Career Advice That Needs To Be Revamped (Or Trashed)

Original Post: Career Advice That Needs To Be Revamped (Or Trashed)

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Dress for the job you want

With the culture of business casual practically taking over America’s corporations – what does “dressing for success” actually mean? Not coming to work dressed like a complete slob (or lunatic) is obvious – yet, what does dressing for the job have to do with what I want?

People dress for moods and attitudes. Not for jobs. I don’t think you can. Your career (just like your style) morphs with you – and who knows what that will look like at any given time. A lot of people tout this advice because it provides a sense of control. And, if you are smart, you should willingly relinquish some control in order to be in better control of your life.

Dressing like a corporate banker doesn’t guarantee you’ll be a corporate banker – just have loads of credit card debt.

Don’t feel that wanting a job in advertising gives you the stylistic permission to be as fashionably adventurous as you want while still expecting people to take you seriously.

Good careers are not predicated on dressing for the job you eventually see yourself in. It doesn’t make sense. Dress for the work you are doing. Don’t waste time developing a job costume for a career you might not even have.

The only difference between you and the boss is the pay check and self awareness. Looking important and being important are two different things.

Do people take first impressions and appearances for granted? Yes. Nevertheless, trying to look the part before you are the part is not only a little presumptuous, but vastly short sighted as well. It’s an interesting (but kiddie pool shallow) concept.

There are plenty of broke fashionistas working in a dentist’s office.

Don’t quit a job without notice

Day after day after day, people come to one of my most popular posts and comment about quitting a job without giving notice to their boss. It almost sounds like an unspoken professional phenomenon.

So, if so many people are doing it, why is it such a big deal? Hell, quit your job – no letter, no notice – and get on with it.

Yet, it still bothers people. Primarily, I think it bothers people because there is some half-hearted desire to feel justified in giving crappy employers their just desserts. Oh, yeah – people feel 10 times better once they quit a horrific job, but it still doesn’t stop them googling “quit without notice” and arriving at TWS.

Therefore, I don’t get it. Let’s stop telling people to not be assholes and quit their jobs without notice. They’ll do it no matter what. They will relish in the enjoyment that is the double edged sword of not having a job and not having a job they hate.

Will some regret such actions? Of course.

But, probably not as much as people who stay in hellish jobs and never quit because they’re too afraid to do anything else.

But, if anyone has any stories about not hiring a potential employee because they quit their last job without notice – I’d love to hear ‘em.

It’ll break up the monotony.

Start a blog

I may get into trouble on this one. In fact, I’ve been guilty of this advice numerous amounts of times. Yet, since I’ve started blogging – I’ve learned a blog is not a blog by itself.

Unless it’s a crappy one.

Entering the blogosphere is about continuing your conversation online, adding a 3rd dimension to your “idea” portfolio. Yet, honestly, I do not think many people are able to do this effectively or with any confidence.

It’s one thing to have a blog about project management – but it’s entirely another to fold that conversation into something of tangible value for project managers.

Blogs are not necessarily a means to end, but they are for some people. That’s where such job advice originates. Career advisers suggest that you start a blog on the industry you are in (or interested in being in), but they also neglect to tell you the hard work blogging requires.

Even if you include the people who blog because they simply enjoy it – it’s still a lot of damn work.

Then, there are those who think they should get paid to blog. That’s fine if you can create that situation, but let’s not be so egotistical as to think people should pay to read whatever the hell you’re thinking (or writing).

Getting paid for blogging might make it a tinge bit easier, but even then – you are better off blogging because you want to (not because you are getting paid to).

(Fantastic) bloggers just don’t sit at a computer and type - even if that is the end result. Like I said: blogging -real blogging- is a lot of damn work. It’s just like any other job that requires you to be intellectually engaged, honest and insightful.

You can just turn it on once the Mac boots up.

Don’t start a blog for your career, start it as part of your career. And, even then, do it because you enjoy it – not for the possible magic poof of a career.

