What Makes Employee Advocacy So Effective

What Makes Employee Advocacy So Effective Your employees are your best advocates for your business. Why? Because what more reliable source is there to learn about a company, than first hand from the ones who work there? Employee advocacy is  becoming more and more popular among businesses, for marketing purposes  and to build a great employer brand. Not only is it  really easy to implement, but it also has a far more genuine feel to it than regular brand messaging shared by official sources and therefore your target market are more inclined to trust the information and take it on board. This infographic by Dynamic Signal explains just why employee advocacy is so widely used. How is business going digital? 88% of businesses are going through a digital transformation. 87% of B2B marketers use social media to distribute content. 78% of sales people using social media outsell their peers not using social media. 88% of employees already use social media. What are the benefits of employee advocacy? 90% of consumers trust recommendations from people they know. Brand messages reach 24 times further when shared by employees. The average employee reaches 1,140 on social media. 50% of employees already post messages on social media about their employers. What are the results of employee advocacy? Employee advocacy has 11 time more content amplification. It brings 5 times more website traffic and 25% more leads. It also results in  24 times more brand awareness. Find out more below! More on this topic at  Employee Advocacy: The Ultimate Handbook.

Figuring out where you fit

Figuring out where you fit I realize that the last time you heard from me, the Farmer was running me over with his tractor. But it was just a fight. Today I feel like I fit on the farm. When I am getting along with the Farmer, the whole farm feels enchanting even a goat standing on top of my car and probably putting a dent in it. Its reframing: When you feel like youre in the right place, you can reframe the bad stuff to feel like good stuff. I learned this from all the counseling I went through after being at the World Trade Center when it fell. Now that its almost the tenth anniversary of 9/11, I field a phone call each week from a reporter writing a story about how 9/11 affected the survivors, and I always talk about reframing. Im starting to think where I fit, in terms of my career, is saying what none of us wants to hear, and then reframing it so it feels good. I used to get upset about people thinking Im an idiot. For example, when I was writing on Yahoo Finance, I wrote along side Suze Orman. And people would write such hateful stuff about me and Suze (imagine the most offensive gay slurs you can think of) that it was part of someones daily tasks to delete awful comments. I used to think I got those comments because I was writing for the wrong audience, or not connecting with people, or something that signaled I was not in my right place. But Im thinking that the job of annoying people is actually a good fit for me. Last week I wrote a post for BNET about how diversity is bad at the beginning of a startup. I did not think this was particularly controversial topic because I am talking, in this article, about a very short period in a very specific type of company: the time between the seed round and the A round of a startup. Those companies are mostly founded by men, and men would increase their companys chances of survival by not partnering with a women. Really, this is not news: Diversity is bad for small companies. I published this research four years ago, with not much fanfare. But now, when I apply the research to a specific type of company, I get killed in feminist diatribes on blogs like Jezebel and Built in Chicago. But so what? I think Im right. And I think Im right that most women dont even want to be a part of the founding team of those startups because those companies are high-risk ventures that ruin your personal life. (I blogged about that originally for Tech Crunch here.) And guess what? Tons of men and women told me I was wrong. But I did not get one criticism from one woman who is CEO of a venture-funded startup while she has young kids at home. I got tons of complaints from women who are pregnant and say their passion for startups will be undaunted by having kids. But really, this is what they wish. These women wish they fit in everywhere. Women wish they were being pushed out instead of just stepping to the side. Women want to feel they can do everything, but we cant. Look, we know the baby boomers failed at work-life balance. We know it doesnt exist. So lets just start talking about things that are real. You can have a rip-roaring career in a great big city or you can have a goat on your driveway climbing on your car. You cant have both. You can have kid-centered days or you can have career-centered days. You cant have both. Lets just stop lying to ourselves because its not helping anyone. All we can do is reframe. We can say that we are so lucky to have all these choices. We can choose what we want, we just cant choose everything. It is real that twentysomething women need to worry more about having kids than a career if they want kids. Its not pleasant or nice or encouraging to say, but its true. Its true that reporting sexual harassment is old-school and stupid. It would be great if we could take down every lecherous boss, but we simply cannot. Its true that everyone would rather have a miscarriage than an abortion. Someone has to talk about this, and I like that its me. I think I fit where people want to hear the truth. I am settling into my role of the bearer of bad news. I have found, in my personal life, that if I face everything, even if its bad, then at least I have a chance at making it better. This is true for women at work, too. So lets get going.

