Friday, April 30, 2010

5 for Friday

time for #the5 before boarding so here we go! -- 21 Creative Ways To Increase Your Facebook Fanbase http://bit.ly/aAB04j

Social Media, Cheesecake, and Paying Attention: $5.99 to Create a Fanatic http://bit.ly/9ecbTI Twitter is just another tool ... to use#the5

LinkedIn Platform: now with more ways to authenticatehttp://bit.ly/9TcSjy me: would like to know of the changes before I see them #the5

What Makes a Job Good? http://bit.ly/diu5ez #the5 - boarding for A's starting, time to shut down, catch you later! #the5

and a preview for the video coming tonight on Providence's Channel 12 - WPRI-TV
http://jerrysherlockstory.blogspot.com/2010/04/preview-street-stories-friday-43010.html

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Job Search Notes: Press release

 “Job Search Jam Sessions” Will Offer
Networking Opportunities, Motivational Boost
for Massachusetts, Rhode Island Job Seekers
___

Event is scheduled for May 14, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The location: St. John the Evangelist Parish Center, 20 Church St., Hopkinton, Mass.


HOPKINTON, Mass.——New England, a region especially hard-hit by the current economic slump, will play host soon to “Job Search Jam Sessions.” Events like these are springing up around the country in response to the recession. In coordination with the Hopkinton Networking Group, Job Search Jam Sessions offers peer-to-peer learning, networking opportunities and motivational support for unemployed and under-unemployed workers.  New and recent college graduates are welcome to participate to learn the tips and tricks of the job search.

Job Search Jam Sessions is scheduled for Friday, May 14, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The location: St. John the Evangelist Parish Center, 20 Church Street, Hopkinton, Mass. The event is expected to draw up to two hundred job seekers from Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Persons interested in attending should register at http://jobsearchjamsessions.blogspot.com. You can pay via PayPal or at the door. The cost is the same – $5 per person.  Attendees will be asked to check in at the Parish Center on May 14, between 12:30 and 1:00 p.m.  Coffee, refreshments and snacks will be served during the conference.  Proceeds from ticket sales will help defray expenses. Any ‘profit’ will be donated to the Church in return for the use of their facility.

Directions to the St. John the Evangelist Parish Center can be found on the church’s website (http://www.stjohnhopkinton.com).

“This is an ‘unconference’ for the unemployed and underemployed,” says Steve Sherlock, lead organizer. “The event’s organizers and session facilitators all have experience dealing with the challenges of layoffs and unemployment, and they are enthusiastic about sharing what they’ve learned in a peer-to-peer setting.”

“Job Search Jam Sessions participants will not only acquire dozens of new LinkedIn connections. More importantly, they will share experiences and ideas with their peers, make potentially valuable new contacts and refine their job search skills. And at the end of the day they’ll return home more confident and motivated to pursue new opportunities.”

Job Search Jam Sessions Agenda

The event will feature both seminar-like sessions and informal opportunities to network in small groups. The agenda will be adapted to reflect the needs and interests of participants. There will be sessions devoted to job interviews, financial planning, and the use of social media sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.


---------------

You can register here: http://jobsearchjamsessions.eventbrite.com/?ref=ecount

Note - you can pay via PayPal or credit card in advance or select "show other payment options" to reserve your ticket and pay at the door. Either way, your reservation will help us plan for the amount of people to expect that day.

---------------

#the5

3 Ways Facebook Will Radically Change Your Nonprofit http://bit.ly/9O4Pzw "This will make it much easier for you" @johnhaydon #the5

How Social Media Is Changing Publishing (a Merritt Colaizzi Interview) http://bit.ly/dsgAub "audiences will get even more involved" #the5

4 Twitter Statistics to Encourage Tweeting http://bit.ly/cbI4HG "Are you paying attention to your own buzz" #the5

Escape Velocity http://bit.ly/d4N7Zp "businesses that we think are doing a good job at “human business.” insights from @chrisbrogan #the5

What's Your Nonprofit's Social Media Measurement Strategy? http://bit.ly/aKNdJq "The report presents a framework for measuring" #the5

that's all for #the5, have a great Tuesday folks! I'll tune in later to see what happens with Twitter Bingo http://bit.ly/c3Nrya

      

new MLS Soccer website = #fail

What's up with the new MLS soccer website?