2 Twitter Tools to Manage Your Sentiment Rating

Original Post: Sentiment Analysis: How Do People Feel About You On Twitter?

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Do you know how people feel about you on Twitter? Are the tweets about you or your product mostly positive, negative or neutral? While things like feelings and sentiment can seem fuzzy and “touchy-feely,” there are sentiment analysis tools available for Twitter that attempt to classify tweets into either positive, negative or neutral categories automatically using algorithms and lists of keywords. For example, using words like “sucks,” “sad” and “hate” would be classified as negative, while “awesome,” “great” and “love” would be positive, with a neutral rating given to anything not falling into one of the other two categories.
As you can probably guess, the results from sentiment analysis tools vary widely, with many tweets ending up in the wrong category. Each tool is only as good as the list of keywords and the algorithms it uses, and they are easily confused by imperfect human beings who send mixed signals into their algorithms. For example, this tweet from @PDXrox was classified by one tool as positive and negative by another, based on confusion over using both “dang” and “:(” while also using the word “love:”

“Dang! Both @backfencepdx and @igniteportland have scheduled their events for the same night – Nov 19th. I love them both – wah! :-(“

You have a few options for sentiment analysis. If you are doing work for a company with budget for analysis tools, you should seriously think about purchasing a tool like Techrigy’s SM2, Scout Labs or other social media monitoring packages with sentiment analysis, since they have more robust features than some of the free tools. For those of us doing personal monitoring or working at small companies with limited budgets, there are some free tools that you can use to get at least a rough idea of how people feel about you or your products and services.
twendz
twendz is certainly the best free tool that I used, which isn’t really surprising since it was created by Waggener Edstrom, a large public relations firm with a vested interest in having accurate sentiment analysis for its clients. It handled my complex search query with ease when other tools did not, and it constantly updates in the browser window with new tweets. It also has some really nice features, including sentiment summary per tag and the ability to see exactly which tweets are positive or negative overall or for each tag.

twitrratr
I have some fundamental issues with twitrratr: It doesn’t handle complex searches; it doesn’t pick up new tweets very quickly and it doesn’t have additional analysis by tag or other parameters. However, I like how you can easily see at a glance the tweets that are positive, negative and neutral with words highlighted to show you why the tweet was put in the positive or negative category.

As I mentioned before, these tools aren’t perfect. Any time you are dealing with human beings and our imprecise languages, there will be plenty of opportunities for putting tweets into the wrong categories. However, sentiment analysis does provide a starting point and a rough idea for assessing how you people feel about you or your product.

The Interview Waltz

The Interview Waltz

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Uploaded on June 22, 2006 by dannys42

Under a great deal of pressure in stress during my job hunt, I've found myself reverting to another point of reference about pleasing others in the hopes that they'll take you: the ballet audition.

I've danced ever since I was three. Since I was nine until I graduated from high school, I took around 5-6 classes a week, including jazz and modern. I took summer intensives at a local arts school, and auditioned for several professional schools, and was accepted to two (I picked the Rock School, which was a big mistake, but that's another story for another day). I auditioned for a prestigious production of the Nutcracker, where I danced in the corps. In college, upon discovering a dance program heavily skewed toward neo-modern dance, I helped found student-run ballet group that provides ballet classes and performances, which involved many other auditions over the years.

And now, as I brace myself for job interviews, I can't help but imagine them as auditions.

Like ballet auditions, interviews are nerve-wracking even before they begin. Though thankfully, I haven't had to face competitors face to face yet, like the ballerinas who use intimidation by show offing and stretching and pirouetting before the audition begins, I can still imagine them there, hovering in the back of my mind. Like eying the dancers around me at an audition, I wonder what the other candidates have got on me. Are they smarter? Do they have a Masters? Are they 35 and got laid off, but have 10 years experience in the field? And like a good dancer, I try to warm myself up (mentally), preparing myself for the worst, trying to recall the answers I've prepared for more commonly asked questions, and trying to calm my brain to sound as articulate as possible.