Give Me Freedom... Should Your Brand Include Political Standing - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Give Me Freedom... Should Your Brand Include Political Standing - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career There are a lot of things that don’t mix well with your career. One of the obvious ones is religion. But what about politics? Do you talk about politics at work? In your blog posts? On Twitter or Facebook? This is linking your personal brand with a political standing â€" and can be a quick way to turn off potential employers, clients, customers or audience members. Here are a couple of reasons why you shouldn’t mix politics and your personal brand: It alienates people who feel differently than you There’s a reason why politics are in the media so often: they’re controversial. They cause strong reactions in folks. If a client or customer doesn’t agree with your political standing, they might stop using your products or services. Can your business or career take that? I’m guessing the answer is no. Politics typically don’t have anything to do with your business or career Would you tweet content about religion? Write about it on your blog? Probably notâ€"because it doesn’t have anything to do your established brand and career path. Although you might feel strongly about a specific political candidate or issue, being outspoken about it on personal branding platforms can pull focus away from you and your career or business. In fact, talking about politics or endorsing candidates could get you in trouble at work. An article on MSNBC published before the conclusion of the 2008 presidential election details how: Nearly 40 percent of companies have written policies prohibiting workers from handing out literature endorsing political parties or candidates, according to a just-released survey by the American Management Association. But what you discuss around the water cooler or on your personal blog is typically not something businesses spell out in employee handbooks. While state and federal employees, as well as union members, offer some protection when it comes to free speech and work, most employees don’t often have a leg to stand on. Only four states â€" California, New York, Colorado and North Dakota â€" have some protections for employees who get involved in politics away from the office or plant, but even those laws are limited, legal experts say. Although politics can cause controversy for your personal brand, there might be a few exceptions when it’s appropriate to share politics with your network. For example, if a political issue or bill will affect your industry, it could be useful to write up a blog post or tweet the information to grab your audience’s attention. When else do you believe it’s appropriate to mix politics and your brand? Author: Heather R. Huhman is a career expert, experienced hiring manager, and founder president of Come Recommended, a  content marketing and digital PR consultancy for organizations with products that target job seekers and/or employers. She is also the author of Lies, Damned Lies Internships: The Truth About Getting from Classroom to Cubicle (2011), #ENTRYLEVELtweet: Taking Your Career from Classroom to Cubicle (2010), and writes  career and recruiting advice for numerous outlets.

