Your Social Media Profile - Is it hurting or helping you?

	There are many talented moms out there actively seeking to re-enter the paid workforce or gearing up to do so in the future.  As experts in flexible staffing, Mom Corps team members are often asked about crucial skills for today’s workplace. In our monthly blog series, Career Confidential, we share smart strategies for career re-launchers.

Your Social Media Profile-Is It Hurting or Helping You?

If you are reading this blog, chances are you are also using social media in some form or fashion. A 2011 Pew Internet survey, shows that over 65% of online adults (and 50% of ALL adults) in the U.S. use Facebook or another social networking site. That's truly incredible since social media sites have only been around for about 10 years!

Social media can be a really great way to stay in touch with friends and family, but have you thought about what your social media activities may be saying about you to future employers? You should and here's why...

• 92% of all hiring managers use plan to use social media to hire employees in the future. Of those, 86% use LinkedIn, 60% use Facebook and 50% Twitter.
• 1 of 3 employers have rejected candidates based on something they found online.
• 24% of hiring managers say they determined "fit and personality" from social media profile of candidates.
  (data provided by Mashable.com)

Julie Lacouture, one of the Principals in the Mom Corps-Los Angeles office, likens social media to a big networking event going on all of the time.  "Any candidate should carefully prepare for a live networking event by wearing appropriate business attire, carrying business cards and engaging with individuals in a professional manner." says Julie.  "Likewise, we should take care to create a social media presence that gets us noticed, in the right way, by potential employers." As a recruiter,  Julie likes to see candidates engaging in social media channels, but urges them to make their activities "employer friendly".

Julie Lacouture Mom Corps - L.A.

Are you ready to "get found" and look attractive to hiring managers via social media?  Here are our suggestions for getting started.

Create a LinkedIn Profile

This is the business networking site and the site most accessed by recruiters/hiring managers. Whether you are an active or passive job seeker, you NEED a LinkedIn profile. LinkedIn is an incredlble tool to reconnect with colleagues and learn more about hiring managers at companies of interest. Your goal is to fully flesh out your profile and start connecting with people you know. LinkedIn makes it very easy for you to create a profile, even providing a resume upload tool that will populate your profile fields. 

LinkedIn experts give this advice:

• You are twelve times more likely to be viewed for potential opportunities if your profile is complete.
• Add a photo. Professionals that add a photo are seven times more likely to have their LinkedIn profile viewed in general that people who don't. (See more on this in Facebook section below)
• Get connected. Fifty trusted contacts is the "magic" number of connections you need in order to get your LinkedIn network to work for you.

Since LinkedIn is the social media tool most recruiters use, your social media time is best spent (in terms of career search) on this channel.  Use this link to get started if you are completely new to LinkedIn.

Clean up your Facebook Profile

Since Facebook is seen primarily as a social site, it's not necessary to have a Facebook profile to be seen by potential employers.  However, if you already have a Facebook page, review it from the perspective of a hiring manager.  It's very possible (as per the numbers above) that your profile will be reviewed to uncover red flags. Make sure your privacy settings are updated (it's best if only friends have access to your information and photos) and take a good look at what you are posting. Review your Info section to ensure it is consistent with your resume and other profiles you make have online. And remember what goes online can come back to haunt you!

One note on social media profile photos...You don't need a professional head shot for your profile picture, but do be mindful in your choices. Avoid "sexy, glamour" shots or candids of you doing tequila shots at your last birthday party. 

Explore Twitter

Twitter is the least used social media site in terms of job search, but certainly worth exploring! Twitter is a "microblogging" site, where people and companies start "conversations".  It is a bit more complicated than the other sites, but is certainly a great place to learn what's going on in your industry or with companies of interest to you. Learn more about Twitter here.

Take Action

Social media can be a great tool in your job search.  Take the time to ensure your profile represents the professional image you want employers to see.  If you would like to learn more on this topic, listen to our 30 Minute Mentor session by clicking here.

Tell us how you use social media in your job search! 

