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How Social Networking Sites Can Derail your Job Search

July 28th, 2010 • By: Laura Online Public Relations

For many, the start of a new year means the start of a new job search using the internet to research employers. For up coming college graduates in particular, it is opportunity to get a head start in getting their careers off the ground using online resources. At the same time, many employers are also researching potential job candidates through Google, Myspace.com and Facebook.com and what they are finding could be used as reasons not to hire you.

A recent poll conducted for Careerbuilder.com showed that 26 percent of hiring managers admitted to using the Internet to perform background checks on job candidates. A further 12 percent admitted to using social networking sites such as MySpace.com and Facebook.com as a screening tool.

For many college students, social networking sites such as Facebook.com and Myspace.com are a core part of their cyber profile used for networking. However, many students are surprised to learn that their candid and sometimes sexually explicit photos and the details of their drinking and dating lives in their profiles can negatively affect their job search. Those disparaging comments, risqué photos, inappropriate language and lewd jokes posted on their profiles could be viewed as a reflection of their character by a potential employer.

According to an HR director, people should carefully consider their potential audience and the impression they may have based on your pictures, personal opinions, and ideas posted online. “We were in the process of extending an offer to a great candidate, until his myspace.com page was brought to our attention. He had a great resume, went to an elite school and had impeccable references. However, our review of his myspace profile highlighted his recreational drug use. This made us immediately reconsider hiring him,” says an HR Director for a financial services company in Toronto, Ontario. “Our company is very conscious of client relations and our public image and we could not risk this candidate’s background being taken as a reflection of our organization. “

A recent poll of Resume Solutions student clients showed that over 60% of the respondents were unaware that their profiles on social networking websites could be viewed by potential employers. This is surprising, despite the increased media attention focused on employers reviewing Myspace and Facebook prior to making hiring decisions.

Prior to starting a new job search, it is recommended that job seekers perform a Google search on their names to find out what a potential employer may read or see about them online. If any questionable content is discovered, content you would not feel comfortable if an employer or your parents view, then request that the site’s webmaster remove it immediately. Questionable content may include nude photos, slanderous comments or photographs that show you in inappropriate situations. Keep in mind you may encounter resistance in getting the content removed, however, you can let them know that they may be affecting your future job prospects and you may have no choice but to seek legal recourse. For that information, that you absolutely cannot have removed due to lack of control, construct a plausible answer to counter or explain away to a hiring manager.

We are not advocating that social networking sites are to be used solely for job searching or building a web portfolio of your resume and job skills, but it makes sense to remove as much of the negative content about yourself as is possible. You should be smart and discreet in your online communications and consider creating private profiles for just your family members and friends.

There are many ways to create a “positive cyber profile” that does not affect your career prospects. College students can create personal web pages and profiles at social networking sites that include their resumes, hobbies and interests, details on leadership activities or academic successes. You can also include photos of yourself but ensure they do not include explicit materials. Job seekers can use their online profiles to demonstrate their excellent communication skills, establish a professional image of themselves prior to an in-person meeting, demonstrate their creativity and diverse interest – things that can set them apart from other job seekers.

As more and more users flock to social networking sites, the affect these sites have on the job search and candidate screening may include employers going even deeper into candidate’s personal and professional lives. It is therefore advisable to put nothing online that have the potential to hurt your future job prospects and include anything that would help you in landing a new job. Use common sense when creating an online profile. Remember that employers who do online searches are looking for reasons not to hire you.

Résumé Solutions offers advanced resume writing and interview coaching services from entry level, mid-career through to executive clientele in the global marketplace. The President of the company is Surranna Sandy, a Certified Professional Résumé Writer and Certified Employment Interview Coach and former Human Resources Management Professional who launched resumesolutions.com 5 years ago. She directs a client focused team of resume writers and career coaches helping thousands of job seekers meet their career goals.

Surranna Sandy
http://www.articlesbase.com/careers-articles/how-social-networking-sites-can-derail-your-job-search-102884.html

12 Benefits Of Having A Website

July 25th, 2010 • By: Laura Online Public Relations

Do you think having a website is an avoidable cost? Although the Internet no longer remains a “new” technology there are still many business owners who are averse to the idea of having a business website either because they are not comfortable with the new medium or they simply deem it unnecessary. Now, we are not suggesting that the guy selling hotdogs at the street corner should definitely have a business websites (well, why not?), but if there is business somewhere and you cannot do it simply because you don’t have a website then we will say that you are missing a big opportunity by not having a website.

Having a business website immediately propels your visibility and reach to a higher level. All of a sudden you are accessible to your customers and clients 24×7. Both old and new customers find you approachable and progressive. We at ForeScene Creative Solutions don’t mean to proselytize you but here is a list of 12 benefits of having a website, whether business or personal.

1. Instant visual representation

Just imagine what thrust your business would get if people from all over the globe could visually see the products or service options you have to offer. All information pertaining to your business can be put on your website so that your prospective customers and clients can view it at their own convenience and without you having to be there each time something needs to be explained.

