So how many employers are looking at my social media sites? The numbers go up again!

I just read the latest Proofpoint survey on outbound content and security issues. It's the seventh annual report on outbound messaging and content security issues, fielded by Osterman Research during June & July 2010. It says that Employers are using social media and email accounts even more to find out about potential hires and employees.

So Here's the meat and potatoes of it all:

37% of all survey employers said that they actually hired someone whose sole job is analyzing company email and outbound content.

Additionally 48% of the employers said they perform audits of what goes out regularly.

(20%) terminated an employee for violating email policies in the past 12 months

50% disciplined an employee for violating email policies in the past 12 months.

24% (up from 17%) disciplined an employee for violating blog or message board policies in the past 12 months.

11% (up from 9%) reported terminating an employee for such a violation.

54% (up from 46%) are highly concerned about the risk of information leakage via blogs and message board postings.

20% (up from 17% in 2009) of US companies investigated the exposure of confidential, sensitive or private information via a posting to a social networking site (e.g., Facebook, LinkedIn).

18% of US companies investigated the exposure of confidential, info via sites like YouTube

21% (up from 15% in 2009) have disciplined an employee for violating media sharing/posting policies in the past 12 months.

9% (up from 8% in 2009) reported terminating an employee for such a violation.

17% (up from 13%) of US companies investigated the exposure of confidential,information via an SMS text or Web-based short message service like Twitter.

51% (up from 41%) are highly concerned about the risk of information leakage via Web-based short messaging (e.g., Twitter).

So what does this all mean for you? It means that you need to be aware of what you should do to avoid making Email and Social Media missteps which could cause you to lose your job. Here are a few tips to ponder:

1. Remember that you are on your employers equipment and time when you are in the workplace

2. Remember that anything that you place on the web is fair game and open to the public

3. If there is anything on the web that would make your mother blush take it down

4. If you want to make a good impression post a good impression!

5. Keep in mind your entire social media audience

6. Don't under estimate the roaming eye of your employer.

Check out more of what I mean on this youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04tV88aEfMg

Until next time, I wish you happy trails on your career search journey!

Sited source: http://www.proofpoint.com/

Promotion is Outside the Lines

Now that you've landed the job or career of your dreams you're probably trying to figure out how do you earn the promotion. Or maybe you're a budding entrepreneur who enjoys your line of business but you're looking to make connections to move to the next dimension of your success. There are several strategies that you can employ to realize that golden carrot called a promotion. Many of the strategies are very useful and will render great results. Some strategies include looking professional at all times, being on time, doing more than is expected and even creating your own opportunities.

For today, let's talk about one strategy that may be overlooked. It's found outside the lines of the office. It is participating on office sports teams or in business sponsored community activities. Often times this strategy requires you to give more of your time than your posted work hours or if in business, your posted hours of operation. You may ask, how does this equate to a promotion or contract? It is not just the fact that you have participated in the activity that gets you noticed, but rather there are more advantages that you can get out of it. Consider the following benefits of participating outside the lines of the office.

1. You have the opportunity to show your colleagues, superiors or business partners that you are a team player. When you organize or become committed to participating in an after hours sports activity or event you show that you are willing to go the extra mile. You also project that you are committed to the success and mission of the business.

2. Being seen as self motivated and a problem solver are also benefits of participating outside the lines of the office. When the opportunity arises in business meetings to contribute ideas that will foster community support or boost team morale, being the first to suggest an idea is not a bad move. There were many occasions while working in corporate or higher educational settings where I took the initiative to suggest and head up office opportunities. I can say with surety that those opportunities marked me as a team playing, social problem solver. It became positively evident in each of my annual reviews. It also plays well in my life today as an entrepreneur because clients and colleagues know that by having me on their teams they WILL get the answers to their challenges.

3. Having the chance for your supervisors to get to know more about your character is another added benefit. If you are an entrepreneur, allowing your partners or prospective clients to get a glimpse of your character, before the deal is sealed, in a social setting is also a plus. I can attest that having great character as an employee and entrepreneur while being involved on sports teams and community activities has garnered me many promotions and contracts. Having great moral character on top of great skill is like adding icing on top of a cake. Yum!

When you get involved in company sports teams or community efforts you allow yourself to be remembered when the time comes for the decision makers to decide who gets the contract or promotion. Of course, it's going to be you because you've not only used all the other strategies to stand out and be promoted but you have also made an impact outside the lines of the office.

As it's said in the arena of sports, "Leave it ALL on the court or ALL out on the field!" In other words, pay it forward for those who come behind you so they will know what it takes to get promoted. You know, the old adage "each one teach one?" Leaving it ALL on the field also means,that you strategically play your business hand with no regrets. Do everything that you know to do to set yourself up for the promotion or contract. There are many people looking for the next promotion or contract and many may know some strategies to get there. However, not everyone knows or is willing to do what it takes to get the promotion outside the lines of the office. The good news is that you do, so make your mark on the team and take home the prize.

