Are You Prepared for the UNTHINKABLE!

Many people thought and many people still think unemployment could never happen to them

We Are Living in the Age of the UNTHINKABLE

Working with the unemployed I see a lot of people dealing with the UNTHINKABLE! For whatever reason – lay off, plant closing, staff reductions, off shore sourcing, obsolete jobs, etc. – they no longer have a job.

Not only do they not have a job, they have not had a job for an extended period of time. They are dealing with the UNTHINKABLE.

Who ever thought we would be in an economy like the one existing today? For sure none of the supposed economic “experts”.

For sure there are people who say they saw the demise of the banking system or the trading houses; I am not so sure how much stock I put in their statements, but it is what some, at least, are saying. Even Alan Greenspan did not see this coming and admits not only did he not see it coming, it never even registered in his thoughts or planning.

Where Are You in Your UNTHINKABLE Thinking

Now we are fully in the Age of the UNTHINKABLE; where are you in your thinking and planning? Are you doing anything to prepare you if the UNTHINKABLE were to happen to you?

If you are like most people, your answer is NO. As a whole, we do not like to think about the UNTHINKABLE. It is easier to ignore and believe the UNTHINKABLE only happens to the other guy or the other family. It may get close, but it will never reach you.

This is ostrich thinking and no one can afford to have their head in the sand. Everyone is susceptible to the UNTHINKABLE. Everyone needs to have a plan as to how they would cope if the UNTHINKABLE were to happen to them.

How to Plan for the UNTHINKABLE

The first thing that must be done is to take your head out of the sand and look around. You must look for signs of the UNTHINKABLE coming in your direction. You must be:

Open to things you do not want to hear.
Open to things you do not want to see.
Looking for things you do not want to hear or see.
Preparing for changes you may not want.
Looking for signs of change.

This all may sound ominous to you, but the reality is; if you are prepared you will have a plan. You may still be caught off guard, but by taking these steps you will be in a better position.

I will be examining these issues and what you can do to prepare yourself and your family in the event the UNTHINKABLE strikes closer to home.

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My name is Tom Staskiewicz and my goal is to help everyone do a little better, get a little further and reach the success they are destined to achieve! Whatever I can do to help you or anyone to move forward in reaching your goals; I’m all for it. Connect with me on LinkedIn, Like me on Facebook or follow me on Twitter.

Check out our career site at http://toyourcareersuccess.com and sign up for our newsletter of career tips and ideas for job seekers, small and medium business owners, self-employed individuals, contractors, consultants or whatever; anyone wanting to move their career forward!

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Social Networking – Are You Afraid Your Connections Will Steal Your Customers

Do You Need to Fear Your Connections Stealing Your Customers?

There are a lot of networking wannabees that are worried about competitors stealing their customers. They allow this fear to keep them from inviting or accepting connections and friends. Their belief is that by not inviting or not accepting they will prevent competitors from stealing their customers.

I understand what they are saying and where they are coming from; but is this really a legitimate concern or are they doing more harm to themselves than good? The reality is that being a networking wannabee with a few connections makes you more susceptible than if you had a large number of connections.

This may sound ridiculous, but let me explain. Whether you are on LinkedIn, Facebook, or any other Social Network, as far as I know, your connections do not have the ability to directly or indirectly search or sort your connections. This means that someone wanting to search your connections or friends list must go through your connections one-by-one looking for possible customers.

A Large Network Makes Searching Time Consuming and Virtually Impossible

If you have just a few connections, this would be an easy task; if you have a large number of connections this would be a very labor intensive process. To me, this says that the larger your network the more protected you are.

Currently I have over 800 connections on LinkedIn, for someone to identify one of my customers would be a lot of work and I do not know anyone that would have the time to undertake that effort. I doubt that your connections would have the necessary time or inclination to undertake that type of task either. A large network can should include Network White Noise.

