Turn That Frown Upside Down: Social Media Can Transform Careers
Posted by heatherrast on December 8th, 2009This is a post about righteous behavior, serving as good examples, leading with your gut, and listening to your heart. The concept of community benefit and an innate need for social interaction help make these things possible (and most definitely searchable!).
The (momentarily)Disadvantaged
- Image by Getty Images via Daylife
Teresa Basich(@transitionaltee) writes at her blog Overcommunicated. I forget how I came to follow her, but my first introduction to her thinking/writing came with a post about involuntary unemployment and some of the practical, painful downstream effects. There, she brings into sharp relief that layoffs, downsizing, rightsizing (and any other euphamism you want to throw in) happens to smart, undeserving people every day. As she illustrates, being out of work and scrambling to make ends meet is relative; its possible to both drive a late-model car and not have money to spend on an ice cream cone. By following Teresa’s tweets and reading her posts, I’ve come to empathize with her plight (I, too, was once laid off) and admire her creativity and resourcefulness in seeking opportunities to gain tactical skills, hone her craft from others online, and channel her time into networking avenues.
While I know less about Sonny Gill’s (@sonnygill) situation, I was glad to learn that he recently accepted a plum position he’s very excited about. It seems that while Sonny was also on the market for awhile, he devoted some time to consulting roles that kept him challenged and active.
My point by mentioning both of these great talents is that they have had obstacles placed in their career paths, and they’re working their way around them. Rather than using the Interwebs as a forum for lamenting their losses, Teresa and Sonny are good examples of community stewards, a benefit of which is a chance to be noticed for genuine works and authentic behaviors. They continue to read and share good work, investigate interesting topics, and consistently support the interests of others (RT’s, etc.). The subhead above is “Disadvantaged” but I’ll argue that those truly disadvantaged are the companies that weren’t clever enough to secure their talent in a full-time, benefits-provisioning way before now.
The (traditionally) Damaged
“Your problem was you were always three steps ahead. People became uncomfortable,” a former teammate once told me. High praise? Um, maybe that depends on how uncomfortable “uncomfortable” really was. In that job, it seemed I had a lot of 
supporters…until I didn’t. Then my quick-thinking (and possibly hard-charging) got in my way. A respected mentor called me a maverick, the dichotomy of which (he was both complimenting me and identifying my inherent weaknesses at the same time) became apparent as I learned some painful lessons. One, push the envelope…to a point. Two, make certain you understand the fears and motivations of those you must work closely with. Ignore them at your peril. Three, transparency (and temperance) will help you navigate the new media waters and avoid the rocky falls of the skeptics. Four, if your beliefs and instinct signify something’s important – say, integrating social strategy into marketing communications planning – then listen to that little voice. Be sure you’re you’re in the right environment.
The (initially) Overlooked
Yesterday, I learned of resilient go-getter Eric Romer, a young man unapologetically pursuing the position of his dreams with a company called Headblade. While the more traditional methods of catching the attention of hiring managers failed to yield results (uh, it’s a crowded job market out there), Eric’s tenacity and strategic thinking prevailed. Social tools gave him the Nitrous Oxide he needed to be seen and get heard (not to mention demonstrated some of his chops). Last I read, he was on a jet plane headed to the company’s headquarters for a meet-and-greet. Woot, ingenuity!
The (previously) Uninspired
Melissa Pierce (@melissapierce) was doing her thing. But it (life coaching) didn’t move her, and she was left feeling unfulfilled. Melissa was fascinated about how technology was changing people, culture, and society. By harnessing social media, (and with a lot of drive) she cultivated a community. Now Melissa does what she loves, blazes a trail, and covers the bills at the same time.
Time of Transformation
I’m sure there are tons of great stories out there, and I’m hoping you’ll share. How has your life been transformed, not only by the myriad of online tools and platforms available, but by the career, business, and relationship shifts these tools precipitate and evolve from? What’s the previously unimagined, the most generously good? Who’s inspiring change, and who is commanding attention?
