I Look Fly, I Look Good

I have a weird love for random music.  One of my favorites a few years ago (and I still rock it in my car sometimes today) was "I Look Good" by Chalie Boy.  Now, you may be wondering how this coincides to Social Media or Online Reputation, well here goes it.

Perception is EVERYTHING in our world today.  The way you carry yourself, present yourself, and even view yourself is how people will see you.  The 1st impression is honestly the most important part of networking, interviewing, and in general....life.  While most people will tell you to have a good suit to give a good impression, I think it goes deeper.

Having confidence in yourself is something that can make anything you wear, stand out.  Believe me when I say that I don't own a suit.  I don't think it fits who I am as a person, it doesn't reflect my personality, nor give the impression that I want people to have about me.  HOWEVER, even though my outfits aren't suits, they are professional and give people a sense of who I am.  I can pair a bright colored blouse with a gray pencil skirt, add a belt and heels .... ta-da, my outfit!

Here you can see an example of what I would piece together ...   The bright color embraces personality while the structured skirt gives a touch of professionalism BUT the item that is rocked the best is her smile!  This conveys confidence in that "I Look Fly, I Look Good" sense (and yes, I do say this to myself on occasion as reassurance...especially when putting on an outfit for a business event).

You can create outfits that give a professional impression from the clothes you wear already, you just need to know how to put them together and have confidence that you look good.  Believe me, it took me a bit to master this, and I still question my choices at times...but then I just remind myself that "I look fly, I look good".  As a college student and freelancer, I know that budgeting for "professional" attire is hard, so I try to buy basics that I can incorporate into my daily personal/professional life and am comfortable wearing.  

Now, how does "looking good" matter w/social media and online reputation...well, PICTURES SAY A THOUSAND WORDS!  While you'll be meeting people in-person, the pictures taken at the networking event, school function, etc. will most likely always end up online.   Presenting an overall polished look that reflects you as a person will allow others online to see you, form an impression of you, want to get to know you more!

Believe that you look good and you will outshine that person next to you.  Perception is everything, but that doesn't have to include a $500 tailored suit.  You just need to let your personality shine thru with a smile.

And if you need more insight into how to pair clothing together, check out my Pinterest board as I regularly post professional outfits that I find for men/women that are simple.
http://pinterest.com/anasantellana/professional-wear/ 

Now....for your viewing pleasure (and for me as I get ready for a networking event tonight) ... "I Look Fly, I Look Good" by Chalie Boy.

Life In The Fast Lane

Lately I've been attending more networking events, seminars, and marketing forums.  Attending each has broadened my insight into different variables dealing with Social Media Marketing.  I have always advocated the need for attending these events but I've never packed more than two in a month but the past month I've attended five…read it FIVE!  I'm still putting together all of my notes and brainstorming on more blog posts but I just wanted to let everyone know to be ready for some great information regarding:

• Who's Who on Social Networking Sites
• The History of Social Media
• Networking, Networking, and more Networking (it's a recurring theme as you can tell)
• Managing Your Reputation



Photo Credit to @carrielayne

• and much more!  

Double Dipping: 2 Start-Ups Helping One Another

Question: Are you a start-up entrepreneur?  If so, how many businesses do you own?

If you've read some of my beginning posts, you know that I decided to go freelance with my Social Media/Networking consulting in late Spring 2012 after not having any luck finding a job in Social Media because of me lacking my degree (or being overqualified for an asst. position to a Mktg. dept….ironic, eh).  Well, did I ever mention that I also decided to start my own Mary Kay business too?  If not, oops, I'm an Independent Beauty Consultant, FYI, and about to be a Senior IBC since I have a team of 3!!

Now how does this correlate to the title of this post?  Simple.  As I was starting up with the consulting, I realized that I needed to network A LOT more if I wanted to make any $$.  Yes, I had some professional contacts that gave me great advice and I was able to hone my skills a bit because I have great friends who hired me to advise them and their businesses; yet, I was/am still unknown in a world FULL of Social Media Consultants.  This makes it hard to gain traction and make some money …and we all know money makes the world turn, at least for me it does at least.  So, I came to the conclusion that a part-time job had to be found; on top of staying in school and freelancing.

