I recently came across a video called Sh*t New Yorkers Say. The video is a funny account of what it’s like to live in New York City. It touches on all that is magical and all that is annoying about this city in less than 3 minutes. It’s accuracy is uncanny and as a native New Yorker I’ve undoubtedly uttered at least 90% of the same things about this city during my time here. But I think the beauty of the video is that it depicts New York City life in a transparent and authentic way. It’s a city that attracts and repels its inhabitants at the same time. The feeling you get living in New York City is not black or white. It’s gray. And to me, anything that appears only black or white is not authentic. There must be gray in order for it to be real.

Many of my clients come to me for advice on how to build and integrate a personal brand and an online persona into their job search strategy. Most want a LinkedIn profile and few consider Facebook an integral part of their online brand. If anything, they shy away from incorporating Facebook into their search strategy because they fear doing so will pull back the curtain on who they “really are” rather than keep the spotlight shining on who they would like to be perceived as. They want black and white, but not gray. But black and white is boring, one-dimensional and not believable. Just like many of the LinkedIn profile headlines I read…Visionary CEO…Dynamic Marketing Executive, Results-Oriented Operations Manager…Really? What does that mean? How does that help me get to know you as a professional I can trust? It doesn’t. This approach to online branding reminds me of a blog post a colleague recently shared titled R.I.P. Personal Branding that suggests that personal branding has evolved into no more than being fake. And no one wants to do business or be friends with someone who appears fake.

People who friend me on Facebook see the gray. Sure, they get job search advice, links to great articles and resources, and motivating success stories about my clients and all of this helps build their confidence in me as a professional.  But they also see what types of things I am interested in and they get a feel for who I am as a New Yorker, a mother, a daughter, a friend. And if they dig deeper they will figure out that I love dark chocolate,  running in Central Park, and high heeled shoes. They get the panoramic view of me rather than just the professional headline. People want to hire people that they relate to and connect with. And you can’t do that successfully by simply stating you are a visionary leader.

Whether you decide to use LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, or a combination of these and other social media platforms, remember to keep it real. Showing a bit of the gray is good for your brand.

At age 88 Betty White had a leading role in the TV show Hot in Cleveland, a memorable Snickers commercial that first aired during the Superbowl, and a guest host spot on Saturday Night Live. And in the two years that have followed, Betty White continues to be everywhere and the job offers don’t seem to be slowing down. Today is Betty White’s 90th birthday and she’s still working. And I think this is a testament to her relevance. Her age hasn’t held her back because she continues to be able to play roles that people young and old can relate to and appreciate.

In job search, people sometimes assume that they will be discriminated against because of their age. But I think that some candidates get passed up for others because they lack relevance. Maybe they don’t mesh well with the culture of a company with a demographic that skews younger, or their management style isn’t in sync with the needs of their younger subordinates. Perhaps their skills aren’t up to date or they are resistant to incorporate relevant social media and collaborative web-based project management tools into the way they do their job.

Perhaps we can all take a lesson from Betty White. Because whether you are 25, 35, 45, 55, or older you won’t be the right person for the job if you can’t prove you are relevant to a prospective employer’s needs.

Check out my earlier tribute to Betty White and 5 tips for remaining relevant in your career on AOL Jobs.

I recently came across this SHRM article Former Employees Claim Ownership of Twitter Handles, LinkedIn Connections  describing the tug-of-war between employers and employees over ownership of Twitter handles and followers and LinkedIn accounts and connections once an employee leaves the company. While more and more companies seem to be creating more formalized social media policies, it’s obvious that there is still a lot of gray when it comes to deciding what rightfully belongs to the individual and what the employer can claim as theirs.

According to a Forbes article, Who Owns Your LinkedIn Contacts,  a court in England ordered that an employee who resigned to start his own consulting business turn over his LinkedIn contacts to his former employer, along with receipts and contracts proving that none of them became clients of his new firm.

Yet in another case in New York, a head hunter who left her firm to start her own practice was sued by her former employer for approaching candidates and clients who were her LinkedIn contacts and also part of the former employer’s  database.  Here the court ruled that LinkedIn connections do not qualify as trade secrets because LinkedIn connections are easily derived from public information.

It remains to be seen how these issues will play out in the years to come, but in the meantime, here are a few suggestions for increasing your chances of retaining ownership of your social media information following a departure from a company.

