Blogging4Jobs

You may remember that I had the opportunity to test drive a Chevy Malibu for 4 weeks as part of the Gotta Love Chevy OK Program.  It’s been an amazing experience and sadly late last week I had to say goodbye to the Chevy Malibu.

I enjoyed the experience and was more than satisfied with the Malibu and the way it drove.  It felt comfortable and worked well especially since I am always on the go as a mother and entrepreneur.  And last Wednesday I returned the car I was not able to record a video because of a nasty allergy attack that resulted in me loosing my voice.  While I’m happy to say I am fully functional and able to actually have real live conversation, I did decide to share with you my iTunes playlist, Life with Malibu.

One of the great features about the Malibu was the USB port built into the stereo.  I could easily charge of iPhone as well as play songs and playlists directly from my music listing.  In fact, Greg and I were able to charge both our iPhones at the same time–one with the USB outlet and the other with the cigarette outlet which worked great for us.

Goodbye Malibu. . . It’s been real.

Photo Credit Flickr.

Four and a half years ago, I was new in town looking for a job and opportunities to network and build experience.  A phone call inquiring about volunteer opportunities led me to HeartLine.  HeartLine is an non-profit that services the entire state of Oklahoma doing a lot of different and valuable services including suicide prevention and awareness training, 211, and their 1-800 CareLine.

• HeartLine’s 2-1-1 service provides Central Oklahomans 24/7 access to information on any type of health or human service, and this easy-to-remember telephone number is the best first place to call to get help, or give help.

• HeartLine’s CareLine Call Specialists are available 24-hours a day, every day of the year, offering compassionate listening, crisis intervention and suicide prevention. 848-2273 (CARE)serves Central Oklahoma.

• HeartLine’s Suicide Awareness and Prevention Programs target two separate populations – one that serves youth and one that helps the elderly:

• HeartLine’s Problem Gambling Helpline is the result of a partnership with the Oklahoma Association for Problem & Compulsive Gambling.  The 1-800-522-4700 Problem Gambling Helpline provides problem gamblers and family of problem gamblers throughout the state of Oklahoma information about treatment and hope for overcoming their addiction.

Every year HeartLine’s fundraising event is the Festival of Hope Gala, and this year’s event is Friday, August 13, 2010, at the Cowboy Hall of Fame Museum in Oklahoma City, OK.  In addition to recognizing some amazing folks including Tom & Lisa Price, Santa’s Cause, and Larry Hawkins, they host an annual silent and live auction to benefit their organization.  This year is special for me because I am the Auction Chair.  We have a number of amazing trips, weekend get-a-ways, and auction items that will appeal to each and every attendee.  One in particular that I am very excited about is a Hermes Birkin Bag and Wallet combination valued at more than $10,000.  It is the single largest auction donation item in the history of HeartLine and was donated by a very special friend of mine, Ties to Tattoos™ author, Sherri Elliott-Yeary.  (Thanks, Sherri!)

The Birkin will be part of the live auction and you are certainly invited to get in on the Birkin bidding auction.  Tickets to the Festival of Hope are still available on HeartLine’s website for $125 a person or $1,000 a table.  Feel free to give me a call (405.912.4885) directly or email (blogging4jobs@gmail.com) if you have any questions about the event.  Xceptional HR is sponsoring our own table as well as live tweeting and streaming the event.  Be sure to follow the Twitter hash tag, #hope as well as @HeartLine for real time insights and information into the Festival of Hope.

Hope to see you there.

Whether you are an Human Resource professional or business person, the game of life and business is ongoing.  Environments change, rules evolve, and business expands and progresses.  To stay on top of your game as a professional and leader in your industry and organization, you must always be pushing yourself to do and be better.

Being successful in business is more than business tools like income statements, P&L’s, and the process of SWOT analysis.  Even more importantly, providing value and continued benefit to your employees, team members, and yourself through professional development can be an effective tool in retaining top talent in tough economic times through training, education, and information.  Project Management is one of those essential business tools that all professionals can use every day.  PM is very rewarding and useful tool that can be leveraged in a variety of business as well as human resource situations.

