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Posts Tagged ‘social media’

  1. How To (Seriously) Find a Job Using LinkedIn

    October 5, 2012 by April Smith

     

    We all know how difficult it is to find a job in an economy as tough as ours today. Applying blindly to jobs online will most likely get a job-searcher nowhere considering 100-300 people are applying for a typical position. To set yourself apart from the rest, use LinkedIn as an additional resource in your job search. Below are some ways that will get you noticed and perhaps land you that interview that you’ve been craving.

     

    Contact people on LinkedIn who have the job that you want. I’m not suggesting that you bother people that you don’t know but in a brief message state that you are searching for employment and would be interested to know how they got to where they are today. Most people don’t mind giving advice to those who are passionate because they themselves can remember when starting from nothing. If a message may not be enough, you could always invite that person to coffee or lunch, your treat of course.  Doing this the right way could easily land you a new network connection and someone who could perhaps serve as a mentor.

    Reach out to recruiters listed on LinkedIn. Obviously, LinkedIn is a huge resource for recruiters today. If you see a position online that you’re interested in, search for recruiters who work within that company and contact them directly. (Easiest way to do this is to search for the terms “recruiter” and the company you’re interested in. Inform the recruiter that you are very interested in the position and that you would like to apply. Ask the recruiter if you could send them your resume directly to speed up that process. This usually always leads to a new connection for you on LinkedIn as well.

    Follow the companies you want to work for. It’s as easy as it sounds. If you do land an interview with the company you’ve been lusting over, you want to be as knowledgeable about the company as possible. Following them on LinkedIn is a great way to do that. Learn who the CEO, CFO, and other top-ranking employees are. Read up on the most current news within the company so that you can show your research skills during your interview. Not being prepared in an interview is the ultimate death wish.

    Perfect your LinkedIn Profile. Creating a great profile on LinkedIn takes time but is worth it’s weight in internet gold. Make sure that you upload a professional head shot as your profile picture. This doesn’t have to be a photo shot by a professional but one that will make you look like you are indeed serious about your career. Add plenty of keywords to your profile so that your profile will without a doubt be found by recruiters and employers searching for new hires. Fill out your profile as fully as you can and try not to leave any gaps in your work timeline. Describe each position that you have held by using more keywords. Just because you know what your last position entailed does not mean that everyone else will. Play up your best attributes and sound confident without bragging.

    Ask people to recommend you. LinkedIn Recommendations seems to be a tool that most people don’t fully use to it’s advantage. Another person’s opinion of yourself goes a long way in the business world! Kindly ask your former employers or co-workers to recommend you on your past work. You can ask these people in person, through email or a LinkedIn message but make sure that when asking for this favor that you explain that it would help in your job search. Also, don’t ask people who wouldn’t normally recommend you anyway as that could make the other person feel uncomfortable. People are very busy these days so writing a recommendation for someone else means a lot. If someone writes a recommendation for you, it would be a nice gesture to then write one for them.

     

    I’m sure there are many more creative ways to use LinkedIn that I haven’t mentioned here. Tell me, what are some other ways to use LinkedIn to it’s fullest potential?

     

    Category Let's Get Social | Tags: ,,, | No Comments

  2. Social Media for Business: The Good, The Bad, The Annoying

    July 11, 2012 by April Smith

     

    Brands are  increasingly becoming ”humanized” now with the integration of social media in our every day lives and I personally think it’s great. I love the fact that if I have a question about a local business I can just look up that business’ information on Facebook or shoot them a quick tweet to ask a question. I now find myself bypassing the Google route and head to social networks for information on a business when I want it asap. Some businesses obviously do better than others but it may just be a matter of time before we all use social networks as a real-time information directory and a direct connection to our favorite brands and local spots.

    I become elated when a small business or even a large brand will notice my mention (whether it’s direct or passive) and in turn thanks me for my patronage or for purchasing their product. It feels good to be appreciated, right? Yup. With every client that I work with, I make a point to thank each customer who has publicly noted on a social network that they’ve done business with that client. I want to make sure that each of those customers will return and even recommend my clients to their friends as well. Social Media Marketing and Customer Service go hand in hand now and although I normally feel that this opportunity to reach customers directly is a great thing it is certain that you won’t be able to please everyone.

    While I worked for ESPNU, there were always sports fans who would curse at certain tweets or on our Facebook page because… well, because they had nothing better to do. As soon as you create a public account on any social network you are handing each person who encounters your brand a huge megaphone. And that thing can reach hundreds, thousands or millions of people. So before creating a social media campaign, you must be prepared for the best (which is usually extremely gratifying) and unfortunately, the worst, as well.

     

    The Good:

     

    I ran a small campaign for a giveaway for a client last week and one of the people who won the giveaway had actually never even been to my client’s business before. After hearing the news that he had won the tickets, this new customer posted this piece of gratitude on the Facebook page:

    “Wanted to say thank you again for the tickets. We had a great time and it was a great show. Neither of us had been there before but you have a couple extra patrons from here forward. The beers were great and our food was even better! Thanks again!”

    With this promotion (that cost us barely nothing), my client gained at least 2 new, ecstatic customers and probably even more from, hopefully, word-of-mouth, as well as a raving review that is publicly visible on the Facebook page for the other thousands of Facebook fans to see. It feels good when social media actually works well.

     

    The Bad:

     

    But then, there are times when it just doesn’t. I am all for calling out a business online publicly if they’ve been completely out of line but typically, if I’m giving a brand a shout out, it’s because I love them and their service. Unfortunately, there are many people who have found Twitter, Facebook, Google +, etc, to be a megaphone for amplifying their MANY complaints. With my clients, I handle “crisis” situations as quickly, professionally and as friendly as possible. The customer is NOT always right as the saying goes, but if a customer is complaining, usually it’s because something has failed in the business model that shouldn’t have (think airlines – Yikes!) and that problem should be addressed online just as it would be in person or over the phone.

