College, Career, Life » networking

How to Stand Out Online with a Common Name

collegecareerlife — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 00:23:49 +0000

It was Shakespeare who wrote “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet”; but perhaps the great bard failed to foresee a future in which the uniqueness of your name determined if you stood out in a crowded space or just blended into the vast ocean of anonymity. Today, with the sheer numbers of people who are online, it would take a unique name to stand out on search engine lists. But then, it’s not just your name that determines who you are, as anyone who has achieved fame (or notoriety) on the web will tell you; it’s also what you do and how well you do it that get you noticed.

There’s no such thing as bad publicity as any PR person would tell you – if you have it, flaunt it even if it’s not your most positive asset; all you need to do is get tongues wagging for people to remember you. Just look at all the scandals that travel like lightning through the Internet grapevine – they’re the fastest and most definite ways to make the news. However, if you’re looking to make a name for yourself on a positive note, then you have to work on achieving this through a different angle.

It’s not easy to stand out in a crowded place like the Internet unless you’re already a celebrity or well-established with your own domain name. If you’re a late starter, here are a few tips to help you stand out online even though you share your name with a million others:

Piggyback on controversy: You don’t have to create controversy, but you can learn how to use it to your advantage. For example, if the net is all agog with a scandal, use this news to boost your blog or social network profile. Don’t just say the same things that others are saying; instead, find a new angle to work on and focus on making your copy as interesting and unique as possible.
Provide information: Everybody loves freebies, so if you can use your online space to promote deals and bargains, provide relevant and timely information, and generally give people something in return (tangible or intangible) for visiting your site, you could make a name for yourself in the online world.
Keep it fresh: And finally, no one likes stale content, so keep your online space as fresh as possible with regular updates that are both interesting and entertaining. The success of this strategy depends to a large extent on the niche your blog is in and in how knowledgeable you are in the subject.

Admittedly, it’s a pretty uphill task to make a mark for yourself among the millions of people online, especially if you’re burdened (or blessed) with a name that’s as common as a weed in a garden; however, with just a little planning and application, you can ensure that your voice is heard even above the regular online din.

This guest post is contributed by Evelyn Dugan, who writes on the site earn a degree online. Contact Evelyn at her email id: evelyn.dugan83[at]gmail[.]com.

© Andrea for College, Career, Life, 2011. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: name, networking, online

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Networking Your Way to a Job

collegecareerlife — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 00:16:20 +0000

The following post is contributed by Mariana Ashley.

Recent college grads are under a lot of pressure to find a job right away, and many believe the best way to find one is to pour over online job ads hoping to stumble upon a diamond in the rough. While you should certainly keep looking for postings on job boards, sometimes it’s helpful to lean on people in the know to point you in the direction of the most viable job opportunities for you. This will require networking on your part. Networking is more challenging than passively scoping job postings, but often pays off in the form of gainful employment. To get you started off right, here are some tips for networking your way into a job.

1.) Contact your former professors.

Not every old prof is a candidate for networking, but your junior and senior years are when you generally start meeting professors and instructors in your major. Choose a professor who taught a smaller class size in your major so he or she is more likely to match your name to your face and remember what it was like having you as a student. Not only do these professors have terminal degrees in their area of expertise, but they generally have connections to former colleagues in the field you’re interested in. Get in touch with two to three former professors, clue them in to your job search and ask them to keep feelers out for you for entry-level jobs. Many will bend over backwards to help out a former student find work.

2.) Get the word out on social networks.

Have you broadcasted on Facebook and Twitter that you’re looking for a job? You never know if you’ll get a lead from an old friend from high school, a former college classmate, a former boss or a current friend who lives in a different city. You don’t have to be annoying about it, but it doesn’t hurt to write about your job search every week to two weeks in hopes your network of friends know of something they can send your way. If you haven’t already established a profile on LinkedIn, build a profile and ask former employers to post a recommendation for you. You can search for jobs in your preferred field on LinkedIn as well.

3.) Contact former classmates.

If one of your former classmates landed a dream job right after college, get in touch with him or her and ask how they were able to land their position. Be bold and ask if they know of any job openings or would be willing to put in a good word for you. Ask other former classmates what they’ve been up to and where they are currently working.

4.) Work through your college’s career center.

Your college or university most likely has a career center dedicated to helping recent grads find work. Take advantage of all the help you can get for as long as you are eligible, but also ask to get in touch with alumni from your program. A limited number of alumni may have provided their contact information. A quick e-mail or phone call to an alumnus who graduated in your same major could reveal a job opportunity you didn’t know about at the place the alumnus is working.