Earlier this year, you might remember I wrote about the Cat Herding/HR Connection.  I snagged some awesome “I Herd Cat Pins” for me and some of my HR Evolution (un)conference friends.  The Persimmon Group, the creative geniuses behind the Cat Herding Pins offer a fantastic Project Management Training Class in addition to their consulting services.

The Persimmon Group and I have teamed up to offer some Project Management classes in the Oklahoma City Metro Area.  While I will not be teaching the classes (I am sadly not qualified), I am more than willing to write and talk about their upcoming training class called, “Surviving Project Management.”  It is a three day intensive and hands on class that provide participants with the foundations of project management.

Details. . . .

• August 22-25 in Oklahoma City, OK from 8:30-4:30 daily

• Meals and snacks included

• Course Materials, CD-ROM, and handouts provided

• Class is approved for 21 PDU Certification Credits

• Limited to 20 just participants

Registration for this three day intensive Project Management training is $995.  You can download information either HERE or below to learn more or contact 918.592.4121 to register or for more questions.   This class is available and open to all Blogging4Jobs readers.  Developing and improving your skills set is important to stay competitive and at the top of your professional game.  The Persimmon Group’s Surviving Project Management class can help.

Surviving Project Management

FTC Disclosure: I received compensation for mentioning the product listed above as part of one of the services I offer my clients. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Jessica Miller-Merrell participates in 4 week Gotta Love Chevy Program

07.13.2010 – OKLAHOMA CITY — — A prominent Oklahoma City blogger is among those selected to test-drive a Chevy for the next four weeks. Jessica Miller-Merrell, an author, HR executive and business blogger at Blogging4Jobs.com will pick up her 2011 Chevy Malibu at 1:30 p.m. tomorrow, July 14, at Mark Heitz, Exit 108 and I-35, Norman, Oklahoma.
The program is an indication of the growing role of bloggers in marketing and advertising. According to Miller-Merrell whose book, Tweet This! Twitter for Business was released earlier this year, the connection is growing between influential bloggers who command the attention of niche markets and companies with products to sell.
“Chevy decided to do something different,” Miller-Merrell said. “Advertising is very expensive and this is one way they figured out they could connect their brand with women for less.
“Research shows they are the primary decision makers when it comes to large purchases.”
Miller-Merrell, who began blogging 2007, will write twice a week about her experience driving the Chevy Malibu. “Anyone can start a blog,” she said. “Good blogging, however, takes a lot of time. I have worked hard to grow the community that has built up around my blog, but this is the first time I’ve entertained the idea of representing products.”
Chevy’s blogger program has previously selected bloggers in cities like Dallas and Houston, but this is the first time bloggers the program has come to Oklahoma.
“I’m really looking forward to this opportunity,” said Miller-Merrell. “It’s very exciting and a privilege to have been selected by Chevy.”
For more details, visit the Gotta Love Chevy OKC website, www.gottalovechevyokc.com and be sure to check out Jessica’s bio for the Gotta Love Chevy program below.
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CONTACT: Jennifer James, APR 405.401.1354 ■

■zenobiapr@cox.net zenobia, llc ■ zenobiapr.org

Jessica’s Bio from Jessica Miller-Merrell on Vimeo.

Part of my own strategy to build my brand, gain business, and establish myself as an expert in my field is by using my blog to write and interview other experts and companies promoting them while continuing to build and strengthen my own relationships. Last Friday was no exception. Through a simple LinkedIn invitation to connect message, (Yes, LinkedIn) I was able to secure an interview with best selling author, Jeffrey Gitomer. Jeffrey Gitomer is one of my favorite authors and speakers. While his followers and fans are generally sales professionals, I am a firm believer that each and every person works in sales in some form either as a job seeker selling yourself to a company, when dating or meeting your prospective mate (the ultimate sales job), and when making a major life purchase like a car or house. Solid sales, negotiation, networking, and presentation skills are all very important in all three of these scenarios.

