All Ping

For some of the more devout, the letdown of not ascending into heaven must be great, and for that I do sympathize. Especially when I read an article yesterday in the International Business Times that explained how devastating the non-Rapture really was for some believers:

“There were people who sold their entire savings to live up the last days on earth and then rapture to heaven. Now, they will have to take care of rather more mundane realities — like finding a house to stay and paying bills.”

Source:

Inner circle member of Family Radio says Camping owes apology to public; preacher ‘mystified’: wife.

There are other reports of Harold Camping’s more devout followers spending their life savings, selling their homes and even quitting their jobs. Although things may seem bleak for them right now, it’s not the end of the world.

Much like the Washington Post’s article discussing what we can learn from Harold Camping’s failed May 21, 2011 prediction, We  also like to offer a few pieces of advice for those followers who now have to put their careers and financial lives back together.

1) Update Your Resume – When embarking on a job search you will need to update your resume. It’s probably a good idea to remove all the ‘End-of-world / Rapture’ references, because realistically an employer may be hesitant to hire you if there is any chance that you may suddenly disappear one day. A professional resume writer can help to update your resume and get you an interview.

2) Keep Your Skill Set Current – Consider how a major disappointment can teach you to be prepared the next time. By keeping your skill set updated you will not only be more employable should you choose to change careers, but you will also be in a better position for when it comes time for promotional decisions.

3) Expand Your Job Search – As we mentioned in a previous post about finding a job, it is a good idea to not limit yourself to job boards alone. Networking, whether real life networking or social networking on the Internet, remains one of the best ways to hear about job opportunities. You can also seek out a recruiter who can help you to find a job.

4) Brush Up On Your Interview Skills – In previous posts we talked about the importance of being prepared for the interview. Getting a feel for what kind of interview questions you may be asked and learning how to properly answer them will go a long way to securing you a new job in the post-rapture world.

We understand that times are tough, so we would like to offer you a chance to win a professionally written resume for free. All you need to do is fill out the short survey and supply us with your email.

True enough, posting about work on Facebook can bring about negative and serious consequences to office politics. We should always be careful and tactful when it comes to voicing out our opinions and grievances on a public domain especially when it’s on the Net.

(Image Source: Fotolia)

Nevertheless, the opposite can also happen. That is, social networking sites such as Facebook can give you an edge in your career if you use it to connect with co-workers and clients the right and proper way. Of course, it very much depends on your office culture and several other factors. Then again, some basic principles apply regardless of your office environment.

Here are some suggestions on how you can potentially make good use of your Facebook to impress your colleagues, bosses, clients, etc and possibly land you in a better position at wo

‘Friend’ People From Work

Many of us avoid adding our bosses, colleagues or our clients into our Facebook network for fear that they would have access to our more personal posts, personal details and such. Some of us do that because we want to have some level of privacy to be able to post with greater ease, especially when it comes to our gripes about work.

(Image Source: Balakov)

Well, you can see that Facebook is a double-edged sword. You’ll need to grant access to people from your work before you can use it for posts that’ll impress them. If you play the game well, then your career might get that boost it is lacking from your other efforts at work. If you screw that up and post things that might inadvertently offend people from work, your chances get reduced to less than what it used to be. Moral of the story? Be mindful of what you post. You’ll see how to do that in my next few tips.

Forming the connections with your bosses, colleagues and clients is just the essential first step. If you’re worried about them having access to your personal photo albums, status updates and such, don’t worry. Facebook has recently come out with more personalized and in-depth privacy settings (Improved Friend Lists) that enable users to decide who can see what posts.

Connect With Work-Life Balance

As much as you want to make people from work think that you are an workaholic who is completely passionate about what you do, it is not advisable to only post EVERYTHING about work, or worse, to post everything positive about it, and about how much you really love your work. It would probably come across as trying too hard.

In any case, you will definitely need to connect with them on a personal level. Show them what you are like, as a person, through the way you present yourself on Facebook, some personal photos here and there, and so on. Show them that you do have a life outside of work. It may be harder to convince your boss to give you that promotion if you lack personal touch.

