12 Clever Social Media-Friendly Business Cards

While virtual business cards are becoming a viable alternative to paper cards, there is still a huge demand for traditional business cards. When you meet someone, it is very unlikely that they will first ask to bump, DUB or get LinkedIn. Instead, as your meeting comes to an end, you'll find yourself searching around in your pockets, bag or wallet for your trusty paper business card.
While the traditional business card trend is still going strong, you may want to consider optimizing the space on that little piece of paper. A growing number of professionals are finding it useful to include social media links on their business cards. Including social links on your card not only showcases your progressive approach to doing business, but it also gives your business contacts more choices in how they communicate with you.
If you are looking for new ways of promoting your social media presence, this list of 12 social media-friendly business cards will put you on the right track.

Starting Simple

 Sometimes simple is best. If you tend to focus most of your social media efforts on one social network, you may want to keep it simple by only printing your information for that particular network. The design of your card will benefit from the simplicity, and you'll have more space for other features, like a social icon that identifies you. For example, the team at Medialets, uses an iPhone design that can easily be customized to fit each employees' needs. Creative Director Theo Skye chooses to stick with his tried and true Twitter handle and profile picture. The folks over at MapQuest seem to be big fans of minimalism, too. I like what Senior Product Manager Josh Babetski has done. He includes his AIM screen name for chatting, along with a message that you can find him on many online communities as "quixado". I performed a quick Google search for "quixado". Sure enough, the first results included his profiles on Twitter, Flickr, YouTube, Brightkite, Plancast, and Viddler. Babetski's blog even showed up. Who knew a simple mention on a business card would yield so many results? Displaying Lots of Options As an alternative to keeping it simple, you can always vote to go with the "more, the merrier" approach. If you tend to be active on multiple networks, by all means, load 'em up. Amanda Wormann, social media manager at Burton, decided to promote the company's social media efforts by listing their corporate Twitter, Facebook and YouTube accounts on her business card. While this type of campaign can't necessarily be tracked, it's a good way to get the word out among new business acquaintances. Along with listing a variety of social sites on your card, you may also choose to use social media icons to add a level of familiarity and recognizability to your links. Jessy Yancey, managing editor for Tennesee Home & Farm, includes the Facebook, Twitter and YouTube links for the magazine on her card. When Jessy handed me her card, the social icons were the first images to catch my eye. Visuals are always a great way to direct the eye. Keep that in mind as you design your next business card. Publicizing Your Blog It is common for businesses to print their websites on company business cards, but blog links aren't so prevalent. In a lot of cases a blog link can be more useful than a corporate website, because a blog has the ability to show the personalities, ideas and happenings behind an organization. Sweetriot Mastermind & Chief Rioter (AKA Founder and CEO), Sarah Endline, includes links to the Sweetriot blog and Twitter account, where she and her team blog and tweet regularly. These links add a personal touch to her business card. Presenting Personal and Professional Information One of the conflicts with creating a business card, social links in tow or not, is finding the balance between personal and professional information. Should you include your Twitter account or the corporate Twitter account? Do you need your cell phone number, or will the office phone suffice? Is it too self-promotional to include a link to your personal blog, or would it be better to just stick with a link to the corporate website? These are all valid questions, and each company will need to find their own comfortable balance. Here is some food for thought. Why not just keep it 50/50? Tony Bacigalupo, founder of coworking space New Work City, had that balance in mind when he opted to create a business card that paired personal and professional contact information, creating a most pleasantly symbiotic result. This approach seems to work best for entrepreneurs and business people who maintain an active professional life online, communicating through both personal and corporate channels. Getting Geeky with QR Codes Distinctive business cards present the opportunity to leave acquaintances with a lasting impression. At a conference, for example, a single person may receive tens or hundreds of business cards. After a few days of meeting people, faces and names can become a bit hazy. An accumulating stack of business cards can sometimes seem more like a useless collection than a resourceful base of connections. On the positive side, there are often a few cards that stand out. Most often the outliers utilize high quality paper, attractive designs, or technology. Recently, some of the cards that have caught my eye are the ones that use Quick Response (QR) codes, two-dimensional codes that can be scanned by smartphone cameras to automatically pull up text, photos, videos, music and URLs. The first business card utilizing a QR code that I encountered was that of Jonathan Lazar, creator of Live Tweets. Lazar displays his Twitter handle along with a QR code that leads to his company's website. David Fell's business card is my favorite QR code implementation so far. When I scanned the code with i-nigma, my preferred QR code scanner for iPhone, Fell's name, telephone number, e-mail address and Twitter account appeared, with the options to save his information to my contacts or dial his number. Having a QR code pull up contact information is one of the most appropriate and useful executions for business networking. Promoting Events and Products Another way to promote your social media efforts around a product, event or campaign is to print your social links in a business card format to hand out at parties and events. At their Post-Mashable Media Summit After-Mash Party, interactive marketing agency Definition 6 invited guests to take photos in front of a snazzy step-and-repeat, and then distributed a business card with links to their Facebook and Twitter accounts, where the photos would be uploaded and announced, respectively. I admit that I checked back daily until I found my step-and-repeat photo. During Internet Week New York this year, HP maintained a microsite with IWNY news and a Twitter hashtag (#hpiwny). At events, they distributed a business card with their Twitter, Flickr, microsite and hashtag information. The card was a handy way to convey all of their appropriate social media agenda surrounding the IWNY festivities. Emulating Social Site Designs There are many ways to highlight social media links on your business card, and then there is something totally different: reproducing the social site on your business card. While it may not be the best option for most companies, emulating a social site design is a great idea for social sites themselves. I was pleasantly surprised when Myspace Account Executive Adriana Forni handed me her card at the Social Media Brasil conference. Seeing the iconic Myspace profile page printed on her card was a bit nostalgic, and it automatically had me thinking about the brand. You don't have to work for a social media company to enjoy a business card designed to resemble your social profile for a particular site. Designer Jean-Baptiste Gouraud had no qualms about designing his Internet-famous Facebook-inspired business card. In an e-mail conversation, Gouraud mentioned that he was interested in producing the cards on a mass scale, with Facebook's blessing, of course. Someday, you may be able to easily customize one of these Facebook cards for your own use.

http://mashable.com/2010/07/12/social-media-business-cards/

The 7 types of social media specialists

When applying for a social media job, pay attention to what type of work is required and tailor how you present yourself in that direction--Goforth

1. Social media specialist with a communications background

This type of consultant typically has a communications degree and has spent a bit of time in a PR-style function.