Jeffrey’s three hour seminar touched a great deal on how a solid sales marketing and branding plan can impact your success. The bottom line is that people buy from people and those that are ordinary end up in second place. Sitting among the more than 300 in attendance, I was surprised to learn that less than 10% utilized social media tools as part of their sales, branding, and lead generation strategy. While Jeffrey discussed the power of social media and how it can help you engage decision makers as well as hiring managers.

He says, “The challenge is for you to understand is that we are the bailout. The challenge is not just about sales tips and ideas but what you do that’s pretty ordinary.”

Jeffrey encourages everyone to take control of their bailout and suggested that we can accomplish this in the following ways:

• Get a creative voice mail. Be different from everyone else. Humor is an excellent tool to define who you are and differentiate yourself from the rest.

• Schedule a three way lunch. If someone you want to meet is giving you the run-around, invite someone you know that they need to know with you to lunch. Call your contact & invite them again. You will build instant rapport and credibility with both parties.

• Be the Best. Don’t settle for ordinary. When you are the best at what you do, everything else shows up.

• Business cards matter. Find creative ways to keep people talking. Your business card is a representation of yourself. How do you want people to remember you?

• Get a flip. Video testimonial and video references are extremely powerful on your blog or website lending you instant credibility. Use a flip to interview experts and promote them on your blog or website building solid rapport and relationships not only with the interviewee but also your blog audience.

Check out my video interview with Jeffrey Gitomer below and don’t forget to visit his website at JeffreyGitomer.com. A special thanks to the Journal Record.

Photo Credit Gitomer.com & Active Rain.

Is our economy recovering?

I’d like to think yes, but after viewing the most recent December Job Report, I’m not quite so sure.  In the United States we had 85,000 new people file for unemployment benefits this last month.  My concern for the economy and our reported recovery is three fold.

November and December are historically the most profitable months for retail companies who look for consumers to spend their hard earned money in the form of presents and gifts during the holidays.  Retailers historically hire millions of temporary workers to serve as cashiers, sales clerks, and inventory personnel to help with the increased foot traffic and sales during the holidays, and still our job loss report released January 8th was 85,000 with more than 15 million Americans still out of work.

Looking back at job loss numbers for December 2008 and 2007 were very different with December 2008 at 524,000 and unemployment remaining at 10% for a second straight month.  While at the start of the recession in December 2007, the number of unemployed persons was 7.7 million and the unemployment rate was 5.0%.

But even if retails companies might be hiring (they were down 10%) but unemployed eligible workers also weren’t buying.  Take the average middle class worker who makes $50,000 salary a year. If they reside in Oklahoma, the average weekly unemployment benefit is $392 which equates to an hourly rate of $9.80 an hour for a 40 hour work week.  This amount is well-above the average cashier’s hourly wage in my experience. If the only companies who are hiring are temporary holiday positions, I’d much rather save the cost of day care, gas, and work dress clothes and wait out the recession collecting my meager unemployment benefits.

Companies also historically lessen their financial obligations in the form of human capital not only at the end of quarter (which happens to be December for many) but also at the fiscal year end which for many companies and businesses was December 31st.  Interestingly enough most retail companies fiscal year end is Februar28th and for government is June 30th.

State budgets are being cut.  Sales tax revenues are less than expected.  Government hiring is slowing.  In Oklahoma, the state that I call home, just announced a 10% cut in spending for 2010.  Not exactly the ideal situation for an economic recovery.

On the flip side, temporary and contract hiring is expected to increase this year.  Companies are not yet ready to commit to hiring and re-hiring staff until they see some measurable growth in their market.  Even if a company has the funds and means to hire and grow, they are reluctant to do so instead opting to employ a “dry powder theory.”  By hiring temporary and contract workers, they can keep their investments liquid eliminating overhead costs like benefits, social security, and other government taxes and expenses associated with human capital management.  Personally, the dry powder theory sounds more like dating without the marriage commitment.

