The Do's and Don'ts of Social Media

There is a general question that encompasses proper online behavior, and is a great test for content that you may be thinking about submitting.  Before you post or add anything to your favorite social media sit, ask yourself, "Would I be comfortable tell or showing this to an auditorium full of thousands of people?"  Answers to this question will differ for every individual and all content.  I recommend this test if you are ever unsure because it may save you some embarrassment.

Aside from filtering your posted content, below are some do's and don'ts about online behavior.

Do

• Keep tabs on yourself by regularly searching for yourself on the internet.  See what others can see about you
• Treat your emails as if they are professional correspondence.  Getting in the habit of short-handing an email could become a tough habit to break
• Only use work computers for work related activities.  Since they are the property of the company, the company may monitor your activity
• Be engaging, while being respectful
• Manage your privacy settings
• Proofread before you post

Don't

• Don't share everything -  It is perfectly fine to keep somethings private 
• Refrain from using inside jokes or sarcasm
• Broadcast your opinions about controversial topics or issues
• Spam colleagues 
• Don't feel as if you must be friends with everyone- it is ok to be picky
• Don't mix personal life with business life 

Annotated Research List III

Council, N. Z. (2011, March). Professionalism and the use of social media. Retrieved from The University of Auckland: http://www.education.auckland.ac.nz/uoa/home/for/current-students/facilities-and-resources/social-media-guidelines

This is a list of practical guidelines and expectations for online behavior while maintaining ones professionalism.  Seven steps outline the basic do's and don'ts of online behavior.  For some, these rules may be common sense.   If you are new to social media, these steps could be life savers.

Sr, J. W. (2012, August 1). Professionalism in the Use of Social Media. Retrieved from American Medical Association: http://www.ama-assn.org/resources/doc/code-medical-ethics/9124a.pdf

The AMA outlines its rules for professional online behavior.  As a medical professional, it is important to build relationships with patients.  However, these relationships must remain in the workplace and not carry-over outside the office.  Furthermore, a medical professional may come across information about their patients that they are not privy to.

University of Massachusetts Medical School. (n.d.). GUIDELINES FOR PROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOR. Retrieved from University of Massachusetts Medical School: www.umassmed.edu/uploadedfiles/Professionalism.pdf

UMass Medical School lays out ideas about professional behavior that are expected in the workplace.  While they are not directly intended to address online activity, some of the expectations about attitude and interaction are certainly transferrable. 

Annotated Research List II

FORBESWOMAN. (2012, February 14). The First Step To Building Your Personal Brand. Retrieved from Forbes: http://www.forbes.com/sites/dailymuse/2012/02/14/the-first-step-to-building-your-personal-brand/

A thorough review of the purpose and implications on maintaining a positive online image.  Forbes not only looks at why it is important to create the image you want, but who you are trying to reach.  What audience will respond to your marketing and how can this be controlled?.

Holbrook, J. (2011, November 9). How to Brand and Promote Yourself Online. Retrieved from The Business of Broadband: http://www.zcorum.com/how-to-brand-and-promote-yourself-online-part-one/

This site deals more with image and purpose.  What image do we want to convey and how can we effectively do that.  Color scheme, domain names, and avatars are all addressed.  All of these points are important in drawing and retaining attention to a brand

Schawbel, D. (2009, February 5). Personal Branding 101: How to Discover and Create Your Brand. Retrieved from Mashable: http://mashable.com/2009/02/05/personal-branding-101/

This site explains why online image is important today and briefly outlines ten ways to manage our online identities.  It covers all social media sites and how we should go about using them to our advantage in creating a positive brand.

The Huffington Post

The Huffington Post is a news website that has built an identity as a youthful,active, weblog that was created in response to websites such as The Drudge Report.  Through its early years, The Huffington Post's identity dealt mainly with perspectives and agendas that were liberal/leftist.  Although this website is far from center, The Huffington Post has become far less bias since it was acquired by AOL.  The website has since tried to move beyond left-right partisanship and bring truthful, revealing coverage of issues that should be of interest to  the social-media generation.  Rather than presenting predictable thought processes about issues that are important to a particular demographic, The Huffington Post strives to present issues that are important to the progress of humanity and pertinent to the unification of the population.

The "brand" presented by The Huffington Post is new, fresh, and hip.  There is an air of sophistication about this website that makes it more desirable than others.  It has an attitude that makes you feel like they know something you don't.  It is the "cool uncle" of other news sites that rehash traditional rhetoric and I believe this is what helps the site to attract its audience.  This "cool uncle" image should not and does not detract from the quality of content that is published by the site.  It does, however, present an image of new excitement, which helps attract interest in the issues that are covered.

Overall, I would say the this news site advocates change.  It encourages its readers to lead active lives and to   have a hand in shaping the world around them.  The language used and the stories covered are crafted in such a way that the readers comes away with a sense of duty.  To care about an issue and take a stance, one way or the other, and I feel they are quite effective in this.

