What started me on this path – my “story”

In late 2008, my most recent contract as an IT consultant had ended, and I found myself out of work and in “career transition”.  I joined the VCN (Virginia Career Network) Meetup group and began checking their calendar to find out about the programs being offered at local network events. In early 2009, I began attending network meetings with the Career Prospectors, and later the JAM (Job Assistance Ministry)  in the Richmond, VA area.

If there was any advantage to being in job / career “transition” for an extended period of time, it is all the wonderful new friends and connections I have been fortunate enough to make, both locally and globally. You come into contact and interact with entrepreneurs, and people with vision who “think outside the box”, and you never would have met them, had you stayed where you were – in your old job.  They inspire you to try something new, and maybe consider a new career path.

The “storyteller”

One true entrepreneurial spirit who encouraged me early on was Casey Quinlan, the voice behind Mighty Casey Media, a speaker whom I met at a Tech Now event a little over a year ago.  She delivers a very powerful message and it centers on discovering your talents that tell your unique “story”, and to build your brand using social media.  Casey  encouraged me to take some of my ideas, find my unique brand, and pursue something different.

The article that “connected the dots” for me

I became more aware of the power of social media for job networking in early February after reading an article in timesdispatch.com entitled, “Social networking sites a tool for businesses“.  David Nour, managing partner of The Nour Group Inc. consulting firm in Atlanta, has researched more than 400 of these online communities and written books about the topic.  He shared his his wealth of knowledge in the article that  highlighted the power of LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook for branding and marketing.

LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook

Even though I had already setup both a LinkedIn and Facebook account, and had heard about Twitter – I really did not understand the true value of social media, until I read Nour’s excellent article.  His observation that “social networking sites are transforming the way entrepreneurs market their business” seemed to strike a chord with me, and validated the fact that social media was “bleeding edge” technology was here to stay.  I took a closer look and as they say, the “rest was history.”

After reading many articles, blogs, and using the new social media tools, I began to acquire some very extensive social media information and began sharing it with others by making a few presentations at the VCN (Virginia Career Network) and Career Prospectors meetings.

Discovering the power of social media

I soon learned I was getting a reputation as somewhat of a subject matter “expert” in the social media arena among local job seekers in Richmond, Va. I also discovered that while I was helping others – I was really probably helping myself more. By learning a valuable skill and coaching other job seekers to use social media for career networking and personal branding, it became good therapy for me to focus on helping them, and “forget” about my job search for a while. I was fast acquiring an understanding of  the “cutting-edge” technology that makes up the social media world, and I was thankful I had something of value to share with both the local and online communities.

ASocialMediaChampion4U.com is launched

A  special thanks for the website hosting tip and some technical help go to Tommy Rollins (onlinemarketingfanatic.com), another friend I met at a job networking group.  He told me about Microsoft Office Live for Small Business, I checked it out, and designed my website soon afterward.
My website went “live” at the end of May, 2009.  I’ve redesigned my site using the much more versatile WordPress software now, but Office Live was a good place to start.

A Social Media Champion 4U was designed to share the latest social media tools, tips, links, recommendations, best practices, and late-breaking news to a local audience, but with the power of  social networking, I soon reached a larger  audience on the national level.  Later still, I reached an international audience in Melbourne, Australia when I was invited to appear on the Career Success Radio in October of 2009.

Richmond Social Media Examiner

Sue Ayers, another friend I met at a networking event, suggested I apply for a newly created job, so I applied for the job as an online reporter, and got accepted to research and write articles as the Richmond Social Media Examiner.  In this capacity, I was excited to share my new knowledge in the evolving social media world and began writing articles on social media tools, tips, and late-breaking news as the Richmond Social Media Examiner in June, 2009.

Time for a career change?

I had a 12 year Information Technology career with Capital One and am looking for that next great career opportunity. When you are embarking on a new career path, it is hard to leave the security of a career and industry you have held on to for over 20 years. You have to have some hope that better days are ahead for all of us, and keep the faith.  As someone else recently put it so eloquently, “maybe you have to let go of who you were to become who you will be.”