…In Part II of “It’s a Dry Powder Job Market” I’ll discuss tactics for employees, candidates, and the unemployed to consider and employ in the Dry Power Job Market.

Photo Credits Phil’s Stock World & InvestorCentric

Having A Job Search Strategy Helps Job Seekers Compete.

Picture this: You’re training for your first marathon, the long-distance kind of event that covers 26+ miles.  You are running against experienced and non-experienced runners. You also figure that you’ll be surrounded by sponsors, organizers, volunteers, cheerleaders, etc.—you will need all of these people to help make sure that all the runners are taking care of for the race.

Successful marathon-runners obviously prepare for many years. Just imagine the chaos if all the runners of the Boston Marathon just sort of showed around the time and maybe the place the race was to be held, failing to anticipate what it takes to compete and even participate with the 25,000 people including runners, organizers, and volunteers?  In order to achieve the goals of being competitive or let’s say just “finishing” the race, runners apply training strategies similar to that of the successful world-class runners use.

Now let’s take it from the race course of Boston to the job search happening for a record number America’s workforce…
A job search strategy serves as a road map for the job search, keeping you on the right course. I’ve seen the unintended consequences of what happens when job seekers are not prepared to be competitive in the job search, inadvertently starting the race at the wrong place and wrong time with no chance to even finish the race. So, don’t be the runner getting lost on the course making apologies and losing out by not getting the job.  It happens all too often: A job seeker is a great person, yet is unsuccessful in getting a position that might actually match up to their experience, personality and skills all because they’re not prepared to discuss why they’re good for the team.

To avoid such unintended consequences, here are a few tips and pointers….
First, research the positions for which you’re applying, go online to the corporate website or Google job descriptions in reality a lot of HR departments are using these same job descriptions. These allow you to see what a recruiter or HR person is going to see. Next, research the company via news releases, online searching or get really radical and ask around to people about what they think about your company of interest.

What I consistently hear from HR for at least small and medium-sized businesses, is they typically do not feel they have the resources to manage the recruitment process in a “best practices” sort of way.  So, suggestion to job seekers is, “Make life easier for over-burdened recruiter, HR Manager, or business owner” by having everything prepared; copies made, numbers available, be on-time, and have questions at the tip of your tongue.  Ask your questions, and then LISTEN to the answers.

Your job search can benefits from having a job search strategy, it will help you:
1. Be prepared for every interview with answers about skills, experiences, motivations, etc.
2. Apply for the right jobs, with the right companies.
3. Reduce job search costs which help stretch resources as far as possible
4. Maintain a consistent process that helps minimize time wasted, limiting you missing opportunities’.

The ebb and flow of a job search can be a lot like a relationship; it can be as difficult, challenging and rewarding as running a marathon race. Job Search strategies can help job seekers be competitive for the tough race course ahead.

Photo credit More

Bryan Wempen is a guest blogger for Blogging4Jobs.  He is the Vice President of Strategic Alliances at People Clues an assessment company.  Bryan is also a Partner with GET A CLUE!,  a global provider information used by Jobseekers to help then get noticed and prepare for the job interview.

You can connect with Bryan on Twitter, FaceBook, or LinkedIn.

So things are going good here at Blogging4Jobs these days.  Mini B4J (AKA Ryleigh) just turned one, my book, Tweet This!  Twitter for Business will be available for presale very soon, and overall things are just CRAZY but in a good way.  And because of that, I’m in need of an intern.

But not just any intern, a “Super Intern.”  Super Intern must be someone who has experience in social media, knowledge & genuine interest in Human Resources, and basic marketing skills.  Person must have experience with Microsoft Office and have knowledge with Twitter, FaceBook, WordPress, and Skype.  Most likely this will be a virtual office type of position so the person must have internet access and webcam access otherwise, you’ll be officing with me here in Norman, OK.  That may not necessarily be a bad thing either because I can be pretty entertaining.

