“In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is.”~Yogi Berra

Play Ball!

I love baseball. Especially non-MLB. Little League.  High School. Independent Minor League Baseball.  Baseball at its best. Fewer steroids, fewer and less rowdy fans, but still that lovely green grass of a baseball field so lovingly called a diamond and the smell of hot dogs and beer. One local minor league team, The Orange County Flyers, has a great tag line: Orange County’s Greatest Show on Dirt.  I just love the sport; watching a team get it together and make something magical happen, like a double play or a close call at home.

“All pitchers are liars or crybabies.” ~Yogi Berra funny

I also love networking.  Several years ago, I received tickets to see the Flyers at a Chamber of Commerce networking luncheon.  Ms. Marketing Manager for the Flyers stood at the front of a full room and said, “Anyone who who wants tickets, come see me after lunch. I want to pack the stadium, so I have as many tickets as you would like for free.” I found her afterward, made my request and she handed over seven general admission tickets and said, “Enjoy the game.” I smiled broadly…, did I mention I love baseball? So, I took my son and several of his friends to the game.  We had a great time!

“I just want to thank everyone who made this day necessary.” ~Yogi Berra

The rewards of networking are not typically a baseball game. Sometimes, they are even richer. Sometimes, networking results in a new client or even a new job. Maybe, if you are lucky enough, a new friend. The rewards of teamwork are not typically another number in your win column or a call of “Safe!” at home plate. The real rewards go hand in hand with networking and socialization. So often we hear individuals say, “I’ll just do it myself.” or “I want it done right, so…” Well, you can’t really do this thing completely alone. You have to have clients, customers, colleagues, partners…, your network.

Legendary basketball player Michael Jordan made a poor attempt at professional baseball but, above all else, he understood teamwork.  He said, “Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.”  Teamwork and intelligence. So, step lively at the plate, swing for the fences, make the saving catch, and slide when you need to.  But know there’s a bench waiting to receive, tweet, update, blog, share, and forward whatever you toss their way.

Truly comprehend that your team’s a lot bigger than it used to be.

Rayanne Thorn, @ray_anne is the Marketing Director for the online recruiting software company, Broadbean Technology.  She is also a proud mother of four residing in Laguna Beach, California, and a contributor for Blogging4Jobs.  Connect with her on LinkedIn.  

As Sunday comes to a close for South by Southwest, I’m taking the opportunity to look back and reflect over the last three days of the conference festival.  For those of you not familiar with SXSW, it’s an interactive festival held in Austin, TX that celebrates media, music, and film each year.  More than 20,000 people will grace Austin with their presence to experience the latest music, technology, and movies from big names and up and coming players in the industry.  This year is my first visit to SXSW and I have more than enjoyed the atmosphere and experience.  Here are some of my first impressions, thoughts, and topics that have my attention.

• Network-nomics. I’ve coined this phrase after hearing Chris Brogan and Julien Smith speak on Saturday on the concept of a favor driven economy.  Networking is a strategy that is founded on favor, influence, and branding while targeting your audience.  This economy has given rise to Network-nomics and will continue to grow in importance as social media becomes more mainstream.  I plan on diving more into this topic as I think it merits more discussion.

• Must Read Books. This list has grown very long.  I love to read and subscribe to approximately 100 blogs myself that I read on a regular basis but I am finding that I’m reading a larger number of books because of my increased travel.  Some books that I have my attention and are on my must read list are:  Love is the Killer App, Give Your Speech Change the World, and How to Be More Interesting.

• Marketing. This topic was fluid throughout the last three days.  I attended sessions where marketing yourself as a blogger and speaker was discussed, visited social media marketing booths at the tradeshows, and met with Gowalla and Four Square founders who highlighted upcoming trends and business marketing uses.  As a business professional who is independent this is extremely important.  My strategy has been not only to engage conference attendees but also to meet and get to know about vendors who may be in need of my services as a new media and human resources expert.

• Validation. I’d be a rich woman if I got a dollar for the number of raised eyebrows and confused stares when I explain to people that I my company specializes in integrating New Media with HR.  Apparently, the general consensus is that HR is not on the cutting edge of media and technology,.  They’re right.  I’m here and I am working hard to show people that me and the my media HR friends are the exception.  I’m different and its a validation that my journey and decision to leave the corporate world has been a good one.

Look for more videos and recap information from some of the sessions forthcoming.