Introduced for the opening of the new season, five weeks later several features are still missing (never mind that the design of the site wastes precious screen real estate).

Don't they know that you should introduce major changes in the off season to work out the kinks before it is crunch time?

Don't they know that you should never take away basic functionality (like RSS feeds) while making an upgrade touting new features that are dubious (additional video and photo archives)?

It is frustrating trying to find the recent information on the site. It is bad enough my NE Revolution aren't playing too well at the moment, maybe I should look at that as the silver lining! At least the woes in New England won't be readily apparent to the rest of the site visitors.

Monday, April 26, 2010

The 4 chord song

If all it takes is four chords to make a hit song, what are you going to do now?



Worthy of sharing from the MondayMorningMemo this week


#the5

Welcome to Monday and #the5

Quid pro quo (santa math) http://bit.ly/bd2nPC "to create work that matters on its own" what are you doing? #the5

RT @UpbeatNow 99Tribes – Are you discoverable on Twitter?http://bit.ly/aaASTk #the5

Busyness Is Killing Us (Or Why We Should All Take Up Fishing)http://bit.ly/cDFY5V "kids don’t have the time to figure out who they are"

Real Advice on Public Speaking http://bit.ly/aLw3ig "they come much more easily to me; they are less "work"" #the5

iPad – First Take http://bit.ly/a9yZSh "I’m suddenly back to one-app-at-a-time" @chrisbrogan shares his impressions #the5

Online Student Portfolios: What Tools Are Best? http://bit.ly/cp5IUE"A variety of commercial ePortfolio systems exist today" #the5

that's all for #the5, have a great Monday folks! I'll tune in later to see what happens with Twitter Bingo http://bit.ly/c3Nrya

 LisaJohnson School Board of Huntington, WV want to block Food Revolution! Pls RT!! http://bit.ly/dtW6XW

Yes, you got a couple of bonus links today. Enjoy!

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Philadelphia: visiting the Liberty Bell

After the wedding last weekend, we dropped down to visit the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall in center city Philadelphia.



Enjoy!


Friday, April 23, 2010

From the archives - "Letter to Allison"

While looking for something else, I found this:

"We attend too many seminars. We take too many classes. We buy too many books. We play too many audios in our cars. It's all wasted if we're unclear on what learning really is: Learning is not attending, listening or reading. Nor is it merely gaining knowledge. Learning is really about translating knowing what to do into doing what we know. It is about changing. If we have not changed we have not learned. What have you learned today?" - John G. Miller 

I added this to my quote collection.

It comes from a longer post, a letter to our daughter Allison that was to be read by her when she participated in a retreat while at college. I liked what Dolores and I wrote then, I like it even now.

Take a minute or two to read it here

5 for Friday

Friday, time for five things to share. Today we move from identity to local sites to networking to thinking before acting and finally listening to key stakeholders. Good advice! If you think otherwise, please let me know.


Bizarro identity http://bit.ly/aSM08v "we’d find value in that only if others used it to some good end" #the5

Starting a Local Site: Creating a Budget http://bit.ly/cLrC0P "You’re going to be living on a shoestring for the first year or so" #the5

Five Ways to Stand Out in a Room http://bit.ly/af0orE "Wear something that catches the eyes of others" my tri-corner hat! #the5

8 things I wish everyone knew about email http://bit.ly/aByw9b "You can't recall an email you didn't mean to send" #the5

"Listen to the people who didn't make the subject area their life work"http://bit.ly/c1RM9p #the5



HMEA 5K Race/Walk - May 23rd

What happens on May 23rd?

Who is HMEA?

Why you should help?

These questions and more can be answered in this brief video.




If you'd like to register to run or walk, you can go to HMEA.org.
If you'd like to contribute as part of my fund raising page, there is a widget on this page or here: http://www.firstgiving.com/stephensherlock

I hope to see you on May 23rd!