1. Attach your LinkedIn account to your personal email rather than your company email.
2. Create a PDF copy of your LinkedIn profile so if you ever get “locked out” of your account you can retrieve your information.
3. Export your contacts regularly and store them in another database not connected to your social media accounts.
4. Create a Twitter handle that uses your name rather than a company name.
5. Prior to accepting a new position, read the employee manual and learn what the social media policy (if any) is.
6. If you are required to sign a non-compete, review it carefully and try to negotiate for a non-compete with terms that are the most specific and the least limiting. This may include specific language about your ability to retain ownership of your social media contacts.

The holidays are behind us. And maybe you’ve made a few New Year’s resolutions…Lose weight, save more money…or maybe look for a new job. There are many simple, painless changes you can make in 2012 to increase your chances of finding your next job. Here are my top ten.

1. Update your resume. The last week of December was one of my busiest weeks ever. People who had no expectations of being sourced for a position and interviewed called me in a frenzy because they had to put a resume together pronto. You never know when someone will want to speak to you about a great opportunity. Update your resume before you need it and keep a list of running accomplishments throughout the year so if someone wants to see your resume quickly you will be ready.
2. Stop ignoring Facebook as a job search tool. I speak to job seekers every day and ask them if they use Facebook as part of their networking and  job search strategy. Usually they snicker or say, “I just use Facebook for personal relationships.” Job search is about all relationships…personal and professional. You never know where your next job lead will come from. Embrace the gray area and blur the lines. A friend is just as likely to introduce you to a great connection as a business colleague. Use tools like BranchOut and BeKnown to optimize your chances of finding key people via the Facebook platform.
3. Invest in a professional photo. With the explosion of social media sites, the expectation is that your photo will accompany your profile. If no photo is there people wonder why. By investing in a professional photo, you can ensure the best angle and lighting and be able to select from multiple shots. And some photography studios can help with hair, makeup, and wardrobe choices. Some can even Photoshop out certain imperfections from the shot.
4. Update your wardrobe. You don’t need to make a huge investment. A new jacket, tie, sharp scarf, pin or something similar might be all you need. If your look screams 1985, you could give hiring managers the impression that your skills are stuck in that era as well. Find a style savvy friend to help you update your wardrobe or hire an image consultant to get you on the right track.
5. Join a professional association. Many job opportunities are shared through professional associations. Why post a job to thousands of strangers when you can go to your internal colleagues and advisors and quickly source the best candidates? Being involved in a professional association helps you become part of the inner circle in your professional community.
6. Let someone pick your brain. Perhaps you read the recent Forbes article, No You Can’t Pick My Brain, It Costs Too Much recommending you be cautious about giving free advice because doing so means you are devaluing your knowledge. I disagree. Giving free advice could mean more opportunities in the future. Spend 20 minutes with someone to help them resolve an issue and they will remember it. And you will be on the top of their list of people to help in the future. It’s possible for someone to pick your brain without them siphoning your entire knowledge base. Don’t be stingy with information.
7. Give kudos. Offer endorsements via LinkedIn and other social media sites to people whose work you know and trust. This will keep you top of mind with your network and increase the likelihood that people will in turn help you when you are seeking advice and information.
8. Make time for lunch. We get so wrapped up in work and other priorities that we forget to take time to socialize during the work day. The lunch hour is a time to reconnect with people, share advice, and gather information. This is a critical aspect of career management. The more people that know you and the more people know about you, the greater the likelihood that someone will be able to assist you with some aspect of your career in the future. And if you’ve been spending your lunch hour with the same 2 people for the past 5 years, now’s the time to change that and branch out your inner circle.
9. Buy a piggy bank. For many job seekers money is tight. They forgo a promising networking event or dues for a professional association membership due to the cost. They may fail to realize that for every week that they make poor job search decisions they stay unemployed longer and lose valuable income. Inquire about “in-transition” rates for professional organizations. Some don’t advertise these cost reductions aggressively but do offer a reduced rate for in-transition professionals.
10. Learn something new. What’s trending in your industry? Which of your skills are rusty? What gaps are there between your skills and the needs of your industry? Gaining education doesn’t have to be expensive and doesn’t necessarily require a formal education. Read industry publications, follow the blogs of industry thought leaders, or make an investment in a class or degree program if you think it is warranted.

Here’s to your career in 2012 and beyond!

Everyday I counsel job seekers on how to leverage social media to accelerate their job search. And I’m happy to report that over the last year, more and more people are using LinkedIn as a way to stay in touch with people and build new relationships. But when I ask clients if they use Facebook, 9 times out of 10 the reply is, “Well, I have a Facebook account, but I only use it to keep up with personal relationships, not for job search.”

