I’m a career coach, and it’s amazing to me how many people I run into that don’t like to talk about themselves. They think it’s bragging, or rude, or vulgar.

Houston, we have a problem!

If you are in a job search, wanting to move ahead at work, or trying to get clients for your business, you have to learn to talk about yourself in a way that informs people authentically about what value you create. I like to think about this as educating people on what I do best, what I want to do, and why.

Elevator speeches are not for me

I’ve never liked the concept of an elevator speech because the last time I was in an elevator no one spoke and no one dared make eye contact. So I don’t do elevator speeches, and no one can make me.

There does however come a time when you must talk about yourself and you need to know what to say & how to say it. Here’s my process: authenticity, brevity, and passion.

Be honest about the value you create

Just be honest about how you create value. If you don’t know, you might want to look at your [pullquote]I like to think about this as educating people on what I do best, what I want to do, and why.[/pullquote]performance reviews, survey your clients, or ask people who would tell you the truth. Take a few days & make a list without editing anything – just keep the flow going. Be sure you focus on what value you create because no matter what you like to do, you have to find a buyer.

Keep it simple, keep it brief

Let the fun begin and start editing. Get some help if you need it. Think about finishing this sentence, “I’m at my best when…”

It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it – not true

Well, actually it IS what you say … and it’s how you say it. Think about how you would talk about what would motivate you to get up every day and do that thing you do so well. What will you say to inspire others to ask you for more? What will you say to help them remember you?

It’s the thought that counts … and the gift

You’ve put a lot of thought into what you do best and what would motivate you to do it every day. Think of what you say about yourself as a gift you give to others. Your message is sincere and content rich, and even inspiring. Paint a picture for people so they see you succeeding. Also, if you need help, people need to know how to help you.

Want an example? Here’s mine:

I am a career coach. I’m at my best when I’m helping people connect their strengths, values and passions with the organization or business. I use a creative process to help them get really clear about what they want so they’re motivated to take action. Our careers affect every component of our lives; I consider it an honor to help people find work they really enjoy and make a positive impact.

Want to share yours?

_______________________________________________

Diane H Craver, Spring Forward Group & IAM Learning Community
springforwardgroup.com
iamlearningcommunity.com

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When going for entry level jobs or hourly jobs the faster you can apply the better. Some hiring managers have told me that after the first hour of a Craigslist posting, they stop looking at resumes.

IFFT is a free web application building tool where you can create IF THEN tasks so that if there are new jobs posted, you can get an alert in any way you wish, including texts, calls, or emails.

This means that in minutes, you’ll have a chance to apply to some of the most competitive jobs out there and have a better chance at all of them.

With IFFT the combinations are endless, including weather alerts, Facebook post alerts, and I have one for some garage shelves. Check it out.

I recently had a conversation with the folks at an innovative new company called mynextgig.com. They offer a non-traditional job board experience where you can use video and social media profiles to apply for jobs.

What were some of the challenges in the college hiring process that you saw before starting up?

“MyNextGig has taken the hassle out of staffing our stores and has saved O’Neill from untold hours of wasted time.”

Recently, I had the opportunity to interview Kat Krull, the Marketing Manager at Careerimp, to learn about their newly launched service, ApplyApp.ly.  Check out what she had to say about their latest addition.

What is ApplyApp.ly?

ApplyApp.ly is an innovative job recommendation engine that finds job seekers their most compatible open positions using their previous experience, skills and personality strengths.

How does it work?

ApplyApp.ly uses Careerimp’s Semantic Intelligence technology to match a job seeker’s background to thousands of job descriptions.  Jobs are then scored and presented in rank order to the user. This helps job seekers hone in on the best opportunities for them, without the restriction of keyword searching alone, which often limits the types of jobs a job seeker is given.

What does the job seeker have to do?

A job seeker inputs their experience and skills, via copy and pasting their resume or importing their LinkedIn information, and selects a city.  Based on their information, personalized job results are presented to them, each with their own compatibility score.

Also, they can select their personality type to see which of the job openings best match their natural preferences.  If they don’t know their personality type, they can take the genuine Myers-Briggs® personality assessment through ApplyApp.ly for only $29.95 (retail price is $59.95).  We can do this through our partnership with CPP, Inc. – the sole publishers of the Myers-Briggs® assessment.