Thursday, April 22, 2010

#the5

"nothing fuses a disparate assembly into a politically effective whole like fear of the other" http://bit.ly/9ff640 #the5


"look at it like a latter-day cereal box, the countryside is all natural"http://bit.ly/bRnhXz #the5


"If you’re patient and pay attention, you’ll see it. Still. Everywhere"http://bit.ly/aJcNwJ #the5


Who do you love? http://bit.ly/9gb2id "Begin every morning with ten minutes of gratitude thinking" #the5


"It’s an unconference set to explore what happens when a person dies. What happens to your digital assets?" http://bit.ly/cdgubA #the5

A bit of a mix today. From earth and nature, to community, to the inevitable we all face. The question is only when. As a fully enabled Google user, I wonder if what @CCChapman and @chrisbrogan are going through is just a coincidence or the earlier signs of a pattern. If a pattern, I'll be somewhere along the line.

Skipping ahead to the inevitable end, what will happen to our digital assets? This is a great topic for an unconference! I wish I was in CA to participate.

And a bonus link today, I stopped by the Parish Center to create a brief video of the space we'll use for the Job Search Jam Sessions coming up May 14th. Have you made your reservation yet?
Job Search Jam Sessions: Video tour of the Job Search Jam Session facility http://shar.es/m7Jro #js2hop






Insights from the marshmallow challenge

A recent TED Talk shares these insights to what we can learn from teamwork and team building with a simple activity like the Marshmallow Challenge.



More on the Marshmallow Challenge can be found here


Tuesday, April 20, 2010

First 'Baslock' wedding

Jennifer Bastian, the eldest of the 'Baslock' kids, got married on Saturday. The crew were corralled for a photo before the end of the reception, agreeing to take a break from the party, they posed willingly!


Left to right, Brian, Allison, Jennifer and Jason, Carolyn and Nathan.

Then the festivities resumed!

A slide show of the full ceremony and reception can be viewed here. It was a special day.
Congratulations to Jennifer and Jason!





#the5

good morning! Tuesday sun rise sheds light on a new day to accomplish much. Let's see what we can find in #the5

Food, games, beanbags, scooters, robots, gorillas, fast growth, and smart people http://bit.ly/bfKeLd #the5

LinkedIn Network Statistics. Do You Believe Them? http://bit.ly/bHQ4MZ "Look at your network statistics over time" #the5

5 Reasons Why Nobody Should Job Search Alone http://bit.ly/dwv6Vj me: nothing more to add to the title #the5

Networking? You’ll Need A Heart Of Gold. http://bit.ly/aL4k8u "you will make others feel good" #the5

The Cost of Free Technology for Nonprofits: Thoughts On Ning http://bit.ly/b2VSHq - Me: great question from @kanter #the5

      


Saturday, April 17, 2010

Job search notes: LinkedIn Job Seeker Premium Service - not a silver bullet

No one ever got their MBA because of superior empathetic skills. Few people, if any, had a successful law school career because of their predilection for being a team-player rather than focusing on their own accomplishments. No-one teaches you (formally) the abilities of being a good conversationalist - having a fresh point of view, but not trying to thrust it upon everyone else, speaking politely and respectfully; telling good stories to illustrate key points; being good at drawing other people’s views out and drawing them into the conversation; not being afraid to admit areas of ignorance; listening with genuine interest. In our educational system (and in our firms’ training and development approaches) these basic human skills are either absent, or treated as secondary.
It sounds trivial and trite to say “It’s all about learning to deal with people,” but what’s often overlooked is that it’s very HARD to develop such people skills if you don’t start until later in life. People and firms underestimate how much effort and time it takes to develop such skills.
This is just one good bit from David Maister's interview with Charles H Green in the Trust Quotes series Charles is running. I recommend going ahead to read the full article here. Don't worry. I'll be here and waiting for you when you come back.

Back now? Good let's continue. Do you recall that David goes on to say:
When people ask, “How can I be seen as more trustworthy?” there’s more than a little hint of “Let’s get to the stage where I begin to benefit as quickly as possible.”
In this context, LinkedIn's new premium service offering for job seekers can be seen as LinkedIn trying to serve a market need (job seeker's needing to find a job) who are willing to pay for something that otherwise (with a little time and effort) would be free.