2. Keep your business open all the time

When you decide to offer business through your website, it is like a store or an office whose doors are never closed; people can come in and review your products and services at their convenience. In between if they want to do business with you and if your website is automated enough they can do even that. This way you can run your business non-stop without having to put in the extra hours.

3. New customers and clients can find you through search engines

Once you have accumulated a decent amount of information on your website people begin to find you on the search engines for the keywords and expressions relevant to your website. For instance if you sell perfumed candles and if someone searches for “sandalwood aroma candles” and if you have information on “sandalwood aroma candles” then there is a great possibility that people will find you on various search engines, come to your website, and place orders for sandalwood aroma candles.

4. Easier and cheaper advertising

Publishing on your website doesn’t cost you extra unless you are paying for every new page you create. Once you have set up the basic website structure you can keep adding new pages without incurring extra cost.

You can also complement your advertising efforts with your website. There are two ways of doing this. Whenever you publish your advertisement you can include your URL so that the information that you cannot include in the advertisement can be easily viewed on your website. Once your online traffic has gained momentum you can even run advertisements directly on your website. The best way of doing this is developing an online community so that lots of traffic builds up.

5. Highly enhanced public relations

You might not know that hundreds of or even thousands of your customers and clients might be using the Internet for all their information and research needs. Millions of views are exchanged on the World Wide Web. If some disparaging news regarding your organization gets circulated you can easily counter it, or at least present your own side of the story, through your website. High-value content and regular interaction with your visitors makes sure that you have a dedicated community of evangelists who would like to protect your brand and reputation even at the cost of putting in extra effort.

The more you interact through your website the more solid your reputation grows.

6. Reach distant markets

Although ForeScene is a New York based web design company we get web design projects from all over the world and from very high-profiled clients. This becomes possible because our website is easily accessible to everybody who has an Internet connection. If you provide a service that can be delivered via the Internet or if you have a product that can be easily dispatched after taking an online order then you should definitely tap into this vast online market and promote your business in different parts of the world.

7. Create extra income streams

You can start new business ventures from scratch if you run them through your website. Unlike starting business ventures in the brick-n-mortar world the Internet ventures require very little startup income and they can be initiated in a matter of few days, or even few hours. In order to start a new business all you have to do is, have a great idea or product ready, register a domain suitable to your business, obtain a web hosting account, design the website or get it designed and voila! You are ready to go.

8. Interact with your customers and clients regularly and obtain their feedback

Compared to telephonic conversations it is a lot easier to interact with your customers and clients through e-mails, blog posts and regular updates on your website. You can also host a forum where your customers and clients can leave feedback and exchange ideas regarding your service. This will improve your goodwill and reputation a lot and will also nurture a sense of trust and transparency. Getting good feedback to your website can be extremely critical to your further product development and service improvement efforts. You won’t have to wait for months and even years to know how your products and services are being received by your consumers.

9. Conduct low-cost market research

Since it hardly costs your visitors any money to participate in quizzes and polls on your website you can use these marvelous tools to conduct low-cost market research and launch new products and services or make improvements to existing products and services.

10. Save on office space

If you manage most of your business operations through your website then you hardly need office space. There are many online store companies that conduct millions of dollars of transactions online every month and still don’t need a place to stock their inventory. Some online companies don’t even have regular staff; all they do is take orders from the website and then forward those orders to the original manufacturers and suppliers. All they have to do is maintain and promote a website and this can be done from your basement too.

11. Establish your brand

Many artists, authors and consultants establish and promote their brands through their websites and blogs. They make use of their authority and knowledge to create a fan following. Numerous bloggers and webmasters have got great book writing contracts through their websites.

12. A website opens a slew of new opportunities

There is a complete new world out there on the World Wide Web. Millions of people access the Internet for leisure, communication, education and business every day. It is a huge business, marketing and promotion potential for your organization.

Juan Martinez
http://www.articlesbase.com/branding-articles/12-benefits-of-having-a-website-368940.html

Joint Ventures -jv Broker Can be Very Helpful

July 22nd, 2010 • By: Laura Online Public Relations

Are you looking for one of the easiest and fastest ways to make lots of money on the Internet? Why not try JV brokerage? JV Brokerage is one of the easiest and fastest ways to make money online. Being a JV broker can be very advantageous. You don’t need your own product, customers, or a mailing list. You don’t need a fully automated website with all the works. For more details go to: www.joint-venture-guide.com You don’t need to purchase anything. All you need to do is learn how to locate complementary businesses, introduce them to each other, and negotiate a deal between them. You become the middleman. For doing this you get a percentage of the sales.

JV brokering requires a deep network of contacts. They are, after all, the people who will make things possible. Without them, the idea, no matter how grand and rewarding, will most certainly sink before it could even take flight. Meeting people and building great relationships with them is a must for this business. Hence, good public relations skills are a necessity for anyone who wants to try this profession. JV brokering also requires a creative mind and a keen eye for the industry. Trends should be anticipated and broken down into feasible plans that are efficiently beneficial for all the parties that decide to adopt it.

