The Good and Bad of the U.S. Federal Unemployment Rate

The Good and Bad of the U.S. Federal Unemployment Rate Sitting in a job club, networking with other job seekers, we were talking about how great the unemployment rate was. This was in 2006, and times were good. Except for the 20 or 30 people in the room.  Newspapers excitedly reported how great the economy was.  And then someone said The unemployment rate for me is 100%. While the world (at least the newspapers) celebrated such a great economic time, I sate in the room with a couple dozen people who didnt feel the celebration.  All of us wondered if its so good, why cant we even get a meaningful interview? Why the discrepency?  What is the unemployment rate? Honestly, I think its a bunch of crap. If you want to see why this is such a garbage number, check out The Big Lie: 5.6% Unemployment, an article on Gallup.com.  Ill highlight some of the article below, but I said Id share the good of the unemployment rate. The only good I can think of is that it provides one standard, a metric, that economists can use to track and measure.  Thats it.  Its been around for a long time, and can be used as one factor to understand what the economy is doing.  Of course, politicians can use this to paint a picture describing how great they are, and how effective their leadership has been. But this number, with the name it has (unemployment rate), really is a big lie. Here are some reasons why: A low unemployment rate is apparently not good.  Read this and this and this and this, if you want more info on that concept. Again, this number is a number that economists should appreciate, as a metric to track, but the rest of the world (especially the media) should largely ignore (or, understand better). Doesnt it make sense that the goal is 0% unemployment?  Not according to those links. If you are one of the people counted as unemployed, if you dont find a job after a while, eventually youll not be counted as unemployed anymore. Heres an example: you have a job (not counted as unemployed, right?) then you lose your job.  Counted as unemployed? Not until you register with the government (think: unemployment insurance).  If you never register your new status, and take welfare, you arent counted as unemployed.  If you start your own business, which largely feels like you are unemployed, you are still not counted as unemployed. But lets say that you get unemployment insurance yeah! You are now part of the unemployment rate!  But if you cant find a job, and you run out of welfare (I think this is at 6 months or 12 months, but I could be wrong), you drop off of their roll, and guess what?  As far as the numbers are concerned, you are not unemployed.  Even though you are very unemployed, you are not. So this is only tracking a certain segment of the unemployed.  Su pposedly we are tracking those people, but its really impossible to track. More info? Research long term unemployment If you work part time, or have a business and make enough so you dont qualify for unemployment insurance, the government considers you successful enough to be off of their stats.  You are not unemployed anymore, and they celebrate that you have found something.  But that something is typically what we all call underemployment. Doing something to get out of the house. Doing something to earn money and try to have dignity, even though its not enough. This is such a penalty for some people that they will avoid any type of work or initiative because it jeopardizes their piddly unemployment insurance. so what should be an incentive to get a real job is actually more like handcuffs.  I know this because Ive had people tell me they cant have reportable income until their benefits have run out, or else they will lose their benefits. Does this disgust you?  Read more at the Gallup site.  And the next time you see this number reported, for better or worse, youll know that it doesnt necessarily mean what the public thinks it means. The Good and Bad of the U.S. Federal Unemployment Rate Sitting in a job club, networking with other job seekers, we were talking about how great the unemployment rate was. This was in 2006, and times were good. Except for the 20 or 30 people in the room.  Newspapers excitedly reported how great the economy was.  And then someone said The unemployment rate for me is 100%. While the world (at least the newspapers) celebrated such a great economic time, I sate in the room with a couple dozen people who didnt feel the celebration.  All of us wondered if its so good, why cant we even get a meaningful interview? Why the discrepency?  What is the unemployment rate? Honestly, I think its a bunch of crap. If you want to see why this is such a garbage number, check out The Big Lie: 5.6% Unemployment, an article on Gallup.com.  Ill highlight some of the article below, but I said Id share the good of the unemployment rate. The only good I can think of is that it provides one standard, a metric, that economists can use to track and measure.  Thats it.  Its been around for a long time, and can be used as one factor to understand what the economy is doing.  Of course, politicians can use this to paint a picture describing how great they are, and how effective their leadership has been. But this number, with the name it has (unemployment rate), really is a big lie. Here are some reasons why: A low unemployment rate is apparently not good.  Read this and this and this and this, if you want more info on that concept. Again, this number is a number that economists should appreciate, as a metric to track, but the rest of the world (especially the media) should largely ignore (or, understand better). Doesnt it make sense that the goal is 0% unemployment?  