Phil Rosenberg has a good overview of the new service here.
The LinkedIn blog had the announcement here

I commented on Phil's post about the two key issues I see with this service leading to an overall lack of ROI for me as a job seeker.

To expand upon the point of knowing more about the folks who search for me, even if the folks set their profile to show more info about themselves (and a number don't, so paying for it is paying for no more than you get today), what would you do with that info?

If you know it is raining out, you could be prepared with a raincoat or at least an umbrella. The knowledge can lead to a change in behavior. Knowing it is 90 degree F, you might consider going with a short sleeve shirt instead of a long sleeve and no coat instead of your wool blazer.

So "Someone in the Logistics function in the Defense & Space industry from Greater Boston Area" has searched for you (and this is a recent example from my own profile), how is that going to change your behavior?

If you were behaving inappropriately, you should reconsider period.

If you are behaving consistently within your realm, using your skills and qualifications, then would there be a behavior change?

And if there wouldn't be, is that info enough to pay for? Not in my book.

So let's shift gears a bit and take this on from the hiring managers point of view. You post a job on LinkedIn and obtain a listing of candidates. With this new premium offering, the listing now contains some folks on the top of the listing who have paid to be there? Are they any more qualified? Do they even have the skills required? But they paid to be on top? How much weight will that carry?

Wouldn't it still come down to the trust factor? Will LinkedIn be trusted to provide qualified candidates just because they have paid for a premium account?

Wouldn't it be better for the job seeker to spend time seriously and intentionally building their network based upon real quality relationships?

Wouldn't a group like the "Top Recommended People" on LinkedIn be a better source of qualified candidates than someone who has paid for a premium account (all things being equal)?

Let me close with another quote from David that I'll extend to this conversation:
I think we are living in organizations which have low (and declining) trust and individuals are responding in kind. I think our economy and society has been training people to not trust.
If you think the LinkedIn Job Seeker Premium service is a silver bullet, you can happily pay for the privilege.

What do you think?



Disclosure: I am a member of the Top Recommended People. I have chosen not to pay for any premium
account services as I have found no compelling reason to do so. If you do have any reasons, I am open to discussing them.


Friday, April 16, 2010

Ja-Nae performs Habanera

A delightful, seductive (very safe for work and pleasure) rendition of Habanera from Bizet's Carmen as performed by Ja-Nae Duane. Just what you need on a wet Friday! Enjoy





5 for Friday

good morning Friday! light rain here in Franklin but don't let it rain on your parade today!

How to Follow Your Instincts in Business (and Life)http://bit.ly/cx0zBY "Your instincts are your best friend" #the5  (yes, listen to and follow through on your instincts. Listening is just the start, the follow through is what makes it all happen.)

Songs from the Vault, vol. 2 Now Available http://bit.ly/cP8Wx4finding music on a Friday! #the5 check out this from @matthewebel (one of a couple of music references for today, a cool video will follow shortly)

More WordPress Blogs In The Fortune 500 http://bit.ly/bjHZMn "the type of blogging platform ... used by the company" #the5 (great for examples of company blogs)

Four Current Trends That Will Change Marketing Foreverhttp://bit.ly/cSgAz0 an entry for #the5 from @mitchjoel (watch how these trends line up with the educational ones in the series on Franklin Matters. The first of the series is here.)


What Should we be Imitating?http://bit.ly/bl9sXh "Might we create a lifelong learning model" #the5 (this is related to the posting on Franklin Matters for the PHENOM)


that's all for #the5, have a great Friday folks! I'll tune in later to see what happens with Twitter Bingohttp://bit.ly/c3Nrya






Thursday, April 15, 2010

#the5

good morning, Thursday is here. How are you doing today?

