a great question

From deep within the Rabbit Hole in this week's Monday Morning Memo comes this gem:

Serve your shareholders

Yes, a simple statement and akin in many ways to 'motherhood and apple pie'. There is controversy anew in the Milford Daily News today generated by the headline:

"Flag-burning art decried in Franklin"

You can go read the article here. Be sure to read the comments, in particular one from 'IPayAttention' where the back story or the full story on the art display at Franklin High School was put into context.

We need to remember that the mission of a newspaper is not to generate the full story. No, it is to serve their shareholders (which means to increase revenue, or to at least meet their revenue targets). The newspapers achieve revenue by selling advertising, which means that they have committed to their advertisers 'x number' of copies, or 'y number' of readers (whichever metric they use).  It is far easier to create controversy and sell papers than it is to toil away with the real story.

The Milford Daily News is not the only paper doing this. Recent events provide plenty of examples:

• The Boston Globe was taken to task for slanted coverage of the Brandeis graduation ceremony. 
• The NY Times has been taken to task for their coverage of Richard Blumenthal
• Even the Federal Trade Commission gets dinged for protecting the journalistic establishment

There are other examples, these happen to have caught my attention recently.

Why raise this?

Especially in the light of the rapidly approaching June 8th special election here in Franklin, ones point of view becomes important.

As opposed to the newspapers looking to sell copies with attractive headlines and incomplete stories, my attempts at Franklin Matters are to provide the full and accurate details. 

• I report live and on the fly from meetings. I do clean up typos and add reference links later, especially if they are missed in the live reporting. 
• My effort is a public service effort to give back to the Franklin community. 
• I will attempt to save you some time digging through the Franklin website to find info. 
• I also work with the folks in Franklin's various departments providing feedback on how to improve the information flow.

If I do share the available information properly, then you the reader (and Franklin voter) can make an informed decision before you go to the polls. June 8th is only one election day. It happens to be a critical one for the voters to determine what services Franklin will provide. Will we be able to provide almost the same services as this past year? Or will there be additional reductions in services?

It is our choice.

I'll help to provide the information. You need to do two things:

1. Get the information you need to make a choice
2. Vote on June 8th

You get bonus points if you talk with your neighbors about this and get them to vote!

Additional information on the override can be found here:

• http://investinfranklin.weebly.com/index.html
• http://franklinschoolcommittee.wordpress.com/override-page/
• http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/05/budget-override-collection-fy-2011.html

Rapid Fire Learning

End of May already. Besides being too long ago, when was the last time I did a Rapid Fire Learning?

February actually, you can read about the long learning for the short month here

So what have I learned this month?

1 - teamwork remains key
The Job Search Jam Sessions came off successfully on May 14th due to the outstanding teamwork of those involved in the planning and the cooperation/collaboration spirit of those who participated.

2 - the devil is in the details
Some feedback on my resume lead me to use wordle to help analyze it with embarrassing results. Needless to say, the modifications are getting in the right direction but some more wordsmithing remains.

3 - perspectives make all the difference
With the special election  coming up in Franklin on June 8th, the various perspectives on the override are rather interesting to see. There are no easy solutions. Time, good listening, patience, appropriate explanations are all required to get through the discussion in a respectful manner.

4 - no such thing as normal
Dad's health has taken an interesting turn with a change to his eyesight. While the age-related macular degeneration (AMD) treatment has been working wonderfully, he has developed a blood clot in his good eye effectively rendering him legally blind. Needless to say, without his wheels he has some new challenges and so does the family.

5 - time is short, priorities are needed, adjustments are constant
Further along the line of 'normal' the priorities one sets may not last long. You need to be able to adjust quickly. It is a challenge but hey what are the alternatives? Challenges create the individual right!

What did you learn this month? Feel free to share here, on your blog, or on Rosa Say's blog where she has her Rapid Fire Learning for May posted.

Dew or to do?

Good morning, it is Thursday already. Are you a little blue today?

Have you collected your thoughts about what needs to be accomplished today?

Have you found the support amongst your friends and family that you need?

Are you ready to share what you have learned?

What will you dew today?

the sixth sense

Maybe the day of the future is closer than we think:



How about that? How would you use something like that?

#the5

good morning, here is #the5 for today

FranklinMatters 

  

"most people are awful at it" Seiden’s 16 Rules for Giving Feedback http://bit.ly/dcb50i - a worthy listing from @seiden #the5


10 Ways to Cut Through the Social Media Noise and Be Heardhttp://bit.ly/cpgOHQ #the5

Find and Follow Your LinkedIn Connections on Twitterhttp://bit.ly/bDGWBl - enhancement to make twittering easier on LinkedIn #the5 #in

Your Network News http://bit.ly/cR5o0e on this @chrisbrogan is late, leveraging LinkedIn for job search http://bit.ly/cwMvMd #the5

Know when to skimp and when to splurge http://bit.ly/a3AdWD good advice from @cspenn #the5

What can you share today?