Currently, the Super Intern position would be unpaid but that could change.  Person must be available for at least a semester, possibly more and be a student either grad or undergrad working 5-10 hours a week.  I’m open to someone who has recently graduated or is interested in breaking into the HR industry.

To apply, please either tweet me directly at @blogging4jobs or email your stuff (blog, resume, coverletter, cv, whatever) to jessica@xceptionalhr.com.  Cheers!

Photo Credit CMA Today

It’s no secret that everyone is going green these days.  People are working to reduce their carbon footprint and lessen the negative impact their families and businesses have on the environment.  I was fortunate enough to attend the Oklahoma Alternative Energy Conference held in Oklahoma City, OK.  The conference  which was held December 2nd & 3rd, 2009 explored the future of natural gas, wind power, and alternative energy efficiency as the industry grows not just in Oklahoma but throughout the United States.

Last year while gas prices were at their highest in recorded history, the topic of alternative energies and other renewable resources surged to the national spotlight as businesses, industries, and consumers looked to reduce our oil and gas dependence while protected their pocketbooks.  Conservation was a key in 2008 as Americans were found to consume 25% of the world’s oil.  Oklahoma along with other south central states, have been a leader in U.S. Oil and Gas Industry.  And as oil and gas prices grew so did the popularity in exploring alternative energy strategies.  Oklahoma leaders like Boone T. Pickens introduced the Pickens Plan which sought to reduce the U.S.’s dependence on foreign oil while creating new jobs and growing alternative energy programs within the United States.

People like Kylah McNabb who works for the Oklahoma Department of Commerce is an advocate and promoter of the alternative energy industry within Oklahoma and moderator of one of the panel sessions at the conference.  Kylah who is a Wind Development Specialist was hired in April of 2009 and works to create a solid partnership with both Career Tech and the Oklahoma Department of Commerce with the goal of advancing the industry while developing training programs within the state.

“Oklahoma’s CareerTech system is working to engage industry partners while incorporating existing programs such as basic math and computer skills, machine skills, and AC/DC electronictheory. New programs for safety, general wind energy and climb tests are being created,” McNabb said.

McNabb also encourages prospective job seekers or those who are interested in learning more about educational and career opportunities within the industry to visit  the Oklahoma Department of Commerce website, Oklahoma Career Tech and the American Wind Energy Association.

Take a look at my video interview with Kylah as we discuss this new and emerging technology and where job seekers can learn more about careers and training programs.

Photo Credit Jonathan Haynes

“A brand is a living entity – and it is enriched or undermined cumulatively over time, the product of a thousand small gestures” – Michael Eisner, CEO, Disney

What Mr. Eisner is saying is that the small things matter when it comes to your organization’s brand. Every interaction impacts the perception participants have of your brand.

When the topic of brand comes up in conversation, most people’s minds go straight to the outward, consumer facing side of a brand—the side that customers see and interact with. But that isn’t a complete view of a brand; in fact inner beliefs and culture directly affect the outward actions and performance of a brand. After all, how many organizations do you know of that don’t have a single frontline employee that interacts with customers on a regular basis? I’m going to guess very few.

Let’s take another look at Michael Eisner’s quote. He describes a brand as “a living entity,” that is “enriched or undermined.” What a better way to grow and enrich a brand than by focusing on the people and culture inside the organization? And who better to facilitate an inward focus on brand than Human Resources, the task force in charge of recruiting, hiring, training and coaching the organizations greatest assets—it’s people—to become better teams and leaders?

In most organizations, brand ideology is embedded into some activities more than others. For example, it is standard in most companies to an orientation process, where new hires learn the history of the company and it’s beliefs. It’s in these moments that employees learn the “this is how we do things here” lessons about the brand.

