This is my starter for the conversation on Social Media, taken from two posts overheard in the blogosphere this week…

“Social Media is for Narcissists!”
-UCSD study covered on Mashable.com

“Fire Your PR firm If They Aren’t Talking About Social Media!”
- Social Media consultant, KyleLacy.com

For traditional PR solo pros, they likely believe both (at least most who I talk to regularly). The narcissism turns them off, while the fear of being fired makes them swallow and push forward.

There’s a middle ground when you approach social media as tool to be mastered for your profession – like learning the art of writing a press release or managing media contacts. It’s only narcissistic when there’s no purpose – and that’s not something clients will pay for!

Comic used with permission from www.agent-x.com.au

Every headline you read these days tells tales of whoa about approaching double-digit unemployment. But the media coverage tells us that we should take heart, the amazing new social media sites and tools that are now available to  job seekers may make it easier than ever to find a job, if you can master them. The problem is, if you’ve been working at a company for ten or fifteen years, you may be totally unprepared for (or terrified by) the idea managing your online reputation or becoming a thought leader in their industry. It sounds like a lot of work with uncertain gain – and how do you start in the first place?

The following are notes for a discussion I led with recent senior-level job search in the Kansas City area through Lee Hecht and Associates. (Thanks Gordon and Anna for inviting me!) I hope it provide a solid foundation for job searchers to apply social media tools to expand their network and get those offers rolling in.

Social networking has the same goal as face-to-face networking  – to build a network of contacts that know who you are and what value you have to offer so they can hire you, recommend you or pass on a lead. Although the goal may be the same, but methods and tools are different.

Before you begin, consider these 5 rules in all of your social media interactions. These rules can guide you when you’re unsure about how to use a tool or interact with someone you’ve connected with through social tools.

…Be personal - don’t be afraid to give out a little info, it will pay you back later.
…Be current - update often.
…Be a joiner – that means both ways. Don’t just listen; talk and ask questions.
…Be authentic – leave the marketing speak at the door. Never spam. Use your real name and photo.
…Be HELPFUL – The best way to gain credibility in social media is to add value to the relationships you make and the conversations in which you participate.

Step 1. Decide on a strategy that fits your comfort level and time commitment.

For most of us, it’s difficult to keep multiple profiles updated and participate in conversations with everyone who may contact you, never mind creating thoughtful blog posts on a regular basis that show off your skills. We’ll cover some tools that will help you manage this later, but tools can’t help you if you don’t have a commitment to making social media work. It’s not a fire-and-forget strategy. You do not want to send recruiters or potential employers to profiles with pictures of you in Vegas with your pals, or just as bad, a profile where nothing has been updated for months.

• Start small with a focus on LinkedIn. Work from your resume and contacts.
• Decide if your Twitter and Facebook profiles will be public or private.
• Start a Facebook and Twitter account using your real name. Don’t promote it until you’re adding content. Be sure to include a short bio, your location, and a link to a blog or LinkedIn with more info.
• Don’t post anything you wouldn’t want your mother to see. This applies to teens and CEOs alike.
• Promote your profiles wherever you can. Add your social contact info to your business card, resume and email signature.
• 80% of your content should be professional. 20% of your profile that shows your personal interests and passions. Employers are interested in well-rounded individuals, so exposing a bit of your personal life can help – plus it’s almost required within a social networking context.

Step 2: Start building your online reputation and network with LinkedIn.

You’re probably already using LinkedIn, but a little extra effort can make your LinkedIn profile a standout. Start with the basics and keep the 5 rules in mind.

