Contacting HR and Other Social Media Questions for Job Seekers

As second nature as social media is to some, it is still new territory for others.

HR professionals are on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook as individuals and on behalf of their organizations. The job seeking public is developing profiles, joining groups and liking pages in an effort to connect with these HR pros and their companies in the hopes that the two will meet for a mutually beneficial outcome.

When I was asked to comment on proper etiquette for contacting HR professionals through social media, all of my chatter came down to this: be respectful of yourself and others at all times.

Some of the questions and quick-shot answers are below:

Is it acceptable to contact an HR professional through LinkedIn or Twitter? What about Facebook?

Yes. Take a look at their LinkedIn or Twitter profile. If their profile is private or they request not to be contacted, honor that. Many utilize Facebook for their recruitment efforts - others do not. Hot tip: do not weave a tangled web of friends to try to gain access to an HR professional with a private profile.

When contacting HR reps, ensure your state who you are, why you are contacting them and what information you are seeking. Don't underestimate the value of this first impression.

Is it wise to link your personal social media accounts or blogs to LinkedIn?

Importing your blog into LinkedIn is a powerful way to engage a wider audience. Think through the content you are importing into LinkedIn. Do your personal social media accounts present a professional image? Do they support your professional goals? What are your objectives?

I choose not to import the content into LinkedIn profile on a regular basis. Facebook pictures of my daughter swimming 50m fly would be of little professional value to my network.

How should you manage your image on your blog to not offend potential employers

Be accountable for what you say and how you say it. Some employers are looking up candidates on social networking sites and may think twice about hiring someone with something perceived as negative in their profile. Why? Your on-line actions can say alot about how you conduct yourself in real life.

Highlight your skills, your experiences, your ideas and your challenges. Don't be afraid to offer points of view and challenge assumptions - professionally.

What would you add? What words of wisdom would you offer to someone looking to manage their online image to land a great job?

Sweet Spots: A Day in the Life Sunday

Sweet spots . . . we all have them.

Sweet spots are not necessarily unique to you, in fact, they can be day to day happenings everyone experiences. What makes them "sweet" is that they are right for you. You notice them, you thrive on them, and you are inspired by them when the next person may not even bat an eye in their presence.

When it comes to sweet spots, three biggies come to mind for me right now.

Collaboration

I recently spent a few days in Scottsdale, Arizona. When I wasn't talking employee engagement I was learning a little about the publishing and consulting worlds from 2 smart women over margaritas, guacamole and cheese dip. Talking to, working with and bouncing ideas off of other smart women? When it comes to energy, ideas and inspiration, it really doesn't get any better than that.

Strength

I am a reluctant exerciser. I have a new appreciation for weight training for strength. For cardio, I enjoy running. You wouldn't believe me if you saw how often I am on the machines, but running outside is what I enjoy most. There is nothing like settling into a rhythm, quieting my mind and enjoying the movement, strength and quiet of an outdoor run.

Family

I heart my family unit. The days are c-r-a-z-y with early morning wake-ups and each of us heading to our separate destinations. We coordinate, plan, adjust and connect to get done what we need to do and to get to the places we need to go. Lounging around on lazy Sundays with nothing to do but be together in the same space at the same time? Sweet.

A little more sweetness . . .

. . . creating opportunity for others, stepping out of my comfort zone (even when the execution turned out less than spectacular), spa days, girl's nights, bike rides, Bella Cucina, and Bailey's.

So tell me, what sweet spots do you have?

Index Card Credit: Jessica Haagy