by Karen P. Katz on February 23, 2010
LaSalle University’s Bucks County Center hosted a very well-attended discussion this morning. I was honored to be among the panel members who responded to questions regarding the personal and business applications of social networking/personal marketing. Those in attendance included faculty, staff, and adult students; their questions and comments revealed a deep engagement in the topic. Some comments that may not have been clearly communicated:
- Social networking and personal marketing allow us to gain autonomy and independence in the workplace. Social networking tools allow us to become more responsible for the long-term management of our careers – the “apron strings” to corporate employers are not secure.
- Online networking complements warm networking. Those who successfully develop and nurture their network demonstrate key qualities: team work, cultural awareness, and service orientation.
- Social networking has launched an era of “giving;” a prerequisite for and a simultaneous part of the “receiving” that most people associate with the new verb, “to network.”
- Career management requires a long-term commitment to social networking. While numbers vary, 80 – 95% of all jobs are filled through networking. With that in-mind, tools such as LinkedIn.com allow career managers to conduct a proactive “people search” rather than a reactive “job search.”
- Age is not a predictor of success in the realm of social networking. While members of Gen X and Gen Y may have an advantage in the use of hardware and software, the Boomers and Traditionalists seem to have an advantage in the “social” aspects of networking. Bette J. Walters, Esq., a fellow panel-member, referred to the need for a publication recommending social networking manners; in the meantime, click here for a relevant discussion of such issues.
by Karen P. Katz on February 17, 2009
It is possible to make lemonade…A familiar ingredient in the refreshing alternative to economic woe: the Business section of your local newspaper…
- Today it is the Philadelphia Inquirer that offers a glimpse into what's happening in the regional job market. The article that attracted my attention refers to the Information Technology (IT) efficiencies that are funded in the 2009 Economic Stimulus Package. Read the full article in the Philadelphia Inquirer to learn more about the $2 billion in loans and grants, plus $17 billion in Medicare reimbursement for health-related IT spending.
- So what, you may ask…WIIFY (What's in it for you?) - Good question… These funds are targeted to go to doctors, medical practices, and hospitals – those who need to adopt the IT efficiencies called for to improve our health care system. These are small businesses who are likely to hire outside consultants to implement these changes to their business models.
- Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D., Phila) wrote the new legislation that steered the funds toward practitioners rather than insurance companies. Financial incentives to doctors and hospitals will be available as early as October 2010, so these small businesses will be looking for guidance ASAP.
Another ingredient in the lemonade is networking: conduct online and off-line networking to find partners, perform competitive analysis, and identify links to decision-makers…
- Lots of information available is available on this topic – see the archives of Career Acceleration Notes, as well as recommended websites and blogs
- If you missed-it, read or listen to the NPR Marketplace report on Social Networks and Layoffs
- A few key points from the NPR program: * Hyper-networking combines online and off line networking *Jobs are not being posted *Decision-makers are using Google in-place of gossip to vet prospects
Posted by Karen P. Katz
by Karen P. Katz on February 10, 2009
…at a column written by Stefan Stern, a columnist for the Financial Times. While readers of this blog expect career and job search wisdom, I feel compelled to "out" this columnist. I hope to feed his "hot air" to my readers who are proponents of sustainable enterprise* and corporate social responsibility*.
Stern's flippant muse was caught by a LinkedIn Net Impact Group member, Joseph Hollak. Joseph quoted Stern's opening comment, "Thank goodness, now the recession’s here we can forget all that
nonsense about corporate social responsibility (CSR) and get back to
trying to make some money." When last I checked, the question had not taken on much of a life, so I raise it here to raise a ruckus…
My two-cents is simple: CSR is not a conspiracy to pick the pocket of shareholders in the name of "good deeds." CSR is an approach to profitability that promotes free enterprise while at the same time, promoting respect for the planet and dignity for consumers. Profitability and higher principles can certainly work hand in glove. Surely Mr. Stern has witnessed what happens to those who blindly seek profits at the expense of their community. When he emerges from his rock, I hope he'll settle in a pleasant green pasture.
