How I Write: A Day in the Life Sunday

A colleague recently asked about my writing process. At first I thought she was getting in a little bit of a dig since my writing has been less than prolific lately, but she wasn't. She really wanted to know how I wrote.

So, here it goes for her, for you . . . . and mostly as a kick starter for me.  

Sit down

I usually do this in a chair or on the couch but a quiet spot in the grass or the kid's bean bag chair have worked too. Where I sit is not as important as the fact that I've stopped moving, working, wandering or pacing and am actually still. First thing in the morning when the world - and family - is asleep is prime time for me.

Prepare to Write

If I am capturing ideas, I open my Moleskine and grab a pen, pencil or a colored Sharpie. I've had multiple Moleskines active at once: personal stories in one, professional posts and articles in another and presentation outlines in a third. If I am preparing a post or an article with those ideas, I get my fingers on a PC keyboard in the ready position.

Start writing

Hands readied, I start writing. I capture phrases, comments, vents, rants, thoughts, ideas, and snippets of wisdom. I capture what ever comes to mind as quickly as I can and hope that, if I am hand writing, I can read it in when it's done.The still point of writing for me is capturing free-flowing unedited thoughts while observing how easily they connect if I stay out of their way.

Sit down, prepare to write and start writing: that's really all there is to it. 

Except for this.  

Trust yourself and the process. The first few pages of any writing is an unconnected, unrelated bunch of messy ideas and if you stick with it and don't judge, something intelligible will evolve. It may be very different than what you thought you were sitting down to write about and that's ok because, it's organic, it's yours and it's better.

Now, what did I do with my Moleskine?

Contacting HR Pros through Social Media

Summer has finally come to Minnesota and I am finding it very difficult to think about anything HR/leadership-ish outside the workday. So, I looked back to this time last year to see what was on my mind then - and this is it. Enjoy this post from the archives and one take on contacting HR pros on social media.

iStockphoto

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.

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?