Rachel Levy: Social Media & Marketing

Note: This is a version of a post I made on the Wall Street Journal online blog on 3/18/09.

With so many people out of work these days, I have noticed that it’s very easy to get caught up in the job search process, and forget to stay current in your industry. Staying current is not only important to be on par with your future employer, but given your flexible schedule, you may be in an even better position than they are to be more in-the-know.

I am a marketing professional with a background in consumer products, non-profit and social media.  I have been out of work for 7 months, but I have taken this time to learn and stay updated in these areas.  Here’s what I have been doing:

ATTENDING seminars, conferences and speaker events

There are so many local seminars, conferences, networking events and speaker events that are specific to particular industries.  For marketing, I attend American Marketing Association (AMA) events, networking events with speakers, or other social media conferences.  The cost of these events can often be high, but I have frequently asked for a discount given that I am out of work.  A few conferences have been open to this in the past.

Examples: AMA Boston, Inbound Marketing Summit and Social Media Jungle.

PARTICIPATING IN social networking

• Twitter – Follow people in your industry and you will find more links to articles and information than you can ask for.
• LinkedIn – Join groups, ask questions and answer questions.
• Blogs – Write, read and comment on blogs – it’s fast and an easy way to learn
• Other social networking sites and communities – Seek out other relevant sites based on your industry.  For example: Govloop (for government), Firefighter Nation, Finance 3.0

READING books, industry newsletters, magazines and blog posts

With the internet continuing to explode, finding websites with good, relevant information is easy.  I subscribe to over 30 industry blogs and have read a few social media books since I have been out of work.  In addition, Slideshare is a website that allows individuals to post presentations, so searching the site can provide you with a lot of relevant content to learn from.

Examples: Chris Brogan blog, Mashable, Groundswell and World Wide Rave

WATCHING online webinars

Ultimately, companies create webinars to get potential customers familiar with who they are and establish themselves as experts.  Lucky for us, they are usually incredibly informative and can easily fit into a busy schedule, as they are typically only an hour long.

Examples: AMA, Hubspot, The Kbuzz

VOLUNTEERING and TEACHING

Next week, I am teaching a class at TDC, a consulting company that runs training seminars.  Unfortunately, I am not getting paid for this, but it provides me an opportunity to put something new on my resume, and learn something while preparing for the class.  Another idea is if you are affiliated with a local non-profit, why not offer your services to the organization at no charge?  This will keep you current, while still being involved with an organization that is meaningful to you.

Overall, there are a plethora of ways to stay current while you’re out of work.  Doing so, could make the difference between getting a job or getting another “ding letter.”

What do you think of the ideas I have?  How do you ensure you stay current while you’re out of work?