Here are tips to get the most out of LinkedIn:

• Fill out your ENTIRE profile. Adding lots of relevant keywords helps your profile get found by recruiters conducting searches. Clearly spell out your qualifications; it’s your online resume. It’s OK to be a little casual and show a bit of your personal side (a small, professional bit).
• Add a professional picture (use the same as your Twitter account).
• Import all your contacts from Outlook or Gmail.
• Provide links to your blog, Facebook profile, Twitter page or other online profile.
• Ask your personal contacts to recommend you.
• Contribute to LinkedIn’s Q&A section. It’s a great way to build your online reputation as a knowledgeable and helpful expert.
• Join groups in your local area or industry. Go beyond lurking and start asking or answering questions.
• Start a group in your area or on a specific industry.
• Update your status message regularly – it’s a great way to stay front-of-mind with your  LinkedIn contacts. You can also link your Twitter feed to your profile.
• If you blog, add the blog app to your LinkedIn profile. The Wordpress app seamlessly integrates into your profile.
• If you have powerpoint presentations that are a good representation of your work and may be helpful to others (and legal to post), add it to your profile using SlideShare.
• Add your linked in profile link to your business cards, email signature, blog, Twitter description, Facebook profile, bumper stickers or wherever else you think of to get it out there.
• Don’t forget to announce your availability for work!

That’s enough to get you started. In part two, I’ll cover using Twitter to build your online reputation and to start generating career leads.

I’m finding that more and more small businesses are looking to Twitter and Facebook to lead their local marketing efforts. It’s less expensive than traditional advertising, it’s relatively easy to manage and it’s quick to implement. Of course, this isn’t news to anyone paying attention, and it must be widespread if the NYTimes is picking up on it,

Small businesses typically get more than half of their customers through word of mouth, he said, and Twitter is the digital manifestation of that.

Read the full article,  Marketing Small Businesses With Twitter on NYTimes.com.

I love my Moleskine. I use it daily to keep track of lots of randomness that I seldom refer to again, but are nonetheless things I want to pluck from my brain and save.

If you don’t know what Moleskine notebooks are, they’re those little black books (now available in multiple styles and sizes, because Americans like choices) that you’ll see artists, writers, tech geeks and other crafty folk carrying around to coffee shops. Or, more likely, you’ll see folks like me using them – not so famous or interesting artists, writers or tech geeks. Dare I say, wannabes.

As hailed in the brochure included with the thing when you buy it – tucked away in the neat little pocket in back (a pocket that’s perfect for storing your used Europass ticket stubs or other proofs of your worldly travels) – Hemingway and other artsy types sat scribbling in them at every cafe in post-WWI Europe, recording the great works of our generation while still unknown and untouched by fame. Exactly what modern-day Moleskiners want to do – when they have time between trips to Target and Starbucks.

I thought that my treasured Moleskine and my chosen profession of interwebs interlocutor were relatively unconnectable, exactly the way I liked it. Our world is so filled with technology advancing every pursuit at breakneck speed that a bit of real-world interaction keeps you grounded (old cars, bikes, fly-fishing, Moleskines are the ying to my techno-yang).

But alas, Moleskine (the company, not my notebook) is asking me to go beyond paper. It’s clear that Moleskine is no longer a tiny, niche product; but rather, it’s a big brand with venture capital behind them and a “circle R” behind every usage of the name. Those marketers have recruited a social media posse to reach out and take its community online, creating all kinds of “synergies” and “positive brand experiences” for Moleskine lovers.

I usually dig these efforts – because that’s what I do. But this one seems at odds with the brand, ironically asking users to you join the community so that they can upload and share scans of cool things recorded in their private Moleskines. It’s also a bit narcissistic to take all this time to journal away in your book, with the intention of posting it publicly. That may just tap into the dirty little truth that the unstated intention of the modern Moleskinista is to create something that just might give them fame when their scribblings are found years from now – whereas current readers might just see them as…well, doodles.

Would Hemingway do this? Of course not. But then again, he probably wouldn’t have a Facebook or a computer for that matter.

In any case, give it a shot. Share your Moleskine scribbles by creating a “MyMoleskine” account.

These “Plain English” videos from the folks at  http://www.commoncraft.com are really well done. Make sure you check out others on topics including Wikis, Blogs and  Twitter.