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you're in the pool, you have to constantly manage that presence. It should be part of your daily routine, part of your career." There was a time not long ago when turning an individual into a brand required a team of publicists and marketing experts. You had to be a Michael Jordan or Madonna. Now you just need a decent Internet connection and a willingness to work hard, thanks to social media powerhouses LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. "Social media has become a channel by which everyone can develop a following and a platform, like celebrities but at a micro-level," Schawbel said. "We're all micro-celebrities now. We're famous to a certain number of people. It's free, for just the cost of your time." And it's beneficial, regardless of where you are in your career. Most people looking for work know the importance of social media, particularly LinkedIn, the business networking site that recently reached 200 million registered users. But people settled into jobs often forget that the John Henderson or Jane Johnson brand isn't going to manage itself. "Most people don't think of Q& A dard resume. "You have to live the brand promise every day," Gershbein said. "A brand promise is something that evolves through the writing of a profile (on a social media site) but also through your actions. People see your LinkedIn profile, they see that posting articles, not just shamelessly self-promoting, giving other people kudos and credit. Nothing builds brands better and quicker than respect – giving it, knowing how to receive it and being in conversations that mean something." And finding ways to stand out from all the rest. Gershbein said you want your LinkedIn profile – and the rest of your online presence – to "position you immediately in the minds of those accessing you." He recalled helping an accountant develop his LinkedIn profile: "He was a good guy, but he was giving me no content I could work with. Finally I said, 'Is there anything you do or interests you have or anything you've learned along the way that makes you a better business person?' He mentioned that he had run in the Chicago marathon, and I said I like the parallel between the discipline and preparation that goes Make sure your references are good ones By Diane Stafford The Kansas City Star (MCT) positive things about you. (If you're not sure what Your resume may land you they'll say, you can hire a firm like Allison & Taylor to an interview, but your refermake calls to find out.) ences can seal the deal. • It's OK to use peers or The reference-checking subordinates as references. firm of Allison & Taylor, It's OK, too, to leapfrog over which works for both your direct supervisor if employers and job hunters, says the strength of your ref- someone higher on the corporate ladder will be more erences will separate you complimentary. from other candidates. Prospective employers freThe firm suggests: quently encounter supervi• Provide the names, current job titles, company affili- sors who say they can share only basic "name, rank and ations and phone number(s) serial number" information. of your references. If hirers have trouble finding your ref- Other colleagues may be erences, they're likely to move more likely to speak freely. • Change your references on to the next candidate. to best fit the exact job you're Include a "frame of referaiming to get, particularly if ence" sentence such as, "I you've had a varied career. was his direct report for six If you're trying to get back years, and he can tell about see REFERENCES . . . page 7 my key contributions to an information technology project that saved the company Volume 15 • Number 21 $3 million." • List references only who January 31, 2013 have agreed to be references and who you know will say see STAND BY . . . page 7 Keys to averting those small mistakes that add up By Liz Reyer Star Tribune (Minneapolis) (MCT) Q. I find I'm making a lot of small mistakes at work; I think it's because everything moves so fast and there are so many things to get done each day. Do you have suggestions for ways I can keep things together? cracks. Resist the temptation to be hard on yourself in this analysis; take a few breaths, and use this as a neutral of the details. learning opportunity. The pace at many workplaces has Reflect on your coping skills, thinking picked up dramatically and leaves a lot about times that you have successfully of people breathless. It might seem par- managed in a high-paced setting.What adoxical, but one way to cope with the has worked well in those cases? What pace is to slow down a bit.As a first is different now that is making it more step, take time to step away, unwind challenging? and set aside the frenzy so that you can Lastly, consider resources you might think through a new approach. have available, particularly your boss Now analyze your mistakes. Errors and co-workers.You might not be geton calculations or other numeric ting all of the assistance you need to be information, formatting or written successful, especially if people don't documents might call for different know you're struggling. Remember that solutions. Or you might be making it's a sign of strength to be willing to time-management errors in which ask for help from your team. requests are slipping between the The single best step to reduce errors A. Keep your mind focused and give yourself some tools to help keep track is to focus your full attention on each thing you're doing. Reducing distractions, even for 15 minutes at a time, will result in higher-quality work. So close your email and check it when you're at natural breaking points in your work. This also will help you accomplish each task more quickly, which will help address your volume issue. Review your checking processes. Ideally, there's a second person confirming your data or an editor on high-visibility written documents. If you do not have this, develop procedures to replicate and confirm your work. In the meantime, try to get a buddy system set up; it's likely that others are in the same bind as you, so all will benefit. Create a checklist that includes the types of errors you frequently make. For example, if you often forget to include information about data sources or use the wrong form of the word "its," add these to your checklist.Then print it and use it - it'll help you remain conscious of the errors you want to remove. If you're dropping the ball on requests, make a list of all requests so that they remain top of mind.Try a whiteboard so it can be easily updated. And remember to take care of yourself. If you're short on sleep, not eating well, etc., your body might play tricks on you and errors will result. Slowing down will help you bring the quality of your work back to your desired standard. Liz Reyer is a credentialed coach with more than 20 years of business experience. Her company, Reyer Coaching & Consulting, offers services for organizations of all sizes. Submit questions or comments about this column at www.deliverchange.com/coachscorner or email her at lizdeliverchange.com. 2 GREATERmilwaukeeJOBS • January 31, 2013 A publication of Conley Media themselves in terms of a brand. They don't think in terms of, 'What do I need to do to be taken seriously on a site like LinkedIn?' " said J.D. Gershbein, CEO of the Chicago-based Owlish Communications and a speaker and author of the upcoming book, "The LinkedIn Edge: Creating a Psychological Advantage in Social Business." "They put up a profile and throw a few things on there and say, 'All right, let it happen.' " Our ability to create and control our brands is a great power, but utilizing that power requires far more than creating a Twitter account and occasionally letting the world know that you're "eating a burrito." You need to bring something to the table. Schawbel and Gershbein stressed the importance of interacting online with people in your industry: sharing links to articles; commenting on others' posts; composing your own posts on professional topics that interest you; going out of your way to help people in your networks who have questions. These activities not only help you build a web of professional connections, they also give voice to your brand. You can define yourself far more through online activity than through the stan- ... from page 1 GREATERmilwaukeeJOBS Stand by Classified Sales Director: Kristi Wolf 262/670-1516 Account Executive: Donna Armstrong 262/513-2698 darmstrong@conleynet.com Story Coordinator: Dwayne Butler 262/513-2626 dbutler@conleynet.com Production: Patricia Scheel 262/513-2690 Distributed by: Conley Distribution 262-513-2646 ©2004 by Conley Media Waukesha County Independent and Locally Owned GREATERmilwaukeeJOBS is published weekly by Conley Media – Waukesha County, 801 N. Barstow St., Waukesha, WI 53186. Contents of this publication may not be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the publisher. GREATERmilwaukeeJOBS assumes no liability for any error in copy or content. It is the advertiser's responsibility to be aware of the laws pertaining to employment advertising. Subscriptions are available for $34 (non-refundable) for a 6-month subscription. Call 262/513-2698 for information. 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