By admin, on May 12th, 2014  We had the opportunity to ask David Bradford, “The Bottlecap Kid”, for networking advice for college students and young professionals. His advice is practical and realistic; check it out.
SC: What are practical ways for college freshmen to begin networking?
David: Be curious. Ask lots of questions. Find areas of commonality. When that happens, trust forms and magic can happen.
SC: How can college students, who are at the start of their careers, be “givers” in a professional relationship?
David: Offer to intern for free. Ask to shadow a great professional for the day. Offer to do some mundane tasks for leaders. Repost great articles from people they admire. Tweet when something happens great to a leader you are follow.
SC: How can a young professional recover if they have damaged their reputation/credibility?
David: Unfortunately, it takes hard work to remake a damaged reputation. But the best way is not to hide in the shadows – show up at stuff; be seen online. Become a giver and not a taker.
SC: Is there a fast way to network?
David: 90% of success in life is showing up. Today it is done both online as well as in person. But the key is not to just show up, but follow up within 24 hours of an initial meeting. Otherwise, you will become forgotten.
SC: What networking advice would you give to college students who are open to moving to multiple geographic locations?
David: Wherever you go, whatever you do, find a local church, a local sporting event, a local community play, or a local networking club of some sort. Then show up, give, and be seen as someone who is there to do good.
 David Bradford, “The Bottlecap Kid”, is Executive Chairman and former CEO of HireVue, former CEO of Fusion-io, and a member of the Utah Technology Council Hall of Fame. David is known for accelerating the growth and performance of game-changing organizations by utilizing his “UP Principles” which he outlines in his new book, UP YOUR GAME: 6 Timeless Principles for Networking Your Way to the Top. His last two companies, HireVue and Fusion-io are two of the fastest growing tech businesses in the U.S. Learn more about David and UP YOUR GAME at DavidBradford.com.
By admin, on September 18th, 2013  You’ve probably read a few of them; maybe you’ve even shared or re-tweeted a few – We’re talking about those epic rants from celebrities, disgruntled employees, or friends on social media that are, well, quite entertaining. But as funny as they can sometimes be, public rants can also be very damaging. Here are a few tips for keeping yourself from hurting your career and becoming tomorrow’s link fodder:
- It doesn’t matter how much of a jerk your boss, (or professor, coach, etc.). may be, don’t vent about her/him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, your blog or any other social media.
- Likewise, if you’re having a disagreement with a co-worker, classmate or friend, keep your rants offline.
- To be extra safe, make sure your Facebook privacy settings are set accordingly.
- We’ll leave it to your discretion whether or not to Facebook friend your boss or co-workers, but if you do, make sure to keep them in a friend list that does NOT receive all your personal status updates.
- There’s nothing wrong with thoughtful, constructive criticism, but if your Instagram and Twitter are public, use wisdom and caution before posting criticism about your company or school (by the way, same goes for posting NSFW selfies!).
- If you absolutely have to rant, do it IRL with trusted friends.
Keep in mind, not all rants can (or should) get you fired, but they can make a future employer think twice before hiring you, so stay professional both on and offline.
By admin, on July 23rd, 2012  In a previous article, we talked about how important it is to ensure that you’re taking control of your online identity. We looked at strategies that involved taking a defensive stance – ways of preventing your use of social media from damaging your job search. Today, we’re looking at ways to use social media to your career’s advantage.
Go on the offensive:
You may have heard the old adage, “It’s not what you know, but who you know” when it comes to finding a job. I don’t entirely agree with that statement, but I do believe “who you know gets what you know noticed“. For example, you may be the best event planner this side of the Rockies, or you might be the finest makeup artist in your state, but if no one knows about it, you won’t get a job. On the flip side, if you know a lot of people in your field, but aren’t particularly good at your profession, sooner or later, everyone in your field will figure that out. And again, you won’t get a job. You may be wondering what this has to do with managing your identity online. Social sites are a great tool for helping people in your field, and beyond, get to know you; they’re a great venue for demonstrating your knowledge, talent, and passion for your field. We know that up to 92% of recruiters say they use social media to find talent. So when an employer searches your name, don’t just hide the personal stuff from them, showcase the professional you!
- Join and get active on LinkedIn
If you aren’t already a member, join LinkedIn today, then get active on the site. By active, I mean completing your profile to 100%, joining and participating in relevant groups, following professionals in your field, conducting information interviews with professionals, and asking/answering questions. Having a LinkedIn profile will help to ensure that any potential employer that Googles your name will find your LinkedIn profile. (In this case, you want your privacy settings to make you discoverable, as opposed to hiding you.)
Continue reading Take Control of Your Online Identity – Go on the Offensive »
By admin, on July 16th, 2012  We’re seeing statistics every day showing how often employers look to social profiles of potential hires. More importantly, we’re seeing the positive – and negative – effect your social profiles can have on hiring decisions. Knowing this, do you really want to leave what employers see about you to chance? It’s time to take control of what is found about you!
Get a little defensive:
A big part of taking control of your online identity is managing what information is available for employers to see about you.
- Google yourself
If you aren’t already in the habit of Googling your name, you should start now. Google your name and the different variations of it every few months. Don’t just perform a web search, do an image search, too. And while you’re at it, search blogs, news, and all the other options Google offers for performing a search. Even better, set up a Google Alert that will email you whenever instances of your name are indexed by Google.
Continue reading Take Control of Your Online Identity – Get Defensive »
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David Bradford, “The Bottlecap Kid”, is Executive Chairman and former CEO of HireVue, former CEO of Fusion-io, and a member of the Utah Technology Council Hall of Fame. David is known for accelerating the growth and performance of game-changing organizations by utilizing his “UP Principles” which he outlines in his new book, UP YOUR GAME: 6 Timeless Principles for Networking Your Way to the Top. His last two companies, HireVue and Fusion-io are two of the fastest growing tech businesses in the U.S. Learn more about David and UP YOUR GAME at DavidBradford.com.