Getting Unstuck with Words http://bit.ly/d5609U @joannapaterson "Wait for the wailing to stop and the whispers to subside" #the5

How To Save Time Managing Your Nonprofit Facebook Page With Seesmic Desktop (video) http://bit.ly/b2BXmx @johnhaydon good tip #the5

What Is the Focus and Purpose of Your Blog http://bit.ly/aeJaV4 "a tool that allows you to build relationships" one of #the5 @chrisbrogan

PostEgram Turns Facebook News Into Snail Mail http://bit.ly/cwIVfv "brings it to an offline audience" #the5

5 Unexpected Twitterers http://bit.ly/9cnMk5 "Twitter accounts you might find surprising" #the5

that's all for #the5, have a great Thursday folks! I'll tune in later to see what happens with Twitter Bingo http://bit.ly/c3Nrya


Wednesday, April 14, 2010

#the5

Good morning Wednesday! a good day for a walk, but we'll do #the5 first

Quicktake Analysis: What Twitter’s “Promoted Tweets” Means To The Ecosystem http://bit.ly/9GW8b7 resonation - word for the day! #the5

Manners in the Digital Age : Use Old-School Etiquette to Rise Above the Social Media Mainstream http://bit.ly/b8QAL8 #the5

Rebooting Your Career: Still Possible in 2010! http://bit.ly/cHw3oQ "we cleverly titled 'Speed Scrabble"” #the5

The significance of being unfollowed by me http://bit.ly/9obnJK @cspenn asks "Why would you value that in any way?" #the5

The Real Housewives of Social Media: Measurement Tips http://bit.ly/bEMpeL concise and simple! #the5

that's all for #the5, have a great Wednesday folks! I'll tune in later to see what happens with Twitter Bingo http://bit.ly/c3Nrya

       


Tuesday, April 13, 2010

#the5

Good morning Tuesday! time to get into #the5. What can you share today?

Why Foursquare Drives Business: What You Need to Know http://bit.ly/bkyMc5 "special assignment for your local business" #the5

Ten Ways for Small Businesses to Use LinkedIn http://bit.ly/8YQyAw #10 - Keep your friends close and your competition closer" #the5

Resume Length: The Debate Continues http://bit.ly/9OniQq me: the key is "real relevance to your next employer" #the5

Top 10 YouTube Videos About Facebook http://bit.ly/cqcfaM plenty to watch - #the5

Google Docs Adds Very Useful New Features http://bit.ly/9mFJOA "significant enhancements to the Google Docs suite" #the5

that's all for #the5, have a great Tuesday folks! I'll tune in later to see what happens with Twitter Bingo http://bit.ly/c3Nrya

       


The danger of science denial

Michael Spector gave this talk recently at TED. It is a convincing argument to move forward with hope and away from fear!




Enjoy!


Monday, April 12, 2010

Lion hunting or green weed control

How to handle those dandelions that pop on your lawn in an environmentally green manner.



Enjoy!

#the5

good morning Monday! the sun rises above the horizon providing enough light to see what we have for #the5 today

The end of the killer feature http://bit.ly/aLaPj4 find a way to avoid "the annoyance of syncing upgrades and compatibility" #the5

10 Things You Must Do for LinkedIn Profile Completenesshttp://bit.ly/9b2Vt0 "The only way you get matched up" #the5

Why cubeland and I will never get along http://bit.ly/axIqqB "Work is part of life and life demands flexibility" @leanneclc #the5

What’s all the Hubbub about Hubs? Linkedin and Facebook tips: Best of reCareered http://bit.ly/bBZqJm #the5

Best Of The Blog – Job Search Strategy http://bit.ly/cfYRAn "you need to be constantly driving new activity" #the5

that's all for #the5, have a great Monday folks! I'll tune in later to see what happens with Twitter Bingo http://bit.ly/c3Nrya



Sunday, April 11, 2010

Hat trick leads Revs to win 4-1

New England Revolution had their home opener for the 2010 MLS season Saturday night. A cool breeze with temps in the low 50's made for good conditions to play on the new Astroturf field.


Rookie Jack Schilawski scored three times in the span of fourteen minutes in the second half to power the Revs to the win. Sainey Nyassi's hustle bought him a goal on a bad back pass to provide the final score 4-1.