Why is it that people think the two are mutually exclusive? Why do many  people assume that you can’t find a job on Facebook? According to a recent survey by JobVite, nearly nine out of 10 job seekers (86%) have a social media profile. Facebook has the majority with 84% of job seekers, followed by 39% using Twitter and 35% using LinkedIn. Nearly 1/3 of job seekers (31%) have a profile on all three networks. But more than 1/3 of job seekers surveyed that have a Facebook profile don’t use it in any way to look for work. On the other hand, nearly all job seekers with a profile on LinkedIn and almost 3/4 of those on Twitter leverage their networks for job hunting.

Of those surveyed, 42% had 150+ contacts on Facebook, compared to just 26% with the same number of contacts on LinkedIn and Twitter.  So job seekers are using social media more aggressively on the platforms where they have fewer contacts. The odds of finding someone who can help you are greater when you have a larger network to draw on. Why are avid Facebook users less inclined to use it for job search? Here are some of the reasons I have heard in the past and my rebuttals to the Facebook for job search naysayers.

1. My friends don’t know anyone. Usually when someone tells me this it means that their friends are not in their field so they don’t know anyone that could be useful in their search. But that is an incorrect assumption. You don’t know who your friends know until you ask them. Who are your friend’s friends and who do they know? That’s the real question you should be asking and Facebook is a great tool for shedding light on this.
2. I want to be myself on Facebook and I can’t do that if employers can view my profile. You don’t have to share everything about yourself with everyone. Facebook has an extensive privacy section and you can make decisions about who sees what every time you post.
3. My current boss is a Facebook friend and I don’t want  him to see my job search activity. Job seekers can use a third party application like BranchOut or BeKnown to source important contacts via Facebook without adding them as Facebook friends.
4. No serious employers will be sourcing talent via Facebook. Go to Facebook and do a search on an employer you are interested in. I’m pretty sure you will find their Facebook page. And that page is filled with fans who “like” their page and regularly comment on it. Facebook fan pages are a place where companies build engagement with the people who use their products and services. It’s also a place where job seekers can source valuable information about the company and even job leads.

I just finished reading several blog posts referencing LinkedIn’s recent post about the top 10 overused buzzwords on LinkedIn profiles. Everyone makes good points about why words like creative, organized, and motivated don’t make compelling profile content or prove the impact a candidate has had on past employers or how they can solve a prospective employer’s problems. And everyone agrees that these references to personal attributes should be banned from profiles whenever possible in favor of tangible, accomplishment-focused, metrics-driven proof of professional performance.

But have you ever stopped to think why job seekers include these words on their profile? Because if you look at 99% of the job postings out there, the job descriptions are filled with useless references to personal attributes. So job seekers have little information to go on and they opt for matching their resumes and profiles to the lousy descriptions they see in the job postings.

I recently did a random search of job postings in three different fields at three different professional levels. None of the descriptions conveyed much of anything about the type of person the company was seeking past the difficult to measure, subjective personal attributes. In other words, all the job descriptions sucked. Let’s take a closer look.

For a sales position:

The ideal candidate is an aggressive go-getter and results driven with excellent communication and presentation skills; capable of multi-tasking; dependable, flexible, organized, friendly, and professional; and willing to travel (40% overnight). Three or more years of sales experience is preferred and previous sales experience in medical or software sales is a plus.

For a business analyst

Effective Communication Skills.
Ability to communicate with all areas of the company, deliver information to executives, and work with Applications, Program Management and Operations team members to define user requirements.
Possesses excellent time management, prioritization and organizational skills.
Ability to execute project management and work plan development activities.
Has a passion for manufacturing.

For a CEO

excellent verbal communication skills which allow clear articulation of mission, purpose, direction and results
poise and comfort in public communication addressing and presenting to clients and employees alike
possess a competitive results oriented nature
strategic thinker
a self managed individual
creative in identifying and using resources
possess a high work ethic and energy level with the ability to sustain heavy work loads and deal with the pressure and stress created in dynamic healthcare environments
high personal integrity

I rest my case…It’s amazing to me that employers frequently complain that they can’t find quality candidates when few take the time required to articulate their business needs in a concrete, measurable way. So what they get instead are a bunch of applicants that added words like creative problem solver to their profile because that’s what the employer said they needed.

It’s time for employers to invest in the resources necessary to create clear job postings with specific and measurable expectations of applicants. And maybe once that is achieved, the cycle of overused buzzwords will dissipate, fewer people will have LinkedIn profiles (and resumes) that suck, and employers will start to uncover quality candidates for their open positions.

Since its launch this year, BranchOut, a professional networking platform on Facebook, has been growing steadily. Before BranchOut, many job seekers were reluctant to use Facebook as a job search tool because of all the personal information that could be displayed. BranchOut leverages the power of the Facebook network, but the BranchOut profile only shows work history, education, and positive endorsements to business contacts. On BranchOut, users  can connect professionally without becoming Facebook friends, so they can keep their personal information private. I recently interviewed Mike Del Ponte from BranchOut to learn more about this exciting resource.

