Successful Blog

Time for a Move to Boost Your Career?

by Leave a Comment

As the U.S. economy continues to gain momentum, rising employer confidence has led to stronger employment gains.

The job market performed exceedingly well in 2014, and it is not expected to let up this year.

Some cities are projected to experience faster job growth than others, and they are becoming increasingly popular destinations among job seekers.

If you are looking for a job, it is recommended that you give these cities a try:

U.S. Employment Outlook for 2015

According to data released by the U.S. Department of Labor, more than 2.95 million jobs were created last year, making 2014 the strongest year for job growth since 1999.

Unemployment rate slipped to 5.6 percent in December, which was significantly lower than the 6.7-percent rate recorded a year before.

This year, economists are expecting employers to become more bullish on employment, resulting in average monthly job gains of 250,000 to 300,000.

Some of the industries that will be seeing significant job growth in 2015 include the restaurant, retail, healthcare, finance and construction industries.

As mentioned in an article entitled “$800 Million Springfield Resort Casino to Create 2,000 Temporary Jobs“, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated that the U.S. construction industry will add about 30,000 jobs this spring.

Top 5 Cities for Job Seekers

In a recent survey, Manpower Group asked 18,000 employers from 100 metropolitan statistical areas about their hiring plans for the first quarter of 2015.

Below are the top five cities for jobs in 2015, according to the survey.

Cape Coral, Florida

About 32 percent of employers in Cape Coral, Florida said that they will be stepping up their recruitment efforts. The city is known as one of the top cities for startup businesses, and it is experiencing rapid job growth because of its booming tourism and hospitality industries.

McAllen, Texas

Located at the U.S.-Mexico border, McAllen is home to major facilities belonging to big corporations such as General Electric and Nokia, thanks to the U.S.-Mexico tariff-free trade agreements. These corporations and other employers are fueling job growth in the city, with 29 percent of them projecting an increase in employment.

Deltona, Florida

Deltona ranked joint-third on the list with Grand Rapids, Michigan, with 26 percent of employers planning to hire. This city is producing many new jobs in the hospitality and professional services industries.

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Grand Rapids, Michigan is a hub for auto and aviation manufacturers, as well as office-furniture manufacturers such as Herman Miller. About 26 percent of employers in the city are expecting to hire more workers.

Oxnard, California

Oxnard, California is home to a major port between San Francisco and Los Angeles, and therefore, it is a city that is driven by international trade. 24 percent of employers from this city indicated that they will increase hiring.

Your ability to land a good job depends mainly on your work experience, academic qualifications and skills.

However, you can increase your chances of success by targeting potential employers that are located in a city with a high job-growth rate.

About the Author: John McMalcolm is a freelance writer who writes on a wide range of subjects, from social media marketing to careers.

What The Bill Cosby Scandal Has To With The Viability Of Your Business

by Leave a Comment

By Lindsey Tolino

Would the allegations against Bill Cosby be less shocking if he were a football player? Or a rich businessman? Or a playboy-type actor? Would it be less shocking if they were against Charlie Sheen or Dustin Diamond?

Yes, it would. The alleged acts wouldn’t be any less deplorable, but the shock would be less. Bill Cosby may not be guilty. However, the allegations alone are enough to incite public outrage.

shattered glass

I watched Bill Cosby as a kid and loved him. His TV show character was inherently trustable. He did Jell-O commercials with children. He wore those sweaters. His public image was a funny family man.

He never branded himself as a bad boy. He created an image of a lovable, trustable man. Though the Cosby show was fictional, Bill’s public image was largely his Mr. Huxtable character. When I read the allegations I was sickened.

I still don’t know what’s true. Regardless, I had to deal with the shattering of a character I loved and enjoyed.

Whether or not the allegations prove true, there will always be some level in which Bill Cosby has become tainted.

In fact, TV Land has already pulled Cosby show reruns and NBC stopped the development of a Bill Cosby comedy show.

Netflix delayed his comedy special.

More recently, one of his upcoming live shows in Canada is to be protested by a women’s group.

Cosby’s image is being utterly crushed under these allegations.

And so, what can we learn from the Bill Cosby scandal?

1. You can single-handedly destroy an entire entity with a counter-character action.
2. Nothing is hidden that will not come to light.

If you do something against your business branding, as a customer, I will end our relationship. There are so many other businesses out there competing for me and I want to make sure my money and loyalty goes an entity that I can trust to be consistent.

We hate even a whiff of inconsistency. We have expectations of businesses based on what they said they are about. If a business fails the expectations they’ve created, people will walk.

If your business is about serving quality food, then serve the best quality food every single day.

If your business is about fast service, then deliver the fastest service every single time.

You don’t have to be perfect at everything. You just have to consistently deliver what you said you’re all about.

