A Fresh Start - Back to School again…

Welcome, welcome, welcome!  If you're like me (a very sad student going back to school) then you're more than likely either back in school already or getting ready to start.  Well, to you, I say "Chin up, a new semester means a new beginning.  A Fresh Start!"

Every new semester I tell myself "this year is going to be better" but we all know how that goes.  My intentions start off great but begin to dwindle around the 9th week.  It happens, we've all been there.  There can be many reasons as to why I slip around this time but I think I've pinpointed the main issue.  Time commitments.

I'm notorious for over-scheduling myself on certain days and then having nothing on others.  My calendar already looks like a hot mess around mid-terms in October, ahem…9th week!  It's only the first week of school and I can feel myself slipping!  So, now its time to take a step-back and re-evaluate.  To do this, I've decided to do the following:

1. Write down all my responsibilities.
• School = Priority
• Work (Social Media Consulting)
• Work (Mary Kay Indep. Beauty Consultant)
• Friends/Life = Low man on this totem-pole….womp womp, adios mi amigos.  
2. Figure out how much free-time (not in school/sleeping/eating/driving/etc.) that I have
• Oye…not much time here but since my earliest class starts at 1pm, it looks like I'll have to become a morning person.  5am starts here I come! 
• Apparently waking up early is how the most successful, stay successful!  http://bit.ly/TEuRfo
3. Find/Rearrange study and work space
• Apparently my "bed-desk" set-up is not ideal.  I guess the extra room for all my "overflow" will be packed/stored in the garage soon …weekend fun, yay!   
• Hopefully this article will help me figure out the best set-up. http://on.mash.to/OylLk9 
4. Set my GOALS and write them down
• I'm pretty good at setting goals, but I rarely write them down…on paper.  I'll type them up because I'm at my computer always, so it's just easy; or, just remember them in my jam-packed mind.  
• It will also help me figure out the path that I need to take to get myself to the ultimate goal.
• Need more convincing?  Check out this article.  http://bit.ly/S5w5Fr
5. Take it day by day
• Realizing that each day I have a new chance at a fresh start is something I will have to remember.  Not getting overwhelmed with everything and enjoying the accomplishments I make as the day goes by, will be a goal I write down now.  

So, now that I have my plan set forth…what are you waiting for?  Have you started your re-evaluation?  

Does It Ever End?!?!?!?!?

I've come to the realization that education is not something that you just do in school…unfortunately.

When I decided to go freelance with Social Media strategizing/consulting, I figured that I knew quite a few things and I could easily pick up on anything that I needed to use along the way.  Man, was I wrong.  Not only am I constantly having to scout out information online but I'm also one of those crazies you see asking millions of questions at any networking/meet-up that I can attend.  There's just so much freaking information out there, that I don't know if my brain can hold it all in!

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining.  I actually love learning all the new platforms that come out, testing out all the new concepts/ideas on the clients that are close friends & family (you know, because they're usually a bit more forgiving when I say "oops" and the site we've been working on for hours just disappears), and just being ahead of the masses when it comes to business marketing.  BUT…I never realized I'd be putting in this much work and these types of hours!!

I'm a full-time college student (I feel as though my Sr. year is never-ending itself), a full-time social media consultant, and now a full-time business owner.  So, not only am I having to learn a ton of stuff for my classes (4 classes = 12 hours/wk) but I'm also having to learn new social media skills and how to run a successful Mary Kay business on top of it all.  I've come to the conclusion that my idea of fun must be self-torture.

So here I am, just a lil after 12am on a Thursday night/Friday morning and I'm blogging away about my lack of love for education after spending the past 2 hours doing research/reading articles/finding new people to connect with for my social media part of life; brainstorming marketing ideas, organizing customer orders, and making my goal lists for Mary Kay success; and trying to not think about all the midterms I just finished up over the past 2 weeks with another round of tests coming up in 2 weeks for school…oh and did I mention that I have a weekend full of homework that I'm staring at?

So, yup.  The thought that once you're out of school you'll never have to do homework again….out the window.  I honestly think being an entrepreneur in 2 business ventures is definitely harder than trying to graduate from business school at this point.  What have I gotten myself into and when will I ever have time for a life???  At least I may end up with a successful career though….at least I better with all this crazy hard work and time I'm putting in.  I refuse to fail if I'm having to constantly educate myself like this because I won't let my time be wasted (and I figure with all this knowledge I'm cramming in, I have no reason to fail), right?

