4 Essential Traits for Social Media Success in Your Career

Amybeth Hale Talent Attraction Manager with AT&T’s Interactive Staffing team. She uses social technology to help drive awareness of job opportunities as well as interact with candidates.

Want to know what it takes to start, and develop, a successful career path in the realm of social media? I recently had the pleasure of talking with 17 bright, enthusiastic professionals who are on the rise in their respective careers about some of the things they have learned and are continuing to learn along the way about using social media in their daily work, and where they see things heading.

These people were recommended to me by some of the most well-known players in social media today, and after comparing notes on the conversations I had, I concluded that there are four main areas that these 17 people have in common: they all know how to and appreciate the value in building authentic relationships, they are all digital trendsetters within their communities, they are all risk-takers, and they all know the extreme importance of giving back. These four items, I believe, have significantly contributed to their rising popularity as well as the increase in respect that they receive from their managers, peers, and colleagues.

A Few Things That Don’t Matter

In addition to identifying key traits among these successful social media stars, I also discovered a handful of things that are not indicative of  being successful with social media.

- There is no specific age or generation bias. The people I spoke to range in age from mid-20s to mid-40s; years of experience range from a few years to a couple decades.

- Education doesn’t matter. Some have post-graduate degrees, some have Bachelors degrees, and some were educated through the school of life.

- Type of employment situation doesn’t matter. Some are self-employed, some work for small companies, and some work for large international corporations.

In other words, traditional traits of success don’t necessarily apply to those working in social media, who instead tend to create opportunities for success through their actions.

1. Develop Authentic Relationships

Developing authentic relationships with or as a mentor is a great starting point for kicking your career into high gear. For example, when the three women behind MamaLaw.com reached out to Elisa Camahort of BlogHer asking for assistance in organizing a first-of-its kind event called Blogalicious (created “to ignite a sense of unity within our community [women of color] as well as to educate marketers on the importance of our demographic in today’s marketplace�), they established an authentic relationship with Elisa because she saw her own desires reflected in what they were looking to accomplish.

As well, Keith Burtis, who was recommended to me by Chris Brogan, believes he was recommended as a result of years of developing a professional friendship and partnership with Chris in several business endeavors.

Initiating the outreach for these relationships was also a common occurrence amongst those with whom I spoke. When Amanda Mooney, now a Sr. Social Media Strategist with Edelman, attended a presentation by Richard Edelman at a PRSSA conference, she decided to contact him via email beforehand. He responded and remained in contact throughout her time in college, and has continued to be supportive as her career progresses.

Continued learning is also a great way to nurture relationships with your colleagues. Those I spoke to all cited a strong desire to learn from their peers. Dan Honigman, Digital Supervisor with Weber Shandwick, took a special interest in learning from the corporate culture created at Zappos as well as how they keep customers coming back again and again. Jennifer Leggio, a blogger at ZDNet, invited every security person she met at the Source Conference to join TwitterTwitter, and then created a categorized list on her blog so that they could all learn from each other. Kaitlyn Wilkins, VP of Digital Strategy with Ogilvy’s 360 Digital Influence Group, has sat at the feet of Managing Director John Bell to learn and grow, citing that he has been an incredible mentor for her during her time there.

The bottom line is that creating authentic relationships with peers is smart networking, and that works in the world of social media just as it does in the offline world.

2. Be a Digital Trendsetter

Being up-to-date with, and oftentimes ahead of, digital trends is also an important trait to possess in order to be successful in the social media world. For example, Dave Knox, Brand Manager, Digital Innovation with Procter & Gamble, was an integral part of P&G’s Hack Night, a gathering of some of the brightest minds in the digital space in early 2009 in an effort to educate the P&G senior marketers. Placing himself ahead of the curve positioned Knox for success in helping to lead P&G’s social media efforts.

Kipp Bodnar, Social Media Marketing Manager at Howard, Merrell & Partners, indicated that he believes there is tremendous opportunity for location-based social media applications in the near future. That’s why he is working with one of his B2B clients on a mobile campaign to raise consumer crossover awareness. So does Venessa Miemis: she hinted that we should be watching companies that enhance the mobile experience, citing products such as Layar, an augmented reality browser, as an example. Being ahead of the adoption curve will allow those people to position themselves as thought-leaders once the next wave of popular social media applications reach a mainstream audience.

And Jessica Randazza, a Senior Associate with Digitas, realizes that as brands become more entrenched in social media, there will be a need to silo things out and focus on creating more genuine content as consumers become more savvy, and jaded, to marketing outreach via social media. In her words, “Less brands, more brand ambassadors.�

3. Take Risks

Speaking of Jessica, she just recently moved across the country, relocating from Seattle to New York City for her new position at Digitas. This brings up trait number three which is being willing to take risks.