How To Dress Up For An Interview - Top Tips

How To Dress Up For An Interview - Top Tips First rule: NO FLIPFLOPS. Photo Credit: Smarterer Okay, so well done; youve bagged yourself an interview! Youve impressed them through your CV, but now here comes the tough part â€" impressing them in person. And I don’t just mean your personality. As soon as you walk in that door, you are being judged on everything that the interviewer sees, down to every last detail, so it’s only right that you prep and pay attention to yourself so that you can’t possibly fail in getting the job, and if you do? Well, at least you know you can’t blame the outfit. Heres how to dress up for an interview. MEN. Listen up, heres how to dress up for an interview Ive been on a few different interviews, or I have seen men when they are about to go in for one, and believe me,  I would certainly not hire some of the ones that I have seen, even if they fit the job role criteria perfectly. How much effort is it to iron a shirt once in a while? Or check it’s tucked in properly? Iron your shirt before the interview. Dont make the iron angry! Photo Credit: Gadgetsin.com Here’s my advice for the men: head to Primark and buy yourself a new shirt; they are cheap and cheerful, and it’s a wonder what this simple purchase can do! Get one to fit you right, not too baggy and not too tight, one that can be tucked into your trousers without looking ridiculous and you are pretty much good to go. My suggestion would be a light pink shirt (yes, you can pull it off) teamed with a light grey pair of pinstripe trousers; classic yet fashionable. And to finalise the outfit? Loafers. They are everywhere this year, especially a good solid tan pair with a tassel fringing. And if you really want to push the boat out? Colourful socks. Don’t just be the average man in boring plain black socks. Why not mix it up and purchase a pair of cheeky polka dot socks which can be only so slightly seen when sat down. It shows off your personality, and it’s a guaranteed nod from any fashion guru. My personal choice for a  man to dress up for an  interview Lovely shirts, but only pick a colour and size that you are comfortable with So there you have it, my personal choice for a man for an interview fashionable, classic and smart. What more could you ask for? Now Ive helped you with that section, please do me a favour and tidy up your face. Nobody wants a hairy unkempt man walking into the office that doesnt seem to be able to look after himself. Because if you can’t even look after yourself, then how could they expect you to put any effort into this job? Trim the beard, style the hair, wack on a bit of moisturiser and a splash of aftershave and you’re good to go. Okay; now for the women. I could write thousands of words of what to wear, but yet, it obviously depends on the career that youve chosen to go down. You want to look: smart, sophisticated, sexy (but not too much), yet fashionable, So how can we achieve this, ladies? Well, there is one main fashion item we could all buy, no matter what career we are in, and just simply dress it differently. It’s the crisp white shirt. Effortless, timeless and completely stylable. So personally, in my line of work, where it’s always better to be creative, I would pair it with some patterned fashionable trousers, preferably high waisted and tartan (a little obsessed with that trend) and tucked in with a nice pair of embellished flat shoes â€" save me the embarrassment of tripping over, please. But if you are comfortable enough to walk confidently in heels, then please wear them! Photo Credit: Interview Wear For Women Nothing too flashy, nothing too high, a patent black court shoe is perfect but if you have the walk right and perfected that you just exude confidence. If heels arent your thing but you feel as though you need a little height to boost yourself, a simple black chunky heeled boot would work perfectly; sturdy and bang on trend. Going for a top office job? Now, let’s say you’re going for a top office job. You need to look extremely professional, right? Well, yet again, trust the white shirt. Teamed with a tweed two piece you’ll look like the absolute bomb, and who wouldnt want to give you the job when you’re dressed so damn good?  The white shirt can be teamed with so many different looks: a pencil skirt and heels combo, a patterned tight jumper and smart trousers combo, a trendy two piece, or a relaxed skinny jean and boots look. Whichever your style, and whichever your dream job, a white shirt will never fail you. As women, I feel like it’s mandatory that we know how to look good and what dressing smart really looks like, so Ive put together a few tips for anybody that may need a little help! Some pointers to remember Don’t, I repeat, DON’T wear scruffy shoes! I don’t just mean ones with the heel coming away (although that does looks really bad), but I mean any shoes that even have the slightest scruff mark on the front. You may not be made of money, but you will no doubt have enough for a new pair of interview shoes (try supermarkets such as Asda or Tesco), or if you can’t afford any, why not simply invest in some shoe polish and tidy up what youve already got? Do wear make up correctly! No one wants to hire someone who has a thick orange line down the jaw line of their face. You don’t need to be a make up artist to figure out what suits your face and what doesnt. My advice is to tone down the make up, au naturel all the way! Don’t have VPL! Not a good look whatsoever. It’s simple: wear a decent pair of knickers that no one can see the outline of. Do your hair. Make an effort with it. No one is expecting you to look red carpet glam, but just make sure you run a brush through it and make it look acceptable. Don’t forget the little things! Make sure everything is tucked into the right places, make sure you don’t have tags hanging out or stickers on shoes, and don’t forget to wear some perfume. Do give yourself a manicure! Please do not go into an interview with chipped nail varnish! This is possibly one of the most important tips! I can pretty much guarantee that you talk with your hands quite often, and this draws the interviewer to look in that direction and can you imagine their reaction when you have week-old chipped black nail varnish on your untrimmed and unbuffed nails? No. Just NO! So there you go; those are my tips for you and I really hope they help. I know they may seem simple to some people, but hopefully I may have reminded you of the little things that you have forgotten. I wish you all the luck in the world for future interviews, and I want you to all be confident in yourselves and your appearance when you walk into that room. Walk in like you own the place and as if the job is yours. Be happy, be strong, be passionate! 19

