Social Media Glossary

Here are definitions for 120 social media marketing terms, from AddThis to Zooomr.

Building a Better LinkedIn Profile

Most of us have our resumes or work histories posted on LinkedIn, but to stand out from the crowd, you need to do better than that. Here are 6 tips to make yourself more marketable to prospective employers. Also check out 5 common errors to avoid, so you can better capture the attention of recruiters.

Career Advice from the Co-Founder of LinkedIn

Here are 8 pieces of wisdom from Reid Hoffman.

How to Handle a Phone Interview

According to this article, a phone interview is primarily a way for companies to screen you out of their candidate pool. This would be especially true of larger companies that get flooded with resumes. To avoid getting caught off guard and blowing your chances, screen out phone calls from unfamiliar numbers, and call the interviewer back when you are ready.

Interviewing: the Question Behind the Question

From Mashable, here's a list of 10 good interview questions, and what the interviewer is really trying to learn about you in each case. Whatever you answer, be prepared for follow-up questions.

Shyness/Introversion in the Workplace

In some industries, it's commonly believed that remaining silent during business meetings is career suicide. The Wall Street Journal explored Why People Don't Speak Up in Groups to help us understand this phenomenon. It turns out that not speaking up is more common in women and surprisingly, those with higher IQs, according to the study cited in the article.
I'll add a few of my own tips for those hesitant to speak up in meetings. In my experience, speaking up early in the meeting is key. It breaks the ice for you and sets the tone for you to be a contributor in the meeting. The longer you sit there without saying anything, the harder it will become. Before the start of the meeting, chat with the other attendees. Ask them questions about themselves, their opinions, etc. You don't want to overshare, but let people know you a little too. Finally, if the meeting concerns a subject matter that you don't have much expertise in, you can participate by asking thoughtful questions. Yes, questions are once again your friends.

Research shows that more people talk when the size of the group is small. The larger the group size, the smaller the ratio of participants. So if you want to practice being more active in meetings, speaking in a smaller group can be much less daunting. Remember, people probably want to hear your thoughts and questions. You are there to add value. Like everything else in life, the more you practice, the easier it'll get.

On a related note, check out the Harvard Business Review's blog for The Introvert's Guide to Networking, if you need some encouragement in this arena.

Do you view networking in a negative light?

If so, this article will help you see things differently. We've all heard that in this day and age, the best way to find a new job is by networking. In a nutshell: “It’s not about what you need, it’s about what you can contribute.” So go find the people who can benefit from your talents.

Seven Interview Questions That Kill Careers

Here are some common interview questions that could be asked in a wide variety of fields. Some are open ended enough that people commonly trip themselves up or say the wrong thing. This article guides the types of answers you should give.

You Can Do Everything Right and Still Not Get the Job

The title sounds discouraging but this article is intended to be encouraging. Interviewers are only human, and are therefore subjective. Do your very best to prepare for your interview, give it your all, and then let whatever happens, happen. This way you can't beat yourself up after the fact, saying things would have been different if only I had done [fill in the blank].

Tips for Video Job Interviews

Companies are doing more video interviewing as a time/cost-saving measure and it actually is a different animal than an in-person interview. There's the old advice of wear your full suit (vs. just the top part of your suit over pajama pants, incase they ask you to stand up). Here's what else you should know.

Power vs. Influence: Interview with Bing Gordon of Kleiner Perkins

Here's a great interview with the former chief creative officer at Electronic Arts, now a VC, on leadership and why he prefers influence over power. I found it interesting on its own merits, and it's also related to job hunting in that if you're good at influencing people, you will stand out and convince anyone to hire you.

Some tips from Forbes.com for moms looking to go back to work

This article is a couple of years old, but the advice is still relevant, such as...

A good way to get yourself back into working is by volunteering or looking for part-time or project work. You get the benefits of networking, as well as bolstering your resume with recent experience.

"Before you reach out to anyone, have a brief elevator pitch ready--a 30-second spiel that sums up what kind of work you're looking for and what your experience is. End the pitch by asking, Do you know of anyone I should talk to? Never ask if they have a job to offer themselves. People will know what you want, and if they feel comfortable telling you about an opening they know of, they will."

Before you begin your job search in earnest, make sure you have the support you need, such as childcare incase you are invited to interview.

Never apologize for having taken time away from your career to raise children. If asked about it, answer succinctly and move on.

Get together with others who are in the same situation and practice interviewing.

Read the full article here.