Outside of these few brand centered occasions it can be very easy to overlook the day-to-day processes and the implications they have on the brand. I believe it is in these small day-to-day activities that the most opportunity exists to build the brand into the culture. Ultimately, an orientation may make an impression on a new employee, but it’s the everyday experiences that the employee is going to live. If the stated company beliefs don’t match up with daily experiences, then which perception of the brand is the employee is going to take to heart? You bet! Their own.

While working with clients to help them continually improve and grow their brands, I’ve developed a simple framework to help them fully grasp the depth and complexity of the many ways that their brand is experienced, and also help them improve this experience over time.

I call it the Touch Cycle. It’s a great method for diving in and exploring the many touchpoints of your brand, and learning where you can make improvements.

Here are the steps:

1.  Choreograph Touches

• List all the HR touchpoints large and small.
• To make this easier start breaking down all the activities that HR is in charge of in your organization (trainging, hiring, recruiting, etc.). Now start listing all of the interactions that take place within these segments of HR.

2. Listen and Watch

• Observe how people interact with your touchpoints. Are there any breakdowns in communication? Are they responding the way you thought they would?

3.  Reinforce Behaviors

• Encourage on brand behaviors at each touchpoint.  

4.  Evaluate and Expand

• Take a look at all the work you’ve done in steps 1, 2, and 3. Evaluate the effectivness of the touchpoints you identified in step 1. Determine what’s working and what’s not. Were there any surprises? What insights did you gain from this process?Is value being added at each point of contact, giving people a reason to further engage? Are there touchpoints that we should eliminate? Are there areas what we should expand into and add new touchpoints to the brand experience?

I outline this process in detail on my blog – The Brand Touch Cycle

Use this tool to help you identify, analyze and improve the brand touchpoints of your HR activities. Here are some things to consider during your analysis:

Speed – How fast do you respond to job inquiries or resumes sent your way? How long does it take for an internal issue to be identified and dealt with? In this day and age, speed isn’t hoped for, it’s expected.

Culture – Are you proactively recruiting talent that is passionate about your brand? Or are you just trying to fill a job description?

Empower – How easy is it for employees to send organizational complaints or suggestions your way? Have you built and intranet for collaboration?

Procedure and Paperwork – Are all the forms, procedures and paperwork required of employees necessary? Do they align with the brand?

I hope you will take this as a challenge to explore the internal touchpoints of your brand and continually improve them to grow a better organization, one that employees are proud to work for and consumers want do business with—a strong brand.

Chris Wilson is our guest blogger and is a  Marketing and Brand Strategist and author of the Marketing Fresh Peel.  He is the Digital Brand Strategist at Hester Designs.  Find him on Twitter @Freshpeel.

Photo Credits bsamp & FreshPeel

Although I have only lived in the Oklahoma City Metro area for 3 1/2 years, I consider Oklahoma to be my home.  I’m excited to be a part of such a progressive, exciting, and wonderful city!  Take a look at the video to learn more about Maps 3 and don’t forget to vote YES for Maps 3, December 8th, 2009.

I urge everyone in Oklahoma City to get out there and speak with others on how important this vote is.  Oklahoma City is a city with so much potential.  Maps will help us continue to grow and promote this wonderful city.

To learn more about Maps 3, please visit the city’s website. You can also view recent Oklahoma City Maps 3 survey results.

Vote for Maps!

The usefulness and ubiquity of social media have made the Internet an unavoidable part of business strategy these days. If you decide dive into social networking as a company, you are going to open eyes across your office, especially if you have had the web on lockdown.

That’s where a healthy and well-thought social media policy comes in.

Diving into the deep end of social media strategy means learning how to swim as a company. That involves so many factors that don’t come with easy answers.

You want to set the right guidelines for everyone in your organization engages with the web, which means the conversation will extend out of the HR office, into the world of marketing, public relations, legal and customer service.

