How BeKnown Will Make Facebook Work for You

Monster has just launched a new professional networking app for Facebook users: BeKnown. BeKnown lets you identify and connect with friends and professional contacts from multiple sources to grow your professional network, enhance your online professional identity and discover new jobs.    

BeKnown allows users to build a professional network on Facebook -- the world's largest and most active social network-- while keeping personal and work-related contacts and content completely separated. BeKnown brings together the 700 million Facebook users and the 97 percent of Fortune 500 companies that use Monster to find candidates.

If you're on Facebook, you can now use BeKnown to:

• Create professional networks within a professional environment created by Monster -- without ever leaving Facebook. (No more need to switch back and forth between sites.)
   
• Easily invite contacts from other social networks to expand your BeKnown network beyond your existing Facebook friends. You can add contacts to BeKnown without having to become their Facebook friends.
   
• Keep social activity with friends and family separate from work-related activity with professional contacts.
   
• See Monster's millions of job postings -- and see who among your professional contacts on BeKnown is connected to the companies you're interested in.
   
• Connect professional networking to Monster’s job search and browse tools and import your Monster or LinkedIn profile to BeKnown from within the app.

BeKnown Invites

Joining BeKnown is easy -- the app guides you through a quick set-up process. You can opt to use your Facebook profile information and/or pull information from other networking sites and your Monster profile.

To invite contacts to join you on BeKnown, click on the Network tab and then on the Invite Friends button. You'll see there that you can invite contacts from your Twitter account, Gmail address book and Yahoo! Mail address book -- just click one of the icons and follow the instructions to grant BeKnown access to those accounts. (No one will be contacted without your permission -- you choose the contacts you want to invite.)

To invite contacts from a platform or program that doesn’t allow access to contacts, export those contacts as a CSV file. Here are the steps:

1. Export Your Connections As a CSV File: In LinkedIn, for example, go to the address-book export page, choose Microsoft Outlook (CSV file) from the Export drop-down menu, enter the security code and click on Export. This creates a new CSV file containing all your contacts’ information.
   
   Similarly, Microsoft Outlook and other programs let you export contacts to a CSV file.
   
   If you receive an error message during upload, you may need to reformat your CSV file. Learn more about CSV files here.
    
2. Import Those Connections into Your Gmail or Yahoo! Mail Account: In Gmail, click on Contacts, choose Import from the More Actions drop-down menu, click on Browse or Choose File, and then choose the CSV file you created in the first step. Finish by clicking on Import.
   
   In Yahoo! Mail, click on Contacts, click on the Import Contacts button and choose Others from the Source menu. Then select "A desktop email program" -- this will allow you to choose your CSV file.
   
   If you don't have a Yahoo or Gmail account, you can create one for free.
    
3. Access the Contacts from BeKnown: Now that you've added contacts to Gmail or Yahoo! mail, follow the instructions in BeKnown for inviting those contacts to joun your BeKnown network.

Reference:  Charles Purdy, Monster Senior Editor

How to Keep Your Spirits Up During a Job Search

If you're having a difficult time finding a job, and it seems like it's taking forever, don't despair. Here are some suggestions for keeping your spirit positive:

Think Up
The mind is a powerful vessel. How we think and what we think can control our spirits. We literally can think ourselves up or down. To keep out the negative thoughts and self-doubt:

• Wake up thinking or saying positive statements.
• Avoid negative media, news, emails, and downer movies and television.
• End the day thinking or saying positive statements.
• Think about the positives a new job brings: new skills, new relationships, and a new chance to show your skills and talents.

Positive Reminders
Surround yourself with quotes or statements of hope and encouragement. Write your favorites on sticky notes on the refrigerator or computer -- somewhere you can easily see them. Two of my favorites are from Winston Churchill:

• "The pessimist sees problems in every opportunity...whereas the optimist sees opportunity in every problem."
• "Never ever, ever, ever, ever, ever give up. Never give up. Never give up. Never give up..."

Take Steps
Literally. Move. Being a couch potato shows. Leave the house at least once a day. Exercise, jogging or walking will:

• Reenergize you.
• Help to clear the mental cobwebs.
• Prepare you to look your best for interviews.

Pamper Yourself with Kind Acts
How you treat yourself can impact your spirit.

