Make Your LinkedIn Profile Irresistible In 5 Steps (Infographic)
April 9th, 2013 by Lifestyle StaffMake Your LinkedIn Profile Irresistible
Make Your LinkedIn Profile Irresistible
Are you looking to make your LinkedIn profile more attractive to recruiters? Maybe you’re looking for a new challenge or even your very first job out of college. If you’re looking to stand out online, we have five useful tips to make your professional profile irresistible to hiring managers on LinkedIn below.
1. Keywords in your profile
Search engine optimization is a key element of your LinkedIn profile. Add specific keywords aligned with you skills to help highlight potential items employers might be searching for like ‘social media manager’ or ‘website designer.’ Also, scatter the important keywords organically throughout your profile.
(Refrain from using any adventurous overused terms like ninja, guru, maverick or superhero – as recruiters might not want to take you away from your crime fighting duties!)
2. What do you want to be seen as?
What’s your personal brand about? Are you an expert in social media marketing? Or a freelance writer? Make sure your headline and personal tag accurately depict who you are, as well as aligning your personal brand across your profile and resume.
3. Tell us your story
Everyone loves a good story, what’s yours? How did you get where you are today? Find a way to explain that concisely in a way that makes you look interesting and motivated. Do you have a plan for where you want to get to?
4. Use a professional profile photo
First impressions matter and your cover photo sends a strong message about who you are. Make sure you have a professional looking photo to compliment your profile. Avoid any casual circumstance pictures from a party, wedding or any other group shots for that matter. And the worst thing you can do is have no cover photo at all which screams you don’t care about your profile and professional appearance. And unless you really are a ninja or an actor that portrays some kind of super-hero, avoid any cosplay!
5. Use your personal profile link
While on your LinkedIn profile page, have you ever noticed the web address or URL has some strange characters and looks funny? For example my funny looking LinkedIn URL is:
http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=114891125&trk=tab_pro
Rookies make the mistake of sharing that weird URL, where instead, make sure to use your unique LinkedIn URL when sharing your profile, which includes your name. Everyone has a unique LinkedIn profile link, look for it under your profile photo like this:
http://www.linkedin.com/in/danielzeevi
Using this personal LinkedIn page helps strengthen your personal brand with prospective employers and shows you have some sense of what you’re doing online!
What else are you doing to spiffy up your LinkedIn profile?
Make Your LinkedIn Profile Irresistible
Source: social@Ogilvy
Make Your LinkedIn Profile Irresistible
Are You Ready To Pay For YouTube Content?
February 15th, 2013 by Tech Staff
Are consumers really ready to pay for YouTube content? YouTube is transitioning from a platform to a full fledge producer. Are they trying to reinvent TV? Looks like it. Could YouTube become the next internet giant? It seems they are experimenting with the idea. Back in October, YouTube announced an investment of millions in original content production of over 60 individually selected channels on its video platform, and they will charge subscription fees to viewers – like cable television. Reports show that the initial paid channels will cost $1 – $5 a month for episodic content and will debut in the Spring.
Why would YouTube enter this market? With the percentage of people using tablets and smart phones as the primary means of viewing multimedia content and Hulu now offering their own original content programming why wouldn’t they. Google, YouTube’s parent company has said it wanted to explore non-advertising revenue to generate profit. They will also consider charging for content libraries, access to live events, pay-per-view, and self-help/financial advice shows.
As for YouTube partners (vloggers) the subscription fees affects them too. YouTube is advising its current partners to consider carefully how their existing audience will react. Most have spent years building up a base of free subscribers through hard work and cross-promotion. Can they produce content worth paying for?
Nevertheless, YouTube has to get people to view their content like they watch TV. That is more difficult. How do you get people to watch a 30-60 minute programming daily/weekly, rather than a 5 minute video clips and clicks?
“But how does YouTube go from upload center to the engine that powers the video-curated web? For that, Dror looked to today’s TV formats for a clue. And what he found may surprise you. If you think about TV shows like ESPN Sportscenter, that’s essentially what these formats are. Clip shows. They have some hosts, talk for a few minutes and then they go to some content that they didn’t create but are pulling from other sources. Now we’re making that format available on YouTube. Anyone can use the giant library of video content and start to create these hosted Programs.” (www.forbes.com)
Would you pay for YouTube content?
Five Major Red Flags To Avoid When Searching For Love Online
December 21st, 2012 by Lifestyle Staff“What do the lonely do… at Christmas…” Well, a lot of them jump in the sea of love online. Online dating is now a popular way for individuals to meet, connect, and develop personal and romantic relationships via the internet. There are tons of online dating services to expedite these ventures and now with a plethora of social networking sites finding love online may just find you with one click.
