I think what is being done is very important – helping out the community find jobs, and help point them in the right direction. But that is not enough – as it is only half the battle. I will help those I know with opportunities, but that means putting down my name as a reference, and that is my personal name on the line for people. I do that for friends, colleagues I believe in, and friend’s of friends whose word I trust.

Throughout my career, almost all my jobs have come through referrals or recommendations from past interactions. That is how the world works, and you have to allow your work to speak for you, not your social media presence. Your social media presence, while important (especially for new college graduates) as it shows your understanding of how social media works, is not an end-all, be-all. It’s interesting that the really big names in social media are not involved in #HAPPO, isn’t it? It’s likely because they don’t care about anything but themselves, using social media as a tool in self promotion, and only self promotion. Well, you can probably scratch the likely.

So here’s my advice on finding a job, and where to look, and what you need to do. And it’s targeted to college students, as that is the next generation that we need to think about (and whom I work with the most, it seems).

You are only as good as your network. Go to mixers and events, and meet people. Go to the IABC or PRSA events – if you are not a member, they do have open events – and meet professionals. Go to social media events to learn, and meet people. Get out of the chair, though, and network. And network on Twitter with good conversations and astute points. It’s how I met Sarah Lilly, and other students in the past, and how I know that they actually care about the industry. Sarah reached out to me, asked me questions, showed an interest that wasn’t fake, sucking up, or flattery. It was sincere, and I’ll keep an eye out for her when she graduates and refer her to people. If she chooses.

Join LinkedIn, and connect with people you have worked with in the past, and know your personal job history and work ethic. Not people you met in the industry, but people you know and worked with (agency or client, does not matter).

Find mentors, and choose them wisely. For the past 7 or 8 years (hey, I lose track of time), I have been mentoring college students, mainly through Robert French at Auburn, and now through Karen Russell at University of Georgia. I have also mentored students at Michigan State University, Pepperdine, Alabama and others.

By mentoring, I mean I am there to answer questions, help them out with situations, give advice and more. I’m basing those answers on 15 years of public relations experience, and about the same amount of time in social media or online PR or influencer relations (pretty much all the same). Those years give me insight and advice that is time tested.

Seeing people with less than one year in public relations and social media touting themselves as mentors is both scary and laughable. You should run away from those people, run away as fast as possible, as they bring you nothing but pain and trouble. Those people with no real experience that are mentoring are not mentoring to help you, but to make themselves feel important. No one that green has any business mentoring students, but should be listening and seeking out their own mentors. Instead, they’re creating little social media ego monsters.

Why do I mentor? Because I like the industry I am in, I have had great mentors in the past that I still speak to on a regular basis, and I feel it is my duty to do the same. I still am in contact with most of my old interns, and mentored students … because that’s what you do if you really do care. And I learn from them as well, seeing how they are using technology, how they view certain things in social media, and how things are being discarded.

Now, what can you do on your own to find a job? There are plenty of job boards and places you should look, and professors you should keep in contact with on a regular basis. Join KITList and Young PR Pros, as both have PR opportunities.

Keep in contact with people you have worked with in the past, those you went to school with, and realize that finding a job is the hardest job you will ever have. One of the UGA students I’ve mentored, Erin Burry, gave up unemployment for Lent and is waking up at 6.00 AM every day to start her job search: that’s dedication, and it will pay off for her as it shows the right drive and work ethic to get a job and do well. And, yes, I’ve referred people to her as well.

It’s not enough to sit back, though, and expect these jobs to come through #HAPPO on Twitter. You have to have the drive to go out and meet, network, and more. The job market is not the best I’ve seen – especially for more seasoned professionals, it flat out sucks because of low-balling – but there are opportunities out there. Stay calm, stay cool and collected, and hope for the best.

But, those of us with jobs need to remember to pay it forward as it is a two-way street. #HAPPO will be successful only if PR pro’s really help each other out. Otherwise, it will be like too many things in social media: too fleeting, people and companies taking part of it to feel good about themselves, but actually do nothing. Just because it was today, does not mean you should not continue to network and mentor others.

