JibberJobber Search Enhancements

JibberJobber Search Enhancements A few weeks ago we updated the search features on the general search (as opposed to the List Panel Search).  Now, when you do a search, you can limit the search results.  To get tighter search results, or to make the search faster, limit what you are searching on. This is what you see after you do a search. The search phrase is now highlighted, so if you spelled it wrong or want to search for something else, you can do it right away (the cursor is ready to type something new see how Jason Alba is highlighted? Just start typing.). By default we are not just searching on Contacts, Companies and Jobs.  We used to search on other things (the unchecked checkbox) so gets you more relevant results faster. To get FASTER and tighter results, simply uncheck more boxes.  For example, if you want to see Contacts in the results, uncheck Companies and Jobs. Not bad, eh? JibberJobber Search Enhancements A few weeks ago we updated the search features on the general search (as opposed to the List Panel Search).  Now, when you do a search, you can limit the search results.  To get tighter search results, or to make the search faster, limit what you are searching on. This is what you see after you do a search. The search phrase is now highlighted, so if you spelled it wrong or want to search for something else, you can do it right away (the cursor is ready to type something new see how Jason Alba is highlighted? Just start typing.). By default we are not just searching on Contacts, Companies and Jobs.  We used to search on other things (the unchecked checkbox) so gets you more relevant results faster. To get FASTER and tighter results, simply uncheck more boxes.  For example, if you want to see Contacts in the results, uncheck Companies and Jobs. Not bad, eh?