Creating Network White Noise

What is Network White Noise? This is a new term that I have coined and is the process of building lots of people into your network individuals that may or may not have an immediate networking value. Some of the people that you can add to create Network White Noise include family members, friends, former classmates, former teachers and professors, and others without a current business connection.

I call these connections Network White Noise because if someone is searching through your connections or friends list; these individuals will not have the value the searcher desires. Adding these people is one of the best things you can do to rapidly add Network White Noise to your network and therefore hide your clients and customers.

One of the best ways to continue your networking efforts, while still protecting the identify of your clients and customers is to create Network White Noise. Are you inviting friends, family, former teachers and professors, and other non-business related connections? If not, then why not start now?

I Am Shocked When Business Owners Ignore Social Media

I Am Amazed

I am amazed; I am shocked every time someone tells me that they want their business to be on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, or any other Social Media and then end with the comment saying they do not want to have that presence tied to them. All I can say is: What?

How can you be in Social Media where it is all about conversations, not dialogue, and not expect to be involved? Web 2.0 applications, which is what Social Networking or Social Media applications are, is all about conversations. That is why these applications were developed.

Anyone Making This Statement Does Not Realize That Social Networking Is About Conversations

Social Media is about conversations with your friends, customers, prospects, and others. If it is not you conversing with them; then who do you want doing the talking? Have you designated someone to talk on your behalf? Are you prepared to entrust these communications to someone else?

If this is a large organization, where the operations are no longer tied to an individual, it may make sense. But if you are a small or medium sized business, a professional, a consultant, or an entrepreneur; you probably do not have someone that you have trained and entrusted to talk for you.

Social Networking Is About the Conversations

The purpose of these communications is to build credibility, reliability, and trust; how can you do that and simultaneously remain anonymous? Are you afraid that a customer or prospect will say something you do not like? If that is the case you need to wake up, because they are saying those things regardless. At least with Social Media you have a chance to hear what is being said and respond.

Business Owners and Managers Cannot Ignore Social Media

Today’s world does not allow you to hide! Your business can be and actually is a target and thinking that by not being involved in Social Media will somehow protect or shield you is a mistake. Things are being said with or without your participation. Social Media has become the outlet for favorable and unfavorable discussions.

It used to be that the dissatisfied customer would tell six friends; today that number increases geometrically. The average person on Facebook has 130 friends. If they post something about you, favorable or unfavorable, on average 130 people will see or hear the message.

There is a YouTube video out about United Airlines breaking this guys guitar. Over 3 Million, yes that is an “M” people have seen this video. Last I knew it was even becoming a record.

You are now a member of the viral world so stop being an ostrich and get your head out of the sand. You need to be participating!

Always Something New to Learn with Facebook

Out of Commission

I have been out of commission for the past three or four weeks and not posting anything. No, I was not sick; I had moved into exploratory mode with Facebook.

I frequently spend my time looking at different Fan Pages and wondering; how did they do that? It is not always an intuitively obvious answer; I just know that the did something I have not seen previously and until I learn what and how; I cannot get it out of my head.

During the past couple of weeks I have explored the use of tables for two reasons. My primary quest has been to put more color on my pages. FB has a color schema that controls how things look and while I understand their intent, I like more color. Sure I can post pictures, but I want color in the font, backgrounds, etc.

I am not an HTML or web programmer, by trade, but I am moving in that direction because of the things I keep picking up. It’s just a level of dissatisfaction on my part that keeps me moving forward. Some programmers study new things because they want to be current with the latest technologies. My motivation is that I want things to look good so they get people to act.

Without action from your readers, you have nothing and I am not happy with nothing; are you? I am putting in the effort to create something that interests my readers and causes them to take action. Part of that process is making things pleasing to the eye; thus my quest for color.

The second reason I wanted to implement tables was to organize things on the page. Sometimes information has a tendency to flow off the page or to a position in less than desirable locations; why should we be happy with that? I know we can do better and that is what I am after.

I am enjoying the capabilities of Facebook and I see many things that it can do for my clients. I will continue to pursue new and interesting things that can be done to make exciting pages that promote action. Watch my page as I progress, let me know how I am doing, and if I can help you; let me know.

