Week 8- What Color is Your Parachute

We have all been there searching for a job, thinking that it will never happen. In Richard N. Bolles Chapter 6: What do when Your Job-Hunt Just isn't working starts by mentions three rules of discouraged job hunters 1. Never Give Up 2. Never Give Up 3. Never Give up. This is so accurate because anyone whether it's looking for a job or a date or whatever if it doesn't happen after a certain amount time people get discouraged but they can't give up.

In this book Richard Bolles mentions to approaches the first one is the Traditional Approach which we all known by approaching the companies and just wait but when that doesn't work there is another approach called the Parachute Approach. This approach is all about you and figuring out who you are then finding companies that match you. In the book Bolles has  table of each approach for the Parachute approach one isn't just looking for a job they are looking for a "dream job". Also in this approach your trying to figure out Do I want them? as well as do they want me?


Throughout the rest of the chapter Bolles talks about the Eleven Best and Worst Traditional approaches to Looking for a Job. One of the worse is posting or mailing out your resume to employers. Bolles states "The success rate of resumes is clearly no more than 7%. One study suggested that only 1 out of 1,470 resumes actually resulted in a job. Also posting your resume on the Internet makes it open game for anyone besides just employers. One of the best that is very common today is Asking for job-leads. This method works 33% of the time. This method is asking people close to you or around the community on social media networks if a company is looking for the talent and background that you have. Now these are just a few of the worse and the best approaches for looking for a job but these were the two that stood out the most.



Overall this chapter is to help job-hunters to not give up on the job hunt and to try an approach that maybe focus more on who they are and understand that the perfect resume isn't a complete guarantee of a job.

Bolles, Richard N. "Chapter 6: What to do when your job-hunt Just isn't Working." What Color is Your Parachute,  18th ed, Ten Speed Press. 2018, pp. 99-109

Week 9- Digital Marketing/ eCommerce

Digital Marketing is a new way to do marketing. It allows consumers and buyers to just go on to companies website and buy the products that they want and have it shipped to their house. There are many companies that are incorporating the digital marketing. Amazon is the service that provide these eCommerce companies with the opportunity to sell their products digital. Amazon is online shopping that customers can go to buy electronics, books, computers, etc. An eCommerce company such as  Zing Safety Products noticed a need for industrial safety products ranging from signs to locks and safety supplies. They teamed up with Amazon which is well known to get their products out there. So all a consumer has to do is such Zing Green Products in an Amazon search and their products come up for one to order. This is a great use of digital marketing by using a well-known company to get your company and products out there.


The next digital marketing company is Sage Tree who acts as the mediator so to speak. Sage Tree helps company's that are mostly eCommerce to drive their sales and to increase engagement and conversations that will help in the purchasing process. According to Sage Tree website "eCommerce in 2017 is forecasted  to grow 16% to 462 billion dollars as a channel, but many retailers are growing their categories by greater than 100%. By 2021, online retail is expected to grow to 789 billion"(sagetreellc.com). This is huge because so many people are shopping online and it's often a drawback when a company/ business doesn't offer an online option.Sage Tree helps those companies that are trying to get on the online retail wagon but are struggling a bit. That's where digital marketing comes into play a role for these online retailers.



The way in how a company markets it's products is direct reflection on how well the company will do. Digital Marketing is making it's way because of all the online shopping that is available now. Amazon does a very good job of marketing it's products and giving the customer the right deal and the most affordable deal. Zing Green Products is doing well as well by putting their products on to the Amazon site but also having their own online shopping site as well. That way customers can go to both to find what their looking for or if amazon isn't carrying it they know the company site itself is. Lastly Sage Tree LLC is to create a way for companies to get help on their online companies and be able to be where amazon is today.

Hootsuite- Week 9

Hootsuite is a another way of connecting with social media. It's a place to share, comment and write about social content. It allows you to connect with other social networks such as Facebook, twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram. It allows you to engage with your audience and expand your audience by using keywords when posting something or sharing or commenting on something.


Hootsuite offers courses that available to learn about Hootsuite and their are a number of certifications that can be taken as well. Hootsuite is very easy to maneuver and is highly recommended. For me Hootsuite is good because it allows me to add my post from my Facebook Page and receive additional comments that way.

Hootsuite allows you to access your social network profiles on a stream. Once you have a stream it allows you to then comment and share certain things. This is really good because then all of it is in one spot which makes it easier.


Overall Hootsuite is another way to get your social networks out there and create streams with your other followers and interact with the marketing that is going on in the world. Hootsuite allows you to stay connected and update to date which is the key in social media marketing.

Week 7- What Color is Your Parachute " Let's Talk Salary"

Now just imagine this you went through the whole job process and finally you find something, next you have an interview for that job, the interview goes great, now you have to discuss pay because you have things you need and want so you need some money. In Richard Bolles chapter 5 he gives some secrets for negotiating a salary.

The first secret is to make to sure to never discuss salary until the end of the whole interviewing process at that organization, When (and if) they have decided that they want you.  Now we all know it's very hard to sometimes determine when the interview is coming to an end.  Now this isn't always the case. Bolles mentions that sometimes employers may raise the salary question early on in the interview which gives you three options the first: "Until you've decided you definitely want me, and I've decided I definitely could help you with your tasks or projects her, I feel any discussion of salary is premature. The second response: I'll gladly answer that, but could you first help me understand what this job involves? Then third response: I'm looking for a salary in the range of $35,000 to $45,000 a year. If none of these response are good then their is no negotiating with this employer.

The second secret is the purpose of Salary negotiation is to uncover the most that an employer is willing to pay to get you.  Bolles states" They know, from the beginning of the interview, the top figure they're willing to pay for this position under discussion. But. But. They're hoping they'll be able to get you for less. So they start the bidding( for that is what is) lower than they're ultimately willing to go. And this creates a range(Bolles.2017.pg.87). This is so true that is why one has to negotiate and see if that is a job they actually want or not.

The third secret is never be the first one to mention a Salary figure. This is huge because whoever mentions a salary first usually loses. Bolles says when asked with that question the best response is "well, you created this position, so you must have some figure in mind, and I'd be interested in first hearing what that figure is(Bolles.2017.pg.88). This then allows the employer to hopefully give their highest offer and then you ultimately get the salary you want as well.

The fourth secret/ fifth secret is to do some research on typical salaries for the field and organization before the interview. This is important to allow you not to be stuck when answering the salary questions and be able to show that you have done your homework and if you do get the lower salary at the beginning that when three years comes around you know that you deserve a raise.
Research the range the employer has and then create one for yourself as well. This way once they give there range you can give yours and create an negotiation. Bolles says " And so, when the employer has stated a figure (probably around their lowest- i.e, $36,500), you will be ready to respond with something along the lines: I understand, of course,the constraints under which all organizations are operating these days, but I am confident that my productivity is going to be such, that will justify a salary- and her you mention your range"(Bolles.2017. pg.95). Then the process starts on whether they take it or bring another range back at you.

Sixth secret is knowing how to bring the salary negotiation to a close. Get everything in writing that way the employer can't turn it back on you saying they didn't say that. Overall these secrets are very crucial for job hunters.

Week 6- What Color is Your Parachute

So in previous posts we have discussed the job hunting process but what we didn't mention is throughout that process at some point an interview is going to arise  So in chapter 4 Richard Bolles gives us job hunters some tips for interviewing for a job.


There are three types of interviews the first and most common that we don't even think of as interview is for fun or practice. These interviews are your discussing something that your passionate about with people in other words this is basically called a conversation very informal. The next one is interviewing for information this is if your conducting research on a topic and your wanting to get first hand experiences to put into your paper or your project this are aslo called conversations as well but a little more formal. Then the last one is interviews for a job and your interviewing with an employer who will either be giving you a job or not.  These are not called conversations and are meant to be very formal.

Now that we got the types out the way lets talk about some tips that are mentioned in this chapter. The first tip that is important when interviewing for a job is a lot like dating. Bolles states" this conversation is two people attempting to decide if you both want to "try going steady". (Or maybe its you plus six or nine others,depending on how many from the employer's team are sitting in, on the interview.).(Bolles.2017.pg.57) This is so true because whether their responsible for hiring you or not we also get to decide if we want to work their as well once were interviewed.


The next tip that is very crucial is during the interview(s), determine to observe "the 50-50 rule."  Bolles states "studies have revealed that, in general the people who get hired are those who mix speaking and listening fifty-fifty in the interview(s). This is very accurate because employers want employees that are able to talk but then are also able to listen and understand the needs of the organization.



The final tip I will mention is that It's the small things that  are the killers, in a job interview.  Bolles calls 5 points the mosquitoes the first is: your appearance and personal  habits those that are clean and fresh are more likely to get the job. Second: Nervous mannerisms of not making eye contact, fidgeting with your hands or cracking your knuckles. Third: lack of self-confidence speaking soft or loud, hesitating when answering questions, downplaying achievements. Fourth: Consideration you show towards other people you don't thank your interviewer when leaving, you show lack of courtesy to receptionist, secretary, or server. Fifth: Values signs of laziness,  lack of motivation, whether you smoke or don't smoke, lack of enthusiasm for this organization and what it is trying to do.

Overall all these tips are very important when interviewing for a job. The key takeaways from Richard Bolles chapter 4 is to remember interviewing for a job is like having conversation that is more formal than going on  a date. Also another key is to not  do all the talking but not have the interviewer do all the talking either. Then to make sure you respect the people around you, are fresh and clean, and  have value in the establishment your interviewing for.

Week 7- Social Analytics: Facebook Insights

The page Job life is to help people find a job. So far I believe that the Job life page is doing a very good job. The demographic for the page is pretty close in terms of women and men with women having about 54% and men having about 46% which is quite interesting. The age group that is most dominating is age group 25-34 which is the age group that is most likely searching for a job right now. I found it quite interesting that most of the fans come from South Africa and speak English.

The job life page doesn't really have very many likes but most of the posts have been reached by over hundred people or more. Which is interesting because Facebook is boosting the post or the page which is getting the word out their for the page and the posts themselves.



In the last week the page likes, page followers, and the page reach have all gone down. This means that new people are not engaging in the page. This can get changed by introducing new ways of getting your point out there. For example putting a video out there of the job world and how it's changing will often gear in a different group that will bring the page likes, page followers, and page reach to go up again.



Overall job life page is really good and it's continuing to grow. Some changes I would make would be to ask the followers what kind of jobs they are looking for and gear the posts to fit more of their needs knowing that the demographic is mostly women focus on that and then knowing that most of the fans are from South Africa focusing on those major demographics will help to improve the page and get the results they are looking for. The page does a very good job of engaging the post it just maybe needs to change some things around to bring in new people but also keep the people that the page already has.

Week 6- Social Mention Women Reporting in the NFL

Cam Newton is a quarterback for the Carolina Panthers  for Sunday game against the Detroit Lions he was interviewed by the female reporter Jourdan Rodrigue from the Carolina Observer. Jourdan Rodrigue asked Cam Newton valid questions pertaining to the game. The conversation went as so Jourdan Rodrigue asked " I know you take a lot of pride in seeing your receivers play well. Devin Funchess has seemed to really embrace the physicality of these routes and getting those extra yards. Does that give you a little bit of an enjoyment to see him kind of truck people?" Cam Newton response is " It's funny to hear a female talk about routes.. But [Funchess] has come along.This is a big game for him because of him being from Detroit. I know that he wants this extremely bad. Now this is not the first time that Cam Newton has been disrespectful towards female reporters.

Whether we agree with Cam Newton or not Jourdan Rodrigue felt she was belittled by Cam Newton and that he was disrespecting her when she was doing her job. It is no longer uncommon that there are female reporters that are reporting about sports or even in fact interviewing those players. A lot of comments that were made about this issue were pretty even in agreeing with Cam Newton in fact being sexist towards the reporter but then other comments felt that Cam Newton was just surprised and made the comment in a playful way.

Scott Fowler a columnist for the Carolina Observer talks about the follow up conversation that Jourdan and Cam had."She asked him if he in fact really thinks a female couldn't understand routes. His response was "Newton said she wasn't really seeing specific routes when watching the game, she was just seeing if somebody was open. She argued that he didn't know what she saw nor how hard she had studied football, and that maybe the two of them needed to have a deeper conversation." The Carolina Panthers organization addressed the issue stating that they were aware the two had a follow up conversation and that what is left for the quarterback is in fact an apology, which never happened. the big surprise was that the NFL organization as a whole made a bold statement regarding the issue by stating " The comments are just plain wrong and disrespectful to the exceptional female reporters and all journalists who cover the league", NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said to the observer. "They do not reflect the thinking of the league." Then Brian McCarthy adds' Let me just add this: I've been covering the Panthers for the past 23 seasons, and Rodrigue knows more about the subtle intricacies of football than i do. For instance: I sort of know what wide receiver's "route tree" is. Rodrigue knows exactly what a route tree is and can diagram one for you.

The changes that can be made regarding this issues is that are in fact in 2017 women understand the game of football some even better than men. Cam Newton should have used a better choice of words when expressing  what he was trying to say. Positively this issue has gotten the public eye to see what knowledge women can bring into the sport casting industry.

For more information check 

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000856806/article/cam-funny-to-hear-a-female-talk-about-routesout the links.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/scott-fowler/article177107336.html