Personal Branding Weekly - You are the Product - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding Weekly - You are the Product - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career I understand the importance of visibility. As a small business owner, being “known” can be the difference between a steady flow of revenue or closing your doors. Yet, being visible is not enough. Being remembered is most important and means you occupy some prime real estate in the mind of someone. Garnering “share of mind” means that somewhere along the way they sampled your character and competence and you became memorable. Marketing, by definition, is creating an exchange environment. For an individual, that could mean exchanging a referral, speaking positively on your behalf, a promotion or an introduction. Branding, by definition, is an emotion or image tied to a product. You are the product. [tweet this] Even in businesses, people are the brand and define the company, more than any mere mission statement hanging in the lobby. So, how does an individual create “buzz” for their brand for visibility and more importantly to be remembered so that they can develop credibility? 1. Know what makes you unique. Whether you’re job hunting or wanting a position on board of director’s, you need to confidently know what value you bring to the table. 2. Get really good at communicating what makes you valuable. Ninety-three percent of communication is tone and body language. Spend time on the words so that what you say and how you communicate are congruent with your value. Yet, know that communication includes your image, the way you present yourself, your workspace, your phone skills and even your lunch meeting etiquette. They must all be congruent with what makes you valuable. Any discrepancies will jeopardize your credibility and could produce negative word of mouth which is a problem that I will address in future articles. 3. Manage that communication. If you’re creating “buzz” around your brand, it will require you proactively managing the communication. For example, if you’re new to a company or a position you will need to build a credibility wall. Yes, a physical wall if possible. It showcases every plaque, certificate, service honor, licensing, certification and degree you’ve received. This wall is your visual third party testimonial on the character and competence of your brand. Since that wall cannot travel with you, make sure that anytime you’re honored for volunteer service or recognized for a contribution that a copy of the “thank you” letter, note or card be placed into you personnel file. Even if you’re on your own, these “proof of credibility” tools will take you far. As the vice president of a business fraternity in college, I booked speakers to speak to our fraternity for professional development. I asked each of them to write a letter for me about their experience working with me so that I could include that in my personal portfolio. Many of these speakers went on to become regional directors, chief operation officers, chief financial officers, company presidents and further that my portfolio has become quite valuable. Actively “buzz” your brand! Doing that will develop credibility; credibility will lead to influence; and influence will lead to leadership. This past week we covered: Start Your Own Business in 2014 by Crystal Washington Why Cheating is the Secret to Success by Nance Rosen Why Online Job Applications are Not Effective by Ceren Cubukcu 6 Ways to Work Smarter in 2014 by Heather Huhman Communication Style Magnetically Attracts Your Clientele by Elinor Stutz Taking Action: An Interview  with LVLXIII CEO Antonio Brown by Bill Connolly Why I Fired One of My Business Coaches by Eddy Ricci New Years Resolution: Quit My Job by Richard Kirby The Civic 50: A Guide To Boosting Your Corporate Civic Engagement by  Antoinne Machal-Cajigas While in Transition, Focus But on What? by Alex Freund Increase Brand Loyalty Through Giving by Susan Gilbert Three Words for 2014 by Jeff Shuey How Much Growth is Healthy? When is Maintenance Better? by Beth Kuhel How to Increase Social Media Engagement by Leslie Truex 15 Qualities for Becoming the Ideal Job Seeker by Ken Sundheim Building Your Brand in 3 Easy Steps by Nick Inglis 3 Methods to Build Your Personal Vocabulary by Marc Miller Some tidbits from last week’s posts that are useful and that you can tweet about are: It is of utmost importance that before posting a résumé, it be solid and strong. You never know where it could end up. http://ow.ly/sshUh  [tweet this] There is brilliance in simplicity: have a clear message and don’t get caught up in anything but what you’re focused on.   http://ow.ly/ssl89  [tweet this] Asking others how you can help them during an interview uncovers needs you may be able to address.   http://ow.ly/ssnhW  [tweet this] To find a good mentor, you have to put the time and effort to find the right one whom you feel confident with.   http://ow.ly/ssnDI  [tweet this] Twitter is one of the easiest platforms to connect with other influencers and potential customers for your brand.   http://ow.ly/ssqvj  [tweet this] Success is directly tied to others. Embracing humility, serendipity and giving back can make 2014 the best year yet.   http://ow.ly/sstn1  [tweet this] Advice should stand on its own merit, not by the behavior of the advisor: no one is capable of upholding all truths. http://ow.ly/ssugu  [tweet this] Before setting 2014 goals, review your 2013 goals and your progress toward achieving them. http://ow.ly/sswgZ  [tweet this] Your LinkedIn photo should make the kind of impression you want to project through your personal brand. http://ow.ly/sswv3  [tweet this] Connecting personally and striving to build solid relationships serves to build your personal brand.   http://ow.ly/ssC4z  [tweet this] According to a recent study by 1 and 1, 53% of American adults have considered starting their own business.   http://ow.ly/ssCz8  [tweet this] High achievers consistently look like they are cheating, because they work faster and produce more and better outcomes. http://ow.ly/ssCSF  [tweet this] It’s always better to connect with the person that you are going to work with in the future rather than with the HR personnel. http://ow.ly/ssE4k  [tweet this] Planning your work day and understanding your personal work ethic helps accomplish more than you ever thought it could. http://ow.ly/ssGvD  [tweet this] It is yourcommunication style that essentially sells your personal brand. http://ow.ly/ssHzN  [tweet this] A coach’s job is to clarify, understand situations and make sure they are on the same page with you. http://ow.ly/ssIbl  [tweet this] The best time to look for a new job is when you’re employed and doing well in your current role. http://ow.ly/ssJmM  [tweet this] 88% of companies now evaluate their employees’ performance in part based on their participation in community service. http://ow.ly/st8mn  [tweet this] The most important element in brand marketing is people. What better way to connect with your audience than with  giving? http://ow.ly/st8nC  [tweet this] 60-80% of people get their jobs via networking. http://ow.ly/st8ou  [tweet this] Thank you for your comments and feedback! And, most importantly thanks for taking the time to read and join us here!

