Facebook Offers Vanity Addresses

from WebWorkerDaily by Charles Hamilton

Written by Charles Hamilton.

Facebook users have probably seen the notices that from 9:01 pm Pacific Time tonight, the site will offer personalized addresses, like this:

http://www.facebook.com/your.name.here

If you have a fairly common name and want a vanity URL, it would be a good idea to get in early. Not everyone is eligible, however. Anyone who has just joined the site will be required to wait until June 28 to sign up for a custom address.

Organizations with Facebook Pages will be able to register a vanity URL only if their page was live on May 31 and had more than 1,000 fans at that time. Others will also need to wait until June 28. Trademark owners can prevent others from registering a protected name, however.

Such sites as LinkedIn, Twitter and MySpace have offered custom addresses for some time. With Facebook growing 8 percent in May, it seemed inevitable that Facebook would join the party.

Will you and your web clients be staying up late tonight to register a vanity URL at Facebook?

Are You Doing Business In The Cloud?

by Thursday Bram

All of my email addresses are directed to my Gmail account. Most of the documents I need on a daily basis are on Google Docs. I've been slowly moving towards living in the cloud. In a way, this has been very good for me: I can access just about everything I want, whether I'm in my office, at someone else's office, a friend's house or anywhere else with an internet connection. But there are downsides. If something happens to one of the services I use, I'm up the proverbial creek — and the same is true if something happens to my internet connection.

Business In The Cloud

Keeping personal data in the cloud is one thing, but uploading the information you rely on to earn a living is an entirely different matter. The benefits are huge. Just the ability to pull up files while visiting a client's office can make the difference in landing an account. But risks go hand in hand with those benefits — the likelihood of something happening to your data in the cloud is about on par whether it's personal or work-related, but the consequences can be far more complicated.

So far, it's been difficult to determine whether the risks outweigh the gains. Working from the cloud can be incredible: with just a netbook, you can often access everything you need for a project from half way around the globe. A business will to upload files to the cloud can make it much easier to work with telecommuting employees, along with clients who may need easy access to information. It doesn't hurt that many online applications come with a price tag that makes the cost of the software many companies currently rely on absolutely laughable.

Personally, I've found that moving my own work into the cloud has made a major difference in my ability to work on projects. I can work just as easily from a coffee shop as from my office. There were no barriers to me moving my work into online applications, though: if I had needed a supervisor to sign off on my choice of applications and whether they were online, getting to the point that I am now might have been almost impossible.

Getting The Okay

Depending on who you work for, moving into the cloud may not be a simple matter. If you're self-employed, you must reassure yourself that your information will be safe in the online applications you plan to use. That sort of reassurance can include:

• Security: If you're placing any sort of sensitive material online — financial information or files your competitors would be very interested in looking at — you'll want to double check that each application you use has sufficient security measures in place to protect your data.
• Backups: In the event that something happens to your data online, you'll want to make sure that you have a backup in place — even if that means manually downloading your data on a regular basis. Remember, not even Gmail works perfectly every day.
• Contingency Plan: Making sure that you have access to your information goes beyond creating a backup. If you're planning a presentation that relies on a file you've saved to an online application, for instance, have a contingency plan in place in case you don't have internet access or you're not on a computer with the right software to use it.

All that is necessary just to make sure that you're able to work in the cloud effectively. If you're adding an employer to the equation, though, things get more complicated. At a bare minimum, you'll have to convince your supervisor that your idea to work in the cloud is not only effective but will clearly help the company.

When it comes to working in the cloud, the "better to beg forgiveness than ask permission" approach seldom works. If you're thinking of taking even a small amount of your employer's information into the cloud, I'd recommend against it. Some employees sign contracts specifically stating that they will not share information with a third party — which can include Google Docs. Others get issued a company handbook stating essentially the same thing. That means uploading information to the cloud could constitute a firing offense if something goes wrong.

That doesn't mean that you can't convince your higher ups to move into the cloud, though: it just means that you're going to need to be able to reassure them on issues like security and backups before you even think of uploading one file.

Are You In The Cloud?

Have you already moved into the cloud? If so, it would be great if you'd be willing to share in the comments how you addressed the issues that go with keeping important information in the cloud. Personally, I stick with a handful of trusted sites, and I still have a few pieces of information I don't put into the cloud. For instance, I keep my financial records on just one computer in my office.

I do know some people who simply aren't interested in moving any of their work into the cloud, for one reason or another. If you fall into this category, it would be great if you'd share your comments on why, as well. Is it due to one of the concerns I listed above, or another issue altogether?

How to Ask for Work Without Looking Desperate

from FreelanceSwitch - The Freelance Blog by FreelanceSwitch.com

A recent thread on a forum I follow centered on how to ask for referrals to new clients. Some posters mentioned that they are reluctant to ask their existing clients for referrals because they don't want their clients to know if they're struggling. And they don't want to ask other freelancers, because they don't want their competition to think they're weak. I admit that I sometimes grapple with these concerns, but existing clients and fellow freelancers can be great resources for referrals.

