Swearing And Social Media

In the fall of 2017 I joined with some other community members to put on a production of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. Amateur theatre you understand; something I’ve done in neighbouring communities with several theatrical groups for some 25 years.

More and more often, the cast stays in communication with each other via social media, with the Directors typically setting up a private Facebook group and inviting all the members to join to be kept up-to-date with rehearsals and other related information. This then sparks a number of people to then go ahead and send out friend requests to other cast members. It’s likely that even if you are not involved in a community theatre group, you’ve had a similar experience perhaps with some other group centred around your hobbies or interests.

Now with us being in the middle of winter and 2018, the show is long over and yet the online friendships remain. Sometimes I’ve gone ahead and deleted people immediately who I will have no further interaction with unless a future show brings us together again. This time around however, I let things remain largely unchanged after the show and of consequence I’m ‘friends’ with people I wouldn’t really give that title to in any other context – referring to them more commonly as an acquaintance.

I’ve got a problem though. It’s easily remedied on my end, but I fear it’s damaging for another. The issue as the title suggests is this person’s frequent use of swearing in his posts. It’s, ‘f’ this and ‘f’ that, and ‘f-ing’ something else…

The easy thing to do is unfriend the person, who quite honestly I’d never met before and am not likely to act with again but yes, it is conceivable. He’s not quite 20, I’m 58, he’s in another city than I am, and I’m not so unsure of my self that I have a problem just doing so.

Yet, there’s part of me that wanted to reach out to him and if he’s open to hearing it, let him know that I find his choice to include such language offensive. Not only is this my point of view, he could well be hurting his future chances of employment; acting or otherwise, by his frequent use of such language. Call me a prude if you will, old-fashioned, etc. I really don’t mind. I know what I enjoy reading and what I don’t.

Now it’s his right as it is anyone’s right, to speak ones mind, and part of that freedom comes with the right to say it HOW you’d like to do so. But, there are consequences to our choices, and there’s a responsibility that comes with those same rights. Not everybody gets this. Seems to me a lot of people go about claiming they know their rights, but few go about toting that they know their responsibilities.

In any event, I opted this time to do something different; I’ve taken the approach of reaching out to him via a private message and let him know how his frequent use of foul language has our tenuous friendship at risk of being ‘unfriended’ on Facebook. I’ve also advised him if he’s open to hearing it, that his posts are there in the public domain for future employers, Directors etc. to read and in so doing, form their opinions of him as suitable for their places of employment or shows.

No I’m not trying to be more saintly, or holier than thou as it were. I’m simply taking a more caring way of helping him along and not the easy way out of just unfriending him with no explanation. I’m sure this happens all the time and I’ve done it myself. Maybe this once though, something good could come of it. Even if he chooses to ignore my suggestion or advice, he is at least aware of the impact his writing has on one person and that alone could be helpful.

You see, he’s young, troubled, and – well yes – overly dramatic. However, being a young under 20, it’s not uncommon that one’s problems seem like the only problems in the universe. With maturity comes the realization that ones problems are not so unique, and everyone has things they deal with; some of us better or more privately than others. I hope he’ll get that over time and in fact I’m sure of it.

The thing I’d point out is would he, (or you) talk to your boss, your mom or dad, your friends etc. using the same language you use online? That is of course exactly what happens when all those people see what you write and how you choose to say it online. If you wouldn’t talk a certain way in-person, why talk that way online? If of course that’s who you are whether online or in-person, that’s your choice and your free to be authentically you. Just think about it.

So there it is. Feel free to give me your thoughts on the use or excessive use of swearing in social media public posts. Okay or not okay in your opinion? Helpful in expressing yourself or hurtful and self-damaging to getting on in the world? Feel free to agree or disagree as is of course your own right. This could be good people; where do you stand? Would you talk this way face-to-face with your friends; with your boss?

 

Is It Time To Add A Photo To A Resume?

With the widespread use of websites such as LinkedIn and Facebook where people are freely posting photographs of themselves, is it time to start including a headshot on resumes?

It’s common practice for many organizations to search job candidates names after having received their applications. While they may be intending to learn more about what people are saying about a candidate, and pick up more information than what is only included on a résumé, there’s no doubt that they are going to also see one or multiple photographs if they are part of the persons profiles.

This opens up the dialogue and discussion of preferences, biases, subjective opinions on what an organization might find, ‘the right fit’ with their corporate reputation etc. Once again, the ‘beautiful people’ of the world would probably have an advantage over those who are not; and in this case, we’re only talking outward physical attraction, as interviewer and applicant will not have met at this stage.

There are many organizations these days working to become more diverse and inclusive of many cultures and races too. In their efforts to add more minority groups, people who are physically challenged etc., a photo could strengthen an applicants chances of receiving an interview. This is a touchy subject; one that many would rather not be on the leading edge of discussing for fear of coming out wrong on the side of public opinion.

