I've had a few posts not publish as scheduled. After doing some online research at Squarespace, I found a helpful video. We'll see if this one schedules...
Through the Local Goodwill, I'm helping some folks "Make Over" their LinkedIn presence. LinkedIn, the most accepted social media platform for online professionals, is becoming critical to networking online and connecting with people offline.
In my day job, I train sales professionals to use LinkedIn strategically in an ever growing online driven world. Networking in 2013 isn't complete without an online component.
So, on August 20th, I'm volunteering some of my time to work with Goodwill of Northwest North Carolina to offer a hands on LinkedIn Profile makeover workshop. The workshop will be followed by a Head-shot photo session.
For Questions please contact:
Sandy Jolley: sjolley@goodwillnwnc.org or Tempy Albright: talbright@goodwillnwnc.org
They’re everywhere. My LinkedIn feeds are overflowing with people, previously normal professionals, striking out to impress others by changing their titles to previously obscure and now overused terms. The use of these Super Titles is spreading like a bad cold. Stop it! Please! In an effort to call for change, I've scooped several of the top offenders from the pile and here are 4 overused and painful titles.
Sensi – Bless you! This term is Japanese in origin and refers historically to a martial arts instructor. So, unless you have martial arts training in your profession. Let’s chop (karate reference, get it?) it out! You are essentially calling yourself an expert (see below) instructor.
Guru – I thought this one had gone the way of Pet Rocks. Again, a reference that was historically tied to a spiritual tradition that has been stripped of its value by being applied to marketing, sales, accounting and the like. Consider the cosmic advantage of dropping this one. All together now...ohmnnnn.
Sherpa – I get it. It's cute. You get to be important while claiming the lesser, more humble status of a servant. Sherpa does have servant leader all over it, and it is all over LinkedIn. It was novel the first few thousand times, but now it just doesn't seem creative and is confusing to those who have never climbed a Tibetan mountain. Besides, Sherpa technically refers to an ethnic group in Nepal.
Expert - Really?! If I have to tell you I'm an expert, one of us isn't capable of knowing the difference. Either way, its insulting. Let people determine your level of proficiency themselves. Show them your competencies in your work, projects, accomplishments. If nothing else, let your endorsements speak for you. Endorsements are certainly easy enough to get!
Enough with the glamour titles. How about just saying it like you are and letting people decide for themselves. After all, would you rather do business with an established Director of Marketing or a self appointed Marketing Maven?
Sometimes, you just have to say Rumpelstiltskin! Dare you...say it right now...and...comment about it.
The rain ran us inside, away from our plans to hear the live downtown music and into the beauty of the new Wake Forest University welcome center performance hall. There, for free, we attended dance and chamber music compliments of Carolina Summer Music Festival and WFU iPlace.
Amazing. There is nothing like interpretive dance and live concert music to access emotions and get the creative juices flowing! Find out more on the Carolina Summer Music Festival website.
Are you making plans to attend the Winston-Salem Chamber Technology Briefing and Business Expo on September 12th? You should. Here’s why.
Click Image for more information
1. The Technology Briefing is our “TED” talk style annual round up of innovative and emerging technologies associated with the Triad of North Carolina. You will have an OMG! (like the BEET juice moment last year) moment as well as leave informed about some amazing companies and people right next door.
2. The Business Expo will host dozens of local small business and large corporations all under one roof giving you easy access to the movers and shakers in the local business community. No matter if you are looking for a service provider for your next company project or your next job, you’ll not find a better grouping of people in one place.
3. Thousands of local people will attend throughout the day. Can you say Networking!?
4. There will be food! Several local restaurants will be strutting their stuff throughout the day, but dramatically so during a mid-day mingle.
So mark your calendar and spend some time immersed in the happenings of business in Winston-Salem!
Ran into this neat little slide share over at Dictionary dot com.
Seems that Robotics, Time Travel, Zero G, and many other 'common' science terms began as science fiction fantasy. Let's hope the BORG aren't on their way.
From Steven King's movies to the battle of iHoles and Androids - The Less Desirables had me going nuts as I sat in on their podcast this week.
Talking music, movies, sports, technology and beer in a no-holes-barred format is the speak of this group. Tim Beeman and Brain Attridge started TLDs about five years ago as the answer to the question "What about talking into a can?" The Less Desirables is growing by clicks and sounds here in the Triad and across the state.
I clicked across a list of obsolete words today. You can find the entire 18 Obsolete Words over at Death and Taxes, however I really wish I had know the word usage below and had a chance to drop it into conversation prior to the recent Royal baby birth...
With squirrel: Pregnant — Vance Randolph’s “Down in the Holler: A Gallery of Ozark Folk Speech”, 1953
With squirrel: Pregnant — Vance Randolph’s “Down in the Holler: A Gallery of Ozark Folk Speech”, 1953
I had the great pleasure of meeting a young author, Ken Ilgunas, this evening. Ken's book, Walden on Wheels, has earned him considerable recognition as an adventurer, thinker and counter-culture young adult.
Tonight's intimate gathering in a local Winston-Salem home allowed me to visit with and glimpse into the life of this novel man. He is certainly on a journey and it will be very interesting to see what his unique living and the resultant societal recognition means for him and others - as time progresses.
From his own website:
Once I was a cart-pushing suburbanite from New York. But then I fell in love with Alaska and Thoreau, so now I go on adventures and write about them.
I originally started this blog to chronicle my "vandwelling" adventure at Duke University in January 2009. When I enrolled in a graduate program at Duke, I was nearly broke because I'd just finished paying off my $32,000 undergraduate student debt. So I bought a van -- a 1994 Ford Econoline -- and I secretly lived in it on campus so I could afford tuition and not have to go back into debt.
In May 2011, after two and a half years at Duke, I graduated debt-free, with a little over $1,000. A book about my experiences, Walden on Wheels, will be published in May 2013.
His writings will entertain you and quickly reveal an independent and resourceful spirit committed to living life differently. Click over to Ken Ilgunas' website and get to know Ken a bit and consider reading his book.
Currently he is writing his second book which will catalog his experiences of hiking the 1,700 mile route of the Keystone XL pipeline.
You GO Ken!
Tonight's intimate gathering in a local Winston-Salem home allowed me to visit with and glimpse into the life of this novel man. He is certainly on a journey and it will be very interesting to see what his unique living and the resultant societal recognition means for him and others - as time progresses.
From his own website:
Once I was a cart-pushing suburbanite from New York. But then I fell in love with Alaska and Thoreau, so now I go on adventures and write about them.
I originally started this blog to chronicle my "vandwelling" adventure at Duke University in January 2009. When I enrolled in a graduate program at Duke, I was nearly broke because I'd just finished paying off my $32,000 undergraduate student debt. So I bought a van -- a 1994 Ford Econoline -- and I secretly lived in it on campus so I could afford tuition and not have to go back into debt.
In May 2011, after two and a half years at Duke, I graduated debt-free, with a little over $1,000. A book about my experiences, Walden on Wheels, will be published in May 2013.
His writings will entertain you and quickly reveal an independent and resourceful spirit committed to living life differently. Click over to Ken Ilgunas' website and get to know Ken a bit and consider reading his book.
Currently he is writing his second book which will catalog his experiences of hiking the 1,700 mile route of the Keystone XL pipeline.
You GO Ken!