Awkward Photos Make My Life Complete

I'm a big fan of Awkward Family Photos and every once in a while I come across a few awkward photos as I run multiple photo contests for Better Homes and Gardens and Parents Magazine. The awkward photos that people upload or mail in are probably one of my favorite things about my job, and well, life in general.

Here's a snapshot of a few of the extra special photos that have been mailed in.  Yes, they are hanging up in my cubicle in a visible spot so people can catch a glimpse when they pass by my desk.

Photo
Back to the original intent of this post... a very special thanks goes out to the lovely Parents Social Media Associate, Viki Arias for sharing this wonderful gem.  Enjoy.

Awkward Pregnancy Photos

via Pregnant Chicken via Parents Goody Blog

Happy Wednesday!

Read of the Day - 2010 State of the Blogosphere by Brian Solis

Great read and valuable insights! 

Photos remain “weapon of choice” for bloggers to tell a more complete story.  Mobile continues to be on the rise. Blogging more frequently and expanding content topics appear to be top future plans for current bloggers. The majority of these 18-44 year old blogging veterans have blogged for 1-2+ years.

 2010 State of the Blogosphere by Brian Solis

Thanks to @PRSarahEvans #commentz email newsletter. Click here to receive Sarah's daily email, chocked full of social media trends and tips!

On Foursquare: to friend or to ignore?

Nothing makes me more paranoid about location-based social media services like Foursquare than a friend request from someone I've never met, someone I've never met nor interacted with on some level on other social media channels, a complete stranger, a complete stranger who lives across the country/world/universe... what reason could you possibly have to want to know where I check-in to?

I get these requests daily, which is possibly the creepiest thing about Foursquare. I sometimes enjoy the "mayor" gaming aspect of Foursquare and getting fun badges, but I don't especially care to have many friends in that space. 

In reference to Foursquare I hear people say alot, "Why would anyone want to know where I am at all times?"  For me to accept a friend request on Foursquare, you must meet 2 of the following 3 criteria:

  • We are connected in real life.  Ideally out of any of these, I would like to have met you.  Preferrably after meeting you, I like you enough to add you as a friend on Facebook or follow you on Twitter.
  • We are connected on Facebook. If we are Facebook friends we have crossed paths in school, work or other social circles of interest to me. 
  • We are connected on Twitter. If we are connected on Twitter it means I find you professionally or creatively interesting.  If you follow me and I don't follow back, drop me a line about something you think I might be interested in. To make it easy for you, I specify my interests in my bio.  

Foursquare_find_friends

There are only a few people on my Foursquare friends list which I have never met in person nor do I regularly engage with, but I feel like I have a pretty strong sense of who they are based on what I know about them.

BOTTOM LINE

When I am accepting a Foursquare request I ponder: Is this person is credible, not going to rob me, and would say hello if I saw them out and about?

What do you think about accepting Foursquare requests? Do you have specific criteria when you accept friend or follow requests from people you don't really know? 

Where should you pee? [flowchart] - Holy Kaw!

Where should you pee? [flowchart]

What better way than a flowchart to help figure out the best place to let your, er, flow loose? *insert bad laugh track here*

Although, shouldn’t there be two charts, one for men and one for women? The male chart would have just one arrow pointing to “Go for it,” while the ladies would involve questions like “Are you flexible?” and “Does poison ivy grow in the area?”.

Track "little victories" at the office

Every so often while at the office, a little bit of magic happens in my day.  A disaster is averted, I have good facetime with senior management or bring a new idea to the table that is met with enthusiasm and a sense of urgency from co-workers.  It's those little things about your job that count. 

When you have a few extra moments at your desk, quickly summarize those "little victories" at the office in a Google doc so you have an accurate record of how it went down.  Especially for interns and young professionals looking to move up in the professional world, this will benefit you when it comes time for your review or if a new opportunity arises.

  1. Updating your resume: If you take note of your shining moment relatively soon after it occurs, you will be able to recall the specific details later on when you go to update your resume.
  2. Applying for jobs:  Having an accurate detail of all the times you went above and beyond your call of duty will help you craft an exciting story for your cover letter and initial correspondence with recruiters and hiring managers so you capture their attention.
  3. Interview talking points: These situations are good points to discuss during an interview when the "Tell me about the time when you..." questions come up. See example below.
  4. Talking points for your review:  Bring your list of honorable moments with you to the review with your boss.  Instead of trying to remember details, you can focus your attention on measuring results and analyzing your performance.  Bonus points for being prepared and selling yourself.  You might get the promotion you have been wanting!

The important thing to take away from this is to write it down play-by-play the same day it occurs.  Get in the mindset and build a new good habit.  This eliminates unneccessary work later.  Write it out using the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method that you use when answering behavioral interview questions. For ongoing projects, set reminders to update your journal when progress has been made.  This will help you analyze the results more meaningfully.

Interviewer: "Tell me about a time when you dealt with a difficult co-worker..."

You: "Well...

(Situation): A tight deadline was approaching for XYZ project and I had not heard back from the necessary people.

