In an age governed by technology, blogging has never been more crucial. It’s gotten to the point where this self-expressive form of communication is becoming necessary for many young professionals looking to score entry-level jobs. Whether you’re trying to break into the advertising industry or the restaurant biz, having a personal blog is a helpful way to show people your personality, your pursuits, and most notably, your writing style.

This week, we’re discussing the growing trend of personal blogs as a tool for getting hired. We’ll look closely into different types of blogs and their relative value in terms of networking, writing samples, and simply getting noticed. For those of you who debate over the pros and cons of having a blog, look no further – we’ve got it covered.

Do you have a personal blog? Would you consider submitting it to a potential employer? We’d love to hear your thoughts!

Figuring out how to quit a job tactfully and effectively is one of the most difficult aspects of career management. However, it’s also the most important thing you can do to achieve your professional goals. Today, we’re focusing on the ins-and-outs of saying goodbye, and how to leave a company while still ensuring a good reference for future employers.

For young professionals, most first jobs are stepping stones to higher aspirations, and while few people accept an entry-level position with the intention of quitting, it’s only realistic to remind yourself that other opportunities await. With that in mind, let’s explore a few key tips for making your quitting endeavor a bit less nerve-racking:

1. Trust Yourself: When you make the decision to quit, it’s only natural to doubt yourself at some point afterwards. Even though you might feel nervous to utter the words “I quit,” it’s ridiculously important to remind yourself of why you’re leaving your job and what you’re ultimately trying to achieve. The moral? Trust your instincts – you have them for a reason, and you’ll be glad you stuck to your convictions in the end.
2. Be prepared: Before you actually quit, make sure you’ve reviewed the terms of your employment. Certain jobs include clauses specifying severance, vacation time, and other factors you may want to consider when deciding how to leave a company. If you’re quitting your job with the guarantee of a new position elsewhere, you may also want to have your offer in writing before you resign.
3. Be clear: When confronting a nerve-racking situation, it’s often difficult to stay composed. Before quitting, be sure to make an appointment with your superiors and insinuate the seriousness of the conversation so they know what to expect. You should also make sure to formulate your resignation in a way your boss can clearly follow, making sure not to stumble on your words, ramble, or leave out any important details (i.e. two weeks notice). If your thoughts seem rational, your boss is much more likely to respect your departure and maintain a positive opinion of your character overall.

What other aspects of quitting do you think are important? Have you ever had experience leaving a

This week, we’re discussing the importance of charisma in the workplace. While it may seem superficial to some, being generally well liked is a key component to advancing your career and maintaining office relations. Combined with a solid work ethic and valuable contributions, a keen sense of networking can be the key to fulfilling your career aspirations.

Though it may seem simple, the art of schmoozing far exceeds traditional brown-nosing, elbow-rubbing, or any other euphemism you’d prefer. We’re here to give you the inside scoop on charisma, how to get in good with your coworkers and superiors, and most importantly, how to feel natural doing it. Here’s the run down on some networking basics:

1. Confidence: When you’re sure of yourself, your peers will begin to notice and feel more comfortable around you as a result. A strong sense of purpose behind your words and actions will persuade others into the mindset that you’re a competent leader, which will help you gain both trust and respect. When you’re having a conversation with a coworker, it’s important
2. Humility: Maintaining a balance between confidence and deference is the most difficult part of networking, but you can easily achieve it by reminding yourself of your inter-office status. AS far as most hierarchies go, twenty somethings are near the bottom of the workplace totem pole, with upper-level professionals usually in their 30s and 40s. Respecting your authority figures will get you a long way, and reminding yourself of your place in the office will keep your ego under control. Confident deference is the key: know your place, and know it well.
3. Don’t take yourself too seriously: Knowing when to poke fun at yourself is a key aspect of the schmoozing game. While you should normally maintain a strong sense of self, you should also be aware that you’re still human. Say you make 50 copies of the wrong memo for a meeting that’s scheduled later that day. You’ll look much better taking the mistake in stride and casually laughing about it than a) beating yourself up, b) pretending you did nothing wrong, or c) overcompensating with excessive apologizing.