And so it continues.  I may be tired, I may be stretching myself thin at times, but at least I'm doing something I love.  I love helping others with social media, I love my Mary Kay business, and I love the fact that I'll be graduating soon with my BS in Marketing from UTD …and if my mom has her way, I'll be working towards my MS right after.  Oh Asian moms and the goals for their children.

PS…if anyone has any tips of tricks they can share for dealing with the overwhelming sense of WTF …it'd be definitely greatly appreciated.  I'm at a loss at how some of you do it!

Image Source: informationoverloadcartoon.jpg

My Online WHAT???

REPUTATION! (also referred to as G-Cred, E-Reputation, etc.)

Yeah, yeah. Most people, outside of the social media world, don't even realize there is such a thing but believe me when I say...welcome to the new age of online EVERYTHING.  Let's just give a brief overview of what Online Reputation is and how you can take control of managing yours.

Online Reputation
One of the BEST definitions I've found comes from an Infographic actually.  I'm a visual learner so I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE when a great infographic comes around.  The infographic states:
"Your online reputation isn't just what you put up online; it's how you put it online, where you put it online, and when you do it! And it is also affected by what others say about you." 

So to put it bluntly, everything you do on the internet = online reputation.  The Facebook status updates, Tweets, sharing of articles/news threads, the sites you visit, where you shop, AND all those horrible pictures/places your friends tag you at make up your reputation.  EX: This blog post I write will go into building my online reputation.

Why Should I Care???
The question I get the most is, "why should I care about what other people think of me online?"  My answer to this ..  perception is reality.   What does this mean?  Well, it means that what people see of you online is what they have to go by to determine your character.
If you're a job seeker, you'll definitely want to care about your online reputation has to say.  Your resume is not the only information taken into consideration anymore; you'll be googled and then every social networking site profile you have will be visited.  Same goes for students in this day of age.  Colleges can determine a students eligibility for scholarships/admission by online reputation because you'll be a representative of the school.
Both are just examples of the people who will want to take their online rep. serious right away, but everyone online should care.  You won't always be in the same place you are right now…the future is unknown but you can take control of your reputation today.

Managing Your Online Reputation…Good or Bad
Google yourself.  What comes up?  Is everything on that first page relevant to you?  Does anything come up at all?

Nothing appears:  Yay!!  Nope…wait a minute…don't get too excited and think you have a good online rep since nothing appears.  Unfortunately this is a really big negative.  You'd be better off having a few results with some "eh" information than nothing at all to be honest.  This is because most people will wonder why you're not online at all…I mean, who isn't online at least somewhat these days?  How are you going to adapt to change in a work environment if you haven't even embraced the online revolution.

Results w/bad information:  The first few pages are filled with pictures of you passed out half naked, around illegal/criminal activities, negative comments about you from a frenemy, your manifesto of how much you hate your ex….then this means you've got a bad online reputation.  Its time to be worried.  These are the things people are seeing that represent you.  They don't see that you've volunteered the past 10 years building homes, that your GPA is a perfect 5.0, or that you're the youngest supervisor in your department.

Results w/relevant information:  Good job!!  You've been building your online credibility, which is a definite positive.  Now does each result directly correlate to you?  Click thru each link and see what people will see, don't just assume it goes to the correct site because it may be a corrupt link.

Now that you know how you're viewed, managing your reputation is key.  If you have a positive reputation, then ensure it stays this way.  If you have a negative reputation then you'll want to fix it.  And if you have no reputation…BUILD ONE NOW!

These are some quick, simple tips on how to make sure you're always building a positive reputation:

1. Google yourself regularly.  
• I try to google myself at least 2x a week.  I want to continually make sure what appears on the first page of results is relevant to my personal brand because this is how I grow my business.  If you google me (Ana Santellana) you'll see that 95% of the results generated within the first 10 pages are all relevant to me.
2. Enhance your Security!
• What I mean by this is, make sure you have to approve those photo/location tags.  You don't want the world to see that you partied all night at the strip club and ended up puking out the window down the highway.  Yes, maybe your friends may find this hilarious but it doesn't show you're a person I'd want in charge of my financial investments or an athlete representing my school.
3. TAKE CONTROL
• This can be a hard one for some people (especially if you have no online reputation currently) because it means that you have to be active online.  One of simplest things to do is to consistently update your status on Facebook, LinkedIn, G+, Twitter…wherever you choose to be.  Log in once a day, throw out a positive status update or even share a link to some news article you find interesting, and then you're done.  That's it.  Simple as can be, but it can enhance your presence and build a positive reputation easily.
4. Have fun with being online. 
• Everyone thinks to have a good online reputation that you have to be 100% professional.  I disagree.  In my opinion, showing some personality will get your further and help you stand out.  Instagram, Spotify, Tumblr, Blogging sites…these are all places where you can go and be yourself (to an extent) and allow people to get to know you outside of social networks.  I share photos, my playlists, this blog, everything and anything I can because it's what I love.  So what if someone else doesn't love it…I'm letting the world get to know me, where I control whats being seen and I know it's all helping me build a positive online reputation.  