Tidings & Tips for Merry Multi-taskers brought to you by Maid Brigade

As the song goes, ‘it’s the most wonderful time of the year’.  The holiday season is a joyous and exciting time filled with family, friends and traditions! There are parties to attend, gifts to wrap and plenty of time spent in the kitchen—baking and eating. But with all of these wonderful festivities added in to your schedule, the holiday season can also be the most stressful time of the year!   To help you keep the focus where it belongs and fully enjoy your holiday traditions, we’ve compiled a green guide to the holiday season—a month of tips for merry multi-taskers! It’s a bundle of daily tips on green shopping, cooking, entertaining, decorating and stress relief to lead you right up and through the holidays. Below are a few of our favorites, but be sure to visit the complete guide here.

• Make a budget and stick to it.  Overspending creates guilt, which creates stress.  It really is the thought that counts.  Promise.
• Simplify!  Holiday shortcuts are not a sin. There’s a lot to juggle right now.  Here are some great ideas that won’t leave you feeling guilty.
• Taste does NOT make waist!  Here are some healthy recipes for the holidays that seem indulgent but really aren’t.
• Green your greetings. The Family News Update print version is now frowned upon.  Bonus? The green version is so much less time-consuming to produce!  Use your e-choices, from social media to online albums to word docs, pdfs to blogs. No more folding, stuffing, addressing, stamping!
• Donate - it's the season of giving - instead of throwing away all of your old clothes and electronics this year, donate them instead.  Pack things up for now.  If you get to it this year – great.  But if not until January, the recipients will be no less grateful.
• No does not mean Bah Humbug! It’s easy to over-obligate during the holidays and that causes stress. Learn to say no. Friends and relatives will understand. 
• Eat well.  Certain foods are good immunity boosters.  Sesame seeds, shitake mushrooms, and other easy access foods help defend the body from infection.  Chow down on these.
• Take a breather.  It’s like food.  You have to have it.  15 minutes spent daily doing something specifically for yourself (not cardio-related) is important.  Could be a bubble bath, could be a brisk walk on a good stargazing night, could be a quiet moment with your i-Pod – you choose.  Just find a way.

Everyone wants to enjoy the season, and everyone wants YOU to have fun during the holidays.  Follow the tips on our green guide to the holidays and you’re sure to feel more relaxed! You’re working hard to do nice things for everyone around you.  Don’t forget to do something nice for yourself.  We wish you a merry month!  You deserve it.

How'd She Do It, Kathy Good - A Mom Corps Success Story

Name: Kathy Good City/State:  Watertown, MA Family: 2 daughters, 1 yr and 3 yrs Education: Bentley College; BS Business Communication Summary of Professional Experience: 20+ years work experience including Boston ad agency experience and business owner of Knowledge Source, an internet and business management consulting company working with Fortune 500 companies on their internet initiatives and optimizing business processes across organizations.  New Job: Mom Corps placed me in a part-time role as an Account Manager for a Social Media Services Agency.

Why did you engage with Mom Corps, Boston? I was interested in part-time consulting work after my first daughter turned one year. Mom Corps was offering a networking seminar in the Boston area that featured a discussion panel with several impressive guest speakers. I attended the seminar and learned more about Mom Corps’ background and mission, as well as the strong relationships Mom Corps has with its employers. 

How was your experience working with Mom Corps?  Initially, my relationship with Mom Corps was through an out-of-state recruiter.  At first, I thought this may present a challenge to the recruiter to have insight into the Boston market.  I found out quickly that the Mom Corps organization has proactive and informed recruiters who really know their stuff, and demonstrate a solid interest in helping you understand the true nature of available positions. They make sure you are a mutual fit with their clients before moving you forward in the process. 

How has having a flexible job with Mom Corps affected your work-life-balance? The flexibility that was offered by Mom Corps and their client enabled me to work 3 days a week and keep my family's schedules intact.  The ability to do the work from home, instead of commuting during rush hour, allowed me to produce more work in a day which increased both my efficiency and my ‘happiness with work’ quotient!

What is your go-to stress reliever? Exercise is the best for me for releasing stress and clearing the mind. If time is a factor, I find quick relief in taking a small break from what I’m doing by reaching out with an email to a dear friend with a hello or family photo. 

How would you describe your overall experience?  My relationship with Mom Corps feels like a partnership. They look out for me and I look out for them. Whether it’s in the form of me delivering the best quality work possible, or them seeking new opportunities for me, we are in it together and the relationship is mutually beneficial.