June 8th - special election - get out and vote!

Preparation and discussion for the special election in Franklin, MA on June 8th is underway. The comment boxes on individual items in the Milford Daily News can be interesting reading.

A series of 'frequently asked questions' are being addressed on Franklin Matters. If there are additional questions, please feel free to ask. We'll do our best to get them answered.  The first of the "FAQs" can be found here:
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/05/frequently-asked-questions-why-should-i.html

The summary of important links regarding the June 8th vote can be found here:
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/05/budget-override-collection-fy-2011.html

Business After Hours - June 8th

The United Regional Chamber of Commerce will have a Business After Hours at Hampton Inn, 735 Union St., Franklin, on Tues., June 8 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

 In addition to the Hampton Inn, this event is hosted by Boston Sports Club, Country Gardens Bed and Breakfast, FASTSIGNS, Harry & David, j. durand Business Solutions, MetLife (Camille DelPadre) and Young’s Caterers, Inc.

The cost for this networking event is $5 for members or $10 for non-members. Register for the Business After Hours by calling 508-222-0801, 508-695-6011 or 508-528-2800.

The United Regional Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit, business support organization serving the communities of Attleboro, Bellingham, Blackstone, Foxborough, Franklin, Mansfield, Medfield, Medway, Millis, Norfolk, North Attleborough, Norton, Plainville, Rehoboth, Seekonk, and Wrentham.

job search notes: #the5

There are two arguments made in this article, which would you choose?

• Does Size REALLY Matter When It Comes to Your First Salary Offer? http://bit.ly/9lKqGD via @AddToAny @workcoachcafe #the5

With one choice made, you may need to make another:

• "you owe it to yourself to choose a direction" - Career Change: The Five-Step Process http://bit.ly/cXBIbk #the5

Is this really possible?

• Do we finally have the ability to have true “international” products? http://bit.ly/cl9x9r #the5

Getting started is the best way to accomplish something

• "A solution started is better than a problem dwelling" Boxing Up Each Event During Job Search http://bit.ly/8Xn0wE #the5

The devil is in the details in the forums

• "you’re missing the best part: the forums" Learn Internet Marketing http://bit.ly/ayiKKn @chrisbrogan on Third Tribes #the5

a little fantasia

A little Fantasia to start your Monday:



Jump over to read today's Monday Morning Memo here
http://www.mondaymorningmemo.com/newsletters/read/1874

Bert Jacob's advice

The University of New Hampshire Class of 2010 graduated on Saturday, May 22. Someone made a mistake in counting/allocating chairs for the graduating class so the ceremony was delayed while there was a scramble to set up additional chairs.

Once underway, the miscue on chairs was forgotten. Bert Jacobs, co-founder of Life is Good, gave the commencement address. He delivered his remarks with a dose of reality and spiced them with some Frisbees tossed into the crowd.



His message was to live life with simplicity, to live with optimism (the glass half full), and to give oneself to a worthy cause. If one did all three things, he said they would be successful and happy.

What has the picture of the red shoes got to do with the slideshow?
Well, they were worn by one graduate. At one point, clicking the heels together to go elsewhere may have crossed their mind like it did mine. They stayed for the ceremony (just as I did) and hopefully took in the three important points that Bert shared.

With Bert's approach to life, you wouldn't need to click your heels to go somewhere else. Where you are would be important enough to stay.

Life is good, enjoy!

Gene Lavanchy talks up the HMEA 5K

Gene Lavanchy, a long time supporter of HMEA, talks about this Sunday's event with former NE Patriot Steve Nelson and Doung MacPherson of HMEA.




Gov Deval Patrick is a recent addition to those participating Sunday. If you are going to register for the 5K Sunday, I'll be at the registration desk to help you.

See you Sunday!

job search notes: draft resume samples via wordle

Having heard the advice from Dan DemaioNewton last week, I have used wordle to tweak my resume. The 'before' version of my resume according to Wordle.net





The 'after' version



What do you think? Is it better?

Yes, you will probably need to click on the images to get to view them larger and more readable

Why you should help HMEA?

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!


Note: email subscribers will need to click through to Steve's 2 Cents to view the video.

5 for Friday

Good morning, time for 5 for Friday


Doesn't any good system have a feedback loop built into the process?