Feel free to ask questions or email me (anasantellana@gmail.com) if you want further info or follow me on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn

Sources:
Infographic quote (http://mashable.com/2011/11/02/protecting-your-online-reputation/)
Cartoon Pic (http://spinsucks.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Online-Reputation.gif)

"Summer days driftin' away…."

Earlier in the year I told myself that this summer would be one that I actually do something.  I would better myself by working out and being outdoors as much as possible, I would date more, and I would definitely further my knowledge in social networking/online reputation.  Well….I think this summer will definitely be one for the books.

I'm taking 12 hours of summer classes at UTD:  

• Business Finance
• International Business
• Managerial Methods
• Operations Management

I've decided to take on some new outdoor activities:

• Rowing.  Yeah, on the water and in a boat rowing out at Bachman Lake through the Dallas Row Club.  Sculling to be exact actually.  I've been wanting to do this for a while now (I use the stationary row machines weekly and LOVE the workout) but didn't want to go alone…so, with my best friends birthday in early June, I figured its the best gift I can give!!!!  Don't worry, she knows and agreed to the gift bc she's AWESOME like that.
• Pole Dancing.  Yup, another workout class at Poleiticians…not really outdoors but its a new physical activity.  A great Groupon purchase with the bestie again.  She's my partner in crime when it comes to testing out new outings.
• Stand Up Paddle (SUP) and SUP Yoga out at DFW Surf in Grapevine... if I have time and energy.  It sounds really serene to be honest and come on…how many people do you know that do this?  It'll be a great conversation starter!!!  

AND on top of all of that…READING!  Okay, this really isn't that big of a problem.  I'm a HUGE book nerd and LOVE LOVE LOVE to read.  I don't stick to any one genre or author.  I like to keep my brain working and change it up.  Here's a snapshot as to what I've purchased over the past few days to start my reading marathon for the month.  

• http://instagr.am/p/KvBV2FuAPX/ 

I'll be giving my reviews on each book as I finish them on Amazon (as I do everything basically) and will probably blog about certain ones that I find outstanding.  If you're interested in a full reading list…let me know, I'll get it to you.  Warning though…the list runs about 45 deep at the moment.  

I'm just hoping that some some my summer days will lead to some summer love now….lol.

Dallas Row Club: http://www.dallasrowingclub.org/cms/

Poleiticians: http://poleiticians.com/

DFW Surf: http://www.dfwsurf.com/index.html

Float On Yoga: http://www.floatonyoga.com/

Online Dating … Are you there Mr. Right?

Dating is just awful if you're in your late 20's.  There, I said it and I stand by my assessment.

You're no longer in school (or if you're like me and started school late, then all the guys are 8-10yrs younger than you), so no more fishing from that pond.  Bars are just not the place to "pick-up" or be "picked-up" unless you're just looking for that one-night stand.   And the blind-dates...oh just STOP!  No, I don't want to meet your friends brothers best friend ... I think we met before, he was a douche.

So now where do you turn?  Online dating?  Sure, why not.

I've been an avid online dater since it before it was "the thing" to do.  I can remember being in High School and getting chatted up in an AOL chat room….either I was naïve about the dangers or there really weren't any back then since it was a fairly new medium….and then me and my friends meeting up with the guys we chatted with at the movies or the mall.  It was always fun and a great way to meet guys from other schools, just to see what else was out there.  Even now, I'm on a few dating websites and it's just as fun to meet some guys at times to see what else is out there…lol.  BUT … is it actually going to help me find Mr. Right or even Mr. Right Now?