Usually, the communications-shaped social media consultant has adapted quickly to the explosion of social media and has improved his or her knowledge/skillset in the area of online self-publishing and the creative use of digital assets.

Pros: A communications background helps these consultants provide advice about the potential pitfalls of over-zealous social media activity and are well equipped to construct strategies that enable sustainable long-term relationships with online participants/influencers.

Cons: Not a specialist in things like media buying, search engine optimization (SEO), digital design, and utility development. This may limit the person’s view of what is possible.

2. Social media specialist with a digital background

This type of consultant has the ability to see what can be built to capture the attention of online participants and often focuses strongly on campaigns.

Pros: Understanding technology and digital trends can lead to the creation of solutions and platforms that can change the way a organization interacts with its stakeholders.

Cons: The production focus can sometimes lead to a shortfall in understanding how to get people to engage beyond a bells-and-whistles solution.

3. Social media specialist with a SEO background

This type of consultant can look at social media from a very specific entry point, especially in relation to the visibility that can be created by well-resourced social media activity.

Pros: Understanding search habits and how to optimize content for visibility and interaction means online reputation management can be activated on a large scale. It can also lead to the development of solutions that consultants from other disciplines may not consider, such as using a pay-per-click campaign to reach online participants who may be vocal in the social space.

Cons: Content created by SEO experts can sometimes be developed with a quality first, quantity second mentality to tick the ever-changing Google algorithm boxes. They may also not focus on developing genuine relationships with influencers as the focus can be weighted towards reaching them en mass.

4. Social media specialist with an advertising background

The social media specialist with an advertising background can often develop the most creative and buzz-worthy solutions.

Pros: The big budgets often find their way into advertising teams first, so creating big campaigns with social value should be a cornerstone of this type of specialist.

Cons: The campaign focus can often mean the important post-campaign phase isn't considered. Additionally, the focus on creating big explosions may alienate the people who the campaign relies on because they haven't been considered until they are required.

5. Social media specialist with a direct marketing background

Direct marketers have a lot of experience in communicating directly with people as opposed to going via third parties. They also understand the importance of encouraging and facilitating loyalty.

Pros: Probably very solid at interpreting data and developing incentive-based activity to build audiences and communities.

Cons: Potentially not equipped to generate content strategies that rely on participation as opposed to one-way delivery.

6. The native social media specialists

This person is likely to be a little younger and may have studied something more traditional, but got their first job in a social media style role.

Pros: Social media is second nature and online participation habits can lead to socially shaped solutions.

Cons: Experience may be an issue, especially in dealing with challenges that derive from crisis management scenarios.

7. The integrated social media specialist

This person is not only rare, but also in very high demand.

While her or her career may have started in one of the places listed above, this social media specialist has spent a lot of time working across each of the disciplines to be able to provide the most complete advice possible.

Quite possibly, this person might be someone who has worked in the online communications space for a number of years and has evolved as the online space has evolved.

Pros: Self explanatory, but more than anything a person with this skill set can help organizations become more social as opposed to just helping them “do” social well.

Cons: Not many, but may find it difficult to stay on top of the nuances associated with every platform because he or she is doing the actual work on those sites.

Which one is right for your organization?

This entirely depends on the purpose of the role in question, and, to a degree, what you are willing to pay.

In an agency environment, your client base might require someone who can augment the skill set that exists or challenge the status quo.

In a brand or business environment, corporate reputation might be the priority.

Eventually, the senior social media people within smart organizations will be a hybrid of all the disciplines, but it takes a lot of time and exposure to responsibilities beyond the traditional job description to achieve this.

It will also take some uncomfortable growing pains as mistakes are often made when adding strings to a bow.

There are probably a few more iterations of the types featured here, but this hopefully provides some context if you happen to get into one of “those” conversations.

http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/14183.aspx

7 Tips to Prevent Social Media From Ruining Your Career

Marc Bourne is the vice president and co-founder of Know It All Intelligence Group, a nationwide employment screening and corporate investigations firm. He regularly speaks to youth organizations regarding the pitfalls of social media, and he offered these tips for protecting your online image.

A Note From Marc Bourne: Now, more than ever, social media background checks are being used as a piece of the screening puzzle to determine the character of a candidate. Colleges, universities, private and public employers are all starting to see that there is a wealth of valuable information available about their applicants on the Internet.

The best thing about this information is that not only is it written in the applicant's own words, but oftentimes there is photographic "evidence" of the debauchery as well. Yes, that's right -- you may be Facebooking, Tweeting, YouTubing and Instagramming your way right out of a job.

Well, there are some steps that you can take right now to make sure you don't end up being your own worst enemy when a social media background check is done on you.

1.Do an Online Search of Yourself

Enter your name, usernames and email addresses into the most popular search engines, such as Google and Bing, to see what information is out there. If there are any old accounts or profiles that you don't use anymore that are showing up, contact the provider to delete your account. For example, when you were young, you may have used MySpace or Friendster, but unless you have deleted those accounts, they will stay linked to you forever.

2.Privacy Is Your Friend

All social networking sites have privacy controls to allow your content to be shielded to the general public. Set all of your accounts to private and limit access to select friends only. A private employer or university most likely will not ask you for a username and password to access your private information. In fact, there are laws popping up around the country to make it illegal to ask for your log in information in an employment setting.

3.Don't Overshare

Don't go on a spur of the moment rant about a customer, boss or co-workers. Don't badmouth the company that you work for or its management style. New employers will see that and think that if you did that to a previous employer, at some point you will do it to them too.

4.Guilty by Association or WWGT?

Remember "What Would Grandma Think?" before posting any of your photos online for all to see. This includes any photos that your friends may have "tagged" you in. If a tagged photo does pop up, immediately remove the tag and send a note to your friend asking your friend to remove the tag. Also, friends that post inappropriate things can be linked to you. Delete any people who do unsuitable things online or things that may call your morals and integrity into question.