Finally, if they would like to improve their score for a specific job, users can click on the “Optimize Resume & Apply” button to be taken to Resunate, where their resume is automatically evaluated and optimized before they apply.

How is this different from other job boards?

ApplyApp.ly finds positions that other job boards might not find because more traditional job boards require you to already know what positions you want in order to provide jobs that must have an exact keyword match to the user’s search term.  Rather, ApplyApp.ly uses a job seeker’s own experience and skills to find open positions.  For instance, a job seeker might always search the title, “Engineer”, and get limited results.  ApplyApp.ly, though, may find that person “Project Manager” or “Supply Chain Analyst” positions that might make more sense based on their background.  They may never have found these positions, otherwise.

Also, ApplyApp.ly automatically presents the job seeker with their highest-ranked, personalized job results.  Therefore, the most compatible job results are presented to them first, making job-searching easier, faster, and more effective.

Which cities does ApplyApp.ly list job openings for?

Currently, ApplyApp.ly has thousands of jobs from Pittsburgh, PA, New York, NY, and the Bay Area, CA.   We will be expanding its reach in the near future.  If you would like your city to be included next, make sure to “Like” us on Facebook and vote in our “Next City” contest!  www.facebook.com/Applyapp.ly

To learn more, check out http://ApplyApp.ly.  Also, you can find Kat on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

Social media may be the key to our economic recovery. At least that what Marketing Expert Chris Brogan feels in his recent e-book called, “Using the Social Web to Find work”.

With social media, “there are ways one can connect to like-minded people and perhaps find the job they need to keep themselves afloat in the coming months and year.” he states.

LinkedIn Tips from Chris Brogan

It is no surprise that Chris focuses most of the book on LinkedIn usage.

It is, afterall, the big gorilla in the room.

And I really LOVE his take on it. For example, he mirror’s my advice that the Headline is the most important part of your profile.

Why?

Because it is the first thing someone sees when you connect with them. First impressions go along way.

He also suggests:

• Include your current company in the headline, otherwise, it might look like you are solo
• Update your profile summary every 2 weeks, keep it fresh and write it from the perspective of the potential employer
• Be generous with giving out recommendations to people you can vouch for
• Connect with as many people as you can, but only recommend people you can personally vouch for

Chris Brogan on Twitter Job Seeking (or Networking)

I get countless requests from readers asking about how to use Twitter to find a job. In fact, I’ve dedicated an entire 6 video module to it in my video course.

Though my method isn’t quite as involved as Chris’s, I think it still has some merit.

Here, Chris does a nice job pointing out that Twitter is all about relationships and that your network shouldn’t be dependent upon any central hub.

Do you realize there are thousands of great minds all plugged into the same conversation who could help each other with your goals? Activate

The trick is this- don?t make me or anyone the hub. Lead. Find your groups. Reach out. Set group goals. Execute. Move to a new group. Fluid.

This is his 9 step process for networking on Twitter:

1. Be clear out your goals, write them down. Think about how you can help other people achieve their goals.
2. You need to have credibility. A blog is a good way to get it. I also think you can use your LinkedIn profile instead
3. A photo of you on your blog or LinkedIn profile is essential for building trust
4. Start a database of your contacts. Record their name, twitter handle, phone number and capabilities.
5. Use Twitter to ask questions. This helps you gauge what are important issues or not. (Also, asking good questions makes you look smart.)
6. Use search.twitter.com or Twellow to find likeminded, interesting people to connect with
7. Send @ messages to them and see if they would like to connect or collaborate
8. Invite them to your database of contacts. Let them in on your network, (yes, that’s the scary part. You’ll have to trust Chris on this one and try it for a round or two)
9. Collaborate, build the relationship and build something together. Bring even more people into the fold, and so forth.

Bonus Round

The rest of the ebook give killer tips on blogging as a job seeker, and insight into other social medium. Such as social bookmarking, FriendFeed and more.

The only thing I don’t agree with is the use of Craigslist. You have 36 minutes from the time a job is listed on Craigslist to get your resume seen. After that, forget it.

The only benefit of Craigslist is doing some company research, and finding out who’s hiring around town.

Overall, Chris Brogan’s ebook for job seekers is an invaluable resource, and best of all, it’s free.

