Thursday, May 3, 2012

Reasons to Spend More Time on LinkedIn


20 Compelling Reasons to Spend Less Time on Facebook and More Time on LinkedIn

If you're like most college students, chances are good that you spend more time on Facebook than you do on LinkedIn. But if you're concerned with furthering your career (and you should be), it's time to switch over to a more professional network. We've shared 20 great reasons why you need to be spending your time on LinkedIn much more than Facebook, and we hope they motivate you to make a change for the better.
  1. LINKEDIN IS PROFESSIONAL AT ITS CORE

    LinkedIn was created to connect professionals in online networking; Facebook was not. Although both services have evolved to include elements of each other, they do still remain true to their original purpose, and LinkedIn excels at presenting a professional front.
  2. LINKEDIN IS A GREAT PLACE TO GAIN EXPERT STATUS

    Although experts are increasingly flocking to Facebook, it's still hard for some people to take the site seriously. On LinkedIn, the setting is much more open to gaining expert status and credibility. Forums, question and answer sections, and groups make it simpler to connect and share your knowledge in a credible way.
  3. YOUR COLLEGE PROFESSORS MIGHT ACTUALLY CONNECT ON LINKEDIN

    Although some colleges take a lax approach to social media, many still frown on Facebook connections between students and professors. But on LinkedIn, connections are typically seen as a positive thing, opening you up to the resources that your professors can share with you, including positive recommendations.
  4. LINKEDIN REPRESENTS A MORE TARGETED AUDIENCE

    Facebook is on track to hit the 1 billion-user mark this year, a figure that basically obliterates LinkedIn's comparatively small 135 million plus users. One might think that more users means more exposure, and that would be correct, but on Facebook, you can't be sure that the millions of users are actually online to hear about your professional life. On LinkedIn, you can expect to reach a more targeted audience that is connected to you, interested in your work, and willing to listen to what you have to say.
  5. YOU'RE MORE LIKELY TO GET A RECOMMENDATION ON LINKEDIN

    A recommendation on either LinkedIn or Facebook is a great way to put your best foot forward, but you're simply more likely to land one on LinkedIn. Recent stats show that 36% of LinkedIn users make a recommendation, compared to 27% of Facebook users. LinkedIn also has a 57% interested recommendation response, compared with 42% on Facebook.
  6. LINKEDIN USERS LOG IN WITH A SENSE OF PURPOSE

    While on Facebook, you may be surfing to find out about the latest cat video or your friend's wedding photos, but LinkedIn tends to lead to a more task-driven visit. Users log in to check out job and collaboration opportunities, people to hire, and relevant industry news.
  7. LINKEDIN IS A GREAT PLACE TO SHOWCASE YOUR UNPAID WORK

    Even if you haven't been hired for a job in your life, chances are you've volunteered or done an internship before graduation. LinkedIn is specifically designed to help you showcase this experience.
  8. LINKEDIN IS AN ONLINE RESUME

    LinkedIn is a great place to collect references, share your work experience, professional samples, and more. Your Facebook Timeline is much more like a digital scrapbook of personal experiences.
  9. LINKEDIN SEARCHING IS MORE ROBUST

    While you can search for people and terms on Facebook, LinkedIn really shines in this category. You can search for companies, find people to connect with, get news, and more on LinkedIn. Your profile is also highly searchable, and represents a great tool for allowing recruiters to find you.
  10. YOU CAN ACTUALLY TURN YOUR LINKEDIN PROFILE INTO A RESUME

    Although LinkedIn functions as an online resume, it's also a time saver when it comes to creating one that you can print and hand out. Use this feature to stop neglecting your paper resume and have something to hand in.
  11. FACEBOOK CAN MAKE YOUR SCHOOLWORK SUFFER

    Experts report that students who regularly surf Facebook do not do as well on tests. In fact, some students suffered by as much as an entire grade. They believe that using the social media site takes up valuable study time.
  12. RECRUITERS ARE MORE LIKELY TO SHARE APPLICATIONS ON LINKEDIN

    Facebook and LinkedIn are both experiencing growth in applications shared on their sites. But LinkedIn stands out for the number of candidates who actually apply. You can expect recruiters to go where the interest is, which clearly rests with LinkedIn.
  13. FACEBOOK IS A MAJOR TIME SUCK