Dwayne DeRosario, a long time Rev's nemesis, scored in the first half to give Toronto FC the lead at the half 1-0. Except for the slight lapse to allow that goal, he was really held in check all night. He started coming down the right side challenging rookie defender Seth Sinovic. Seth met his every challenge hustling to frustrate Dwayne. In the second half Dwayne switched sides to try and come down the left and had no more success against Kevin Alston. Cory Gibbs and Emmauel Osei held the fort in the central defense and parried everything Toronto had.

The Revolution offense played short smart passes getting into the triangle game, moving after the pass in to the space provided. Such movements and short passes created the opportunities for Schilawski to clinically finish two crosses from Kelli Dube. Schilawski pressed Nick Garcia into a give-away which he then took into the goalie one-on-one to bury it nicely into the net. What a start at home for the rookie to get a hat trick!

Overall, the Revolution played well. Keeping the ball down on the ground, playing smart short, triangular passes was the route to create goals. In the first half, they played more in the air and I am sorry but that has not worked for the Revs. Pressure defense created some of the opportunities and they were able to convert them. Al good signs for this year.

Darius Barnes will have trouble breaking into the back four with these guys playing as well as they have, The super sub from last week, Kenny Mansally didn't even get off the bench today. He scored two goals against DC United and sat this one out. When the remainder of the squad heal and get ready to play (Reis, Twellman, Jankauskas, Castro) the depth choices will be good ones (tough ones) to make. We'll need those options as the season progresses with the US Open Cup and SuperLiga to add to the normal schedule.

On a related note, what's with the new MLSsoccer.com site?
No RSS feed enabled? Poor contrast between text and background? It is heavily video focused and wasting a ton of space on each page layout. Doesn't seem to me that they spent much time on any usability testing! You really have to go digging to find anything of importance on the site.


Friday, April 09, 2010

5 for Friday

Good morning!

Day in the Life - How to Manage 4 Jobs http://bit.ly/aDWSaw "I think I use every minute much better than the average" #the5

Can Your Team Execute? Here’s How to Find Out http://bit.ly/dB6a5M "get them into a position where they can be successful" #the5 @seiden

How to Create a Facebook Fan Page Editorial Guide http://bit.ly/cTz3Mp "spend a little time planning up front" #the5

Seth Godin’s 5 Rules for PowerPoint Presentations + 1 = 6 http://bit.ly/cKK2rV "GAIN COMMITMENT TO THE NEXT STEP" #the5

Website Review: SocialMention.com http://bit.ly/aEanO9 "They’ve become an invaluable research option" #the5

that's all for #the5, have a great Friday folks! I'll tune in later to see what happens with Twitter Bingo http://bit.ly/c3Nrya

     


Thursday, April 08, 2010

Start with aloha and trust

good morning, Thursday! clouds on the horizon, maybe the red sky will be a weather warning, meantime - make the best of it


Beach Walk 760 – Hula Lesson with Lopaka http://bit.ly/bzz35G"hula is the art of the heart" starting #the5 with aloha!


Saveur's Spaghetti alla Carbonara http://bit.ly/92gHtj "actually went back for seconds" #the5


Moving Marketing From Your Eyes To Your Handshttp://bit.ly/bX0vy4 "mining for the quality over quantity of people"#the5


The Levy flight http://bit.ly/aWWPZn "poke and prod and join and return and return again" #the5


Work/life and the hourly workforcehttp://bit.ly/dDyiv0 "Listening to workers, trusting that they are inherently good" @leanneclc #the5

A relationship grounded in aloha takes time to build. It takes time to build trust. The process is not a straight line, humans are variable. Powered by the intent of aloha, trust can be built and upon that base wondrous things can happen.


GM missed the boat with the NUMMI plant collaboration they started in the 1980's with Toyota. Oddly Toyota focused more on becoming #1 and lost their way away from the quality process that was at the heart of what they did. The recent "This American Life" episode brings these points together. Well worth the hour to listen to and realize what could have been.


Knowing what we know now, it makes more sense to start with aloha and trust. Don't miss the boat!