17 Apr 10 Best-Kept Secret Twitter Tips for Job Search (Part 8)

Since the last post, we are talking about etiquette on twitter and how it can affect the chances of your getting a decent job. Taking the discussion from where we left in the last post, I will be sharing some more twitter tips that will help you find a job using twitter. (Click here to read the previous post).

Avoid being too casual

Although twitter started its life as an informal way to say what you are doing, it has become a means of professional communication as well. Like e- mails, tweets are also being taken seriously by the corporate. Hence, you should not be too casual. Talking informally may be okay, but not talking casually. You need to show you are committed to the work assigned to you, and you take every bit of communication seriously.

Avoid being too personal

No one cares what you had for lunch, nor do they care how good or bad is your sex life. Twitter is a personal medium of communication, but it is not that personal to be witness of your bathroom adventures. Keep such sojourns out of your tweets, unless it has something that has never happened to anyone in this world — at least, not in your knowledge.

Profanity must be avoided

No matter how pissed you are with the situation, no one expect you to break down, nor you are expected to talk like a complete jerk. Maintain poise, avoid talking profane, and do not do any act that goes against your professionalism.

Being profane is easy, and that is the reason why so many people are doing so. What is difficult is to control one’s emotion, and one need a steely determination to keep mum when one feels like blasting on the social web.

These etiquettes are not necessary, if you do not care what others think of you, but if your everything depends upon what others are thinking then you must watch your action.

Tags: Decent Job, Emotion, Etiquettes, Find A Job, Find Job, Jerk, Job 8, Job Search, Lunch, Medium Of Communication, Personal Medium, Poise, Profanity, Professional Communication, Professionalism, Sex Life, Social Web, Steely Determination, Twitter, Witness

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10 Feb 10 Freelance writing – Have You Read Your Job Description?

If you thought by choosing freelance writing as a career you will just write, write, and do nothing else then let me prick the balloon. Your client wants many more things from you. Do not get scared, you will not be asked to do any fancy stuff like coding, scripting, PPC campaigns, and all.

Then what other works a client will demand?

Basically, you will be asked to do stuffs related to writing only. And in my career, primarily I have been asked to do following types of work (other than writing):

Many clients have asked me to do like keyword research, for writing purpose only. This actually is not all that bad. It helped me conceptualize the article or press release while researching.
At times, clients also asked me to submit articles to various social bookmarking sites. I helped my clients with 2-3 submissions, at max. I do not think I would have agreed to submit an article to 100 or so social bookmarking sites. It would have been waste of time for me, but for 3-4, I never said no.
Clients may also ask for content suggestions, and about other things he can do to meet his goal. This in fact is an opportunity in disguise to cross sell other services that you offer. If you are writing only articles for your client then you may suggest him to use press release to get some link juice, or may be forum posting and all.
I have also given some marketing and SEO suggestions to my clients. Depending upon your background (I have my background in marketing), you can either say yes or politely say no.

Word of caution

Do not say no to your clients’ request, at least not directly, if you can help him. And also do not ask for money for every suggestion that you offer—I know people who do so—because it looks cheap. For that work you may get paid, but it will reflect badly on your professionalism. You may lose the client.

If the work is going to take hours of your work then say this to client, and if it is going to take hardly 10-15 minutes then do not bother. It also depends upon your relationship with your client.

Tags: 15 Minutes, Background, Balloon, Campaigns, Caution, Content Suggestions, Disguise, Freelance Job, Job Description, Marketing, Press Release, Professionalism, SEO, Social Bookmarking Sites, Submissions, Suggestion, Waste Of Time, Writing As A Career, Writing Career, Writing Job

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11 Nov 09 Finding Business Contacts

In a struggling economy, networking should be a top priority for you, especially if it hasn’t been in the past. You need business contacts, no matter where you are on the chain. Through business contacts, you open up the possibility that you will be able to find better work. Your business contacts are also great to have should you ever lose your current job. Basically, these are professional associates from different organizations that you regularly keep contact with.

But to get business contacts, first you have to find them. A business contact can be remarkably useful down the line in your career. These relationships are great because they are mutually beneficial. Think about your skill set and what you could offer to help someone else. From anything like advice, to career prospect options, what do you have to give?

How much you can commit to providing will dictate what sort of business relationship you can form. As business contacts are a two way street, you have to have something to bring to the table. Try using websites like LinkedIn. They are social networking resources for professionals and can be a good start for anybody.

Make sure you have business cards with you all the time. Whenever you’re in the appropriate scenario, like a work related conference or event, they will be very useful. Meeting people is great at the moment, but you need a way to keep in contact beyond. A business card is the fastest and easiest way to do just that. Not to mention it’s the most professional route. Professionalism always gets you bonus points.

Remember to keep your ears open all the time. Pay attention in the break rooms, and when you’re eating lunch. You could find a great new business contact in a different department. Somebody you were completely unaware of, and someone you could benefit from.

From there it’s as simple as maintaining the relationship. If you want to be able to get trusted information from them, you have to provide the same. Don’t hesitate to inform them of news around the company. From job openings, etc. Let them know what’s going on around you, and the opportunities available, and they will do the same.

Tags: Bonus Points, Business Card, Business Cards, Business Contact, Business Contacts, Business Relationship, Career Prospect, Ears, Lunch, Meeting People, Networking Resources, New Business, Pay Attention, Professional Associates, Professionalism, Related Conference, Relationships, Skill Set, Social Networking, Top Priority

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