Some would argue that organizations are actually trying to move in the complete opposite direction than identifying an applicant by race, colour, gender, name, height, religion etc. In fact, there are some who upon receiving a résumé, will remove an applicants name and other identifying information before handing it on to those making decisions on whom to interview. By removing these features, the thought is that the most qualified on paper get through on merit alone, and personal biases are taken out of the equation.

Of course once the people come in for an interview, their age, skin colour, accent, mobility, height, gender all become immediately apparent. So any bias or preferences do come into play, the only difference is that the interviewers know they have before them a person whom impressed them solely on qualifications alone. In other words, all that’s really happened is the possibility of declining to interview someone based on subjective prejudices and / or preferences has just moved to another level; the physical introductions. It doesn’t entirely remove them completely from the hiring process.

Photographs one could argue, like any other piece of information provided, can be valuable. Looking at Facebook and LinkedIn, there’s a fundamental difference in the two platforms. On LinkedIn, members are more thoughtful about what they choose to include as their image. Great thought and care is taken to ensuring the headshot (for that is often what the best photographs are) is clear, the clothing worn is in sync with the image the person is striving to achieve. People will also put care into their grooming; hair brushed and neat, posture good and typically a nice smile looking into the camera and out to ones audience.

Facebook on the other hand might show multiple photographs; everything from headshots to bikinis, from birthday parties to backyard barbeques, wine tasting events to micro brewery tours. There could be pictures of someone with their babies, glimpses of their home and the condition of its cleanliness. While we’re at it there could be shots of tattoos, rants about an unfair speeding ticket or face painted in the colours of their favourite sports team. You might not have wanted or expected that a potential employer would look up such things, but if it’s there, it’s there for public viewing.

The point is the photographs and pictures of potential employees are there for the looking in many cases. Including one on a résumé could be helpful or hurt ones chances. It’s not a level playing field, and when it comes down to it, we know it never has been, nor is it likely to be. I applied for a job many years ago in the men’s clothing department in a shop in the town of Fenelon Falls Ontario. Having shopped there often, I observed all the employees were female. When the owner of the store called me to invite me in for an interview, she asked for Kelly. “Speaking” I said, and this caught her off guard. “Oh!”, she said, “I’m sorry, we only hire women and I thought Kelly was a female.” Leaving the discrimination aside for the time being, this wouldn’t have happened had they a picture to see that indeed, I am Kelly – a male!

On the other hand, when I applied to work in Toronto, the employer there was looking for a workforce that looked like the population of people it served. They were actually short on white men at the time, which goes against what you hear often in the media today. A photograph might have enhanced my chances of landing that interview, which I got by the way and was hired based on merit, not only skin colour and gender.

So what’s your opinion? Include or omit photographs? I imagine the less courageous among employers will take to commenting for fear of controversy. On the other hand, this is an excellent opportunity for organizations to state their stand on the subject. So stand up and be counted.

Networking: The Payoff Of Persistence

Whether you’re looking for employment or successfully employed, you’ve undoubtedly heard and know the value of networking. That being said, it is surprising that many people don’t do it well themselves; often not truly networking with others until necessity demands it. Like many things, necessity might  at that point force you to do it, but without the practice, you’re unlikely to be at your best.

So what exactly is networking and how do you both get started and do it well? Networking is having conversations with people where information is exchanged and relationships established and nurtured. It is often associated with advancing one’s own career but this latter part need not be part of some formal definition. Many people network for the purpose of solely learning more about the best practices in their field, or mentoring others without thinking to spin these into self promotions and advancement.

Today I’ve got a meeting set up for noon with one of my LinkedIn connections. This is a face-to-face meeting which could be a one-time only event. It has come about because she initiated contact, indicated she was relatively new to the area and has not had the success she’d hoped for in finding employment so far. Her request for either a meeting or a suggestion of someone else to contact in her field that might assist her is how she started. She’s taken initiative, reached out, and only time will tell if she’s satisfied or not with the outcome. It is however how networking begins.

Networking however has its payoffs. It can be so much more than a conversation. Last night I met with another person who reached out also via LinkedIn initially. This was our second face-to-face meeting. This time we talked about progress she was making, where she was in terms of her career thought process, looked at ways to strengthen her resume when applying and she shared a little of what transpired with others she was meeting with. During this second conversation, I also got some valuable feedback on some ideas I’m considering for the future and she took a real interest in my journey too. It was the best of networking; each person getting and giving for the benefit of both of us.

What is transpiring in the meeting above is a mutual investment in this relationship, rather than a one-way, “it’s all about me because I’m the one without a job” mentality. When both people feel they are benefitting from a conversation, each is invested to a higher degree.