There’s something else that’s bothersome about this Bill Cosby scandal – how Mr. Cosby has dealt with it so far. When someone is accused of something they didn’t do, it is expected that they would be outraged and vehemently deny it. That has not occurred, which has created chasms of doubt as to his innocence and has further degraded the perception of his character.

So how do you avoid bringing your business down?

First, know the image you’re presenting of your business.

Second, maintain the image you’ve created.

Third, if you fail at maintaining your image, bring it to light yourself, apologize and get back to who you are.

Alternatively, apologize for the lack of consistency, be honest and redirect about who you are. Don’t make maintaining money streams that are based on a facade more important than your integrity. It will catch up with you and crush your brand when it does.

You create your business entity. You decide what you will portray. However, you must maintain the character of that which you create. If you do not maintain it, you can ensure you will lose customers. There are just too many other businesses out there vying for them.

When you feel the sting of a celebrity, a business or a friend letting you down, let that be a reminder of the responsibility that you carry. You must maintain the brand you create. Consistency is vital. Your viability depends on it.

Author’s Bio: Lindsey Tolino is a young creative who helps make businesses better. She serves business owners with her words at ToBusinessOwners.com. Follow her on Twitter @LindseyTolino or connect with her on Google+.

Image info: Royalty-free image by Brano Hudak from http://www.freeimages.com/photo/1006530.

Evaluate your visual branding with this quick project

by Leave a Comment

Grab a cup of egg nog, some masking tape, and a Sharpie. It’s about to get old-school in here.

It’s the end of the year, and you’re hopefully knee-deep in planning your budget and strategy for 2015. You’re evaluating how your 2014 plans went (fistbump).

Here’s one quick branding project that you can do in about 30 minutes, and will help you spot any weaknesses in your branding picture.

Step One – Make a List of Online Outposts

Compile a list of every place your business has a presence online. Include social networks (FB, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.), review sites, your own web site.

Step Two – Fire up the Printer

Print at least the first page (anything above the fold) from each place on the list. If you send out corporate emails, print one of those too. If you placed any ads online, print them.

Step Three – Deck the Halls

Tape all of the items you printed on one wall. Tape up any pre-printed items too, if you have them. Include business cards, corporate brochure, direct mail pieces, a picture of your trade show booth, go nuts.

Step Four – Stand Back and Soak it In

As you step back from the wall, and sip some egg nog, what do you see? Is it a jumbled mess? What are the messages you’re sending? Are they the ones you want to send?

Step Five – Sharpie It Up

Use the Sharpie to circle and make notes where you see weaknesses. Do you need to add a cover image on LinkedIn (what, you haven’t done that yet?), do you have an outdated profile blurb on SlideShare, is your old logo showing up on that product’s Twitter page?

Step Six – Take Action

You can use the last week of the year to update and tweak these branding issues, consider hiring a branding expert to sort it out, or add action items to your 2015 plan.

You’ll be starting the next year with a crystal clear picture of your visual brand, and a plan to move forward!

Author’s Bio: Rosemary O’Neill is an insightful spirit who works for Social Strata — makers of the Hoop.la community platform. Check out the Social Strata blog. You can find Rosemary on Google+ and on Twitter as @rhogroupee

It’s a Brand New, Brand YOU, Visual World

by Leave a Comment

By Paul Biedermann, re:DESIGN

It’s a visual world and images touch us in a direct, visceral way unlike text can alone. They make us happy, they make us laugh, they make us inspired — they can also make us deeply sad — all in just a fleeting glance.

one red strawberry

Recent neurological studies prove through brain imaging how we respond to visuals unlike any other media: we pay attention to them, we believe them, and we remember them. Powerful stuff!

Now, take a look at today’s media landscape and the busy, distracted, hyperactive world we find ourselves in.

What are the three things you — as a company, businessperson, or job seeker — need to do most? Get noticed, communicate your value and make a positive impression that is remembered, right?

Visuals to the rescue. And they show up great on our smartphones too, where so many of us now spend our time online.

Use the power of the visual

A strong visual presence that clearly demonstrates who you are and what you want puts you head and shoulders above the rest — you know, all those websites and social media profiles you click through, not to mention the mountains of faceless resumés that recruiters know so well. But take note of the word “strong” — a weak visual image won’t cut it. There is lots of amateurish visual noise vying for attention too, so the key is rising above that. Joining the tide of mediocrity won’t cut it.

Now is the time to use the power of the visual — and not just to be seen, but understood and remembered too. There’s no doubt that a smart visual strategy will help give you the competitive advantage you seek.

A well-designed visual presentation brings clarity to who you are and what you do. This is so important in a time when you are fortunate if someone takes even a few seconds to decide yay or nay, assuming you have attracted their attention in the first place.