Here's how to make the ask without making yourself look desperate:

Choose the right time and place.

Several months ago I attended a potluck dinner where one of the other guests mentioned that she designs and sells jewelry. Before I knew it, she'd poured hundreds of little beaded necklaces on the living room floor and asked if anyone was interested in buying. From one creative to another, my heart went out to her, but I didn't come to the dinner to buy jewelry. Several of the other guests felt uncomfortable with her unexpected sales pitch, and she didn't sell anything that night. Perhaps if we'd seen her jewelry on Etsy or gone to a craft fair, things might have worked out differently. Instead of cornering someone at a social gathering and giving them the hard sell, ask for their card and follow-up in a more appropriate time and place.

Be proactive.

Don't just tap into your network when you need new clients. If you see an ad for a fashion blogger and think it might interest one of your freelance pals, send her an email. If you hear that a client you've worked with just got engaged, drop her a line to congratulate her. If you read an interesting article about social media trends, forward it to your friend the web consultant with a short note. No need to mention your needs or availability in every correspondence. Make this about them. You can ask for favors later once you've built some goodwill. In fact, sometimes just reaching out will result in unsolicited leads.

Don't settle.

If you're really hurting for work, you might be tempted to make broad, sweeping statements like, "I'll do anything! I can code or write or even water your plants." Resist this urge. I sometimes update my LinkedIn status to things like "researching socially conscious marketing companies" or "on the lookout for women-owned businesses that need a freelance copywriter." Isn't that simply broadcasting desperation? One forum member asked me. I don't think so, because I'm not begging for any old copywriting project. I'm looking for something specific, and if that resonates with someone in my network, great. If not, no harm done. I also mix up my status with updates on new projects or travel plans, so people in my network know I'm not constantly looking for work.

Give them an out.

You don't want to bog down your request with too many phrases like "hope this isn't too much to ask" or "I know you're really busy," but remember that no one is obligated to help you. They might choose to help you out, but don't make it awkward for a colleague or client if they dodge your request. Maybe they are really busy or can't think of any colleagues who need your services.

Show some gratitude.

Whenever someone offers a lead, even if it doesn't pan out, be sure to thank them. I appreciate creative thank you's when I do a favor for another freelancer, and I'm sure clients appreciate it, too. For instance, one writer sent me a jpeg of a cake as a sign of her gratitude when I helped her break into a new market, another sent an ecard. In addition to thanking the other person, you might offer to return the favor. A willingness to reciprocate ensures that others will want to help you grow your business now and in the future.

8 Tools to Find Someone Online

 

by Thursday Bram via [lifehacker.com]

Finding a way to contact someone has gotten a lot easier: just type their name into Google and follow a few links. For many people, you'll quickly find a profile on Facebook, a blog or even an email address you can use to get in touch. But a Google search doesn't turn up good results for everyone. Maybe the person you're trying to reach has a fairly common name. You may need a tool a little better than a simple Google search to find him.

1. 123people

123people provides a good start when you're looking for someone online. You can type in just a first name and a last name and get pictures, phone numbers, email addresses, Amazon wishlists, websites, documents and more. It turns up a lot of search results for relatively common names — or names that refer to someone famous in addition to the person you're looking for. The only drawback to so much information is that it can take a little while to search through it all and find the specific person you're searching for.

2. Pipl

Pipl is a free search tool, although it brings in results from several other sites which do charge for access to particular records. Between those various sources, Pipl turns up a good number addresses and phone numbers, along with links to public records, online mentions and other useful pieces of information. Particularly helpful is Pipl's ability to search withing a specific city, state or zip code. If you know the geographic location of the person in question, you'll be able to narrow down search results to that area.

3. YoName

If you're confident the person you want to find has a profile on some social networking site, a good search tool is YoName. The site searches across a whole list of different social networking sites, from big names like MySpace to less common options like Webshots. The results can take a little time to look through, but the process is made easier by the fact that they're laid out in a table — you can browse through it quickly.

4. Zoom Info

Zoom Info is particularly useful if you're looking to connect with someone at their job. Search results include job titles and employers, along with locations. The site offers a 'contact this person' button, but requires you to sign up for a free trial in order to use it. After the free trial, using that button and some of the site's other features cost $99 per month. If you're willing to do a little more legwork by calling up the company listed and seeing if you can ask for a direct number or email address, you can generally skip paying that fee.

5. Jobster

Jobster's main focus is searching for jobs, but it also offers a tool to search for individuals. In most cases, it's used for employers and recruiters looking for leads — but it can offer up some contact information that can help your search. A few other job sites offer a similar opportunity, as well.

6. Inmate Search

Unfortunately, you may find yourself in need of Inmate Search — while the site isn't pretty, it includes a list of contact information for each state's system for finding inmates, as well as the federal system. Unfortunately, there's not a lot of options for searching all states at once, but if you know the state the person you're looking for might be incarcerated in, you can speed up the search process.

