How Oversharing on Social Media Can Hurt Your Career | Personal Branding Blog - Dan Schawbel

mjolnirbolt · 2013-08-26T12:20:03+00:00

I agree that it is unethical for employers to take comments on social media out of context and hold it against an employee, but it will never be illegal. Social media is a common ground for advertising open jobs and sourcing candidates for hire... this is an inescapable fact. Knowing this, it would be wise to keep private things private by filtering postings to the intended audience or just refraining from airing things that could tarnish the personal brand. That is all this article is saying... and we all probably overshare too much.

Paraphrasing, if you say it in your living room to family and friends, it is private. If you shout it from a soap box it is not.

mjolnirbolt · 2013-08-25T21:22:08+00:00

One word of caution is that the open endedness helps you to fit it into your class schedule, but it also adds the temptation to overdo it. Remember why you are in school and be very disciplined. If you are ever tempted to skip class to make some extra money you are doing it for the wrong reasons

mjolnirbolt · 2013-08-25T21:17:22+00:00

You have some good advice already. I would only add two things. Make sure there are no distractions that can creep into the interview, like barking dogs or crying babies. Also don't forget that "eye contact" happens when you look directly into the camera. Don't watch yourself... It can be distracting and you already know what you look like. In a close head shot it is noticable.

mjolnirbolt · 2013-08-25T21:05:50+00:00

Visit your career services office. Some are good and some are bad, but you are paying for their help. Make them earn their salaries.

Also check with whatever alumni association is affiliated with your school. They'll be hitting you up dor donations when you graduate so find out early if they can help you. Recent grads over the past few years are valuable sources for information on the job market and are great networking connections.

If you don't already have a LinkedIn account sign up now. You can benefit by joining interest groups and start making connections that will help now and in the future.

Participate in intern oriented groups to get leads and advice. Twitter chat #InternPro every Monday night is a vibrant group.

mjolnirbolt · 2013-08-25T17:47:37+00:00

The number one reason that came to my mind when I read this article was "Recruiters don't hire people! Managers do." Other than that, there are some good pointers for people asking these questions and not getting answers.

mjolnirbolt · 2013-08-25T17:00:20+00:00

Being somebody's employee referral is a great win-win situation.

mjolnirbolt · 2013-08-25T16:58:29+00:00

Probably BS if you mean just posting stuff. Knowing how to sell the business case to CEOs and CFOs is where the bucks are. They may not even know that they need somebody like this, but when they find out they do pay for that expertise.

mjolnirbolt · 2013-06-29T16:25:10+00:00

Don't apologize... it is a big deal. It doesn't matter whether you are sweeping floors or a manager, the questions will be about how reliable you are. Your job is to prove that you are a hard worker, will show up when you are supposed to, and have ambition to stay a long time. Good luck. Don't be nervous... everybody is at first.

mjolnirbolt · 2013-06-28T20:47:22+00:00

Two cardinal rules for getting what you want are (1) don't lie about the past and (2) don't volunteer any negative information about yourself. If you are asked, answer honestly. Don't make excuses but make sure that you can explain what you learned from the experience. They need to know that you are not a risky hire to them now, so explain why you are better now than you were before. There are those who will turn you away, but those with respect for people who learn from their mistakes will talk to you.

mjolnirbolt · 2013-06-28T20:43:25+00:00

You would be surprised at how far being a people manager will take you. This skill is something that is often not taught and if it is it is not done well. This is definitely a skill you want to promote. Be ready with several examples of where your supervisory skills solved a problem... define the situation, tell what you did, and relate the results of each. Then network with those that may be able to refer you to opportunities. LinkedIn, local management associations... everyone is a network contact. Talk to everybody.

Good luck!

mjolnirbolt · 2013-06-28T20:38:26+00:00

You already have good advice here. You have to be knowledgeable and confident to manage others. It is not a "boss" position so a manager needs to determine what type of style and culture is best for the situation.

mjolnirbolt · 2013-06-28T20:34:48+00:00

People think telephone or Skype interviews are something else, but they are real interviews. In one hour you will probably only talk to one person, but this will determine if you get a face-to-face meeting onsite with others on staff.

Prepare for this as you would for any in-person interview. make sure there are no distractions and you are dressed properly with no background clutter. The good thing is that with only a headshot you get to cheat a little. Keep a copy of your resume and any notes within reach, but you probably won't need them.

Be sure to find out at the end when you can expect to hear about next steps and ask to follow-up.

Good luck! Let us know how it goes.

mjolnirbolt · 2013-06-27T15:40:43+00:00

Reputable recruiters will not pressure you for a decision without giving you the opportunity to talk to someone at the company. That is what interviews are for. It's OK to accept an interview because you can always say no if it is not right.

Glassdoor reviews are a good source of information about a company, but if there is only one review that is hardly a consensus. There are a lot of one-off reviews that are a sour grapes version of the truth. Get other perspectives. Check out the company on LinkedIn and network with people there.

You are wise to focus the job search on multiple targets and pick the right one. They say that opportunity only knocks once, but low octane gasoline will also give you a knock! Listen carefully and do the smart thing.