Not according to those links. If you are one of the people counted as unemployed, if you dont find a job after a while, eventually youll not be counted as unemployed anymore. Heres an example: you have a job (not counted as unemployed, right?) then you lose your job.  Counted as unemployed? Not until you register with the government (think: unemployment insurance).  If you never register your new status, and take welfare, you arent counted as unemployed.  If you start your own business, which largely feels like you are unemployed, you are still not counted as unemployed. But lets say that you get unemployment insurance yeah! You are now part of the unemployment rate!  But if you cant find a job, and you run out of welfare (I think this is at 6 months or 12 months, but I could be wrong), you drop off of their roll, and guess what?  As far as the numbers are concerned, you are not unemployed.  Even though you are very unemployed, you are not. So this is only tracking a certain segment of the unemployed.  Su pposedly we are tracking those people, but its really impossible to track. More info? Research long term unemployment If you work part time, or have a business and make enough so you dont qualify for unemployment insurance, the government considers you successful enough to be off of their stats.  You are not unemployed anymore, and they celebrate that you have found something.  But that something is typically what we all call underemployment. Doing something to get out of the house. Doing something to earn money and try to have dignity, even though its not enough. This is such a penalty for some people that they will avoid any type of work or initiative because it jeopardizes their piddly unemployment insurance. so what should be an incentive to get a real job is actually more like handcuffs.  I know this because Ive had people tell me they cant have reportable income until their benefits have run out, or else they will lose their benefits. Does this disgust you?  Read more at the Gallup site.  And the next time you see this number reported, for better or worse, youll know that it doesnt necessarily mean what the public thinks it means.

Building Your Personal Brand with Blogging - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Building Your Personal Brand with Blogging - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Creating a blog and then consistently blogging is still the biggest untapped opportunity well. Use this post as a mini-resource guide for some inspiration to start blogging, or if youve started, use this post as a refresher to understand why you are blogging in the first place. Then use the blogging tools to improve your blogging efforts so you can get more ROI from your efforts. Why a blog? 1) Search engines love blogs: Search engines love fresh and relevant content; that is why Wikipedia is one of the top search results for so many terms. Every one of your blog posts is an opportunity to rank for long tail keywords that can drive very targeted search traffic to you. Think of your blog as an opportunity and search engine traffic magnet. Search engines are in the business of matching search terms with relevant content and blogs are increasingly the home for valuable content. 2) Blogs are link sticky: Think of the last piece of content that you linked to on the Web. It was most likely a blog article that you found interesting or valuable. Every blog post you write has the opportunity to generate more inbound links for you. An inbound link to your blog post is like a website raising its virtual hand and saying, this article is really good and I want you to know about it. Keep in mind that the more inbound links you have to your blog, the higher you will rank for your targeted keywords. 3) You are creating an enduring asset you own: With every blog post you are increasing the amount of virtual land you own free and clear. Think of your blog posts as virtual stakes in the ground that have an asset value and you will start to think with a different perspective. Great blogs that have accumulated lots of valuable content have both tangible and intangible value. You own it forever if you want. 4) Increase your opportunities to get found: Think of every one of your blog posts as a lottery ticket; the more lottery tickets you have the more opportunities you have to win. Winning the lottery can mean getting the job you want, making more money, or just being seen as a thought leader in your space. Whatever your lottery is, each blog post you own is another chance at winning your lottery. 5) Its all about eyeballs: Blogs are social tools and can drive more eyeballs to your personal brand. With search engines and social media sharing plug-ins, blog posts are eyeball magnets. Interesting blog content that is optimized has a way of getting found and shared quite quickly, attracting more attention to your personal brand. Tools to measure your blogs success: Alexa Compete Comscore Technorati Blog Grader Top blogs on blogging: Blogtrepreneur Copyblogger Daily Blog Tips Lorelle on WordPress Problogger Now its your turn? What are some of your favorite blogging resources? Please add them in the comments section. Author: Chad Levitt is the author of the New Sales Economy blog, which focuses on how Sales 2.0 Social Media can help you connect, create more opportunities and increase your business. Chad is also the featured Sales 2.0 blogger at SalesGravy.com, the number one web portal for sales pros, the professional athletes of the business world. Make sure to connect with him on Twitter @chadalevitt.