7. Intelius

To access most of the information available through Intelius, you'll be asked to pay a fee. The site offers everything from phone numbers to complete background checks and actually can have useful information. I have purchased information from Intelius in the past and it did lead me to exactly the person I was looking for. However, I know the price tag (often starting around $40) can be off-putting, especially if you're only casually searching or if you need to find information on a long list of people.

8. Zaba Search

I know many people who swear by Zaba Search when it comes to searching public records for free. I've had minimal luck on it myself, but if you're having some difficulty, it may be worth a try. The reverse phone look on Zaba Search is particularly problematic — the site actually uses Intelius to look up phone numbers, which charges for the information.

Other Options

There are more than a few other options for searching for people out there. These eight are just options I've actually used in the past. There are also a lot of specialized search tools, like if you're trying to find a person's criminal record or you want to look for someone who works for the US government. You can also check social networking sites individually — most search tools that cover social media focus on larger sites, and ignore the smaller ones, along with forums and message boards. Unfortunately, there's still not a particularly good tool for searching such sites — even if you're willing to pay. You're left with essentially searching those sites by hand.

The drawback to the options listed above is that they all primarily focus on the U.S. I've had little luck finding resources for international searches. If you have any suggestions, please share them in the comments.

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Thursday Bram blogs about a variety of topics, from personal finance to small business. She is the author of an upcoming book on the tools and tricks you need to build a career you can take with you during long-term travel. More information about Thursday and her book, Working Your Way Around the World, is available on her personal site, ThursdayBram.com.

How to Tie a Tie

Picture via the artofmanliness.com

Nothing says, I am serious about getting this job than a suit and tie. We've posted articles about getting a suit and getting it tailored. To top off a good suit you need to learn how to tie a tie. Every Man needs to know how to tie a tie. Once you master one or two, take a look at a few others. I prefer solid colored ties and solid suits.

It is not unusual to see me in a black suit with a white shirt and silver tie. ala Steve Carell...

For you long waisted guys (like me), I suggest that you consider the half-windsor knot. Otherwise, you will be searching for extra long ties.

How to ace a telephone interview

by Marci Alboher, Working the New Economy, on Wed May 27, 2009 8:14am PDT

When employers want to narrow a pool of candidates, they frequently use telephone interviews to decide whom to bring in for in-person interviews. Telephone interviews are also becoming more popular as employers continue to tighten their belts. And while phone interviews are a cheap and efficient way to vet a candidate, they can also feel overly casual and detached. So if you know you are going to have one, it's important to give it some thought and not let the medium trip you up.
Here are some tips for making the best impression during a telephone interview:

Be prepared. Since a telephone interview is usually a test to see if you will make it to the next round, be as prepared for a phone interview as you would for one in person. That means, do all your research about the company or organization as well as the people you'll be speaking with during the call. And of course, work on your pitch for why you're the best candidate for the job.

Dress up. Really. There's lots of evidence showing that how we dress affects how we work. So, if you're home and tempted to do the call in your pajamas, take it up a notch.

Find a quiet and private place for the call. Control the environment where you take the call as much as possible. If you're at home, think about crying babies and construction noise. I work at home with my dog, a French bulldog who snores loudly. When I know I have an important call, I always put him in another room or send him to work with my partner that day.

Do not do anything else while on the call. Telephone interviews are not an ideal time to show off yourmultitasking abilities. Close all the windows on your computer, unless there is something on your computer you want to reference -- like your LinkedIn profile or the web site of the organization you're interviewing with. Close your email. And definitely don't eat, drink, chew gum or do anything else that would hamper your speech or create a distraction.

Control the technology. The more advanced we get with telephone technology, the more we seem to hamper the quality of our connections. Avoid using a cell phone since calls can get dropped. Disable call-waiting if you have that service.

Keep notes and documents handy. One advantage to a telephone interview is that you can have any papers you want to look at nearby. Also, have a pen and paper handy to take notes.

Practice. Have a friend call you and see how you sound. Ask whether you sound better standing or sitting. I've taken some classes on public speaking and learned that I sound much more relaxed when standing, or even pacing. So that's what I do when I take an important call.

Find out who will be in the call. If possible, get the names in advance of who will be on the call and know what roles they play. If there are multiple people on the call and you think you might not be able to distinguish their voices, ask them to identify themselves the first few times they speak.

Don't worry about brief silences. In fact, it's better to take a moment to digest the question than jump in and answer before you've thought about what you want to say. Plus, people pay attention to those who know how to listen.

I recently spoke about these issues on television with Asa Aarons from the television station NY1. If you want to see me putting some of these tips into practice (or more accurately, practicing putting some of these into practice), watch the clip.

Use Twitter to Find a Job

How do you find job postings on Twitter. It is pretty easy, the key is hashtags (#). Here is an article briefly outlining the use of Hashtags on Twitter. Basically they create "groupings" on twitter without changing the service. Think of it like visible meta_tags. Curious Apricot has written a nice beginning tutorial on hashtags here.

Just enter #jobs into Twitter search and review the results.

Using the twitter gadget for gmail I created the results below. I use hashtags like search criteria adding a subtracting key words in the search. Give it a try and see what you can find. Let me know your results.