GD @ FSU

Social Networking

So the employer liked your resume and was impressed by your website. You should get an interview, right?

Well let’s see what happens when we Google your name.

You have a Facebook account, a Linked-In account, a blog, and a Twitter. Are you confident that employer will still want to interview you after seeing these?

1 in 5 employers search social networking sites.

1 in 3 find information that causes them to reject potential employees.

What are they looking for?

41% information about alcohol & drugs
40% inappropriate photos
29% poor communication skills
28% bad mouthing former employers/fellow employees
27% inaccurate qualifications
22% unprofessional screen names
21% information linking to criminal behavior
19% information about past employers

So don’t be a social misfit. Be a (professional) social butterfly. Show off references, accomplishments, and skills.

Starter guide to becoming a “employee friendly” social networker

1. remove those inappropriate pictures

2. avoid joining group that might shine a negative light on you

3. block comments, because what someone else says might make you look bad

4. use correct grammar and language

5. correctly name URLs and email addresses. slime_bomb@gmail won’ cut it.

6. update regularly. employees want recent information

7. set your profile to private

The nonsense of english spelling.

Do you love logo design? →

Tim Brown, CEO of IDEO talks about bikes and asking the right questions.

Designing Brand Identity Part 3

The final section of Designing Brand Identitiey by Alina Wheeler covers best practices. Specific companie’s goals, process, strategy, and solutions are shared. Here are two examples.

Library of Congress

The Library of Congress identity was designed by Chermayeff & Geismar.

This mark joins the essence of a book with the american flag creating a bold symbol that is meaningful, easy to understand, and easy to remember. It also illustrates the slogan “Books give us wings” as each page can represent the wing of a bird.

BP

Bp’s identity changed due to the 1998 merger of British Petroleum and Amoco. Both companies’ old identities were bland oil company logos. Here are both:

And here is the new identity designed by Landor Associates.

From the identity alone you can tell right away that the company breathes new life and is involved in more than just selling oil.