10 Ways You Shouldnt Brand Yourself in a Bad Economy - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

10 Ways You Shouldnt Brand Yourself in a Bad Economy - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Everyone is writing posts on the economy and tips for beating it. I thought I would join in, but with a personal branding angle to it. Below is my top 10 list of ways you shouldnt brand yourself during this economy, or at all really, but especially during this time. If you have more to add, please leave a comment. 1) Appear concerned that you are going to get laid off If you think you might lose your job, you probably will. Most of your success and failure lies in your mental state. The more you think about losing your job, the more it will shine through to others that you might deserve to lose it. Those who are confident in their own abilities, skills, internal network and the future, will survive and thrive during a period of economic struggle. 2) Continue to do the same work everyday The easiest way to lose your job is by not expanding your role and learning new skills. If you do the same tasks every single day, then the chance you will be eliminated is considerably high. Think about it, if a company no longer requires those tasks or projects to be done, then they dont need you. The way to save yourself is to learn about more areas of your company, especially ones where you can lend support with your expertise. When this occurs, even if your current position is eliminated, you may have a bridge to an opportunity, where on-the-job training wont be required. 3) Search for new jobs during your full-time job Some people are in panic right now and may fear they are about to lose their current position. Instead of working harder after work to find a new job or to build their personal brand, people invest time at work to search for new jobs. This is a very bad move, not only because most companies monitor employees computers and web routines, but because you are wasting precious time that you need to do your current job. In a recession, you have to work harder to keep your job, so losing those hours will get you fired quicker. 4) Start asking people youve never met for favors The worst way to network is when its forced. When you come off as using someone else or begging for favors, without giving first, you lose. Its really that simple and I dont care if its online or offline, the results youll get are the same. You need to build your network before you need it. If youre desperately searching for a job, people might not even consider you an ideal candidate due to perception. Also, people dont want to get harassed right now when they have their own problems. The best way to ask for favors right now is to go to your immediate, trusted network. 5) Focus on monetary equity and not social equity During a recession, many people choose to focus on every penny they have. They save money, instead of spend it (of course). The issue is that you come off as cheap, which will hurt your brand image. Also, people divest or dont put much energy into building social equity (relationships/strong network), but rather monetary equity. This is a problem because money cant really get you another job if youre laid off, but your network can. 6) Convince yourself that you have job security No one has job security. There are just people who are better off than others. In fact, the only insurance policy you have is your network! You may even be getting laid off while you read this. The people who feel like they have job security are poorly positioned because they arent taking the steps needed to protect themselves and invest in their personal brands. 7) Laugh at social media and concentrate solely on your current position Please dont ignore the social media explosion on the internet. It is at your own peril! I know if youre reading this you are actively engaged with social media at some level, either as a content creator or producer. Lacking social media knowledge, passion and having assets (a blog) will actually count against you in many ways. First, you will lose a vital channel by which you can communicate your personal brand for free. Second, you wont have any web 2.0 personal brand equity that you can parlay into another job, transferring your brand from position A to position B. Third, you wont have an additional revenue stream to get you through the hard times. Fourth, you wont be discovered for the next big opportunity. 8 ) Work shorter hours, knowing you wont be getting a raise The economy is hurting everyone and really depressing people, but to try and get revenge on your company by working fewer ours is crazy. There is a 120% chance you wont get a raise if you work shorter hours. Also, you will feel a lot less satisfied with your work and life. Your boss will notice and you will be added to the long list of people to get laid off. Dont worry about a raise; worry about keeping your job! 9) Speak to your coworkers about how much you hate your job You cant trust anyone, trust me ?? . People talk and at work, where a lot of people are talking about the economy and are trying to get watch their own back, a rat or unhappy worker, will be heard and fired pretty quickly. Work environments are quite harsh, so its better to be quiet and let everyone else screw things up for themselves. When the pressure is on and people feel threatened, anything goes and that is VERY scary. Be smart about your interactions and let your communication work for you, rather than against. 10) Use social networks as a microphone for complaints The worst thing you can do is vent through social networks. Social networks cater to all audiences now, so everything you share could be seen by your parents, teachers, coworkers, manager, etc. Just knowing this should make you smarter about how you participate online. If people see you as negative or annoying, they arent going to offer you a job and you might even lose your job because of it.

