Category Archives: Job hunting

Not Your Typical Fish Story…

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Vancouver (and social media) have been very good to me.  In less than four months I’ve met wonderful people, and attended amazing Tweetups, meetups, conferences and fundraising events that have enriched my experience here.

Last night, I was privileged to attend the 2nd Annual Red Carpet Soiree in support of the Canadian Red Cross, which celebrates its centennial this year.

I owe this to Twitter.  And a special fish recipe.

A few weeks ago, someone tweeted that Canadian Living Magazine’s Foodie-File blog was giving away two free tickets to the contributor who submitted their favorite fish recipe.  So I sent them my friend Barbara’s halibut and potato stew, which she has made for many a Friday night Shabbat dinner when I lived in California.

And I won!!  I was stunned and thrilled.  You can find the recipe online here.

It was a grand event, held at the incredible Blue Water Cafe and featured limitless seafood, sushi and canapes, and fine wines donated by Mission Hill Family Estate.  My good friend Bonnie and I had a lovely time.

But I want to remind people why we were all there – to demonstrate our support for a revered organization that has done so much for Canadians and citizens of the world for 100 years.  And as usual, Vancouver responded with its customary generosity.  This is an amazing community.  I love it and I’m honored to be part of it.

The party may be over, but the need remains.  Check out the Canadian Red Cross website and help them continue their magnificant work into their next century of service.

A Small Matter of Proximity…

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I won’t lie.  This day has weighed a bit heavily on me.  I thought I had a crack at some contract work today, and silly me, got my hopes up a bit.  But as soon as the interested party found out I didn’t live in the Bay Area, I became a less desirable candidate.  Of course,  maybe down the road some remote work might happen, but he needed someone local to have face time with.  That was a blow.  I need work now.

It got me thinking.  There are so many ways to contribute to the success of a business.  Just how important should face time really be?  In this age of inexpensive video conferencing, and real-time communication via social media like Twitter,  shouldn’t location be more of a moot point?   Shouldn’t other factors take precedence?   What about life experience, professional expertise and good communications skills?

This is a new world we live in, and we all face new realities brought about by a foundering economy.  We all can’t be right where the work is.  But it shouldn’t mean we can’t do the work.

Should it?  I’d be interested in your opinion.

Twitter as Job Search Tool? Absolutely!

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I’ve been looking for a PR job for many months, first in Silicon Valley, where I had lived for several years, and now in Vancouver, where I came after my visitors visa had expired.  It’s been hard, and the current downturn has made it even more challenging.

At first, I relied on craigslist, LinkedIn and Facebook.  I even paid a hefty monthly fee to a well-known organization to give me ‘exclusive’ access to choice positions.

Twitter wasn’t part of my search strategy – but it is now.  One single tweet changed that for me in December.

I had been using Twitter to connect and engage people in conversation, but I had never really brought up my situation.  Then, on a particularly tough day, I announced that I was on the verge of losing everything and would have to leave the US.

The response was immediate – and overwhelming.  Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to tell my story through guest blogs, media interviews, speaking engagements and internet radio shows.  Several people offered to circulate my resume to friends and colleagues.  To this day, folks I’ve never met and probably will never meet write me to see how I’m doing, feed me leads, give me encouragement, and tell me things will get better.  And happily, I’m talking with some promising companies with neat technology who are in the process of getting funding.  I have hope.

If you are job hunting, or know someone who is, here are a few tips based on my experience on Twitter:

  • Build up your network – follow people you respect, and follow the people who respect them.  Use tools like Twellow.com to find like-minded people who may be helpful resources.  And follow job sources such as @JobAngels, @SocialMediaJob, @MicroJobs, and more.
  • Take a good look at your skills, and make sure that your Twitter bio reflects them.  Be direct.  My bio says I am job hunting in the first line!
  • Make sure you have a twesume – what you do in 140 characters – and tweet it on a regular basis. (No spamming, though…)
  • Let your followers know you are looking, and if there are certain contacts or companies you’d like an introduction to.  This is no time to hang back.  If no one knows, no one can help you.
  • Keep your followers posted on how the search is going.  We can all relate to your frustration, and cheer you on when things look promising.
  • Share information. If you find a great new tool, or if you know of opportunities that aren’t a fit for you, tell the world.  Someone will benefit.  Twitter is all about helping each other.
  • Talk about your job search in your blog or ask bloggers you follow if they accept guest posts, so you can provide your own insights on social media and job searches.  Post the link on Twitter.
  • And never give up. I’m not.

I hope this helps.  Now I’d love to hear from you.  Tell me what strategies have worked for you – and what haven’t.  What tools have you used successfully?

If you are looking, let me know.  And if you are hiring or know someone who is, by all means, post here – and on Twitter. Let’s keep on working for each other.