Looking for a job that would allow me to keep my school schedule (I was taking 12hrs in the Spring and am taking 12 hours this summer) and keep up with my own freelancing was impossible it seemed.  And then it happened.  I went to a Mary Kay Beauty Social on a Thursday night at the end of April and heard how the business was run by individual consultants.
Now, don't get me wrong.  I live in Dallas, Texas…my mom is a former Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant, I have friends who are considered "Mary Kay babies", and I've seen the Pink Cadillacs all over town but I was always skeptical.  I remember swearing up and down that I'd NEVER use Mary Kay let alone be a consultant when my mom was running her business.  So, at the end of the night, I was asked if I wanted to join and I said, "I've got to do more research…let me think about it".  I honestly didn't have much intention on doing much research but I went home and did just that, for the next 2 weeks.

As I researched, I read all the negatives (and there are a lot apparently) and studied the way that Independent Beauty Consultants (IBC's) ran their business.  And then BAM! …it was like a lightbulb went off.
I could build a Mary Kay business using Social Networking and bring in money from sales; additionally, I could use my freelancing to help other Mary Kay IBC's to build their business online too!
Ta-Da!!!!  In that instant, I decided "yes" and I signed the agreement the very next day.

Here I am today, almost 3 months later and not only have I built a pretty good business using my Social Media skills but I'm also starting to do 1-on-1 consultations with IBC's and helping them build a business online too.  I'll be running one of our unit's weekly education classes, giving a brief overview on using Social Networking sites while adhering to the MK Guidelines (which I hope will also bring in more consultation appts.) and I'm also looking to expand this education training to other units in the DFW area.

Now who says that you can't have 2 businesses which build on one another?  I double dipped my businesses together and found something that worked for me, while having fun doing it, ironically.

So, I ask again….how many businesses do you own if you're a start-up entrepreneur?  And will you be  brainstorming now to find a 2nd business that you can work in conjunction with the one you already have?  Either way…GOOD LUCK!!



PS.  If you're interested in learning more about the Mary Kay opportunity, contact me at asantellana@marykay.com or if you're just interested in the products then you can check out my website at www.marykay.com/asantellana  ….. 15% off your first order, just type "Double Dipping" into the comments section at checkout and I'll send you an updated total.  


Find me on Facebook!!  www.facebook.com/ibcasantellana
Find me on Twitter!!      www.twitter.com/marykay_anas

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

Social Networking Platforms 101 - My Top 3

With so many different Social Networking sites online nowadays many people get overwhelmed.  Well, Ana is here to the rescue.  One of the things I ABSOLUTELY LOVE is reading (yes, I'm a bit of a book nerd, don't hate) and so what I've been doing lately is reading up on all the different Social Networking sites out there that actually are useful.  Whether for business or personal use, these Top 3 sites are ones that I recommend every person look a lil bit more into before just tossing it to the side as a "fad".

Note: Many of the you reading this right now probably have a working knowledge of the sites I'm about to mention.  I'm just doing a quick overview for the newbies BUT if you want more information about any of these, just shoot me a message.  I'm more than happy to share my thoughts and even give more info on books to read to learn more.

Social Networks:
1. Facebook

• Probably one of the more "popular" and "mainstream" of the social networks.
• Females are the majority user.
• Age range of most users btwn 45-54 followed by the 25-34 crowd.
• Average income = $25K-$50K.
• One of the most appealing things is that its free to join and you can probably find most of your friends/family on here.
• One of the annoying aspects is the integration with every single app known to mankind right now (I really don't want to play farmville or mafia wars or whatever new game is going on).
• NOT a good place to find investors.  More of a share your pictures/status updates/plan a party type of medium.

2. LinkedIn

• A MUST JOIN NETWORK for any working professional or college student.
• Considered a "professional network" rather than "social network".
• Male dominated.
• Age range of users btwn 35-44 followed by 45-54.
• Average income around $50K-$100K.
• It is free to have a membership but if you really want to get the most out of the site, upgrade to Business Plus ($49.99/mo).  You'll be able to connect w/a lot more people.
• Great network to learn from established professionals and to grow your network.  
• One of the better sites to find investors in a project.

3. Twitter

• Fastest growing social networking site at the moment.
• Male/Female ratio is about the same.
• Age range of users are 35-44 followed by 25-34.
• Average income $25K-$50K but slowly rising into the higher brackets.  
• Great way to send out quick bursts of info to a massive amount of people (followers) that can be spread like wildfire with re-tweets. 
• Business professionals are taking to Twitter, using it to find investments/investors and share ideas.
• I'm a fan of twitter because of its simplicity.

I'll go more in-depth to other Social Networking sites that are available in my next post, but these are my TOP 3 choices for every person to have when they first start out.  Each offers its own pro/con aspects but if used all together can be a great tool for any person looking to grow their business, enhance their online reputation/presence, or just a good way to interact with the world around them. 

