But I don’t want to take this blog down as there are still active links out on the Internet and we still receive comments (that might even be how you found me!).  However, I do want to let you know where you can find me now.

Join us and our guest bloggers at http://www.RocktheWorldBook.com/blog or http://www.IntegratedBlog.com.  Both are cool and interesting sites for blogs about social media, business, music and fun.

If you’re looking on social media sites, look no further than http://www.itsmyurls.com/loriruff for all my active and most compelling social media sites. And when you find, invite me to connect.  I accept all invitations and share resources with all who ask (within reason of course!).

While acknowledging that some people might aspire to be a Top Recommended person, his argument is that it could cause problems for people if recruiters or hiring managers saw it as a barrier of access to the person. I believe that Marcelo intended to initiate a debate, and indeed he has.

Andrew Baker responded that he looks to the quality of a person’s recommendations as well as the quantity. He draws no conclusions until he has performed his due diligence. Not everyone is as meticulous.

Here are my feelings: As an online reputation expert, having recommendations (or should I say having good and consistent recommendations) is not the problem, but how you present them to the world can be.

A major key to success in social media is consistency. That means consistency in everything you do. Having a series of good recommendations – even going back to your educational experiences – shows that you are consistent in what you do and in the value that you bring.

Marcelo’s discussion is a good post. It got us talking and debating on a subject that can be, but should not be handled lightly. Your online reputation is easy to build, but it’s just as easy, if not more so, to lose. Think about it. Manage it. Protect it.

NEWS RELEASE
Marin County Officials Endorse Career ReBoot Camp.
County Supervisor Charles McGlashan backs unique event for job-seekers.

SAN RAFAEL, CA Oct. 7, 2009 Several Marin County officials have endorsed the Career ReBoot Camp, a unique career event to be held October 26-27 at the Embassy Suites Hotel in San Rafael, CA.

The Career ReBoot Camp features more than 30 top career industry experts and will be the largest career event of its kind in the U.S. It will provide job-seekers with the skills they need to become competitive in the tightest job market in more than 70 years.

County Supervisor Charles McGlashan wholeheartedly supports the Career ReBoot Camp. He commented, “Learning how to navigate career change is sometimes a necessity and often very invigorating and rewarding. It is well worth it to get the best tips and advice for a successful career transition.”

Other Marin officials who support the Career ReBoot Camp include Norma Barnes, director of Marin Professionals; Mary Donovan, Director of the Workforce Investment Board of Marin; Mary O’Mara, Director of MarinLink and Jacqueline Janssen, Director of Transition at the Center for Volunteering and Non-Profit Leadership.

“It’s not your father’s job-search,” says event producer Carol Ann Wentworth. “The world of work has changed dramatically in just the past few years. The average job search now takes more than half a year. Job-seekers must learn how to look for a job successfully in these challenging times. The Career ReBoot Camp can be life-changing.”

Cost for the two-day event is $249 (tax deductible) and includes breakfasts, wine and cheese reception, entertainment, parking and gifts worth nearly $200. For more information go to www.CareerReBootCamp.com.
# # #
CONTACT:
Eric Wentworth
415-516-9342
Eric@CareerReBootCamp.com

My personal lesson, my take-away is that slower, or deliberate growth is sustainable growth. Rather than sell the heart of our business, working steadily toward funding and sales that sustain our company, gives us more control over the direction of the company.

What an intriging idea in an age of internal fear caused by the uncertain economy…

I’ll get sucked in!

Many people believe that if they get involved in social media, they’ll get sucked into their computer.  Stories of people spending hours on facebook or twitter do not help that perception. Let me try to give you some perspective here. Work in batch mode. Use an old fashioned egg timer and set it for 10 – 20 minutes. When it goes off, get out.  You will quickly discover ideas to help you manage your communications more effectively and you will begin to get a grasp on what is and is not so important.

I don’t want to tell everyone what I’m doing.

As I speak and train across North America, both live and via the web, I often am confronted by people who insist they don’t want to “put it all out there”. The truth is that you are on the Internet; being involved in social networking or social media gives you the opportunity to tell the truth about yourself. People will believe what you say about yourself if presented in a credible manner.

I don’t need to be on a social networking site like LinkedIn or facebook.

There is no shame in today’s climate in seeking a new opportunity, or several. It is not if, but rather when you will be changing jobs or starting your own business, or both. Harvey McKay admonishes us to dig our well before we are thirsty.  The same holds true in social networking: build your network while you still feel you have value and resources. When you have such a great need to fill as income production, you tend not to feel as if you have much to offer the rest of the world. That is not really true, but it does feel that way.

Understand that LinkedIn is for business and facebook is about building relationships. Connect with people who you know or think you might need to know on LinkedIn. While you can still confirm your work email – the one on all those business cards – go ahead and confirm them on LinkedIn. Later on, you can change your primary email, but don’t ever delete an email.  Build your network and help people who ask now so that when you need help, others will be there for you.

On facebook, connect with your friends, coworkers, customers and vendors. (You can set different visibility permissions for different groups, but for now, let’s just agree to connect.)  You don’t get on facebook to do business, but business is done on facebook.  If you don’t have any business to conduct, then just post status updates that encourage and promote your network, offer knowledge on a topic you find interesting, or post pictures or video to share what you are comfortable sharing with your friends.

What will it do for me?

I can’t answer that question without really knowing what your goals are. But I can start the answer by saying this: whatever your goals for social networking are, be ready for unexpected results. When you understand that there are real people just like you on the other side of that computer screen, you will be amazed at the opportunities and fulfillment you will find.

Here’s why. Many people are found on LinkedIn because of keyword searches. A profile robust in keywords and phrases is much more findable. So, with 750 characters available for each position added, a profile well built-out is much more findable than one just listing previous employer and title.

People ask what should be included. After all, this is the area of LinkedIn that is most like a resume.  That may be so, and it is important that positions correlate with ones resume. However, being found is the most critical focus of this section. So here’s the methodology practiced at IA and recommended to our clients by the most experienced LinkedIn business strategist in the world, IA Founder, Mike O’Neil.

Answer these five questions when completing each position:

1. Who is the Company?

• For example, not everyone realizes that ACN is a distributor of video phones

2. What do they do?

• To carry forward the example, ACN distributes video phones and sells internet-based telecommunications solutions

3. Where do they do it?

• Nationwide, Regional, Locally?

4. Who do they do it for?

• Individuals or Companies, B2B, B2C, etc. What does a customer look like?

5. What is your role at the company; what makes you special?

• Briefly describe your responsibilities and one or two special achievements

This methodology is proven time and again in conversations with recruiters and employers who want to know that potential candidates have what they are looking for. It is also proven by sales, marketing and business development professionals who want to show potential customers that they and their company has the experience needed to get the job done.

For more information: check out Mike O’Neil’s LinkedIn Profiles Guide.

See Mike’s recent post on Colorado Summer Concerts and Insider Venue Tips.

Mike O'Neil speaks with local concert promoter