Now the payoff of networking. This time I share with you the success story of a woman with whom I had the distinct pleasure of assisting in her search for meaningful employment. She initiated a dialogue back in January of this year with a gentleman she’s known for almost 15 years, but this time she reached out specifically with employment in mind. That initial networking conversation led to multiple conversations, even an invitation to attend a networking event together as his guest. Just yesterday she got in contact with me to say he himself has hired her on to work with him in his own business.

The experiences of these three women all demonstrate the value of taking the initiative to reach out and network. While much has changed in how we go about finding employment over the years, who you know is still a major key factor in being successful. How do you get to know people if you fail to reach out to anyone you don’t currently know?

Social media platforms such as LinkedIn are great for developing connections, but it still amazes me how many people decline invitations to connect with people they don’t know. Sure there are people who are just clicking away connecting with people for the sole purpose of increasing their numbers. That’s not networking however; that’s a popularity exercise. Connecting with famous people is also not truly networking. You’re unlikely to have an actual conversation with them, but you’ll get their thoughts in a one-way broadcast and you’ll get their name among your contacts if that holds meaning for you.

Here’s some ideas for you to consider acting upon; and let me make it clear that ‘acting upon’ should be your goal. For starters, initiate connection requests to the following people: those who work where you might like to also work or those who work in the same line of work you’re pursuing. You may come across people with profiles that peak your interest and spark some genuine curiosity or affinity with whom you’d like to know better. What might they share with you that would help you find passion yourself in what you do? What might they tell you that would help you get where they are or give you insights into the company or field you’re wanting to join?

Once connected with these people, do more than just count them as a connection. Reach out with an email or message and thank them for agreeing to be a connection. Tell them what attracted them to you and ask if there is the possibility of either meeting face-to-face, having a phone conversation or an online chat.

Be prepared for those that will say yes and those who will decline. Have some questions ready and be prepared to give as well as get. Make it worthwhile for both you and them.

Work your network.

Disconnecting On The Commute In

Today as I drove in to work, (a mix of 80% rural and 20% urban) I started by doing what I usually do; turned the radio on to a talk and news station and then sat back and listened. I do this each day so I can arrive at work and know what’s going on in this big beautiful world we live in.

It’s important to me I suppose to know which country some gunman originated in and which faith he’s associated with; which religious group is claiming responsibility for the murders he committed. Then there’s the people who were flushed out into the streets in the wee hours of the morning I guess it’s important I hear about in another city. And of course, I wouldn’t feel right if I didn’t hear about the night club that had a shooting just outside its doors at 2:00 a.m.

Do I need to know all of these events? My usual answer must be yes because this is my daily routine; listen to the radio, stay up on local, national and world events on a daily basis so I can intelligently contribute to discussions at work. Without consciously intending to, I’ve developed a reputation at least with a few people, of being informed about such things. This is usually great advice by the way, so you can network, connect and talk with others in your circles without having to always say, “Gee I didn’t know that” when others are talking. The radio is a great source of information that can turn your experience into, “Yes I heard that. Here’s what I think…”.

If it’s not the radio, some other drivers turn their time into learning opportunities. They have CD’s, MP3’s, Bluetooth – a multitude of services that provide access to podcasts, language development and just about any topic they feel is of interest to them. It occupies their thoughts; the driver is in control of what they hear, experience and learn.

Today however, about a third of the way along my commute, I did something that I should do more often. I disconnected entirely. I turned off the radio and with a couple of windows down, I didn’t control what I heard, I let the great outdoors bring me its sounds. Now in the country drive along a secondary highway, I heard the silence, birds, passing traffic and silence. The silence was outstanding. I became aware that my thoughts were shifting from one thing to the next, it was as if there were conversations going on and all I had to do was let go and allow my brain and its thoughts to wander aimlessly; shifting, moving, in and out, coming and going.

The stimulation was all around me. The sun was dawning over me all along the drive and as I passed through small communities, even pausing at intersections waiting for the green lights wasn’t unpleasant but relaxing. As I moved into the urban city nearing the end of my commute, I heard the beep, beep, beep of construction vehicles backing up, the voices of workers communicating. I heard the sounds of large vehicles as they struggled to move from fully stopped and proceed through intersections; their engines resisting the process of gearing up.

It was a relaxing, enjoyable experience and when I arrived a work and parked the car, I was very much aware of a sense of calm I was in. It had been a great drive in and had taken exactly the same amount of time – no slower or faster. This disconnecting thing was pretty cool.

So what’s this got to do with jobs, with work, with employment advice? Well, perhaps it’s a good thing every now and then to consider disconnecting yourself. Do you really have to be listening to music, the news, a podcast or whatever you do listen to during your commute. What if you disconnected and just listened; let your thoughts tumble around without consciously trying to focus on solving a problem, resolving an issue or mentally going over your daily agenda? You can look at the daily agenda when you arrive at work.