• How hard is it to report an error to the Wall Street Journal? Hard.http://bit.ly/a2AvoS #the5

Can you say something good about 'can't"?

• The Most Useless Word in the English Language (And Why You Should Get It Out Of Your Life) http://bit.ly/cOmVZg #the5 #sobcon

Should there be consistency?

• Roadmap: Integrating Social Technologies with your Corporate Website (Slides) http://bit.ly/9SYGBK #the5

Like, or friend, or follow... tools to use to get info

• LinkedIn Tip: The “Company Follow” Feature http://bit.ly/9JoEPG"which will provide with a bunch MORE useful information" #the5

Knowing what you can do and should do

• Outsourcing loud and proud http://bit.ly/cQfx6K "the best thing you can do for yourself" #the5 good advice from @leanneclc

What can you share today?

4 things the NE Revolution must do

The New England Revolution played a friendly against SL Benfica on Wednesday night in a light mist at Gillette Stadium. Their offense played like the mist and they lost 4-0.

Soccer is a relatively simple game. 11 players to a side, one ball to be controlled and put into a net on either end for a score. The one side with the most goals wins. Can't score unless you have the ball so ball possession means a great deal. Ball control means you can maintain possession.

Most of the relatively simple aspects of the game revolve around the movement of the ball. A player can dribble or move the ball with him. If they do so, they are likely to attract the attention of the opposing team. If they pass the ball, good short passes can move the ball up field faster than a single person dribbling. Good short passes into the space between defenders is where the offence can take advantage.

The Revs showed little ball control. They were rarely able to string several passes together. In fact, even when their goal keeper had a re-start on a goal kick or from an off-sides play, the goal keeper ended up turning the ball over to the other team. So the Revs ended up playing defense most of the game.

Three trialists played for the Revs last night. This provided a different line up and created unique opportunities. It does take time for players to get to know one another. At best, using the trialists saved some energy for the remaining members of the team. They will need to with another game coming up on Saturday in Toronto.

What do the NE Revs need to do?

From my vantage point -

1 - control the ball. The keeper should stop going deep with a long ball in the air and bring the ball up out of the back on the ground via one of the defenders.

2 - get into the simple triangle game of passing into the open space between defenders. This means the offense must keep moving but that is how to be successful. Simple passes, ball control, keep possession, eventually the defense will make a mistake, creating extra space for the offense to take advantage.

3 - the Rev's ball control will have an added effect of keeping the other team on the defense giving them less time with the ball. Once they do get it, the Revs need to be compact. The defense will be more successful if they don't have to play defense for 90 minutes. Let the offense control ball for some time and give the defense a break.

4 - the injured players need to get and stay healthy. The list of injured payers is too long and contains too many of the top players for the Revolution to really be playing a quality game. It is providing a good deal of real time experience for the younger players and that will provide benefits in the long road.

#the5

Good morning, did you know that "people prefer to say yes to those they know" How to Be More Persuasive http://bit.ly/c2xuVi #the5

"engaging in the right activities would yield results in time"http://bit.ly/b8zDOw @seiden with a good explanation #the5

Matrix: How Facebook’s ‘Community Pages’ and Privacy Changes Impact Brands http://bit.ly/cAUiOj #the5

Branding Your Resume: How Your Lead-off Batters Make or Break Your Resume Brand http://bit.ly/c4eVsF #the5

"a novel way for getting their attention" When “Normal” Isn’t Working, Part 3 http://bit.ly/ctM4AQ - mileage will vary, nice idea! #the5






What can you share today?

job search notes: sprinkling

Word around is that the hiring is picking up particularly for IT professionals.

I'd phrase it as "sprinkling", not a shower, not raining, not a downpour by any means, just sprinkles here and there.

What do you see?

Maybe if it sprinkles enough, and the sun happens to pop out, there will be a rainbow!


Recent article in ComputerWorld

job search notes: Is that your best offer?

Dan DemaioNewton was the featured speaker at the Hopkinton Networking Group meeting on Friday, May 14th. Dan is Director of Strategy and Business Development at Monster Worldwide. His presentation was seductively titled "Monster Secrets."


My notes and take-ways are as follows:


"We are at the altar of the bottom line." 


On worrying:
If you believe change is possible, then there is nothing to worry about, work to make the change happen
If you don't believe change is possible, there is nothing to worry about as worrying won't do any good, it is a waste of energy.


Looking for a job is like playing a guessing game. They have a job, perhaps they have advertised it properly, maybe not, but there is a real need behind the job and the key is to find and understand that need in order to position yourself to be able to fulfill that need.


