Web 2.0 Conference Review #1 Real Branding, “Building a Social Media Strategy Using SocialMap”

Twittershouldhireme.com and the controversy thereof

Last Monday I was let go from my position as Vice President of Sales and Business Development at a publicly traded company. Tuesday I woke up and decided that I would put the wheels into motion to follow my heart instead of my wallet while looking for my next position.

I wanted to be a part of the web 2.0 social marketing community and began to seek sales roles at companies that fit the description. Where better to start my journey than the kings of social - Facebook.com? I love Facebook and saw that they were hiring. I applied for a Sales Director role.

Enthralled by Social Marketing I began to test my knowledge and see if I could leverage the medium to help my search. I dove headfirst into Twitter and began scanning for like minded individuals. I quickly discoverd @jamievaron and her site www.twittershouldhireme.com.

I was amazed by her ingenuity. I immediately decided that I would start a “copy cat” site called www.facebookshouldhireme.com. I purchased the URL and implemented via Godaddy.com. I was thrilled. I shared the link with my friends and family via Facebook.com (where else).

A day later Facebook.com respectfully declined my application.

Ouch.

Well, not so fast. Personally, I think the whole experience was phenomenal, I also think Jamie is fantastic.  That’s mainly why I’m writing this post = I’m a bit disheartened to have read the following article today titled:

Why TwitterShouldHireMe.com is a bad idea

By Heather Huhman

The author notes 6 reasons why. I’d like to defend my position as well as Jamie’s and respond to each point.

1. She’s pigeonholded herself.

Regarding @jamievaron I disagree.  The only companies she may have alienated are most likely companies that she wouldn’t like to work for.  I’m sure the guys at Digg think she’s creative and interesting.

Regarding@cdessi I really disagree. I have a masters degree in Marketing, and I’ve been in online sales for 11 years.  I’m not supposed to be able to produce a site like www.facebookshouldhireme.com. As I attempt to make the jump into the social marketing space this can only help.

2. She’s coming off desperate.

@jameivaron – I think she comes off as articulate, creative and passionate.  She’s asking for the job of her dreams. I don’t think that’s desperate at all. I admire her for it.  She’s young. It takes some people a lifetime to articulate what it is that they’d love to do.

@cdessi I was (sort of)  The economy is horrible, and I need a J O B.  Why not work someplace I love and get there in a creative way? After 7 days being unemployed, luckily I’ve already been given an offer. I’ve been boring my entire career – what the heck. I have a home, a wife, and a baby girl to provide for, I’m sure nobody will fault me for trying.  My personal brand has already been damaged by two lay-offs due to economic conditions in one year.  I have nothing to lose and everything to gain by the exposure.

3. She’s stereotypical Generation Y

@jamievaron - No way. No way at all.  The stereotype does exist, and I’ve experienced in some of the team members I’ve managed.  This young lady has initiative, creativity and a passion.  The stereotype smacks of entitlement.  An entitled stereotypical Generation Y would have been offered a job at Twitter and then would complain to anyone that would listen when Twitter announces they can no longer offer free breakfast because of the economy.  Her site is an omage to Twitter. Not to her.  She’s pledging her undying love and affection for a company that has become a part of her life.  I’d hire a young woman like her in a second.

@cdessi – Hmmm..I’m generation X – I wonder what this says about me?  Maybe that the game has changed, and the normal procedure doesn’t apply?

4. She’s unprofessional -

@jamievaron - I’m 34 and I’ve reported to 28 year old millionaires that show up at work in jeans and an Ed Hardy T-shirt. They negotiate million dollar deals via IM.  Professional has been redefined in the Web2.0 world.  If she walked in with a suit on and a brief case she wouldn’t fit into the culture at Twitter. The site is designed for  Micro Bloggin. It isn’t GE.  She’s being appropriately and refreshingly herself.

@cdessi - see above.