I’m not saying disconnecting is something to do everyday. There’s a lot of time on your commute to be productive, to be inspired and to be entertained. That’s good for you if that’s your aim. Can you disconnect however and be comfortable with the silence and the lack of activity? Have you got so programmed yourself that you can’t go more than two minutes without checking your phone for messages? If nobody texts you even though you’re online can you survive? Hmmm…look around you and there’s a lot of people who appear to need to be connected. Notice their eyes are on a screen in a subway or on a bus when they could be looking out the windows and taken in different kinds of stimulation.

Disconnecting and just looking around on a commute in or back home can change your frame of mind, alter your mood and maybe put you in a better place as you walk in the door at home or work. This is where the connection lies between disconnecting and your workday.

Have you had a similar experience on your way in to work? My experience isn’t life altering, it’s not nirvana realized or paradise gained; it’s just a small change that created a different experience; one for the better.

Try it.

Think Of The Implications Before You Click, ‘Like’

It happens innocently enough; you’re scrolling through your social Facebook feeds, looking at the various pictures and posts shared by your friends and then you see it. There on your screen is a post you find offensive but one of your friends has clicked on the ‘like’ button. You think, “How could they like something like that?!”

I’ve come across two such posts within a few days of each other, liked by two different people I count among my friends, and I’m perplexed in both cases. Both posts were similar in that they both were derogatory and directed at welfare recipients. The first one I saw read in large print, “Welfare isn’t meant to be a career choice.” The second said, “Welfare applicants should have to take a drug test. ‘Like’ if you agree.”

Both posts got shared with me because my friends had ‘liked’ them and they passed to me. In both cases, I see some bitter irony. One man has a family member whose full-time job is assisting welfare recipients by providing them with financial support. In the second post, the friend who shared it with me has a family member who is in a senior municipal management position and the municipality distributes social assistance. Are both these men’s opinions theirs alone or are they also opinions held by their family members? Oh and one of the two has himself been a recipient in the past of financial support!

Obviously the people or person who first created these posts feel that those on welfare should be restricted from receiving aid if they have drug issues, and everyone should have restrictions on the length of time they can receive benefits at all. I understand the idea of free speech; the principle of being able to share what’s on your mind and have your views heard. Here’s some more irony however; I replied to the first post about people making welfare a career choice, and the original poster must have decided my dissenting voice should be silenced, as my post was deleted from the thread.  Free speech goes both ways or it’s not free speech. Is the person deleting my view so insecure that they can’t tolerate a debate or differing view?

But it’s easy isn’t it; this clicking of a ‘like’ button?  Sometimes we move so fast on the scrolling that we read something and click, ‘like’ without stopping to really think about the implications. That’s a possibility for sure, and maybe my two friends did just that. On the other hand, they’ve made their views known, and this is one piece of information I learn and add to others that forms my overall opinion of them. When we see under posts, “John Doe” likes this we might even feel compelled to ‘like’ it too because John Doe is our friend. This is a lemming-like mentality however; we may want to be liked so much ourselves that we’ll do something as innocent as clicking, ‘like’ to be seen to be similar to our friends; peer influence and pressure.

There will always be people who post these things believing that they are only saying what ‘all of us’ feel. They get a lot of ‘likes’ too. I wonder though if the people who clicked ‘like’ were actually asked in person to comment on such statements if they would answer the same or differently?  What if Facebook evolved to the point where you could click on a feature that showed you all the things you and your friends liked? Imagine your profile included not only your name and picture but a summary section titled, “Here’s all the things John Doe ‘likes’”…

Somehow I think to see a summary of all the things we ‘like’ might be very revealing; revealing to us, our friends, perhaps employers too. Suppose that as a general hiring process employers visited social media, keyed in your name with the intent of seeing what you believe, what you stand for and your perspectives. After all, social media isn’t some private thing we all engage in; social media is public. So if it’s public, you knowingly consent to having your views, beliefs and ‘likes’ seen by anybody – and you’re comfortable with that. It hardly seems intelligent to say that it is somehow unfair for employers to screen your Facebook page, but anybody else is free to check out the things you make public.

So, following this logic… If the people who ‘like’ the idea of welfare applicants having to take a drug test before they qualify, I’m guessing they also, ‘like’ the idea of employers trolling their personal but public Facebook pages to see what they really believe before they qualify for the jobs they apply to. Seems perfectly logical. Do you agree or have I missed something?

What we post online that could come back to bite us is generally referred to as Digital Dirt. If you have pictures, comments and content that you think might be looked upon badly and you wouldn’t want an employer to see your views, clean up your own digital dirt. Just making something private on your own page doesn’t make it private if shared by your friends on their pages. Oh and if you think employers don’t have the right to check out your public social media pages you’d be wrong. They do have the right, and they do.