With no risk, there is no reward. Just ask Laura Roeder, Principal of Roeder Studios, who set out on her own a few years ago in an effort to move beyond the echo chamber of social media professionals preaching just to each other. She says, “We need to be brave, get out of our comfort zones, and go to places where people may be skeptical of social media, and of us. We need to evangelize.�

Kneale Mann, also self-employed, says that he “sees opportunities� so he can “seize opportunities.� (He admitted that this was cheesy, but it’s true!) Kneale came from a more traditional media background – radio/TV/print – and took a risk that has turned out to be quite fruitful when he crossed over and found new avenues and channels to pursue through social media.

4. Give Back

Finally, it is key to remember where you’ve come from and to constantly give back – or in some cases, to pay it forward. Ernst & Young’s Director of Social Media, Ken Burbary, specifically used the phrase “pay it forward� when he talked about how he communicates with and promotes other data and analytics social media professionals. He says this was one of the things that has helped him to catch the attention of his peers.

Len Kendall, Digital Account Supervisor with GolinHarris, along with his colleague Dan Honigman, started the3six5 Project in which they will put up a blog post by a different author every day of 2010. The idea was born out of the concept of lifestreaming and the goal is to introduce and give a voice to lots of different people, from many different places, using social media.

Another example comes from Sarah Evans, President at Sevans Strategy, whose business is almost entirely built around working with non-profits and ‘social good’ companies. She shared a story about the Crisis Overnight campaign she helped to run which raised $160,000 via social media channels to help a local community crisis center keep its doors open.

Conclusion

Are these the only traits that must be possessed in order to rise up in the social media world? Absolutely not – but the fact that almost every one of the 17 people with whom I spoke shared each of these four things in common speaks loudly to their importance.

The “Housing Survey from the Frontlines,� February, 2010 edition, by the highly respected home building industry expert John Burns Real Estate Consulting (who is billed as “helping executives make informed home building industry decisions�) has some very encouraging information about home building trends. Check out Burns Real Estate Consulting at www.realestateconsulting.com.

From NAHB’S Nation’s Building News of Feb. 22, “The improving housing market is finally starting to spill over into other sectors of the economy. Home improvement retailers definitely took a beating as people walked away from their homes and stopped purchasing properties all together during the recession. Lowe’s, the second largest U.S. home-improvement retailer, became of a victim of circumstances as the housing market spun out of control…But now the company is starting to see some llight at the end of the tunnel. Its fourth quarter resulted shaped up better than expected, the net income rising 27%…Lowe’s also said sales in stores open at least 13 months may advanced as much as 3% this year thanks to a 2.8% January increase in U.S. housing starts. Chief Executive Robert Niblock thinks the worst of the economic cycle is behind the company.” (From InvestorGuide.com on Feb. 22)

From the NAHB’s “Nation’s Building News” Feb. 22, “…the least publicized recent statistic on real estate is that, despite (recent) scary reports, home equity is again on the rise. According to the Federal Reserve’s most recent “flow of funds” survey, home owners’ net equity grew by nearly $1 trillion from the recession’s nadir in the first quarter of 2009 through the third quarter. From June 30 to Sept. 30, net equity rose by $418 billion. That’s not all that imprressive compared with the quarterly increase during the hyperinflationary housing boom years, but it could signal something important. After three years of unprecedented shirinkage in home equity–and three years of rapid expansions in the unber of underwater borrowers with negative equity–there are signs that the down cycle may be shifting.” (As Reported by Kenneth Harney in the Washington Post, Feb. 13, 2010)

Forbes Magazine published an article Feb. 19, 2010, titled “America’s Best Housing Markets” and St. Louis ranked as the nation’s 8th best place. The article cited St. Louis’ historically affordable housing market and lower foreclosures rate than many other markets. Good news! Google “Forbes America’s Best Housing Markets” and you can see the story. There is not a lot of detail on any of the “top 10″ best markets but St. Louis is in the company of some impressive cities…right below St. Louis as numbers 9 and 10 are Dallas and Austin TX.

Housing Forecast

Data provided by Pat Sullivan, President of the Home Builder’s Association of St Louis.

The St. Louis market should, generally, track along the national recovery that is projected. Here are the numbers from the economics department at NAHB:

(in 000s) ————–2009———2010——2011——2012——2013——-2014
Housing
Starts——————–571———-732——1,056—–1,594*—-1,819—–1,965

Fixed
M Rate————–5.08%———5.4%—–5.85%—–6.3%—–6.5%—–6.75%

Unemployment
Rate——————9.3%——–10.0%——9.2%——-8.2%—–7.3%—–6.3%

*The “normal recurring demand for housing” of 1.5 million new units per year should be reached near the end of 2012. The 2013 projection above for 1,819,000 new homes is very close to the actual number of 2003 (1,854,000) and the 2014 projection is more than the 2004 actual number (1,949,000) and approaching the all-time high number of 2005 (2,073,0000).

Our challenge as an industry is primarily to adapt and survive the short term of the next 24 months as we build back toward a more promising long term home buildling outlook.

