Digital Dirt: How to Manage Your Online Reputation by Jaclyn Jarmulowicz

I thought that I had met Jaclyn before (in a WIN seminar) and she had impressed me, so I was pleased when she walked in the door last Wednesday night.  Jaclyn Jarmulowicz is a young, pretty, energetic woman who works for Employment and Training Resources, currently assigned to the Youth Team in Lowell.

Digital Dirt, covering many different types of social networking, is a huge topic.  We started with class introductions; there were more than 15 of us and we were a very diverse group.  Some of us are ‘in transition’ and some are still working but looking for better situations; some attendees were anxious to learn about social networking for their job search or for their volunteer work.

In her introduction, Jaclyn shared some interesting statistics.  Do you know that if Facebook was a country its population would be the third highest in the world?  That’s right – China, then India, then Facebook!  Social media is here to stay.  We’ve got to Take Control:  Come to Terms With It, Learn It, Own It, Address It, Brand It.

We were led through a quick discussion of various websites that we can use in a job search or for our own enjoyment:

Facebook – Use this site to fight age bias; prove to future employers that you know what you’re doing in this technological world!  Use this site for networking; find friends or friends of friends who can give you insight to a company you are considering.  You can also set up a Facebook page for your small business or for a worthy cause that you are supporting.

Branch Out – This is a service just recently bought by Facebook to search out job opportunities.  Log in through your Facebook account.

Twitter – This is a website used by high-paced professional workers to filter information, to have control of information you receive, and to be the first to get breaking news.  ‘Twitter is a great source of information.’

Instagram – Show your creative side and use this website to share photos and videos (with captions).  It’s the perfect tool to create a portfolio of your work, to use to raise awareness for a cause or to do fundraising.

Google Alert – You can do a Google Alert on yourself or on any companies that you are interested in.  (Go to google.com/alerts)

PIPL.com – This website will help you to pull public records information – anything that your name is attached to that is open to the public to view.  Use PIPL to keep track of topics that could impact your career.

LinkedIn – This is the #1 candidate sourcing tool used by recruiters.  The website lists what you did and when you did it.  Some hints:

Be sure your current job is listed in the current section; many recruiters don’t look further than this. 

If you’re unemployed, call yourself ‘In Transition,’ (ex.  I’m a Customer Service Rep/ Physical Therapist/ Software Engineer in Transition). 

In LinkedIn, it’s all about the buzz words.  Read other people’s job descriptions to get some hints on updated language to use.

Try to get lots of referrals and recommendations on your page.

Lastly, include a photo!!!  Recruiters call sites without photos ‘incomplete.’  And no selfies!!  Get someone to take a clear picture of you against a solid background when your clothes and hair look stylish.

Jaclyn shared some thoughts on ‘Best Practices’ when posting on any social media.  Don’t put in any comments on politics, religion, or race.  People reading your comments could pre-judge you, and not read further. 

Last words – ‘A job search can be overwhelming and confusing.’  Do use the one-stop centers as a job-hunting source. Got to ETRCC.com.  Thanks, Jaclyn, for some great advice.

Posted by Linda Wagner, WIN Participant

Sarah Kipp's excellent presentation on "Communicate to Connect"

Too bad it was raining on Wednesday night.  A lot of people missed a very interesting presentation by Sarah Kipp, ‘Communicate to Connect.’

For a better connection when we communicate, we should concentrate on our clarity and our confidence.  (These hints work for oral, as well as written, communication.)

Sarah spoke about many aspects of communication but, due to limited time, spent most of the class talking about preparedness.  How do we ensure better communication?  Preparation, engagement and feedback.  Think about your speaking event, interview, or conversation/ discussion in advance when you can.  Sarah suggested thinking TAP-F:  Topic, Audience, Purpose, Form.

Topic:  Be sure that you know your stuff!  A question was asked about what to do about unexpected interview questions.  Prepare as much as you can.  If you are ready for the questions you can anticipate, then you shouldn’t feel overwhelmed with surprises.  Don’t be afraid to take a moment to gather your thoughts. 

Audience:  Look at your communication through the eyes of the other person.

We need to be clear about what we want to say, but good communicators should also have a good grasp about what the listener needs to hear.  What is going on in their minds?  What motivates them?  Why do they care to be part of your conversation?

Purpose:  What is the purpose of this speaking event or interview?  To inform, persuade, entertain?  You might have to change your style slightly to be sure that you are offering your listener what they are expecting.    

Form:  What is the structure of your speaking event?  Will you be in an office or a conference room or an auditorium?  Will you have a one-on-one interview or will you be doing a presentation in front of 200 people?  Find out as much as possible so that you can have confidence in your surroundings.

