Print This Post Print This Post

Sep

17

How not to use a blog for your job search

Filed Under Blogging | Comments Off

Easy access to blog material might make a blog seem like a logical place to which you would refer people who interview you for a future employer. But, Ask the Recruiter thinks you’re opening yourself up more than you need to.

The applicant thought that posting before and after pieces of his work, on a blog, would be a good way to show future employers his process.  But, not so fast, wrote the Recruiter:

One important part of using new media is understanding the technology, but I would argue that understanding audience is even more important. This technology is just not right for your intended audience. I would keep a private dossier on your good work and use your blogging skills to reach or build a broader audience. That would be an additional example of your initiative.

Blogging can be very deceptive, especially for people who may not ordinarily be interested in letting people know how they feel and how they think and how they work.  Even though the fact that conversation is so open also means that you can get back into the conversation if what you’ve written is misinterpreted, a first impression of you, especially when it comes to a job hunt, is very important.  In fact, when you’re talking about getting a job, that first impression may be the only thing they decide to experience, depending on what it is.

Bookmark and Share

By Jill Miller Zimon at 10:28 pm September 17th, 2007 in Blogging | Comments Off 

Print This Post Print This Post

Sep

17

Talk. Talk will keep us together.

Filed Under Blogging, Media | 9 Comments

In this E-Media Tidbits piece, Amy Gahran writes about a Poynter seminar, “On Dialogue and Diatribe,” that was to focus on this question:

“Journalism, even the definition of journalism, is changing. That we know for sure. Our traditional role of telling people the facts is still crucial. Yet it’s becoming more important to be part of the conversation in which the community discusses and creates meaning out of the facts. What’s our responsibility as journalists (broadly defined), working in a democracy, when it comes to dialogue and debate?”

[my emphasis]

Now, first, isn’t it nice to know that serious discussions, initiated by serious folks who think like a lot of us do, not only exist but exist in part just to answer those questions?

I take heart in that. (As might some others who may be doubters from time to time.)

Gahran starts the conversation with these thoughts:

Journalists are people. However, the journalistic ethic of objectivity forces an uncomfortable bit of cognitive dissonance into every journalist’s life. We’re supposed to report the news while abstaining from personal bias and involvement. But we’re human, too. Humans always have a point of view — and they always have personal connections, assumptions and beliefs, preferences, and emotions. That’s just how humans work.
In a sense, clinging to objectivity as an achievable goal denies our humanity. That puts us in awkward situations almost daily. And don’t think our audiences and communities don’t recognize that. Often, they’re laughing at us for it.

Conversation is a fundamentally human activity — whether it’s face to face, on the phone, online, or by carrier pigeon. If you doubt that, just try having a conversation using only the third person. It’s all about “I” and “you” — that is, people. Our brains evolved to be wired for conversation. I’d wager that the first communicative grunts of our primeval ancestors were not monologues.

…

Personally, I think one key to saving news organizations (or at least professional journalism) is to strengthen community ties. When it comes to relationship-building tools, you can’t beat conversation. Our communities (stop thinking of them as “readers” or “audiences) are human, too. It’s really hard to build a relationship with someone who’s only “on send,” who doesn’t appear to listen or engage. Conversation is always more compelling than monologues.

Of course, finding people in each community to engage and share these beliefs in how engagement should proceed often seems to be the real challenge.

Do we have this going on in Cleveland, or Ohio? Will the impending experiment between bloggers, Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer make a dent? Why or why not?

Bookmark and Share

By Jill Miller Zimon at 9:55 pm September 17th, 2007 in Blogging, Media | 9 Comments 

Print This Post Print This Post

Sep

17

Writes Like She Cries

Filed Under Blogging | 2 Comments

Is there anything worse than deciding to make a change, putting your faith in the unknown and then, getting burned? Or feeling like you’re getting burned? Even if you know it’s not your fault, it happens to everyone and it will most likely happen again and there’s nothing you can do about it and it’s really not the end of the world but you feel like an IDIOT for putting your faith in the unknown in the first place because deep down inside you KNEW just KNEW that something would get messed up but you want to be positive and so you give it a try and then damn if things don’t start falling out from under you and you don’t understand what people are telling you and feel totally, and utterly powerless?

You know – kind of like thinking your voice counts in Cuyahoga County?

:)

But no – I’m just talking about my server. Two dudes named Craig and Jeff have written very nice emails and they sound very, sincerely, empathetic. But when your junior high schooler walks in your door and tells you that you look sad, that’s not good.

As you can see, my server appears to be up. It wasn’t me messing endlessly with plugins. It wasn’t I don’t know who doing I don’t know what. It shall remain Just One of Those Things. At least until I can get my kid through some institute of technology and he can build a server in my basement and then I won’t have to depend on anyone.

No one, I say!!

Okay. We shall resume regular programming.

Bookmark and Share

By Jill Miller Zimon at 3:31 pm September 17th, 2007 in Blogging | 2 Comments 

Print This Post Print This Post

Sep

17

What did you do today: Getting women into the political pipeline

Filed Under Announcements, Elections, Politics, Women | Comments Off

The White House Project expects to offer training in 2008 for Ohio women interested in running for office. To that end, I spent over an hour on a mega-conference call working to make it a reality.

But throughout the year, WHP offers programs, like this one in New York City with Governor Jennifer Granholm and conducted through WHP’s Corporate Council, that utilize women who’ve already overcome common barriers and become elected officials. Their free weekly newsletters highlight information about women taking the lead and leading that I almost never have heard about anywhere else. (And with nearly 300 feeds, I have to ask, What’s up with that?)

For example, WHP’s newsletter last week highlighted the PBS national broacast of A Woman Among Warlords, which traces the path of a woman who campaigns to be a member of parliament in Afghanistan. As WHP says,

The film is based on the award-winning documentary Enemies of Happiness, which follows outspoken Afghani women’s rights activist, Malalai Joya, during the final weeks of her riveting campaign for a seat in the newly formed democratic parliament of Afghanistan. Women Make Movies—a non-profit media arts organization and the world’s leading distributor of independent films by and about women—has created the film to shed light on the state of politics in war-torn Afghanistan, but also to call attention to global issues of women’s human rights, democracy, and social justice.

Makes you wonder why we complain, but of course, we can always do better.

And, I must note, I didn’t read about the airing anywhere on the ‘net or in the blogs. Boo.

Likewise, I didn’t know that Anita Roddick, founder of The Body Shop, had died. From the WHP newsletter:

The Body Shop cosmetics store founder Anita Roddick, nicknamed the “Queen of Green” for her eco-friendly business practices, died yesterday [9/10/07] at the age of 64. An entrepreneur at heart, Roddick was a pioneer in “corporate social responsibility” before that concept came into vogue. She developed her environmental ethos as her business grew, in part by observing women’s beauty treatments while traveling in developing countries. In 2003, The Queen of England made Roddick a dame, the female equivalent of knighthood. Her favorite saying was: “If you think you’re too small to have an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito in the room.” Roddick demonstrated that one person truly can make a difference.

Finally, I do have a recollection of hearing about the launch of Skirt! Magazine, but I had never heard about this neat competition for girls in grades 5 through 8 to write about why they should be President:

Check out page 80: in preparation for 2008, Skirt! is seeking creative campaign packages from girls in grades 5 through 8 that state why they should be President. The deadline is November 15, 2007. If you can’t find Skirt! on the newsstand, look it up online at www.SkirtMag.com.

Hmm, just in case my daughter doesn’t have enough homework…

Bookmark and Share

By Jill Miller Zimon at 12:07 pm September 17th, 2007 in Announcements, Elections, Politics, Women | Comments Off 

"));