0 comments

April 28, 2013

3 things you need to know about finding a job using social media

Backpack to Briefcase - SFU Career Services conference 2013

A few weeks ago, I spoke at Backpack to Briefcase about using social media to find a job.

In addition to presenting to soon-to-be-grads, I was also asked to provide my top 3 tips on video. Here are my thoughts on how to use tools such as Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to improve your chances of landing a gig:

  • Use social media to improve your reputation. Share interesting and valuable articles and blog posts instead of complaining about projects or bragging about procrastinating. Think before you tweet.
  • Connect with industry professionals. Offer help, answer questions, etc.
  • Learn about your target organizations. Get as much information about their products and services, corporate culture, and their industry.

Watch the video below for more. Big thanks to Sage Testini of SFU Career Services for all his work in the video.

0 comments

April 10, 2013

10 tricks to show writer’s block who’s boss

crushed paper - writer's block - crumpled paper with unfocused background
Photo credit: Planetofsuccess.com  via Flickr

If your job requires any type of content creation, you’ve probably experienced writer’s block at one point.

This productivity killer affects us all. Even great writers suffer through it.

A recent Hubspot presentation outlined some tips on how to tackle this debilitating problem. Here are 10 tips from the presentations and my take on them.

1.  Create an editorial calendar — and stick to it.

If you’re not sure what to write about, an editorial calendar keeps you on track.

I’d also suggest using Evernote or another similar app where you can jot down ideas on the go. Good ideas can come at random times.

Also, have a handful of backup topics at any given time. Pin future topic ideas on a Pinterest board, or bookmark recent infographics and Slideshare presentations that have caught your eye. These are all possible sources of content you can write about.

Read the rest of this entry »

0 comments

March 28, 2013

4 Notable Stats From BCAIM’s 2012 State of Marketing Survey

F5 Expo 2010: BC Business
Photo: jeremylim.ca

Last month, the B.C. Association of Integrated Marketers (BCAIM) and Ipsos ASI released a study that revealed the state of marketing in the province.

The study, which you can download via BCBusiness.ca, is the first-ever survey of local marketers in B.C.

Here are four stats from the study that caught my attention.

1. 80% of BC marketers get their marketing news from LinkedIn

In the past couple of years, LinkedIn has transformed itself from just another social network to a content powerhouse. It’s no wonder that marketers in Metro Vancouver are taking notice.

LinkedIn Today does a great job of aggregating news by topic and industry based on what your professional network is already sharing — an important curation tool given the amount of content being produced everyday. The addition of the Influencer program on the site last year gives LinkedIn users another compelling reason to check the site regularly.

Read the rest of this entry »

2 comments

March 18, 2013

Advanced tips on how to use social media to find your next gig

Using social media to find next gig - SFU Career Services B2B

In a previous blog post, I shared some basic tips on how to use social media in your job search. In that post, I pointed out how you can use tools such as Twitter, Facebook, and Hootsuite to enhance your online brand and find job opportunities.

In a recent presentation to SFU Career Services’ Backpack to Briefcase conference, I expanded on these tips and provided more advanced tips on how students can take advantage of social media to help them get their food in the door after graduation.

Backpack to Briefcase - SFU Career Services conference 2013
Photo credit: SFU OLC

Here are some highlights:

1. Monitor potential employers, local job opportunities, and industry experts closely.

  • Use Hootsuite’s geo search to find local job openings. I suggest monitoring keywords such as “hiring,” “looking for,” and the hashtag #jobs.
  • Monitor keywords related to your industry to find professionals in your field.  Connect with these professionals by sharing their content and responding to their updates.
  • Add potential employers to Twitter lists or Facebook interest lists for a more organized way of keeping track of what they’re up to.
  • Follow organizations’ LinkedIn company pages to learn more about the different products and services that they offer, the people that have recently joined the company, and news about your industry.

Read the rest of this entry »

0 comments

February 26, 2013

Content marketing 101: Your A-Z guide

Content marketing is not exactly new, but people have been talking about it more lately.

This year, digital marketers plan on spending more on content marketing, surpassing budgets for social media or SEO.

What best describes your company’s budget plans for the following digital marketing channels or disciplines in 2013?
Source: Econsultancy

I’m not surprised that content marketing — which is industry experts might also refer to as inbound marketing or content strategy — is finally getting its time in the spotlight. Social media should have always been part of a bigger content marketing plan.

So what exactly is content marketing? Here’s the definition from Content Marketing Institute (italics added for emphasis):

Content marketing is a marketing technique of creating and distributing relevant and valuable content to attract, acquire, and engage a clearly defined and understood target audience – with the objective of driving profitable customer action.

If you’re not familiar with content marketing, here are some concepts to keep in mind:
Read the rest of this entry »

« Older Entries