Susan 🐝 Rooks, The Grammar Goddess

7 years ago · 2 min. reading time · 0 ·

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Fireside Chats: Perception

Fireside Chats: Perception

d1b769ae.jpgHow do others see you? How do you want to them to see you? What are you doing about it — now?

I’m bringing this up because a friend and colleague, John White, recently wrote a response to a reader of his blogs who wanted to make more of an impact at his company than he has been doing, or even possibly change jobs. He wondered if he needs a personal brand. He’s active on social media, but merely to show pictures, “talk trash” with his buds, and laugh at jokes.

The reader sounded like he was in his late 20s, so he really needs to rethink his impact on social media and the workplace — NOW. He may not realize it, but he already has a “personal brand” based on everything that’s about him on social media, flattering or not.

John wisely told him that recruiters and HR personnel nearly always look at someone’s online presence as part of their “due diligence” to see if a candidate has anything good or bad they need to know before they talk with that person.

And it can take some work to bring an online presence back up to par, if all the experts are right about what we put on social media having a half-life ten times longer than that of uranium. John told him to get going now to use social media to find those who could help him, who could see him as someone they might like to know, and to see him as someone they might like to hire. Read his article here.

I would just add these few items:

  • Start cleaning up your social media accounts NOW. Do you have pictures of being wasted on booze on Facebook, Snapchat, or Pinterest? Do they show you driving poorly? Acting like a 12-year-old at an inappropriate time? Check your friends’ posts, as best you can. Have you been tagged in pictures or posts you now see as unhelpful to the future you? If so, can you get them taken down, or at least get untagged in them? You may not be able to get rid of all of them, but start. You need to be seen as a grownup, not a kid, before the headhunters come looking.
  • Establish a professional profile on sites like LinkedIn. Use a professional-looking headshot or other photograph. Write a summary using proper English and grammar (save the text bits for texting). List your accomplishments and/or strengths. Ask others for recommendations that you can post. Write recommendations for your colleagues. For more sites that can help, click here.
  • Become a new YOU on social media. Going forward, only post stuff that shows you in your best light. After you’ve cleaned up your own profiles on all the sites you’re on, check out others. Spend 30 minutes a day building YOUR reputation as someone worthwhile in the business community. Be seen as someone with a brain, a conscience, and a point of view that is admirable. For more information on this, click here.
Dig Your Well Before You’re Thirsty.

Get going now, before you need to. Many years ago, I ran across this advice (above) from Harvey Mackay, and it’s stayed in my mind since. It’s the title of a book he wrote in 1999, but it’s as timely now — maybe even more so — than it was then.

To all those who haven’t achieved what they want yet: START. Connect with people. Join online conversations. Share others’ posts, with a friendly comment or two. (You never know who might be interested in YOU!) Don’t just lurk; interact!

Follow some writers who might help you one day, and take a long view.

This kind of upward change rarely happens overnight, but it does happen all the time.

There are many experts out there who would love to help you. What kind of help do you most need?

For social media advice, talk with John White

For writing effective résumés, talk with Lynda Spiegel

If you want a job interview coach, talk with Deb Helfrich

If you want help using LinkedIn to your advantage, ask Loribeth Pierson.

Dig the well.

Plant the seeds.

Reap the harvest.

*****

What would you — my readers — add to this? How do we help someone who feels stuck?


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Comments

Cyndi wilkins

7 years ago #27

Fantastic article Susan Rooks...I think the most important thing to remember for anyone bold enough to step out on that social media limb and publish an article about their own personal and professional insights is to remain "willing" to have a conversation...That means a willingness to be disagreed with and still have a respectful exchange with an even temperament...Even with the ones we refer to as "trolls." Personally, I think handling a situation with an internet troll in a respectful manor should be a prerequisite for any job;-)
#37
Thanks, Deb \ud83d\udc1d Helfrich!
#2
Just one tiny bit, Kevin Pashuk! 😄
#5
Franci\ud83d\udc1dEugenia Hoffman, may I use your comment in a follow-up article?
#18
Jared \ud83d\udc1d Wiese, may I quote you on a follow-up piece I'm doing?
#11
Deb \ud83d\udc1d Helfrich, may I quote a part of your comment in a follow-up piece I'm doing on this?
John White, MBA, thank you so much for sharing my post with your followers! You know I always appreciate your support.
#25
Thanks for that, Loribeth Pierson! I think some of us don't realize that even 30 minutes a day can make a huge difference.
#29
Thank you so much, Ali Anani! What a lovely thing to say.

Ali Anani

7 years ago #17

I love buzzes that talk to the hearts and minds of readers in simple, but deep-meaning words. You did just this Susan Rooks
Well, @Jim Cody, I certainly wish I could thank you 72,000 times!
#24
REally, @Jim Cody? Well, then -- 72,000 THANK YOUS from me!
#22
Oh. Good. I think. Honestly, Paul \, I have NO idea what you said.
#19
Now you know I will appreciate anything you do, Paul \! I always appreciate the support you show to everyone.
#18
Now see, @Jared Wiese? I never thought of making those changes, and they're a great suggestion!
#14
John White, MBA, I saw that, and I'm scrambling like mad to thank every single one of them! I did a bunch, but somewhere I read / learned (from you?) to space out the thanks so different people see them. Thanks. Thanks. Thanks!

🐝 Fatima G. Williams

7 years ago #10

Great advice Susan Rooks Dig the well. Plant the seeds. Reap the harvest BTW Love the photograph 🤗 You look fabulous.🤗

John White, MBA

7 years ago #9

Congrats on such a buzzworthy article, Susan Rooks. The beBee team has shared it across social media including 13 twitter accounts, beBee Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google+ pages, Matt Sweetwood's LinkedIn, and my LinkedIn. Buzz on!
#8
Of course, Pascal Derrien, we all know that common sense isn't all that common! Yeah, you would think . . .
#11
Wowsa, Deb \ud83d\udc1d Helfrich! That's quite a lovely comment! Thanks for your thoughts, which so closely parallel mine.

John Rylance

7 years ago #6

Having just commented on this article on LinkedIn, I notice the small picture of you is different to the one on here. Regardless my comment on perception remains the same. The larger picture gives me a better perception of the real you. It underlines the need to ensure pictures wherever they are posted are crucial to how people react to you. Glancing at the picture that goes with my bebees comments, maybe I need to reassess my choice. ( For those wondering it's taken from a picture of a clown by Buffet, I have a print of the picture, which when my son was a baby he used to point at and say Daddy. Perceptive?)

Ken Boddie

7 years ago #5

And for 'dad' jokes, talk to Ken Boddie. Enjoyable post, Susan, as always. 👍 To quote The Bard, Rabbie Burns: "O wad some Power the giftie gie us, To see oursels as ithers see us! "

Pascal Derrien

7 years ago #4

Common sense in action :-)

Lisa Gallagher

7 years ago #3

Good advice Susan Rooks, what we write does follow us for a long time. I love your photo!
#1
Thanks so much for that, @Milic Bognanovic!

Kevin Pashuk

7 years ago #1

Great (non grammar) advice from Susan Rooks... (although there's a bit of grammar advice in there as well.) Dig the well before your thirsty.

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