Social Media, Awesome Colors, and My Awesome Network

I have to share a recent experience that began a few weeks ago on social media. 

June 24, 2013: my friend Jennifer Marsik Friess shares on her Facebook page: "Look what Patty Buccellato at Refined Images sent me! Since she's set me on my correct path, if the duds doesn't match a color in this wheel, I don't buy it. Thanks for the updates, PB! I'm gonna pop some tags." 

I jump into the discussion, asking about the color wheel she has posted and how one goes about getting one from Patty. I'm one of several women in Jen's friend list who responded to the post. I think we're all intrigued with looking our best. For me, I'll admit I'm frugal and practical when it comes to wardrobe shopping. I've learned to only buy something I love and that includes colors I love. 

(Full disclosure: Patty asked me to blog about my experience, which I'm happy to do!}

Patty and I exchange a few emails, and we set an appointment at her Rochester Hills studio for a color drape. Patty reminds me to allow at least 45 minutes for the appointment, and that dress is not important since my outfit will be covered by the drape. She also suggests I bring makeup with me, since I'll have to remove it as part of the session. 

Eek. Did you read that last part? I have to remove my makeup in front of one of my professional friends? Yes, this gave me some anxiety. 

I arrive at Patty's office and we chat briefly before the draping begins. 

She asks about my experience with color consultations and knowledge of color overall. I mention I had some past knowledge of the "seasons" color approach but haven't really followed it. 

Prep. Patty hands me a few makeup remover tissues and sends me to the ladies room down the hall to remove the makeup. I return sheepishly feeling exposed. 

The next step was Patty draping a cape over me, covering my top. 

Hair. We then talk briefly about hair color. Patty notices my hair color is different and I explain my recent home coloring experience, followed by a salon color correction because I was not happy with the results. Yes, the grays are slowly starting to pop up, too. She shows me a swatch of hair colors and asks me to select what I think is my true, natural hair color. I flip through the ring and find one that is close, and she agrees. She explains that my natural hair tone is more on the ash scale and the color treatment I'm working on correcting had more of a brassy look to it. I agree and make a mental note to talk to my stylist about this at my next color correction appointment. 

The whole time, I'm trying to pretend that having a conversation without makeup on is not bothering me. 

Next, Patty helps me into a hairnet to pull all the hair off my face. Keep in mind I'm already draped, with no makeup, and now my hair is all pulled back. 

You know that feeling you get when you're at the hair salon and they ask you to look in the mirror at yourself? I don't know about you, but this makes me uncomfortable and I'd just as soon not look at myself in a mirror in front of someone. I'll wait until I get out in the car or home to inspect the cut. 

So I'm feeling quite exposed and anxious (Patty does not realize any of this!). But we begin!

The Colors. Patty begins by showing me a drape with a different variety of striped colors on each side. She asks me to select which one I prefer, side one or side two (think of an eye exam). I immediately am drawn to a brighter set of colors. 

She then asks me to not look at the colors, but to focus on my face instead with the colors next to it. My perspective immediately changes. The color stripes with softer colors actually look much better against my skin. 

We go through this process with several drapes. Patty asks me to focus on my eyes, my teeth, and those imperfect areas of my face (blotchy, dark circles, etc.) when evaluating the color options. Through the process, it becomes easier to make the selections. 

Guide. Patty helps to guide me through the process gently by helping me to arrive at the solutions on my own. By the end of the appointment, I'm no longer aware of the fact that I'm exposed and makeup-less, but rather I'm inspired by this new found knowledge about color combinations that work on me.   

My Color Wheel. At the end of the appointment, Patty selects a color wheel based on the color combinations which I indicated a preference for through the appointment. We review the wheel together and I immediately find a few colors I will never wear. Green, for example, is not a color I'm overly fond of nor do I think it looks good on me, despite what the wheel says.  

Educated and knowledgeable. I leave the appointment with my custom color wheel and a spring in my step. I can't wait to raid my closet to remove clothes that aren't in the wheel. In the weeks following this appointment, I've made wardrobe changes and have noticed the impact. I've received compliments on some of the new color combinations and have shared my experience a few times. 

