the actual interview.

There is no commitment to bring the conversation to the next stage, a formal interview, nor is there any maxim on how many pre-interviews are allowed. In some cases, they can be as many as needed especially if the position being filled is a complex one and there are different stakeholders in multiple locations.

Can pre-interviews be a waste of time? I know some candidates who refuse to be involved in them for that specific reason. For others who need to stay in the game, pre-interviews are a necessary evil that they're turning into an opportunity by asking about other openings in the firm or finding leads that could turn into gold.

Salaries are increasingly the screener of choice. Regardless of your position on this controversial topic, more and more companies are screening out candidates based on their salary histories. Some firms will not even conduct pre-interviews without a detailed salary history. And these days, it is entirely okay for a recruiter to grill you on your salary on your first phone call.

Rude and intrusive? It depends on which side you're on. Hiring companies say because of the dire straits many candidates are experiencing, those who opt to take lower-paid positions are invariably the ones who get bored or dissatisfied in their new jobs. Salaries, for them, are good indicators of performance.

What you can do: If divulging your salary is still anathema to you -- and you're not alone -- ask the recruiter or hiring manager what the budget is for the position and determine if you are within that range.

Increasingly, out-of-state travel expenses are on your dime. It used to be that the hiring company would pay for your airfare or transportation expenses if you interviewed out-of-state. Not anymore, as confirmed by several recruiters I've talked to.

With the glut of talent, most companies have silently withdrawn this service. Then again, many firms have also removed relocation expenses among the benefits of new hires. Welcome to economic reality, circa 2011.

What can you do other than grit your teeth and reach for the credit card? Use the trip to do other job interviews or networking in the area so your trip is maximised. Save receipts for tax time as they can qualify for deductions.

A gap of six months in your resume is enough reason not to be hired. It's confirmed: Companies are staying away from the unemployed, insisting on poaching employed individuals. Even job ads are up front about this requirement as it is not a legal basis for discrimination unlike gender, race and age.

How should you counter this? Pre-empting is the best solution: If you've just been pink-slipped or know you are about to depart your current workplace, set up a sole proprietorship company immediately.

Amend your LinkedIn profile once appropriate to reflect that you are now the owner and managing director of your own company. Seek small projects and partnerships to work on/with over the next months as you conduct your job search.

The main objective is to keep you employable, but short-term entrepreneurship also builds skills and experience. Who knows? You might even enjoy it so much that you'll turn your back on traditional employment. Which brings us to the next point:

Jobs as we know it are increasingly going extinct. We're entering an unprecedented age, when a huge sea change is occurring in how we work, how our services are valued and how these fit into a shifting marketplace.

With the accelerated speed in which products and services are created, sold and phased out, it was inevitable that work as we know it has to adapt to a new reality. And the dramatic new look and approach of job interviewing is testament to this tectonic shift.

How can you look at this change as a positive? The answer is you can look at it the other way -- with bitterness and anger -- but that hardly helps as the world continues to evolve with or without your blessing.

The more productive choice is to reframe the way you think of the skills and experience you provide. Think of yourself as a start-up. Think about unexpected places and markets where your talents can flourish. Brainstorm alliances, whether long- or short-term. Think about how to repackage what you deliver. You may just be surprised at the possibilities that jump out at you, now enabled because of the very changes that you were unsure about.

Most importantly of all, know that you have a choice. You may not have control over the job interviewing practices of today but you do have control over the way you see them.

Are they annoying, increasingly complicated hoops you have to jump through? A timely road sign reminding you of what you want and don't want out of your career? Or are they opportunities cloaked in challenge?

Whatever you choose will determine how you thrive and prosper in today's workplace.

Photo by Andy Dayton on Flickr.

Unexpected Communications Medium: Taxi Drivers

You've got a Facebook business page. Now what?

Six out of 10 small business owners use Facebook for marketing, says a June survey by Merchant Circle. 


This post is for the 34% who don't, specifically those who have set up a Facebook business page and don't quite know what to do with it. 


(As for the businesses that still don't see why they should get on Facebook, we'll leave the convincing for another post.)


How can you get your FB business page working for you? Think baby steps. Instead of taking it on in one massive project, break it up into small, achievable tasks everyday.