See, the thing with online dating that I've noticed is that it just seems to be a way for a person to inflate their personal resumé/bio and showcase pictures of themselves from years ago.  It's such a disappointment when you meet a person in real life and realize that the picture they had as their profile pic had to of been from at least 5 years ago.

I've been on several different sites over the past few years:

• Match
• PlentyofFish
• eHarmony
• ChristianSingle
• okCupid

…just to name a few, and I seem to encounter the same issue at every one….a profile that highlights all of their greatness and pictures that don't resemble them anymore.  Can we call this false advertising??  I think that there has to be a solution to this problem.  A simple one, too.

Enter in….Video bios.  Seriously.  No joke.  Why not make a 2 min video highlighting who you are, or even better…have it as a compilation of your friends assessments on you.  Who better to try to help you find that special someone then your closest friends and family.  They know you better than you know yourself even, most likely.  I don't know…I just think this would be something to look into.  Do they offer this anywhere already??

I'm just tired of it all….dating in general sucks sometimes.  Maybe I'm just being bitter but I just wish that there was a site that would stand out and revolutionize online dating.  Now, don't get me wrong….I'll continue using these sites but Mr. Right….are you there???

It's time to find a job … Part 3

Let's get straight to the good stuff.  You've got your newly edited resume, you've reached out to your inner circle for referrals, now what do you do…??  Network some more of course!

Step 3:  Live/Breathe/Love SOCIAL NETWORKING!!!
Oh yes.  We're expanding the networking step.

Unless you've been hiding under a rock for the past 10-15 years, you've heard about MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn, BranchOut, G+, Twitter, and so on and so forth.  You're even probably on one or more of these sites, I'm on quite a few myself (follow me by clicking the icon on the right sidebar).  

Now you're probably thinking how these sites can help you find a job.  You keep saying, "my friends on Facebook already know I'm looking for a job and they're no help" or "I'm already on LinkedIn but still haven't found a job".  My response…rethink your approach and try again.  There's a reason these sites are called social NETWORKING sites and not social "stalking/sheep throwing/here's my 12th status update of the day/I'll join and do nothing" sites.  You have to utilize your resources to work for you.  Here's what I  did to make each site work for me during my job hunt.

Facebook/G+:  I didn't realize how many of my friends were willing to share info on available jobs at their company, introduce me to people they know, or even just give me advice on places I should look into.  Literally, after a few seconds of putting up a post asking my Facebook friends about leads, I had so many comment posts that I couldn't keep up!!!

What most people do wrong in this step is just put up a status update telling people that they lost their job or about how they should get a job soon.  Stop telling people these things, their response is to be sympathetic; rather, ask for job openings that your friends may know of and they'll respond with useful information that you can use.

LinkedIn/BranchOut: This is a MUST HAVE RESOURCE.  If you're not already on either or both, sign up NOW.  I'll be honest and say that I haven't played around too much on BranchOut but LinkedIn has proven to be a great networking site for me and I've actually learned a lot in the process of job hunting.

LinkedIn not only lets you post your printed resume on its site, but it also integrates it into a virtual resume.  Your profile page lets you add more content to the virtual resume, which is helpful because it gives you examples to use.

One of my favorite parts of LinkedIn is the recommendations section!!!!  If you've ever needed a good reference, you'll understand my absolute adoration for this part.  You can request your former boss/coworker/professor for a recommendation post on your profile page/virtual resume and it will post for anyone who views your page to read!  Such a great way for potential employers to read all your accolades and get a sense of who you are.

I actually had a few interviews due to my LinkedIn profile; specifically due to the recruiter reading the recommendations posted from former coworkers and boss.  These interviews proved a great learning experience for myself too.  It helped me form a great "elevator pitch", realize where I needed to practice my approach, and experience new interview mediums like being interviewed via Skype!


Utilizing your social networks the correct way allows you to have a wider reach than one has had in the past when job hunting.  Don't just think of these sites as a place to reconnect with old friends and share pictures with family…instead use these sites to benefit you in the best possible way.

Reach out to people you normally wouldn't have.  Don't be afraid to ask for help.  And remember…social networking sites are there to help you, not hinder you!!! 

Student Loan Hell

If you're an older college student like me (I'm 28 and a Senior at UTD) and have student loans, then you've probably been keeping track of the news on the student loan interest rate.  If you have no clue what I'm talking about, I've linked a few articles at the bottom for you to catch up with the rest of the nation.