I think the consultation was time well spent toward the a wardrobe that will make me look and feel my best. 

Thanks Patty! And thanks Jen for the inspiration!

stay tuned - I'll add a few pics of my color wheel and a few "corrected" color outfits here soon...

p.s. Check out Refined Images at www.facebook.com/refinedimages. 

The Power of Volunteering

I attended a great networking session at Lighthouse of Oakland County today. They started a new program offering job seekers a free monthly breakfast plus workshops led by individuals in the community.

Beth Grossman, an Executive Search Director from Angott Search Group, spoke about a variety of candidates she has worked with who have use their career transition time to volunteer at a charity or other non-profit organization.

Twelve hours after the presentation, here is what is most memorable for me:

1. Volunteering fills that gap in your resume. It demonstrates your desire to stay active and be productive. Plus it gives you something current to talk about in an interview.

2. Being a volunteer can help to lift your spirits. It's tough being unemployed. It's frustrating. And knowing you're not alone doesn't always help. By volunteering your time to help a cause that you are passionate about, you redirect your energy toward helping others. And that feels good.

3. If you're trying to change industries and don't have work experience in your desired area yet, you may be able to gain some experience in a volunteer capacity. That may be just enough to open doors for your next career.

4. When you volunteer and assist at events such as those put on by Lighthouse, you have the opportunity to mingle and interact with a variety of working professionals. Sometimes these individuals are board members or senior executives. And making a name for yourself in a volunteer capacity will give them a very favorable impression of you.

5. It's nice to get out of the house. Or the library. Or the Michigan Works office. There can be something quite calming about working in an office setting that you can't quite achieve at your home office. If you miss the interaction and hustle of office work, you may be able to find a temporary office space as a volunteer.

6. Volunteering gives you something to talk about to friends and family, instead of rehashing your job search. We know they all mean well, but hearing "you'll find something soon" and the gentle head nodding and acknowledgment of the hours you logged on Monster this week can get old really quick.

7. Volunteering gives you a chance to help give back. Maybe you're a whiz at Excel spreadsheets. Or perhaps you've worked as a marketing director. Or maybe you simply enjoyed supporting a team in an administrative role. We all know every company has had to cut back, and many companies are struggling because they can't afford to build back their teams... yet. Non-profits and charities have their own challenges. Many organizations like Lighthouse are finding themselves in the unique situation of finding that previous donors are now clients needing help. You've got the time and expertise, why not volunteer? You might not have the dollars to donate, but you have intellectual insight which can be equally valuable.

So now I've got you convinced to look for some volunteer work. Where do you start?

Pick a charity. Any charity. Preferably one where you have a personal connection or personal interest. Here are a few suggestions to help you get started:

• You could consider the American Cancer Society because you lost a loved one to cancer. My mom lost her battle with cancer when she was 46. One of my personal goals is to someday volunteer for the American Cancer Society, hopefully in a speaking  role.
• If you love kids, you could consider ChildHungerEndsHere.com. The Twitter hashtag is #fightchildhunger. This program serves Forgotten Harvest, Gleaners and Food Gatherers in SE Michigan. Two good friends of mine, Jennifer Marsik Friess and Susan Ferraro of Volare Public Relations have been assisting this program, and they've recruited me to help. 
• Lighthouse of Oakland County has a great volunteer program in place, and many success stories as a result. They mentioned their goal of providing support and inspiration to move people from crisis to self-efficiency. This is in the form of housing, food, counseling, and much more.
• Need something to sweeten the deal? Target is offering a "Scoop it Forward" promotion where you can earn some Ben Jerry's ice cream just for volunteering at a local charity. You just enter your hometown (or metro area) and follow the instructions to find volunteer opps.

Do you work for a charity and need volunteers? Reply to this post.

Are you a job seeker who needs experience to fill a gap on your resume? Reply to this post and tell us what type of volunteer work you are seeking. Or, better yet, contact the PR dept of your desired charity. 

We all can work together to help one another move forward. Don't you agree?

