E-Book: Career Blogging for College Students

2009 is going to be a tough year for everyone. It's impossible to ignore that jobs are being shed, people are being laid off and companies shutting down. The economy is in the tank and no one is safe.

Despite all of this, I'm a big believer in seeing the silver lining in the midst of crisis. If you bring it upon yourself to not be fired, to get that great job, or to not let your company go under, you can thrive. It's certainly not easy, and sometimes it's not even fun, but tough times show you what people are really made of.

College students are at an especially big disadvantage right now. Not only do they have to deal with an inevitable quarter life crisis, but now they have to deal with finding a good job in the worst economy since the depression.

Despite being extremely tech-savvy, college students typically live in a giant bubble. They associate with people at school, they go to the bars on campus, they wear sweat pants every day of the week, and the only social media they use is posting last night's pictures on Facebook.

Unfortunately, those giant bubbles need to burst. As the web brings people from all corners of the globe closer together, college students need to step outside of their campus bubbles to compete with top talent and eventually get great jobs. The best way to do this is through social media. The connections you make and the knowledge you gain by immersing yourself in these tools cannot be achieved offline.

Sites like Twitter, LinkedIn and even Facebook can do a lot of good for your career because of the networking opportunities. But to really showcase your thoughts, opinions and strengths to the people looking to hire you, a blog can't be beat.

Because of this, I've written the E-book "Career Blogging: A Guide to Empowering Your Students through Social Media" as a basic guide for university staff, career centers, parents or anyone else trying to help college students succeed in this recessionary job market. The E-Book explains three things:

1. Why blogs are the most effective career tool
2. How students can be successful bloggers
3. How students can use a blog to get the job they want

While this book is clearly written to higher-ed staff, it's just as useful for students who are considering starting a blog or getting involved in social media. So check it out, and don't forget to let me know what you think!

Career Blogging: A Guide to Empowering Your Students Through Social Media

Act Like a Start-up: Ride out The Recession, But Don't Get Too Comfortable

Big News: The economy sucks right now!

And for those of us who need a job and a paycheck to pay our bills, things are certainly getting interesting.

Business Week just published an article stating that November's 6.7% unemployment rate is a full 2% higher than last year at this time, and that number is severely understated. The unemployment number only counts a very specific portion of the population — people who do not have a job, are currently available for work, and have actively sought employment within the last four weeks.

A friend of mine just applied for unemployment and the woman told him that the number of people applying in Madison the past few weeks has been astronomical – she's never seen anything like it. A few of my other friends own a burger joint that was the hottest restaurant in town. Now they're struggling to break even. When college students stop eating burgers and fries, you know something is off.

We're certainly feeling the effects at Brazen Careerist too. Finding funding is about as much fun as sticking needles in your eyes, and we're all adjusting accordingly to keep things going.

Things are bad. But strangely enough, I side with Nadira Hira of Fortune Magazine when she says, "The outcome of the financial crisis may not be a defeated Gen Y, but a more determined one — determined, that is, to follow fulfilling work."

I don't know about you guys, but when I turn on the news to see the doom and gloom of the economy, or when I worry about getting a paycheck, I can't help but think that in the long run, this will make our generation more resilient and better able to handle the challenges we will face in the next 50 years.

And as far as fulfilling work goes, Hira is right on point when she says, "the trifecta of entrapment for the company men of generations past — they'll be harder to corner. Every time they get a paycheck, they'll be wondering if it's their last. And they will always resent a company that uses that paycheck as a shackle."

The advice you read for start-ups tell us that now is the time to settle in and hunker down. It may not be fun, but it's what you have to do. The same advice holds true holds true for individuals, and if there was ever a time to take a less than perfect job that uses "a paycheck as a shackle," just so you can pay the bills, that time is probably now.

But remember, the start-ups and individuals who will survive the worst of times, and emerge better than ever, may appear to the outside world to be "hunkering down" but I guarantee that on the inside their wheels are spinning at a million miles per hour.

So make sure that if and when you settle in to ride this thing out, you never stop planning your next move. Because if you get complacent and wait 'til it's over, you may be too late.

5 Steps to Never Worrying About a Job Search Again

The economy sucks right now. Every media site you go to is littered with stories about the pending doom and gloom of the job market. But the truth is, if you're young, smart and motivated, there is no reason finding a job should be difficult. You just have to put in the extra time and effort to make yourself employable. So for all you college seniors and recent grads, here's a 5 step process to making sure employers are knocking on your door, and not the other way around.

1. Figure out what your interests are

You hear it all the time, find your passion and pursue it. Well, I don't totally buy it. You don't have to find that one true calling to find a job you like, but you should, at the very least, have an interest in the field you pursue. As far as I'm concerned, being interested means that you would do the work in your free time – without getting paid. You'll most likely have multiple careers throughout your lifetime, so forget about searching for the perfect one.

What do you read about, talk about, or blog about on a regular basis? Can any of those things be translated into a career? I'm sure they can, you just have to get creative.