5.Don't Mix Business and Personal Relationships

Use Facebook, MySpace or other social networking sites for the personal part of your life. To keep in contact with your co-workers, bosses or other business contacts, use LinkedIn, which is made specifically for business networking, or other such business-oriented websites.

6.Be Consistent

Your work and education history that you post online should match what you put on your paper resume. Inconsistencies can lead a company to believe that you are being deceptive.

7.Promote Yourself

The most important and best way to protect yourself from social media background checks is to promote yourself. Most employers and universities are looking for reasons to accept you, not pass over you, so put your best attributes out there for all to see. Post positive content such as promotions, accolades, awards, charity work. Make sure that when you post that content, you are making that specific post public. When someone does a search on you, all of your positive attributes will show up, making you a viable candidate.

Fixing Toxic Google Results

Most college students understand that it’s probably a good idea to remove online photos of themselves drinking beer or mooning the camera as they plot their entry into the professional world. But few realize they should spend just as much time highlighting the good news about themselves on the web. Now some college career-services centers are providing tools to help their students influence the results a recruiter might see when typing their names into a search engine.

Schools, ever more conscious of their job-placement figures, are moving a step beyond simply warning students to clean up their profiles. They are encouraging students to put forward information that can help them land jobs – and investing in services to help them do so.

Syracuse University and Johns Hopkins University, among others, have engaged the premium services of BrandYourself.com, an online-reputation tool that helps students scrub and shine their Google results.

The program, built by three former Syracuse students, uses search-engine optimization techniques to influence what links appear at the top of a search.

Such tools are ever more useful. In a survey conducted earlier this year, CareerBuilder found that some hiring managers use social media and Web searches to look for reasons not to hire someone. But the main reason managers research candidates online is to see whether a potential hire presents himself or herself professionally or appears to be a good fit for the company.

“We wanted students to focus on positive content, not just think about hiding the negative information they don’t want anyone to see,” said Mark Presnell, head of career services at Johns Hopkins. The school began offering the tool this fall. Presnell said he is not sure yet how many students are using it and also declined to say how much the school is paying for the service.

BrandYourself.com was created by the three students after one of them, Pete Kistler, determined that he was being rejected for jobs based on some online information about a person with the same name. The founders said they wanted to provide an option for people who can’t afford the several thousand dollars that some reputation-management services charge. BrandYourself.com offers a free service that allows users to add three links that will be optimized in search results, and a premium one for $10 a month, which allows users to submit unlimited links in order to help move positive information to the top of a search.

At Syracuse, career-services director Mike Cahill recommends that students increase their positive online content by crafting comprehensive LinkedIn profiles or even starting a blog devoted to their professional interests. BrandYourself’s software would then help that content appear higher in search results. “It’s eye-opening to see all the different ways they can improve their positioning on an Internet search,” said Cahill, who provided feedback to BrandYourself.com’s founders as they were developing the product while at Syracuse. “This is a great way for us to emphasize to students that they’ll be evaluated in a lot of ways that are outside their control,” he added.

http://blogs.wsj.com/atwork/2012/12/17/colleges-pay-to-protect-students-from-toxic-google-results/?mod=WSJ_Careers_At_Work

How to Look and Act Like a Leader

Savvy executives know the part, act the part and look the part. That's because they exude "executive presence," a broad term used to describe the aura of leadership.

For Janie Sharritt, now a vice president at Sara Lee Corp., an image makeover helped her gain the managerial gravitas that she needed to advance further up the ladder.

In 2005, Ms. Sharritt was a newly promoted middle manager for another consumer-products manufacturer. She preferred to wear a ponytail, scant makeup, khakis, sweaters and loafers. But by taking a "Power of Image" workshop led by image coach Jonna Martin, she got an expert makeover. Her revamped look included a sophisticated hairstyle, dressy slacks and jackets, pumps, colorful necklaces and extra makeup.

She thinks the changes boosted her self confidence, resulting in faster acceptance of her ideas by senior management. "In the past, [that quick buy-in] wasn't one of the things I was known for," says Ms. Sharritt. She joined Sara Lee four years ago.

Executives with presence act self confident, strategic, decisive and assertive, concludes a study released late last year by the Center for Work-Life Policy, a New York think tank.

Presence plays an increasingly important role as companies grapple with a weak recovery and fewer management layers. "You have less time to make that lasting impression,'' warns Stefanie Smith, head of Stratex Consulting, a New York coaching firm. Today, 75% of her coaching practice involves enhancing clients' presence–up from 35% in 2007.

Several big businesses, including Intel Corp. and Morgan Stanley, recently launched programs to teach ambitious staffers about executive presence. Rosalind Hudnell, Intel's chief diversity officer, says she created a "Command Presence" workshop for its rising female technical stars last year after realizing they needed extra help selling their ideas within the company. Nearly 200 women at the computer-chip maker have taken the four-hour session.

These mid-level staffers learn how to present effectively through a discussion of "constructive confrontation" and a simulated meeting with an executive audience, according to an Intel spokeswoman.

Ms. Hudnell recalls that her survival long "depended on my being able to command a room.'' She believes executive presence also involves the ability to command other leaders.

How can you polish your presence? For starters, you should pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses. "People are blind to their biggest derailers," says Karen Kaufman, a Philadelphia executive coach.
You could glean additional clues by keeping a journal based on workplace observations of executives with authoritative presence, says James Citrin, a CEO recruiter for search firm Spencer Stuart. Imitate their behaviors "that feel comfortable and natural for you," he recommends. Mr. Citrin cites a CEO candidate he recently watched being interviewed by the board search committee at a $10-billion company. Among other things, the prospect "looked the committee members alternately straight in the eye" as he answered their questions "slowly but very clearly.''

Formal assistance may make an even bigger difference. It ranges from extensive sessions with an executive coach to voice lessons, presentation training and improvisational acting classes.

Jason Bernstein retained coach Dee Soder in 2009 to bolster his presence while an executive of a midsized technology company in suburban New York. "People who don't know him can miss his high energy and drive because he has such an easygoing style,'' says Dr. Soder, an industrial psychologist who founded CEO Perspective Group, an executive assessment and advisory firm in New York.

To correct this misperception, Mr. Bernstein says he embraced many of her suggestions. He tried to avoid a monotone in commanding his employees, sit upright during meetings and display powerful confidence at a conference table by marking his territory with a water bottle and notebook.