Some of us believe that work and personal life are separate entities altogether, meaning that the way we relate to people at work may be vastly different from our relationships with our friends and family. However, I would think that our personality between these two aspects of life should be quite aligned so that people would see you as one kind of person rather than someone with a split, or inconsistent personality.

This, I believe, is an important ingredient for trust to occur.

Networking Opportunity

As with all other social networking platforms, Facebook gives you the perfect opportunity to expand your network. Co-workers from other departments may not know you on a personal level in the office, but this relationship can continue to deepen when you add them into your Facebook network. You can then attempt to chat, play games, share interesting posts and explore hobbies via mutual ‘likes’.

What do all these translate to? Well, first and foremost you would improve your social life in the office. Having more friends around would probably keep you going when the time gets tough. After all, these friends are also colleagues who work in the same organization as you, so there’s no one else better who would understand what you may be facing.

(Image Source: Fotolia)

Secondly, as you are probably aware, networking gets you places. It is particularly important to build strong networks within your organization if you’re climbing the ladder. Why? One of the most crucial reasons is that it will get you noticed. If you manage to establish friendships with at least one person from each department of your company, these friends may recommend you to their bosses should they need a replacement.

Another significant reason is that knowing someone from every department would likely make your work easier if you need some inter-departmental favors.

Getting Updates

You need to keep in contact to maintain any relationship. The edge that Facebook has over offline networking is that you get updates from friends whenever you log in, be it in the form of status updates or photo uploads. This makes it a lot easier to keep yourself informed on what’s going on in their lives before you interact with them.

Essentially speaking, getting updates from your bosses, colleagues and clients (in particular) lets you have the advantage of knowing what they’re into at the moment before they actually tell you in person. Sometimes, they may not even want to tell you directly. You can then seize the opportunity to respond to what they have just posted, come in handy and make a lasting impression.

At other times, this simply provides you the information to initiate a conversation and maintain the relationship with them on a regular basis.

For instance, if your client posted something regarding his or her need to engage some services, you can step in and offer to help by either offering your expertise or just recommending and suggesting some service providers. That way, you cultivate the trust between the both of you and can even expect your client to consult you in future. You can even add in potential clients or customers to your network so that you can actually ‘recruit’ them when their posts give out signs that they might require your services.

Showcasing Your Expertise

Whatever industry you may be in, you can use Facebook as a platform to demonstrate your passion, vision and whatever opinions you may have about your work. Given that you’ve added a range of work contacts such as your boss, co-workers and clients, it is now much more convenient and appropriate to give your two cents’ worth and project yourself as a competent leader, team player or a reliable consultant, whichever you think would bring you closer to your career goals.

(Image Source: agent-x.com.au)

Take note though, that there’s a thin line between showcasing and being a show-off. The key is to not let others think you’re trying too hard. Post something about what you think or feel about your work every now and then, but don’t let all your posts revolve around it.

Remember to stay humble and not post things that make you sound like you are right and others are wrong. Just let your posts be as neutral as possible and keep an open mind about whatever comments that may come in.

Through a process that to many clients can seem almost magical, you turn their leaden design problems into elegant solutions. And when they hand over that "gold" for a job well done, everybody wins! But even though professional chemistry is mandatory for every designer, there’s another kind of chemistry that many freelancers take for granted in the quest for gold: personal chemistry

Freelancer-Client Chemistry

There are so many different kinds of clients out there. So many management styles. So many demands, so many deadlines, so many revisions, so many contracts, phone calls, emails, scope creeps, suggestions from the CEO’s mother-in-law… it’s enough to drive you crazy!

And with deadlines looming and bills needing to be paid, it’s easy for many freelancers to overlook the vital importance of developing a strong personal connection with the clients they serve. We’re going to explore three reasons why that’s a terrible idea, how it ultimately hurts designers, and what you can do to reverse the trend in your own freelancing career.