You can download Using the Social Web to Find Work here.

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It took Facebook four years to get to 60 million users, which averages out to 15 million a year. At this rate, Branchout will beat Facebook’s growth rate in its second year of operation. Sure, Facebook has done all of the heavy lifting. But the need that Branchout fills is long overdue.

If you aren’t on this professional network, now is the time. I suspect that Branchout will become a common name for any Facebook user serious about career management. Afterall, what do you do if your boss wants to connect…why not put him in Branchout.

Branchout is an application that adds a professional networking layer on top of your Facebook account. You can use Branchout to add new, professional, contacts to your network without having to let them “inside your house”.

The genius of this app is that you can invite your private contacts into your professional Branchout network so that you can ask for help in networking from your friends and family. So where before, asking your cousin to introduce you to his boss was awkward, with Branchout, its quite easy.

In addition to the types of features you might expect with a professional network (resume-like profile page, recommendations, degrees of connection, etc.) you can see what companies are represented by people you know in your private network. You may have friends in your network who are working at target organizations and you might not even know it.

Branchout boasts of listing over 3 million jobs. Most of these are entry level, but I suspect that this will change in the next year or so.

When you sign up for Branchout, you’ll take the usual steps of approving permission for the app to access your profile data. I would suggest holding off inviting your friends to join you until you’ve filled out the profile completely. If you have a LinkedIn profile, Branchout will actually import it for you.

Remember that even though you are still on Facebook, you should behave just like you are on LinkedIn. In particular, follow LinkedIn etiquette while:

• asking for introductions
• asking for endorsements
• posting status updates
• using pictures
• writing your headline and summary

Now, you can read all that juicy LinkedIn advice, and apply it to your Branchout network and get double your benefit.

Your headline is the area just below your name in the top-most blue box of your profile. Every time you send an invitation to connect, or send an inMail, or comment in a group, your headline appears below your name.

So assuming that your first impression with a recruiter is probably going to be on LinkedIn, those first 120 characters must have sufficient impact and clarity.

In reviewing many LinkedIn profiles over the years, and more recently getting to know the recruiting industry well, I can tell you the key points you need to know when writing or editing your headline.

First, there is no magic formula. I’ve seen LinkedIn trainers build apps and even invent mix-and-match charts to help you write your headline.

It’s not that hard if you think about this from the point of view of your audience. After all, when you use social media, you are a publisher!

Write with Clarity

Remember that recruiters are busy. Some headlines are so nebulous and non-specific that it’s hard for me to understand precisely what that person does. A vague or overly creative headline causes two major problems. One, a creatively written headline probably lacks certain keywords or phrases that recruiters search for.

Two, people looking to fill positions are busy people. They don’t have the time to translate the meaning of “I help companies with go-to-market planning.” You’ve got less than 10 seconds to get them to click on your profile from a search results page with a long list of your competitors.

Here’s the fix: clearly and concisely state your job title as it is described by your target organization. If you are currently employed, you should also note this in your headline.

Write for Impact

While it’s important to clearly state your job title, there is no way your title will take up all 120 characters available to you in the headline area. And because the headline is your first impression, you have to find a way to differentiate yourself with a little personality.

For example let’s take our earlier headline and spruce it up a bit:

Senior Marketing Executive experienced in go-to-market planning in the software industry with a knack for adding excitement to business solutions

Are You Addressing a Need?

All this creative work is great, but it goes only so far if you haven’t uncovered the needs of your target organization. In our example, although it’s a great headline, it would fall short if this person’s target company doesn’t need a strong go-to-market strategy – what if what they need is a marketing analyst?

Avoid the two extremes of too simple or too creative and give those recruiters a break. They will thank you for it!

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Before social media became popular, new grads and college students did most of their networking in person and on the phone, or none at all. And while there’s nothing wrong with an in-person, hands-on approach, today’s grads know that there’s a more efficient way to get connected with people who are important to their future, namely social media giants Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. That’s why we’re sharing a series on The New Networking, focusing on how 2012 grads can make social media a major part of their post-grad networking strategy.

Today, we’ll focus on Facebook, hands down the most popular social media site out there with more than 900 million active users. Although not traditionally regarded as a professional site, Facebook is an incredible resource for friendly networking, and it’s also the place you’re most likely to find the people you already know in your educational career: your friends, classmates, and even professors. Read on to discover tips for Facebook networking success as a new grad, useful pages, apps, and resources for further reading that are perfect for today’s recent graduates.

tips

Make the most of your Facebook networking experience with these tips for success.