Now that I am perfecting or at least getting better at the table and color functionality; it has become an issue of continuous improvement. If you have something you are trying to do with your page; let me know and maybe we can collaborate.

Have a great day!

Do Not Go Outside the Box Too Quickly

Maybe Thinking Out of the Box Is All Wrong

We hear frequently about the idea of thinking outside the box and I’ve come to realize that maybe outside the box is not the correct term. Think of yourself as a picture. As with any picture you have a foreground object(s) and then the background. Look at the foreground object as your current job and the background as your skills that put you in that position.

Even if the foreground becomes fuzzy or fades; the background still exists.

Do You Define Yourself by YOUR Job, or Are You Defined by YOUR Skills

When your job becomes obsolete; does that mean that you become obsolete as well? If we are focused on the foreground that is an easy conclusion for YOU to reach. But if you look at the background as your skills, abilities, and talents that put you into the job you will see that you have many things working in your favor to continue moving you forward that are not obsolete.

The Assault on the Job Market

Over the past two decades we have seen the US Job Market assaulted by jobs moving off-shore, automation, business closings, and the recession to name some of the culprits. As a result the US has experienced tremendous job loss; some of which are gone forever. The workers that occupied the jobs that no longer must adjust. They cannot live on the hope that those jobs may return, because in the majority of cases they will not.

The job market is also being assaulted by the changes from employees to contractors or consultants. More and more employers are recognizing the need for flexibility in the workforce and one of the best ways to facilitate flexibility is with a temporary workforce. As such workers must be prepared to adapt again.

The change to a temporary workforce places increased pressures on the workers to continually be upgrading their skills and abilities to meet the demands of their prospective employers. Even while they are on assignment these workers must constantly be looking to the future anticipating the new skills that will be required when the assignment ends.

Restructure Yourself Based Upon What Made You What You Were; Not For What You Were

A few years ago Marshall Goldsmith wrote his book “What Got You Here; Won’t Get You There”. It was a book about advancement within an organization and the fact that the skills that caused your success in one position are not the same skills that will enable you to succeed in the next.

Today, the same can be said as you progress through your career. The skills that get you to one position may not be the same skills that you will need for your next opportunity. You cannot bank on your next employer needing the exact same set of skills as the last. You must be prepared to re-craft yourself to meet the needs from one opportunity to the next.

Can Your Organization Afford to Ignore Social Media?

Is Social Media a Phenomena?

Some people think that Social Media is just a passing fad; many are the same people that thought the Internet was a passing fad in the mid-late ’90s. Whether Social Media is a passing fad or not; you cannot afford to ignore it, because it will not ignore you!

You Cannot Ignore the Power of Social Media

Companies large and small are learning the lessons of Social Media. What they are finding is that Social Media provides happy and unhappy customers, clients, and patients with an opportunity to comment about products and services.

Participating in Social Media provides organizations the opportunity to respond to customers, correct misinformation, clear up confusion, and resolve issues. Left to its own device; Social Media can create major problems. Organizations must have a presence and monitor the information on the Internet that pertains to them.

I just read a Blog article by Augie Ray, a researcher for Forrester Seven Things Your Organization Must Do Because of Social Media. The article starts with the statement that when the Internet started businesses asked the question: What can the Internet do for my business? The question they should have been asking is: What can the Internet do TO my business? That second question must be asked today in regards to Social Media: What can Social Media do TO my business?

What is YOUR attitude toward Social Media? Do YOU look at it as a waste of time and a passing fad?

Passing Fad or Not Social Media Cannot Be Ignored

The reality is that Social Media cannot be ignored. Organizations whether they like it or not, have a Social Media presence. That presence can be created by the organization or the organization can leave it to be created by someone else.

If left to someone else the presence may or may not be what the organization wants. If it is not what the organization wants, they must take action to counter the negativity or correct the situation. Being on the defense does not allow an organization to work from its strengths; it is now playing by someone else’s rules.