8 things you can do to make your commute more productive

8 things you can do to make your commute more productive Now, this isn’t going to be one of those preachy articles where I tell you to start eating kale, take up pilates and get out of bed at 6am every day. Yes it’s January, but we’re all human and we’d all rather eat cake in bed than become a superhuman paragon of productivity. However, there are some small changes you can make in life that will help you get a little bit more done with your day, and your commute is a good place to start.  It takes me around 40 minutes to get to work on the bus. It doesn’t seem like much at the time, but adds up to around 6.5 hours a week! That’s a whole 6 hours I could be dedicating to something at least half useful. However, as much as I’d love to whip my laptop out and start cracking on with some kick ass content creation, my bus times are never my best times. In the morning I’m normally still half asleep having just rolled out of bed, and in the evening I’m tired after a full day of work. But that doesn’t mean I have to sit on the bus staring aimlessly out the window every day. There are loads of little things you can do to make your commute more useful, while still allowing yourself some downtime. Read a book As a former English Literature student, but also just as a human, I miss having time to read for pleasure. In my fast-paced schedule I rarely have time to sit and read. Taking a book with me on the bus allows me to slip away to far off world and forget I’m in drizzly old London for a short while. Get yourself on Goodreads and set a 2018 reading challenge. Remember to be realistic so you don’t disappoint yourself, but aim to read a certain amount of books before the year is out. Listen to a podcast If you find reading too much of a chore for first thing in the morning, try a podcast instead. Whether you go for an educational series, or something just plain funny, you’ll be learning something new regardless. We have loads of helpful lists here on Debut to help you find the podcasts which are going to be of most use to you. Try these motivational ones to help you get pumped for the day ahead, or these educational ones to help you sound super smart. Make your to-do list This might not take up your full commute, but to help you feel focused and ready to seize the day, try making a list of everything you want to achieve on your phone. Putting down what you want to do that day in words will help you visualise exactly what you need to achieve. Then your brain will find it easier to work out how you’re going to do it. Tackle those 3738 unread emails It’s not just a myth, Inbox Zero actually does exist. Reading and responding to emails might feel a bit too much like work for a commute, but cleaning out your inbox can be very therapeutic. It’ll ensure you don’t miss any opportunities and don’t leave anyone unanswered. Plus, itll get rid of that annoying red circle on your home screen. Read articles I am terrible for stumbling across really interesting articles that I intend to read at a later date and then never get round to. Your commute is the perfect time to go back and give these a read. Try an app like Pocket to save articles and videos in one place for quick and easy re-reading. Perfect bite-size content for your journey. Plan your meals Another thing I always say I’m going to do but never get round to is meal planning. You can save yourself so much money if you take the time to plan out all the meals you’re going to need for the week and buy ingredients accordingly. Take a look at some recipes to get your tastebuds going first. Then set out the week’s meals, and even order your shop online to be delivered when you get home from work. Much better than battling other shoppers in Asda on a Sunday. Get your social media fix If you find yourself getting easily distracted by social media throughout the day, use your commute to get your fix out the way. Give yourself 10 minutes on each of your main feeds so you’re all caught up. Then force yourself to put your phone away and ignore it for the rest of the day. This will help you to know exactly how much time you’re spending on social media and ensure it’s not damaging your productivity. Socialise This might seem like a strange one for a solitary bus journey, but if you’re one of those people who’s always forgetting to reply to messages, then there’s no excuse when you’re sat around doing nothing for half an hour everyday. Keep those connections going and check in on those friends you haven’t spoken to in a while. You’ll feel the much better for it when you arrive at the office. Connect with Debut on  Facebook,  Twitter,  and  LinkedIn  for more careers insights.

How Long Does It Take to Rank in Google

How Long Does It Take to Rank in Google The standard response to this important question is “It depends”. This is because the algorithm behind Google Rankings is a complex system with at least 200 known factors. Trying to take into account all of these factors and come up with a universal formula for all websites is pretty much impossible. The good news is that there is a study conducted by SEO tool provider Ahrefs that may be able to offer website owners a more concrete answer after all. The first thing that the team at Ahrefs did was to calculate the average age of top-ranked pages. They took 2 million randomly selected keywords and pulled data on the Top 10 ranking pages for each of them. As it turned out, only 22% of pages that currently rank in the Top 10 on Google were created within one year. The study also showed that no more than 5.7% of all studied pages ranked in the Top 10 search results within 1 year for at least 1 keyword. In other words, the Ahrefs study demonstrated that old pages clearly dominate the search engine results pages (SERP).What does this mean for the rest of the pages that arent as lucky as that 5.7 %? Take a look at the infographic below by The Website Group to find out!

Writing a Retail Manager Resume

Writing a Retail Manager ResumeWriting a retail manager resume is a job search-specific document. It is your opportunity to shine.Writing a retail manager resume should be brief and to the point. Focus on the key features that bring you to the position. These include skills, leadership experience, abilities, talents, and personal qualities.The most important thing when writing a retail manager resume is to present yourself as a quality candidate. As you begin your career as a manager, you are going to come into contact with several diverse types of personalities. You need to make sure that you have the right skills to address each one.Sometimes potential candidates are just not as focused as you. They may get sidetracked and can't seem to catch your attention at first. Be sure to stand out. People are going to be checking out your resume to see if you are up to the task or not.When people read your resume they are going to be looking for some substance but there is a whole lot of sho rt-term goals in their mind. They want something specific and fast. You are going to give them the short-term goal so they can move on to the next part of their application.When writing a retail manager resume you should avoid using buzz words and acronyms. These are easy to overuse and they don't say anything about your abilities. They just sound impressive.Another factor to keep in mind when writing a retail manager resume is to focus on your strengths. Don't exaggerate or embellish your accomplishments and skills. Use the term 'key skill' to explain how you contributed to a business and the term 'exceptional' to explain why you are the best candidate for the job.Once you know how to write a retail manager resume, the rest will come naturally. Find a good template and begin writing your resume from scratch. Once you are finished, be sure to submit it to several retail recruitment companies.