What other aspects of schmoozing do you think are integral to career advancement? Do you think networking is a useful tool in giving yourself a competitive edge?

With internship opportunities increasing the need for a competitive edge, recent grads are quickly learning how to set themselves apart. Our current job market, while definitely improving, has set the tone for young professionals to take interviews, job opportunities, and office relations more seriously. While it may seem daunting at first glance, this new workplace climate has set the stage for an age-old business tactic that’s sure to succeed: charisma.

Whether you call it schmoozing or networking, the art of charisma is one thing for certain: fool-proof. For twenty-somethings, learning to network like a pro can be the deciding factor between the job you have and the career you’ve always dreamed about. So this week, we’ll be discussing some key aspects of the schmoozing game, how to master the basics, and when to pull out the stops. With any hope, we’ll use a bit of charisma ourselves to show you it’s not so difficult to invoke some personal appeal into the workplace.

What tips do you have about charisma in the office? Do you think networking is an effective way to advance your career?

After discussing the growing trend of Skype interviews, we figured it was due time for another series of technology-driven posts. This week, we’ll be exploring the importance of owning a smart phone in the business world. With new models of BlackBerry, iPhone and new forerunners like the Droid being released multiple times each year, it’s become almost a requirement for young professionals to own one of these multi-faceted devices.

This week, we’ll be looking into the pros and cons of the smart phone revolution, from the University of Missouri’s requirement that all incoming students own an iPhone or iTouch to the overall cultural integration of feeling constantly connected. We’re intrigued by the heightened pressure owning a smart phone places on young professionals, who are now expected to respond to e-mails within a matter of minutes.

Now it’s time for your opinion. Do you think smart phones are a necessary part of modern-day society?

With the popularity of video chatting software on the rise, many employers are turning to the convenience of Skype interviewing to achieve their hiring goals. On the flip-side of this technological transition are us, the prospective hirees. As young professionals, it’s our job to adapt to this new form of interviewing and hopefully make the best of its advantages and low-points alike.

Skype interviews have become most popular in situations that previously would’ve required the candidate to travel a lengthy distance. In most cases, this isn’t the first step in the interview process, and employers generally invite their most desired candidates to meet them via Skype. While the process may seem simple on the outside, there’s much more to acing a Skype interview than you might think. We’re going to cover the most basic tips right now, and hopefully you’ll learn a few things about this exciting process:

1. Location, location, location: When you arrive at a face-to-face interview, you probably don’t have control over your surroundings. However, when you’re interviewing over Skype, it’s important to choose a backdrop that fits the job you’re vying for. Always make sure you’re in a professional, office-like setting that’s free from any alcoholic drinks, vulgar or immature posters and anything else that runs the risk of seeming unprofessional.
2. Pay attention to the mechanics: Before your interview begins, make sure you’re on a computer that has full battery life and clear internet access. It’ll seem unprepared and un-savvy if your connection fails during the middle of an interview question, regardless of whether it’s your fault or the computer’s. If there’s any doubt about your connection or battery, simply choose a different computer or have the interview somewhere more secure.
3. Listen to your mom’s advice: It may sound cheesy, but seriously, just be yourself. With only two of the five senses active during a Skype interview, investing yourself in a genuine conversation can get difficult. If you’re feeling nervous, practice possible interview topics, questions, and answers with a friend or family member, and above all else, relax.

What are your thoughts about Skype interviewing?

Now that we’ve covered the basics of maintaining a professional Facebook profile, it’s time to delve into some tips for ensuring your page always meets industry standards. While I’m guessing most of you  know the general do’s and don’ts, we’ve thought of a few areas that are often overlooked by the Facebook community, and we’re here to make sure you’re up to speed.

