Top 10 music videos of the month: Making Money Job

Dan Klamm is the outreach and marketing coordinator at Syracuse University Career Services. Connect with him on Twitter @DanKlamm.

Finding a job in today’s economy is tough if you’re looking locally, but it can be particularly challenging if you’re seeking work in a far-away, unfamiliar city.

If you’re a long-distance job seeker, you face several disadvantages. First, some companies anticipate that bringing you in for an interview will be a hassle and that you will expect them to pay for travel expenses. Second, they don’t know whether you’re serious about relocating to their city. Third, you’re an unknown entity. When going head-to-head with more familiar candidates, it’s often easier and less risky for employers to select the locals and toss your application aside.

Even if you’re able to secure interviews and gain some traction in your search, the process of landing a position in a new city can involve a significant investment of time, money and resources on your part.

The good news is that social media can help with the process of long-distance job seeking. Whether you’re looking for a job 300 or 3,000 miles from home, here are some tips for using social media in your search.

Stay On Top of Local News/>

When interviewing for positions in a new locale, you don’t want to seem like an outsider. It’s important to get acquainted with local culture and to stay on top of important happenings in the news. Though you probably won’t be grilled on local politics, sports teams or economic development during the interview process, being aware of these things can help with small talk. It also shows that you’re serious about relocating and invested in the process.

You can get started by following local news outlets on Twitterclass="blippr-nobr">Twitter and Facebookclass="blippr-nobr">Facebook, as well as identifying local personalities and thought leaders to keep up with. A job seeker focusing his efforts on Richmond, VA, for instance, might consider following @RVAnews, @RichmondMag and @WireRichmond. The Huffington Post even aggregated lists of regional news outlets on Twitter, making it easy for you to find Twitter accounts in specific locations.

Grow Your Professional Network/>

Most jobs today are found through networking, so you should leverage any and all local connections you may have. Facebook is a great platform for warming up relationships with old friends, family or former colleagues who live in the location where you’d like to be. Beyond that, LinkedInclass="blippr-nobr">LinkedIn can help you identify new contacts — such as people working at your target companies — and get introduced through mutual connections. Here are some tips on the etiquette of reaching out via social media.

Tap into local professional associations on LinkedIn, too. If you’re relocating to Boston to work in marketing, for instance, you have plenty of opportunities to network: The Boston Chapter of the American Marketing Association, the Boston Marketing Group, and the Boston Interactive Media Association, just to name a few. Being part of these groups will keep you in-the-know with local industry happenings and increase the likelihood that you’re invited to networking events.

Don’t overlook alumni connections in your target city. Many schools have satellite locations or active regional clubs with robust offerings in the way of career connections. At Syracuse University, alumni can follow @LubinHouseSU and @BigAppleOrange on Twitter, or join the Big Apple Orange group on LinkedIn to network with SU’s alumni base in the New York City area.

Find Job Postings/>

Increasingly, companies are using LinkedIn and Twitter to publicize job openings. LinkedIn is more useful than a typical job board because it allows you to see who posted each job and to pinpoint how you are connected to individuals at the company.

Edelman, one of the world’s largest independent PR firms, uses LinkedIn to post job opportunities in its 52 worldwide offices. The firm also uses Twitter to engage potential employees. Recently, Edelman even hosted a San Francisco Tweet-up for job seekers savvy enough to be following its @Edelman_Careers account on Twitter.

In addition to specific companies posting jobs, be aware of niche job feeds on Twitter. Looking for jobs in New York City’s fashion industry? Follow @nyfashionjobs. Marketing jobs in Los Angeles? Try @LA_Marketing. Visit twitjobsearch.com to locate Twitter accounts posting jobs relevant to your particular search.

Save Money on Travel/>

In most cases, you’ll need to make at least a couple trips to your desired new location before making a permanent move. If you’re lucky, your prospective employer will offer to cover the costs of travel or give you the opportunity to conduct preliminary interviews via phone or class='blippr-nobr'>Skypeclass="blippr-nobr">Skype. Even with these accommodations, the costs of hunting for a job in a far-away location can add up quickly — especially if you’re looking in pricey markets like New York City or San Francisco.

To learn about opportunities to save, connect with travel providers and hospitality companies through social media. Often, these organizations will provide promotional codes or discounts to their followers. United Airlines has been known to advertise special fares (or “twares”) via their Twitter account. Virgin America has also offered discounted rates via Twitter promotions, such as “Fly Forward, Give Back.” Amtrak, Greyhound and Megabus all use Twitter to share news or special offers, as well.

When you will need to find lodging in your desired new location, it never hurts to be acquainted with local hotels. This past summer, the Bryant Park Hotel gave away a free two-night stay to a lucky Twitter follower. Many hotels are using social media to communicate with prospective guests, announce special rates and articulate their brand values. For a comprehensive view of hotels on Twitter, take a look at this list organized by Resideo.