5. She’s controversial, and therefore a risk.

@jamevaron She’s part of a generation that has been posting personal photos of themselves on Myspace, facebook, friendster and the like since they were in their teens.  Their whole lives have unfolded online and shared with their entire world.  Considering the people she’s appealing to are her contemporaries I hardly think they’ll find this site controversial.

@cdessi - For me – a 34 year  – perhaps this could be a dangerous move.  Again I’ll reference my two lay-offs in less than a year as a liability as well, but sometimes the contrarian is the guy that’s most innovative in the board room.  I’ll take that risk.

6. It’s been done.

@jamievaron – This is way off.  Facebook wasn’t the first social site.  Twitter may be the first micro blogging site, but I’m certain it’s not the last.  To say that @jamievaron’s “angle” is never going to be reproduced is silly.  I’m sure you’ll see even better iterations on her idea. Done with more flare, perhaps to an even more controversial effect.

@cdessi - I’m sure this idea will be replicated (hopefully with better results than mine)   I’ve seen stories on executives standing on street scorners.  This will be replicated and built upon as the economy continues to worsen and people need to find more creative ways to distinguish themselves.

What’s a Tweetup and Who is Gary Vaynerchuk?

#teammashable 12seconds Charity Challenge | 12seconds.tv (beta)

#teammashable 12seconds Charity Challenge | 12seconds.tv (beta)

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Gary Vaynerchuk has me FIRED UP!!

Gary Vaynerchuk showing everyone at WineLibrary’s Tweetup the Jet’s Sweater his Mother MADE for him – AWESOME

Facebook Should Hire Me DOT Com

Chris is: shamelessly self promoting to land a job at Facebook!

This afternoon I launched a new website that I want to share with you guys. It’s an interesting twist for me. Recently I was let go, and currently I’m interviewing. I thought it was about time that I took my destiny into my own hands.

Here’s the copy on my home page at: www.facebookshouldhireme.com

Thanks for visiting! I’m amazed by the viral nature of the internet. You may enjoy my story:

Thursday March 12, 2009 the company I worked for was bought by a competitor. Monday March 16, 2009 I was let go. Friday March 20, 2009 I applied for a Sales Director position at Facebook.com. Sunday March 22, 2009 I read a blog post (via Twitter) about an extraordinary person named Jamie Varon (@jamievaron). Jamie started a website called www.twittershouldhireme.com. Inspired, I decided to start this site. Thank you Jamie! Twitter should hire you immediately!

Jamie started a job search revolution with one brilliant idea. She’s extraordinary. The folks over at Facebook are extraordinary as well.

After spending too much time pursuing jobs that offer good monetary compensation, and fancy titles, I’ve had it. I’m 34 years old, married and have a gorgeous daughter to provide for, but my focus has shifted. I can’t continue working at soul crushing companies and seeking only monetary reward. I need to find a place where I can be surrounded by like minded, positive and inspired people.

I know nothing about programming, software development and the like. I am a sales/marketing guy, but I’m a student of the internet. I’m obsessive about new technology and I love to blog about my family, the newest gadget I covet or which companies I think will change the world. I’m thirsty for knowledge, and I’m scrappy. I may not have attended an Ivy League school, but what I lack in intellect, I make up for with passion, intensity and a desire to excel. I’ll be the first one in in the morning and the last one to leave at night. I never cut corners, and I never play political games. I’m truthful, authentic and can communicate well. Being let go twice in one year (after leaving a job I loved to pursue money and a title) has shaken me to the core. I’m humbled and ready to learn.

I’m ready to be passionate about my work again.

Mark Zuckerberg is changing the way we interact with other human beings. I want to be around people that have passion, are changing the world for the better and as Gary Vaynerchuk (@garyvee) would say “Bring the Thunder”. Check out www.winelibrary.tv or www.garyvaynerchuk.com – it’ll change your life.

This site is going to change mine.