There is a difference between samurai and soldiers. Solders follow orders. Samurai use their wits to avoid fighting as much as they use their wits in the fight itself when necessary.


Corporations are not hiring now due to their fear and uncertainty with the marketplace.


Be like a willow tree, bend but don't break. Important to keep the positive attitude at all times.


The informational interview is like a two-step dance.
1 - ask for two other people to talk to about this company
2 - include the name of your individual contact in your cover letter


Your cover letter should address three things
1 - that you know people in the company
2 - that you understand the business
3 - that you can meet their real need


Statistics show that MA, CT, RI are three of the top 10 states with the greatest hiring needs.


New website to check out: betterjobsfaster.org/


Include your name in the file name of your resume
Include 'yourself' (i.e. what you can do for them) in the file name also
Create a master resume, customize per job application


Brief demo of new secret Monster feature where it does an analysis of your resume (a la Wordle.net) to show what words are really highlighted by frequency of appearance. Based upon the analysis, it suggests key terms to include in your resume. (Note: I would include a link to this feature but I haven't found it yet on the website. Updated: 5/25/10 - I had followed up with Dan and he just replied: "It's a secret tool not available to the public". So there won't be a link available. Additional feedback was provided to Dan about the demo as the "secret" was touted as being available and that is not fair. )


On Monster you can have up to five resumes, with one revealed to the search engine. Didn't really have a great answer on how to respond to the differences between the 'master' and custom resumes when someone in the challenged the differences. Need to be prepared to explain if required.


The most important question to ask when they have made a job offer is:
"Is that your best offer?"




My take-aways:

• be like a samurai, not a soldier
• don't worry, be happy
• revise resume file name accordingly
• revise resume using wordle-like analysis
• revise cover letter to include company contact name (keep t-format)
• remember question - "Is that your best offer?"

job search jam sessions - success through the 'power of we'!

Thanks to the 71 folks who participated in yesterday's Job Search Jam Sessions, the event was a success by most any measure. The attitude of the folks was very much inline with the t-shirt Linda put on during her Super-networker impression:

Great presentations lead by
Joanne Dustin - Keys to Successful Interviewing
Suzanne Gray - Self-Employment & Franchising
Linda Waters - 7 Habits of a Successful Networker
Ricky Berger - Art of Negotiating
Joseph Mullin - Linkedin
Bill Lippincott - Networking (and a separate session on 'The Age Question')
Denise Zazzera - Buddy groups
Bob Heiselmeyer - Milford Career Center programs

A buddy group formed during the session.

Smiles were observed on a number of faces as they left the sessions.

There was a great deal of buzz in the main hall between sessions.

Thanks to the organizing team
Marilyn Johnson
Pauline Lussier
Denise Zazzera
Gil Krispien 
Christine Hurley


This was also posted to the Job Search Jam Session website here
http://jobsearchjamsessions.blogspot.com/2010/05/success-through-power-of-we.html

facilitate the network and let the net work!

end of the week and time for 5 for Friday!

"1 of the most important things we can do ... is to SHARE OUR IDEAS" Quickblogging Options:Comparing tumblr & posteroushttp://bit.ly/amtpue

 hence, #the5 is all about sharing

"I think it’s a crucial distinction to make" Is it Really Learning?http://bit.ly/9I08BA me: I'll second that! #the5

how do you measure learning? It is easy to measure what you know?

"If you can’t keep your heart in it, do something else" How I found my passion http://bit.ly/bf5Wf1 @scottberkun with advice #the5

do you work on what you are passionate about?

"Don’t waste your time trying to “get” people who don’t need or want" You Can’t Change What the Customer Wantshttp://bit.ly/95ZKTp #the5

This is a recurring theme for me. You can read or hear the "fire circle story" here
http://steves2cents.blogspot.com/2006/10/fire-circle-story.html

"If you are a regular reader of my blog, you know what I write about" 3 Email Marketing Examples Not to Copy http://bit.ly/cYnHRZ #the5

Use the knowledge you have to make the connection. There are real opportunities to avoid making a 'cold call' and make it a warm call instead. It does take time. There is no silver bullet.

"all the passion in the world doesn’t change how people make their purchasing decisions"http://bit.ly/caligf @chrisbrogan #the5

Back again to passion and decisions. You have a choice to make today. What are you going to do?