As this post was very focused on PR students, and graduates, here’s a takeaway for senior PR people: the recession has impacted everyone, including those with college degrees and a number of years of experience. All this advice (still) applies as well: network, network, network. Look into freelancing to keep on top of trends, media, and more. Brush up on social media, such as Twitter, FourSquare, LinkedIn, Facebook and other forms.

The days of looking for a job in the newspaper are dead, and the online job board is suffering as well. You find any quality on HotJobs, Monster or Craigslist anymore, or is it through personal networks, and in a way, the LinkedIn job boards?

And, if you are employed remember this: you cannot afford the luxury of sitting back and being dickish to those people looking for work right now, as most of them are unemployed through no fault of their own, but due to the economy and mismanagement. None of us can rest on our laurels, because those are fleeting and all of us can be in the same boat at one time or another.

Plus, if you are a corporation or PR firm, think of this: I know that it’s easier to hire those people that are employed, as they are “sexier” to you. The unemployed PR executives are likely just as qualified, if not more so. I look at people I know that are working and scratch my head as they are just good at politics, and not PR. And I look at those that are not employed that are great in PR, but just might be too blunt (like me) or choose not to play politics.

Remember, it’s just today that is #HAPPO but it’s networking for forever. Good luck in the job hunting, we’ve all be there.

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If you are utilizing a large job site such as Monster.com or Career Builder chances are you are one of a couple hundred thousand people searching for a job. The number of resumes being thrown at open jobs is at an all time high so it makes it hard to stick out from the crowd.

By applying SEO or search engine optimization to our resume it can help you stick out from the crowd or get your resume viewed. Recruiters who log in to find potential applicants search for terms related to the job opening. If they are hiring someone for an in house search marketing position chances are they will search for terms such as the following:

• SEO
• Search Engine Optimization
• SEM
• PPC
• Paid Search
• Search Marketing

If these “keywords” do not appear in your resume frequently then your resume is going to be passed over. Think of your resume title as the Title or URL of your resume. If it includes a high searched keyword phrase your resume has a high chance of showing up when a recruiter is looking for potential job suitors. Then think of your job history as the content of a website, making sure it is rich in keywords and thoroughly explains your experience in your field.

Large companies also usually use software that scans submitted resumes for certain key terms and only forwards those selected resumes to hiring managers. If you are applying for an Account Management job with an ad agency it would be beneficial to include words such as brand management, media buying or media placement.  This way when your resume is being scanned your resume gets forwarded to the hiring manager.

Hopefully this tip can help you get your foot in the door or your dream job. Good luck!

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It is well known through the CRA report that women graduating from Computer Science degree programs has been steadily declining. According to the latest CRA Taulbee Survey, women in Computer Science are only some 12% of all degrees in CS being granted. This is down from 18% in 1993/1994. What is interesting is that during the same time Science and Engineering degrees for women have been increasing during the same time from 46% to 51% in 2004/2005. This is why Computer Engineer Barbie is so very important, and Mattel has done an excellent job in bringing in a new Barbie Doll for this. Parents need to go purchase one of them for their daughters and let them play.

It would be wonderful to see Computer Hacker Barbie along the way, but that might come later on down the road. This is also Barbie’s 128th Career choice in her long lifetime as a doll that has had an influence on the many things that women can do and the approaches that they can take to life and career. In all it is through the toys that children play with that they help set the expectations that they will have for life in general. While we can talk about gender specific toys, the addition of Computer Engineer Barbie adds another dimension to what women can do as a career choice. Although the Bat Girl Barbie also looks like a great toy to have around the house as well. Some of the smartest people I have met in Computer Science are women, and Computer Engineer Barbie is on the order of “about time”.

Time to run down to the local toy store and pick one up, failing that – put one on order at Amazon. Readers might also want to check out joining or supporting Women in Tech. This is one of the best groups that is gender focused on developing and supporting women in technology and computer science.