‘Like’ this post?

LinkedIn: Don’t Teach It If You Don’t Get It

“My teacher in College told us we should be on LinkedIn but I don’t get it. They said it’s like Facebook for grown-ups. What does it do?” I’ve heard this sentiment expressed almost word for word with three different College students I know just this past week alone, the latest only yesterday. It almost makes me wish those introducing LinkedIn to their students would skip it entirely if they don’t really get it themselves.

Yes it appears from talking with these students that their teachers told them they should be on LinkedIn but didn’t go on to demonstrate to them exact what they could do with it. The result I’m noticing is that these students either don’t see the point in even attempting a profile, or they start to construct their profile and stop almost immediately, leaving little more than a shell which then has the undesired impact of being entirely underwhelming. Ouch!

Telling college-aged people that LinkedIn is like Facebook for grown-ups accomplishes two things; it makes them think it’s just another socializing platform and this demographic is turning away from Facebook in droves, so it’s like being saddled with something else they don’t want. In other words, you’re not turning them on to LinkedIn at all, you’re turning them off.

Yesterday there was 10 minutes left in the day when a placement student who was sitting behind me suddenly said she didn’t get LinkedIn and didn’t know if she should be on it or not. I turned to her and said, “Well, in my opinion if you don’t use it you’re a fool.” Notice what I didn’t say is, “if you don’t GET ON IT you’re a fool.” There is a huge difference between just being on it and knowing how to use it and maximizing its benefits.

She’s 21 and I’m 55. I’d like to use this experience in some future job interview when the interviewer shows concern about my ability to grasp and use technology! I’ve been using LinkedIn for years now, and she didn’t know it’s been around for years.

So I started my pitch. “What do you want at this point career-wise?”, I said. “A job in Probation”, she replied. So I then asked her how valuable it might be to assemble a room full of people currently in Probation, all at various levels of seniority, then have a corner of the room full of job postings solely in her field, and as she walked around the room she could join various conversations people were having related to probation. “That’d be great, you mean like a convention?”

Okay so LinkedIn would expose her to these people through connecting with people currently holding positions in Probation. It would also allow her to find them discussing mutual points of interest in the group functions, so she could join and be surrounded by people with similar career interests. Jobs in the Probation sector can be searched for filtering the opportunities in her geographical area, as well as by entry-level, and by connecting with others, she could even ask for advice, inside information about a company or an opening. It’s still who you know much of the time, so you should get to know people.

I asked her to tell me when it’s appropriate to give an employer your professional references in the application process. To this, she replied she’d be taught that you only give these at the end of a face-to-face interview when they ask for them. “Old school”, I said. I told her about recommendations and how employers can read what people are saying about you if you’ve got them BEFORE you even get the call inviting you for the interview. No recommendations and how good can you be? Lot’s of recommendations and your value rises.

“I’m going to make a profile”, she said. I told that was a good move, but as our 10 minutes was up and just before we left for the day I told her I’d only scratched the surface of what she could do with it. We agreed that next week when she returns we’ll find more time to talk about it and how to make it productive.

Like anything else, the best person to learn from is someone who not only knows more than you do, but who can communicate it in a way that you find meaningful and can understand the personal benefits to be realized from. Those who didn’t like math in school usually complained, “I don’t see the point. I’m never going to use that in real life.” Same goes for those who didn’t get Chemistry, Geography or English Literature. If there is no practical application understood, why learn it?

My pitch for LinkedIn is that no matter what discipline or line of work you choose to pursue, connecting with professional people who are in that field has to be valuable. Don’t have the time to invest in using it? That’s your personal choice and I respect your right to use it or not, but understand it first and what it can do for you, and what you can do for others.

Facebook for grown ups? Facebook is, “Look at what I had for dinner!” “Here I am taking a selfie – boy I’m good!” LinkedIn is, “I’m launching or advancing my career and in doing so enriching my life.” Maybe it is for grown ups after all!

Digital Dirt

Digital dirt refers to your online presence; what’s on your Facebook page, your LinkedIn profile, your Twitter Feeds, your My Space page etc. Thinking about your own online presence, would it help or hinder your ability to get a job or move ahead in your career?

So imagine yourself going in for an interview, and you’re looking your best. You’ve taken great care to wear nice clean clothes, polish up the shoes, your personal hygiene and grooming are beyond reproach. Why you’re even on time and prepared with your firm handshake, great smile and direct eye contact. As you walk in and sit down, you’re feeling pretty confident about your chances because you know your resume got you this far so your experience and qualifications must have you in the running for the job. All you really need to do is not make any critical mistakes over the next 30 – 60 minutes or less. With me so far?