Dr. Soder also urged him to wave his hand slightly rather than nod his head in agreement when someone else speaks "to show you got it," Mr. Bernstein adds.

"Nodding your head is in some ways a gesture of deference,'' Mr. Bernstein explains. "It was one of the toughest things I found to work on.'' He says the executive-presence coaching "helped improve my performance reviews,'' which soon praised his board-level presentations and leadership ability.

Colleagues also notice flaws in your executive presence. But it's frequently hard to get frank feedback. "You have to take the responsibility to ask,'' says Gillian Christie, a managing director of a big financial-services firm. She remembers how coworkers at a prior employer only hinted about her tendency to show off during meetings because her behavior intimidated them.

Now, Ms. Christie continues, she often solicits associates' reaction following her presentations. Some reply, "You were a little off base.'' As a result, she tones down her strong delivery.

Intel's Ms. Hudnell finds male colleagues usually request her advice before they appear before the executive team for the first time. They want to know who will ask the toughest questions. Yet many Intel women only seek her counsel after a presentation "has not gone well,'' she says.

The insight inspired Ms. Hudnell to propose the presence workshop for emerging female stars. "You have to have executive presence in ways that will set you apart,'' she notes.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904140604576498380000356032.html?mod=WSJ_Careers_CareerManagement

How Business Cards Survive in the Age of LinkedIn

A product of French ingenuity during the reign of Louis XIV, the humble business card should be among the dead and buried in this era of social media and cloud computing. Mo Koyfman, a principal at the venture fund Spark Capital, captured the prevailing mindset of many forward thinkers when he recently declared, “I despise business cards. Using them feels so horse-and-carriage.” Koyfman is not alone. Search for “business card is dead” and you will discover an avalanche of obituaries. But reports of the 3 ½-by-2-inch business staple’s death appear to have been greatly exaggerated. Despise and deride it all you like, but the business card remains a growth market. How has this 17th century technology not just survived but continued to flourish? If business cards were to die, the prime suspect would be LinkedIn (LNKD), the professional social networking platform reported to have engaged 135 million users in more than 200 countries. “Business cards were originally invented for reasons of legitimacy,” says Nathan Shedroff, design strategist at California College of the Arts. “But since the 1980s, when you could custom-print 50 fake cards and pass yourself off as anyone, a résumé has become more trustworthy. [This is] the area in which LinkedIn is king.” LinkedIn acquired CardMunch in January 2011, an app designed to instantly scan and store the information on a business card, creating digital contact details. Co-founder Sid Viswanathan was originally inspired by the drudgery of transcribing a mountain of cards garnered at a tech conference. The task took four hours by hand, offering plenty of time to dream up a more effective method. “The business card’s weakness is that it is a flat, one-dimensional piece of paper that goes out of date immediately,” Viswanathan explains. “CardMunch connects it to the résumé in the digital world so you get to know the person behind the card—the what and the where, not just the who.” CardMunch was relaunched last November with its recognition abilities now integrated into LinkedIn’s vast network of résumés, relegating the business card to a mere gateway to the social network. But even Viswanathan concedes there’s a long way to go. “The business card remains pervasive. Our goal is not to kill it but to thoughtfully replace it.” A bold ambition, and LinkedIn is not the only product placing the business card in its cross hairs. A veritable firing squad of awkwardly named applications, including Cardcloud, CardFlick, DooID, uME, and TwtBizCard, are hellbent on providing the killer app that will become Business Card 2.0. A closer look at the learning curve of one of the most buzzed-about contenders, Bump Technologies, illustrates the hidden challenges these aspiring category killers face. Bump stripped the business card of its aesthetics and made it transferable on iPhone or Android platforms via a simple tap of devices. “There is nothing more satisfying than knowing your contact information is going right into someone’s phone rather than left to languish in a drawer,” says Sadie Bascom, whose job title is Bump Evangelist. The product was fast out of the gate, reporting 53 million users since its March 2009 launch, but a recent internal evaluation surprised its founders. The deep dive revealed that despite its design as a business product, it was primarily serving an after-hours function as a social tool. “There are so many barriers we have encountered within the business world,” Bascom admits, “Not everyone has Android (GOOG) or iPhones (AAPL), BlackBerry (RIMM) users can’t bump, and huge conference centers often have poor wireless reception, which leads to dropped signals.” CardMunch and Bump are good illustrations of ideas sounding better than their realities, says Koyfman. “CardMunch is a mere bridge technology, and there is too much friction surrounding successful bumping for it to succeed.” Other analysts believe the business card has a secret lo-fi strength that even the most Asimov-esque flight of fantasy cannot replace: “The act of theater surrounding the exchange of a business card allows for flirtation, self-expression, and recognition,” says Shedroff. “Bumping may be fun, but in comparison to analog business card exchange it’s the difference between having sex and merely exchanging bodily fluids.” There are good reasons why business cards remain such a successful networking tool, says Richard Moross, chief executive officer and founder of Moo.com, a booming online business card printer: “They don’t require batteries, experience no intercompatibility problems, require no sign-up, and everyone in the world understands them.” Moo.com enables the speedy creation of giddy, customizable cards in tiny batches, marrying rapid advances in modern printing with the explosive growth of small, entrepreneurial businesses. The company, based in London and Rhode Island, printed 50 million business cards in 2011 and expects to double that in 2012. “This is a large, profitable sector,” Moross claims. “Forty-five percent of our business is in the U.S., and we estimate our sector as a $3 billion market, which despite its size is extremely fragmented, lacking a lot of dominant players.” Evan Shapiro, president of IFC and Sundance Channel is targeting a share of the market by launching a business card startup, UR IDeal. The executive producer of the cult TV show Portlandia is also an ardent business card aficionado. “Those who predict the business card’s demise have lost touch with its prime function. It is not a simple information exchange, it is a profound expression of identity.” “LinkedIn is no more your personal brand than Farmville is your personal business,” Shapiro explains. “You cannot be unique and allow your brand to be a template designed in Silicon Valley that offers the same plodding terms: ‘managed,’ ‘coordinated,’ ‘oversaw.’ ” Shapiro’s new company allows consumers to custom-make a high-concept identifier that resembles a pack of playing cards. The idea was born on a national marketing tour when the television executive used a playing-card box to house his own business cards. “Whenever I pulled them out, they were a conversation piece and the perfect closer.” Buoyed by this response, Shapiro quickly set about building the company. “We view ourselves as the microbrewery of business paper products, and we won’t stop until America is a nation of individuals.”