Are you Mixing it up? Part 2

Are you Mixing it up? Part 2

Embrace the small stepping stones that can get you to the big break

Your big break or dream job may seem far away or unavailable. Don't panic, in this day and age you may want to consider a position that could lead to your dream job until your dream job becomes available. Now some people would reject this idea immediately however if you focus on the fact that there are certain skills you need to master for your dream job, and then find a job that focuses on those skills you will be in a much more marketable position to receive that dream job when it becomes available.

Networking Vs Met-working

Many people of have heard the term Networking but few have heard the term Met-working. Even if you have, I'm finding that Met-working even has different meanings. I like to think I came up with this term about 5 years ago when trying to teach college students the art of Networking and what not to do. To me Met-working is simply going to professional gatherings and meeting lots of people, collecting lots of cards, shaking lots of hands, smiling all night until your cheeks ache, and leaving these events feeling really good about your wallet or purse full of cards. Some people even brag to their family members, professors and friends about who they met but then never do anything else with those cards except collect them. It's like having your 15 minutes of fame! That is met-working.

Networking on the other hand starts out the same way, however when you're shaking hands you're introducing yourself and finding people that you connect with that you'd like to talk to again later. Some of my clients are trained to try to identify who will be in attendance before they arrive at the events, research the company and have some commonalities or crafted questions. Now, that's like having an open book test! It's hard to fail if you can catch all the details. After you leave the event the major endeavor is to follow up with the people you meet. There are some other objectives with this also that I lack the time to share now so look for follow up information in a future blog.

Many people miss the other aspects of networking like connecting yourself to industry, and community, faith based and educational organizations. When you find your passion and lend your services to others there is a double reward often times. The first reward is the pure satisfaction that you gain from giving of your time, helping others, and learning more about your industry or passion. The second reward is that these places are great breeding ground for networking and collaborative relationships. To reinforce this point we contacted Mr. Eric Walls a Nashville based Talent Acquisition Consultant with a national fortune 500 company to have him weigh in on this topic. Eric agrees that networking is key. He says whatever your industry you need to make it a priority to join a regional or national organization. Organizations like SHRM and the American Marketing Associations are two organizations for business professionals. Additionally, Eric adds a word of caution to anyone in the job market, " don't rely solely on cyber space...the face to face time in invaluable." it gives employers an opportunity to get to know you. Career Fair anyone?

Craft an exceptional resume that can't be denied

Another important tool is crafting an exceptional resume. This first begins with knowing some "No-No's" in the game of resume writing. The number one taboo is to stay away from template resumes as much as possible. They are hard to manipulate if scanned or uploaded on a company's on-line application system. Did I mention that you'll need to proof read carefully and to use a font no smaller than 9. Many employers won't give your resume the time of day if its too small. Lastly in this regard, please don't use a "cookie cutter" resume for every employer. That's so "2008"...no better yet that's so 1998.

Let's discuss some of the things that you should do. To be fair by saying there are far too many to list here so here are some key principles. First you must know the different types of resumes and which is best for you. For instance will you need a chronological, functional or situational resume? Understanding the importance of the length of your resume is also key to getting the extra look by an employer. You would also serve yourself well to know how to craft a great objective statement, and when to use a professional summary instead. One other key you must know is how to maximize the on-line application system. The major piece here is that if you don't not have quality, key words that an employer is looking for you won't even get a second glance. To overcome this, carefully study the job description, then craft a resume that speaks to these needs and relates to your experience.

Seek out as much professional assistance as possible

If you're going to be as successful as you can be, you must decide to invest in your own career search. There are so many places and people that can help you and do it without you having to spend the proverbial "arm and leg" to get quality services. Here are three suggestions for you to get professional help. First, for upcoming and new college grads you may be well served to contact your college career center. The second option is to visit a local or community career center. Finally, for quality, hands on service where you will learn to fish for a lift time and not just get a fish sandwich for today, contact someone like us, professional career coaches. It is our passion and pleasure to assist our clients and help them reach their goals. Each career coaching professional will have their specialties and specific strategies that work. Without sounding as if we're bragging but rather extremely confident, passionate, humbled to serve and excited in what we do, we possess an arsenal of tools to assist our clients. So if you are in need of additional services and answers to your questions please contact us. To find out about more about what we offer please head over to www.curtisandmeichelle.com at the Gibson Consulting and Entertainment Groups website or call us at 615-796-6360

Web sources/ Bibliography

(New Mexico Business Weekly - by Steve Ginsberg Special to NMBW, 1/8/2010)

(What's your hiring outlook for 2010; columbus.bizjournals.com 12/11/09)

(Nashville Business Journal - by Brian Reisinger Staff Writer, 3/5/2010)

Are You Mixing it Up? Career Search Plan- Part 1

Are you Mixing it up? Mixing what up you may be asking? I talking about your career search marketing mix! Growing up in the neighborhood if an outsider tried to get into a conversation I was having with my friends, you may have heard us say that "He or She is trying to be all in our Mix!" in other words, that person was trying to be in your business. Let me be the first of many professionals to tell you that if you are remotely involved in today's economic landscape and tight job search market that you definitely need to be in the mix of as many people as you can to make your career search work for you.