Top 10 Tips to Supercharge YOU on LinkedIn

One of the best things about using LinkedIn is the power to share information and insights throughout your network, but you can only do this effectively if you are using LinkedIn effectively. To that end, here are my top 10 suggestions to help supercharge YOU and your efforts on LinkedIn.

Please share this with a worker-in-transition (you could help someone), a hiring manager (they could help the former), a friend, a coworker, or anyone you feel might benefit.

1. Whenever you are at a networking event, make sure you ask people these magical four words: Are You on LinkedIn?
You will get two answers to this question
1) yes - and your response should be -- "Let's connect!"
2) no.... what's LinkedIn? (or some variation) Use this a conversation starter to talk about how you're using LinkedIn. My guess is that it takes 5 or 6 conversations before someone joins LinkedIn, but this is just a guess.

Either way, the more people you can connect with on LinkedIn, the more powerful your network. Being active on LinkedIn gives me access to so many great people that I would probably not stay in touch with, if it were not for LinkedIn. I help my network, and they help me. That's Social Media karma!

2. Simplify your LinkedIn URL.
When you first sign up for LinkedIn, they will automatically assign you with a page address that is some variation of your name and an alpha-numeric code.

Change it. Immediately. I'll wait here...

I suggest simplifying it to your first name.last name. Ex: www.linkedin.com/in/brendameller (note: you only change the code after "/in/").

This makes it MUCH easier for people to find your LinkedIn page. Trust me. You don't want to frustrate that HR manager who is trying to look up your LinkedIn page.

3. Use a Profile Photo.
The use of a photograph helps to personalize your LinkedIn page. If I can't place you based on looking at your profile, your photo helps to jog my memory. Plus, it helps me to build a stronger connection to you if I can see who you are. If you don't use a photo on your profile, you seem mysterious and secretive to me...

4. Use a Pleasant, Professional Photo
Have a friend take a head and shoulder picture of you against a white or light colored wall. You should be wearing professional attire. The background should not be cluttered. The focus should be on you. And you should be smiling pleasantly. Makes me happy to see you happy!

5. Personalize Every Invitation You Send. Yes, EVERY invitation.
LinkedIn offers a lovely standard invitation that shows me and everyone you connect with that you do not care. Take a moment or two to personalize your response and you'll see your connection acceptance rates increase. Example: "Hi Joe, it's Brenda from Walsh College. We met at the ABC Conference on Monday night. It was great hearing more about your company, and I'd like to connect on LinkedIn. Let's stay in touch!" (yes, it's that simple.)

6. Send Your Connections a Thank You Message When They Invite You to Connect.
I think of every invitation to connect as a gift sent to me. Because after all, a connection can open many doors for you. So accepting this "gift" without saying thank you just doesn't seem proper to me. Example: Hi Chris, thanks for connecting on LinkedIn. It was great meeting you at the workshop tonight and I'm glad to hear you're thinking about writing a book. Keep me posted!"

If you take this simple step, your connections will feel appreciated. Which brings me to #7:

7. Create Good Social Media Karma
I used to work for a call center company and one important step in every customer service call was to end with a "Bridge to the Future." This "bridge" was in the form of offering contact information for the company, and inviting the caller to call anytime with questions. I try to create this "bridge" in all message interactions. In the above example, I asked Chris to keep me posted on his book, showing him my interest in his new aspiration. Also makes him feel good about our interaction. And that's good karma. Chances are, if I were to ask Chris a favor in the future, he would be more likely to help me out. Which brings me to #8:

8. Use Your Manners: Say "Please" and "Thank You"
I'm always so impressed by people who exhibit good manners on LinkedIn. These are the people who send me questions in the form of questions, using those magical words of "please" and "thank you" that would make a mom proud. On the other hand, I'm always a bit irritated when people in my network TELL me to do something rather than ask for assistance. Even if it's your job to do something, it makes you feel better when you are asked rather than told. By asking permission, you are involving the other person in the request and working with them. And if you don't say please or thank you, people will notice your (lack of) manners.