So as you’re sitting there feeling pretty good about things, the interviewer pulls up one of your personal profiles from off the web. “They can’t do that! That’ not right!” you are perhaps thinking right now as you read this. And why not? The internet is for EVERYBODY, not just you and your friends.
All of a sudden, you might be having serious trepidation and anxiety about exactly what they are looking at behind that screen. They might even turn it so you can look at it as well.

What was hilarious at 2 a.m. on a Thursday morning in front of your best mates is suddenly less than something to be proud of in the cold light of day sitting in a job interview between you and this stranger who has control of whether or not you get this job you want.

One of the things this interviewer is trying to do is to get to know the real you. After all, that’s why they ask the questions they do, such as, “Tell me about yourself.” But every interviewer assumes you are taking great pains to carefully put yourself together as professionally as you can specifically because you and them know you are being sized up. So looking at your on-line or digital presence is a way for them to either confirm the person in front of them is consistent with their behaviour outside the company, or possible at odds with the person sitting in front of them right now.

Whenever I’m talking about this with young people in particular, all kinds of objections are made. Some say that employers shouldn’t be able to see the stuff in the first place. Others will say what they do on their free time outside of work should have nothing to do with their work life. Sorry but those arguments don’t hold up in the real world.

You see if you’ve posted pictures of yourself surrounded by alcohol, semi-clothed, doing drugs or even illegal activities and then throw in the fact that all this went down at 2 a.m. on a Thursday morning, the interviewer can’t help but react to that. First of all how effective would you be coming in to work at 8:00 a.m. that day? How would the reputation of the company be affected if you were hired and customers started to associate this new employee with the guy they see possibly after hours behaving like that? It might be too risky to take a chance on; YOU might be too risky to take a chance on.

Ever noticed how much employers value honesty? You yourself, don’t you value honesty in others when you are dealing with them? Sure you do. We all do. Honesty and being genuine are tied together. If you are genuine, then the person sitting in front of an interviewer will be pretty much like the person on the internet. On the other hand, if the person on the web is greatly different from the person at the interview, the opposites arise…dishonest, less than genuine.

Suppose you wanted to be an elementary school teacher. The school board official is considering putting you in front of and responsible for 24 young impressionable children. While the resume is great, your credentials are unquestioned, there is this video of you in a drinking contest, stumbling around and passing out in your own pile of vomit. It’s totally hilarious to the 15 other people in the video yelling, “Chug! Chug! Chug!” Think you’ll get the job?

Here’s something you may not know. Companies often take the people they are short-listing for interviews and put some of their staff on a digital hunt to see what they uncover. Maybe you’re pretty savvy and you don’t use your real name on your profiles. Could be they access the pages of other people you know and check their photos out to see if you are tagged in them. Then whatever name you use there is searched and you are suddenly revealed.

If you don’t want your potential employer to see something damaging, delete it. Clean up your digital dirt so it doesn’t keep you from promotions, advancing or getting hired in the first place. It’s a simple choice really, you can clean it up now and not worry, or you can hope and pray you are smarter than the people trying to find you and that nothing will ever be found.

Have a look at this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJfw3xt4emY

Using Your LinkedIn Network

Only because my reading audience extends beyond LinkedIn, let me first inform you if you don’t already know, that LinkedIn is a social media platform. On it, people post their professional profile, network with others, and explore job postings, post jobs, discuss issues pertinent to groups they are involved in and brand themselves.

Now just as Facebook has friends and Twitter has followers, LinkedIn has contacts; and it’s these contacts that I want to speak about today. Or rather, I want to know what if anything you are doing with your contacts.

After you create your profile, one of the key steps is start building your network. Many people will start with people they know; co-workers, people they regularly speak with in other organizations, professional contacts they do business with. Then at some point, you might decide to expand your network and try to connect with people who have similar job titles to your own in other towns, cities, provinces, states or countries.

This last part puzzles some people. After all why what might you have to gain by connecting with someone who does something similar to you half way ’round the world? In reality what you get out of such a relationship would largely depend on what your goal is and how much you take responsibility for initiating and nurturing the relationship. Doesn’t that sound like it’s true whether you are talking about someone around the world or just down the block?

Now me personally, I’ve found that I’ve had conversations with people; each conversation with a varying purpose than others from a number of perspectives. Sometimes people approach me and ask me to look over their resume. Other times they want to ask what I think of their profile, or to ask me something about how to get into the field of Social Services in general or become an Employment Counsellor specifically. Not as often, people reach out to me and ask me if they can be of some help in some way to me.