Sharpen your visual strategy

Once you have defined the core essence of your business and message, you should then tailor your communications and online presence in a simple, visually unique way for maximum impact. No matter how qualified you might be otherwise, creating the right visual appeal will not only help you land new business or that new job, but land the right kind of business and the right job for which you are best suited and that brings you the most personal satisfaction.

Companies and marketers have long known that brands with the sharpest sales pitches and the most dynamic visual presentations differentiate themselves from the competition and sell the most product (all else being equal, of course). Similarly, solopreneurs and job seekers who brand and market themselves — defining their own unique “story” and then pairing that with a smart visual strategy — win the day.
 
In today’s competitive environment, it’s all about brand “you.” Sounds a little strange, I know. But much like your favorite brands that you reach for every day, now is the time to package yourself so you leap right off those shelves of relative sameness — you now have your own shoppers to entice!

Applying traditional branding principles to ourselves is a relatively new concept, but it does not mean being disingenuous in any way — far from it. It is about taking all you are and polishing that so you present the best version of yourself, and making sure the focus is where it belongs. Merging your core message with the right visual strategy does nothing to change the essence of who you are, it simply improves the odds that people will get to know the real you and take the action you seek.

As the saying goes, you only have one chance to make a first impression — so creating the right visual impression speaks volumes. Just as we know quality when we see it, people recognize that you are a quality business or person if that is the impression you give them and you have the goods to back it up. Much like putting on your best suit for an interview, smart communications and a good looking visual image work the same way, especially when you can’t be there yourself.

Be consistent

One final, critical ingredient — be consistent. In order to make an impression that is noticed and remembered, that same message needs to be continually driven home, clearly and succinctly. This means tying both your online and offline communications together so you present one unified image, no matter where they may be seen. Mismatched communications that don’t hang together create a confused, disorganized, unprofessional message. Mixed signals fracture your image rather than enhancing and reinforcing it.

A laser-sharp, visually-powerful brand is the single most important step you can take to reach, excite and inspire people to take action — and hire brand “you.”

Author’s Bio: Paul Biedermann is the Creative Director/Owner of re:DESIGN, a small design agency specializing in Strategic Design, Brand Identity, and Visual Content Marketing — intersecting smart design with business strategies that reach, engage, and inspire people to action. Blending traditional and leading-edge media tactics. Paul consistently delivers integrated, award-winning results for his clients. Connect with him on Google+ or Twitter.

Photo credit: MorgueFile

Life Lessons in Branding from Five Female Celebs

by Leave a Comment

By Diana Gomez

We’ve all heard the saying that there’s no such thing as bad publicity, but is it possible to go too far?

With information spreading farther and faster than ever, it can take just a few moments to tarnish a reputation, something countless celebrities have proven possible.

Here are five lessons we can learn from spotlight-seekers — and how to apply them to your own business.

artistic Marilyn Monroe face

Miley Cyrus: From Hannah Montana to Wrecking Ball

The baby-faced daughter of country star Billy Ray Cyrus won over our hearts as a Disney Channel star, but quickly grew into a magnet for scandal by getting high on camera, posing nude and engaging in X-rated antics onstage. While the star has alienated her loyal young fans and enraged protective parents, she’s whole-heartedly embraced her risky new image as a pop provocateur — going so far as orchestrating a fake storm of controversy surrounding her Bangerz tour.

Miley got the attention she wanted, but many fans have been left scratching their heads about what exactly she’s doing. Is she a marketing genius or just a hot mess? Either way, she’s standing on shaky ground.

Lesson learned: If you change your company’s image in a wholesale way, do it after careful consideration and full awareness of former customers you may alienate in favor of attracting new ones.

Sinead O’Connor: If you don’t have anything nice to say…

After being cited as an inspiration for Miley’s racy “Wrecking Ball” video, Irish singer Sinead O’Connor shot back with a series of open letters expressing her disapproval of the pop star’s actions. “You have enough talent that you don’t need to let the music business make a prostitute of you,” Sinead wrote in one letter. Miley responded by reposting a series of tweets Sinead had written two years earlier when she was seeking psychiatric help. Sinead followed up by demanding an apology and threatening Miley with legal action if she didn’t take down the tweets, saying she’d been subjected to media bullying.

This wasn’t Sinead’s first time in the hot seat. Most memorably, the buzz-cutted singer drew scorn for ripping up a photograph of the pope on Saturday Night Live in 1992. Her career fizzled out soon afterward, and her only headline appearances revolved around her personal life — most notably, a suicide attempt and a custody battle.

Lesson learned: Don’t start hurling criticisms unless you’re prepared to receive a few of your own.

Gwyneth Paltrow: Is honesty always the best policy?