    Facebook is fun, but for most users, it takes up much more time than it should. In a comparison, researchers found that Facebook visits resulted in stays of 405 minutes per visitor, compared with 17 minutes on LinkedIn. It is much wiser to spend 17 focused minutes on LinkedIn than several hours frittering your time away on Facebook.
  14. GROUPS ON LINKEDIN ARE HIGHLY EFFECTIVE

    Facebook has groups, but not on the level that LinkedIn does. LinkedIn remains an incredible resource for connecting and networking in industry groups on the site.
  15. YOU'RE MORE LIKELY TO GET HIRED ON LINKEDIN

    In a recent comparison of job search markers on Facebook and LinkedIn, LinkedIn beat Facebook handily in every category. The most interesting and revealing, however, was social employee hires, with LinkedIn earning 73% and Facebook at a low 22%.
  16. LINKEDIN IS A GREAT PLACE FOR BUSINESS INTRODUCTIONS

    One of the best features of LinkedIn is the ability to be introduced to new business contacts through the site, especially through contacts you already know.
  17. LINKEDIN USERS HAVE MORE MONEY

    Out of all the popular social media sites, LinkedIn users have the highest average income of $89K. If you're looking to earn a good salary, you'll be in great company on LinkedIn.
  18. LINKEDIN ACTIVITIES ARE MORE ATTUNED TO JOB PROMOTION

    The top activities on LinkedIn are industry networking, keeping in touch, and networking between coworkers.
  19. LINKEDIN REALLY SHINES WITH RELEVANCE

    While your friends on Facebook may be sharing music videos that you scroll right past, LinkedIn works hard to bring you content that is the most relevant to you. The site sends emails to users with the most-shared news, groups that belong to your job focus, and contacts you're likely to be interested in getting to know.
  20. LINKEDIN IS AWESOME FOR RESEARCH

    Facebook is growing in this respect with better Pages, but LinkedIn still wins the battle of employer research. You find out who works there, who used to work there, whether or not you have any connections within the company, and more.
May 2nd, 2012 written by 

Source: (http://www.onlinecollege.org/2012/05/02/20-compelling-reasons-to-spend-less-time-on-facebook-and-more-time-on-linkedin/).

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

WHO OF THESE FACEBOOKERS ARE YOU?







7 Most Common Facebook Crimes


There’s no doubt that Facebook has completely revolutionized the way people interact. But there’s a dark side to the world’s love affair with social media. Criminals are finding new ways to utilize Facebook to commit new and disturbing crimes that authorities don’t necessarily know how to police. That’s why if you want to continue to enjoy social media, you should be aware of the common crimes committed on Facebook so that you can avoid becoming a victim. Here are the seven most common Facebook crimes.
  1. Scams

    Criminals have been utilizing the scam for centuries. In the Facebook world, scams are particularly effective at drawing people in by simply enticing an individual to click on a link that would interest almost anyone, such as an innocent-looking notification that you’ve won a free prize like a gift card. Then, in order to claim the prize, scammers require you to submit some information, such as a credit card number or Social Security number. This description may make it seem like scams are easy to spot, but even the most savvy social media user has to be on the lookout for illegitimate requests for information.
  2. Cyberbullying

    Cyberbullying is a common occurrence among teenagers on Facebook and one that can result in serious criminal charges if it goes far enough. Cyberbullying on Facebook has contributed to the deaths of several teens who either committed suicide or were killed by a peer. Cyberbullying that involves hacking or password and identity theft may be punishable under state and federal law. When adults engage in this kind of online behavior it is called cyber-harassment or cyberstalking.
  3. Stalking

    The term “stalking” is thrown around a lot on Facebook, and it is often meant as a joke for regularly looking at someone’s profile. However, the actual act of cyberstalking is a common crime on the social networking site and can result in a serious offense. Cyberstalking typically involves harassing a person with messages, written threats, and other persistent online behavior that endangers a person’s safety. Although cyberstalking may seem like nothing more than annoying behavior, it is a legitimate cause for concern in many cases and can even lead to in-person stalking or endangerment if not treated seriously.
  4. Robbery

    It doesn’t take much for a thief to find out where you live, go to school, work, or hang out if you make that information readily available on Facebook. If you use Facebook’s check-in or Google Maps feature, then you could be in a heap of trouble if a robber is paying attention. This person isn’t always a complete stranger either; they may be an old acquaintance or someone else you’d never expect to come rob you.
  1. Identity theft