1. Become a privacy-settings expert: This is arguably the best way to separate your professional and personal lives on Facebook without having to compromise either one. Any Facebook user can change their privacy settings to control who sees their wall, photos and applications, and when browsing the site, you’ll see individuals with completely open profiles as well as those whose pages aren’t even accessible to non-friends. The catch? Privacy controls can be difficult for some users to navigate, so make sure you save yours each time you alter them, and double check often to ensure they’re still in tact.

2. Pictures, pictures, pictures: Even though you can use Tip #1 to partially or completely block your photos, it’s important to decide what you’re comfortable with other people seeing. You can create different photo settings for friends and non-friends, and you can also subdivide your co-workers and bosses based on what you want each group to see. It’s important to ensure inappropriate pictures don’t fall into the wrong hands, and updating your photo settings consistently will help you stay on track.

3. Guilty by association: Even when you take steps to maintain an appropriate Facebook page, you can’t always account for your friends’ activity. If someone writes a work-bashing comment on your wall, tags an inappropriate photo of you, or posts a risque link to your page, you’re still responsible for it. Monitoring not only your person activity, but that of your friends as well, will help you stay aware of your career in all situations.

If you’re still curious about staying professional on Facebook, stay tuned for this Friday’s Weekly Roundup! We’ll be featuring some helpful stories and news related to this web-savvy issue.

Whether you’re in the market for a new job or hoping for a promotion within your current company, it’s always important to maintain a professional demeanor. In today’s internet-fueled society, this need for professionalism extends past the office and into the most visible representations of our private lives. Yes, ladies and gentleman, I’m talking about Facebook.

First off, I want to confirm the age-old rumor that potential employers, current bosses, and co-workers  will indeed view your Facebook page from time to time. For this reason, it’s important to keep your profile free from any deal-breaking warning signs. Photos of outrageous partying, profane status updates bashing your superiors, and crude wall posts definitely won’t bode well with your current or prospective employers.

However, your Facebook doesn’t have to lose all it’s character for fear of never getting hired. There are plenty of ways to stay appropriate while still expressing yourself in a fun, free-spirited way, and we’re here to help you find that balance. In Wednesday’s blog, we’ll be discussing some specific tips for maintaining the perfect, workplace-ready Facebook page. Stay tuned!

While Gen Y is associated with some positive qualities like our adaptability, we still need to prove ourselves. The reigning generations see us as feeling entitled. Here’s a story that reflects exactly what NOT to do if we want to turn this perception around.

Gawker.com recently posted a real email sent to a New York company by an applicant for an internship. The potential candidate was following up, as we advise all applicants to do in their career search. So what went wrong? Well the post is titled, “The (Potential) Intern From Hell.” After not hearing from the company for “an entire day” the applicant went on a rant about the unprofessionalism of the office. He or she closed the email, “I’m sorry you have gotten us off on the wrong foot.” To read the rest of the post, click here.

When seeking an answer to an email question at a busy company, you may not hear back for well over a week. You need to recognize the influx of emails they’re sifting through everyday. It’s fine to check back after a week has gone by, but only in an extremely polite manner. This candidate showed no respect for the company and disregarded the many other eager-to-please candidates who were no doubt giving off a positive impression. It’s this attitude that’s contributing to negative feelings about our generation’s work ethic. Let’s prove them wrong!

How do you feel being part of the Entitled Generation?

Following up after an interview is a very important step to further demonstrate your interest to the employer. It’s usually a two-step process and, if done correctly, is an easy way to increase your chances for the position.

Within two business days after the interview, send a formal thank you note. Depending on the company culture you sensed, you can send either a typed note, or a hand-written letter that adds a personal touch. Keep it brief and professional. Thank them for taking the time to speak with you and reiterate your interest in the position. Then, reference at least one thing they told you about the position during the interview that made you particularly excited. Email thank-you’s can be appropriate if that has been your main method of communication with the interviewer.

Next comes part two of the follow-up. Once several days have passed from when the company said they’d get back to you, feel free to send an email or call. Be extremely polite, never pushy. Simply inquire about the status of their decision. If they’re still in the process of deciding, tell them you look forward to hearing from them before hanging up. It’s a subtle reminder of you as a candidate and may hurry the process along.