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)

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.

It's time to find a job…ugh.

Okay, so you've started to look for a job.  Whether it be because you're now a college graduate, unemployed, or looking to get into a new field; you're on the hunt.  Where do you start?   Well, here's what I did when I was in that position during the Summer of 2011. (I'm going to break this down into explaining one step per post as to not make it go on forever...)

Step One: I revised my resume.
You may think that your resume is up-to-date but I bet it can be spruced up.  When was the last time you changed the look of it?  Revised the wording to include more applicable keywords?  Or even made a new one, fresh from a blank template?  Well, here's the time to do it.
I always try to revise/reword my resume at least every few months.  Lots of new keywords and buzz phrases change so you need to stay relevant!!!  Don't be stuck writing in all boring corporate jargon either (unless you're in a super technical field or looking to go into govt work)...that doesn't showcase who you are.  Instead find words that make you stand out!!  Now, don't go crazy, keep it professional but remember that you're not going to get someone's attention if they've read the same thing 100+ times.

Do have your resume online?  How about a video resume?  Or even a PowerPoint resume?  So, these may not be your traditional resumes but they can be effective depending on the type of field you're going into.  Graphic designers, artists, marketing/social media, anything in the creative field can benefit from these resources (still keep a traditional resume on hand too though).  Here are some links that can explain each a bit more if you're interested.

Video Resume
PowerPoint Resume

Remember, don't be afraid to STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD!  If done in a professional way, this allows your potential employer see what you can bring to their company.  I often tell my own friends to keep multiple copies of their resume on-file but each formatted/worded differently to make them stand out in different job markets.  Don't limit yourself to one resume, one career path.

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.