     

    The Annoying:

     

    In a newer situation with a client, a customer complained of not getting service fast enough and she did it through several tweets to her couple hundred followers. To make a longer story short, I quickly responded with a sincere apology and notified the owner of the issue. After hearing more of the situation from the ground level, it appeared that this customer was just not going to be satisfied. I explained to her through Twitter that sometimes some unexpected crowds can cause slower service and apologized once again and encouraged her to return another time. The customer responded a day later saying that she was appreciative of the response but she would probably not return, that she hoped we had other people who actually did like us and that there were “alternatives”.

    I understand that this customer was upset but after realizing there was no chance of me appeasing her, I backed off. We lost her. And that was fine. I know that sounds crazy but you’re not going to please everyone. Because the customer was snarky, I didn’t press the issue further, nor did I continue to try to resolve the situation. I could immediately tell that she was just in it for the drama. And I, as a business professional and representative of my clients, am not. Social Media is a great tool for brands of all sizes but I personally do not think that just because we have given our customers “social megaphones” does not mean that we should bend over backwards, kissing ass to everyone that passively complains in the social space just HOPING that their followers will jump into the drama gossip fest. I could have begged this person to return to my client’s business but I didn’t. I simply moved on from the situation and focused on the customers who would be and are reasonable.

    Am I wrong for feeling like there should be a line drawn for how we interact with business and brands online? After all, it’s not just a computer you’re talking to.. it’s a PERSON  behind those brands and some of the things that you say could be very hurtful. Next time, you think about mentioning a brand online in a complaint, think about what you want to get out of the situation and offer advice to the brand of how they can fix the situation. Maybe then the business will actually learn from their mistake and you’ll get a sense of accomplishment in knowing that you’ve used a tool to effectively have your voice heard.

     

    Category Let's Get Social | Tags: ,, | 1 Comment

  3. I’m Married to Social Media

    May 15, 2012 by April Smith

    Last night, I had an epiphany… and it wasn’t a good one.

    I am “married” to social media.

     

    Allow me to explain. I am in a long distance relationship so if I’m not out on the town while I’m in Charlotte, I spend the majority of my time at home alone. I also do a lot of work from home during the day (writing and social media work) so some days I may not even see an actual human being, which is an even scarier thought. Because I am alone so often at times, I tend to lean on my digital world to keep me company and informed. I never have a house of kids or a husband to come home to, but I do have social media networks always waiting for me when I arrive home. I am in a marriage with social media.

    Pass the Facebook meth, please...

    I enhance my viewing of TV shows with social media by chatting with my friends/followers who are watching the same program. It’s almost like I’m filling a void of not having anyone with me at the moment to share that experience with. I can guarantee that if I were watching said program with my boyfriend, my phone would NOT be in my hand because I would obviously be talking and interacting with him (the live human being in the room) instead. I also implement social media in my cooking and dining. When did I become one of those people who posts every single meal they eat?! Ugh! It’s like I can’t help it!!

    But, unfortunately, it doesn’t stop there. I take my access of social media with me almost everywhere I go when I do leave my home. I take it to dinner, events, the gym, work, bars, etc. It’s like social media has become my… spouse.

    I check in to restaurants on FourSquare, post pictures to Instagram of what I’m eating or doing, rave/rant about my dining experiences on Yelp, etc. And ALL of those networks are linked to Facebook and Twitter just so I can make sure people get really sick of me. If I’m doing it, chances are you’ll know about it if you follow me on a social network. Everything I do these days is documented in some form or fashion by my use of social media and I know for a fact that I’m not the only person who does this each and every single day. And THAT is frightening.

    A few days ago I told myself that I would not post anything on either Twitter or Facebook for an indefinite period of time out of disgust for my tweeting and posting too often, especially of unnecessary information. I don’t even think I lasted a day… but I did learn some valuable points:

    • I post a lot of dumb crap sometimes
    • I should really be focusing on blogging instead of “micro-blogging” nonsense
    • If I’m 28 years old and see my habits as an issue, then our younger generations are screwed, I tell ya
    • I should focus on what’s in front of me that is living and in the NOW, rather than what is virtual or “social”
    • Social ain’t so social anymore
    • I need to read actual hand-held books more often instead of staring at a computer/iphone screen
    • Social media can sometimes make us jealous or envious of other’s lives by comparing our downfalls to other’s triumphs that are typically only showcased on popular social networks
    • Our heads are buried in the sand and we don’t realize how dependent we, as a nation, a world, are, even in the beginning stages of online and social media addiction

     

    So where do we draw the line, folks? I obviously am not suggesting we abandon social networks altogether. That would be disadvantageous for most of us now (and another blog post for the future) but I am a little worried at how much it consumes us. I work in social media and believe that business and consumers alike are benefiting from the close relationship that can be obtained through social networks these days, but there must be a happy medium. I applaud social marketers whom I never see a tweet from on the weekends. I am in awe of those who choose to live their life without such channels (my boyfriend). I, in fact, think everyone, especially those in the online-marketing industry, should find their personal balance between living in the real world and the online world because if not, we will soon be living in a digital culture where, like myself, no one will ever have to see another human being, or care to for that matter.

     

    It begs the questions:

    Where does it stop? Are we sharing too much? Are we addicted? Can we survive without social media now? In a couple decades, is our country going to be led by young people who have never survived without texting, tweeting, Facebook-ing, blogging, etc?

    How do you personally juggle the balance of living in the now and existing online as well?

    I’d love to hear your feedback. Cheers!

     

    Category Let's Get Social | Tags: ,,, | 2 Comments