• Play your favorite music softly in the background while you "work."
• Eat healthy without hugging the refrigerator. Now is not the time to bulk up.
• Sing -- regardless of quality. Singing happy songs will actually will help to stretch and relax your vocal chords while refreshing your spirit.
• Avoid being sloppy. Dress and groom yourself with respect -- for you.
• Treat yourself with affordable goodies such as a favorite food or beverage, an afternoon movie with popcorn, doing something touristy, or a mindless novel.

See Spirited People
Make sure you spend some time, preferably in person, with positive and supportive people every day.

• Surround yourself with yea-sayers and avoid the naysayers.
• Work your network.
• Call people rather than email or texting them -- it's more personal and supportive.
• If you're single and live alone, go to the library or a coffee shop to be around others.
• Help others in need. Get out of yourself from time to time.
• Spend quality time with your family and friends.

Keep at the Top of Your Game
Keeping your spirit up has a lot to do with how you feel about yourself. Don't let your skill set and knowledge slide.

• Keep up on industry news.
• Read trade journals and business magazines and newspapers.
• If possible, practice to improve your career skill set.

Now's the Time
Enjoy the positives of your job search, like having spare time. Remember all those times you said, "If I only had time, I'd..."

• Read those books.
• Clean that closet.
• Take that class.
• Get in better shape.

Do Your Best Work to Find Work
Knowing you're taking all the right steps to find a job will help improve your spirits.

• Write a perfect resume and cover letter for each job.
• Send X amount of resumes out each workday without fail.
• Keep up-to-date records of results.
• Keep accurate contact information on companies, executives and hiring agents.
• Have your interview clothes clean and ready to wear.
• Work at finding work every day.

Reference:

Article by  Pat Mayfield

Practice Makes Perfect: How to Rehearse for Your Next Job Interview

By Caroline M.L. Potter
There are a lot of steps that usually happen before you get to the interview portion of your job search: writing a resume, networking, compiling your references. Most folks are able to put a lot of effort into getting the interview, but many fall apart during the actual interview. Why? Poor planning and a lack of practice.
Instead of winging it, or relying solely on your professional skill set, you should stage a rehearsal for your next job interview.
Not sure how to go about doing so? Start by enlisting a family member, friend or partner to play the role of interviewer, and ask that she stay in character from start to finish. Set up a space, such as a desk or table, where you can create a suitable setting. Then use these 10 tips to from corporate trainer Marlene Caroselli to make your interviews -- both mock and real -- successful.
Do Your Homework
"Learn all you can about the organization in advance," advises Caroselli. Share this information with your mock interviewer, perhaps in the form of crib notes. She can use this to grill you.
Tune In
"Watch people being interviewed on television and make note of what works," she advises. Look for traits that make people likable and competent.
State the Unobvious
"Create one really intriguing statement about yourself," she says. "For example, a woman I know, expecting to be told, 'Tell us a bit about yourself [the most popular interview question],' replied, 'I think I should tell you I'm a nonconforming conformist.' She explained what she meant and wound up getting the job."
Think Outside the Box
A little visualization can go a long way, according to Caroselli, author of Principled Persuasion. "Think about a visual that really represents what you can do," she says. "It can be a photo taken at an event you organized, for example. If you have nothing that symbolizes your capabilities, then look for a pattern not readily apparent in your resume and be prepared to talk about that particular interest or talent, apart from your official work history."
Know Your Lines
Actors do it, and you should, too. "Memorize a few short quotes and have them ready," Caroselli says. "They'll help you respond articulately to virtually any question."
Sum It Up
The very first request an interviewer may make is, "Tell me about yourself." In order to answer this interview question quickly and succinctly, she urges interviewees, "Have an elevator speech ready in case they want a brief overview of your career."
Be Tough on Yourself
Research tough interview questions and provide them to your helper. Also, point out gaps in your skills or holes in your resume and instruct her to grill you on those points. "By comparison, your own, actual interview will seem like a walk in the park, and that prospect will encourage you," Caroselli says.
Capture It on Camera
"If possible, have someone video you doing an interview rehearsal," she says. "Then study your body language to see if it reveals confidence, poise and enthusiasm."
Listen Up
Close your eyes and listen back to the recording of your replies to interview questions. "Play the tape back and analyze your responses," she says. "Ask yourself, 'Would you hire you?'"
Stay Calm
Work on being relaxed before your big meeting. "When you get to the interview site and are waiting to be called in to the interview room, work on a brainteaser," Caroselli advises candidates. "Research shows it calms the nerves and takes your mind off the challenge ahead."