I Dont Know Anyone

I Dont Know Anyone It amuses me when I meet someone who is just starting a job search who says I dont know anyone. This is usually after they hear most job leads come through people in your network. I had the biggest excuse for not knowing anyone. I had moved to from my home of 9 years to a new place and spent all of my time either working or commuting! My work was with people outside of my state, and I never went to any networking or community events. Sound familiar? But it hit me last week what I dont know anyone really means. The next time someone says I dont know anyone, what they really mean to say (or at least what I was saying) is I dont know anyone that will add value to my job search. Or, to my career (because Im all about career management ;)) Networking is a process, and we learn and grow as we do it. The lesson here is that you cant judge the value someone will be in your network and immediately discount them (or include them!). Theres a guy here who needed to practice his 30 second pitch, called his grandma in Chicago to run it past her, and she gave him a lead that turned into a job!! Is your grandma on your network list? (I confess that my grandma isnt on my list) Take a lesson from your brainstorming days at work, where all ideas are accepted. Thats how you start your network. I recently wrote a post on CollegeRecruiter.com about who college students should include in their network that might be a good post for you to read as you think about who to put on your network list. One more thing dont get caught up in the design or software. Get a paper and pencil and begin listing all the names you can or use this simple spreadsheet that you can then import into JibberJobber but this needs to be a fast, free-flow process. Go ahead, what are you waiting for? I Dont Know Anyone It amuses me when I meet someone who is just starting a job search who says I dont know anyone. This is usually after they hear most job leads come through people in your network. I had the biggest excuse for not knowing anyone. I had moved to from my home of 9 years to a new place and spent all of my time either working or commuting! My work was with people outside of my state, and I never went to any networking or community events. Sound familiar? But it hit me last week what I dont know anyone really means. The next time someone says I dont know anyone, what they really mean to say (or at least what I was saying) is I dont know anyone that will add value to my job search. Or, to my career (because Im all about career management ;)) Networking is a process, and we learn and grow as we do it. The lesson here is that you cant judge the value someone will be in your network and immediately discount them (or include them!). Theres a guy here who needed to practice his 30 second pitch, called his grandma in Chicago to run it past her, and she gave him a lead that turned into a job!! Is your grandma on your network list? (I confess that my grandma isnt on my list) Take a lesson from your brainstorming days at work, where all ideas are accepted. Thats how you start your network. I recently wrote a post on CollegeRecruiter.com about who college students should include in their network that might be a good post for you to read as you think about who to put on your network list. One more thing dont get caught up in the design or software. Get a paper and pencil and begin listing all the names you can or use this simple spreadsheet that you can then import into JibberJobber but this needs to be a fast, free-flow process. Go ahead, what are you waiting for?

How Brandon Scott Wolf Made a Career out of Comedy in NYC - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