2. Specialize to make yourself employable

Learn as much as you possibly can about the ONE field you want to work in. It might take a few weeks, a few months, or even a year, but if you devote enough time and energy into learning everything you can about your field, you will be employable in any economy.

We just hired an SEO guru who has a degree in psychology, and was in grad school for information studies. One day, less than a year ago, he decided he loved social media and SEO. Now he's turning down job offers from Microsoft and saying no thanks to consulting requests every other day.

Our newest Software Engineer doesn't have a college degree, but we had to woo him away from multiple other companies in Madison to get him to join the team because of his expertise in open source software development. A 4-year degree is great, but true knowledge and expertise in a particular field will trump a degree any day of the week.

3. Share your ideas with the world (Hint: start a blog)

You can be the most knowledgeable 22 year old in the country on your subject matter, and you can have a great resume, but that's not enough. If you want employers to come to you, you have to communicate your knowledge and ideas to the rest of the world. Quite simply, this means start a blog! Blogging is, hands down, the best thing you can do for your career.

In his post about how much resumes suck, Robert Scoble says that only 1 out of 98 resumes he receives include a blog URL. Think about it, all you have to do to get to the top of the pile is put your URL in your cover letter or resume. And when you get to the top of the pile, your chances of getting the interview improve astronomically.

Additionally, a resume cannot show an employer your personality or express your ideas. A blog can. I wouldn't be in the position I am today if it wasn't for Employee Evolution. And I've heard of countless others who have turned their blog into a job. All you have to do is ask around the Brazen community to find some great blog success stories.

4. Control your online brand

When you decide to put your ideas out there for the world to see, you are making a conscious decision to market yourself as a brand. Dan Schawbel, the king of personal branding, has some great resources for anyone who decides its time to create "brand you." The short version is that you should pick an area to brand yourself in and be conscious of everything you do online.

But this doesn't mean you have to take down every Facebook picture of you drinking a beer. We're all fully rounded people. We all have a social life, and a work life. We just happen to live every part of our lives online these days. Use the appropriate social network or blog platform to show each side of your life, and be conscious of the image you project. But don't be scared, just don't do anything illegal, and you'll be fine.

5. Establish a Network of weak ties

We've all heard how important networking is for your career, but how exactly do you network with experienced or high profile people when you're barely out of school? It's easy, you put yourself out there. Start by researching who you want to get in touch with, then send them an email that adds some type of value and request a quick meeting.

In the past two weeks, I've had the pleasure of speaking with high level folks from companies like Accenture and Ceridian. And I've had random meetings with young CEO's of great start-up companies like Banyan Link and Unigo. I used to be unsure of setting up phone calls just to chat, but I've now realized that that's what successful people do. They connect with other successful or soon to be successful people, just because. And if you want to guarantee yourself a job no matter how bad the economy is, that's what you have to do. You have to create as many weak ties as possible.

There are many different ways to approach your career. If you want to find decent jobs by actively job hunting for the rest of your life, a good approach is to have a degree, a solid resume and some relevant experience. But a great way is to do all those things, and embrace this 5 step process. Do it right and you'll be amazed how many potential career opportunities come knocking on your door.

Why You Shouldn't Treat Every Employee the Same

"Why should I cater to Gen Y? I don't want to alienate the rest of our employees by giving this group special treatment."

I hear it all the time. Nearly every time I speak, someone will chime in with this question. And I don't blame them really. It's a legitimate question. But in my opinion, it's a bad assumption.

Why would I be upset that you are going above and beyond to meet the needs or requests of my fellow employees? I want my co-workers to be happy with their jobs. Of course, I'll expect that you go above and beyond to make me happy as well. But, what's wrong with that?

The secret is to forget about trying to make everyone equal at your company, and figure out how to make every group feel special. Whether it's a particular demographic, a gender, a religious group, a generation or even a personality type, your organization should go beyond the paycheck and put in the extra time to find out what each small or large group wants, and give it to them.

Do something to make a particular group or individual feel special

The other day, I spoke with Susie Gorsline, the Senior Vice President of Human Resources for Au Bon Pain, and she told me how they are making a particular group feel special.

Au Bon Pain is hosting their Annual International Company meeting this week. They have managers and executives from 29 countries attending – so obviously all sorts of cultures and religions will be represented. Out of respect for Ramadan (the Muslim religious observance that takes place during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and calls for fasting from dawn to sunset), they decided to accommodate their practicing Muslim population of managers. Breakfast will be served before sunrise at 4:30 AM, a prayer room will be provided, special plates of food will be offered, and wine will not be offered to those who indicate they are observing the holiday.

Needless to say, Gorsline and her team received tremendous feedback from their Muslim employees – many indicating they were proud to be working for such a forward-thinking company. And get this, it cost them next to nothing – just a little time and effort from the conference organizers and the hotel staff.