When the interview begins, it's much like an audition. Faced with one or more people judging you, and one person directing you, you're expected to be at your very best, trying to stand out, to be the one that catches their eye. While in an audition, you have to pay close attention to the teacher and the steps he/she gives, you must also keep an eye on the judges, in the hopes they noticed you. You have to make sure you're doing the right combinations, but doing them with perfect technique and some sort of emotion, too. In an interview, in the meantime, you have to make eye contact with everyone in the room, and make sure you're not just directing yourself toward the person who asked the last question. You have to answer the questions adequately but also use body language, eye contact, hand shakes, and enthusiasm.

If, for whatever reason, you mess up, or fall, or stub your toe, you have to keep going, to pull yourself together and hope that no one noticed or that your technique will be impressive enough to overcome your mistake. Similarly, in an interview, if you find you've made a gaff or misspoken or gave a really silly answer, you have to battle on and pick yourself up.

Some auditions leave you in less suspense: you're told immediately if you made it to the next round or if you've been accepted. Others are not so kind: you have to wait to be contacted (back in the day, by snail mail). In interviews, you usually have to wait to find out, though you'll often have an inkling to how you did. Like at a ballet audition, I find myself wondering, "Will I get a call-back?" For the life of me, I cannot bring myself to visualize a second interview as a second interview. Inevitably, I'll pray for that call or email telling me I have a call back.

And finally, I find myself in the battle between hubris and humiliation, depending on whether I get that call-back. So far in my job hunt since I've been back in the US, I haven't made it past the last round, and find myself wallowing in the same self-pity and sadness that I'd find myself in after not making it in an audition.

But I have to dust myself off, strap my pointe shoes back on (or in the case of interviews, pointy-toed black heels), and get back out there.

Business Card Alternatives For the Real World

Original Post: Business Card Alternatives For the Real World

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So you’re a web worker, but you still meet people in meatspace that you want to network with, and making them type an email into their phone or handing them a plain jane business card either feels awkward or isn’t getting results.

There are other things you can do, things that are far more representative of your trade than a lifeless rectangular slip of paper with some contact information printed upon it. That’s not to say that all rectangular slips of paper are without merit, just that most traditional ones just aren’t getting the job done like they used to, following the demise of the Rolodex. Here are some alternatives you may want to consider.

Email/Blog Address Fortune

Maybe I just have a lot of superstitious friends with hoarding tendencies, but I, and people I know, tend to hang on to the fortunes we get from fortune cookies at Chinese restaurants. At least until the next time I wash the pants I’m wearing, at which point I empty out the pockets and re-read said fortune.

Lucky Brand jeans uses this as a marketing tactic, and includes a branded fortune in the pocket of a new pair of its product. You can do the same. Find a memorable quote or write an interesting fortune, print them on slips of paper with your logo if you have one, and put an email or blog address on the back. Handing these out will not only help you network, it should spark conversation, so long as the content you print on them is interesting enough. Try to come up with a variety so that you can hand them out in groups without doubling up.

QR Code

Depending on the crowd you’re mixing with, and whose attention you want to attract, you might want to riff on the traditional business card by handing out cards printed with QR codes. QR codes are a type of barcode that can be used to link to digital content via a scanned, printed symbol. Here’s an example:



QR codes can be scanned by software readers on smart phones with cameras (as long as there’s an app available for the phone, which there often is) and will process the information and launch the appropriate content. For example, the one above should open a link to WebWorkerDaily. You can generate your own QR codes here.

Obviously, you have to be careful who you give this kind of thing to. It works best with tech professionals who’ll either be familiar with QR codes, or with tech enthusiasts who’ll be interested enough to find out more about them.

Contact Info T-Shirt

If you’re going to a trade show or convention, and you aren’t afraid to do a little shameless self-promotion (which you really shouldn’t be if you’re in this line of business), then have a t-shirt printed up with either your email or web address on it.

Now that cell phone cameras are so prevalent it’s unlikely you’ll come across someone who doesn’t have one, all you have to do to share your info with someone is stand very still for a couple seconds while they snap a photo. It’s memorable, it’s environmentally-friendly, and you get to feel like a rock star for a day while getting your picture taken.