In 2012 the popular documentary, Catfish, unfolded by following the story of a young man developing a romantic relationship with a young woman via Facebook. After the year-long adventure the young man discovers that everything the young woman portrayed was false. After the release of the documentary the young man was contacted by other people with similar experiences who wanted to know the truth and get connected -in person- with their online matches.
Now a television show on MTV, Catfish reveals an entire community of people who find themselves romantically involved with another person online without having met face to face, and are skeptical of the truth. Yet once the truth is revealed it is often times altered, false and devastating. Obviously there is nothing wrong with searching for love online, but there are some precautions you must take to avoid these “catfish experiences”.
Here are five things to look out for when searching for love online:
False Image
With an increase of social network sites, easy is an understatement when it comes to false image use on profiles. One thing we learned from the TV show Catfish was to drag the profile image into a search engine and see where that image is located elsewhere. The image may be under ‘Teresa’s Facebook profile’ but also listed as ‘Kimberly’s LinkedIN profile’.
False Identity
Age, sex, and alias are the most important things to know FIRST. It may be awkward to ask, “hey why don’t you send me a sexy picture of your valid driver’s license?” especially since it seems NO ONE takes a good photo these days, but that is why we have the old school white pages and even online services like Peoplefinder.com. If you are really feeling weird you can even check someone’s criminal background on the public conviction database.
False Employement
“What model agency did you say you worked for again?” With today’s technology finding out someone’s employment is as simple as giving the office a call. Even if you have to pretend you are interested in hiring that person, its a great tactic in knowing what’s real and even finding out the reputation of the person’s business.
False Residence
“So you were born in North Carolina, grew up in Atlanta, lived in New Mexico, California, Madrid and Syracuse by age 22?” Sometimes things may not add up and with a little more research flaws in the person’s stories about their past can be revealed. The saying, “it’s a small world” is no joke and mutual friends on social networks are great connections to knowing the truth -even if you don’t have mutual friends, after a simple add now you do.
False Reasons to Not Video Chat
Eventually trust is established and reasons to avoid video chats shouldn’t be accepted. With video applications like Google chat, Skype, iChat, Oovoo, and Tango just to name a few, there are really no reasons not to eventually video chat. Especially with establishments like Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts, plus your neighbor’s open Wi-Fi, or a friend’s apartment; Wi-Fi for video chat is easily accessible with phones, tablets and computers. No excuses.
Have you experienced a ‘catfish’ experience while looking for love online? Share, comment, or get to researching if you’re currently questioning your online love!
The Best Cyber Monday Sites For Virtually Any Holiday Gift!
November 26th, 2012 by Lifestyle StaffBlack Friday has come and gone and its time to celebrate Cyber Monday!! For those of you who still don’t know what Cyber Monday is, this day was created by companies to encourage people to shop online; as if we really needed a reason to this already. However this day of online shopping is the most convenient way to take advantage of holiday deals while avoiding large crowds, long lines with intense weather conditions and injuries; yes injuries. The saying “I survived Black Friday” wasn’t created because of its innocent misperception of safe activity. Black Friday shoot outs at the local Walmart in Florida is a too common story making headlines and making the celebration slightly discomforting and discouraging for some. Since 2012 is the year of generating and revamping comic heros, I notion the movement of a Black Friday hero, we could just call it CYBER MONDAY!
Have no fear your hero is here to the rescue and there are plenty of great deals to take advantage of and avoid a black eye or two or three.
Here are a few “go to” online sites in no particular order with a variety of great deals that virtually any online shopper would love!
Macys.com
Not only should you appreciate Macy’s for its elaborate yearly beautiful thanksgiving parade but they are also encouraging online shoppers with specials like an extra 15% off and free shipping off orders of $75 or more.
Amazon.com
What can’t you purchase on this website? From beauty supplies to a Kindle of any kind, Amazon.com is offering an instant $30 off eligible and applied credit card applicants and various percentages up to 70% for select products. Did you know you can even score a free Amazon Prime account? Amazon Prime is a membership program that gives you and your family unlimited fast shipping, such as FREE Two-Day shipping, instant streaming of thousands of movies & instant access to thousands of books without the pesky $79 membership fee. (Find out how to score your free account via video here.)
Walmart.com
If the Walmart industry could turn into a local store then there would be no need for their great cyber monday deal of free shipping in the Home department nor prices for the perfect gift under $20! Check this website out for great deals on electronics and gifts delivered right to your door.
Overstock.com
A personal favorite for great deals during anytime of the year; overstock.com is offering an extra percentage off for all departments and deemed the entire weekend as cyber weekend for extra savings. From personal use, I must mention their great customer service with an impeccable track shipping support to ensure your delivery.