*A note to students of sustainability and CSR – the Wikipedia definitions need your input.
by Karen P. Katz on December 24, 2008
Many readers of Career Acceleration Notes are based in the Philadelphia region, meaning southern New Jersey, northern Delaware, and southeastern Pennsylvania.
The new blog, PhillyCAN-Jobs, features news and links that are geared toward those searching for jobs, and specifically, those whose job search is confined to the Philadelphia area. Please click, read, and subscribe – it will be like getting the paper delivered to your in-box.
Your subscription to the feeds for both of these CAN blogs is of great importance to me – it helps make the Career Acceleration Network more visible. In return for your readership and comments, I pledge to offer current content, valuable links, and fresh thinking. I am also renewing the offer to current and former clients who may wish to supplement their online identity by sharing a post: "guest bloggers" are solicited and valued. Light-up your online identify and fire-up your job search by sharing your experience and expertise.
Warm wishes to all of you during this season of family, food, and fun times…
Karen P. Katz, President & Principal Consultant
Career Acceleration Network (CAN), llc
<http://www.CareerAcceleration.net>
by Karen P. Katz on December 18, 2008
Now I know what a fly feels like when it hovers over people who are working fast and furiously. Instead of being the one on the hot seat to guide new users through the elements of LinkedIn, I was like a "fly on the wall" during Jason Alba's 90-minute teleseminar, held 12-17-08. The program was sponsored by Experts Connection™
and hosted by Kathy Simmons, President and CEO of NETSHARE.
The program was structured well, with accompanying slides that were clear and not distracting. Jason moved through the content quickly, but paused frequently to check for understanding and questions. Targeted toward executives who may not have fully embraced social networking tools, Jason offered a few key learning points:
- Social networking is key to marketing your brand. Clarification of your brand is essential to career management. Not sure about this? Not convinced? Think about Barack Obama, the most successful job seeker in the land and winner of Ad Agency's Marketer of the Year
- Online networking tools can make it easier for those who are not natural "schmoozers." The Internet can make it easier to reach-out to new people, reacquaint yourself with former colleagues, and step outside your comfort zone to build new connections. The big "but" here is that online networking should make it easier to conduct the warm networking that is still key to your success, e.g. association meetings, breakfast with colleagues, lunch with people in related fields, etc.
- Of the tools available, all have value, however, LinkedIn.com is not optional for anyone who is serious about career management. Jason is also a huge fan of Yahoo & Google Groups (find those whose interests are similar to yours and join); Twitter (the fast-growing micro-blog), and blogging in general (my suggestion – individuals might try the new application, Google sites)
- LinkedIn.com's value proposition is to facilitate connections with those you know (and may have forgotten) and those you want to know. An effective profile is key to increasing your odds of being found by colleagues and recruiters; it may be wise to hire a professional to help create the profile and learn the ropes of social marketing.
This Experts Connection program included Jason's thoughts about Facebook, no longer a tool reserved for college students or Friday night plans. Some key points:
- There are no 2nd or 3rd degree connections through Facebook
- It is more casual, personal, and intimate
- While job seekers and recruiters have made inroads into Facebook, it is still more social than its business sibling, LinkedIn.
To offer the greatest value to participants, Jason focused on LinkedIn and talked about many of the features and new applications available to members. To learn more, contact a career professional or look for
the 2nd edition of Jason's book, I'm on LinkedIn, Now What.
Those who have worked with me and/or readers of my blog and website will recognize Jason Alba – he is the self-made social marketing guru and author of books and blogs: I'm on LinkedIn, Now What and I'm on Facebook, Now What. A software engineer by training and experience, he founded JibberJobber.com in response to his own frustration with a job search. JibberJobber.com has evolved into the "go-to" career management tool for those conducting a passive or active job search. In the name of full-disclosure, I am honored to be one of Jason's partners in JibberJobber.com