Tell ALL your employees about your initiative

It's great that all of the employees who were directly affected by the Ramadam accommodation felt proud to work for the company, but don't think they're the only ones who want to hear about it. If your company is creating special initiatives for young employees, employees who lose a family member, employees who have a baby or employees who are approaching retirement, don't keep it a secret, tell everyone!

I would be thrilled to know that my employer cares about my fellow employees so much. When Susie sent out the email notifying everyone of their intentions for Ramadan, it wasn't just the Muslim employees who responded positively, many others replied with emails commending the HR department, and it was the hot topic of conversation for the rest of the week.

It's amazing how helping one small group can make every other group proud to work for your company.

Watch the Trickle down happen

American Express wanted to cater to their baby boomer employees, so they created a program promoting the new concept of phased retirement. The program allows soon to be retired baby boomers to transition from full time work to full time retirement and transfer the invaluable knowledge they've gained during their time at the company. It's a great initiative for experienced workers who are almost ready to retire, but either need a little more money, tenure, or just aren't quite ready to quit work cold turkey.

Well, the next thing you know, this initiative actually trickled down to benefit their Gen Y employees. The young employees ended up getting exactly what they wanted too – hands on training and mentoring from the people who were running the organization

No matter how hard you try, you're not going to please everyone by treating everyone the same. We've all come from different backgrounds and we're all at different points in our lives. So put in the extra effort and figure out how to give every group special treatment — not just Generation Y

Five Common Mistakes Young Adults Make When Starting Up a Small Business

College campuses are becoming a fertile breeding ground for up-and-coming business owners.

A recent study by The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor shows that 18- to 24-year-olds in the United States are starting businesses at a faster rate than 35- to 44-year-olds. Now is your prime time to consider opening up that tattoo parlor, bed and breakfast, or wilderness expedition center you've dreamed about.

So whether you've established a small business, are in the midst of launching one, or simply considering it for the future, it's certain you want at least one thing out of this investment: success.

But it won't be a cakewalk. It's hard to believe, but over 50 percent of small businesses fail in their first year and 95 percent fail within the first five years, according to the U.S. Small Business Association. Starting a business is risky for most, but success can come for those who proceed with logic and discipline.

Here are five common mistakes people tend to make when starting up a small business – and how you can avoid them:

1. Business owners don't create documented procedures for the day-to-day operation. It's a simple equation: Systems = freedom. A "working procedure" is a documented description of how to perform a task. Having it prevents random problems and ensures the task is performed exactly and consistently. Procedures help you delegate, improve your scheduling ability, and allow you to work smarter and accomplish more with less effort. Thus, work less and make more. It's ironic, but by implementing documented system procedures, your employees are free to be creative because they don't have to "wing it" each time they perform their job duties; everyone operates at a smoother pace because there is a proven, working process. Everyone knows what to do and what to expect. Your people don't have to be mind-readers or fortune tellers.

2. Owners don't delegate – they are "doing the work." The reason a business owner can work a few hours a week, or take an extended vacation without stress, is because they have created systems, implemented written procedures with supporting documentation, and have learned to delegate. I know, I know. You're zealous, dreamy-eyed, and proficient at what you do, and as the leader of an organization, you're committed to doing whatever it takes to get your new business off the ground. Successful people don't work harder; they work smarter. This means focusing on what you do best, and delegating the rest. Ask yourself what you enjoy doing least for your business. Perhaps that's bookkeeping or making phone calls to potential clients. Then, imagine literally giving away these tasks. Get rid of the "I am Superman" attitude and hire people who are trustworthy and qualified to take much of the weight off your shoulders.

3. Owners don't use time wisely. Biological Prime Time is when your brainpower is at peak capacity. People function at maximum effectiveness about six hours out of a 24-hour day. It is important to understand this interesting facet of human performance, determine precisely when your prime time occurs, and then use it wisely. Six hours out of a 24-hour day is not much. Presuming you wish to reach your goals sooner rather than later, it is best the tasks that contribute most to your primary goals are performed during your prime time hours and you protect those hours from interruption. Also, don't start your day without a to-do list. Make a list of tasks and categorize them into business-building activities, client activities, and personal items. Then, prioritize, remove distractions, delegate, and stick to your plan.

4. Owners see their job, life, and business as "holistic." You must change your fundamental perspective to see the elements of your world as separate, linear systems. See that these systems can be perfected, one-by-one. Understand that by perfecting a primary system's sub-systems, the primary system will be perfected – and, although you are taking a non-holistic approach, your end product – your business – will be a highly efficient, entirely holistic, "Primary System."

5. Owners don't have a strategic objective or set of operating principles. A strategic objective is short, usually a single page in length. It defines overall goals, describes methodology, and prescribes action. It gives direction for making major and minor decisions. It's an essential instrument for a business and for personal life. General operating principles are a two to three page collection of "guidelines for decision making" that are congruent with the strategic objective. Essential for the work environment and in a simplified and shorter format, they also guide one's personal life. Two examples of simple operating principles are "Do it now," and, "choose the simplest solution."