Here are three simple things to do that won't take more than an hour to implement. They make all the difference, and may even inspire you to research other ways to optimise your FB page.


Grab your custom URL. It would be nice to put on all your materials or shop window that you're on Facebook, but a bunch of numbers can be off-putting. 


You can have facebook.com/yourbusinessname here a) if it's not taken and b) you get at least 25 people to like your page. Do a search first on Facebook to check.


There's no shame in asking friends, family, neighbours and suppliers who're on Facebook to go and like your page. Marketers do this all the time. You can return the favour once your contacts need a custom URL for themselves or their clients. Don't forget to like your own page too. That's one less person to coax!


Once you've got your 25 likes, click on the Edit Page button at the top right-hand corner (it's got the pencil icon) and a page with a menu on the left will come up. 


On the menu, click Basic Information. The second item on this page shows User Name. Fill in the field with your name choice. Et voila. You've got your own custom Facebook URL. 


Go to town with it: Put it on your email signature, your marketing materials, directory listings, your website, your shop window if space allows. Having that little F icon says you're plugged in and and in an increasingly digitally connected world, that's not a bad thing to show.


Get rid of the question mark as your icon. As a business you want to make sure you're represented online as best as possible. Question marks are just so ... questionable. Make it a priority to get a good photo of your business to replace that question mark.


First of all, observe the size of the space occupied by the question mark. The best icons stand out and don't require lots of squinting and a magnifying glass to recognise the image. If you own a restaurant for example, the logo makes more sense than a crowded shot of the dining area. 


If you've got the photo all picked out, re-save the image with the name of your business (I'll explain why later). That means if it came from an album consisting of images that are generically named, such as IMG088, save your chosen image as yourbusinessname.jpg.


Next: Hover over the question mark and a pencil icon with a link 'change picture' will appear. Click on the link, choose the photo from your computer, then click on View Page which is a button on the top right.


Humans are visual creatures. We all like to see what we get. Even if you haven't populated your page with content, having a photo as your icon reassures visitors and customers that they are dealing with a reputable business, not some anonymous individual.


Write with keywords in mind. What are keywords? These are search terms that people enter into Google everyday to find information, goods and services they need. 


Keywords help you get found. Search engines are increasingly factoring in social media mentions, so the more you use keywords in your Facebook page, the better your chances of getting found easily and not being buried on page 47 of Google results.


Let's say you are a B&B owner in Philadelphia who'd like to target summer vacationers. Put yourself in their shoes and think what they'd type into a search engine. 'Philadelphia B&B' is one. 'B&Bs in Philadelphia' is another. And so on.


What if past customers recommended you to their contacts? Your business name is also a keyword. That's why your custom URL is important. It's also why I recommend that your photo captions, such as the one for your icon, contain your name. Make sure it's in the About section of your page, or anywhere else it makes sense.


Which brings me to one last reminder: Use keywords judiciously. There's nothing more irritating than peppering an update with keywords when the topic has nothing to do with it.


Once you've done these three steps, your Facebook business page should seem less daunting. Work on it everyday by adding likes, photos and useful updates. With the right care and feeding it can only be an asset to your business, and you'll be joining the 66% of the survey's respondents who find Facebook a valuable marketing tool.


Photo by John Hall & Associates

Changing Course

It's no secret that my frequency of posting has dropped -- drastically. The reason was my inner struggle with the theme around which this blog revolves.

How could I continue writing a blog about making it up the career ladder when so many people these days can't even envision having a job, much less a career?

The statistics are sobering. The latest government numbers show that 45% of unemployed Americans -- 6.2 million people -- have been out of work for six months or more. They're duking it out with the country's 7.7 million unemployed individuals for the measly 57,000 jobs created in May.

The figures are even more sobering for young veterans who've served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Last year's unemployment rate for our ex-soldiers was 21.2%.

Increasingly it's become obvious to me that sharing the secrets to conquering the corner office is frivolous in comparison to the main objective these days: Landing a job.

So I've decided to change course. Things They Don't Teach You In Business School will have more posts on freelancing challenges, networking and using the time between jobs to be as productive as possible.

Thank you for following the blog. I hope you continue to find value as we shift direction.

Picture by Just Some Dust