Business Rock

This isn’t mine, it’s something I found on Instructables, but it was so off-beat that I had to share. Basically, the idea is just that you find a well-worn lake or river stone, hand-write your details on it, and distribute that in lieu of a business card.

It’s time consuming, sure, but it doesn’t cost a thing, and it will help you stand out from the field, especially if you work in a creative line of business. You can pick up a relatively inexpensive customizable craft stamp if you’d rather simplify and save your hand some cramping, too.

It’s a little out of left field, but maybe in your line of work, that’s seen as a good place to be coming from.

Let’s face it. The business card isn’t useful. It’s a little like wearing a hat in public. An odd tradition left over from a bygone era that evokes some nostalgia, but that’s about it. You don’t have to start carrying around a sack of rocks, necessarily, but try and shake things up a bit, and your business relationships will benefit.

What business card alternatives do you use or have you come across and thought about using? Any tangible benefits to do doing things differently?

Photo credit: bargainmoose

9 Ways to Pump Up You, the Brand

Original Post from WebWorkerDaily by Meryl Evans

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Personal branding reflects how you represent yourself in the digital world from both a personal and business view. I believe that in this social media age everyone — from high school graduates to established professionals — needs to pay attention to his or her personal brand. Here are some tips for pumping up your image and improving your branding online.

1. Go beyond the popular social networks: Remember when MySpace was the place for social networking? No matter how firmly entrenched the big players seem, things can change. Make sure you have a complete profile on the current big three networks (Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook) but be sure to look out for specialist networks that cover your career or industry. Charles recently offered options for managing multiple online identities.
2. Mention other people's stuff: Passing on goodwill is a great way to provide value to your followers while also encouraging people to return the favor for you.
3. Think "relationship building": Limit self-promotion and marketing-speak. When you focus on building relationships, you ensure your content adds value to others.
4. Do the family and employer check: Always ask yourself, "Would I want my mother, children, clients or future employers to see this?" before posting anything. Nancy Nally explains when and when not to do self-censorship.
5. Ensure your alerts remain current: You use alerting services to watch for keywords, your name and your site's URL so you know what others say about you, right? Are yours up to date? Do they cover tweets, as well as web sites and blogs? Read more on monitoring your personal brand.
6. Respond when someone mentions you: Acknowledge others almost always (exceptions exist). Don't have an answer yet? Don't wait until you find one! Let them know you're working on it rather than leave them hanging.
7. Mix up your content: Well-meaning people often have an entire page of decent content on their profiles, but it's all just one type. For example, on Twitter, some people tweet what they're working on and nothing but. Some people post all @replies and nothing else. You should mix it up a little and don't be afraid to let your personality shine through.
8. Venture outside your network: Discover new blogs and leave comments or link to them. Many people tend to hang out with the same people across blogs and networks. This limits your ability to stretch your presence.
9. Post in four different places every week: It's easy to trap yourself into using nothing but Twitter, your own blog or whatnot. Make an effort to post original content in four different places on a weekly basis. It could be your blog, Twitter, another person's blog and a forum.

It only takes a few minutes a day to take care of you, the brand, and do it right.
How do you brand yourself?
Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/simonbleasdale/ / CC BY-ND 2.0