• Share your professional personality

  A recent CareerBuilder survey indicated that 30% of employers hired candidates based on something they liked about the candidate’s Facebook page. Giving a good feel for their personality, a professional image, background information that supports qualifications, and showing a wide range of interests were among the top reasons managers were convinced to hire a candidate based on their Facebook.

• Connect with potential employers

  Practically every organization out there has a Facebook page, from the florist down the street to Target. Chances are, there are plenty of potential employers that you can “Like” on Facebook. By all means, do so, and then spend some time connecting with the Page to get on their radar and get a feel for their culture.

• Take a critical look at your photos

  Spend some time going through your photos on Facebook, making sure that you’re projecting an employer-friendly image and removing any that might be embarrassing. Untag yourself from inappropriate photos on your friends’ pages as well.

• Find or create photos that show your professional side

  If you’ve been involved in charity events, internships, and other activities that show you in a professional light, be sure to add those photos and give them prominence, even their own album. It’s also worthwhile to consider having a professional photo taken to serve as your profile photo.

• Update your Facebook resume

  Now that Facebook is on a Timeline, new grads have a great opportunity to turn Facebook into a virtual resume. Update your profile to reflect your new educational status, list organizations that you’re a part of, and highlight lifetime accomplishments to give potential employers and networking partners a better idea of what you’re all about.

• Reach out

  Identify people on your friends list that might be able to assist you in your professional career, and let them know that you’d like their help, whether you’re looking for advice or a job. Of course, you should also make yourself available to them for assistance as well.

• Create a professional list

  Facebook allows you to group friends by category into lists. Create a new list that includes professional friends, and check in with this group to interact for professional networking.

• Promote and share based on what you believe in

  Stay active on Facebook by sharing links, photos, and news about causes that are important to you, and resources that are relevant to your profession.

• Cull your friends list

  There’s no need to be ruthless, but carefully think about who you’re taking with you into your new professional life. Some unsavory characters like your frat boy drinking buddy (who didn’t actually graduate on time with you) might be better left off of your friends list. Employers will judge you based on your connections.

• Expand your friends list

  After you cut out “friends” who are better left behind in your college days, think about who you might connect with that will help you in your life as a college graduate. Family friends, college professors, friends from your alumni grou

  p, and influential people in your area of expertise are all great examples of people you should be connecting with on Facebook.

• Be careful about status updates as well

  A recent study of 400 college students’ profiles indicated that 47% of status updates might be judged as inappropriate by an employer. Consider keeping controversial status updates to yourself, or simply make them private.

• Never badmouth an employer on Facebook

  Speaking poorly of an employer just makes you look bad. If you’re conducting a job search, prospective employers will see you as whiny and difficult to work with. Currently employed? Once they see that fiery status update, you might not be employed for much longer.

• Go offline occasionally

  Facebook offers a great way to get connected, but you should take care to spend time with connections off of the site as well. Go to networking events (even ones set up on Facebook), take a friend out to lunch, and simply spend some time putting yourself physically out there to stand out in a sea of recent grads who may not be doing the same.

must-follow pages

The best Facebook pages to follow are the ones you find yourself: those that cater to your interests and allow you to network with people who are relevant to the career you’re looking for. But there are a handful of pages and groups that we recommend every new grad takes a look at.

• Your alumni association

  Get connected with your college alumni association, if you aren’t already. This page can help keep you up to date on news, jobs, networking opportunities, and more.

• Professional groups

  Search for and identify groups that may be helpful to you professionally, including industry groups, job search communities, and special interests that you may have.

• Monster.com

  Find motivation, tips, and resources for finding a job on the Monster.com page.

• Career Network

  Easily one of the most popular job networks on Facebook, the Career Network page regularly shares links to job boards, news, and resources for job searches for new grads and beyond.

• New Grad Life

  Find news, opportunities, and camaraderie on this Facebook page for new grads.

• CareerBuilder

  CareerBuilder’s page offers tips for job seekers, resources for networking, and more.

useful facebook apps

Whether you’re recommending a friend or finding a job, these Facebook apps have a lot to offer for the young networking crowd.