9. Please Don't Send Me Your Resume Unless I've Asked for It
On behalf of everyone you're connected to on LinkedIn, I'd like to remind you that sending your resume to all your connections does not show that you are a brilliant and assertive job seeker. It only shows me that you don't know how to use LinkedIn effectively, and it might even deter me from helping you. If I want your resume, I'll ask for it.

10. Remember all the Little People When You've Found Your Next Job
If I've helped you out during your job search and we're 1st-level connections, I would love to receive a message when you're back to work. It shows me that you value our professional relationship and that you understand how to use the site. Plus I get to tell you congratulations, and that supercharges me, too.

Good luck and happy job searching!
Brenda

Secret for Workers-in-Transition (psst... Toastmasters)

I was talking to Marie Jakubiak http://www.linkedin.com/in/mjakubiak today about a Toastmasters club we are forming at the Walsh College Novi campus, as well as the club at the Troy Campus (Park Street Presenters).

We were discussing how both clubs have been extremely successful at increasing members in recent months, and how many of the new members are workers in transition. When I'm talking to the unemployed about Toastmasters, I mention the following to them:

1. Toastmasters can help you with interviewing. How? Table Topics give you practice in answering questions on the spot.

2. Toastmasters can provide you access to network with hundreds of like-minded, driven professionals with leadership potential. Who wouldn't want these connections??? These are the people you want to know today, and the people you will want to know in the future when you're back to work. I can't even count the number of times I've provided a business referral to someone in Toastmasters, and many are not public-speaking related referrals.

3. Toastmasters will provide you with routine. Let's face it... when you're used to working 40-50-60+hours a week and then you're instantly unemployed, you're faced with an identity crisis. And a time crisis. What do you do with all that free time? And c'mon, admit it... even if you didn't love your job, you miss the routine. Most Toastmasters clubs meet twice a month.

4. Toastmasters will provide you with stability... through the current recession and beyond. There are many members who are beginners, but there are also many who have been with Toastmasters for 5-10-15-20+ years. And guess what? Toastmasters will NOT fire you. Well, unless you abuse the club rules (try selling to the members, etc.) but even in those circumstances we try to work things out.

5. Toastmasters will give you confidence and pride in yourself. I've been laid off, so I know how it can feel some days, like you've been kicked in the face. You start to doubt yourself. Even if you've been a dedicated, hard worker. Even if you were awarded Employee of the Month. Even if your former manager told you that you were the best hire she/he'd ever made. Because if you were so great, why aren't you working? Well, there are alot of great, talented people who are in transition right now. And you need to believe in yourself if you want your future employer to believe in you... especially in that crucial, uber-competitive job interview. Cuz gosh darnit, people like you! (remember Stuart Smalley?) I save every comment I'm handed after I give a speech at Toastmasters. I treasure the meeting awards I've won for best speaker, best table topics, best evaluator. And my Area Contest trophy, while it has an interesting story behind it, is a symbol to me - about me and how Toastmasters has helped me believe in myself.

6. Toastmasters will get you over your fear of public speaking. And if you're already over it, it will make you a better speaker. There's two types of people who come to Toastmasters: Those who are good speakers who want to be great speakers, and those who want to get over their fear or discomfort of speaking in front of groups. Guess what? Both will improve your communication and leadership skills through Toastmasters. And if you can speak confidently in front of groups, that's going to help you accelerate in your career and help you move into management positions, if you desire.

and if they're still listening to me after I've shared all this (you're STILL reading???), I'll share something a bit self-serving:

7. Toastmasters wants people like you. People who are highly talented, driven, leaders, lifelong learners, future CEOs, future managers, mentors, role models... and who have all the time in the world right now because they are NOT working. How many times have you put something off that you'd like to pursue because you couldn't fit it in with your work schedule? And how many times during your career did you think about maybe going back for that MBA, or looking into joining a professional association? And maybe you'd heard about Toastmasters, but were too nervous to actually go to a meeting. Well, after surviving a layoff, you're a stronger person and chances are you're open to taking chances. And you're the kind of person I would want in my Toastmasters club. You're the person I want in my professional network. Just because your former company has eliminated your position doesn't change that for me. Actually, it makes me want you as part of Toastmasters even more, because now you have the time to dedicate to helping my club and fellow members! :)

Toastmasters needs volunteers in leadership positions. Or you could even form your own club. How cool would THAT be on a resume? Forming a club in an organization known for leadership and public speaking. If I saw that on a resume, I would definitely call you in for an interview. That's just me, but I'm just saying....