After a class question about confidence, Sarah shared her Bruce Schneider poster of Seven Levels of Energetic Self-Perception.  Look at yourself honestly.

How do you want to show yourself?  If you want to make a confident impression, show yourself as confident.  Visualize yourself in your ‘communicating’ position – what appearance to you want to portray?

What can you do to get your energy level up?  Use your own strategies.  When getting ready for speaking occasions, Sarah shared with the group that she uses a special song, gets the beat inside her.  It lifts her up, energizes her.

We ended the class with a short discussion on Feedback.  Though our feedback after speaking events is mostly self (‘I answered that question very well.’ or ‘I should have stressed my experience more.’), try to find occasions to record yourself.  If you do Skype or phone calls, use a recorder to see how you are sounding to others.  Then be frank with yourself -  How could I have made my communication better?

I’m going to take Sarah’s advice.  I need to be self-aware – stay in that confident place.  I’ll spend time preparing before an interview.  I’ll keep my energy level up.  I’ll self-reflect afterwards.  Thanks Sarah.

Posted by Linda Wagner, WIN Participant

Mike Chase's presentation

Mike Chase, a meeting and events manager specializing in executive briefings, meeting management and facilitation, gave some valuable tips for job seekers. His 10 steps to shorten the job search are simple but effective tools that would help job seekers.

• ·         Got organized?
• ·         Got dressed?
• ·         Got focus?
• ·         Got reality?
• ·         Got training?
• ·         Got brand?
• ·         Got connected?
• ·         Got buddies?
• ·         Got incentives?
• ·         Got balance?

He elaborated and gave pointers for each of the ten categories. A very valuable presentation that was appreciated by the participants.

I would like to thank the Shrewsbury Fire Department for letting us use their meeting space while the Library is transitioning to a temporary site.

WIN workshops in October

We will continue to host WIN meetings for those interested in career transitions and job-related workshops when the library is closed from October 6^th - October 25^th. The meetings on October 8^th and October 22^nd  will be held at the Fire Station on 11 Church Road, Shrewsbury, MA 01545.

Wed, Oct 8, 6:30-8 PM - Mike Chase will present on the topic “Got work? 10 Steps to Shorten the Job Search”.

Are you getting tired of the “same old, same old” in your job search?  Are you finding yourself more distracted and less effective in your daily activities?  This presentation will help you revisit the basics in your approach and perhaps help you discover EVEN ONE NEW THING that will put you back on track and help you move forward more effectively. As a current professional in transition, Mike Chase has learned from experience what can get in the way of an effective job search.  Professionally, he is a meeting and events manager specializing in executive briefings, meeting management and facilitation.  He has held marketing or sales management roles at Hewlett-Packard Medical Products Group and Bose Corporation, and most recently managed the executive briefing program and conference center at Progress Software.  Currently he is an award-winning member of the Friendly Persuasions Toastmasters Club in Haverhill, MA.  

Wed, Oct 22, 6:30-8 PM – Sarah Kipp will present on the topic “Communicate to Connect”

Sarah M. Kipp has over twenty years of experience as a writing coach, educator, and speaker. She holds a Master of Science in Education and coaching certificates from the International Coach Federation and the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC). In 2007, Sarah founded Express Yourself Write, a coaching and advising firm for leaders. Her company teaches communication methodologies designed to accomplish transformative work in schools, universities, and businesses. Sarah is also a writer and performer, and is the author of Courage in the Lake, a CD collection of autobiographical memoirs that includes an original musical composition.

Through this interactive workshop, “Communicate to Connect,” Sarah focuses on the three elements that have the greatest impact on our ability to communicate our message: clarity, confidence, and connection. Join us for a lively presentation filled with stories, strategies, and solutions that deepen the ways we use communication as a vehicle for connection.

To register for the Oct 8th workshop, please click here.

To register for the Oct 22nd workshop, please click here

Thanks to the Fire Chief for letting us use the meeting space at the Fire Station.

"Healthy Habits Lead to Decreased Stress"

A Certified Health Coach, Sarah Dubois, offered many tips for living a healthy lifestyle that will decrease the amount of stress one feels throughout a job search.

We began the evening discussing with a neighbor three things: how we feel when stressed, what you do when stressed, and what you eat when stressed.  As a group many people reported being anxious when stressed.  Also, we reported how hard it is to concentrate and to accomplish tasks when stressed.  Many people have trouble sleeping, have headaches, and do not eat right when stressed.  Chocolate is a go-to food for many when stressed!