Take a Look

This Looks So Much Cooler Than Playing The Recorder

This Looks So Much Cooler Than Playing The Recorder

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Financial Times Group Launches Newssift.com Beta

A Unique Search Tool for Business Professionals   NEW YORK, March 18 /PRNewswire/ — The Financial Times Group announced today the BETA launch of Newssift.com, a next generation search tool for business professionals. With the ability to search thousands of global business news sources, Newssift offers comprehensive, meaning-based results that contextualize the trends, opinions, and qualitative events that shape business decisions and impact corporate reputations. Newssift is a free-standing entity within the Financial Times Group.   As the media landscape continues to evolve, more people are using the Internet as their primary news source. Newssift allows you to look for up-to-date news and analysis online to know before you go, streamlining the process of search and search refinement for business decision makers. Newssift delivers precise and more relevant qualitative business news, moving beyond traditional key word search.   “Unlike traditional search, Newssift was developed to enable users to string together a query that can provide insight into the relationship between people, organizations, geography, and business theme, which ultimately facilitates more informed business decisions,” said Robin Johnson, Chief Executive Officer, FT Search, the creators of Newssift.com. “There are only a few search engines that employ relationship-based or semantic algorithms, and to date there is no other that accomplishes refinement using a business point of view.”   Much research has shown that many of today’s business users are dissatisfied with current search tools, finding traditional key word search technologies difficult to use and unable to comprehend contextual relationships. Newssift was launched to respond to this void — creating a user-friendly and meaning-based search that easily locates and compares qualitative business news across thousands of reputable sources. Each day, thousands of news sources are aggregated and annotated to ensure the most relevant and deep analysis of current global business news. Newssift then searches data based on meaning and relationships, cutting out the commercial clutter found in traditional key word search.   “Today, we’re introducing a resource for business that offers capabilities not available on any other search site,” saidJohn Greenleaf, Chief Marketing Officer of FT Search. “Newssift thinks the way business people think and interacts directly with the user, offering results that are meaningful, relevant and ultimately pertinent to important metrics like stock price valuation and corporate reputation.”   Similar to the way one would search and compare merchandise on retail websites, Newssift ultimately analyzes the relationship between people, organizations, geographies, and business themes. An example that highlights the Newssift.com difference and demonstrates how the tool works is that while traditional search results can help you to find a local florist in Florida for your mother’s birthday, Newssift can enable you to analyze the state of the floral industry in Florida.     About Newssift Newssift is a unique search tool for business professionals indexing millions of articles from thousands of global news sources. A next generation vertical search tool, Newssift.com searches are based on meaning, topic relationships and business themes, moving beyond traditional keyword search towards refinement. Newssift was created by FT Search Inc., an independent entity within the Financial Times Group.   Media Contact Amy Grabowski 203.564.1501 / Amy.Grabowski@newssift.com Danielle DeVoren 212.445.8188 / ddevoren@webershandwick.com

We Can Only Appreciate the Good After We’ve been Faced with Bad

I just returned from a head clearing heart pounding 6mile run.  It’s amazing how much clearer your thinking becomes when you’re challenging your body.  I’m in the middle of day 4 after losing my job, and I’m already making some big moves.  It’s fascinating to step back and be witness to the emotional rollercoaster of job loss.  That coupled with our lovely little recession we’re experiencing hasn’t exactly helped my spirits, but it hasn’t gotten me so down either.

I’ve been really down before.  I’ve faced some minimal adversity in my life, and I’m thankful every day for that.  I know in my heart that I wouldn’t appreciate the good things in my life if I were never faced with the “percieved bad”.    I say “perceived bad” because I mean really, how bad is it?  Nobody is dying here.  :-)

Take inventory today. I’m mean really, seriously take inventory.  While I was running I thought of the many things I can be thankful for:

1. I’m able to run 6miles!

2. The seasons are changing and you can almost smell the baseball in the air – GO YANKS!

3. My daughter’s birthday is on April 14th!  

 

If a guy on day 4 of joblessness in the midst of a sh*tty recession can be grateful, than you really have no excuse to complain today!