What are your favorite Social Networking sites and why??

Connect with me on all 3 sites!!  I'm always happy to find new people to connect with and share thoughts/ideas.
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/LXDoZJ 
LinkedIn: http://linkd.in/KDPU2E
Twitter: http://bit.ly/MemXZv

Sources:
http://www.ignitesocialmedia.com/social-media-stats/2011-social-network-analysis-report/#Linkedin
http://thesocialskinny.com/99-new-social-media-stats-for-2012/
http://www.socialmediainformer.com/2011/statistics/twitter/

It's time to find a job … The Final Step.

You've revised your resume, networked your butt off (with your inner circle and via social networks) … now its time to get that job.

THE FINAL STEP!!!!

To be honest…this step is different for every person, in my opinion.  I'll give you 2 scenarios.

Scenario 1: 
You're über focused on the job hunt and ready to dive right in.  Yay for you!!  Okay…so now its time to start applying.  Job boards, applying in person, and company websites are just a few of the mediums you can use to apply.  Which is the best?  In my opinion, focus on company websites.

• Company websites will give you the most up-to-date job availability.  While on the website, look for information about the Director/Supervisor/Manager of the department you're looking to apply for and then try to find out who their administrative assistant is.  The assistant is key…believe me.  I was an assistant to the VP of a Business Unit for 4 years AND basically managed the Dallas office employees...I was like the lock/key to get to any of them but mainly my VP.  I monitored his phone calls/messages and would get calls transferred to me from our HQ receptionists when they received calls asking to speak with him.  The amount of info I gave depended on how the caller treated me on the phone.  Be rude and demanding, you're getting nothing BUT be polite and engage me…well, I'm more likely to give you helpful info.  

Don't forget to utilize your newly found contacts from all your networking!  Send a follow-up email, phone call, text (depending on how well you know them) and ask to meet for coffee/lunch so that you can learn more about them and get advice.

• At the meeting, don't start off right away with "I'm job hunting, do you know of jobs that I can apply for?"…..this will have your contact tune you out for the rest of the time and ready to leave as soon as possible.  Instead, engage them.  Ask them about what they do, how they got to that position, their best advice for up-and-comers, etc.  People LOVE to be asked about themselves….you know its true.  Use this!  Engage them into conversation to build a repertoire.  After you've engaged them, they'll be more apt to start asking about YOU.  This is where you can start your "pitch".  You'll get more info at this point and probably (hopefully) the request that you schedule to come in for an interview with them or to meet their boss.  

Scenario 2:
You're beat.  You've revised the resume, networked your butt off, and now…well now you just want to rest and have time to gather your thoughts and take a breather.  What I say to this…eh.  You've done all this hard work to just give up now?  WHY????  Get off your butt and don't start to get lazy now.  BUT…do take a deep breath.  Relax.  Don't let yourself get overwhelmed because that will just make you more anxious.  I've been here, done that, gotten through it and had some regrets.  I'm not telling you this because I read it somewhere…I'm telling you this because I've been there personally.  It's hard, the job search.  You've done it all, now you're doing it again and you're just constantly thinking…"what will make this time different?".
Well, its the way you go about the entire situation that will make this time different.  Don't get worked up, enjoy the search.  Research different companies, find the career that you actually want, and apply to a place that can give you both.  This is your time to make the change.  I fell into this scenario after I was laid off in June 2011 and here I am now.  I took the time after I revised and networked to figure out exactly what I wanted to do.  I always had a notion of the field I wanted to get into, but never thought out specifics.  Taking the time to do this helped me realize what I wanted to do.  I went back to school full-time to finish my last few hours towards my Marketing degree.

So…..
Things happen differently in this step for a lot of people, like I said.  You never know how the final step will go for you.  You could land a job/any job right away, you could realize a speciality that you want to focus in on, or your plans could change entirely.  The final step is where you're able to find yourself.  Realize which way you want your path to go.  Don't be scared to take this step either…there are TONS of possibilities.

I'm 28, a full-time student at UTD, and I've decided to start my own consulting business (on top of a Mary Kay business too….yup, just loading it all on bc I like challenges).  I NEVER thought I'd be here, blogging or even consulting with individuals/businesses but it's where I landed and I've got to say….being thrown into the job search bc of a layoff has been one of the BEST things that has happened to me and it can only get better!!!!!!  Happy Job Hunting!!!

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!!! 

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.