Did you know that people with more than twenty connections on LinkedIn are thirty-four times more likely to be approached with a job opportunity than people with less than five. That fact came from Guy Kawasaki's blog in January of 2007. And while his 10 Ways to Use LinkedIn are still a good primer, much has changed since then.

In case you didn't know,…

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These are from a list posted by Dmitri Davydov on Madconomist.com. They are pretty funny and I can attest to the fact that people really do put some really stupid stuff on their resumes. I wonder sometimes if these people ever even read their own resumes. Many I get from people claiming to be experts in software…

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I often advise candidates on targeting their answers in a job interview. But sometimes this gets misinterpreted. It's something hiring managers will complain about occasionally, "I think the candidate was just telling me what I want to hear." Avoiding that seems to be a very slippery slope, and a very fine line when trying to do your best in a job interview.

It is always a good idea to ask the interviewer what they feel are the most important qualifications to have in…

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If your company's HR department is not already utilizing Web 2.0 tools and Social Media to market the company to job seekers, it should be. A new report by Gartner, Inc., shows that even…

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I found this today on PickTheBrain.com and wanted to share it. Truly an inspiring piece that can help many of us during stressful times. What really moved me was the thinking on perspective, and how it can change everything.

So if you feel stuck, in anything, step back. Take a break. Come back to the situation with a new perspective. If you think about a jigsaw puzzle, how different does it look when you are right on top…

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"I am Elmer J. Fudd, millionaire. I own a mansion and a yacht." That is an example of a personal branding statement. It's concise, to the point, and pulls no punches. It sells the fact…

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As I sat watching live, streaming video from the Word of Mouth Marketing Association Summit and Research Symposium in Vegas last week from the comfort of my cushy office chair in Southlake, TX, it occurred to me that the corporate philosophy being shared by the enigmatic…

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In general it's a good idea to avoid a scorched earth policy when leaving a company, even if you were treated…

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I don't know about you, but I constantly tweak my professional bio. When I see someone do it better, I take a lesson from theirs and make improvements to mine.…

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I have a problem. I really like Twitter. And you should too.

In my quest to learn and pass along personal branding tips I have experimented with all kinds of tools. I firmly believe you need a good blog to help establish your personal brand. But you need to get people to read it.

In addition to consistently posting Pulitzer quality articles about your area of expertise or interest, you need to utilize the most effective Web 2.0 tools to generate traffic…

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Good post from the Branded One, Dan Schwabel, as he interviews Chris Russell (Luke Skywalker) and Peter Clayton (Obi Wan Kenobi). They echo what I have long thought, the future means - social media: in, job boards: out. http://snipr.com/550v0

Just in time for Halloween comes this frightening article from Nicholas Carlson on Silicon Alley Insider: Here Come The Pro Accounts.



In this article Nicholas confirms something I have long feared. The days of all free Social Media services are numbered.



I am probably not alone in my fears that, like LinkedIn and Flickr (which both already charge for premium services), it wouldn't be… Continue

The other night I was reading a bedtime dinosaur book to my two "older" boys (ages 7 and 3). Looking at the vibrant illustrations in the book, my adroit 7 year old asked, "Dad, if Paleontologists learned about the dinosaurs through fossils, then how do they know what colors they were?" "Good question!" I replied proudly. "Mostly they don't. They can guess and estimate about the color of the creatures from what they know about their feeding habits and their environment. But they don't really… Continue

Joe President (not his real name) sits stiffly across from me at a Starbucks sipping a latte. He hasn't been in this position very often. "Craig, I don't think my current company has my best interests in mind and I want to look for a new job. I don't really know where to start. I would look at any executive level position, even a step down. But I can't let my current company find out that I am looking!" This is paraphrased from a conversation I had with the President of a privately… Continue

There is a nice article posted last week by Eric Brantner on DigitalLabz.com entitled 10 Secrets of the Best Social Media Users . It is a terrific list for businesses wanting to use the (less and less) alternative marketing conduit of Social Media. Most of it applies to individuals for promoting your personal brand as well. Here is the list:



1. Do Your Research- Every successful… Continue

Do you remember the Atari game, Pitfall? Great game. The main character, Pitfall Harry, was constantly having to grab jungle vines, cling and swing for dear life to avoid quicksand, crocodiles, and tar pits.

As anyone who does much of their work from home can attest, telecommuting can have plenty of it's own pitfalls. From family interruptions to poor time management, the modern remote worker has to be wary of the quicksand and tar pits at…

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