Do this One Thing Before You Accept that Web Job

Original Post: Do this One Thing Before You Accept that Web Job

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A friend of mine who’s worked in a slew of web jobs that have sorely disappointed him has finally found a role he thinks will be fun, challenging and rewarding.
He knew of the company, met multiple times with different team members, had been taken on a tour of the office space, and was happy with the offer they’d negotiated. It all looked good. But before he jumped in and signed up, he made one final check that all web workers should undertake.
He called a friend of his who used to work for the company to get the inside story on what it’s like there.
His friend had left the company, but he trusted her opinion, so he spent an hour discussing the company culture, the attitude to various aspects of the work that were important to him, what she’d liked and disliked about working there, and so on. In some ways, this conversation was almost like a sort of reverse job interview. And it confirmed many of his thoughts on the organization while alerting him to other aspects of the place and people that he hadn’t been aware of.
By the end of the conversation, he felt he had a clearer, real-world view of his potential employer from someone who knew the company well, yet had no personal or business interest in whether or not he took the job. And he decided to accept the position.
How to Find Out What It’s Like On the Inside
Obviously it’s important to get to know the company you’re considering working for as best you can. But if you haven’t had any experience with the organization yourself (for example, as a customer or client), you may fear you’ll be left with its web site and your interviewer as your only sources of information.
There are a few other ways you can research your potential employer. The first is, of course, to ask someone who’s worked at the company how they enjoyed their time. Of course, their reasons for leaving the place may skew their answers to your questions, but this is a good starting point — if you know such a person. If not, don’t worry: there are other tactics you can use to get past the company sales pitch and find out what life’s like on the inside.
Speak to a Current Employee
Ask if you can speak to another person who works for the company about what it’s like there. You might suggest this to your potential employer as a way to get a feel for the company culture from an objective party who doesn’t care whether you join the organization or not. Of course, you’ll want to keep in mind that the details of your conversation may well be fed back to the staff that are considering hiring you.
But spending half an hour with someone who works in the organization can be a useful way to gain insight into the way the place functions, how it demonstrates that it respects and values staff and clients, and so on.
Speak to a Current or Past Client
If you were considering contracting your potential employer to do some work for you, you’d undoubtedly check their references. So why not do the same if you’re considering working for them? Most organizations will already have a few referees on hand for prospective clients to speak with, and they may be happy for you to speak to one of these individuals.
Speaking to a client can give you an insider’s view of how the company treats clients and delivers its services. You may gain insight into the processes the company uses to manage clients and complete projects, or the swiftness with which is responds to client complaints, inquiries, and reported technical issues. Again, keep in mind that the details of this conversation may well be reported back to your potential employer.
Review Community Discussions
Most company web sites have a blog, discussion forums, reader comments or a combination of these. Check these sources to see how the company deals with its audience, responds to their comments and thoughts, and deals with negative feedback.
The way a company interacts with its public online may give you rare insight into deeply-held attitudes that underlie the company culture, as well as things like complaint resolution procedures, how involved the broader team is with customers and clients, and how open the company is to new ideas, technology, and so on.

The Low Down On Informational Interviews

Original Post: The Low Down On Informational Interviews

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Having just moved from Southern Florida to New York City, I am setting up several informational interviews to further understand social media and new marketing techniques. Whether you have a job or are searching, informational interviews are a key to success.

Yesterday, I read an informative article in The Examiner written by James Sanford. My learnings were as follows:

1) Do not present a resume or ask for a job in an informational interview. The purpose of your meeting should be to learn a company culture and network in your industry.

2) Arrive to the meeting prepared with thoughtful questions.

3) The informational interview is a relaxed setting to practice your answers to future interview questions (i.e. “tell me about yourself”). You should not feel as if you are in an interview or selling a product; however, this is an excellent opportunity to practice your personal brand story or pitch.

4) Follow-up is critical. Thank each contact for his/her time, information, advice. Thank-you letters should be sent via email; a hard copy should be sent through snail mail.

5) Each manager and/or executive should be updated on any progress in your career.

6) Keep good records of connections made, including dates and follow-up tasks. I personally keep a well organized, ongoing list in an excel file.

As a Generation Y, it is often difficult to know who to contact and what exchange is appropriate. I am signing up for alumni events, industry related associations and specific Meetup.com affairs.

Other personal habits I have acquired while networking are to 1) confirm meeting time and place the day before, 2) follow up with unique, outstanding stationary, 3) get a business card, and 4) remember to small talk. Small talk is an art; often when I am taking myself too seriously, I forget to ask my mentor personal details. Taking note of these personal details on the back of his/her business card is a great technique. Then when I follow up, I can ask about family, vacation, home, etc. Every little detail counts when creating lasting relationships.