Download Your Free Career Toolkit The Best Career Advice From This Blog

Download Your Free Career Toolkit The Best Career Advice From This Blog To celebrate my book coming out soon, I am giving away something FREE each week until my book comes out! Make sure you check out previous giveaways: A Free Networking Success Ebook with tips from 13 Successful Women, A free Resume and Cover Letter Makeover Webinar  and free salary negotiation workbook. This weeks giveaway is something that has been around for awhile but I wanted to spotlight it again to make sure you all havent forgotten about the amazing resources right at your fingertips this very second!  My free career toolkit is something I put together almost a year ago that has helped hundreds of professionals expand their network and get into careers they love.  You can sign up for the toolkit at freecareertoolkit.com.  This is a collection of the BEST career tips from my blog so you dont have to go digging around through 3 years of blog posts trying to find the best stuff!:) Heres what you get when you sign up: In this ebook, I share with you my tips for stepping out of your comfort zone and conquering your fears.  I challenge you to become the person you know that you can become. In this book, I share with you  some great ideas to start networking like crazy!   These are simple ideas and should take you no longer than 15-20 minutes each day to complete. The main purpose of an informational interview is to get information about a field of work from someone who is knowledgeable and experienced.  In this book, I share with you 10 great tips on how to nail an informational interview and turn it into a job! In this workbook, I will give you three job search checklists to use before you go to your next networking event, before you submit your next resume or before you go to your next interview.  Don’t leave home without it! And last but not least, by signing up for my free career toolkit at freecareertoolkit.com, you will get access to my weekly career success newsletter where I give you special career tips and advice that you wont find here on this blog.  My newsletter subscribers are my VIPs and I treat them right!:)  (P.S. I hate spam so you dont have to worry!) Click here to sign up to get all of these great benefits right now!

3 Actionable Tips for Pitching Your Startups Potential Clients

3 Actionable Tips for Pitching Your Startup’s Potential Clients One of the biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make is placing the focus on their product or service, rather than looking into what the customer would want. In such a situation, the entrepreneur does an excellent job explaining a product, but falls short when it comes to the most important part â€" that of connecting with the customer. To avoid falling into the same trap, ensure that you carry out a thorough, unbiased analysis of your service or product by looking into whether you are solving a problem, the market is ready and others. After the analysis, create a presentation that shares details about your young company; however, the most effective pitches are those designed to address a customer’s pain points. This includes giving a concise list of benefits your service or product in relation to solving problems, or lessening them. The focus here is on feasible and realistic tips for pitching your initial customers. Here are three tips that will help you avoid making the same mistake many other startups make when pitching to potential clients. Understand Your Customer in a Real Way Research and figure out who your potential customers really are and what are the most important things to them. If you are pitching to a company, for example, selling steel aircraft hangars, understand their goals and vision, the people on the management team, and such details. Spend time on the customer’s website like http://www.americansteelspan.com/hangars.html to glean general company information and even their annual report; you may be surprised how much information you can get working out of your computer. The point of doing the research is to incorporate some of the information you get in intersections showing how their operations and your product can merge into your presentation. When you can, use their wording to explain your points and why you make a good partner. Another obvious benefit is that your audience will appreciate the great effort you have put into your product to address their pains. Plus, since you will be pitching to different audiences, research helps you create a customized presentation for each. For example, angel investors will be more interested in hearing about the ROI, while reporters want something that stands out for their readers. Get in the head of your audience and understand what they want to hear, and you can also anticipate potential questions they may have. Know What You Want When it comes to your “ask,” be as specific as possible; do not step into the presentation room hoping to create some kind of relationship, but you have no idea what it should look like from your perspective. Your perspective is informed from the research you carried out earlier, so what you “ask” is in line with the expectations of your potential customer. Do this and you have a clearer shot at success. If you come across to your customer as another “me too” startup business, chances are high that you will not get a foot into the door. Even if your product or service may look similar to others on the market, always stress on what makes you different. The research you did earlier can help you create these unique selling points and may include things like better pricing, better service, better marketing or better anything. Close Like a Champion Your pitch should never spiral down into the dark abyss; wrap it up with a clear call-to-action. Ask for a follow-up meeting or have the client sign on. The most important thing is to ensure that everyone in the room understands the next steps before you all go your own ways. All in all, failing to prepare is the fastest way to failure. Follow these pitching tips and you will get into the presentation room confident of getting a deal. About The Author Jim Thompson is an influencer marketing pro with brownboxbranding.com who is passionate about building authentic relationships and helping businesses connect with their ideal online audience. He keeps his finger on the pulse of the ever-evolving digital marketing world by writing on the latest marketing advancements and focuses on developing customized blogger outreach plans based on industry and competition. . Image credit.