And the conversations won’t just be about setting up a Twitter account or accessing Facebook, but will involve productivity, privacy, conversations with customers and so much more.

Can you Google “social media policy” and find dozens of them online? Sure. But do you really want to stake your future with the world’s greatest information-gathering machine with a quick case of search-and-replace?

That’s why, instead of opening the doors for a session of Social Media 101, I pitched my firm on the idea of a seminar with a much narrower approach – just social media policy.

Is it insurance for making sure that your company is putting its best face forward (and not whatever and whoever may be on Facebook)? Sure, but once the conversation about using the web in all of its facets begins, it will bring a change in mindset and orientation.

That’s just some of what we’ll be talking about on Nov. 10 in Oklahoma City and Nov. 17 in Tulsa.

For information, go to Schnake Turnbo Frank Public Relations’ web site – www.stfpr.com – and check out the info.

Need to know anything else? Follow me on Twitter at @mkokc.

Dear OKDOT (Oklahoma Department of Transportation),

I read recently in the Oklahoman about your use of Twitter as a way to update Oklahoman travelers about construction, heavy traffic, and weather conditions.  Twitter is a fantastic way for you to connect with drivers and travelers whether its during our daily commute to work or if someone is just passing through.  For the last year and a half, the Oklahoma social media community has used Twitter as a way to inform other users who reside within the state of construction, icy roads, and backed up traffic.  You may remember that during the ice storms last year, we used the hash tag, #okcice as a way to categorize our tweets for Oklahoma Twitter users who wanted to stay abreast on the latest weather conditions.  And this last year during the Oklahoma Fires we also used the hash tag in our tweets, #okfires.  It was because of tweets from my fellow Oklahomans that I was made aware of highway closings on I-35 because of the fire as me, my husband, and our infant daughter made our way north to visit my family in Kansas.

You may not realize but I myself am a social media consultant and have an upcoming book on how businesses can leverage Twitter.  Beginning in January 2010, people can purchase my book for under $20 which is well under the $7,500 you were reported to have spent.  However, I thought I would provide you and others with some direction and guidance (free of charge) on how you can grow and improve your Twitter Communication and Marketing Plan.

• Join the Conversation. Simply put.  Social Media communication should not be a one way dialogue.  You need to engage the Oklahoma Social Media community which as last estimated by Oklahoma native and technologist Matt Galloway in April 2009 was estimated to be at least 1 of every 100 Oklahomans.  This means posing questions, responding to the comments, listening to others, and being an active member of the Twitterverse.
• Beyond 140 Characters. There are times that communication needs to go beyond 140 characters.  I recommend leading your social media followers to a website or blog to provide your readership with more in-depth information about road closings, contact phone numbers, and emergency preparedness information.  This might include a twitpic of some traffic or insight on how potholes are repaired.
• Have a consistent voice. I am disappointed with your comment in the Oklahoman about how you will not have one person manage your account.  In order to build rapport with the social media community, develop relationships, and for consistency purposes your tweets should have the same style and flow.  This allows us to get to know you better, and there are a number of social media strategists including myself that can help you do this for much less than the $7,500 you spent analyze your Twitter usage.  I don’t recommend hiring an intern at least initially.  Because social media should be such an important part of your business plan, it is best left to a seasoned expert internally or externally.
• Reciprocity. Twitter is more than just joining the conversation.  You must follow others.  At current count you are only following 75 Twitter accounts while more than 500 are following you.  People like to be acknowledged and recognized.  Failing to follow people is like not giving every one in third grade class a Valentine on February 14th and people don’t like that.  Follow people back.
• Grow Your Following. Just imagine if you did just these four things.  I believe that your social media following and influence would grow from just above 500 followers to 3,000 in under two weeks and no article in the Oklahoman required.  It appears that you were already impressed by the 500 followers you gained since the Red River Rivalry.  Imagine how 3,000 would feel.