    With the large amount of personal information swarming around Facebook these days, it has become fairly easy for criminals to steal users’ identities. Hackers often break into users’ e-mails and make fake Facebook accounts. From there they can access personal and bank information and cause havoc to your sense of security. Protect yourself from identity theft on Facebook by keeping your profile very secure and free of personal information that a criminal would love to have.
  2. Defamation

    An individual commits the crime of defamation when they communicate a false statement to a third party that paints another individual or entity in a negative light. Facebook makes communicating defamatory statements frighteningly easy, and the exposure Facebook provides makes it more likely that businesses or individuals will be harmed by the defamatory statement, and thus more likely to pursue legal remedies. Be careful what you say on Facebook; you may be committing a crime without even knowing it.
  3. Harassment

    Harassment happens all the time on Facebook. From sexual harassment to assault threats, there has been a significant increase in the number of harassment cases happening on Facebook. It’s not uncommon for sex offenders and sexual predators to prey on unsuspecting victims on Facebook and even pose as a teen or college student. Harassing messages, inappropriate comments, and other persistent behaviors should be reported to Facebook and your local police station.

Source:  http://www.thebestdegrees.org/7-most-common-facebook-crimes/]

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

10 Great Gift Ideas for Mother’s Day


by Ken
mothersday 10 Great Gift Ideas for Mothers DayWith Mother’s Day just around the corner, it’s time to start making those gift purchases for the special Moms in your life. Finding the perfect present for these ladies can be a challenge; here are a few tips to help ease the stress of coming up with something a little more lasting than breakfast in bed.
  1. Gift Baskets – While there are certainly a staggering array of pre-made gift basket options, putting one together yourself is both surprisingly easy and the best way of ensuring that each and every item is handpicked for the guest of honor.
  2. Personalized Gifts – It’s possible to personalize almost any gift you can come up with; adding a birthstone, a monogram or any other signifying features is one of the best ways to give your selected item a personal touch.
  3. Jewelry – There are entire lines of jewelry, all with varying price points, designed for the Mother’s Day gift-buying set. From necklaces with charms to symbolize each of her children to bracelets with each child’s birthstone, there’s definitely no shortage of precious adornments created with Mom in mind.
  4. Flowers – Though it might be so common that it’s almost a cliché, flowers are the perfect gift for a friend or relative with children. While you might want to step it up a bit for your own mom or the mother of your children, they’re a time-honored tradition for moms that aren’t immediate family.
  5. Day Spa or Salon Gift Certificates – The frantic pace of today’s world makes it difficult for women to fit a day of pampering and preening into her schedule. A gift certificate for just such a thing makes a spa day seem like less of an indulgence and more of a treasured gift.
  6. Gifts Tailored to Her Specific Interests – Everyone is different, and harried moms are no exception. Taking your special lady’s interests and hobbies into account when selecting your gift is a good way to go the extra mile and provide her with something that she’ll actually use and appreciate.
  7. Family Tree Artwork – Artwork that incorporates genealogical information can range from minimalist and sparse to very ornate, so there’s a style to suit any décor. Moms are sure to love a family tree painting or print, and there are several retailers, both online and brick-and-mortar, that specialize in them.
  8. Luxury Items – “Luxury” items don’t have to be big-ticket purchases; they’re simply things that Mom might want but would never get for herself. For families that have been forced into serious belt-tightening by the economic climate of the last few years, a luxury item can be something as simple as a more-extravagant-than-usual dinner or a bottle of her favorite perfume.
  9. Handmade Gifts – Moms of small children are sure to be moved to tears by a gift they helped to make, so giving little ones a hand in creating her gift can be a big hit. However, handmade gifts aren’t restricted to the smaller set; crafty or artistic grownups can get in on the fun, too!
  10. A Day Off – Though it might seem simple, often the best gift that a mother can receive is to spend her special day alone, pursuing her own interests with no responsibilities. Sending her along the way with reassurances that the kids and household will be well looked after in her absence will give her a break that is likely to be much-needed.
Just as there’s no one-size-fits-all Mom, there are no one-size-fits-all gifts. Take the interests and tastes of the Mom in your life into account when choosing her gift, rather than falling back on the old standards. Even a small amount of effort will go a long way!
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Source: (http://www.nannypro.com/blog/10-great-gift-ideas-for-mothers-day/)

Typical Graduation Speech Today