Summary though … interest rates are due to double on July 1st from 3.4% to 6.8% unless Congress takes action.  This increase was set back in 2007 when the interest rate was lowered.  Now that the expiration is coming up, everyone is scrambling to figure out what action to take.  Obama and Romney are both using this issue as a HUGE topic on their campaign trail because it effects so many people (and come on, everyone knows that the young peoples [18-29] vote is where its at right now).

So how does this effect you…??  Well, it's up in the air right now.  I've been trying to do some research on student loans and how it effects students once graduated.  Being one who loves visuals, I came across a pretty nifty infographic that gives a generalization of the student loan bubble.  It doesn't take into account the projected interest increase but it does give you a sense of what's already happening.  I know there are many sides to this debate, interest rates should have never been lowered, students shouldn't be allowed to get a loan on their own until a certain age, etc.; but, that's besides the point at the moment.  It's been ingrained in our head that you go to college, get a degree, get a good job, pay off the student loans…but apparently that's not what's happening.  So…what do we do now?  I suppose we just wait and see what happens.

I'll post some more infographics in this post if I find other good ones, or shoot me a message if you know of any good links to add in here!!

Links for more info on Student Loan Interest Increase:
Student Loan Rate Hike, What You Need To Know - CNN Money
Student Loans: A Long Journey of Confusion - Forbes
Strategies for Repaying Student Loans - Nasdaq

Infographic from: http://dailyinfographic.com/the-higher-education-bubble-infographic 

It's Time to Find a Job...Part 2

Well, now that you've updated your resume...where do you go from here?  You CANNOT just rely on your resume to land you that job, sorry to burst that bubble.  While your resume is basically your "golden ticket" you still have to play the game in order to use it.  What do I mean by this you ask…good question!!  I mean that you have to actually be active in your job hunt.  Don't just think by posting your resume you'll land that dream job...won't happen, I tried.  YOU have to find the job, it's not going to find you.

So, where do you find that job?  Easy!  Do you have family and friends?  There's where you'll find your next job...most likely. :)

Step 2: Ask Your Family & Friends for Leads!!!!
Ever since my very first job, I've always asked family and friends where I should work.  This often leads to them telling you about a job that they know about or referring you to a friend of theirs that knows about a job.  It's not all about who you know but who do they know….

I think some people's biggest mistake is not reaching out to their inner circle for help. Seriously! Think about all the potential jobs you're passing on.  It's been drilled into our heads at school already that statistically 80% of new jobs are filled by referrals from current employees and that only 2% of jobs available are filled via job boards….so which basket are your eggs going in?
I've never been shy to ask friends for jobs they know about or if they could introduce me to someone they know.  If you think about it…the people that work within a company are going to be the first to know if there's a position open in a certain department.  You can get ahead of the game by having a personal referral from within (always a good thing!!!).

Now, I'm not one to go up to random strangers and ask them for job openings within their company but we're not talking about you approaching strangers…..we're talking about the people who know you the best!!  Don't let the best chance at your next dream job slip thru your fingers because you didn't ask for help.

Why Hello There….

Hi there!  I suppose you're probably thinking, "oh goodness, not another person who's writing about randomness," well, you're sort of right.  Social Networking, Social Media, Resumé tips, ways to simplify your life, organizing tricks, and just life advice/experiences in general are the usual topics that I spend most of my time on…but I don't make any promises.  Just saying.

Anyhow…since you'll probably be spending the majority of your day sitting here, waiting for me to write a new post about something, you should probably know a little more about me.  I'm 28 and live in Dallas, Texas (no, we don't go around on horses and not everyone wears cowboys hats/boots).  I'm currently a Senior at the University of Texas at Dallas majoring in Marketing and at the same time consult on social networking/media to recent graduates and new small businesses.  For fun, traveling the world is it.  I live to travel and experience the world.  One of my bucket list items is to visit all seven continents, I have 4 to go.

Now for the reason of the blog.  Well, I've gotten to the point where I read other blogs and while they give great GREAT GREEEAAAAT advice, it's not advice that a lot of people would understand easily or relate to.  It gets boring and frustrating at times when you're searching for something that grasps you, I know…I've been there.  Everyone wants something that is relatable.  That embodies the "everyman/woman".  Well, I'm here to do that, I hope.  I do think you'll enjoy the blog.  I have a lot to say and do urge you to comment and send me messages.  Let me know what you're thinking.


I hope you enjoy and thank you for reading!!!
Ana.