Sat, 12 May 2012 23:27:21 -0800WeeblySat, 13 Feb 2010 15:48:53 -0800http://www.crystalcyan.com/3/post/2010/02/blog-has-moved-to-crystalywordpresscom.htmlMy blog has moved to: crystaly.wordpress.com Please go there for updated posts.
]]>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:52:13 -0800http://www.crystalcyan.com/3/post/2009/11/ask-not-what-your-followers-can-do-for-you-ask-what-your-design-can-do-for-your-followers.htmlDesign tip: I've been browsing some Twitter profiles lately. Many people don't realize when they customize their settings to cool colors (it's okay, I'm guilty of it too), text is hard to read unless you update from an application. Now, it may seem all fine and dandy for most of you because all you seasoned Tweeple probably are all tweeting via apps, but new users usually don't. Make sure your content is readable, otherwise what value are you providing to your new followers, who are probably going to offer more ROI (they might retweet you, admire you from afar more) for you since you're one of the first few they chose to follow?

Also, second design tip: get a legitimate custom background if you're a business/organization or if you are a dynamic individual with a public account looking to establish yourself. Oh, and where can you get a custom Twitter background? Why, via yours truly of course. Take a look at my work (http://www.crystaly.carbonmade.com), and if you like what you see, send me a message (http://crystalyan.weebly.com/contact-me.html) and we can work something out.


And so, my fellow Tweeps, ask not what your followers can do for you; ask what your design can do for your followers...who in turn, may do something quite nice for you. :)]]>Sun, 08 Nov 2009 13:21:26 -0800http://www.crystalcyan.com/3/post/2009/11/think-youre-too-young-to-worry-about-your-personal-brand-think-again.htmlThink You're "Too Young" To Worry About YOUR Personal Brand? Think Again!
By Crystal Y.

As a high school student, I get a lot of blank stares from my peers when I talk about things that are very buzzed-about in the blogosphere: personal branding, social media, and viral marketing, for example. Most of my fellow high school students (and I imagine quite a few of you college student readers out there too) use blogs to vent, not to promote insightful opinions and establish oneself as an expert in a niche field. Though I wouldn't say you need to all become experts and sought-after bloggers online overnight, I think being a student not only of the classroom but also of the new wave of social media and the ever-changing landscape of the job search and hiring process is important.

For example, here are just three of the many lessons I've taken away from personal branding as a high school student:

1. Think before you tweet.
Many of my friends (the ones I know personally from school) on Twitter use it to tweet conversations with friends and follow news and media. So naturally, I did the same. I tweeted about "Argh, why isn't my computer not loading" all the while following CNN and NYT and WSJ on the Iran election. It was a quick trip to my dad's computer that made me rethink my tweets. My dad (@MrSensor) is in the tech industry, and his tweets focus on Silicon Valley businesses, tech startups, and doing business in China. Pretty serious stuff. When I decided to tweet from his computer, I saw that my tweets about trivial things were clogging up his feed. Instead of getting valuable information about Chinese business and tech industry news, he was getting my tweets: "just ate ravioli-yum!", "Oy. I think I did not do so well on finals". These things weren't scandalous, but they weren't great because: they were irrelevant. When I realized some of those influential tweeters I followed had followed me back, I realize I was violating the Twitter commandment of being relevant. While it's definitely okay to let your personality shine in tweets that aren't all about serious topics, it's important to realize that people who follow you may not follow many and to them, you must always try to be relevant. This goes for your LinkedIn status as well.

2. Show you-all of you.
When asked to describe yourself to prospective employers, show all of your skills if you can. Even though experts say to only include what's relative to that specific job on that resume, if you have room, try to round out your personal brand and profile by showing another side that may not seem as relevant. You'll stand out from other applicants and show the company you will see every skill set you have and every opportunity you find as an asset to their company. You show them how you can add value in a way others can't. For example, this summer, I applied for a job. This job was at a summer camp and when I got called in to my interview, my interviewer told me "You looked like everyone else at first. I had tons of kid like you applying for a job here and to be honest, all of you guys had the same experience and credentials: First Aid and CPR, babysitting, tutoring. Seriously? Been there, done that. But to be honest, you stood out because you mentioned you had graphic design experience. It just so happens I need a new flyer." After I aced that interview, she told me I was the only person she had called in for an interview, because I had stood out and included something that others hadn't thought to do. I made myself relevant to her company's needs even when I didn't know about them. I wouldn't have gotten the job if I didn't highlight all of my skills, even skills that would seemingly be irrelevant to a camp.

3. Remember kindergarden: be nice to everyone.
This sounds cheesy, sort of reminiscent of the "Golden Rule" from kindergarden. But you know what? A lot of what you learn in kindergarden applies to the business world: sharing is caring and you do want to treat others how you would like to be treated. Pay it forward and try to be helpful and courteous to everyone. If you are kind to someone now, that person will remember it and if or when someone says something negative about you, be it personal or professional, your karma will save you and the people you help will defend your personal brand. For example, I always go out of my way leverage my connections to help others before asking for help. One of my friends is a math and natural sciences geek, so I offer up contact info with my dad's physics professor friends and my mom's engineer friends. I can't possibly use these connections anyway, so why not help out a friend? People will remember that you went out of your way to help them and will validate not only your personal brand as a professional but your personal brand as a friend.

Good luck with your own personal brand! Please comment if you have any lessons you'd like to share.]]>