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
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.
Great post Dave! Thanks for doing this!
ReplyDeleteAnd you deserve to path yourself on the back, haha :P
Excellent post - but then again you had an excellent resource to work from :-).
ReplyDeleteThere are very good lessons to learn from Dan's post.
I'm also glad that you made a point of stating the importance of not just swimming in the A-Lister's pool.
The interaction, inspiration and support you can receive from an enthusiast like M. Hebert is very rewarding both in a social sense and networking sense.
Great stuff, as usual, Dave.
Did he get the job....? ;)
ReplyDeleteNot sure yet. I know he had an interview.
ReplyDeleteI also applied, for the Community Engagement position :)
Thanks Ray Hiltz . When you've have someone like Daniel Hebert to talk about, it makes writing easy. :)
ReplyDeleteIt's so true about the A-listers. We all look to them, but the most innovative individuals are the one's trying to get there :)
Merci Monsieur! You make me look good :P
ReplyDeleteGreat post. I love to read social media blogs from less known bloggers. You can find lots of little gems there that you will not hear from the "gurus".
ReplyDeleteGood luck with that, Dave.
ReplyDeleteWoo-hoo! Good luck to you both then! :)
ReplyDeleteVery cool and engaging post. I hope it spurs others on to get creative about the ways they approach presenting themselves to potential employers/clients.
ReplyDeleteYes, sometimes the best insight can come from those who aren't A-listers or gurus.
ReplyDeleteThanks for popping by!
It definitely woke me up! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Ray for the kind words :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the good luck wish! :)
ReplyDeleteYou're most welcome. Great work on the blog post noted above. I would hire you in a heartbeat. ;)
ReplyDeleteGreat story Dave! Good luck to you both!!
ReplyDeleteNice! I'm guessing Daniel gets more requests for his expertise than he imagines possible.
ReplyDeleteThanks Ryan!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure he is getting quite a few!!
ReplyDeleteThat is such an important point, Dave. Just because the A-listers have name recognition doesn't mean they know more or are better. There's lots of "ordinary" folks out there doing great work!
ReplyDeleteInteresting to hear more about what happens next for Daniel. Blog topic for later?!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure Daniel Hebert will write a post about it. I certainly will! :)
ReplyDelete