5.) Make a list of companies you’d like to work for and potential contacts there.

Whether or not your dream company is hiring, it’s important to do some detective work and sniff out contact information from those in mid-level management at the company. Get in touch with these professionals and ask to meet or talk with them informally about how they got to their position and what it takes to do what they do. Many will be flattered that you asked, will give you solid advice and will keep you in mind when they hear of job openings.

By-line:

Mariana Ashley is a freelance writer who particularly enjoys writing about online colleges. She loves receiving reader feedback, which can be directed to mariana.ashley031@gmail.com.

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Meet Sara Lopez, New Media Star

collegecareerlife — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 20:31:17 +0000

Do you love social media? If so, Sara Lopez may have your dream job. I asked Sara some questions about her job as 8th Continent Soymilk’s new media spokesperson.

How did you get your job as a new media spokesperson?

My passion with social media and online marketing started when I was hosting and organizing art/ poetry events around town and I had to utilize the internet to increase attendance. From there, I knew that was what I wanted to do.

In my senior year of college I interned at an amazing marketing firm in Toledo, Ohio. After interning, I was an Account Coordinator and also was a Business Development Associate, but that never really allowed me to fully invest myself in my passion. One day I got a call from the CEO of the marketing firm that I had interned at and he said he had the perfect job for me- a social media job where I would be the brand ambassador for 8^th Continent Soymilk. Being a vegetarian and lactose intolerant, I knew 8^th Continent Soymilk because it was, and still is, my favorite soymilk. I made a 7-minute video that had everything from me speaking Spanish to dancing on desks, to one of my favorite Rock n’ Roll songs. The tattoos, the red faux-hawk, everything that would normally make a corporation hesitant to commit to me were the same things that made the people at 8^th Continent fall in love with me. I was chosen out of about 11 different submissions and from there I used my online skills, my video editing experience and my ridiculously outgoing personality to become successful at my job.

What are your primary responsibilities?

My primary responsibility is to listen to and engage with soy fans. I also raise awareness about the benefits of soymilk and in particular, 8^th Continent soymilk. The social interaction aspect of my job has got to be one of the most important attributes. Marketing and social media is now a two-way communication experience. If one of my readers/ friends online, tell me that they have feedback or that they want to try 8^th Continent for the first time, I send them a special link for a coupon. I also have the ability to take their feedback and share it directly with the people at 8^th Continent so they can get their voice heard.

Which social media outlets do you use?

I try to use the inclusive social media networks as opposed to the exclusive ones. I have a fan page on Facebook, a Twitter account, an account on Brightkite, Youtube, Flickr, Foursquare, Gowalla, Whrrl, Dailybooth. Pretty much if you name it, I am probably on it at least once a day.

What do you enjoy most about the job?

The relationships I have built online. I have always been the person that loves to meet new people and experience new things. And, through this job I have been able to meet all types of personalities from all over the US. Although it is my job to promote online, I still build a very tight-knit relationship with the other people I interact with. For example, I was on a three-month road trip that was called the 8^th Continent Soymilk Taste of Life Tour. I went around to the coolest events and places in the US – like Burning Man and The House On the Rock. In the middle of my road trip my fiancé and I split up. You can imagine how devastating this can be alone and in the middle of a three-month trip. My online friends really helped me through that time in my life with “You deserve better”s and “His loss”s . Since I developed these relationships online we have helped each other through heartache and congratulate each other on accomplishments. We have truly become friends.

Are there any downsides to the position?

Sometimes I get calluses from typing so much, which is something lotion can tackle. Besides that, I am hard-pressed to pinpoint any downsides. Of course there are always the average challenges of finding enough time in the day to accomplish all that you would want to get done. But when you love your job, filling your hours with work feels more like fun activities instead of “work”.

What personality traits make a successful social media spokesperson?

The biggest thing I have learned from working as a social media spokesperson is that you just can’t take yourself too seriously. You really do have to have a sense of humor about things because you are not writing for a newspaper nor are you a journalist. You have been hired as a spokesperson to endorse a brand because of your personality and your belief in the product.

Any advice for aspiring new media stars?

You must be true to yourself. Do not present yourself as anyone except for the true you because you are linking your name to a personality the entire world could potentially witness. Also, I cannot stress the importance of networking! A “re-tweet” from the right person could open an entire new world of audiences.

Online Profile Links:

http://twitter.com/8thlopez

http://facebook.com/8clopez

http://brightkite.com/people/Lopez

Blog:

http://8cpassport.com

© Andrea for College, Career, Life, 2010. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: networking, online, profile, Sara Lopez, social media

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Networking for an Internship

collegecareerlife — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 06:05:27 +0000

This is a guest post written by Elizabeth Cutten, a writer for FindCollegeCards, a college blog with over 750 articles all focusing on anything college.