How Brandon Scott Wolf Made a Career out of Comedy in NYC - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career I recently had the pleasure to interview comedian Brandon Scott Wolf who was recently hired as a staff writer for Neil Patrick Harriss new show Best Time Ever With Neil Patrick Harris. Other writers for the show include Neil Patrtick Harris, Jim Wise, Paul Greenberg and head writer Mason Steinberg. After years of hard work in addition to performing stand up around the big apple,  contributing to SNLs Weekend Update, and online content, his career in comedy took off. He goes on to explain how he was able to stand out in a competitive field and the importance of being consistent and driven. Christian Roberts:  What inspired you to have a life and career in comedy? Brandon Scott Wolf:  I dont think theres one specific thing or moment in time that I can point to and say That inspired me to pursue a career in comedy, but it was more so my upbringing, the people in my life, and my overall athletic ineptitude it was apparent from a very early age that I was never going to play sports professionally. In the third grade I ran face first into a telephone pole while playing tag. That being said, I was raised by parents and grew up alongside an older brother and sister who could easily be characters in a network sitcom or animated series that would get cancelled after its second season, but really take off in popularity once it hits Netflix. For real though, I think everyone in my family is way funnier than me, except my sister Jen. Shes not. As a stand-up comic, a lot of my favorite jokes in my act are literally just quotes from family members.  Obviously I tweak stuff, but if you want to dissect and really try to figure out why Im a comedian, or if you just want a good laugh, check out my moms Twitter  @GoulashYum. Shes no lie a favorite among my friends and other comedians in the New York City scene and if you follow her she will immediately call me and say Do you know this person? They just followed me. Also, when I was little I watched a lot of Mel Brooks films. Roberts: What were some challenging obstacles to get to where youre at currently? Wolf:  Right now Im currently sitting in the writers room of Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris so to get here I walked a half mile from my South Brooklyn apartment to the closest Q train stop, but before I got to the Q I stopped in at a small bagel shop and was like “Could I have a toasted poppy seed bagel with cream cheese and a medium iced coffee?” and the cashier was like “We’re out of poppy seed. We have plain, wheat, egg, sesame, and cinnamon raisin,” so I was like “Sesame, I guess,” and the cashier was like “Toasted?” and I was like “Yeah,” and then she was like “That’ll be $4.50,” and then I tried to pay using a debit card, and she was like Its cash only. The machines down, so then I used a nearby ATM, took out cash, paid, received my breakfast, walked the rest of the way to the Q, saw that the Q wasnt running toward Manhattan due to construction, waited on the platform to go deeper into Brooklyn while eating my food, transfered to a Manhattan -bound train, stood on the second train for well over an hour and half due to delays and how crowded it was, eventually exited that train, walked from the Q stop closest to Kaufman Astoria Studios to the studio lot itself, walked into the BTE office, hustled up three flights of stairs because I was 5 minutes late, and finally headed down a pretty long hallway to enter my office, threw out the paper bag my breakfast came in, and sat down at my desk to begin writing. Also, if you want a more serious answer, when I moved to New York from Pennsylvania I had to completely relearn how to perform stand up. I started getting on stage when I was 19 years old and by the time I graduated from college I had two solid credits to my name: I was the winner of the TBS and RooftopComedy.com National College Comedy Competition and I performed a stand-up set on George Lopezs late night show Lopez Tonight. Unfortunately, as a broke recent college grad I didnt have the means to move to New York City immediately after school to pursue a career in comedy so for a little over two years I worked as a bus boy and host in a suburban Philadelphia restaurant and lived at my parents’ house to save up. Careerwise I felt stagnant. I wasnt getting on stage that often, but I was doing as much as I could with the time and resources I had. Although I couldnt drive to center city Philadelphia every night to perform, I was writing every day, posting jokes on social media, and one night while sitting in my childhood bedroom, which at the time was also my adult bedroom, I was reading a Twitter bio of a comedian that said Im a contributing writer for SNL Weekend Update, and   I thought, How can I get ‘Saturday Night Live’ to hire me? Then it hit me. I checked to see if the handle @HireMeSNL was available on Twitter. It was and after 9 months of writing -to-20 monologue jokes per day and posting my favorites online I was offered a tryout by an actual SNL producer. I wrote 20 jokes, sent them in, and three days later I landed the gig. It was freelance, but it was with Saturday Night Live. That was my third solid credit and I knew if I was ever going to have a shot at becoming a professional comedian I would have to move to New York, take all of the jokes I had written since graduation, and get myself back on stage. And that’s exactly what I did. The only problem? I hadnt held a mic in my hands while talking in front of an audience in years. So I had to relearn stand up. Luckily, I never stopped writing and had all of those jokes. Roberts:  How long have you been doing comedy in NYC? Wolf:    Ive been performing stand up in New York City for the past 2 years, but Ive been writing and performing comedy for over 6. When I was a freshman at Penn State I really didnt do much aside from partying every night. Then, on the first day of my sophomore year, I joined Phroth, the universitys humor magazine. After a few months, a handful of the articles I wrote were deemed good enough to be published, and with that tiny bit of success, I shifted my focus from partying every night to writing comedy AND partying every night. Then I began thinking I wonder if theres a club I could join thats like Phroth, but will let me perform what I write on stage? After looking into it, the answer was a resounding No. I found out that Penn State didnt have an outlet for stand-up comedy, but that wasnt going to deter me. I got my hands on some mic equipment, invited a few friends and acquaintances over to my place (which was on the second floor of a downtown State College apartment complex), and hosted an open mic in my literally homegrown comedy club Second Floor Stand-up. That’s how it all started. Roberts:  Outside of comedy, how do comedians branch out and do other forms of work? Wolf:  Usually they stop pursuing comedy and then they pick up work wherever they can  BUT if stand ups wants to branch out and do other forms of work within comedy then it really depends on what each individual comic wants to do. No matter what that is though, and you have to be honest with yourself, the most important thing is to put in the time and effort. Go after what you want. Do it and do it as best as you can. Good stuff will come to those who set goals and work toward them. Roberts:  What are some words of advice you can give to people hoping to start out in comedy? Wolf:  Be yourself. Have fun. After 6+ years writing and performing comedy, arguably the one thing that I’m known for isDateBrandonScottWolf.com: The #1 Online Dating Site For Brandon Scott Wolf. It’s different, people were able to see my sense of humor, and I had a lot of fun making it. Seacrest out.

