Marketing in a Down Market: Expand Your Network

From the July/August 2008 issue of Resume Writers' Digest:

Fourth in a series on Marketing Your Resume Writing Services in a Down Market

Resume writers tell their clients to network, but don't always follow their own advice. Yet there are more opportunities for business-to-business networking than ever before.

Traditional methods include professional associations (especially if you specialize in a niche, making contacts with these associations as well as contacts in academic programs turning out new graduates, is vital), plus business leads groups, alumni groups, and Chambers of Commerce.

Your return on your investment here will depend on the time you are willing to commit. Participating in organizational activities, writing for their publication and website, and volunteering to chair committees (membership recruitment and event planning are two in particular), can pay dividends.

Another growing area is using online social networking sites to cultivate referrals and build your credibility. Having a profile on LinkedIn or Facebook is quickly becoming essential. If you currently don't have a profile, create one!

Next up: Small-Space Advertising.

Best of Today: 9/14/10

Here are my "favorite" articles from today --

The Seven Deadly Sins of Social Media

Via CareerPro Resumes: How Recruiters Screen Your Resume (by Perry Newman)

The Facebookification of Twitter

Interesting article from US News & World Report, via @AvidCareerist (retweeting @ErinKennedyCPRW and @JobHuntOrg! “Beware the Interviewer in a Soft Chair”

The Real Power of Networking is in the Second Degree? – via Kristen Jacoway – “How to Find a New Job with LinkedIn”

– Great video explaining the process!

63 Lessons Learned from 2 Years as an Entrepreneur

QUOTE OF THE DAY:

@GayleHoward: Careers are linked to your life stages. Work situations perfect for one period of your life may be completely wrong for the next.

Best of Today: 9/9/2010

This was an easier task today. I just kept track of cool & interesting stuff as I came across it. (Oh, and just so you know,  I looked through about 10x as many articles as I posted links ... I'm trying to "edit" the volume of stuff for you guys.)

Today's question is: Do you want me to provide some commentary with the articles? Like a sentence or two on what it's about, and why I thought it was cool/interesting? Let me know. Comment below.

Jason Alba blog post on I’m On Linked In – Now What? "Who Owns Your LinkedIn Profile" 

Michael Lunsford blog post (via Julie Walraven): "The Best Success Story I’ve Ever Heard: Burn That Star Wars T-Shirt"

Denise Wakeman (The Blog Squad), article on Biz Tips Blog: "Keyword Research Can Help Your Content Get Found by Your Ideal Client"

"Hire Me: Your Employment Prospects for 2010 (Results of Manpower Survey)"

Great example of an online “Resources” guide for clients – courtesy of Donna Svei, AvidCareerist: 

Avid Careerist Blog Post: "How to Use Google Alerts in Your Job Search"

Love Wendy’s Humor – Wendy Terwelp Blog Post (Rock Your Career) – “I Don’t Kiss on the First Date – LinkedIn Tips”

Resume Confidential (Karen Siwak) Blog Post – "A Conversation with David Graziano– Social Recruiting Strategist"

Bonus content from me --

Quote of the Day (QOTD):

Via @TheJobQuest RT @steviepuckett: Your job security no longer lies in having a job. It lies in knowing how to work the job market.

I'm on Facebook. Are You? Are Your Clients?

Well, I bit the bullet this week and joined Facebook. Once upon a time, I created a MySpace page (but never used it), and twice I've joined LinkedIn (resulting in two inactive profiles that only highlight my ongoing "identity crisis" caused by having a 15-year professional career in my maiden name, and my attempt for the past four years to "marry" my maiden name with my established personal brand developed with my often-mispronounced "old" name).

But I'm REALLY liking Facebook so far. Unfortunately, it's quite addictive too.

I was inspired to write this post by an e-mail from Jobsearch.about.com talking about online reputation management. The article noted, "There has been a significant increase in Facebook users over 25, with ComScore reporting an 181% increase in users in the 25-34 year old demographic and a 98% increase from those 35 years and older."

I'm not sure which demographic I appear in now, since I joined Facebook last week (just before I turned 35 on Sunday). In any case, I'm trying to persuade my husband to set up a profile (I've got several of my immediate family members in my network already, and almost all of his!). [By the way, he created my avatar, which I'm using as my current profile picture, above.]

I'll write in the future about online reputation management ideas (Wendy Terwelp has a great new program, Rock Your Network Online! that I'm excited to share more about soon), but I just wanted to show off my new profile picture.

Affluent Are Networking Online

According to the latest Wealth Survey from the Luxury Institute, 60% of wealthy Americans participate in online social networks, compared to 27% a year ago. These individuals have an average income of $287,000 a year and an average net worth of $2.1 million.

According to the survey, these individuals belong to average of 2.8 social networks, with roughly 110 connections. The most popular of these are LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and ExecuNet.

Source: ExecuNet, April 2008

Survey: Social Networks Attract Affluent Individuals

Thanks to Robyn Greenspan of ExecuNet for passing along the findings of this survey.

According to the latest Wealth Survey from the Luxury Institute, more than 60 percent of wealthy Americans (those with an average income of $287K and net worth of $2.1M) participate in online social networks -- compared with just 27 percent a year ago.

These affluent individuals are most likely members of 2.8 social networks (with roughly 110 connections). Those with even higher incomes belong to more social networks (3.4 on average).

Here are some of the most prominent social networking sites:

ExecuNet is a closed network which allows members to have a direct connection with thousands of senior-level business leaders.

LinkedIn: One of the most popular social networks for professionals.

Facebook: Originally for students, this network has grown to encompass more professional members -- but is still more often used by the Generation X and Y sets than the Baby Boomers.

I just found out about a new social networking service -- Ning -- that I'm experimenting with. I'll let you know what I think about it once I've had a chance to play around with it.