Twitter: sonnygill
Heather – appreciate you thoughtfully putting my situation (and Teresa’s) at the forefront of your post. For me, it’s all about what you do with the adversity you’re going through. Are you going to let it control you or are you going to not only make the best out of it, but turn it into an opportunity that will not only better your current situation, but one that will shape your future and your career track.
It really was an interesting ride, but it’s one that I would never trade in for otherwise.
Reply
heatherrast
Twitter: heatherrast
Reply:
December 9th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
The issue of control seems to be a key here. So many parts of life are about planning, organizing, and even hedging bets (insurance). But forces bigger than us can influence our direction at any moment. Some people flounder and let adversity overcome them. Others ride the wave, keep their wits, and end up on solid ground. Not only do I admire how you made something positive out of something negative, but you did so with style and grace, taking something from the experience and most definitely giving back. Thank you.
Reply
Twitter: TransitionalTee
Wow, thank you so much, Heather! Like Sonny said, it’s not about letting the adversity control you but about using it as a channel to make the best of your situation (which can be really tough to do at times).
I’ve heard my fair share of, “Stop whining and get over it,” comments but, at the end of the day, our lives our own to live, full of contextual and internal ups and downs that we can choose to share with the world or hide away. I choose to share because I know what I’m going through will resonate with someone out there and hopefully help them feel a little less alone. The more stories we take in, the rounder our view of the world and life becomes.
The benefits I’ve received, personally and professionally, from participating in the online social space are nothing short of spectacular (and they were totally unexpected), and I wouldn’t trade the relationships and knowledge I’ve gained here for the world.
This isn’t over yet, but I have faith I’m exactly where I need to be. Thank you so much for the wonderfully kind words and support.
Reply
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Marc Parent and Teresa Basich, Eric Ungs. Eric Ungs said: allows u to pursue things that interest u the most leads to opps. RT @heatherrast social can connect & empowr ur career http://bit.ly/7DIljI [...]
Twitter: dragonwheels
Nice to read something upbeat for a change, I hope that my Social Media footprint will continue to put me in the way of work and opportunities. It would be very satisfying to show the (now) former wife, what “messing about on bloody twitter” can actually achieve!
Craig Whitney´s last blog ..Creative Marketing Services
Reply
heatherrast
Twitter: heatherrast
Reply:
December 9th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
Craig, thanks for lending your thoughts here. I think there are likely a number of great SM career stories to tell, whether SM involvement (or networking) directly led to landing a job (hooking two folks together), or if it led to skills development a prospective employer found valuable. I know I read a story once about a girl whose lone possessions consisted of a laptop and an inherited Winnebago. She toured Wal-Mart parking lots soaking up their WiFi while blogging her unemployment experiences. I think eventually she caught the eye of a major consumer magazine and snagged an internship (they were impressed with her writing and her resourcefulness, attitude). It’s amazing how technology can enable humans to do more, and to help others. Bravo for sticking with it, and I wish you success!
Reply
Twitter: heatherrast
I think sharing was a very brave (and likely humbling) choice to make, and as your post discusses, some folks took issue with some of the mechanics and realities. It can be easy to make snap decisions based on conventional assumptions. Until you’re faced with how to make everyday things happen without securities and resources, you’ll never fully appreciate what you’ve been given in life.
I’ve seen from the outside how you’re hustling to make things happen. I think you’re doing a great job of letting us in to share the situation with you. I’m confident something grand is in your future, just hang on.
Reply
Twitter: hiremeheadblade
I appreciate you mentioning my story in your post, Heather. Your examples are all proof that people can take different routes to stand out, using free tools available to everyone. I love hearing other success stories, and can’t wait to see how companies start adjusting to a changing landscape of recruitment.
And, to update you on my story… I got hired Friday! I move out to California Jan. 11th, and will be heading the Marketing efforts at Headblade. Passion and hustle (with some chops) are a deadly combination!
Eric Romer´s last blog ..Monday Internet Roundup
Reply