Claim The Seat At The Head Of The Table

Claim The Seat At The Head Of The Table Every individual working in a cubicle or office right now is dreaming of being at the head of the business one day. No one is sitting in their office right now, hoping that they will still be doing grunt work ten years from now. They want to succeed, they want to thrive and so should you. Of course, as we know, very few people actually make it to the point where they are at the head of the business. So if you have ambitions like this, you need to know how to get the seat at the head of the table. How do you go from office worker 234 to business owner of the year? Good question, we’ve got the answer. Make Yourself Indispensable The easier way to get to the head of the table is to rise through the ranks of one company. To do this, you have to make sure you’re not fired or let go when you’re halfway there. So, you have to make sure that you are completely indispensable in business. The trick to doing this is to make sure that you’re the best employee they have, always willing to go the extra mile. You need to show dedication and loyalty to the company and make sure that you are the one they turn to when they need something. Remember, it shouldn’t be that hard to do this because most employees treat their job as exactly that, a job. You need to treat yours as a lifestyle, putting it before other things and ensuring that you are seen to be both hardworking and diligent. It’s also not a bad idea to try and get some personal time with the people higher up in your company. For instance, you can take part in social activities, if and when they arise. This is a great way to form connections and get the good word of support you need when you one day seek out the killer promotion. Get Extra Training In your spare time, you should be looking for ways to improve your resume, boosting your skills and experience. To do this, you should consider taking on new roles in the company when they arise. Or, even seeking out new qualifications you can gain online. MBA programs that are available online can help you gain business knowledge that will be valuable in real life situations. Again, this will make you a key asset in any business because you won’t just have the ambition, you’ll have the knowledge to back it up too. Don’t Cause Trouble Sick days, complaints and other things that cause issues for business owners and managers should all be avoided where possible. You need to make sure that you’re essentially showing the people higher up that the business matters to you. So, if it can be avoided, you shouldn’t really connect your name to problems. If you do take sick days, ensure that it is absolutely necessary. Don’t take a day off one day, simply because you don’t feel like going into work. Nor, should you bring up an issue you’re having at work through official channels if you can resolve it yourself. The last thing you need is to be labeled as a troublemaker. If you take this advice, you’ll be able to rise through the ranks and stand out as a great employee who has the potential to one day help lead the company.