I challenge you to check out a Toastmasters meeting. It can't hurt to visit and you never know who you'll meet. But I can guarantee you that there will be people there just as great as you.

The Power of Connections

Yesterday, I spoke about using LinkedIn as a job search and networking tool at a workshop at Walsh College.

The auditorium was packed - normally a good thing, right? Except when you consider that everyone in the room is a worker-in-transition.

But, I felt good about the session. And I felt very proud of the people in the room. The attendees were, in fact, taking charge of their futures by getting out of their houses and attending a workshop. There was good energy in the room, and we're hearing a lot of great feedback from attendees.

Just this morning, I was asked to connect on LinkedIn by several attendees, including a woman named Lisa Gilkey, who had this as her status update:

Lisa Gilkey: Fired up after attending a "Taking Charge" workshop at Walsh College. 14 hours ago
http://www.linkedin.com/in/lgilkey

That makes me smile. I am happy that the session was positive for Lisa. I'm happy that she's sharing with her connections the positive comments about the workshop. And hopefully that status update will prompt some of her connections to take notice, and maybe lead Lisa to her next career.

On a related note, I invited a guest speaker to the workshop yesterday, Keith Burke (http://www.linkedin.com/in/keithburke). Keith attended the same workshop back in January (February?) and we connected via LinkedIn afterward. Since then, Keith has asked to be introduced to one of my connections, who in turn informed Keith of a job opportunity. If he hadn't attended the workshop, and connected with me, and if I hadn't connected with this person, Keith would not have heard of the job. I have a strong feeling that he will find something soon.

Keith and Lisa are two perfect examples of great transitional networkers. They are getting out there - meeting new people - taking full advantage of opportunities during their search. They are being assertive and positive in their search.

And they have inspired me. And that is the power of my connections. :)

Thursday. Networking. And a Few Plugs...

At this past Thursday’s Take Charge: Job Search Strategies, I spoke about using LinkedIn.com as a job search and networking tool. At the end of the 30 minute presentation, I took questions out in the hallway from many enthusiastic job seekers.



I met Michael Winokur (visit him here: http://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelwinokur; Michael is looking for a position in Property Management) who connected to me originally through Patrick Distelrath (visit him here: http://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickdistelrath; Patrick is considering starting his own business).

Patrick attended the Job Search Strategies session back in January and has been very assertive and enthusiastic about using LinkedIn and all available resources to help land him his next job. He met Michael at another networking event, and “introduced” me to him through LinkedIn. Michael has since reached out to me to connect with one of my connections for a job. And, he showed up at Thursday’s session and made the effort to meet in person.

You have to believe that with all the good people in Michigan looking for a job, those who are using their professional networks and all available resources have an advantage. I think Patrick and Michael will both find new careers soon. They are positive. They are enthusiastic. They know the value of networking and managing those connections. And they are eager to learn from others during the job search process.

I speak from a position of experience. I was laid off from a former employer several years ago. Lucky for me (odd, right?) that my employer offered career transition services through Drake Beam & Morin (www.dbm.com). By the way, EXCELLENT program there. I learned a lot about myself and the whole job search process. Found out a few things I was doing right, and wrong (better to know…right?). Anyway, my transition lasted about 3 months - and this was when things weren’t nearly as bad with the job market.

By offering help through my network and through the great sessions at Walsh College, I hope that folks like myself can help others with their job search. If we all pitch in and help one person - each day - think about how much better off we would all be. And think about how you can help someone like Patrick or Michael.

Here’s one thing you can do: if you know of someone out of work, tell them about the free job search strategies session at Walsh College. Tell them I’ll be there speaking about using LinkedIn as a job search tool. And ask them what you can do to help.