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/how-business-cards-survive-in-the-age-of-linkedin-02162012.html?section=magazine

CBS Video: Using Social Media to Find Jobs

The perils of self-promotion

Shama Kabani spends much of her time teaching entrepreneurs and CEOs to promote themselves on social media. She wrote a well-received book, The Zen of Social Media Marketing, owns a growing digital marketing company, and stars in a web-TV show offering advice on building your brand and more.

Friendly and outgoing, Kabani, 26, defines her own brand as open, vibrant, and innovative. Yet her actions sometimes run counter to the accessibility she works so hard to project. She removed the "send an e-mail" button on her Google+ account after a barrage of "You're so hot" and "I love you" missives. Then, in December 2010, Kabani abruptly stopped following all 16,000 people she had subscribed to on Twitter in hopes of eliminating a barrage of spam and other comments. "It became unmanageable," she says.

Some followers took her decision personally. A few blogged about her "slash and burn" move; others called her arrogant and selfish. Kabani admits the decision may have resulted in a few lost opportunities, such as potential clients or organizations seeking a speaker. But it also led to a careful deliberation on how to balance her various personas.

Sure, Kabani is an author, a smiling multimedia answer woman, and a CEO in "an industry of transparency." But was she, in fact, overexposing her own brand? "Someone once gave me advice," she says. "When you start, you say yes to everything. As you grow, you need to learn to say no."

With Google+, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Quora just a click away, there are more ways to promote yourself than ever -- and just as many ways to screw it up. Worshipers at the temple of "just spell my name right" may have forgotten that overbranding can take someone's reputation from Ferrari to clunker faster than anyone dreamed possible. Just ask Paris Hilton.

How to brand yourself like Ferrari

The temptation is particularly perilous for rising stars or newly promoted executives. They develop one success, and instead of growing it into a second and a third, they start selling themselves shamelessly. "The brand is your promise that represents real things that you deliver," said Steve Cannon, vice president of marketing for Mercedes-Benz USA, a company that knows something about image creation.

Lyles Carr, a veteran recruiter at the McCormick Group in Arlington, Va., says he tends to discount a résumé that doesn't list true accomplishments. "It goes back to the old commercial, 'Where's the beef?' " he says. "They're trying to substitute style for substance."

While it's nice to be able to boast about the sheer numbers of friends you have or Twitter posts you've made, sometimes less is, in fact, more. James Alexander, CEO and founder of Vizibility, which helps professionals and job seekers control their online identities, recently turned off all the updates from a man on LinkedIn (LNKD) who posted every single hour. "He's lost his privilege to communicate to me in that way," he says. "You can spend all this time and effort -- it does take time -- only to turn around and end up alienating people."

A better plan is to speak or tweet only when you really have something unique to say. Alexander says that when he's looking to hire, he reads blogs and comments, hoping for signs of original thought. Often he is disappointed.

Some overbranders even leave reality behind by faking or exaggerating credentials and degrees -- not too smart when Google (GOOG) is just a keystroke away. In the past decade, executives at Radio Shack (RSH), Smith & Wesson (SWHC), the U.S. Olympic Committee, Veritas Software, and more either resigned or were forced out after it was discovered that they had lied on or embellished their résumés.

While it's easy to obsess over the number of your Twitter followers or Klout scores (a measure of social-media influence), many people have forgotten that their brands depend on more than pithy opinions on the latest news. Dan Schawbel, managing partner of Millennial Branding and author of Me 2.0, a personal-branding book, says the best strategy is to "be the go-to person for something, even if that something is as simple as Microsoft Excel data sheets." He also favors offering really great advice and free insights. As you help more people, you build word-of-mouth referrals and job security, he says. Your brand becomes ingrained in people's minds as useful.

Another classic trap is alienating your boss with your overzealous self-promotion. As Schawbel was building his reputation as a twenty-something personal-branding czar, he made sure he did it outside work hours and kept his boss in the loop. "Anytime I had a speech," he says, "I would explain to my manager exactly what was going on beforehand."

40 Under 40: The Twitterati

For Mercedes' Cannon, the key to creating an elite brand is to "actively manage" your reputation. At the German car company, that means the Masters and the U.S. Open -- but not other, more accessible, events. And while Cannon so far has skipped Twitter because he doesn't see it advancing his personal brand, he is helping Mercedes wade in "cautiously" into social media. "Go for quality, not quantity," Cannon says. "It really comes down to curation."

So how should you split your time between the actual work you do and making sure others know all about it? Cannon thinks an 80/20 split is a good ratio, with 80% of your effort going toward the job and the bonds you build with co-workers and your boss. The remaining 20% goes into sharing your work and ideas and being visible through speeches, articles, or blog posts.

Of that outside self-promotion, Kabani suggests a 70/30 split: Most of it should be informative, entertaining, or educational, whereas 30% can be straight brand building. Here, it's good to create a conversation: Instead of saying, "Let us create your next website," post the seven questions one needs to ask before doing so -- and then be sure to provide the answers. "It's all about value," Kabani says. "Social media is simply an amplifier. Doing the right things is crucial as well."

At Kabani's Marketing Zen Group, the 25 staffers strive to answer every e-mail that comes in -- unlike other companies, which see it as a waste of their time. Today Kabani follows 955 people on Twitter, but she has 23,123 followers. Some are eager for her to write a second book; Kabani says she will wait until she actually has something important to say. "I needed to take my own advice," she says, "and do something that worked for me." Kabani wants a lifelong brand rather than 15 minutes of fame, and that takes discipline -- which is, as we all know, a lot tougher than pressing the send button.

5 ways to keep your brand from going sour

1. Honor honesty: "If you … inflate your résumé in any way, be prepared for it to leave lasting damaging effects on your career," says Hannah Samuel, an expert on reputation and trust. It's way too easy to check things these days. A little exaggeration can lead to serious consequences.

2. No boosterism: When you leave a message or comment on a blog post, make sure you're focused on "adding to the conversation," says Dan Schawbel, author of Me 2.0. When you sign it, don't list multiple websites or your slogan and a pile of digital identities. "It turns people away," he says.