I am heading off to the Job Search Jam Sessions to help facilitate the network and let the net work!

knowledge starts with almost knowing

"Interact with your audience in advance" How to Give a Great Presentation http://bit.ly/aoOI6d me: good advice @alevit #the5

"it will help you stand out and become memorable" Why Twitter is an Excellent Personal Branding Tool http://bit.ly/bVD26p #the5

"Let’s just not pretend that the goal here is any different" Influence vs. Power http://bit.ly/aAkzUC #the5 good advice from @seiden

"Twitter events allow you to network at specific times" How to Use Twitter Events to Grow Your Network http://bit.ly/98324u #the5

People You May Know: Helping you discover those important professional relationships http://bit.ly/b7gnLr #the5

The game is in us!

Great short video that captures the spirit of the game within US!

job search notes: Spotlight on learning, sharing, networking

The spotlight is on! Registrations are now over 40. We will have a good collection of people to learn and share and network with on Friday!

Job Search Jam Sessions - Friday, May 14th from 1:00 PM to 4:30 PM in Hopkinton

So far folks have offered to do a session on networking, entrepreneurship or franchising, and how to create a web presence using LinkedIn. This just highlights a few of the options to be available on Friday.

For $5 and three hours of your time, you will not likely find a better value!

You can register here: http://jobsearchjamsessions.eventbrite.com/

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

What do you know? How well do you know it?

Do you make time for it according to your priorities?

Do you help folks address their needs?

Are you consistent in your actions?

Can you experiment quietly?

All these questions are addressed in today's quick reviewing of the reading available. Learn, share, enjoy!


"a loving eulogy for journalism as we thought we knew it" - The Last Great Newspaper Novel? http://bit.ly/aSntqo #the5

Swipe your Social Media Response Plan from the US Air Forcehttp://bit.ly/d9jh0f me: don't reinvent the wheel, leverage best practices #the5  (a must have!)

"You make time for what matters" Making Time For Evolutionhttp://bit.ly/aJxifU #the5

"help people address a specific need" How Cornerstone Content Gets You Traffic and Subscribers http://bit.ly/aalrPS #the5

Are You Giving Off Mixed Signals? http://bit.ly/bjJ5oJ me: focus on the business problem you are trying to solve #the5

"Most people don't go through websites the way we want" Search Engine Optimization Vs. Social Media Optimizationhttp://bit.ly/crX38w #th5

and a bonus one for today (yes, I continue to have trouble counting to five :-)

"experiment with drum rhythms on a quieter scale" me: cool tool! Monkey Machine - Experiment With Rhythmshttp://bit.ly/cdUxuD #the5

Gee, I want some of that!

What happens when you hear overhear a conversation between two people who are clearly having some fun?

Don't you find yourself saying: "Gee, I want some of that!"

Take that "G" and add it to "Big" and you can understand how "Bigg success" got it's name!

I happened to met George and MaryLynn at SOBCon  a couple of years ago. We found ourselves at the same "master mind" table, really getting into the discussion with Anita Bruzzese and Kristen King. The schedule slipped, the master mind sections disappeared into the ether and we felt a lack of closure.

This year at SOBCon we arranged to get together for the Saturday sessions and along with Ben Curnett, we all had a great discussion.

The conversation continues and you can hear it on the Bigg Success podcast here

Consider subscribing to Bigg Success so you can have some of the "G" all the time!

#the5

"first she had to remove the obstacle, then she had to get the job"http://bit.ly/aEZlnk #the5

5 Easy Ways to Drive Social Media Fans to Actionhttp://bit.ly/d5NEVh "close the loop between social media and offline action" #the5

3 Bits of Advice for Handling a LinkedIn Introduction Request from Someone You Don’t Know Well http://bit.ly/duLZoW #the5

7 Things NOT To Do in an Interview (I Didn’t Think I Had to Tell You) http://bit.ly/bQWiw4 #the5

Work With a Career Coach to Land Your Next Jobhttp://www.careerealism.com/work-career-coach-land-job/ #the5

and a bonus one for today:

A Place to Explore http://bit.ly/czakgythree good things from @pauldiamond #the5

job search notes: "take that next step with confidence"

It's a difficult time for anyone, but with a Job Search Jam Session this Friday, the quest for employment will become a little less lonely.

"By the end of the session, you should have more knowledge, more confidence and more contacts, so when you go make the next step in your job search, you can take that step with more confidence, more skill and maybe that additional network connection to take you where you want to be," said event organizer Steve Sherlock.

From 1 to 4:30 Friday afternoon, Sherlock invites "the laid-off, employed but looking to do something different and underemployed looking to get a full-time spot" to the Job Search Jam Session - a networking event that provides tools and contacts to those on the job hunt.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here:
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x1773730419/Job-jam-aims-to-promote-networking

You can register here:
http://jobsearchjamsessions.eventbrite.com/

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.