Personal Branding Weekly - 3 June 2013 - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding Weekly - 3 June 2013 - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Across the U.S., graduations have been happening here in the U.S.   From college and university graduation ceremonies to high school commencements, the Class of 2013 is taking the next step in their life journey. Some already have their next chapter queued up already while some are still searching. Living part time in Las Vegas and Midland, Texas, Ive seen such a full range of opportunities and employment rates. Vegas is still in recovery from the recession still burdened by a high unemployment rate while Midland touts the lowest unemployment in the nation. I often wish we could ship groups of people here to Midland to cover the positions that are available in our area. Drive for just a few minutes in Midland and you see signs like Pizza Hut paying $25/hour plus gas for drivers; signs paying $15/hour for bussers; and Help Wanted signs all over the city, the newspaper and even the radio station. If you are the Class of 2013, have you mapped out what you want to do next?   Do you know the value that you deliver? Have you focused on your own VPs (vision, purpose, values and passions)? Last weeks posts can help you in that journey: Why is Clutter Better than a Clean Desk? by Henrieta Riesco Will the Real You Please Stand Up? by Kevin Monahan Love and Your Personal Brand by Nance Rosen How to Further Your Brand with Conference Calls by John Bracken 5 Ways Veterans Can Build Their Brand by Heather Huhman How to Easily Build Business by Elinor Stutz Creating Thought Leadership for Personal Branding Success by Roger Parker How to Be a Successful Manager Removing Obstacles by Aaron McDaniel Why Recruiters Ignore You (And What to Do Differently) by Richard Kirby If You are Surprised by Mornings by Jeff Shuey Youre Not One of Those Networkers are You? by Maria Elena Duron Start Off Your New Job on the Right Foot! by Beth Kuhel Shark Tank: Boon or Bust for CEO Branding? by the Young Entrepreneur Council The Correlation Between Good Looks and Your Career by Ken Sundheim How to Take a Stand Against Workplace Bullying by Glassdoor.com This week Eric will share tips and techniques for overcoming writers block; Henrieta will cover getting rid of those golden handcuffs; Heather will share why Gen Yers are winning at personal branding; Elinor details how to make the move from free to fee based business;   and Beth will even delve into starting your own business. Listen in to this weeks podcast about determining your VPs. Author: Maria Elena Duron, is managing editor of the Personal Branding Blog, CEO (chief engagement officer) of  buzz2bucksâ€"  a word of mouth marketing firm, and a professional speaker and trainer on developing social networks that work. She provides workshops, webinars, seminars and direct services that help create conversation, connection, credibility, community and commerce around your brand.   Maria Duron is founder  and moderator of  #brandchat   a weekly Twitter chat focused on every aspect of  branding  that is recognized by Mashable as one the 15 Essential Twitter Chats for Social Media Marketers. Are you busy? Here’s some quick and easy tips on  Social Marketing for busy people.