The only fault that I find with The Huffington Post is its lack of bipartisanship.  While leftist/liberals are criticized from time to time and the site has moved more center since its purchase by AOL; it still remains a forum for liberal commentary.  The Huffington Post should continue to report on issues that merit attention, but make arguments based in logic rather than partisanship.

Interview Question Strategies

What can you do for this company?

I feel that this is a good question to explain how your specific qualities will benefit the working environment at this company.  If I felt that I had strong integrity, I would say, "I can provide a strong sense of integrity to fellow workers as well as clients of this company."  Then I would follow with an example that demonstrates how I would apply integrity to the scope of the position that I was applying for.  I would not answer this question with answers such as, "I will work hard for this company" or "I will bring a positive attitude."  Answers like these are very general, and employers would expect positive attitudes and hard work.

What is your greatest weakness?

This may be, in my opinion, the trickiest question to answer.  I think that this is an opportunity to reveal something that you struggle with, but have a firm handle on.  For example, if I suffer from anxiety when dealing with big groups I would say so, but then I would immediately follow this admission with how I effectively cope with this dilemma.  Be it breathing exercises or focused relaxation, showing that I am able to cope or overcome a personal flaw is the important point of this answer.  

Explain X to you 8-year old niece or nephew in three sentences.

This question is all about communication effectiveness.  I think it is perfectly fine to take a few seconds to arrive at a simple, yet direct, statement.  Make sure you stick to the three sentence limit, now is not the time to break a simple rule.  You don't need to use baby talk here, but the main goal is to show that you can explain something complex in laymen's terms.  In any career you may be forced to deal with clients or coworkers that just cannot grasp a particular concept that you are trying to convey.  You mustn't make them feel stupid or belittled.  Therefore it is important to show that you can break a concept into its simplest form and communicate it to someone else.


Why do you think you would do well at this job?

This is an opportunity to pounce.  Let them know that you are the worker that is needed to fill this position.  I would say something to the effect of, "Given my experience with X, or my talent in Y, functioning in this role would be practically natural for me."  Assure the employer that your adjustment time would be minimal and your transition into the position would be smooth and effortless.  Know the demands of the job you are applying for and be able to tie your skills into these demands.

Do you have any questions for me?

Answering this question well can be an important part of selling yourself to the employer.  This is an opportunity to put the company in the hot-seat and let them know that they aren't the only kool-aide stand in town.  It is important to ask questions to which the answers that are given could be compared to other companies that you may be interviewing for.  If you have come to the interview prepared, jot down the answers to the questions as if you are going to be referring to them later.  Most likely with answers that other companies have given you.  Give the impression that your time is valuable and so are you.  Do not answer this question by asking, "When do I start?" 

Annotated Research List

1) Moster, T. (2012, November 1). MSN Career. Retrieved from 10 ways intelligent job seekers blow their interviews: http://msn.careerbuilder.com/Article/MSN-3185-Interviewing-10-ways-intelligent-job-seekers-blow-their-interviews/

This is an article by director of recruitment and placement for Moster Legal Placement Todd Moster.  He highlights some of the ways people lose their interview, even if they are the most qualified.  A great list of things NOT to do from someone who knows.

2) Westport One. (2010). Retrieved January 15, 2013, from EMPLOYER INTERVIEW GUIDE: http://www.westportone.com/client/guide.htm

Westport One provides an interesting perspective on interviews by allowing us to experience what an EMPLOYER may be thinking.  While each employer is likely to be different, job candidates can gain a perspective on what an interviewer is thinking.

3) Rose, T. (2013). JobDig. Retrieved January 15, 2013, from 10 Things You Must Do Before That Successful Interview: http://www.jobdig.com/articles/487/10_Things_You_Must_Do_Before_That_Successful_Interview.html

JobDig gives us a ten-point checklist of simple tasks that should be followed before an interview.  This list can help to provide confidence for anyone who is heading into an interview for the first time, or the first time in a long time.

Introduction

My name is Jacob Wood (Jake) and I am thirty years old.  I have lived in Michigan for most of my life.  I did, however, spend a brief two years of my early childhood in Orange County, Florida.  I currently live in Hemlock, MI.

After high school I attended Michigan Technological University and pursued a degree in Computer Engineering.  Unfortunately, after a year I realized that I had no interest in the field and promptly withdrew from the university.  After returning home I joined a trade union and have been employed full-time there for the last ten years.  I have recently become bored with this occupation and am making a move towards Law School.  This is my last semester at Davenport as I will be transferring to either Michigan State or Central Michigan's Political Science/Pre-Law program.  I have been accepted to both schools and am currently pondering which to attend.  If anyone has any insight as to the quality of either of these programs, I am all ears.

Im looking forward to getting to know everyone as the semester progresses and working diligently to be successful in the class.