5 Freelance Careers Perfect for Baby Boomers [Guest Post] - Career Pivot

5 Freelance Careers Perfect for Baby Boomers [Guest Post] - Career Pivot Freelance Careers Copyright: palinchak / 123RF Stock Photo Millions of baby boomers that did their part to grease the country’s economic wheels over productive careers, now find themselves nearing the end of a traditional work age. However, many aren’t quite ready to retire completely yet and are looking for ways to reuse their skills and experience. Luckily, baby boomers have the ability to start a freelancing career which can offer a way to put old skills to work in a bold new way. It’s all about working differently to stay vibrant, enjoying the freedom of freelancing and keeping a nice flow of money coming in to augment the retirement nest egg. Digital Marketing Digital marketing is a perfect industry for a freelancing career because an increasing number of businesses has decided to tap into the freelancing market for occasional projects. Many companies have realized they don’t need a full-time employee so they hire freelancers to handle promotional events or new products launches. This is a great opportunity for a nimble freelancer to step in and snag project work for occasional marketing campaigns. While fewer companies are choosing to hire a permanent marketer, there is still work to be found at various points in the business year. If your experience can help get that first project, a job well done should have the company coming back to you time after time. Consulting If you’ve worked in a field that requires a well-defined skill or license (such as law, accounting, healthcare, management, etc.), consulting is an excellent â€" and often high-paying â€" way to profit from a lifetime of knowledge and experience. You can work a few hours daily charging $25, $50, or more per hour to help young people who are starting their careers or even experienced individuals and companies. With today’s video conferencing options, most of this kind of work doesn’t even need to be done face-to-face, which opens you up to working globally. Essentially, you’re a coach in your specialty. You can work long hours if you want because the demand is certainly there, but you can also choose to limit your availability and enjoy a more flexible schedule. Writing The digital economy loves a good writer. If you have a background as an academic, researcher, or journalist, and don’t mind the initial marketing involved to get your name out there, there are numerous opportunities available for a motivated baby boomer who still loves to string words together. Traditional outlets like magazines, local newspapers, and trade publications always need strong wordsmiths but don’t neglect articles, press releases, and blogs for websites. The demand for online content is very strong right now. Listen to the most recent episode However, keep in mind that the competition is also quite strong and it might take you some time to build a reputation as a credible writer. Similarly, you need to be prepared for working with clients that might be impossible to deal with. Some of them might require numerous revisions or have unrealistic expectations that can cause you a lot of stress. You will need to learn how to handle them. Accounting Accounting and bookkeeping offer a monumental amount of work for those who have built careers on good old number-crunching. Good with taxes and only want to work part-time? This is the way to go as the calendar grinds relentlessly towards April 15 each year. Another vast area of need is small business owners who need help with basic (or advanced) financial bookkeeping. You can pull double-duty by offering financial consulting as well. As long as there is an infernally confusing tax code requiring a part of all you make, there will be job security for bookkeepers and accountants. A baby boomer with a background in any related specialty would be wise to jump in. Tutoring Many baby boomers have advanced degrees and decades of experience in fields like math, science or foreign languages. At the same time, many parents are usually prepared to invest money in their children’s education and they are increasingly recognizing the benefits of tutoring lessons. So, why not impart all your hard-earned knowledge to students around the world looking to improve their skills in a particular subject? The Internet offers the perfect medium for tutoring. You can create online lessons and communicate in real-time with students around the world by Skype or a similar service. From the teaching side of the cyber-desk, it’s a great way to make extra money but still set your own schedule and work only as much as you want to. Final Thoughts Times aren’t just changing, they have already changed. No longer are healthy, smart people in their 60’s and beyond content to sit around and slowly siphon their nest egg. They’ve got knowledge and the Internet Age has created the perfect playground for putting their skills and experience to good use. If you feel you still have a lot left to contribute to this world, you should think about getting online and starting your freelancing career. This post was written by Lisa Michaels, a freelance writer, editor and a striving content marketing consultant from Portland. She does her best to stay on top of the current trends in the business world. Feel free to connect with her on Twitter @LisaBMichaels. Like what you just read? Share it with your friends using the buttons above. Like What You Read? Get Career Pivot Insights Check out the Repurpose Your Career Podcast Do You Need Help With ...