Why You Should Look For A Job That Allows You to Work from Anywhere

Why You Should Look For A Job That Allows You to Work from Anywhere Photo Credit â€" Pixabay.comIn a lot of industries today, you’re not really limited as to where you work. Technology has opened up a lot of doors for employers. They can hire remote workers with higher qualifications than the local talent pool. There’s the added benefit that they don’t have to invest in as much office space or supplies.This all sounds great for employers, but rarely do people consider the benefits on the other side of the arrangement. That is, for the employee. It’s not just about working in the comfort of your own home, the benefits go much deeper than that.According to a 2015 survey of 15,000 people, 43 percent of employed Americans spend at least some time working remotely. Of these workers, 31 percent work from home either four to five days per week. Both these figures are increases from previous years.evalEmployees save time for the lack of commute. They save money on expenses like gas, public transportation, or even dry cleaning. They get to be more com fortable, and possibly have an even more flexible schedule.There’s good news for people who enjoy this arrangement â€" as working remotely becomes more commonplace, companies are beginning to branch out their job searches.Several recent studies indicate that working remotely increases productivity and lessens stress, if the right person is doing it. It’s up to companies to find the right people, but they are certainly looking.In fact, 3.3 million full-time professionals in the United States excluding volunteers and self employed people consider their home as the primary place of work, and that number is only expected to increase.Take the tech industry as an example. People in tech work flexible, though sometimes very busy, schedules. Because services are typically web-based and clients are typically remote, these jobs usually allow telecommuting opportunities, even for full-timers. You can be a web designer, a content writer, a graphic designer, SEO specialist, or really anythin g in tech as a remote worker.Sometimes, though, projects will require collaboration. For that, it helps to have an office space. The same studies that show more people are working from home also suggest that the sweet spot for telecommuting is between 2 to 3 days a week.Still, people are more connected than ever, and just because you may need to collaborate, does not mean you need to do so in person. There are so many options available for remote communication, depending upon a company’s preference.evalPeople can arrange phone calls, video conferences, use messaging platforms, or something else. As far as work goes, the only thing you can’t do is walk up to someone, tap them on the shoulder, and ask a question.All of this leads to the main point that it’s possible to get a full-time job working from home, and your job search should not be limited by location.Of course this depends on your industry. If you’re a doctor or a mechanic, it might be difficult, but for people who w ork on computers all day, it’s probably possible.There’s no reason that if you live on the East Coast you can’t look at jobs in New York. Your only concern might be time zones. For that, it might be difficult to work remotely in another country or on opposite sides of the United States, unless of course you enjoy the schedule.evalObviously, it’s best to look for jobs that offer the option to telecommute explicitly, and there are some sites that cater to this idea. But some employers who were not previously thinking about remote work may consider it for the right candidate.If it’s a job you’re well-suited for, it’s probably worth a try to just ask for it outright. Maybe your qualifications would make them reconsider the job structure. However, unless your experience is through the roof, this is probably not a real possibility.If it’s something you really want and can’t find the right opportunities. You can try taking your web skills freelance. Sites like Upwork conn ect freelancers with remote clients for work opportunities. Often, these arrangements can lead to longer term contracts.Bottom line is that if you really want to work remotely, there are a ton of ways to get there. It may just take some research and time to find the right opportunity.