(Task): I needed to get creative for XZY project from my co-worker.

(Action): I followed-up with my co-worker, asked if they needed help with anything to meet their deadline.

(Result): Worked together with co-worker and effectively managed the tight deadline, which ultimately lead to a 50% increase in pageviews for the month of November."

Interviewer: "Yay, you're awesome. When can you start?"

Inside CR » Blog Archive » 5 Tips to Stay Productive at Work & Manage Your Social Networks

5 Tips to Stay Productive at Work & Manage Your Social Networks

Posted by Caroline Jones, media relations intern on Oct 27, 2009 in Caroline Jones, Intern Posts |

According to a recent Mashable article, and others, it is suggested that online activity or use of social networks at work is costing businesses billions of dollars each year because employees spend more time surfing the Web than being a productive colleague.

I can’t say that I am a wiz at calculating these stats but I can attest to some of that. I spend a great deal of my time on social networks. I am fortunate to have an internship at Come Recommended that allows me to do just that. I enjoy reading blogs and sharing my thoughts and experiences with others interested in the same thing. It is fun to connect with people on a given subject and engage in a mutually interesting conversation.

By all means, your work is your first priority while on the clock. Aside from CR, I have a job and need to juggle multiple priorities on a daily basis. Follow these smart tips to effectively stay productive at the office and manage your social networks:

  • Arrive to work a little early. If you enjoy spending time with social media, arrive to work a little early (15 minutes to a half hour) so you have time to catch up on your blog, Twitter and Facebook feeds before you start the work day. Personally, I always feel a boost when I’m the first person (or one of the first) at work and already have a head start on my day while people are still walking in the door.
  • Focus on professional development. It is better that your boss happens to catch you reading the latest article about using digital media to enhance productivity and sales at work rather than being caught checking Perez Hilton.
  • Share relevant industry news. Did something exciting or compelling happen in your field? Was a recent report released that would have an impact on the company? Send the article to your boss along with a brief note about how the XYZ findings affect your work and most importantly, the company.
  • Seek creative inspiration. Next time you are stuck on a difficult task, Google your problem. You can find just about anything on the Internet, it is likely someone in your network has experienced a similar issue. Be absolutely careful not to share private or confidential company or client information, but you may find that an outside opinion can be a helpful resource.
  • Attend professional webinars. Gain new insights or learn about the latest digital networking trends over lunch or while you work at your desk. Many of these are free to attend. If there is a fee, you may consider running a proposal by your boss to cover the expense if it is truly interesting and relevant to the company’s business practices.

If you need some personal time to break up your day, you can catch up on your Facebook feed over your lunch break. In my experience, I have found that often when you are the most distracted, you need to be focusing the most on your work. Learn to manage your time efficiently now so you can enjoy the benefits of maintaining your social networks while getting ahead at work.

Suggestions? Leave them in the comments below.

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Inside CR » Blog Archive » Networking Lessons Learned from an Older Generation

Networking Lessons Learned from an Older Generation

Posted by Caroline Jones, media relations intern on Oct 13, 2009 in Caroline Jones, Intern Posts |

I’m a firm believer that you learn about the best opportunities by establishing yourself as a go-to kind of person. I’d like to share a story with you that made a lasting impression on me and how I view communicating with others.

Last week, I met a man my grandfather’s age named Doyle. He lives in a small town in southwest Iowa and owns a restaurant named the Silver Spur. His wife came in and asked what he had been doing “dinking around” all day. He responded that a few of his buddies stopped by—one guy was selling a plot of land, another guy was looking to replace his fence and yet someone else came in needing work and was looking for something to do to pay his bills. Doyle was able to connect the people in town with one another so he could help everyone out.

He doesn’t tweet or blog or write about his theories of Web 2.0. He is the person people in town go to because they know he won’t rest until he has helped everyone who needs it. When I was talking to him, he asked what I do. I explained how I work in public relations, advertising and am passionate about online networking, and then it hit me: What is the underlying difference between Doyle “dinking around” and me connecting with people on social networks all day?

I may not see everyone face-to-face everyday, but I think you see where I am going with this. I think everyone who calls themselves a social media expert should take a page from Doyle’s playbook. Be that person people go to because they know you will go to extreme lengths to help them out. Doyle doesn’t monetize his public relations expertise, but everyone who comes through town always stops by for a bite to eat at his restaurant.

My point in sharing this is because it is drilled into our heads in college that we need to network, network, network. Yet, nobody really told or showed me how to do it. I might have learned the proper etiquette and manners, but nobody tells you what you need to do to make it work. It comes from getting off your computer, out the door and involved in your community. Some people call it networking. Doyle’s wife calls it “dinking around.”

The premise of Come Recommended is much the same. By requiring members to have recommendations, CR lays the foundation to a successful career so you can truly begin to understand the importance of word-of-mouth. Doyle doesn’t have a LinkedIn or Come Recommended account, but I bet he would have many recommendations by his name if he did. He has made a name for himself by implementing the same principles.

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