You may have heard in the newly released government unemployment numbers for February 2010 that the unemployment rate held steady from January at 9.76% that's almost 10% of the entire population of the United States. Additionally, Andrea Koncz and Mimi Collins writers for the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) website reported in their February article that the 2010 bachelor degree graduates are in for a an overall 2% decrease in salary offerings. Now I realize that these numbers looks bleak and unsettling. However, you may not know this about me but I'm a natural born optimist so I always choose to look at the glass as half full instead of half empty. So, although 10% of the our population is out of work at the moment, the other 90% are employed and by many standards our nation is still thriving head and shoulders above many others. With that said let me 'spread a little more love in your heart' as it relates to current statistics. Steve Ginsberg of the New Mexico Business Weekly reports that construction jobs in Albuquerque, New Mexico are on the rise, which is an increase from 2009. More exciting news is that Brian Reisinger of the Nashville Business Journal reported that the Nashville Entrepreneurs’Organization, states that 75% of it's members plan to hire in 2010. Additionally, Intuit Inc., which provides online payroll services to small businesses, says that small firms added 40,000 jobs in February and nearly 150,000 jobs since last June.

So what does all of this mean for you and your career search? It means that by "many means necessary" you need to up your career search mix. Here are few suggestions on how you can mix it up and increase the chances of success for your career search. Be sure to have all the following in your mix:

Company Websites

Checking company websites is an obvious item to add in your marketing mix. Companies are still posting opportunities on their websites. The company website is also a great tool to use as you prepare for an interview to make sure that you are clear about the company's vision and goals. Conversely, it is a great chance for you to make sure that the company lines up with your goals before you apply with them. This helps to eliminate some of the surprises about the company that may arise on your end once you are in the interview or offered the job.

Job Search Engines

Another very popular and useful tool to be sure to have in your job search mix are job engines. Today there are hundreds of job search engines that can have very broad or very focused listings. There are search engines for degreed to non-degreed positions, national to global positions and almost every imaginable career field there is. In fact. we recently presented a job search engine tool to one of our clients which listed over 20 job search engines specific to her several career interests. The success it garnered for her could not have been possible had we only given her a few select engines. So, take advantage of all the information that is available for you on the world wide web. If you use it effectively it's like striking gold.

Select Part two to read the conclusion of this blog

Web sources/ Bibliography

(New Mexico Business Weekly - by Steve Ginsberg Special to NMBW, 1/8/2010)

(What's your hiring outlook for 2010; columbus.bizjournals.com 12/11/09)

(Nashville Business Journal - by Brian Reisinger Staff Writer, 3/5/2010)

(Early Report Shows Lower Average Salary for College, www.naceweb.com, Andrea Koncz, or Mimi Collins, February 04, 2010)

Stop searching for a job if you haven't Re-searched YOU!

Are you out and about looking for a job or career from sun up to sun down? Are you searching all the on-line job sites, talking to people, and signing up with career centers nationwide? Those are all good steps to get you closer to your dream career but there may be something that may be hindering you....YOU!

The amount of time that you spend focusing on you can either harm or help your job search. Exactly what do I mean? Before you research the company you must Re-search yourself. Yes, you are apart of the puzzle. Here are some questions to answer as you to Re-search YOU before you search for the company.

1. What kind of company do you want to work for? Do you work best in large firms or a more intimate settings? If you're a person that likes to know everyone in the company and feels most productive in smaller crowds a smaller company may work best for your. If you're one who likes the idea of being a part of a major team, expansion, large think tanks and a corporate feel then you may propser more in a larger firm. Also think about your future desires. Is flexibility for family obligations important to you? Global opportunities? Promotion? Getting a handle on the importance of these issues now will help you identify the company that is right for you.

2. What type of office requirements will make you most productive? For example, what hours during the day are you most productive? This will help you identify employers that may accomodate you and receive the maximum output from you. Is it important to you that the office staff work a team or do you prefer individuals to be responsible for their assignments?

3. What type of management style do you prefer? Are you one who enjoys a macro or micro management style? Are you looking to be given additional responsiblities or just complete your assignments and go home. You'll need to keep an eye open for opportunities where you can flourish and won't be considered agressive or brown nosing or even worse on the opposite end the spectrum just getting by or lazy.

4. What is your dominate strength that any company you work with will not be able to do without? What is that one thing that makes you the standout in your field? Begin thinking of examples of where you've exercised that skill. Then brain storm how you might use that skill to enhance any company that you apply with.

5. What is my salary range? What is the lowest offer that you'll accept in order to meet your basic needs? What is your dream range that will send your heart soring and set you in a comfortable standard of living? There's more to this salary search and negotiations that we'll discuss specifially in another blog. For now, think on your range because even if employers don't post this information, they expect you to know what's customary.

Stay tuned for additional questions to ask yourself and steps to make your career search work for you. For more useful information check out our website at www.curtisandmeichelle.com.