ResearchGoddess

One of the most critical components to the success of an idea is ensuring its sustainability. When we bring others up behind us (or I prefer to think alongside us), we help with this process. One of the worst things a successful person can do, in my opinion, is to be stingy with his or her knowledge. This is the foundation on which the Pay It Forward Project has been built. Asking those who’ve been honored to think about who they see making a mark for themselves and then getting inside their brain to find out what makes them tick will help to pass the torch for knowledge as our social technologies continue to evolve and change over time.

• Keith Burtis – Owner at Keith Burtis Consulting
• Kaitlyn Wilkins – VP of Digital Strategy, Ogilvy’s 360 Digital Influence Group
• Kipp Bodnar – Inbound Marketing Manager, Hubspot
• Venessa Miemis – blogger (emergent by design), currently pursuing a Masters in Media Studies at the New School
• Ken Burbary – Director of Social Media, Ernst & Young
• Sarah Evans – President, Sevans Strategy
• Jennifer Leggio – blogger with ZDNet
• Dave Knox – Brand Manager, Global Branded Entertainment, Procter & Gamble
• Nadia Jones, Stacey Ferguson, & Nyasha Smith – the 3 ladies behind www.MamaLaw.com
• Ruth Sylte – Principal Consultant, Manitou Heights Group Inc.
• Len Kendall – Digital Account Supervisor, GolinHarris
• Daniel Honigman – Social Media Manager, Sears
• Jessica Randazza – Senior Associate with Digitas
• Laura Roeder – Principal of Roeder Studios
• Amanda Mooney – Sr. Social Media Strategist, Edelman
• Kneale Mann – Marketing and Social Media Strategist, YouIntegrate
• DJ Waldow – Director of Community, Blue Sky Factory
• Jun Loayza – President, SocialMediaMarketing.com and Chief Marketing Officer, Viralogy

What’s next? Continue reading “Pay It Forward Project: What’s Next?” »

Tags: pay it forward, social media

hat tip to @infosoucer for the inspiration. Tools used: www.cpbherofactory.com and www.pixlr.com

Tags: Research, superhero

I got really, really fired up by a post I read last Friday that went completely off on social media, ‘snake oil salesmen’, training and certifications, and so forth. I won’t do it the honor of linking to it here, nor will I tell you where I saw it because I do not want to attract attention to it. So don’t ask. Just strap yourself in – I’m sharing my uncensored thoughts on several different issues here. Because, after all, everyone is entitled to my opinion

Poo-Pooing Social Media For Recruiting. #Tired. #Lame. I feel there is a point that is being missed here. Social media: yes everyone gripes about recruiters’ approach to it as another job board, or how much of a waste of time it is. But you know, lots of people also approach the telephone with the same mentality – smile-and-dial and robotically go through candidate calls. And I know lots of recruiters whose phone time is tracked who call friends, family, and each other around the office to boost their phone time – talk about a time-waste! I don’t see how any of these are different, because they’re all still a misuse of communication tools. The focus of this, and any, discussion when it comes to recruiting tools should be your voice. Because your voice is where everything begins. These tools – the telephone, email, social media, and whatever is next (think augmented reality and hologram-type stuff… cool!!) – are merely channels to amplify your own voice. I know some people who have a GREAT voice on social media, and others who suck at it. On the same note, I know some people who have a GREAT voice on the telephone, and others who suck at that too. And I’m not referring to the sound of their voice – I’m referring to the overall message they convey and the passion behind it.

Think of it this way; art comes in many different forms – paintings, writing, music, acting, etc. Often, someone who is a poetic writer may suck at playing an instrument. Or an actor might be an awful screenwriter. As well, some people don’t like music, or hate to read, or detest going to plays. Do these personal preferences make the artists any less of an artist, or diminish the importance or value of the artform itself? Not in my book – artists choose to amplify their voice through a method that they feel is best suited for them. As well, not everyone is going to like or appreciate an artist’s chosen mode of voice amplification, but that doesn’t mean it’s not still art. Diff’rent strokes for diff’rent folks.

Continue reading “One Big Rant (Yep, It’s Big!)” »

Tags: career, community, rant, recruiting, Research, socialrecruiting

I haven’t seen TechCrunch or Mashable cover the quiet release of www.followfriday.com yet, so I’m not quite sure if that means it’s not newsworthy. Either way, I think it will be interesting for anyone who likes to participate in Follow Fridays on Twitter.

So, a little history here to begin: apparently, last year a website called www.followfridays.com was launched to help people manage their #FF’s and see who the most #FF’ed individuals are. Clicking on that URL today brings you to a web hosting site called ‘(mt) Media Temple’. So I guess it’s been shut down. I heard whisperings of Twitter incorporating something to officially recognize #FFs, but I have yet to see anything leaked, tweeted, or scooped on that. Then, this afternoon, I received an email from Alfredo Artiles of www.e24apps.com – the company that also launched LocaFollow which I highlighted in my post on tools for searching Twitter profiles. He said:

I am releasing http://www.followfriday.com, which is a world Twitter ranking of the most recommended tweeps based on the #followfriday recommendations. The app is a Twitter ranking but also a Twitter directory and a recommendations management tool where you can check who recommends you, who you have recommended and automatically thank all of them or create Twitter lists in only a couple of clicks.

Continue reading “#FollowFriday Goes .com (again)” »

Tags: #FF, FollowFriday, locafollow, mashable, Techcrunch, Twitter

the most relaxing porch ever!

I recently took a week off to vacation in New Hampshire at my aunt and uncle’s home. They live in a little town called Newbury in the western part of the state, and I had no cell phone reception where they are located. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise because I was able to (almost completely) disconnect for the majority of my week and enjoy spending time with my family going kayaking, hiking, visiting some special places with great childhood memories, and hanging out on the most incredible back porch I’ve ever seen. It was a breath of fresh air, literally, for me – I haven’t taken a real vacation in so long, I can’t remember the last time I left work at home and just relaxed.

When I came home after my week off, I was thoroughly exhausted. I napped for four hours the afternoon I returned, and two evenings last week I took long naps after work, only to get up for a couple of hours and go back to sleep for an additional 6-8 hours. Those of you who know me know that I never sleep that much – ever. I got concerned after the second four-hour evening nap, thinking there might be something wrong with me. And then it dawned on me.

My body was so starved for relaxation that it was revolting against my return to my normal routine. Continue reading “Hi. My name is Amybeth. I am a workaholic.” »

Tags: career, workaholic