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Have Blog Now What? Beginner Blogger Resources
Friday, August 29, 2008

Below  is a quick and dirty list of some of my

favorite Blogger resources.  Blogging is one of the best ways to improve your online brand.  But don't be generic.  You need to stand out.

There are several different programs and sites you can choose from to start your own blog.  I use www.Blogger.com because it's easy, pretty straight forward, and well, it's Google.  You can use it's hosting site, www.Blogspot.com to host your blog, or choose to host it at your own domain (ie www.fishdogs.com/blog).  But as of right now your customization choices for hosting your own are more limited because you have to use the classic version of the Blogger templates for that to work.  That said, you can still hack and customize a classic Blogger template.  But if you've never done it, you'll need help.

And you'll need content.  Pick a topic that interests you, or that you are especially knowledgeable about and make that the central focus of your blog.  If your goal is to attract clients or build buzz about your business, then your topic should be somewhat related to your business.  If you are looking for a job then your topic should relate to your specific business knowledge or experience.  If you are a web designer then talk about technology or design. 

You get the point.  But don't stick to business the whole time.  Go off topic every once in a while and you will pick up new readers and entertain your existing ones.

Here are some good resources.

Now get blogging!

posted by Fishdogs @ 9:10 AM   0 comments
Super Fantastic Interview Tips
Monday, August 25, 2008

These are some of the standard interview tips I give to job candidates prior to an interview.  Of course there are endless other suggestions that can be made on a case by case basis.  But this is a solid general list.

Follow these tips all the way to a job offer.

  • Be confident

  • Ask the interviewer what he or she believes is the most important skill for this job.  Gear your answers to highlight that skill in your experience

  • Answer questions thoroughly.  One to two paragraphs, never one word answers.  But don't give   a full page answer either.  If you feel that more answer is  necessary but have already given your one or two paragraphs,   stop and ask if this is what the interviewer is looking for and would they like you to continue.

  • Be specific - you don't want an interviewer to feel that they have to pry information out of you.

  • Don't say anything negative about your current or former employer.

  • Remember that your object is to get a job offer.  So no matter what you think about this job, you want to be professional, enthusiastic, and get the offer.  You can't turn down an offer you never get.

  • Towards the end of the interview ask the interviewer if there is any reason you are not a perfect fit for the job. If they give you a reason, then answer this objection.  "I have done something very similar to this (give example), and I am a very fast learner.  So I really don't see this a being an issue."

  • Close again - any other reason you wouldn't offer me this job?

  • Express your interest in the position:  "I am really interested in this position." or even "I want this  job, I am perfect for it, it is perfect for me."  Be enthusiastic!  Many people interviewing for a job feel that it is implied by their being there that they are interested in the  position.  But often after an interview the employer will call me and say that they "really liked so and so, but they just don't seem that interested in the position."  So and so didn't ask for the job.

  • Find out what is the next step.  If an interviewer commits to you what the next step is during   the interviewer they are much more likely to follow-up   accordingly than if you don't get that commitment.

  • Say thank you.

Related Fun:  Here are some crazy interview questions...

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posted by Fishdogs @ 7:57 PM   0 comments
Top 50 Web 2.0 Tools 4 Job seekers

This is an excellent list of sites and tools you can use to promote your personal brand online, position yourself as an expert, and attract the attention of recruiters and hiring managers.

By Phil Rosenberg

Top 50 Web 2.0 Tools for Job seekers - Secrets of the Job Hunt Network

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posted by Fishdogs @ 2:52 PM   0 comments
Branding by Design
Wednesday, August 20, 2008

What in the world does this mean?  Well back in the mid 90's I started teaching myself web design because I wanted to know more about the tools that developers and designers were using so I could better understand job requirements from my clients and better screen job candidates (I am a headhunter if you didn't already know that).  Plus it was a fun creative outlet and problem-solving time-waste (just try it, you'll see).

Over the years I have used these web skills to craft creative job postings, attract the attention of potential job candidates and hiring managers, and built a respectable network of client and candidate connections.  You see, building your brand online isn't just about self-promotion.  It's about generating a ready network of contacts, creating an alluring web presence, and making yourself visible and available when opportunity wants to knock.

You may have seen my other blog which was mostly job postings. It's still alive, but will be undergoing some re-constructive surgery to get new skin.

In this new blog I wanted to illustrate the power of online branding. I often advise business leaders and job seekers to get their personal brand online to further their cause, upgrade their web presence, get noticed, etc.

I have had Fishdogs.com up since 1999 and have gotten steady traffic and plenty of connections because of it (in addition to keeping friends and family up to date). But in the last year I have been advising executives about online marketing, for themselves or their companies, outside of a corporate web site. It became apparent that I should have a good example of my own to show.

So here it is. I will be discussing the following topics among other unlimited tangents and unrelated minutia...

  • Digital Branding - furthering your cause through strategic use of web presence, social networking, cross-linking, etc. Companies and job seekers alike benefit from carefully crafted exposure.
  • Attraction & retention of top talent - how does a business market itself to great job candidates? Job boards are less and less effective. Candidates see them as a black hole. The answer for employers? You guessed it, digital branding, social networking, and assistance from key recruiters who know how to work that system.
  • Job Seekers and Web2.0 - an overused term but a reality all the same. Just posting your resume doesn't cut it any more. What you have to do to get noticed in this era.
  • Business Marketing, Sales, Recruiting, Job Hunting/Careers - my usual rhetoric on these topics (finely tuned after 18+ years in business) plus tips and articles from around the net.
  • Internet and technology - no explanation required
  • Web Design - one of my favorite hobbies

That's all for now. I have work to do!

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posted by Fishdogs @ 10:27 AM   0 comments

Name: Craig Fisher
Home: Grapevine, TX
About Me: Management and Information Technology Recruiter; Staffing Entrepreneur / Co-founder of A-List Solutions • Web Designer • Social Media and Career /Employment Branding Trainer • Tech Geek • and Father of 3 awesome boys.
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