Show That You Mean Business!/>

When a prospective employer receives your job application from across the country, he/she has no way of knowing how serious you are about moving. Are you applying to the company on a whim? Are you applying to positions all over the country? Would you really be prepared to make a quick move if offered the job? Use social media to show that you’re committed to relocating.

You can start by customizing your LinkedIn profile. In your LinkedIn headline or summary, state your plan to look for jobs in “X field” in “X location” by “X date.” This clarifies your intentions and shows that you mean business. Not all job seekers can be this forthright (especially those who have to keep relocation plans a secret from their current employers), but this is an excellent way to reinforce your seriousness about moving.

Looking for work in a new location can be a daunting task, but with the help of social media, it doesn’t have to be quite so difficult. When you make use of all the resources at your fingertips, you may be surprised how easy it is to make connections, identify opportunities, and ultimately land your dream job in a new location!

More Business Resources from Mashable:

- How the Fortune 500 Use Social Media to Grow Sales and Revenue/> - 5 Ways to Sell Your Expertise Online/> - Why Your Business Should Consider Reverse Mentorship/> - 35 Essential Social Media & Tech Resources for Small Businesses/> - 6 Ways to Score a Job Through Twitter

Image courtesy of iStockphotoclass="blippr-nobr">iStockphoto, thesuperph

For more Business coverage:

class="f-el">class="cov-twit">Follow Mashable Businessclass="s-el">class="cov-rss">Subscribe to the Business channelclass="f-el">class="cov-fb">Become a Fan on Facebookclass="s-el">class="cov-apple">Download our free apps for Android, iPhone and iPad

In a lengthy interview with The Daily Beast this week, Wagner said she didn't want to "cast aspersions" on Steele's chairmanship, but still managed to make subtle and not-so-subtle digs at his bumpy tenure.

"There needs to be accountability," she said. "The chairman needs to be full-time," she added, noting the needs for "checks and balances and controls." Beyond that, what the RNC needs, is "strong management and leadership from the very top."

From the beginning, Steele has been a public-relations headache for the Republican Party, picking a fight with Rush Limbaugh, offering "slum love" to Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and describing civil unions as "crazy"—all in the first 30 days after taking office.

But whereas Steele is the "off-the-hook" kind guy, who said he wanted to polish the GOP's image with everyone "including one-armed midgets," Wagner is less showy—even her most high-level official appointment spoke restraint. (She served for three-and-a-half years as ambassador to Luxemborg, appointed by George W. Bush.)

As chairwoman of the Missouri Republican Party, she is credited with turning the state legislature from blue to red, winning statewide races and crucial votes to George W. Bush in 2000 and 2004. Coming off those victories, she became the RNC co-chairwoman before Bush appointed her to the Luxembourg diplomatic post. Coming back, though, she worried that "perhaps socialism had followed me across the pond," she said, and so she decided that she "needed to reengage," successfully chairing Roy Blunt's Senate campaign.

Ann Wagner of the Republican National Committee pumps up the crowd on day one of the Republican National Convention in New York on Aug. 30, 2004. (Photo: Bill Greenblatt, UPI / Newscom)

The night before Wagner announced her desire to run for the chairmanship, she called Steele, someone she described as "a friend," telling him her intentions. The conversation was "cordial," she said, adding that she intends to focus on bringing back GOP donors who left the fold during the last cycle.

“With independent expenditures, there’s no coordination so you don’t know if the organization or the group will be there for you.” With outside groups, “you are flying blind a little bit.”

"It's not just restoring a certain level of credibility in being good stewards of our donors' investments," she said, "but frankly just going out and making the ask."

In many ways, Steele's biggest problems have been related to money. There was, of course, notoriously, the almost $2,000 that RNC staffers blew at a "bondage-themed nightclub featuring topless women dancers imitating lesbian sex." (The RNC denied that Steele himself visited the Hollywood club.) More seriously, Democrats have been more effective in raising money, and last month, former RNC political director Gentry Collins wrote a scathing letter, saying Steele had maxed out on the $15 million credit line approved by the committe. And some have criticized Steele for being upstaged financially by GOP operatives such as Karl Rove, who pulled in much-needed cash for the Republican Party during last month's midterm elections. (An RNC spokesperson declined an interview with Steele.)

Wagner, for her part, clearly doesn't want to be beholden to Rove.

"The key is to make sure that, in a presidential year, we are not so dependent upon so many outside groups to assist in this," she said. "With independent expenditures, there's no coordination so you don't know if the organization or the group will be there for you." She added, with outside groups, "you are flying blind a little bit."

bench craft company scam

Wednesday 8 December 2010

Making Money Job