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No, I didn’t either. Its aim is to raise awareness for consumers around privacy issues.

One of the sponsors of Data Privacy Day is Microsoft who commissioned research in France, Germany, the UK and the USA to find out how people manage the information they and others place on the internet.

The research was conducted in December 2009 by market research firm Cross-Tab. The overall results are fascinating, with some terrific insight into people’s behaviours online and their concerns (summarized at the end of this post). What’s really interesting to me, though, are the metrics about the effects online behaviours unquestionably have on the attitudes and actions of recruiters – individuals who make hiring decisions – in a society in which behaviour norms and standards are rapidly evolving and where, it seems, anything goes online as well as offline.

[…] Because the private actions of employees can now embarrass companies in ways that make headlines and spread around the online world in minutes, hiring processes have changed to include vetting all behavior, not just how someone performs on the job. Concerns about lifestyle, inappropriate comments, and unsuitable photos and videos top the list of reasons that those surveyed give for rejecting a candidate. But they also rejected applicants because of inappropriate comments by friends, family, and colleagues, or based on membership in certain groups.

So if ever you thought that those pics, videos and stories on Facebook about those weekend parties you do, or how you lived life at Uni, are just a huge laugh and great fun for your social networking friends to see, just check this chart:

If you’re job hunting, it’s less of a problem if you’re French but a major one if you’re American.

Checking people out online and gaining insight into their behaviours is a clear trend and will become more common, according to the research, although not uniformly so in the four major countries surveyed.

Still, a definite trend nevertheless.

What if a recruiter finds information about you online that isn’t true? Here’s the reality:

[...] Nearly 90% of US recruiters and HR professionals surveyed say they are somewhat to very concerned that the online reputational information they discover may be inaccurate. An equal number claim they take steps to corroborate its authenticity. (The research did not investigate what steps they take to validate the authenticity of the information they find.) In France, 47% of recruiters and HR professionals surveyed are concerned with information accuracy, and even more (50%) say they take steps to verify it. Recruiters and HR professionals surveyed in the UK and Germany are not as likely to check information accuracy. In the UK, 80% of these professionals said they are concerned with the veracity of the data, yet only 68% say they take steps to check it. And though 79% of recruiters and HR professionals in Germany express concern, only 39% say they attempt to verify the data.

In other words, assume that what people (recruiters) see about you online, it’s likely that’s what they’ll believe about you. The bottom line for you: good online reputations matter to recruiters and HR professionals.

A clear message, then: take care of your reputation online.

I think the best summing-up of everything presented in Cross-Tab’s research are the responses to this question asked of the people Cross-Tab surveyed: “In the last six months, which of the following steps (if any) have you taken to protect your online reputation?”

Interesting results, summarized nicely in this chart (click the image, or here, to see it in full size):

Overall, the research paints a thought-provoking picture, summarized here from the survey’s executive summary:

• The recruiters and HR professionals surveyed are not only checking online sources to learn about potential candidates, but they also report that their companies have made online screening a formal requirement of the hiring process.
• Of US recruiters and HR professionals surveyed, 70% say they have rejected candidates based on information they found online. Though not as frequently, respondents from the UK and Germany report the same trend.
• Recruiters and HR professionals surveyed report being very or somewhat concerned about the authenticity of the content they find.
• In all countries, recruiters and HR professionals say they believe the use of online reputational information will significantly increase over the next five years.
• Positive online reputations matter. Among US recruiters and HR professionals surveyed, 85% say that positive online reputation influences their hiring decisions at least to some extent. Nearly half say that a strong online reputation influences their decisions to a great extent.
• Consumers surveyed have mixed opinions about the appropriateness of recruiters and HR professionals examining some types of online content. Most find it reasonable that recruiters and HR professionals check information on professional sites. There is greater concern, however, about recruiter scrutiny of photos, videos, and other personal content including blogs, personal social network pages, organizations they are affiliated with, financial information, and the like.
• Consumers surveyed use a variety of methods to monitor and manage the information posted about them online. Most notably, they use multiple personas, search for information about themselves, adjust privacy settings, and refrain from posting content that they believe could damage their reputation.
• Though most consumers surveyed do manage their reputation at least to some extent, there are a significant percentage of respondents (between 30% and 35% depending on nationality) who don’t feel their online reputation affects either their personal or professional life. Consequently, they are not taking steps to manage their reputations.

