SavvySugar

Would You Accept a Friend Request From Your Ex-Boss?

SavvySugar — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 06:00:47 -0700

It's no secret that social networking sites can cause some serious stress in the workplace. In some cases, there's anxiety over whether you should share your Facebook or Twitter accounts with job recruiters. In other cases, well-crafted online profiles might give you a leg up with potential employers. Still, we're probably most familiar with stories where something seen on Facebook or tweeted into the blogosphere, lands someone out of a job. But what if it's not your social networking conduct that's in question? In the case of Friendly Fred, it's his boss who may be out of line.

In a letter to Fortune, Fred details how he was fired by his employer - without warning or severance pay - and soon after, friended by the very same (and now ex) boss. Obviously, the lay-off has left Fred with some less-than-fond feelings for his old boss, and while he's in no rush to accept the request, he fears ignoring, or even declining it, is poor Facebook form.

While Fortune's Ask Annie doesn't offer any quick fix for Fred's query, she does reveal the findings of a recent OfficeTeam poll that suggests that most of the workforce would be apprehensive about friending their boss on Facebook - preferring to keep their personal network separate from the office. What do you think? Would you want to be Facebook buds with the boss who fired you?

Our Review of Beatles Rock Band, Clooney Has a Naked Man Fan, and Using Facebook Instead of 911?!

Molly — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 14:17:19 -0700

Beatlemania returns today as The Beatles: Rock Band hits stores, and we're here with GeekSugar's review of the hotly anticipated new game! Plus, watch cute clips of George Clooney's indecent proposal and David Beckham with his family on Ellen. All that plus two Australian girls who got lost and instead of calling the police, they updated their Facebook statuses to get rescued. Check out PopSugar Rush now!

Ask Savvy: Recruiter Asked For My Facebook, Should I Send It?

SavvySugar — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 06:30:17 -0700

Dear Savvy,
I was considering applying for a job in the online social media industry, but got turned off when I noticed the listing asks for a cover letter, resume, writing and blog samples, and a Facebook page link. I'm fully aware that employers use Facebook and Google to research candidates, but I don't like the fact that they want to scope me out before they meet me. I'm smart, qualified, have relevant experience and I have a fairly normal Facebook, but would feel funny sharing it with a potential employer. Do you think my application will get put to the bottom of the pile if I don't play the networking game with the recruiter?

Savvy says: Oh! The modern dilemma! To see why you should share if you dare, read more.

For those of us who hunted for jobs pre-social networking a recruiter asking for a Facebook link or online profile may seem odd. Especially given we hear stories like the one about the girl who tweeted herself out of a job or tales of recruiters judging applicants based on drunken photos on Flickr, Facebook, Myspace or even Google Image.

The chance of being selected or rejected based on your photo seems harsh, but if you are applying for a social media industry job the recruiter may just want to know how active you are online. If you really don't have anything to hide (think lingerie parties or pukey pics), and already use Facebook as a networking tool, then play with your privacy settings so that the hiring manager can't see anything you don't want them to, find a professional profile photo (or a cute pic of your puppy or favorite beach) and send her the link. Recent studies show your online reputation could actually help you get a job, so spend some time cleaning up your Internet act and just click send. If you still feel Facebook shy, you might consider sending a link to your Linkedin account to reaffirm your professionalism, but show you are comfortable networking online.

All that being said, if you don't feel comfortable sharing, then don't. It's your right to keep your private life private and if your resume and cover letter impress, you'll still get a call from the recruiter. I can't imagine anyone in her right mind would fault you for not sharing your Facebook.

Note: This advice is tailored specifically for this reader who is applying for an Internet job. I do not recommend sending a link to your profile unless you are applying for a position where your Internet activity counts as experience or expertise. A good hiring manager will know how to use Google to find all the pics, status updates and online profiles you have ever set up if her heart desires.

Photo courtesy of FX

How Do You Communicate With Friends While You're at Work?