Ultimate Guide To The Agile Software Development Life Cycle - Algrim.co

Ultimate Guide To The Agile Software Development Life Cycle - Algrim.co With the increasing pace of innovation, fast is no longer fast enough. This change of pace is especially emphasized in software development. Teams which are developing software in 2018 can’t afford to spend years on research and product development before deployment. If they do, chances are that there will be new technology rendering their product obsolete. That’s the main reason why agile software development rose in popularity in the last decade. It entered the scene 15 years ago, and now over 16% of organizations surveyed in the Tech Beacon study actively use agile, while 51% strongly lean towards it and apply the techniques. Agile software development has become the new norm, just like the folks the Tech Beacon say. If we want to survive on the market, we have to adapt. Agile software development is the perfect way to do in. In this guide we’ll show you everything you need to know about the agile software development life cycle. We’ll learn from its beginnings, discuss different life cycle stages, and see how you can take after various startups’ examples and use the agile framework to test marketing and advertising methods. Using the agile principles can give you the competitive advantage even over well-established brands. Here’s how: What Is Agile Workflow? In software development, we typically differentiate between two workflows: waterfall and agile. The waterfall model is hierarchical and less flexible. Each step leads towards the next step, so the process is streamlined and there’s little room for feedback and adjustments. Waterfall is best suited for stable projects with very little room for external (and consequently, internal) changes, which is why it’s been the main engineering model for a long time. However, with the need for innovation that is present today, waterfall is too constrictive. There is no room for adjustments and revision. Some teams choose to adapt it to their needs, while others use agile. Agile software development, first popularized by the Manifesto for Agile Software Development, came as a perfect response to an ever-changing technological climate. It’s based on the iterative process that learns from each stage and applies the learnings in the next. The main characteristics of agile software development are: Collaboration Self-organization Cross-functionality It’s important to note that agile is a more holistic approach to software development that requires constant feedback from the developers, customers, and consumers alike. Whereas waterfall simply progresses from stage to stage, agile is interactive. It encourages collaboration and constant questioning to redefine the project and adapt it to current needs, in order to present a satisfying product to the end user. In the experience of companies surveyed in the Tech Beacon Study, agile software development also comes with other benefits such as: 54% of participants believe that agile increases the quality of collaboration within teams who haven’t previously worked together 52% of participants believe that increases software quality 43% believe that using the agile approach shortens marketing time 42% believe that agile reduces the development cost These statistics aren’t quite as surprising when we take into account that the agile approach was developed by software developers who understood that an inflexible approach won’t satisfy their clients or help them improve the quality. Among principles behind agile software development, there are well-known factors such as: Customer satisfaction (through the early and continuous delivery of valuable software) Flexibility (welcoming changing requirements even in the late stages) Deliverability Collaboration Working with motivated individuals, and giving them the support they need Face-to-face conversations Results-orientation Sustainable development Excellence and good design Every principle emphasizes the importance of quality, collaboration, and continuous self-assessment in order to increase the competitive advantage. And in order for developers to be able to do just that, they’ve separated different processes into… The Agile Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) There are 6 stages to the agile software development lifecycle. As we previously said, each stage is not only focused on the primary task of the stage, but also on reviewing both internal and external factors that can result in less than satisfactory performance of the software (both practically and on the market). Stage 1: Concept The concept stage is the first and the most crucial stage of the agile software development life cycle. In this stage, different