I truly hope that you and others take the advice I have given at face value.  Twitter is a fantastic tool that if done correctly can drastically reduce your advertising expenses while uping your cool factor and growing your brand virally.  Please give it some thought and feel free to call me at anytime.

Kind Regards,

Jessica Miller-Merrell

@blogging4jobs

Botox & Your Job Search

Physical Enhancements Help Job Seekers Find Jobs

OKLAHOMA CITY – With the U.S. September job report hitting another 26 year high with more than 263,000 jobs lost and a 9.8% unemployment rate, job seekers are looking for creative ways to appear younger in their job search.

The only live job search webshow, Blogging4Jobs provides job seekers advice in learning the unwritten rules of the job search.  This week’s controversial webshow on Sunday, October 18, 2009  at http://www.momtv.com/blogging4jobs.html will discuss Botox and other physical enhancements as a way to appear more youthful and professional while interviewing with hiring managers.  The show, held weekly on Sundays at 9:00 PM EST on MomTV will administer Botox injections live during the hour long broadcast.

“With unemployment high and increased competition, job seekers are looking for any way to keep them disqualified from a position.  Although making hiring decisions based on age is illegal, it’s still important to look your best and make a positive impression., “ said Jessica Miller-Merrell, with Xceptional HR and host of the Blogging4Jobs webshow.  “Highlights, Botox, plastic surgery, and makeovers are becoming more common as the job market remains competitive.”

Viewers can tune in at http://www.momtv.com/blogging4jobs.html to watch the show live via webcam being held on location at Body Trends Spa South location at 13316 S. Western, Suites J&K in Oklahoma City, OK.  Harvey Jenkins, PhD and owner of the Body Trends Spa will be administering the Botox live during the show.

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Contact:

Jessica Miller-Merrell

Xceptional HR Consulting

405.343.5751 phone

Jessica@xceptionalhr.com

http://www.xceptionalhr.com

As a self-taught blogger I’ve had my share of ups and downs.  The art of blogging is more than just developing a great story and posting a topic out to the internet universe.  It’s about leveraging technology, marketing, public relations, and networking to build your audience and viewership which is what the Throw Your Voice Conference is all about.

Hosted by the Oklahoma Coworking Cooperative, “Throw Your Voice” is a one day blogging conference held at the CoCo on Saturday, October 3, 2009.  Come learn from some of the best bloggers, online marketers, and podcasters the state of Oklahoma has to offer including:

• Mike Koehler is the director of social media at Schnake Turnbo Frank PR. Mike received his bachelor’s degree in English from Missouri State University. He has 15 years of journalism experience, including serving as deputy sports editor and multimedia editor of The Oklahoman.
• Becky McCray is small town entrepreneur. She publishes the popular Small Biz Survival blog about small business and rural issues. She and her husband own a small town retail liquor store and cattle ranch.
• Jean Warner has a PhD in Political Science from the University of Oklahoma and describes herself as a women’s empowerment advocate. She co-founded and ran Oklahoma’s National Education for Women’s Leadership (NEW Leadership) program
• Chad Henderson is a web designer, podcaster, blogger, all around geek and one of the co-founders of the Oklahoma City Coworking Collaborative in OKC. He has been podcasting since 1995 when he started the Elmocast.
• Lanie James works as an Employer Development Coordinator for Oklahoma State University Career Services in the Oklahoma City area. She holds a B.A. in Journalism Broadcasting from OSU.  She established the social media presence for the Oklahoma Association of Colleges and Employers (@OkACE) and OSU Career Services (@HireOSUgrads) on Twitter.

There are a number of other talented speakers and of course me, Jessica Miller-Merrell with Blogging4Jobs will also be speaking at the event about leveraging free online marketing and advertising as well as developing your own blogging personal brand.

The cost for the event which begins with breakfast at 9:00 am on 10/3/09 is $20.  Space is limited to 100 registrants with the conference ending at 4:00 pm.  To learn more about the other conference speakers or to register, please visit www.throwyourvoice.com.