Many college students out there have the assumption that an Internship is very easy to land. What a lot of students soon find out is that it’s no different than finding a job. Since major companies and corporations want quality talent, they are going to weed through Interns, just like they do their salaried employees.

So, the question is today, “How can I network effectively for an Internship?”

Be friendly with your professors

In college, what you’re going to find out is that a lot of your professors have worked a different career, or job sometime in their life. It doesn’t hurt to mingle with them every once in a while, and ask questions. Everyone on this planet has some sort of connection. Ask them about their previous works, and also ask if they know of anyone that can help you land an internship.

You can never have enough friends

Colleges are jammed packed with kids, and the more social able you are, the more you’ll get to know other people. If you ask a lot of people about their jobs today, you will find that they either found it through someone they knew, or they worked their way up from the bottom, whether it be an internship, or entry level position. It’s essential that you get out there, and chat with others. It sounds very cliché, but the more people you know, the more you’ll be able to connect in life.

Join groups online

I love the Internet, and with websites such as MeetUp.com, you can meet other people that share the same interests as you. Find a local meeting in your area, and join it. Every time they hold a meeting, show up, introduce yourself, and chat. Again, you’ll be surprised at how many people can help you with whatever you need.

Join chat rooms and forums

Just like joining groups in person, you can have virtual meetings online as well. Connect with other people in chat rooms, and message boards. Become a regular contributor, and you will soon find out that you can connect with people in both the virtual world, as well as the real world.

Surf the web

Again, with the Internet, it’s filled with endless information, and if you don’t feel you can connect with the right people, you can check internship related websites online. What you’ll want to do is search out “internship only” classifieds, and see if there’s anything made for you. Remember, a lot of the times, an unpaid internship leads to a job offer if you can prove to the employer that you know what you’re doing, and you know how to do it right.

The lesson learned here today is that if you want to network effectively, you’re going to want to be social able. The more outgoing you are, the more you’re going to increase your chances at landing a gig in the working world. Try some of these tips above, and see if you can land your dream internship.

© Andrea for College, Career, Life, 2009. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: internship, networking

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Social Media Options for the Private Person

collegecareerlife — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:44:43 +0000

Career experts recommend that job seekers use social media to market themselves. Private people may dismiss social media because the idea of anyone seeing their pictures and information is disturbing. Unfortunately, no one can ignore social media because many employers are checking sites for information on candidates. You want to make sure you distinguish yourself from others who share your name. It doesn’t mean you have to sign up on every sight, but you should choose one or two sites that allow you to create a professional profile.

LinkedIn is probably the best social media site for job-seekers. The focus will be on your professional and academic accomplishments, not on your personal life. LinkedIn allows you to get recommended from other members who have worked or who currently work with you. You can also show the address of your LinkedIn profile on your resume. If you’re still concerned about privacy, you can choose not to show your public profile and what information is shown if you do allow others to see your profile.

Facebook isn’t just for college students anymore. Many older professionals and businesses are setting up accounts. The problem is that when friends and family know you have a Facebook account, it will become personal and may not be useful in your job search. Luckily, you can hide your profile from those you haven’t friended so potential employers don’t see your personal profile. I don’t have a Facebook account myself, but a lot of people with my first and last name do. Since I’m a very private person and want to maintain a good (or non-existent) online reputation, this is very worrisome. With millions of people using social networking sites, chances are that someone with your name also has an account. You may want to create an account to distinguish yourself from others with the same name.

Twitter can be a great way to connect with recruiters and get updates from career experts. I joined Twitter to promote my writing on HubPages, and have really enjoyed getting updates from all my favorite websites and blogs. If you join Twitter, a few accounts to follow for great career and job-search advice : Brazen Careerist, CollegeCareer1, CollegeRecruiter (EntryLevelJob) , Careerealism, CareerLeak, ResumeQueen, CareerBuilder, Indeed, AfterCollege, and InternQueen. You should also identify industry-related publications and follow them for updates about your field.

Social networking can be a huge advantage for any job seeker, so don’t shy away from these sites out of fear of losing your privacy. Just keep your profiles completely professional and use privacy settings when necessary.

© Andrea for College, Career, Life, 2009. | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: facebook, linkedin, networking, privacy, twitter

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College, Career, Life » networking

How to Stand Out Online with a Common Name

Related Posts:

Networking Your Way to a Job

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Meet Sara Lopez, New Media Star

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Networking for an Internship

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Social Media Options for the Private Person

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