projects are identified, reviewed and prioritized. This can be done in terms of technical capabilities or financial benefits. When a project has been selected, it’s important to determine the duration and the budget, and review whether it still fits the criteria for pursuing it further. Stage 2: Inception (Iteration 0) At this stage, it’s important to map out the software architecture. Depending on the stakeholders, this can be done by presenting the user experience or simply the framework of the software. Most teams use diagrams to communicate their vision to stakeholders, clients, or other participants in the (funding) process. This is where feedback typically starts for most teams who use the agile approach. They can communicate with stakeholders to determine requirements, and create a timeline. At the end of stage 2 of the agile software development life-cycle, you should delegate roles and tasks, and prepare the necessary resources. Stage 3: Construction / Iteration For many software developers, stage 3 is where the real fun begins. After the requirements have been established, and so has the timeline, as well as team responsibilities, software development can go forward towards the construction of the software. The objective in stage 3 is to deliver an MVP (minimum viable product). This is a very simplified, bare iteration and serves only to complete the first sprint with the goal of producing fully-functional software at the end of the process. This is where teams also test their products, add on to them, and work together with stakeholders and audience to meet their needs. Typically, each stage and iteration is done through sprints, which are highly-focused periods of time where team members work on one iteration (or in general, on one project). Stage 4: Transition / Release When the final iteration is ready for production, the software enters stage four of the SDLC. In stage 4, developers should: Test the system Finalize documentation Train end users and the production staff Deploy the system Stage 5: Production Even though the software has been developed, teams should still monitor its functioning to be able to address any problems, offer additional coaching or add new features. At the end of the production stage, production teams, stakeholders and end users should need no additional coaching. Stage 6: Retirement Retirement is the final stage of the agile software development cycle, and it occurs when the system release is removed from production. This can happen due to many reasons such as changing business models or better iterations, but it marks the end of the agile software development lifecycle. This is where the agile approach also shows its true nature, as it presumes that the system will be replaced with a better iteration. A Note on Sprints When software development uses the agile approach, work is usually divided into sprints. At the end of each sprint, there should be a working product. Sprints usually last around two weeks, and they help software development teams develop and keep an intense focus on each iteration, as well as gather feedback and analyze results with the goal of implementing changes in the next sprint. Each sprint consists of 5 stages: Planning Development Testing Delivery Feedback And now that we understand how the agile software development lifecycle helps with the production of technology, it’s time for… Agile Marketing Since startups are the most innovative companies, it’s no surprise that they’ve found agile software development as the best method for their model. However, the agile methodology isn’t just useful for SaaS (software as a service) startups. They all rely on it as they navigate from one funding round to another, adapting with the investors’ and the market’s needs. The key to agile marketing is staying flexible and observing the market. When using the agile approach, teams can test and iterate different marketing opportunities without wasting time or resources. And when applied, agile marketing results in: Increased speed to market, according to 93% of CMOs who use agile tactics Teams are more in sync about the department priorities, according to 26% of surveyed agile marketers Projects are completed sooner, according to 28% of surveyed senior agile marketers d since technology changes the way we market and advertise, it’s time to learn from (startup) companies who are already using agile, and seeing incredible results. Agile Marketing Best Practices Carsurfing Carsurfing is a ride-share app for events like concerts, and they generally make use of the agile approach. However, their agile marketing story started with Burning Man. When they noticed a spike in rides in Nevada, they focused on connecting the people who’d be sharing a ride on Facebook. From there, they built a landing page for Facebook users who were going to Burning Man. Within a few weeks, they arranged over 800 rides on a newly-released alpha platform. What was agile? Even though they were still early in the Alpha development stage, Carsurfing tracked and applied user feedback to launch their platform and validate the need for it on the market. Had they used the waterfall model, they wouldn’t have successfully launched when they saw the opportunity to â€" even though they were still in development. In addition to that, they could also test out the landing page and market sentiments without spending a lot of money on advertising. 