3. Stay in the moment: If you're at a corporate event and all you do is edit your YouTube video or tweet, you're not projecting a positive image, says Mercedes-Benz USA 's Steve Cannon. Instead, he says, "drink it in." You might get a real live opportunity instead of an online one.

4. Nix negativity: Don't criticize ideas and people very much. Skip the snark. You don't want to be labeled a negative person, says coach Rita Ashley. An alternative: Be an expert. Find three or so online communities in your field or interest area and create bonds, share ideas or information, or write reviews.

5. Be consistent: If your blog is seldom updated or your image swings from the 1% to the 99%, you're hurting yourself. Make sure you're clear on your core beliefs and target audience. Then be "systematic, patient, and intentional" about your brand for staying power, says Lida Citroen, author of Reputation 360.

http://management.fortune.cnn.com/2011/11/15/career-twitter-linkedin-self-promotion/

Updating a Résumé

While the résumé as you know it from 10 years ago is still alive and kicking, there have been a number of modifications to it. No longer do job candidates simply present a Word document of their qualifications. Today, they need to craft a package both online and off to present to a prospective employer. This needs to include both a résumé and an online profile as well as an easy way for a prospective employer or recruiter to move back and forth between the two.

Embrace technology. The biggest change is also the most expected one: a move toward technology. An online networking presence is no longer just an option but a requirement.

While one page makes sense when you have little experience, it doesn't make sense when, as a senior executive, you have 10, 20 or more years of experience.

At first glance, "team player" and "innovative" might sound like good words to use on your résumé, but that would be a mistake, according to Krista Canfield, a spokesperson for LinkedIn. The business networking site recently combed through millions of user profiles and came up with a list of the top 10 overused terms. These included innovative, dynamic, motivated, extensive experience, results-oriented, proven track record, team player, fast-paced, problem solver, and entrepreneurial.

"Your online profile is a valuable piece of professional real estate," says Ms. Canfield. "The problem with using generic words and phrases in your profile and résumé is that hundreds, if not thousands, of other professionals are describing themselves the exact same way." She suggests replacing the overused terms with descriptions of those specific projects that you have worked on, which resulted in concrete results for your clients.

Scanned not read. One thing that has not changed is employers scanning résumés rather than reading them word-for-word, says Kathryn Ullrich, an executive career consultant in Silicon Valley and author of "Getting to the Top: Strategies for Career Success." To differentiate yourself from the pack, broadcast your brand. One way to do this, says Ms. Ullrich, is to replace an old-school phrase like "summary" at the top of your résumé with your brand: "social media marketing" or "finance director, software," for example. "Invite a longer, deeper look at your résumé by making your brand stand out," she says.

More at the Wall Street Journal

How to write a killer bio

For a growing swath of the workforce the resume has been replaced, or at least supplemented, by the bio. If you’ve ever had to be introduced by someone at a conference, you know it’s wise to give the person introducing you a written bio rather than sit back and hear how she decides to describe you. Written bios are posted on websites; abbreviated bios show up on sites like LinkedIn; even shorter ones appear next to our profiles on Twitter; and snappy taglines trail the bottoms of our emails.

With the bio in full bloom right now, it pays to take some time to write yours in a way that that reflects how you want to be perceived. Perhaps you want to show a sense of humor or wit. Maybe you want to show your technical prowess by delivering your bio in a video format. And while you're at it, why not let your bio accomplish some personal branding for you. As you write yours, consider a few things.

If you're a writer, show off your writing

While writers should have an advantage in crafting well-written bios, it's remarkable how few unleash their facility with language when profiling themselves. Which is why I love the bio and "about Laura" sections of novelist Laura Zigman's website. They are composed entirely in the third person and the opening few lines of the bio give you an idea of her tone: “Laura Zigman grew up in Newton, Massachusetts (where she felt she never quite fit in), and graduated from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst (where she didn't fit in either) and the Radcliffe Publishing Procedures Course (where she finally started to feel like she fit in).”

If you get frequent requests for a bio, have a few versions ready

Sreenath Sreenivasan, a dean at Columbia University's School of Journalism, does a good job of offering his bio in different lengths, which makes life easier for anyone requesting a bio (and probably avoids a lot of unnecessary emailing back and forth.) He provides three options: “The 10-second Bio” in bullet points, the “In-depth Bio,” which goes nearly a full page, and the “resume version.”

Reveal your personality

Colleen Wainwright, a communications consultant whom I just praised for her newsletter prowess, reveals a bit about her style and personality while also providing the various format options with links to her “bio,” and her “long-ass bio.”

Humor humanizes

If you click the "our people" link on the website of Sixth & I, a non-denominational synagogue in Washington, DC, you'll see a series of bios all written in a light-hearted style, which fits in with the organization's informal vibe. Jackie Leventhal, who handles books, talks and culture, introduces herself with these few lines: “Hi, I'm Jackie ("Jacqueline" officially, "Jack" if you're a close friend or my father, who was hoping for a son). Cultural programs comprise my niche at the intersection of 6th and I streets. It is mandatory that I have my photo taken with the author, politician, celebrity, Supreme Court Justice, ambassador, Jonas brother, or other distinguished personality participating in one of the programs I coordinate.”

Eddie Henein, the organization's security guard, starts his bio with: "Hello friends. I’m Eddie and I protect Sixth & I, the staff (who are like my family), and everyone who enters this most special place. I’m originally from Egypt and, if asked, I can and will walk like an Egyptian."

If you're thinking, "that would never fly at my company," have a look at the bio of tax lawyer Martin Ginsburg, posted on the official site of the law firm, Fried Frank. After listing a slew of serious credentials, he writes: “Professor Ginsburg’s spouse was a lawyer before she found better work. Their older child was a lawyer before she became a schoolteacher. The younger child, when he feels grumpy, threatens to become a lawyer.”

Sometimes the most serious types are the most in need of some humanizing.

Let your bio brand you (and don't be afraid to sell yourself)

Jeremy Epstein, a marketing consultant, writes in his website bio and LinkedIn profile that he is a specialist at building “raving fans” for his clients. And though I’m usually wary of people who are quick to say how talented they are, Epstein shows that his own clients are willing to rave about him by linking to an impressive list of testimonials. If his clients are willing to voice their praise so enthusiastically, it seems to prove his statement about what he can deliver.