Here are some simple steps you could take if you want to start out with JV brokering:

Find possible JV partners. You can do this by building good relationships with the people you have dealt with and are dealing with currently. They are commodities for your success in this field. If you’re just starting out, then you could invest some time in specialized forums and continue to brand yourself as a credible player in the industry.

Soon enough, you’ll have a workable list of contacts. Ask them if they’re open to joint venturing opportunities. If they say no, be thoughtful and polite, and ask why. Learn all you can from each opportunity you pursue.

Educate them on the process – As you find someone who’s interested, spend time with them and educate them on the process of joint venturing. Learn how things work. Learn what they are able to do. For help visit: www.jointwebventures.com Learn what they are willing to do. There may be things that they may want to do but can’t yet.

Try to select the perfect people for the job. The bigger your network is, the more options you will have. Learn what they are able to do. Learn what they are willing to do. Your job as a successful JV Broker is to really know those you are bringing together. Discover their strengths, know their weaknesses. These will all play a very important part towards the success of each joint venture.

Present to them the draft of your plan and invite them to hop aboard the joint venture you are planning. Once all the participants have been notified, try to present a fair and reasonable profit-sharing scheme that will make everybody happy. And once everyone has agreed to the plan and the compensation scheme, it’s time to make it come true!

Joint Venture Brokerage is a highly versatile business which can be run on a part or full-time basis and can produce significant profits for those who take the time to learn the necessary skills and apply them.

Joint Venture brokerage can be a very rewarding trade, especially when you begin to realize the fruits of your concept and your labor.

Dr. Bharat Bhushan
http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/joint-ventures-jv-broker-can-be-very-helpful-687724.html

Social Networking, Why Bother??

July 19th, 2010 • By: Laura Online Public Relations

People Do Business With People They Like and Trust…

One of the keys to building a successful business is having a solid network of customers and partners who know you, like you, and can wholeheartedly recommend you to others. Before the Internet, cultivating this type of network meant getting out there and becoming part of the local business community by volunteering, joining networking groups and (most importantly) talking face to face with your customers. When I began my career in public relations, more than a decade ago, a significant portion of my time was spent at my local Chamber of Commerce and other networking events.

Now, my virtual assistance clients are in three different time zones and several different countries. I do not have any clients in my hometown. The Internet has made this possible to operate an international business from anywhere. But, even if your business is virtual, you still need to get out there and meet people. The easiest way to meet lots of people who are interested in partnering with you is through Social Networking.

In the past few years, it has become easier to build personal relationships through the Internet. College students have known how to use the Internet to build relationships for at least five years. The business community is finally catching up and realizing the usefulness of viral social networking tools like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter that allow you to easily meet and create strong relationships with other people on the Internet.

Here are some reasons why you should consider implementing these strategies in your business:

- Access to your target audience.

Online networking provides unprecedented access to your ideal clients. You can learn a lot about your clients from the information that they share on their social networking profiles and by who else they are following. Also, it is easier to become someone’s friend on a social networking platform (because it is a two-way connection) than it is to get them to join your mailing list.

- Social Networking is instant/viral.

You can communicate instantly (Twitter) with your customers. It is also very easy to pass on small bits of information. Some very successful social marketers have used this to get huge increases of traffic to their websites in a very short amount of time.

- Ability To Build Your Tribe

This is the area where online networking both resembles and outshines traditional networking. Building your tribe (or a community of dedicated followers) is like building your network. But, at the same time, online networks allow your community to talk to each other – and that can be a very powerful thing.

- Increased attendance at events

Advertising your events within your social networks is a great way to increase your attendance. One of my clients has increased her preview teleseminar attendance by 25% just by posting an event invitation on Facebook.

- Getting and Giving Help

The online community is very helpful. You can get (and more importantly) give instant answers to questions.

- Managing Reputation online

Participating in the social networking community is a great way to create a positive reputation online. You will come off as being approachable and in the know about technology.

Meredith Eisenberg
http://www.articlesbase.com/computers-articles/social-networking-why-bother-714170.html

Employment questions and answers

July 16th, 2010 • By: Laura Online Public Relations

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More Employment answers please visit : isFAQ.com

isfaq
http://www.articlesbase.com/careers-articles/employment-questions-and-answers-1236110.html

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  • It used to be said that the only guarantees in life are death and taxes. Add that picture your friend took of you last week and posted it on MySpace! It’ll be there forever. –Laura Betterly

  • There is no such thing as bad publicity except your own obituary. Brendan Behan

  • Publicity is the life of this culture – in so far as without publicity capitalism could not survive – and at the same time publicity is its dream. John Berger

  • Ninety eight percent of the adults in this country are decent, hardworking, honest Americans. It’s the other lousy two percent that get all the publicity. But then, we elected them. Lily Tomlin

  • Without publicity there can be no public support, and without public support every nation must decay. Benjamin Disraeli

  • Of course I’m a publicity hound. Aren’t all crusaders? How can you accomplish anything unless people know what you are trying to do? Vivien Kellems

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