An intelligent organization wants to play from its strengths and therefore must be proactive in the Social Media arena. Organizations cannot wait until they must respond, they must be building their presence from the beginning.

The world is changing rapidly and organizations must be changing along with the world. Look at the situation with Movie Gallery/Hollywood Video or Blockbuster. These are example organizations that have not changed with the times and have either lost the battle as in the case of Movie Gallery/Hollywood Video or are losing the battle as in the case of Blockbuster. Although these failures are not directly related to Social Media, they are the result of the Internet and new technologies.

Current failures related to Social Media include BP with the Oil Disaster in the Gulf; Nestle/Greenpeace over Palm Oil; or the potential disaster for Toys ‘r Us and the fact they ignore customer comments on their Facebook Page. The cost to these organizations in actual dollars, publicity, and public relations is huge; can you and your organization afford those problems?

Are You Talking To Your Prospects or At Your Prospects?

“You” Is The Word That Is Key To Your Success

The most important word when you are talking to your prospects and customers is “YOU”. I do not mean talking about you; I mean using the word YOU in YOUR communications as it refers to YOUR customers, prospects, or future employers. If your message is not using this word YOU are not connecting on the level YOUR customers/clients/patients and prospects want.

Look at the messages you create; are they process oriented or results oriented? Are they talking about what you can do for your future employers and customers; or do you spend your time talking about how you do it?

Your customers and prospects want to know what you can do for them. In addition to wanting to know what you can do for them; they want to know what you have done for others and therefore what they should expect from you. This is results oriented. This is talking to your customer.

Are You Process or Results Oriented in Your Communications?

If you spend your time talking about how you do things you are talking process and, although that is important, your customers consider it just that: talk. They want to know how THEY will benefit if they work with you and that is what YOU must be communicating.

Whether you are a job seeker, a professional, a sales person, a small business owner, or whatever; you must be able to convey your value based upon the results that you have achieved previously for your former employers and organizations or your former/current customers, clients, and patients.

Are Your Messages Focused On You or Are They Focused on Your Customers or Prospective Employers?

If your messages are not focused on prospective employers and customers/clients/patients the message must be changed. You want to impress those prospects with your stories of accomplishments and results. You want your prospects to be able to take your message and translate into results for them.

When your customer sincerely believes that they are first and foremost on your mind you are building your credibility, your reliability, your trust, and your brand.

Remember that facts tell, but stories sell! What is your story?

Social Networking: Who Do You Want in Your Network?

Building Your Network

After you decide your purpose and strategy for networking you can start focusing on inviting members to your community. Building your network is a critical step to creating a successful network and networking experience. Here is an example I saw of what not to do when you are trying to build your network.

I was reading an article recently about adding people to your network and I was a little dismayed by some of the actions people are taking. I guess it all boils down to what are you trying to accomplish with your network.

There were examples of people that would go to events, meet people, and make spot decisions as to who they wanted in their network and who they did not. So much so that they would put the cards they wanted to keep in one pocket and those they did not want in another. Those that were of no interest were later thrown away.

The second example was the individual that was reviewing his list of connections and eliminating those that he did not know personally.

Obviously to these individuals it can not be about networking. Although I do not know what they were thinking, my guess is that they look at each contact for what that contact can do for them. If they do not see anything; they immediately discard the connection. Some people simply do not understand the concept of networking.

Who Do I Want In My Network?

Who you want, depends upon what you are attempting to accomplish and the message you are intending to send. If you are truly a networker you want people in your network that you can potentially help and that can potentially help you. The members of each of your network communities should have a commonality of interest.

Our networks are made up of communities and each community is connected through a common interest. As you invite people into your network consider how they fit into your communities. If you have a particular objective that you are working on currently; then you should be inviting new members based upon their fit with that community.

