5 Lessons Learned from a "Please Hire Me" Blog Post to Radian6

Very often in the blogosphere we tend to turn to the A-listers (HubSpot, Chris Brogan, etc) for social media insight. But sometimes the best lessons learned are not from the A-listers, but from those who dare to demonstrate what "being social" means to them. And I happen to be fortunate enough to know one of those individuals.

Meet Daniel Hebert (@danielghebert)

A Bit of Background First
If you don't know Daniel, he is a fourth year student at Mount Allison University, as well a Social Media Manager at Nufocus Strategic Group - @nufocusgroup (and an exceptionally good one at that!). We work together on the account, and I've had the fortunate opportunity to train him for the role (yes, I'm now giving myself an unapologetic pat on the back :P ). I am VERY proud. Dan's understanding of social media is exceptional, and it's easy to train someone who is so brilliant.

See, Dan is a sponge. I can recall sitting down with him for our first training session. He absorbed the information so unbelievably fast that within a few days he learned what takes most individuals months. In other words, he gets what being social is all about.

Well, Dan demonstrated his digital acumen yet again through his application approach for a position with Radian6, a local social media monitoring firm.



















Very impressive. There is so much insight that can be taken from Dan's post. Before you continue, take a few moments to read it here, "Why I Should Work For Radian6", and then listen to the quick 4 min radio segment so that the points below will make sense.



Here are 5 lessons learned from this ingenious post :

1. Talk Is Cheap

In this digital era, words are becoming increasingly cheap and taking action is becoming king. Dan demonstrates this very well by showing Radian6 why he is qualified, and not just telling them.

Takeaway: Don't just talk about what you know. Give examples and show your expertise.

2. No Guts, No Glory
Sometimes you need to take a leap of faith and not be afraid to be unconventional. That's how you get noticed. Yes, there will always be the possibility of negative press, but sometimes the reward is much higher than the cost.

Takeaway: Be unique. Step out of your comfort zone. It might be video blogging, podcasting, etc. Don't be afraid to try something different.

3. Reciprocity is Your Friend
Take a close look at Dan's post. You'll notice he applies one of the key principals of being social; Reciprocity. He mentions and links Radian6 in his post, and then shares it out on Twitter, tagging them in the tweet.

Takeaway: Include others in your post. Often they will be flattered you did, and it can place you front and center of the conversation. For a great example of this, check out "Are You A Social Media Superstar ", where I apply this principle.


4. Don't Be Boring
Instead of a typical, boring resume, Dan orchestrates a dynamic portfolio of skills which align with Radian6 's requirements. As well, he highlights keywords and phrases which are important to the employer, and makes use of some excellent visuals to keep the post fresh.

Takeaway: Keep it fresh and interesting. Use images, video, and highlighted text to demonstrate your skills.


5. Be Personal
I love how Dan shares a bit about his personal interests, and not just about social media. (see below). This is truly the essence of being social. Also, it demonstrates that Dan is a well balanced and confident individual.






Takeaway: People care about you, and not just what you know. Don't be afraid to share some personal details about yourself. And to demonstrate that I do practice what I preach, check out my personal blog.

What are your thoughts on Dan's unique post? What other lessons can be learned? Have you done something similar in the past? Please leave a comment below, I'd love to hear your point of view.