Who Uses BranchOut?

BranchOut is the largest professional network on Facebook, with millions of users in more than 60 countries. We have users that are Fortune 500 CEOs, and we have entry level employees. We’re empowering Facebook users to network with those whom they have the most authentic relationships – their friends – and search for hundreds of thousands of jobs through the world’s largest social network.

How does it work?

You have two options to add BranchOut to your Facebook profile.  Either visit branchout.com, or after logging into your Facebook account, search for the BranchOut app and select the app that appears. Once you have the app, click “Grow Network” and you’ll find a number of options to select from, including email, wall posts, and a few additional communication channels on Facebook.

Your Facebook friends who are existing BranchOut users will automatically be added to your BranchOut network. If you’re Facebook friends, but they’re not already BranchOut users, you can invite them to BranchOut using wall posts and the request channel on Facebook.

When reviewing the more than three million job postings or 20,000 internships, you’ll see all of your inside connections – your Facebook friends, who you’re connected to through BranchOut, and their friends. This alerts you to your vast network of insider connections, who you just happen to have the most authentic relationships, so that you can network with them to ensure your resume is at the top of the pile or make an introduction to a hiring manager.

Through BranchOut, you can upload your resume, or create one from scratch, ask for or give endorsements, share updates with your BranchOut network and browse jobs.

What was the inspiration for BranchOut?

The idea for BranchOut came from a phone call that BranchOut’s founder Rick Marini received from a friend. The friend asked Rick for an introduction at a company where the friend wanted a sales lead. Rick wanted to see who he might know at the company by searching Facebook. Unfortunately, that search functionality was not available on Facebook, a major frustration point for Rick, which lead to Rick asking his Director of Engineering to build a search widget. They immediately saw the potential for leveraging Facebook connections to increase professional success.

What do you think is BranchOut’s top feature?

One of the features our users love is the ability to see who they know at companies that interest them. For example, if they are looking for a job at Google, all they have to do is type in “Google” to BranchOut and see everyone they know, both their friends and friends of their friends, who can help them.

Can you share a user success story?

BranchOut has so many examples of people who have found jobs on Facebook. One BranchOut user, a salesman in Florida, was unemployed for six months. He used BranchOut and not only found a job he loves, but also got a 45% salary increase. Another BranchOut user is a disabled veteran in Detroit, who was looking for a job that allowed him to work from home. Through BranchOut he quickly found his dream job at Apple. He was thrilled and now loves what he does.

What’s on the horizon for BranchOut?

BranchOut continues to release new features that take online professional networking to the next level such as new professional profiles and enhanced job posts. We will also be launching more community features that facilitate communication and collaboration between BranchOut users. BranchOut has also recently released a number of tools that help recruiters find great job candidates on Facebook through BranchOut.

I’m always on the prowl for new tools to help market my clients effectively. A leading-edge marketing strategy can help differentiate you in a crowded market and get your phone to ring more frequently.

Lately I’ve been fascinated with the growing use of the QR code. QR (quick response) codes are currently one of the hottest trends in marketing. They’re popping up everywhere, including product packaging, business cards, signs, art and all types of advertising collateral. They can be scanned by virtually all smartphones and tablet devices, including iPads and Android tablets.

QR codes contain embedded data; they work similarly to UPC bar codes, but instead of just 12 numbers, they can contain thousands of data points, including letters and numbers. Users scan QR codes – usually with a mobile device – and are directed to additional information online.

So why should job seekers care about QR codes? I recently spoke to James Alexander, CEO of Vizibility to learn more about the value of a QR code in a search campaign.

Why should job seekers care about QR codes?

Over 85% of executive recruiters report that they Google job candidates. Only about 12% the returned search results are relevant. QR codes can be added to a résumé to direct readers to the relevant information, which helps job seekers make a great first impression. A Vizibility QR code can take users to a mobile-optimized website that displays curated online identity information, including verified Google search results, biographical data, an online portfolio, videos or other information the job seeker selects.

Job seekers who use a QR code on a résumé can stand out from the crowd and position themselves as tech-savvy, which is always important but even more crucial in a tough job market. QR codes also allow job seekers to condense the amount of information on their documents while providing readers a link to additional data online, which can be updated as necessary.

How can entrepreneurs and consultants leverage QR codes to get more business?