The question as to ‘why’ to network in the first place really comes down to what would you like to know or contribute. ‘Getting’ and ‘giving’ in the best of relationships is a two-way thing where you’re contributing as much as you are taking. Oh sure there will be people on LinkedIn who are in it only for themselves and what they can get out of others, but isn’t that true of people everywhere? The way I see it, I’ve got a career that makes me very happy and provides a lot of satisfaction. If I can therefore help out others and they don’t offer anything in return, that’s just my way of giving back.

The opportunity to help other people sometimes comes when people knock on your door to collect bottles for fundraisers (a local hockey team did this at my home on Saturday), or a youth organization gives you an apple for a financial donation, or possibly donating used clothing to a non-profit group. But it can also come in the form of donating your knowledge, your expertise, your experience in a mentoring capacity.

In addition to this, you might be after a new job. Once you’ve identified the company you are interested in working for, you might want to look up people via LinkedIn who work there now. Checking out their profiles could be a tremendous advantage for you in getting to know what people actually do there, what their backgrounds are including education, skills, causes they support etc. By reaching out to some of these people, you might find someone who would be willing to speak with you about the opportunity you want; how it came about, and what qualities not on the posting might be best to put forward.

Then there are discussion groups. Discussion groups are numerous and can focus on a specific group of people such as resume writers, or can be broad in scope such as people talking about professional development. You can search groups to find others with similar interests to your own and join a group, or you can initiate a group on your own and define the participation guidelines. Once you are in a group, your involvement could be only to read the thoughts of others or it could be to contribute on a regular basis to discussions, or anything in between.

When you do speak with others around the globe, you get perspectives and outlooks on topics that might alter or support your own point of view. You might find a best practice in the field you work in being done in England and you decide to try it out in Peru. You could be going about your business in Papua New Guinea and want to respond to a request for help from someone living in Iceland.

So how do you – YES YOU – utilize your contacts? Maybe you connect with people and never actually exchange emails or message each other at all. By sharing how you use your network and how you contribute to it, you can spur others to action who are perhaps very interested in actively engaging with others but don’t know where to start.

So what I’m asking you readers to do is take a moment or two and share what your experience has been in working with your connections on LinkedIn. It would be most appreciated I’m sure.

Your Photo Provokes Or Promotes

By now you are no doubt aware of the fact that the internet contains photographs of people all over the world. As you look at pictures of other people, and in particular people you do not know, you nonetheless undergo a rapid evaluation process. In a fraction of a few seconds your brain does an amazing job of filtering all your life experiences with people in your past who resemble this person you are looking at. Some of those experiences will be real life in-person interactions, and some will be ones you’ve only experienced in the third person through the movies or television. Your brain will even gather information from what you’ve viewed in a newspaper, a sports cast or the news.

The brain then takes all this objective data and then it produces an equally quick summary and you either find the person in the photograph safe or not. This is actually the brains way of keeping the body secure by sending us immediate cues advising we should steer clear of a person or giving us the all clear resulting in us lowering our caution. It can also trigger a pleasurable reaction, suggesting we are likely to have a positive experience with a person. And even though all you have to go on is a photo showing their physical body, you will find yourself attributing traits to people who may or may not actually fit with the person were you to get to know them. So they now appear friendly, warm, distant, cold, aggressive, intimidating, weak, shy.

Would you agree with the above? This is why so many dating sites have pictures of their clients included. As people, we infer and make assumptions about what a person is like often using the photograph as a starting point.

And it is because of this brain filtering process that it becomes imperative to think carefully about what your own photo communicates to most other people about your own qualities. Everything in your chosen photograph, from your smile or lack of one, grooming, choice of clothing, the background, your direct eye contact etc.; it all should be carefully considered to ensure that the feelings you provoke in others who view it will send the message you intend on communicating.

This process is a branding exercise if you go to the extent where you carefully craft your photo to fit with what you anticipate are the qualities and traits an employer is likely to find attractive in the people they hire. So if you are looking for an executive position with a large organization located in a prestigious location in the financial district, you can do some homework and watch the people who hold similar positions now. You can see their photographs in publications, on the walls of their offices, and on the internet. If you decide to dress like them, groom like them, pose like them, you make it easier for them to see you as one of them.

A friend of mine who is a suit and tie guy was on a business trip and the company he and his team were visiting said, “Come casual”. Casual for him was hard to determine. So the team all showed up wearing suits with ties. They met Executives at that company who were in jeans, shirts and no ties. All they could do at that point was remove their jackets, loosen their ties and unbutton their shirts. They were trying to ‘fit’ with the Executives they were meeting so it would be easier to conduct business. They were in short trying to assimilate.

So this brings me to your LinkedIn photo. Many people have no photograph at all, or they choose to use a design as their avatar, or a picture of an animal or object. In those cases, it is impossible to size up a person and get a read on them from the photo, but nonetheless people will make guesses based on their own experiences up to that point in their lives. So they may think the person evasive, has something to hide, weak or at the very best evokes no response one way or the other. While the person who is behind the non-photograph may if given the chance have a great explanation for the lack of a photo, they may never get a chance to explain this if they are passed over.