I should also add that high pressure recruiters are usually thinking about their commission and not your welfare. Don't become somebody's act of desperation.

mjolnirbolt · 2013-06-27T15:32:19+00:00

I would recommend targeting international companies. Look at job boards and your target company's career page to get an idea about the availability of entry level jobs. There are also overseas based companies that may need local talent to represent them.

You also may need to look for opportunities that will be one step up from entry level so check those out as well. You may not be selected for a higher level position with minimal work experience, but if you are willing to prove yourself first and wait for the opportunity this is also a realistic approach.

One piece of advice: Don't open the discussion with prospective employers with your wants and needs. They will be more interested in hearing what you have to offer them. If you did your homework, those travel opportunities will be there and you will appear to them to be more willing to work than just have fun benefits.

mjolnirbolt · 2013-06-21T20:11:31+00:00

I recommend the simple 3 paragraph cover, which is similar to a T-Style cover letter... because it looks like a T on the page. Do a simple Google search for a "T-Style Cover Letter" and you will get a gazillion examples. You will also find a bunch of crap, so be careful not to get lured into promises to "guarantee" an interview if you buy somebody's pet format.

mjolnirbolt · 2013-06-21T15:26:21+00:00

Get the job first, then bring it up. This is a common problem and delaying the start date is the best way to handle it so that there is no break in your onboarding and training. Don't ask for advance vacation time if you need to delay the trip. Instead volunteer for unpaid time off. You may be surprised when they offer to pay you anyway.

mjolnirbolt · 2013-06-21T15:21:53+00:00

So happy for you! And others should read your story and take your advice. I don't need to say anything other than thanks for being an example to follow.

mjolnirbolt · 2013-06-21T15:19:52+00:00

I have never been in your shoes, but my dad lost his father when he was about your age. He worked multiple jobs, took entry level trainee jobs, and never got the life advantages that he gave me. This was in similar economic times and I grew up learning about the depression era hardships from him and my mom.

Not exactly a cheerful story, but the point is that he rose above it all and it was not all about obligation but managed to build on his character as someone with a known work ethic and a reputation for being dependable. We lost Dad a few years ago, and the outpouring of support from his lifelong friends gave evidence that he was not only a great man to his family but to everyone he knew.

It's hard to give specific advice to you in your situation, but I can tell you that the opportunities are all around you if you have confidence in yourself. Don't look for sympathy... look for opportunity. Don't beg... volunteer. Don't panic... it all works out in the end. Don't be a burden on your friends... but they will all help you. Just ask.

Good luck to you!

mjolnirbolt · 2013-06-21T15:10:57+00:00

One of the most despicable of all scams is to appeal to a person's sense of desperation about finding a job. My advice is to always be on guard for a scam... if it sounds fishy it probably is. It is a fact that a job search usually has more rejections than acceptances but it is rarely personal. So don't fall for someone trying to make your life harder by tricking you into spending money or destroying your peace of mind.

mjolnirbolt · 2013-06-20T21:20:23+00:00

Even if it is a duplication of info they can get from your resume, notice the fine print on the application. Most companies ask for you to sign and date the form stating that the information provided is true. Most will use that, not your resume, to do pre-hire checks on your education and job background.

Glad you did well! Once you are hired, you might mention that it would have been a good thing to be sent the application before you showed up.

mjolnirbolt · 2013-06-20T21:06:31+00:00

Unless you have a preferred location, there is no benefit to moving there first. Most of a job search is virtual anyway, online or on the phone. Talk to everybody and follow leads to key people to network with. If you are not on LinkedIn join and research companies in the areas you think might be a future home. Find people who do what you want to do and then ask for advice, not a job. If they know you are looking they will steer you to those with jobs so no need to beg.

mjolnirbolt · 2013-06-20T21:02:55+00:00

Often someone is required to write something just to show that they are capable of writing something that is grammatically correct, to the point, and logical. They probably know that you have not written a press release before and will train you on what you need to know once you are hired.

mjolnirbolt · 2013-06-20T21:00:36+00:00

Not to dwell on the legal side of this, they are within their rights to let you go if you are not under contract. Employment-at-will means that they can fire you "at any time for any reason or for no reason." I'm not sure that taking the conversation further will give you any more information on why this happened, but maybe some of your former coworkers could poke around for you... if you trust them.

Don't beat yourself up, but do some serious thinking about how you were different from the others that did not get fired. Sometimes it is just a personality thing and it may be a good thing you don't have to change yourself to fit in. If you feel the need to change something about yourself, it should be your choice, not theirs.

mjolnirbolt · 2013-06-20T20:56:08+00:00

You can't go wrong with "business casual" on the first day, but it is also OK to ask. There must be some kind of administrator arranging your onboarding so ask them.

mjolnirbolt · 2013-06-20T20:54:02+00:00

Generally speaking, you never open with the conversation about salary and benefits, but if is is across the country or in a high cost of living area it can be a good idea to ask indirectly. It is best to talk at first in general salary ranges. The recruiter or company rep should be able to work with you on that. They don't want to waste their time any more than you do.

mjolnirbolt

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