• Marketplace

  On Facebook Marketplace, you can sell your old sofa, pick up a deal on a laptop, or even get a job. Check in with this app regularly to find out if there are any jobs available for you in the Marketplace.

• Reppler

  Using Reppler, you can keep a consistent online image on your Facebook page, Twitter, LinkedIn, and more.

• Hire My Friend

  You can strengthen your network by helping others get a job. Use the Hire My Friend Facebook app to help out your friends who are job searching, sharing their professional profile and qualifications with employers who may be looking for a candidate just like them.

• BranchOut

  Creating a Jobs tab for Facebook, users can apply for jobs, share them, and even get a look into inside connections they may have with a company.

• BeKnown

  BeKnown from Monster brings professional networking to Facebook, allowing job seekers to connect with contacts, friends, and more. You can also view and apply for jobs, get endorsed, and be automatically matched with jobs based on your

  profile.

• CareerFriend

  CareerFriend pulls the employment information of your friends to find potential job opportunities that may exist in your network, so you can find great positions through your friends, family, and colleagues.

helpful resources

For further reading and insight into how you can make Facebook into the ultimate new networking tool, check out these excellent posts on the subject.

• HOW TO: Use Facebook for Professional Networking

  Check out Mashable’s guide to using Facebook for professional networking to find out how to set up your Facebook profile professionally, finding networking friends, and more.

• How to Use Facebook: 5 Tips for Better Social Networking

  ReadWriteWeb shares this guide for stepping up your Facebook networking efforts with regular status updates, added content, relevant photos, and more.

• 12 Ways to Use Facebook Professionally

  GigaOm shares this guide on using Facebook in a professional way, discussing strategies like finding old coworkers and current connections, joining interest groups, and carefully limiting wasted time on Facebook.

• How to Prepare Yourself to Use Facebook for Professional Networking

  This WikiHow offers practical tips and steps for creating a Facebook profile that’s ideal for professional networking.

• Study: More Than 15% of Workers Get Hired Through Social Networks

  This article indicates that 1.4 million Americans have Facebook to thank for finding them a job. Click through to find out why being “super social” on Facebook and other social networks can really pay off.

• How Recruiters Use Social Networks to Screen Candidates

  This revealing article and infographic discusses how recruiters use Facebook and other social networks to weed out unsavory candidates and identify great ones. Check it out to find out why some candidates are rejected, and some are hired based on what’s found on Facebook.

Why Not Burn the Bridge?

• When an individual applies for a new job, a potential employer may contact the applicant’s former employers for a reference. If the relationship ended badly, the former employer will not give a good recommendation.
• Even if a potential employer does not deliberately contact an applicant’s former employer, the new employer may already have a relationship with the former employer, especially if both professionals work in the same field.
• In some cases, employees may work with their former employers again in the future. If the bridge was burned, the new relationship will immediately be strained and may become unproductive.
• When potential employers find out that an applicant has treated former employers disrespectfully, the applicant appears to be rude and unprofessional.

How to Avoid Burning Bridges

• Employees should not speak negatively about former employers on their blogs or on any other social media forum. Even if the former employer does not regularly read the individual’s blog, the employer may stumble across the negative comments or hear about them from someone else who read the post.
• Employees who are leaving a position should make an effort to maintain a connection with their former employers. One way to maintain these connections without much effort is through the use of blogs and social media websites.
• When transitioning out of an old job, employees should not make derogatory or rude comments to their former employers.
• Employees should never use a blog or social media website to announce a resignation before informing the company. Instead, an employee should submit a polite letter to the employer or speak with him in person.
• Employees should incorporate positive comments about former employers into their resignation letters, as well as any blog posts that discuss the transition. Thanking former employers for the opportunities they provided helps to ensure that connection between the former employer and employee remains intact even after the job ends.

Few people will remain in the same job throughout their careers, and the current job market is more competitive than ever before. To achieve success in this market, individuals need to develop and maintain as many professional connections as possible. By using social media to continue a positive relationship with former employers, individuals can avoid burning bridges that may be useful to them in the future.

About the author: Melissa Crossman is a professional writer who lives in Indiana with her husband and two children. She writes on behalf of www.coloradotech.edu, specializing in education and career guidance topics.