Because the networking process takes time you will be selective in who you invite. It only makes sense to focus on your objective. On the other hand as to those inviting you; my advice is to connect until they give you a reason that you should not be connected. When that happens; disconnect. It is pretty simple and they do not even need to know that it happened.

Why Would You Want Anyone That Invites You in Your Network?

You truly never know which connection will be THE connection and as soon as you become selective in your processes you start to reduce your potential opportunities.

Networking is about creating opportunities for yourself and those within your network. Do not be shy or reluctant about helping others; your generosity will come back to you many times over. Be active, be out there, be a networker!

Social Networking: What Is Your Purpose?

Why Are You Networking?

You really must answer this question. What is your purpose for networking? If you do not know your purpose; you cannot be effective at networking.

Wannabee Networkers

There are many wannabee networkers. I call them wannabee because the truth is that they do not understand what it means to be a networker. To many being a networker simply means collecting business cards. The problem with that is once they collect the cards they do not know what to do with them.

Without a purpose or understanding of what you are doing; this is understandable. Taking action without a plan or strategy is simply activity without purpose. How would you know what to do? How would you know your next action? This is why understanding your networking purpose is so important. So what are your reasons for networking?

Reasons for Networking

People network for many reasons; what is yours? Here are some examples of why people network:

• Looking for new business or career opportunities.
• Searching for customers.
• Seeking other professionals for collaboration.
• Finding new friends.
• Finding a mate.
• Building a brand.
• Laying the groundwork for the future.
• Looking for partners.
• Searching for investors.
• To learn about products, services, or companies.
• To research job candidates, prospective partners, potential investors, etc.
• To find people with similar interests.
• Finding traveling companions.
• Locating hobbyists.
• For research.

This is just a sampling of the reasons people make connections. What is yours?

After Identifying Your Purpose

Once you have identified your purpose you can start defining your strategy. Going through this process you may realize that you do not have a single purpose, but there may be several reasons for your networking efforts. This is fine; now, at least, you understand the why of your networking efforts and that is a critical step to your networking process.

Your Networking Strategy

Your networking strategy should include:

1. Who you will invite into your network.
2. How you will classify your contacts.
3. How you will maintain contact with your connections.
4. How frequently you will be connecting with each classification of contact.
5. What message you will be sending to each classification of contact.
6. How you will participate with your network.
7. What you will contribute to your network.
8. How you will contribute to your network.

If you want to be serious about your networking you must take your networking seriously. Anything less is a disservice to yourself and your network. Do not engage in networking if your expectation is to sit on the sidelines. Be a contributor to benefit others and yourself.

Wait a Minute; Do You Really Need to Think Outside the Box?

Maybe Thinking Out of the Box Is All Wrong

I just finished reading “The Age of the Unthinkable” by Joshua Ramo and it has made me reflect on this topic.

We hear frequently about the idea of thinking outside the box and I’ve come to realize that maybe outside the box is not the correct term. In the book Ramo uses the example of a picture. Many pictures have a foreground object and then the background. I now look at the foreground object as my current job and the background as my skills that put me in that position.

Your Job May Be Obsolete, But That Does Not Mean That You Are

When a current job disappears, I mean becomes obsolete; if we are focused on the foreground then we have become obsolete as well. But if we look at the background as our skills, abilities, and talents that put us into the job we will see that we have many things working in our favor to continue moving us forward.

Here’s an example; I’m in IT and after 9/11 my projects which were all new infrastructures, just dried up. Although not permanently obsolete it was devastating enough to be a challenge.

I lamented and mourned and went through months of not moving forward. Finally I stepped back and looked at all the things I had done (the background of my picture) and realized that, although I was not an IT security expert, I had over 20 years of IT security experience. I had grown up with IT security from four letter passwords to what it was at the time.

Restructure Yourself Based Upon What Made You What You Were; Not For What You Were

I restructured my resume to focus on this experience and lo and behold I found a job. Everything I needed was in the box, I just had to get past the foreground picture to find it.

We do not need to go off the deep end, we just need to be willing to look beyond the obvious.