SavvySugar — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 12:00:56 -0700

Become SavvySugar's Fan on Facebook!

SavvySugar — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 08:00:00 -0700

We're friends, right? Let's become better buddies by stepping up our friendship on Facebook! Become a fan by checking out my page here or searching SavvySugar next time you log in. I'll highlight my favorite story every day so you'll catch it while checking all your other friends' updates - see you there!

Applicant Tweets Herself Out of a Job

SavvySugar — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 11:30:48 -0700

We’ve been talking lately about what not to do in an interview, but a recent Internet phenomenon got me thinking about what not to do during your job search in general. As Connor Riley found out the hard way, the Internet is not exactly, um, a private place to express your honest feelings about your quest for new employment.

Connor’s little slip-up is (unfortunately for her) a good example of the catch-22 of our social-networking-heavy culture. You never know if your friend’s friend might have a connection at the company where you’re applying, and while that connection might come in handy when you need an in, it can also ruin your chances if you’re publicly snide about your interview experiences.

Also remember, it’s not always just chance that a prospective employer happens to stumble upon your latest Facebook status update - social-network stalking is a popular way for employers to learn a little more about you before they take the plunge by offering you a gig. Although that can sometimes work in your favor, it's probably best to learn from "Cisco Fatty's" mistakes and confine your job-hunt snark to nonpublic conversations.

Has a comment you made on a blog or social networking site ever come back to haunt you during a job search?

Source

Your Online Reputation Could Actually Help You Get a Job

SavvySugar — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 12:30:40 -0700

Many of you have used social networking sites for professional networking, and we know that employers utilize these sites to serve their own purposes, too. A new CareerBuilder survey found that 22 percent of employers are clicking through the Internet looking for information on job candidates, and while many discovered information that caused some applicants to lose their places in the running, it's not all bad news.

About a quarter of those employers who have plugged applicants names into Google actually found information that made them feel more confident about typing up offer letters. Discover which factors positively influenced employers opinions when you read more.

Candidate’s background supported their qualifications for the job
Candidate had great communication skills
Candidate was a good fit for the company’s culture
Candidate’s site conveyed a professional image
Candidate had great references posted about them by others
Candidate showed a wide range of interests
Candidate received awards and accolades
Candidate’s profile was creative

Source

Get Employers' Attention by Creating an Ad on Facebook

SavvySugar — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 15:30:40 -0700

Self-marketing is a crucial part of gaining employment - you know you're awesome and would do the best job ever, but you must convince potential employers that you're worthy to be on payroll. First, you need to get yourself in the door, and for new college graduates lacking experience, this can be a difficult task.

One Day, One Job got creative when brainstorming job hunting tactics, and challenged their recently graduated readers to a job search experiment on Facebook. Five readers created Facebook ads and indicated the field they were interested in or targeted specific employers. The ads prompted employers to click on the ad to see the person's resume and resulted in hundreds, even thousands of clicks, positive feedback, and employer outreach.

The One Day site has a step-by-step guide to creating your own ad for Facebook. Do you think you would use this tactic to get the word out that you're looking for a job?

8 Successful Companies That Are Still Hiring

SavvySugar — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:45:36 -0700

Personal experience and news reports might tell us that nobody is hiring right now, but Fortune says to think again. The magazine recently released its 40 Under 40 - a list of the hottest rising stars in business - and many of them are looking to expand their teams. To see who these entrepreneurs are and what they’re looking for, read more.

Back to Basics: Interview Dos and Don'ts, Part 1

SavvySugar — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 08:30:57 -0700

I recently taught a workshop on interviewing to 400 high-schoolers. Since teenagers tend to have pretty limited experience with interviews, not to mention notoriously short attention spans, I had to find a way to keep the information short, sweet, and simple. But in doing so, I realized I was getting a pretty nice refresher myself.

For the 17-and-under crowd, I broke down the interview process into dos and don’ts for before, during, and after the interview. To see if going back to basics is helpful for you, too, read on.