Note: This is a version of a post I made on the Wall Street Journal online blog on May 12, 2009.
Twitter seems to be all the rage these days, especially since it made headlines with the Ashton Kutcher vs. CNN 
battle, and more so when Oprah joined. But, there are a lot of misconceptions out there about Twitter, the two most common I hear are that it’s a young population using Twitter, and that people are sharing just the “mundane details of their lives.” Neither of those is true. In fact, 76% of Twitter users are over 35. And, while Twitter can be about the mundane details of people’s lives, for the most part, it’s about people connecting with others who have similar interests. For example, since I’m interested in Marketing and Social Media, I follow people who are also interested in the same, and we share information on topics relevant to us. I have learned so much from interacting with people on Twitter since joining in September.
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Note: This is a version of a post I made on the Wall Street Journal online blog on April 28, 2009.
One of the biggest changes for me since I lost my job is being at 
home a lot instead of at an office filled with people. I’ve gone from chit chatting in the hall and having lunch and laughs with coworkers, to being home alone, sometimes all day. In addition to the financial stresses that come with being unemployed, I think this is why a lot of unemployed people get depressed. But for me, I don’t think it has really impacted me in a negative way.
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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.
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When you spend the time to write a blog post, you obviously want to find people who will be interested in reading it. I have a list I go through every time I write a new blog post to syndicate the content. Here’s what I do:
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Someone asked me yesterday how I have built a following of 1,900 in 5 months on Twitter, so I thought I’d write a blog post about it! (thanks @mcescobar1 for the question!) Before I get started, I also wanted to add that I don’t think that the number of followers you have is the only indicator to look at on twitter (# retweets, etc.) but I do think it is an important one.
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Being out of work, I can tell you that the weekly check I receive from unemployment leaves me with a huge shortfall every month. In order to help cover my bills, I have taken on some odd jobs and projects.
The first thing to get over, is how little you may be making doing these odd jobs versus what you used to make in your prior job. It’s a tough mental block to get over, but I try to look at it that “something is better than nothing.” If I can make $500/month doing odd jobs, it’s better than nothing, even though I could have made that at my prior job in no time. The challenge is to balance your time with also having time for your job search!
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I had an opportunity recently to interview Diane Darling from Effective Networking and wanted to pass along what I learned from her. I also watched a video from a presentation she made to the Salty Legs Networking Group, so I have also incorporated her advice from that as well.
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Most people know that the best way to find a job is through networking. You can go to networking meetings, tap into your own personal network, or ask friends who they know. With the Internet buzzing with social media, there are similarly many ways to use social media in order to network, and eventually find a job. According to an article in DMNews, Jeremiah Owyang from Forrester Research agrees that social networks allow all parties involved to better search for and reach their target: “Instead of having a broad, over-arching resume, these tools let people connect over detailed experiences…”
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Last week was my brush with fame. I am a member of a networking group called the Boston Salty Legs Career Club, which was started by Susan Kang Nam as part of Tory 
Johnson’s Good Morning America Job Club. A couple of weeks ago, Susan called me and asked if I’d be willing to be on a GMA segment about being unemployed. Um… yes, of course I would! She then sent me a few questions I had to fill out for GMA, all of which were about being unemployed: the challenges I faced, what have I been doing to find a job, etc. After I completed the form, a couple of days later I got a call and an email from the producer asking me to come last Monday for the taping. Wow, I couldn’t believe I might be on Good Morning America!!
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In today’s economy it’s a common, and understandable, fear that you might get laid off (sorry for the dose of reality). So rather than being stuck like a deer in the headlights if it happens, here are a few things you can do to get prepared, in case it happens to you:
1. Get involved with networking groups
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