Today, about half of all online searches originate on mobile devices. QR codes can be part of an effective lead generation strategy, helping entrepreneurs and consultants capture new business by providing a mobile-optimized gateway to additional sales and marketing information.

QR codes can also allow entrepreneurs and consultants to proactively manage their online identities, making it easy for clients and prospects to access verified Google results, hand-picked online professional profiles, mobile business cards and more.

How can Vizibility help clients create strategic and optimized QR codes?

Vizibility provides a comprehensive online identity management platform for individuals and professional services companies. We offer clients an easy way to curate, organize and share individual online and company identities with QR codes, SearchMe^TM buttons and links. We make it simple for companies to manage multiple identities and track results.

How else will QR codes be used in job search?

This year, we launched the first-ever mobile version of our online identity management platform. It includes CommonConnections, a new service that integrates QR codes with popular social networking sites like LinkedIn and Facebook. Our patent-pending “social network connection pre-authorization” technology allows users to embed their social graphs into their personal Vizibility QR codes.

This feature is important because it empowers users to explore real-life connections with new acquaintances instantaneously via their mobile devices. When a user makes a new business or personal connection, instead searching for common connections after the fact, users can exchange social graphs via personalized Vizibility QR codes, discovering common acquaintances and interests immediately. This can take conversations in a different direction and bring networking to a new level.

Want to learn more about how Career Solvers can help you manage your online presence with branded profiles, websites, business cards, and QR codes? Contact us today for a free consultation on the services we provide.

LinkedIn is currently 135 million members strong. Today I listened to a LinkedIn presentation given by their Public Relations Assistant, Erin O’Harra, and hosted by Career Directors International. O’Harra gave a lot of great advice for LinkedIn newbies and veterans. Here are her top tips.

1. Add a picture. A profile is nine times more likely to be viewed if the profile contains your photo.
2. Fill out the experience section completely. Profiles that contain at least one past position in addition to a current position are seven times more likely to be viewed.
3. Connect to at least 50 trusted colleagues. Fifty seems to be the “magic number” necessary to reach the critical mass that makes it easier to source second and third degree contacts.
4. Try to get at least 3 endorsements. Every time you receive an endorsement, a message goes out to both your network and the network of the person who offered the endorsement. This is a great way to become top of mind with people quickly.
5. Be strategic about your vanity url. LinkedIn allows you to customize your url with your name. This makes it easier for people to find your profile and it helps with optimization efforts overall. When selecting a vanity url, the best strategy is to use your first name and last name with lower case letters and no spaces or dashes. If your name is already taken, the second best choice is to use your last name and first name with lower case letters and no spaces or dashes.
6. Add volunteer experience to your profile. A recent LinkedIn study showed that 20% of hiring managers considered relevant volunteer experience when making hiring decisions.
7. Add skills. This helps with optimization even more than the specialties section. If you click on the skills section under to “More” tab on the toolbar,  you can key in a specific skill and get a list of related skills to help you build out your skills section. You can also view other profiles of people who have listed the same skill and see groups that are related to that particular skill set.
8. Review company pages. If you have your own company and add a company page on LinkedIn, it will be easier for people to find you in searches. If you are a job seeker, viewing company pages helps you find out who in your network works for that company. It also shows which people from your school alumni work at that company.
9. Save job leads. The jobs page allows you to save postings that you are interested in to make it easier to review them.
10. Use LinkedIn Signals. This feature located in the “News” tab,  lets you filter the information that is most important to you.  You can click on the search all status updates button on the homepage and search on a particular topic such as “marketing jobs” or “JPMorgan Chase jobs” and source specific user status updates that relate to your search criteria.
11. Be a stealth job seeker.  if you want to leverage LinkedIn for job leads but are currently employed and don’t want your employer to become suspicious of your LinkedIn activity, customize your settings and turn off your activity broadcasts so you can connect discreetly. You can also hide your connections while you are looking so your boss can’t see if you’ve connected to a competitor or you can hide information on your group activity for the same reason.
12. Use LinkedIn Today to view trending topics. On the LinkedIn homepage you can view the articles that are most shared across LinkedIn, your professional community, and your connections and save relevant articles to be reviewed at a later time.
13. Get on LinkedIn Mobile. LinkedIn recently revamped their mobile apps making it easier for colleagues to connect on the go.

Career Solvers is pleased to announce the 2011 updated version of our Online Identity & Networking Tools e-Book with more than 70 links and explanations of the hottest tools for business networking, social networking, online identity, blogging, microblogging, personal branding, social bookmarking and more.

Everyone needs a social media strategy to complement their career management and job search plan and there’s so much more than just LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Follow the link below to download your copy from our homepage.

Online Identity and Networking Tools