So go grab a snack and get ready to camp out in front of a computer and enjoy a safe Cyber Monday!
Have you entered Diva Days Of Christmas Holiday Giveaway yet? What are you waiting for?
Chris Brown: When Twitter Beefs Go Wrong (AGAIN!)
November 26th, 2012 by ChristenJust when you thought it was safe to support #TeamBREEZY – the 23-year old singer, flubs up on social media (once again). According to several reports online, Chris Brown has (once again) deleted his Twitter page after a battle of insults with a comedienne online.
The exchange started when Chris tweeted a photo of himself with the caption, “I look old as f—! I’m only 23“. Jenny Johnson responded, “I know! Being a worthless piece of sh-t can really age a person” and a very vulgar war of words ensued from there…
Will someone from Chris Brown’s camp PLEASE take his smartphone away from him. I understand freedom of speech but GEEZ – there comes a time where if you don’t learn from your mistakes you should be forced to accept the consequences. I wonder if Twitter should implement a 3 STRIKES rule? Delete your profile THREE TIMES and you’re OUT … FOR GOOD! That’ll teach folks about social media decision making REAL QUICK!
What do you think?
The Best Cyber Monday Tech Sales At Your Fingertips (Listing)
November 26th, 2012 by Tech Staff 
In case you didn’t get a chance to take advantage of the deals on Black Friday or Small Business Saturday, don’t fret. Today is Cyber Monday, which is another day of sales to treat yourselves or to gift for the holidays. So grab your credit cards, a cup of coffee, crack those knuckles and let’s get ready to shop!
We’ve gathered a fine list of retailers joining in on the savings for you below.
Amazon
- Samsung 55 inch Slim LED 1080p HDTV for $998
- Sonos Play:3 for $299.99 + get a $100 Amazon gift card
- Sony NEX-5R mirrorless camera for $648 + a camera bag, 16GB SD card, & wireless backup drive
Best Buy
- HP ENVY 14 inch Ultrabook w/ 4GB of RAM & 500GB HD for $550
- Samsung 46 inch Smart LED 1080p HDTV for $600
- Samsung 16GB Galaxy Note 10.1 for $450
K-Mart
- ASUS Nexus 7 32GB Wi-Fi Tablet for $250
- LG 50 inch 600Hz 1080p Plasma HDTV for $550
Target
- Nikon D3100 14.1MP DSLR w/ 18-55mm kit lens for $480
Tiger Direct
- Beats by Dre Studio headphones for $270
- Vizio All-In-One PC w/ 4GB of RAM, 1TB HD, & 24inch HD display for $600
- Xbox 360 2-game 250GB HD bundle for $250
Walmart
- PlayStation 3 charge & chat bundle for $269
- Samsung 46 inch LED HDTV for $700
- Xbox 360 4GB Skylanders bundle for $160
With all these deals on everything from cameras, computers to video games – you have no reason to give anyone, just a gift card. What’s on your Cyber Monday holiday gift wish list?
Have you entered Diva Days Of Christmas Holiday Giveaway yet? What are you waiting for?
Tips To Find The Best Deals And Maximize Your Cyber Monday Shopping!
November 26th, 2012 by Christen
Today marks Cyber Monday – it’s one of your best chances to order those holiday gifts at unbelievable prices! If you’re a online shopping novice, you’re probably wondering how the pros make the most out of their Cyber Monday shopping without breaking the bank. We’ve got you covered! Check out a few top Cyber Monday shopping tips below, plus a few secrets that’ll help you save some additional dough on free shipping, family discounts and more!
Top 5 Cyber Monday Shopping Tips
1. Know what you want, make a list & STICK to it!
2. Compare prices!
3. Make sure your information is protected with a secure shopping site.
4. Be aware of shipping costs.
5. Know your return policies.
Now that you have the tips & tricks to online shop like a pro, where are you shopping for your deals first?
Have you entered Diva Days Of Christmas Holiday Giveaway yet? What are you waiting for?
How To Access Your Favorite Websites (Even If They’re Down…)
October 30th, 2012 by Christen
Chances are, if you’re on the Northeast or remotely affected by the latest weather system to hit the U.S., you’re at home or at work feaverishly searching online fo news and information regarding news headlines leading lady – Sandy.
Hurricane – Tropical – Super – Storm Sandy has wreaked pure havoc across the Northeast, causing major flooding, wind damage and over an estimated $20 Billion in damages. Some of the damages found include server systems of sites like Huffington Post, Lifehacker and more. Lucky for us, Lifehacker has shared a few tips on how to access web sites while they’re down.