Details:

• Online Reputation in a Connected World (PDF) – Research report executive summary.
• Data Privacy Day: Perceptions study Consumers & HR/Recruiters (PowerPoint presentation) – detailed findings with lots of charts in 87-slide deck.
• Take charge of your online reputation – useful tips from Microsoft on taking care of your reputation online.

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The attached file is Using social networking to find you next job and love it is meant to help people find their next job. This PDF is all about using Linkedin and other social networking sites to help you find your next job. The attached file is about 24 pages long and I would like to thank DR 1665, Ryan, and other people who helped me put together this report.

Finding the right job for the right person with the right needs and wants is always challenging, it is more challenging when the job market is expected to take at least a two years to recover to 2008 pre-recession levels. Some long-range projections of the job market expect the recovery to start in 2014 , well past the time that unemployment will run . For some this is a disaster, they do not have the skills, nor have they invested in updating their own skills to be viable in the job market. For others this opportunity can lead to improved work opportunities that are more in line with what they want and can be done on their own terms. For some of the intrepid a down economy and poor job market reinforces the idea to start their own company. Regardless of where someone is coming from emotionally or intellectually the any issue that delays the job search also makes the job search more challenging. This is true for people who need to work in, have the general security that a large company provides, and not take the risks that a startup or owning your own company entails .

The file is free to download and share as you see fit. It is very much so CC 2.0, share and share alike, if you would like to use this in a publication, or in any other way that makes money – contact me at rmorrill at gmail.com and we can discuss it.

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If you want to use persuasion to negotiate your way into a job, there are some great ways to do so that won’t annoy or turn off the interviewer. So before you head into your next executive-level job interview, consider these tips.

Express Confidence and Humility

When trying to acquire a job, you want to convince the interviewer that you’re the right person. However, in doing so, you want to make sure that you exude confidence in your abilities, not cockiness. You know who you are and what you’ve accomplished in your many years as an executive, which is probably mentioned in your cover letter or executive biography. But when you’re in front of the interviewer, you have a chance to show in person who they’ve read about on paper.

The goal in this scenario is to let the interviewer know that you’re comfortable and confident enough to address any situation – and do this without going over the top and speaking like you would if you were negotiating with a client. You know you’re the best person for the job, so confidently express this. However, don’t feel so great about your abilities that you forget that you’re competing with others who may be confident and humble. Arrogance could essentially cost you the job that you so humbly want.

Use Storytelling to Your Advantage

Another great way to persuade into the job you want is to be a great storyteller. Storytelling is not just a pastime for children, it’s great for adults too. Why do you think so many people are caught up in soap operas and reality TV? They tell riveting, exciting and downright scandalous stories. Of course, you don’t want to talk about sex, lies and betrayal in your job interview, but beefing up your own professional accomplishments is a good place to start.

Think about it, it’s hard to have an accomplishment that didn’t require some level of work to get there. At the executive level, you are bound to have had some outright challenging situations occur that you had to overcome. So when you are questioned about your career, don’t hesitate to tell one of your well-crafted stories of trouble and triumph. The interviewer will not only know you are great at problem solving, but also that you are an interesting person as well.

When you’re interviewing, charm is also a big plus in persuasion; that is, as long as it doesn’t come across in a fake way. If you truly have a great personality, don’t be afraid to show it. Having an infectious personality can certainly help you get the job. Besides, once you’ve showcased your confidence, humility and great storytelling skills, you’ll already be that much closer to being a shoe-in for the position, why not take that extra step?