7 Personal Branding Trends for Job Search in 2012 - CareerEnlightenment.com

4. Job Postings R.I.P.Are you relying on job postings in your search?Job postings are inefficient. Many unqualified candidates apply â€" especially in a down economy. The volume of resumes received can be unmanageable. As social networks make it easier to identify qualified potential hires, job postings will become obsolete. More and more, when hiring managers and recruiters have an open position, they’ll scour the Internet and reach out to their social networks to find the perfect candidate. When SHRM conducted research in 2011, they learned that 56% of HR managers use LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter to source candidates (it was 34% in 2010). The number one reason they’re using social media in this way is to recruit passive candidates (84%). The Facebook app, BeKnown, finds and recommends jobs for you based on your skills and experience (from your profile) â€" before you even do a search.What does this mean for you?It’s becoming more likely that your next job will come to you â €" if your virtual brand is visible and compelling. Ensure your social network profiles are engaging and up-to-date. And make sure you use all the appropriate keywords in everything you post online so you’ll be found by those who seek your expertise.5. Professional, DIY VideoAre you using video to stand out?Professional, DIY video. Those used to be two different options for getting video produced â€" professional or DIY. Now, you can have both. For example, Distance Record from videoBIO (disclosure: videoBIO is a partner of my company, Reach Personal Branding) allows you to record your own video in your home and send the video file to them for editing. In addition, you can have a producer on your computer screen directing you through the video. In the past, there were two things standing in the way of using video to build your brand: 1. Self-produced video looked amateurish and didn’t always create the best impression; and 2. Studio shoots produce professional video but they com e at a cost and are time-consuming. These new, hybrid services will certainly increase the use of video as a way of building your brand.What does this mean for you?Video is a differentiator. It helps you stand out in a job search. It allows you to deliver a complete communication. Produce a video bio. First, write your branded bio (combining your credentials, experience and successes with your personality and passions). Then, create a script. Practice, don’t rehearse. Then work with an organization to get a high quality video produced. Upload your final video to YouTube, and other video sharing sites, and use the app in LinkedIn to embed your video bio in your LinkedIn profile.6. Permanent UnemploymentDo you appear unemployed?In a July 2011 study, CareerBuilder learned that employers prefer hiring people that already have jobs over those who have been laid off. If you’re unemployed, this must seem depressing. But it need not be. What it means is that instead of being unemployed, you need to remain active â€" even if you’re no longer at the company you were working for. Taking on a volunteer activity, putting your own shingle out or getting involved in a project you are passionate about are valuable ways of remaining a compelling candidate. If it looks like your full-time job is looking for work, you’ll be less attractive to recruiters and hiring managers.What does this mean for you?Don’t consider yourself unemployed. Be prepared to consult or volunteer if you find your name on the layoff list. In the future, you’ll probably move from being employed by companies to self-employment and back. Get in this mindset now to ensure you remain an attractive passive candidate. And be visible where hiring managers will find you. Use the right keywords in everything you post on the Web. Contribute thought-leadership content to job function or industry portals. Keep your LinkedIn profile up-to-date and compelling (this is the number one site hiring managers chec k according to a SHRM study).7. Personal QwikisHow do you present your qualifications?Qwiki delivers interactive, multimedia presentations of information you’re researching. It’s a 3-D way of representing information â€" making it more impactful and easier to digest. Think of it as a multimedia, customizable Wikipedia. This is part of a trend away from text-based content â€" to richer, more effective communications. In last year’s personal branding trends, I stressed the importance of combining video and images with text content to tell your brand story. Soon, with a series of Qwiki-like tools, you’ll be able to create a multimedia personal brand presentation. Instead of resumes or portfolios, you’ll be able to use a personal Qwiki to present your qualifications in a more attractive way. And you can direct people to this multimedia presentation via your personal QR code (see trend number 3 above).What does this mean for you?Multimedia is becoming even more important to you as you build your brand. Ensure you take every opportunity to create and obtain video and images related to your brand. When Qwikis become personal, you’ll be able to put together a compelling, customized presentation about your brand â€" accomplishments, thought leadership, passions, etc. The more content you have to work with, the better your presentation will be. Multimedia is a must!

Creating an Effective Resume For Hiring a Job

Creating an Effective Resume For Hiring a JobThe very first step to writing a resume is to identify the position that you wish to apply for. You will need to learn all about what you will be expected to do and how your duties will fit into the job description. Some people do not even bother to have this type of information. However, it is crucial to make sure that you are filling out a resume that can accurately match the requirements of the position you are applying for.A professional resume writer will take into consideration the needs of each job and what skills you will need to bring to the table. If you are already in your current career, there are resume templates available to help you decide which job listing would work best for you. If you need help, these professionals can create one for you so that you can focus on the specific job that is opening. There are also skills based resume templates that include this information as well. Once you have decided on a particular templ ate, you can begin to look for the right details to include on your resume.One of the best ways to help you narrow down the field is to consider certain periodical benchmarks. An example would be for someone interested in an administrative position, they should consider any positions they have held within the past three years. With this information, they can then narrow down their search to specific areas such as a treasurer's, an account manager or a human resources person's.Creating an ideal resume is not hard. In fact, with the use of the resources listed below, you will have the best resume possible.Professional resume writers utilize the use of several resources, such as online resumes and skills lists to help them find the right information for their clients. These job listing resources include the following. First, there are websites that offer free samples that can give you an idea of what you can expect when you submit your resume. website Another resource that you can use is the resume review website. By comparing hundreds of resumes on a regular basis, you will start to see patterns emerge. You will be able to spot job seekers who have undergone a job search in the past, or simply work well under a particular management style. With this information, you can make some smart hiring decisions based on what you learn.A resume writer can help you make a resume that is effective and that can be an effective networking tool. They will also give you the insight and knowledge you need to create the best resume possible. So, get started today and use the tools at your disposal to create a resume that works best for you.