Access Cached Pages Through Google
Google caches a large portion of the internet, and it’s easy to access those caches when a site isn’t available. All you have to do is search for a URL prepended with “cache:” like this: cache:http://lifehacker.com
That’ll take you to the cached version of Lifehacker.com. You can replace it with any URL to get the latest version Google currently has in its cache.
Alternatively, the Google Cache Bookmarklet helps you access the cached version of any page you visit with just one click. Just visit any page, and if it fails to load you can click the bookmarklet to visit the cached version immediately.
If that doesn’t work, you can check out a few more Lifehacker.com tips here. Happy web surfing!
How To Spot An Online Hustler…(Online Daters Beware!)
September 24th, 2012 by Christen
In next month’s issue of Glamour Magazine, Glamour exposes the dangers of dating scammers using online dating sites to scam millions of dollars from women each year. From men using fake photos to lure women in to last minute “emergencies” and requesting help with cash. Glamour gives you a few tips to keep in your arsenal just in case you’re feeling suspicious about a budding online romance.
He says he works overseas, blurts “I love you” within weeks, and can never manage to Skype? Those are all clues — and so are these:
The foreign IP address. There is a number embedded in every email that reveals where the sender’s computer is. (Romancescams.org will tell you how to find it.) A guy who claims to be in Ohio but has a Nigerian IP address is clearly pulling a fast one.
The fake profile photo. Go to Google and select “Images.” Click on the camera icon in the right of the search field, and upload your date’s photo. You’ll see a list of places online where that image appears. If any are attached to another man’s name, your paramour may be a scammer.
The delayed response. If a date always pauses at easy questions like “What street did you grow up on? What was it like?” he may be searching the Internet for the right comeback.
The “honey” thing. These guys almost always use “hon,” love,” or “wifey” rather than your name. It’s easier when they’re courting so many women — and it’s a way to gain your trust.
If you’re suspicious of any date you meet online… Enter his name and email on sites like romancescams.org, romancescam.com, scamsurvivors.com or military gear.com/asp just to make sure he hasn’t burned other women. If you do encounter a con artist, post his details on those sites as well, and report him to ic3.gov. Sometimes it’s that one little bit of information that helps break an investigative case.
Have you ever tried online dating or even meeting someone through social media sites? Earlier sites like Blackplanet.com or Myspace.com or more had tons of suspicious activity on them. Luckily I’ve never had to encounter any of those sleezy tactics, however I’ve had a fair share of “hons” “baby” and “wifey” names that I wasn’t too fond about and had to to drop them like a bad habit.
What do you think? Do you have any tips on how to bust an online scammer? Share below…
Fly On A Dime – Affordable Fashion Ideas & Tips
September 3rd, 2012 by ChristenIn addition to hosting a “Ready, Set, Engage!” Social Media Basics seminar over the holiday weekend at the 10th Annual AllState Tom Joyner Family Reunion, I also had the opportunity of co-hosting the “Fly On A Dime” Affordable Fashion panel with celebrity stylist Olori Swank & celebrity beauty artist Tia Hebron.
During this panel, several shopping ideas, tips & stories were shared including ways to extend your wardrobe, key pieces that every closet should have & the best time to shop/build your fashion collection.
Did You Know: One of the best times to build your fashion collection is in November? It’s true, the pre-holiday season boasts almost 6% deeper discounts than any other time of the year. (It’s even better than January which only offers average discounts about 4.5% higher.)
The top three “fashion investments” that every woman should invest in includes:
- Leather jacket
- Oversized watch
- Quality Bras & foundation undergarments
Staple items that every woman should have in her wardrobe includes:
- Great pair of black stiletto heels
- Convertible wrap dress
- Statement scarf that you can wear all year long
- Stylish trench coat
- Well-tailored black blazer & slacks
- Waist cinching belt
Did You Know: The worst days of the week to shop online is Saturday & Sunday! According to Consumer Reports, Tuesday is the best day of the week to shop online. Most consumers find discounts exceeding 5% more than the average discounts found other days online.
Tips:
- Before you shop, make sure you know your body type and what works best for your shape.
- Essence.com has a great tool online – The Fashion Closet that’ll help you out matching designers that specialize in specific body types.
- A great foundation will ensure that you look great all over – so make sure to invest in foundation garments.
- Overall, don’t be afraid to express yourself in fashion but do it wisely.
- Invest minimally in seasonal trends, instead opt for investing in quality staple pieces that you can wear for years to come.
The 10th Annual Allstate Tom Joyner Family Reunion attracts over 14,000 people over the Labor day holiday weekend in Orlando, FL. Filled with celebrity appearances and entertainment for the entire family – you can find out more by visiting http://familyreunion.blackamericaweb.com/ #allstateTJFR
