Keeping One Step Ahead of the Gang

So if you are sending your resumes on Monster, beefing up your LinkedIN profiles appealing to hiring mangers and HR executives, one comes to wonder why are certain opportunities only being given to certain individuals? Is it really just luck, who you know, timing, or how you best market yourself? Is it about putting as many keywords in your resume to get the hiring manager’s attention? It’s a combination of a few things to see what works best for you based on your background and what you can offer. Today there are lots of talented people laid-off, people looking for work in all areas and new graduates on the horizon adding to the competitive landscape. Honestly, it’s exhausting with all the resources out there. Yet, it’s important to be noticed where you can stand out in your industry. Why is it now that we have to go to numerous channels to manage our identity online,  seek-out new positions as we document our experiences in hopes to get noticed?  We are all learning with the advancements in new technology. It’s about using the virtual world to bridge the gaps and build stronger relationships. For those of you looking for jobs, including myself, I’ve noticed  that many companies aren’t recognizing the transferable skills. I believe there are some innate skills to identify with someone that proves they will go out there to make something happen regardless of their background. Commitment, Passion, Enthusiasm, Creativity, Professionalism and of course a little Humor can go a long way in the right hands.

Stand out in the crowd with some suggestions that I’ve shared in the past

 

What Do Companies Need?

In certain cases companies aren’t sure what exactly they need to be successful or understand their needs in this evolutionary time. Why do companies take action to attract audiences convincing people to provide personal information in order to generate new leads and spam people with useless information? Some businesses are trying to catch up playing a game of cat and mouse. The attitude has been if everyone else is doing it we should be doing too. Yet, that is not always the best approach to follow but rather test different segments of the market to see if audiences are receptive to certain information. I believe it’s important to use traditional marketing tactics and be open to experiment with the new concepts. You should try something new as you prepare yourself for the next big break around the corner.

Best of Boston “Webpreneurs”

So as you are playing with Facebook, or other websites online and you come across things such as RunKeeper.com and say to yourself, “That’s cool – why didn’t I think of that!” I took that opportunity and meet with Jason Jacobs, who created this service among other webpreneurs that are diving into the digital world hoping to Google their way to the top and gain popularity with others. You’d be surprised how many people got their start in this space right in my own backyard of Boston. Whether I consult people, start a site of my own and become a Webpreneur, I enjoy helping to shape that goal for myself and others. Boston’s Mayor Menino and other professionals are taking strides through the launch of the BostonWorldPartnerships.com with an interest to help others promote entrepreneurship building a bridge for the future of business in this area.

Last night, Doug Levin, an entrepreneur and advisor coordinated a speaking engagement to discuss The State Of the Consumer Internet. Welcomed at the event was a select group of individuals that listen attentively to a group of webpreneurs on a panel which included Dave Balter – CEO of word-of-mouth agency BzzAgent, Jeff Bussgang – General Partner of Flybridge Capital, Jeff Taylor – CEO of Eons.com, Tributes.com and founder of Monster.com, Scott Savitz – CEO of Shoebuy.com and newcomer CEO Brad Rosen, of Drync.com which provides a new iPhone application for wine connoisseurs. Among the crowd was Mr. Dan Bricklin, someone we all need to pay homage to for inventing the first spreadsheet.

We’re Making History Baby!
The event was held at The Vilna Shul, a historic Boston synagogue located in Beacon Hill. The environment provided a backdrop with an interesting blend of two worlds mixing the old with the new. As we sat in the temple, one could appreciate the restoration process that was being used to discover the true beauty in the art found behind the walls, while the audience was able to network and learn about the beauty from within each individual. The audience listened with admiration to the executives recounting  their experiences, while some individuals were hoping to make history one day themselves.

Dan recorded the event (MP3 Audio File), so I would like to share it with all of you. Some of the people you hear in the crowd could be the new webpreneurs of tomorrow experimenting in this space, seeking answers from those that have had great success. Who knows, you may learn something of your own, or say, “I use that application on my iPhone, Facebook page, or that’s really neat.” You may want to be apart of that new business development happening, or one day look back on some of the ideas discussed today and say, “I knew them before they were stars,” in the digital space.

Text Me, Facebook Me, Email Me: He’s Just Not That Into You

My friends and I just saw the movie “He’s Just Not That Into You.” A hilarious flick that pokes fun at how technology is used, or isn’t used, to make a connection with that special someone.

You rush to check your email, you make a point to check your Facebook page, you text, wait for a text, and if you are lucky enough a phone call.

He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not

Admit it, it’s not just gals that are doing this, but men are too. When did this happen that we are at the mercy of technology to influence our lives and for some to feel valuable. It’s the state of this crazy new technological world we live in.

No email…No text…Oh no! Yet, the girl or gal next to me has enough to create a novel. No posts written to your wall on Facebook for at least a week…Does anyone love me?

What is this world coming to? I had actually banned text for many months until people asked me, “Did you get my text?” Of course not, but I caved in to sign-up because I would have lost out on some important messages. Drew Barrymore said it best as the character of Mary explains to her friend the new society we live in. “He emailed me, text me, and My-Spaced me and now you have to check all these different portals of technology…it’s exhausting!”

Why are we taking all this time invested in the virtual world when we should be investing it in the real world to meet the true gentlemen. There is a new kind of chivalry coming out of this digital age when texting is the way of getting the door for someone, emails are the little hand-written notes from a secret valentine, when adding one as a friend on Facebook, is the new, “OK, you’re cool enough to join my crew.”

The little personal niceties are slowing diminishing in this “crack-berry/ iPhone” world. It’s sad. In the movie, Mary shares with her colleagues at the magazine, “Things have changed. People don’t just meet organically anymore. If I want to make myself more attractive to the opposite sex, I don’t go get a new haircut – I update my profile. That’s just how it is.” It’s true for us experimenting in the online dating world. Also, for those connecting with others on Facebook, or who wish to impress his/her former high school classmates. However, too often there are those that feel safe hiding behind their computer, posting messages that are not true, or sharing pictures that are ten years old. That’s just not right and it makes it harder for one to trust the virtual world without first-hand experience, or encounters with others in the real world. Meanwhile in the movie, the guy Mary meets online turns out to be a phony. Later she is pleasantly surprised by turning off the technology. It’s ironic when she uses it first, she doesn’t have much success. However, when she puts down the phone, turns off the computer and meets someone face-to-face, she finds love.

Don’t get me wrong, I find the entertainment through the use of Facebook, the texting between friends can be fun at times too, and online dating has some interesting experiences. Yet, sometimes I just have to sit and laugh not taking things so seriously. I have friends that obsess over the amount of text and what to interpret by each message. OMG, he didn’t text me back, or respond to my Facebook post! What happened to the day of picking up the phone, or meeting someone at a local café to talk face-to-face? We are becoming a fickle society that doesn’t want to invest the effort anymore. ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS. That is, REAL ACTIONS in the REAL WORLD. In a recent interview about the movie, Drew Barrymore explains, “I’m totally confused by technology in dating. It’s so hard. It’s new; we’re in a new phase of history. It’s uncharted waters and we’re all figuring it out together.”

 

I’ve learned to value the interpersonal connections so much more with the influx of technology and social media. Today, I seek the sounds of sharing a laugh, the touch of one’s hand, the smells of the environment, the engaged conversations with others have come to have great meaning. It’s scary how quickly this world is changing and a time when the phrase “reach out and touch someone,” maybe becoming a thing of the past.

Honey, if he isn’t taking the time to treat you with respect in person, recall the things important to you in person, invite you out in person just to have someone close by to listen what’s on your mind ….HE’S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU!