Advice

Do you have a Social Media Backup Plan?

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If you're not sick hearing about Social Media, you're a stronger person than I am.  I'm a blatant technophile living in a home with multiple Wii's, X-boxes, DSes, and more computers than actual users.  Despite this, *I* am getting a bit tired of hearing about social media.

Of course this isn't going to stop me from talking about it, because taking social media for granted is actually a source of trouble.

Namely, when you get to used to it, you miss making a backup plan.  Since Social Media is a big part of  our lives and careers and job searches, you'll want one.

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Keep Circulating the books

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I read books on careers, personal branding, the job search, and so on.  It's part of my life, part of my hobby (here), and in general I'm a self improvement nut.

However, let's also be honest, books can get pricey and there are also moments when you buy that business book or advice book and find it's not for you.

My advice is, that unless the book is useless (which in that case, head to the used book store), circulate the books among friends.  Make that $20 or $30 you spent mean something – in some cases, others may get more use out of it than you.  It also means a mediocre book gets a chance to be actually useful once it goes through a few hands.

There are plenty of really good books out there on jobs and careers.  This is a method I strongly recommend in order to help each other out.

– Steven Savage

Put it in the Positive

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I don't want to be poor.  I don't want a boring job.  I don't want . . .

I hear a lot of people formulate their goals in the negative.  I'm actually amazed at how people can quickly pile up the negatives (and this comes from a guy with a deep cynical streak).  Negatives, however, are a terrible way to formulate your goals, sure you may have some, if only by default – but they can't be a driver for you.

Negative goals are goals you will never, ever meet because you're trying to measure a lack.  No matter how much you may NOT have something in your life you can never be sure its not there, or won't be there.  Negative goals can make you a bit paranoid if you overdo them.

Negative goals are difficult to formulate (though people will try, out of fear and concern).  How to you express a negative anyway?  Much as you can't measure such a goal, you may have trouble formulating it when you sit down and think about it.

Negative goals are hard to plan for.  How do you plan to exclude/ward off something for sure?  You can't.  Playing defense is necessary, but if it's all you play, you'll find yourself trapped in endless scenarios about what could go wrong.

Finally, negative goals crowd out positive goals – goals you can set, and measure as there IS something to measure.  Focus on them too much and at best you'll be able to ensure your life isn't miserable for the time being – at best.

So when you're setting your goals, think positive.  You'll achieve more goals, be happier, and probably be saner.

– Steven Savage