In 23 days, 2014 will arrive! Because my work is highly focused on small business owners, they are doing one or more of the following as 2013 comes to an end:
- Hustling like crazy – selling products and services.
- Reviewing 2013 and setting goals and strategies for 2014.
- Moaning that no one will make a decision until 2014.
- Deciding if they’re going to still be in business for 2014.
- Choosing to focus on family and what matters most to them as they’re deep in the midst of the holiday season.
Let me add a sixth choice in the mix – read.
I know we read status updates, texts, and sometimes even posts. In this post, what I’m referring to is books. Now, I’m the first one to tell you if a book seems promising and as you delve into it realize that it’s not all you thought it would be or wanted, then shelve it (put it up on the shelf). Perhaps later it may mean more. Perhaps later after you’ve had a little bit more experiential knowledge, it will reveal more. Or, perhaps it’s an entire waste of time. Shelve it and revisit it later to make the best decision on that.
What I’ve found provides the best possible book list that will be of value to me is to ask others. Other people’s experience (that valuable O.P.E.) lets you benefit from other people’s efforts and time without having to sacrifice your own.
With that focus, what are you currently reading? (share your list in the comment section below)
I learn from our fellow authors here and from your comments about resources that never ever show up on my radar. I’m looking forward to you sharing your list!
Here’s what I’m reading right now. Some are new, and some are old books that I’m re-reading. You’ll find lots of wisdom that you missed out on in old books after you have a little bit more experience under your belt.
- You Get What You Give by Merlin U. Ward
- Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook by Gary Vaynerchuk
- Social PR Secrets by Lisa Buyer
- Promote Yourself by Dan Schawbel
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
What’s on your current reading list? (share your list in the comment section below)
If you missed out last week, here are some great posts that will help you in focusing on your personal brand:
- ‘Tis the Season, But This One Doesn’t Offer Gifts by Skip Weisman
- Getting to the Table by Kevin Monahan
- Interview: Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years? by Nance Rosen
- This Interview Will Change Your Personal Brand Forever by Heather Huhman
- Kings of Content: Interview with UR Business Network by Bill Connolly
- Why Should Companies Hire International Candidates? by Ceren Cubukcu
- Business Lessons Learned from Horrible Corporate Holiday Parties by Elinor Stutz
- Keywords in Résumé Lead to Interviews by Alex Freund
- 6 Tips for Writing Effective Job Descriptions by Glassdoor.com
- Increasing Your Calls from Recruiters by Richard Kirby
- Reading People Through Their Web Presence by Eddy Ricci
- 3 Things to Do So Your Posts are Seen by Maria Elena Duron
- Develop a Brand Voice by Susan Gilbert
- Life on Stage: An Interview with Comedian David Siegel by Bill Connolly
- Avoid Interview Blunders… aka: Don’t Mess Up! by Robin Ogden
- Smarts, Luck and Hard Word by Jeff Shuey
- A Gap Year May Help You Adapt in College by Beth Kuhel
- Leveraging the Holiday Season for Personal Branding by Crystal Washington
- Becoming Influential and Compelling at Work by Ken Sundheim
- My 3 Golden Rules for Remote Workers by Nick Inglis
- Strategic Networking uh err .. Strategic Relationships by Marc Miller
To make it easier for you to share with others (because when you are seen as a hub of helpfulness in any aspect of someone’s life – they turn to you for resources and assistance in all areas of their life), here are some tweetables:
- The 5 year question in an interview is meant to show you have personal insight and have spent time reflecting your goals. http://ow.ly/rwdlu [tweet this]
- Struggling to define your personal brand? Interview yourself. Your answers will help you shape your brand. http://ow.ly/rweij [tweet this]
- To find the best person for a position, companies should consider hiring both international and domestic candidates. http://ow.ly/rwfOa [tweet this]
- Always remain true to your values, as your personal brand speaks volumes for every action you take. http://ow.ly/rwigc [tweet this]
- Did you know 80% of all resumes get scanned by software to search for keywords before a human even sees them? http://ow.ly/rwj2c [tweet this]
- As a job seeker, you need to be responsive to recruiters in order to avoid immediate and future elimination. http://ow.ly/rwjC4 [tweet this]
- Reading people through their web presence could allow you to adapt your approach to better connect in person. http://ow.ly/rwjZS [tweet this]
- When building your brand using social media, the key is to let your message be heard and stand out from the rest. http://ow.ly/rwmlb [tweet this]
This next week our Personal Branding Blog authors will share:
- Behaviors of lackadaisical job seekers
- How you can give back to boost your brand
- Insights into how companies hire international candidates
- What giving and gratitude mean to your personal brand
Thank you for your readership and comments! Looking forward to seeing what you’re reading!