1. Starting With The Wrong Elements

First, let’s look at why good personal chemistry is so vital to a successful freelance career. In chemistry (and pardon the vague references – not a chemist) when you combine two elements together, one of three basic things can happen.

There can be a positive (as in good) reaction, like hydrogen and oxygen combining to form water, a negative (as in oh my god) reaction, like an atomic explosion, or no reaction at all, because the elements simply don’t interact with one another.

Staying Positive

We want to have a positive outcome whenever possible, which is why it’s important to start things off with the right "elements," the personality and temperament factors that make both you and your client unique individuals.

First, take some time to give yourself a quick personality test. What’s your temperament like – not just as a professional designer, but as an overall human being? Are you the nurturing type? A bold self-promoter? A sensitive artiste? The "elements" that make up who you are as a person will always determine how you work, and how you deal with other p

Making The Connection

Next, ask yourself what types of clients you normally deal with, and compare them to the types you think would be ideal. Two brash, temperamental control freaks, for example, should not be teamed up together under most circumstances.

Working against your natural tendencies is never a good idea. There are exceptions, of course, but in general, you want to pair up with clients who complement, not clash with, your personality.

2. Working With Volatile Chemicals

The reason it’s so important to have good interpersonal chemistry with your clients is because you want to create long-term relationships with them. A string of one-off gigs for quick logos, business cards, or WordPress themes might seem like a good idea when you’re strapped for cash, but they’re actually hurting you in the long run.

These types of jobs require more effort to find, they’re usually less lucrative, and they certainly don’t have a continued payoff. All this means that you’re expending more time and energy for less money.

Solace In Repeats

Repeat clients, on the other hand, are people you get to know and appreciate over a long period of time. They like your work, and they like you. They recommend you to their friends. They’re always giving you new and challenging work.

When things aren’t going so well with a long-term client, however, it can turn into a nightmare. Demanding clients, say, the kind who might pay a retainer so that they can have access to you anytime – even if it’s 3 a.m. – can become such a nuisance that they may actually cause you to have an internal reaction all by yourself (we usually call that a meltdown – not pretty).

Mix With Care

Let’s be honest – we freelancers obviously like things a little bit crazy and unpredictable. But too much volatility in your clients can drain your mental resources and make you too tired to give each of them the value they’re looking for. Paring down your client base to the types of people who best suit your style is essential to keeping what’s left of your sanity intact.

3. Not The Right Reaction

Have you ever noticed that the way someone addresses you has an effect on how you react to them? If someone is rude to you, you’re more likely to raise your voice or be more defensive. On the other hand, if they’re friendly and non-threatening, you’re likely to react in the same manner.

These are social cues that rely on and make up a huge part of communication. Like we went over earlier, some elements, when placed together, have a negative reaction to each other, or simply don’t react to each other at all. Getting the wrong first reaction with a potential client can tarnish the entire process.

Being Real

Adjusting the way you communicate can be helpful in small doses, but it makes for a much more genuine and valuable professional experience if you make decisions about who you are and how you present yourself, and stick to them. If this means cutting certain kinds of clients out of your contact list, that’s probably for the best.

There are an infinite number of people out there looking to hire designers, and there’s no reason you need to resign yourself to working with clients who don’t suit you.

In Conclusion

Your so-called "golden" client, who provides a mutually beneficial, long-term business partnership, may not actually exist. But if they do, they’re probably not going to just drop in your lap. No one simply "finds" gold lying around – you have to go discover it.

The types of clients you’ll have the strongest chemistry with most likely behave a bit like you do. Like you, they’re busy providing a valuable service to people they can get to know and trust. Also like you, they won’t be eager to work with someone who’s not professionally or personally ready to receive them.

Most people don’t want to work with generic, all-purpose "service providers" – they want to work with other people. People they like. Surprise them by being your genuine self, and they might just surprise you back.

What types of clients do you usually take on? Got any horror stories about times you decided – and later regretted – to take on a client who was a total mismatch chemistry-wise?