When you think of your career what comes to mind? Your job? Your past jobs? What you should envision is your future, because your career is much more than the job you have today.

When you think of your career what comes to mind? Your job? Your past jobs? What you should envision is your future, because your career is much more than the job you have today.

I met a woman, Tara, in her mid-20s at a networking event who told me that she’d been in her job at a local non-profit for more than three years and had it down pat. Tara was frustrated because there was no growth in the entry-level position or in the organization. She’d hit the ceiling the day she was hired.

Tara discovered what she probably already knew a career path wouldn’t appear, she had to design her own. I gave her three simple steps that would help her get started.

Take stock. Close your eyes and picture what your next job looks like. Responsibilities. Office setting. Boss. Location. Co-workers. Dress code. Open your eyes and answer these questions. What about your current position do you like, what do you not like, and what areas of your arsenal do you want to grow? Are your skills top-shelf or do you need additional training? When you find out what interests you, the career path will start to take shape because you’ll have some direction and purpose. Skip this step, and you can get off-track and head down the wrong path.

Network. Build a network of people who will help you along your path. They should be in your profession and represent all positions from the board room to the break room. Senior-level, middle-management and entry-level. Stay in touch

with them in person, e-mail, Twitter, LinkedIn and they can help you immensely. A solid network is the best place to hear about new job opportunities. And who better to recommend you for a position in a company than someone who already works there.

Change jobs. If your current job is no longer fully meeting your needs find another one that does.

I told Tara about someone who had her same job 13 years ago who was now a vice president at a local company. If Tara wants to move up, she needs to move out. She’ll be successful because her career path will start with a plan and a solid network behind her.

Retrieved from “http://jobs.lovetoknow.com/The_Importance_of_Planning_Your_Career_Path”

Sean Taylor Simpson is the owner of Czaro Strategic Communications, Communication and Public Relations Firm located in Oklahoma City, OK.  Visit Sean’s blog at www.czarofpr.com.  You can also follow Sean’s tweets @seantsimpson.

With the current state of the economy, the girl scout motto says it best, “always be prepared” especially when it comes to your job search and my friend Mark is no exception. Four weeks ago, Mark started to feel uneasy in his job as a IT professional.

Over the last eight months, Mark had survived two reductions in force and been witness to massive cuts in employee benefit programs, expense reductions, and most recently offers to staff for unpaid voluntary time off. He is relatively tenured at the company working there for 5 years. Mark began to feel increasingly uneasy when his supervisor began requesting to be copied on daily emails and questioning daily tasks. So to protect himself and his family Mark did the following.

• Network. Mark networks regularly both online using social media sites like Facebook and LinkedIn in addition to the face to face networking events he regularly attends. He put his online and traditional network on notice that he was interested in entertaining new opportunities.
• Update his resume. Mark updates his resume on a regular basis so within a matter of minutes it was perfectly polished and ready for distribution.
• Scour the internet. Mark visited traditional job boards like Monster and CareerBuilder in addition to niche job boards like Dice as well as other non-traditional methods like Twitter using RSS Feeds and Craigslist.
• Informational Interview. Using Mark’s network, he was able to schedule informational interviews with two top companies he is interested in working at. If an opportunity arises at one of these companies that fits Mark’s skill set, he will be at the top of the list.

The Result:
Mark is still in the job search but in his own words he feels more in control and better prepared in the event he is laid off. He has applied for three positions, has received one interview, and two informational interviews thus far. For many of us in the job search, Mark’s story is not that different from our own. The key is always being prepared because within a matter of days or minutes, your situation can change drastically. A good defense is the best offense.

Mark’s Story. . . To Be Continued. . .

It’s no secret that the job market is flooded with qualified professionals who are eager to work. Earlier today I received an interesting email from a first level LinkedIn contact who is currently in the job search. Receiving an email like this is not unusual given my profession, however, this particular communication caught my attention.

Hello – You are receiving this email because you are on my first level of LinkedIn connections. I am looking for a new career opportunity and I’d like to ask for your help to reach beyond my network to find it. I am offering a reward of $250 to the person that finds me the job I land as an expression of my gratitude for your help. Just refer me to an opening, introduce me to the hiring manager, or get my foot in the door somehow and when I land the job you get the $250 reward.

With the current market, I ask, is $250 really enough? Done correctly, an email like this could really make an impression to someone you network with virtually that you may not have had a personal face to face relationship with. Readers, what are your thoughts? How are you using your social media networks while in the job search? Leave your comments below.