2. Santander As a bank, Santander wanted to be at the top of every approach that could increase customer satisfaction. When it came to their marketing, they could no longer tolerate the duration of cooperation with agencies. By the time they’d booked an advertising agency and the campaign was launched, their customers needed something completely different. Instead of continuing their cooperation with agencies, they opted for agile marketing tactics. They’d launch low-risk marketing campaigns in two-week sprints. Successful campaigns were prolonged and got more funding, while the unsuccessful ones were abandoned. This is on par with stage one of the agile software development life cycle, and it’s resulted in great benefits for Santander. Recently, they experimented with first-party CRM data and Facebook data and applied it to their SEO and social media activity with the goal of increasing customer satisfaction. They saw results such as: 12% loyalty increase 10% account satisfaction increase Positive sentiment at 90% (highest ever for Santander) What was agile? Santander used the SDLC to test their marketing ideas, monitored user feedback, and made multiple iterations that ultimately resulted in incredibly high positive sentiment and customer satisfaction. 3. Chemmart Chemmart is a healthcare company with the head of marketing who used to work in the gaming industry. When Darren Gunton, national marketing manager, started working at Chemmart, he first assessed the situation and realized that the company had a problem with silos, hierarchy, and customer focus. He opted for the agile marketing approach. They focused their marketing activity on themed monthly loyalty campaigns. The goal of these campaigns was to increase sales in pharmacies, which made Scrumban a perfect method for them. Having the entire team focused on one campaign in short sprints also helped reduce the silos present at the company. They frequently A/B tested, and implemented user feedback into every campaign that followed. Where they once had big annual campaigns, they now have monthly campaigns which are just as valuable and loved among customers as the previous ones. The results are clear, as well. Their turnaround times reduced from 2 months to 2 hours, customer satisfaction has increased by 50%, and they’ve reduced costs by creating their own marketing agency. What was agile? Chemmart decided to fight data silos and ineffective marketing by increasing focus and turnaround times. To do that successfully, they frequently tested their campaigns and implemented user feedback from iteration to iteration. Their customers love their new focus, and the Chemmart team loves seeing results. And now that they’re using the agile marketing approach, they don’t even have to wait long to see how positively they’ve impacted their team and their customers.

How to Write a Successful Word Resume Format For Side By Side Writing

How to Write a Successful Word Resume Format For Side By Side WritingYour key to winning the internship interview lies in mastering a well-thought out Word resume format for side by side writing. The key is to make it as easy as possible for the interviewer to read your resume without your writing looking like a textbook.Some of the tips below were derived from experience of working in an accounting firm and attending technical training. When interviewing candidates, here are a few suggestions on how to write a quality Word resume. It is important to make sure you do not leave too much to the imagination and that the interviewer can immediately tell what position you hold.- First, check out the job description of the job in which you are applying. Make sure it is clear and that you understand what it is all about. It is also important to make sure that the job description is accurate. If the job description is not, there is no point in applying if you have to start over from scratch. - Next, when reading the specific job description, you should skim it quickly so that you can remember the specific job description for the next time. It is important to note that there are very few jobs in which you can apply directly to a person. You will have to apply in a company or corporation.- By following a properly designed Word resume format for side by side writing, you will be able to position yourself for success. Your job as an applicant is to provide what is required of you in the job application. Don't make the mistake of only providing the information required. You want to stand out as an applicant who has the knowledge required.- When answering basic questions, you will not want to make it sound as if you are giving the employer all the answers. There is no point in giving them the 'all knowing' answer when they do not require it. Explain briefly the specific experiences, skills, and knowledge you possess. This will make it easier for the interviewer to see why you are the right candidate for the job.- Use handouts such as samples of letters you have written to raise your confidence level in your ability to write a letter. As they say, if your application is on the desk, they are considering you.Following these basic tips for a Word resume format for side by side writing will help you increase your chance of being selected. Your success in the internship interview depends on it.