Yahoo Jobs

Job Hunters Beware

There's been no shortage of warnings about the career dangers of posting racy content on sites like Facebook and Twitter. Yet many job hunters still don't heed that advice, and others don't realize they're doing just as much damage by doing things like bending the truth or spamming their résumés. Recruiters say such faux-pas can result in immediate and lasting career damage.

"You're going to be remembered—and not in a positive way," says Colleen McCreary, chief people officer for Zynga Game Network Inc., a San Francisco developer of social games including FarmVille. "Recruiters move around a lot from company to company, and that can carry on with them for a long period of time."

Ms. McCreary says candidates consistently damage their reputations by sending cover letters that disingenuously claim a specific position at the company is their dream job. With a check of Zynga's applicant-tracking system, she can see that those people submitted the same letter for several other openings, too. "They've now lost all their integrity," she says. As an alternative, she recommends that job hunters write about the two or three positions they're most qualified for in a single letter.

Job hunters also regularly flub by submitting their résumés to multiple recruiters and hiring managers at a single firm. "What they're doing is a huge turn off because it sucks up a lot of time for people," says Ms. McCreary.

Likewise, job hunters repeatedly derail their chances by applying for positions for which they don't even meet the basic requirements. "There are a few people out there who seem to see it fit to apply to every job we ever post," says Dan Goldsmith, a managing partner at AC Lion, an executive-search firm in New York. "Those people just go right in the trash folder."

There are also job hunters who repeatedly send the same recruiters their résumés year after year, which can give the impression that they're desperate or a job hopper, adds Mr. Goldsmith.

Liars make up another category of memorable job hunters. "People will say they graduated from [a] school and you find out from looking online that... they just took a course," says Ms. McCreary.
Executive recruiter Russ Riendeau says he checks candidates' résumés against their LinkedIn profiles and often discovers discrepancies. "It's helping me assess whether candidate is indeed who they say they are," says Mr. Riendeau, a partner at East Wing Group, a search firm in Barrington, Ill. Résumés should tell a candidate's full story, he says.

Meanwhile, many job hunters are also continuing to overlook the dangers of posting provocative photos and other dubious content on social-media sites. Case in point: Recruiter Lori Fenstermaker says she lost interest in a recent candidate for a legal-assistant job after finding her raunchy MySpace profile. "She represented herself in a way that would not align with the company's philosophy and ethics," says Ms. Fenstermaker, founder of Automatic LLC, a search firm in Grand Rapids, Mich. "Anything someone publishes online could knock a person out of the running per se."

There are also some job hunters who are unwittingly going out of their way to spoil their prospects. Last year, a candidate for a senior client-services position invited Mr. Goldsmith to be part of his Facebook network. After accepting, the recruiter found a semi-nude photo of the candidate, prompting Mr. Goldsmith to withdraw this person from consideration. "It was so horribly inappropriate," the recruiter recalls. "To flaunt that with such a lack of sensitivity to professional decorum is very disquieting."

Wall Street Journal

Manage Your Online Reputation—Before Someone Else Does

Did you know you’re being Googled right now? You are.
Google isn’t the only search engine that recruiters are using to find out more information about you. Social networks have search engines too. A recent Microsoft survey, “Online Reputation in a Connected World,” stated that 78% of recruiters are using search engines, and 63% are using social networks, to conduct background checks on candidates.
As an employer myself, I’ve received a lot of internship applications from students who are just plain careless about their online reputation. For instance, I searched for a student’s name on Facebook, and a group appeared that was protesting her getting kicked out of her dormitory. I decided to hire someone else!
The Internet is the global talent pool, which means that everyone in the world, including you, has to have an online presence. It also means that you have to own it, and manage it, for the rest of your life.
Here are the top ways to control your online reputation:
Purchase your domain name. For approximately $10 a year at GoDaddy.com, you can claim your full name as a domain name. This will help you protect yourself from others who may share the same name as you. If your name isn’t available, then use your middle initial, your full middle name, or a shortened version of your name. The .com extension carries the most weight in search engines and then .net. Don’t bother registering .org, .us, or another domain name extension, because they aren’t authoritative in search engines. In addition, if you buy hosting, you can create a Web site that displays your credentials under your domain name. Domain names usually rank first for those keyword terms. For example, if you Google “McDonalds,” McDonalds.com comes up first.
Develop a blog and connect it with your name. You may choose to either have a static Web site or a blog under your name. To get started, I recommend installing Wordpress.org on your hosting service. Your blog doesn’t have to be under yourfullname.com either. You can purchase an additional domain of your choice, as long as you put your name in the description and title. This way, the search engines will recognize the site as being associated with your name, and it will rank high accordingly. A blog can help you control more of your digital presence because you have more opportunities for “backlinks” (links pointing back to your site) and you can publish multiple posts, which is looked upon highly by search engines.
Claim your name on social networks. You should own vanity URLs for the following networks: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google. Just like your Web site or blog, these are all web properties that you can manage. For Facebook, go to Facebook.com/usernames to claim your short URL. For LinkedIn, create a custom URL when editing your profile. For Twitter, just register your full name as your account name. Finally, for Google, go to Google.com/profiles and fill out your profile completely, because the most thorough profiles (for each full name) will appear at the bottom of the Google search results. If you want to know if your name is available on other social networks, go to KnowEm.com.
Contribute content to other sites. By writing a guest article, or blog post for another site, you’ll not only be able to include links back to your profiles or Web site, but it will increase the number of search-engine results that appear under your name. Create a Web site or a blog before you reach out to others asking to write, so that you can direct traffic back to your Web site, and increase its authority in search engines.
Get attention from the media. If you have a story to tell or expertise to share, locate bloggers and traditional journalists online and build relationships with them. Comment on their blogs or articles for a few weeks, and then send them a note with resources, tips, or even your story. Who knows, you might even get your name in The Wall Street Journal or a small niche blog. When you receive media attention, your name will not only appear in your search engine results, but it may also emerge in Google news feeds.
Review your social network privacy settings. It’s easy for students or young professionals to neglect their privacy settings on Facebook. You now have complete control over how you’re viewed by each one of your Facebook friends. You can set your privacy settings, and then use the PrivacyDefender application to view a graphical representation of what information you’re sharing with your network. This is important, especially when you start connecting to coworkers, managers, and other professionals online.
Use reputation management tools. To protect, and monitor, your online reputation, use a variety of tools, along with Google Reader. Google Reader will capture alerts for your name as they appear across the Web. First, set a comprehensive Google alert for your full name, and common misspellings, so that when you’re mentioned on a blog or in a news story, you’ll be aware of it. Next, use Backtype.com to set an alert for your name within blog comments, and then BoardTracker.com so that you’re notified when your name appears in a discussion forum thread. Use TweetBeep.com to get alerts for when your name is mentioned on Twitter. Finally, use Social Mention occasionally to search through all social sites for your name.
By being proactive with your online reputation, you’re able to have more control over what other people see when they search for you. This will not only help you right now, but for the rest of your career, as long as you keep tabs on it and manage it.
Dan Schawbel is managing partner of Millennial Branding LLC and founder of the Student Branding Blog.