When Gwyneth and her rock star hubby Chris Martin decided to separate, there was nothing quiet about it: The actress announced the split via her popular blog, GOOP. Gwyneth painted the divorce as a “conscious uncoupling,” then proceeded to explain their decision as a new, more progressive way of being in relationships. She may have been attempting to control the spin on the separation, but many people responded negatively, taking it as an example of how out-of-touch Gwyneth is.

Lesson learned: Tell the truth in times of crisis, but keep it simple. Spinning the story and adding details can dig your company into a hole.

Martha Stewart: Moving on

The world was shocked when domestic diva Martha Stewart was sentenced to five months in prison after lying to investigators about selling stocks. Ten years later, Martha’s media empire is still going strong — so strong, in fact, that it’s easy to forget about her prison stint altogether. Her magazines, books, TV shows and product lines are thriving. And while many doubted her ability to bounce back, Martha always knew she would.

“I was very confident,” she said in a rare interview with Matt Lauer last year. “When you know inside that you’re good, that you’ve done well, and that you are an honest person, you know you can live through disaster.”

Rather than focusing on the negative, Martha chose to remain confident and carry on with business as usual as soon as she’d served her term. And that approach has certainly worked out in her favor.

Lesson learned: If you suffer a setback, take the fall with grace and style, and your rebound will be that much easier.

Taylor Swift: The power of loyalty

Taylor Swift’s country-pop tunes dominate the airwaves, and it’s not just because they’re so darn catchy. The young star is frequently lauded as a marketing maven. For one, her ability to understand and cater to her massive fan base represents a valuable lesson in contact marketing.

And that connection with her fans is a huge part of her success.

Taylor is known for tracking down her most passionate followers and rewarding them with memorable experiences, and she’s extremely active on social media. When Taylor asks her army of fans to call in to radio stations and politely request her songs, you can bet that DJs across America are immediately bombarded.

Lesson learned: Know your audience, give them what they want and never take them for granted.

What other celebrities have stories with lessons that businesses can learn from?

Author’s Bio: Diana Gomez is the Marketing Coordinator at Lyoness America, where she is instrumental in the implementation of marketing and social media strategies for USA and Canada. Lyoness is an international shopping community and loyalty rewards program, where businesses and consumers benefit with free membership and money back with every purchase. Check out Lyoness on Twitter.

Photo Credit: kaneda99 via Compfight cc

Book Review: Executive Presence by Sylvia Ann Hewlett

by Leave a Comment

When I first entered the workforce, my version of executive presence was a navy blue skirt suit. I struggled to be taken seriously as a writer in an office full of engineers. (That was also at a time when IBM required female employees to wear pantyhose.)

It took me years to realize that the suit alone wasn’t going to do it.

In our casual, work-from-the-couch, wear-pajamas business environment, it’s more important than ever to work on the elusive quality of executive presence.

Skills like gravitas, clear communication, a polished appearance, and authenticity are increasingly rare, but are required for building a successful business. Our own Molly Cantrell-Craig wrote earlier this year about Indiana Jones and his leadership style (you don’t need to carry a bullwhip).

Executive Presence book

In Executive Presence, author Sylvia Ann Hewlett dares to puncture the balloon of puffed up “personal branding” that is often a lazy way to fake presence. She knows what she’s talking about. She is an internationally recognized expert on workplace power and influence who began her career as an insecure, sheltered Welsh girl breaking into the elite echelons at Cambridge University.

There’s a Grand Canyon-like chasm between choosing a color scheme for your wardrobe and having the cojones to tell your boss that she has just suggested something unethical.

The book is full of true stories and practical advice from men and women who have forged a path of leadership as business owners and as management.

How to Increase Your Executive Presence (A Sampling)

  • Tackle the hard things yourself. Don’t hide in your office and expect colleagues to take care of the tough tasks.
  • Become known as the calm in the eye of the storm. When everyone else is panicking, be the person who holds it together and makes decisions.
  • Surround yourself with people who are better than you are. Have the guts to admit what you’re not good at, and hire people who are strong in your areas of weakness.
  • Overprepare for everything. Be ready to contribute and speak up.
  • Get rid of communication crutches, both verbal tics (like saying um or uh) and physical crutches like avoiding eye contact.
  • When it comes to your appearance, focus on being appropriate to the situation/audience.
  • Your work attire should be your armor, making you feel invincible, not insecure. If you don’t feel right, that’s a signal from your inner voice.
  • If you need help in developing presence, consider connecting with a mentor or sponsor, someone you admire who already has presence.

Executive Presence is a handy little book for anyone who is new to the workforce, re-entering the workforce, or who wants to build a personal brand that makes an impact. It would be an outstanding graduation gift.

Do you feel that people respond to you as a leader when you’re making new connections?

Author’s Bio: Rosemary O’Neill is an insightful spirit who works for social strata — a top ten company to work for on the Internet . Check out the Social Strata blog. You can find Rosemary on Google+ and on Twitter as @rhogroupee