One of Sarah’s main interests is the healthy nutrition aspect of living a healthy lifestyle. We discussed the effects of sugar on our bodies. Eating sugar raises your energy level for a short period, then it drops leaving you wanting more sugar. This can lead to very unhealthy eating habits. Sarah advocates one great way to reduce your stress is to watch and limit your daily intake of sugar. Sarah brought baggies of measured sugar demonstrating visually how much both men and women should consume in a day. For women, the amount was 5 teaspoons of sugar per day. Then she had a baggie showing how much the typical American eats daily – 30 teaspoons!  Sarah brought some food items that are typically considered “healthy” and showed us the amount of sugar in each. For example, a ready-made cup of Campbell’s Tomato soup has 12 grams of sugar per serving, and the soup bowl was considered two servings.  Most people would eat the whole container, at 4 grams of sugar per teaspoon - this would be nearly your whole daily allowance of sugar.

Our next topic was physical activity. Sarah emphasized the importance of daily activity and how it can lead to decreased stress. 

To address the common problem of having trouble sleeping while on a job search, Sarah offered many tips. These included having a regular bedtime routine, keeping electronics out of the bedroom, not using electronics right before going to bed, and limiting food and drink close to bed time.

The highlight of the evening was Sarah teaching us the 4-7-8 breathing technique for getting back to sleep when your mind is racing in the middle of the night. This involves breathing in for a count of four, holding your breath for a count of 7, then breathing out for a count of 8. We all practiced this technique four times in a row! Sarah explained that your brain concentrates on the counting and the breathing slows your body down making it easier to fall back to sleep.

We ended the evening discussing how to look at the many things we do each day in a positive way rather than a negative one. This is another way to decrease overall stress. For example, at the end of the day do not focus on all the things you did not accomplish, but rather, focus on those things that you accomplished that day.

Everyone left with a number of useful tips for incorporating healthy habits into our lifestyles.

Posted by Karen Imbalzano, WIN participant

How To Decrease Stress During The Job Search on Wed, Sept. 10

Join Sarah Dubois, Certified Health Coach, on September 10, 6:30-8 PM and discover easy strategies to decrease stress and increase your energy and vitality while in career transition.

Sarah Dubois is a Certified Health Coach who has always had an interest in nutrition and living a healthy lifestyle. While working at a large pharmaceutical company, Sarah facilitated an in-house weight-loss support group and worked closely with the Health and Wellness department to improve employee wellness programs.  In 2012, after being laid off, Sarah started her job search, which led to a career change as she decided to increase her knowledge in health and well-being and enrolled in the health-coaching course at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.


Sarah has studied over 100 dietary theories, and practical lifestyle management techniques with some of the world’s top health and wellness experts. With this knowledge, Sarah supports her clients in reaching their goals, including reducing stress, improving their confidence, increasing energy, and living healthy lifestyles. For additional information please go to her website http://www.sarahduboishealthcoach.com/.

To register, please click here.

Enjoyable Presentation by Kim Coburn

‘Unless you have made a career out of job searching, it’s not going to come easy.’ 

These were the opening lines spoken by Kim Coburn, founder and principal of The Coburn Company, a leadership development and executive coaching firm.  Kim uses her past experiences, including time spent as a recruiter and working in HR, to offer coaching to job seekers and to develop leaders and teams.

Kim’s humor-laced presentation recommended clear, concise, efficient communication when networking or being interviewed.  (‘Remember - a job search should be 20% looking for jobs and 80% networking.’)  The summary used to introduce yourself, in person or in a resume, should include your title, your metrics (a way to measure your progress), and your competencies (your selling points).

What job title are you seeking?  I introduce myself as a Financial Analyst.  Have you been doing that job for more than six years?  Yes, I have.  So I should be introducing myself as an experienced Financial Analyst.

How do you know that you are good?  You need to provide metrics, recognizable measurements of your work history.  I have a proven track record of meeting deadlines and client satisfaction.

What are you selling?  This is your chance to let your interviewer know what they will be getting when they hire you.  I’m very organized, detail-oriented, with high level computer and communication skills.

After her overview, Kim engaged the group in an inter-active discussion to help us to come up with our own ‘bullet point’ metrics.  She capably counseled each person individually to help us to come up with clear, concise titles, metrics and selling points – with diverse job titles ranging from Jewelry Designer to Call Center Manager.

All participants agreed that we walked away from this seminar with some new and helpful ideas.  Kim offered us a new technique to look at the manner with which we introduce ourselves in person, and to summarize ourselves on our resume.

Posted by Linda Wagner