Wall Street Journal

Master Online Searches

The idea that employers perform Internet searches on job candidates is nothing new -- and the frequency of these searches is climbing. Some experts report that up to 85% of hiring managers "Google" a candidate before or after an interview.

"Recruiters and employers that I talk to routinely do online background searches on their candidates to learn more about them, as well as to filter out candidates with little or negative information about them," says Chris Perry, the founder of Career Rocketeer (careerrocketeer.com), a Web site that provides career-development advice.

Search results are critical to career reinventers, too. Mr. Perry faced a challenge when trying to establish himself as a career expert: "A Google search of my name didn't bring up anything about me. I basically didn't exist."

So Mr. Perry got to work generating consistent content for Google to index and attribute to him. "First, I created a LinkedIn profile in which I customized my profile URL so that it included my name," he says. "I then launched Career Rocketeer and started putting out content related to my area of interest."

He also made relevant comments on other blogs that linked back to his site. He joined Twitter and other business networking sites. Finally, he built a Google profile that housed links to all of his networks and content contributions.

Incorporate key words: Besides these strategies, there are other ways job seekers and career changers can influence what appears when they are searched. You should deliberately incorporate key words or key phrases related to your career direction into your résumé, but you should also add them to your online content. If you need help, look at Google's adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal.

Recruit links: The number of external links pointing to your content also is an important factor in how you're ranked by search engines. You can generate links by providing useful content that's presented in an original way and by syndicating your articles in various online channels and social networks.

Fun and quirky videos, as well as guest "how to" posts on highly trafficked blogs, also have significant viral appeal. The point is, every time another site references your content, your search-engine cachet goes up. (You can find highly trafficked blogs by doing Google searches for industry keywords or by checking sources such as Technorati.com.)

Once you have a good amount of positive content floating around, a new tool you might find helpful is Vizibility.com. This site allows you to customize the search results for your name and to generate a unique URL that links to these results so that people see the material you want them to see, in the order you want them to see it.

Remove or push down negative information: What do you do if a search for your name reveals information that you'd rather people not see? The most straightforward way, says Mr. Perry, is to scour your Web sites and social networks and remove anything you would not proudly share. Stop producing content that has the potential to provoke a negative response, and publish appropriate content at a high volume so that you can push unsavory or irrelevant results off the most frequently viewed top pages.

Wall Street Journal

Build Your Brand

Gone are the days when a stellar transcript, resume, and a well-tailored suit were all you needed to land your first job after graduating from college. Most employers expect Gen Y to be professionally seasoned by the time they walk across the stage for their diploma.

What does it take? A little bit of sweat and hard work—and a lot of personal branding. It’s about discovering and selling a distinctive role that you play for employers. It’s about making your brand the one they want to buy.

Building a brand takes time. In the world of higher education, we call it the “four-year approach,” but anyone can use it to help focus personal and professional goals and get results. For college students, I break it down by year:

Freshman Year: Explore. Who are you and what do you want to do?

You need to discover your brand before you can sell it, and this takes some exploring. Something as simple as choosing a major or taking a career assessment gives you a base as you decide which type of job you want.

Sophomore Year: Experiment. Internships, projects, activities and networking provide insight.
Remember to stay flexible. Consider your “dreams” but also make way for new ones as you broaden your experience during the next couple of years.

Cassaundra Kapinos is a case in point. The management major originally had her heart set on a job in Human Resources, but changed her mind as she learned more about the field. “I realized that a desk job wasn’t the best match for me,” she says. She chose a more hands-on position as district manager at international grocery retailer ALDI. She calls it “the perfect fit,” with ample time to interact with customers, managers and employees. Her career advice is simple: “Cultivate as many options as you can. Be sure to have an attractive back-up plan.”
Junior Year: Experience. Gain professional experience and focus related to your major.

If your school’s Career Services department has fostered its own relationships with potential employers, you have the home-team advantage of gaining experience during your sophomore and junior years. If not, you need to build your own playing field by networking as much as possible. And then network some more.

Senior Year: Execute. Put your arsenal of information and resources into action.

During the senior year homestretch, you go from “backpack to briefcase” to marshal your experience into a job. You have your brand. Now it’s time to sell, sell, sell.

A key tool for selling your brand: social media. Students are leveraging social media to develop an advantage with potential employers. Persa Konomi, a senior at Bentley University, found two job leads through Twitter and believes that social media is critical to a job search in today’s market. “There aren’t as many opportunities out there so you have to be creative,” Ms. Konomi says.

“People are now posting jobs to Twitter. If you’re interested in a company you need to follow them on Twitter, observe what they talk about, and say something relevant that might catch their eye. The hope is that they start following you and you start a discussion and that can lead anywhere.”

So, is the four-year plan worth it? It may be a long process, but employers approve. “At TJX Companies, we prefer building relationships with students through campus events and internships, for instance, rather than making that initial handshake a few months before graduation,” says Genevieve Barrett, executive talent acquisition manager at the off-price retailer.

“It takes the cookie-cutter approach out of job recruitment, and careers become much more personal and meaningful.”

Take the time to build your brand. It’s a strategy that can help you through one of the most stressful milestones in life—finding your first real job.

Susan Brennan is director of undergraduate career services at Bentley University, Waltham, Mass.

Wall Street Journal