Here’s an exercise you may have already done yourself. Browse connections on LinkedIn and see if you find some people friendly, approachable or the opposite. When you see a blank avatar do you get any reaction one way or the other? Probably not because you’re not feeding your brain any data to work with to come up with an emotional response.

Another thing to consider is not only your grooming and the setting, but the quality of the image itself you are using. Some photos actually look aged and yellow, others are crisp. Consider too your posture whether standing or sitting. Are you holding a cat or baby in the photo? Why choose that one? What are you saying? While you may craft an image with your LinkedIn photo, look at what you post on other media. Employers have been checking out Facebook photos and the like for years to see you in your natural state.

Like it or not, agree or not, your photo will promote your attributes or provoke a poor response.

Are You Using Your Connections or Networking?

Social media platforms have at their heart the attraction of building contacts; LinkedIn its connections that you can forge with those you know and those you’d like to know. In the case of Facebook, users identify these connections as friends, with Twitter its followers. So are you using your connections or networking?

I want to contrast two experiences for the purpose of this piece, friends on Facebook and connections on LinkedIn. There are a number of people out there who know and use both, and there are more people out there who THINK they know both but only use one or the other. I imagine too there is a whole group of people who think they too know one or the other but don’t use them whatsoever. The prime two reasons for not using social media would be either ignorance or a lack of accessibility / technology.

Facebook tends to be where people post pictures of themselves, share what they are up to for the evening, plans for the weekend. The platform allows users to share their likes, and tell their friends about parties coming up, invite others to join them, sharing events in their lives. You can adjust settings and let a select few view your photos and information or you can expose your thoughts and pictures to anyone visiting your page. You could even turn your page into a business marketing tool.

LinkedIn by contrast, isn’t so much about friends. What it is about is connecting with and nurturing professional connections. Your personal page is termed a profile, and you can manage it with options like including a photo, a summary statement of who you are, a tagline that both brands and establishes how you want to position yourself in the world. You can accumulate endorsements of your professional skills, recommendations from those whom you’ve helped or worked alongside. And you can join discussion groups on topics you find of interest, companies you are interested in, issues that matter to you.

With respect to friends on Facebook, the demographic tends to be that new users are young, often starting out in their pre-teens. As they age, they exploit it to learn about people they meet in real life and stay in contact with, while at the same time, sharing about themselves. They learn quickly how to restrict some content from certain users; their parents, relatives etc., but allow access to their closest friends. Every so often something gets beyond what they can control, and you’ve got the problem of sensitive information or photos being circulated to an audience they were never intended for. As users age, they often retain their account but use it less than they did as young adults, or leave it altogether or checking in weekly or monthly instead of daily or hourly.

LinkedIn users tend to be professionals, job seekers, recruiters, business leaders, etc. who are taking advantage of the technology to establish and grow their network of contacts. It’s more than an on-line resume. Building a reputable profile is a key element to attracting the audience you seek. If seeking employment, keep in mind that employers will check out your LinkedIn page to see what you’ve accomplished, what your colleagues and business connections are saying about you via their recommendations. And when someone endorses your skills, they don’t do so anonymously, so the credibility of those endorsements rises. Things like spelling, grammar, choice of photo, past employment all rise in significance because the audience is different from Facebook.

So focusing on LinkedIn, how are you taking advantage of all these connections you have? I suspect that like me, you may have been contacted by someone wishing to connect with you and immediately they are asking you for help to land a job. This is typically a poor attempt because a first contact that says, “Give me something” is less than successful. After all, even if you did know of a job opportunity, where is your credibility in passing along a job lead to someone you know absolutely nothing about?

The best job seekers who make use of LinkedIn, don’t ‘use’ their connections as much as they network their contacts. They build relationships, take an interest in both giving and receiving information about the people they are connecting with. There are some people like me that recognize someone who only wants something but offers nothing in return, but choose to help anyway. But there are more that may not appreciate these actions. So rather than using other people just to forward your own career, network! Start a conversation and ask your connections questions just as you might face-to-face. What do you find rewarding? How did you get started in this line of work? Look at their profile and remark on something you find interesting or want clarified. Then by all means move to requesting feedback on your own profile, possibly seeking further connections and recommendations.

Most people don’t appreciate being used only. I have found most profitable those with whom I dialogue, get to know, come to respect and read with interest their comments in discussion groups. From these people I learn; there is a wealth of expertise just itching to be tapped into. So if I may, reach out to some people and network with a thought to what you can add, contribute and share as well as take away, instead of only ‘what can I exploit’ or ‘what’s in it for me’.