Use social media in your job search - Sterling Career Concepts

Use social media in your job search Use social media in your job search Joshua Waldman of Career Enlightenment shared a list of 10 job boards that use social media to boost your search. His list included a couple of my go-to sites as well as a few that are new to me. What follows are four of my favorites from his list. LinkUp.com A site I recommend to clients often as a reliable source and a great time save from having to scour multiple sites yourself.   LinkUp indexes job postings from more than 35,000 companies’ own websites. No third party postings or scams.   Just jobs posted by the hiring companies themselves. Easy to use with no account required. JobsMiner.com JobsMiner extracts job postings from social networking sites, blog posts, and forums. It’s simple to use and works as a nice complement to LinkUp.com. The results page shows on which social platform the post appeared and offers users the option to get search updates emailed.  Use LinkUp and JobsMiner to tap into all the jobs being posted on sites other than traditional job boards. Jojari.com Jojari is similar to LinkUp, but takes it one step further by analyzing which jobs are a good match. There’s two ways to use this site. The simple way is to conduct a search and then refine the results by clicking “more like this” or “less like this” for each posting. Jojari immediately starts tweaking the results based on your clicks. It’s easy to create a daily email alerts for new search results, too. The site also offers the option of creating an account to upload your resume for more intelligent results based on, as Waldman explains, technology similar to what attorneys use to find related cases. TweetMyJobs.com  There are those who use Twitter, and there are those who do not.   Whichever side you fall on, know that there is information about jobs to be found on Twitter. TweetMyJobs works in three ways to offer something for everyone: 1)         Anyone can sign up to receive job matches posted on Twitter via email, text, or tweet. 2)         If you have a Twitter account, you can search for and subscribe to a Twitter job channel (or feed) for a specific location and job type. 3)         For those in active (and not confidential) job searches, you can have your resume tweeted out to all of TweetMyResume’s followers. Check out these four sites as well as the others listed in Waldman’s post to streamline your search efforts and integrate social media into your job search today. Need additional assistance with your resume or job search strategies? Email or give me a call!

Getting an Internship or Co-op Using Social Media - CareerEnlightenment.com

Post oftenOnce your accounts are clean and free of any potentially offensive content, post away! Employers want to see that you are engaged and interesting so posting news or snaps of your volunteer work or other interests on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter is a very good idea.Ask for referralsSocial media makes it super easy to see who is connected to whom. Use that to your advantage by scouring your connections to see how they might help in your quest for an internship. If your college roommate’s mother used to work for Intel and you’ve applied for internship there, get in touch with her to ask for a referral or a letter of recommendation. Internships are a competitive business so use any and all of your connections to leverage opportunities.Use an online connection serviceWebsites like WayUp are platforms that connect college students (or recent grads) and companies for internships and other opportunities. Just fill out an online form with information about your education and e xperience, and you’ll gain access to a list of internships across the country that you qualify for, and you can even apply for them online.Do your researchOnce you get an interview for an internship, track down the names and titles of the people who’ll be interviewing you to gain insight into their backgrounds and connections. If it’s not provided upfront, ask the person arranging the interview for a list of who you’ll be speaking with before your appointment.