You are here: Home / Archives for tips
February 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Career advice for college seniors

Career advice for college seniors

I was asked by a friend recently to offer some advice for college seniors who are looking for tips on getting started in their careers. This kind of advice is sought by college students on a regular basis and I thought it made an excellent blog topic. When you are fresh out of college or about to graduate, it can be difficult to know how to get started.

So what career advice would I give to college seniors who are looking for tips on starting a career?

1. Start building a network. Networking is a skill, and anyone can learn how to do it effectively. Smart networking can lead to job opportunities, new customers, mentors, service providers, and friends. Building a network takes time and involves things like joining associations, volunteering, serving on boards, and getting involved in the community. A great book that will help you learn some of the basics is “Never Eat Alone” by Keith Ferrazzi (affiliate link).

2. Create a strong productivity footprint. In my opinion, resumés are dead and have been replaced by what I call a productivity footprint. This refers to the collective online presence that you build through various networks like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, SlideShare, your website and blog, etc. While most job seekers are simply polishing their resumés, you have the opportunity to stand out by publishing articles, displaying your presentations online, gathering LinkedIn recommendations, and generally demonstrating your productivity.

3. Find a good internship and excel at it. Unfortunately, many people view an internship as a low-pressure, low-quality position that is just a way to get college credit or have something else to list on your resumé. However, an internship has potential to expand your network and serve as a stepping stone to greater things. Find a company that is well-respected and well-networked and create an internship proposal for them. Many times, companies don’t want to hire interns because they don’t have a specific job description for the position so create one for them. Think of the most creative and practical ways you can help that company and explain how you can add value with little to no supervision or training, and you will look very attractive as a potential intern. Then, when you get hired, work like crazy to be the best employee at the company.

The job market is competitive, but the good news is, many people will not be willing to put in the time and effort it takes to win the opportunities that are available. If you stay focused and remember these things, you may find that you have a sizable advantage over other job-seekers.

Any other tips you woud like to share? Please post them below!

Filed Under: Lifestyle, Productivity Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
September 7, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Business blogging tips

Blogging is a fantastic way to build awareness for your business and area of expertise. Blogging allows your constituents to see the real voice behind your business and demonstrates your knowledge in your areas of expertise. It is also part of your permission marketing channel that can lead to new connections and opportunities.

However, blogging is hard.

Most people I talk to have a difficult time blogging because they are not sure what to write about, how to write, or how to keep up. Here are a few business blogging tips that will hopefully make blogging easier for you.

1. Keep a list of ideas and capture them in real time. If you try to come up with great ideas every time you sit down to blog, it can be difficult to maintain inspiration. However, if you capture your ideas into a list whenever they come to you, it will be much easier to blog when you have the time because you already have a list of ideas ready to go. I use Jott to capture ideas on the go.

2. Blog in a conversational style. Don’t try to use marketing speak or a stuffy corporate tone. Blog as if you are explaining your thoughts to a friend and write in simple, plain language. Content on the web should be easy to read to accommodate the shorter attention spans in this medium.

3. Don’t promote… educate, instead. No one wants to read a blog that blathers on and on about your company and how great your service is. People do want to read things that help them and provide value. If you want loyal readers and content that gets shared, keep it constituent-focused.

4. Don’t worry about word-count. Say what you need to say and stop there. A blog can be 500 words or a single paragraph. Seth Godin sometimes blogs in one sentence.

5. Blog about things that matter to your customers. If you provide marketing services, teach your customers how to market. If you provide health care services, teach your patients how to maintain proper health. If you sell products, teach your customers how to get the most from that product. The possibilities are endless.

Blogging can and should be fun. If you are passionate about what you do and you know what you are talking about, then relax and let the words flow. Don’t over-analyze it. Your constituents will appreciate an honest tone and valuable content. Future customers will take notice, as well.

Filed Under: Marketing, Productivity, Technology Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
April 29, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Top 5 things to consider when redesigning your website

I had a wonderful time speaking for ISAE yesterday and serving on a panel on website redesign projects. After my keynote presentation and a great lunch, we had some excellent Q&A around what leads to a successful website redesign project. Special thanks to Katie Voorhest for inviting me to speak and for being one of the most effective, organized planners I have ever met.

Here are the top 5 takeaways that I want to share based on our discussion.

1. Know your audience. Be sure that your new website is not designed for your internal staff. It should be designed for your constituents. The personal preferences of your CEO or other executives should not dictate your design. Your brand identity and your constituents should drive the design.

2. Avoid “design by committee”. Choose one point person as your project lead. This person should solicit feedback but filter accordingly. However, make sure all decision-makers are in the room during approval meetings.

3. Instead of writing complex RFPs, try starting with interviews. RFPs can sometimes lead to an over-complicated vendor selection process and can also result in inaccurate pricing. Start by talking to qualified web firms and see what their processes are like.

4. Choose a good website design and development firm. This makes a huge difference. Look for a firm that has experience in your industry (or similar types of websites), a deep portfolio of work that you like, and (most importantly) a proven process.

5. Budget for content and photography. Great content and professional photography can make or break a design. Remember, website visitors make snap decisions about the credibility of your organization in less than a second based on your design. Don’t skimp on content and photography.

For further reading, here are the websites I referenced during my presentation with further information on design trends and usability:

A List Apart (design and development trends)
Jakob Nielsen’s Alertbox (usability)
Redesigning Your Website (my presentation given at the event)
7 Habits of Highly Effective Websites (my presentation on website best practices)

Thanks again to ISAE and all who attended for a great event!

Filed Under: Design, Marketing, Productivity, Technology Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,