I’ve written numerous articles and posts on difficult people, personalities and relationships: Everything from Manipulative Marys to Bullies in the workplace to people who break boundaries to toxic personalities. Let’s face it:  In life, we come across all kinds!  As humans, we often focus on those who are negative or toxic leaving it difficult to appreciate those who are positive and healthy.  Seeking out individuals with healthy, positive traits, however, may do a lot of good.  The more we can surround ourselves with those who are positive and healthy, the more we may model those positive behaviors.

If you really think about it, once in awhile you come across a person who knocks you off your socks…legitimately.  Maybe they have a fantastic outlook on life, even during difficult times.  Maybe they are really humble, although they are extremely gifted.  Maybe they make you feel special.  All of these are good.

Below, I’ve listed some of the traits I admire most in people.  Although I could probably list a dozen characteristics, I thought I’d list those that seem to be the rarest or most difficult to find.

1. Selflessness: In a world where many people don’t have the time or the interest in others, selflessness is a quality that seems to be less and less common.  People can be selfless in the time they give, the ability to listen, their level of patience and the love that they give.  Those who are giving and generous in nature have the power to make others feel loved, appreciated and special.  While those who are self-absorbed tend to do the exact opposite.
2. Tolerance: Those people who are tolerant make us feel comfortable with who we are and special as individuals.  All of us are different, and many of us have quirks and idiosyncrasies.  After all, these differences make the world go round.  Having the ability to accept people for who they are and not expect them to be who we want them to be is important in life, happiness and in the health of our relationships.
3. Genuineness: Having the ability to be real, authentic and honest is unique in a world where we put so much emphasis on the superficial.  Feeling comfortable in one’s skin and being true to one’s self is one of the most beautiful traits one can possess.  To have a REAL relationship with someone requires honesty…it requires hearing and giving input or feedback that may not always be popular…it means having the strength to tell it like it is and to not be afraid to face the consequences for doing so…it means loving people for who they really are…deep down…and not for what they appear to be.
4. Sensitivity: So often we are focused on what is important to ourselves that we can forget about those around us.  Those who are sensitive are often thoughtful, appreciative and loving, in a way that makes you feel understood, valued and respected.  Often, sensitive people are also self-aware, making them mindful of how they impact others with what they do and say.
5. Integrity: Call me cynical, but I think this characteristic is especially difficult to find.  In a time when people will do things that are underhanded to make an extra buck (Bernie Madoff…can you hear me?), expose their personal lives to the public so they can be famous (balloon boy’s dad and any other reality TV mongers) and do what feels good in the moment without necessarily thinking of the consequences (Tiger Woods), integrity is a characteristic that is especially unique today.
6. Humility: Whether someone is super-smart, extremely talented or drop-dead gorgeous, there is something extra special about them if they don’t come across as though they know it all the time.  Humility in those that possess extraordinary traits make others feel special too.

Oh boy the list could go on!  What characteristics do you admire in others?  Are there any that you want to cultivate?

Originally published on Sheer Balance

Feb. 11 (Bloomberg) — U.S. home sales increased 14 percent in the fourth quarter as a Federal Reserve program to purchase mortgage bonds and a tax credit for property buyers boosted demand for real estate.

Sales of existing single-family homes, condominiums and cooperatively owned apartments rose to 6.03 million at an annualized, seasonally adjusted, rate from 5.29 million in the previous quarter, the National Association of Realtors said in a report today. The median price fell 4.1 percent from a year earlier, dropping in about half of U.S. cities, the Chicago- based trade group said.

Government stimulus programs including the Fed’s effort to lower home-loan rates by purchasing mortgage bonds lifted the real estate market in the closing months of 2009, said Stan Humphries, chief economist at Zillow.com in Seattle.

“What we’re seeing playing out in the marketplace is really a battle between market fundamentals on the one hand and market intervention, primarily in the form of federal policy support, on the other hand,� Humphries said.

President Barack Obama in early November extended the tax credit beyond its original Nov. 30 deadline. The new version keeps the $8,000 first-time homebuyer benefit and makes a smaller credit available to some move-up buyers. To qualify, people must have a signed contract on a property by the end of April and purchase it before July 1.

Record Mortgage Rates

The Fed began purchasing $1.25 trillion of bonds backed by home loans last year in an effort to drive down fixed mortgage rates. The rate dropped to an all-time low of 4.71 percent during the first week of December, according to McLean, Virginia-based Freddie Mac. This week it is 4.97 percent. The Fed’s program is set to end this quarter.

Home sales rose 4.9 percent last year to 5.16 million, the first annual gain since 2005, the National Association of Realtors said in a Jan. 25 report. In 2011, sales may increase 9.9 percent, the trade group said.

U.S. home prices fell 12 percent in 2009 to a median of $173,500, a greater decline than 2008’s 9.5 percent drop. This year, prices may rise 3.7 percent, the first gain since 2006, according to a forecast on the trade group’s Web site.

The U.S. median home price tumbled 28 percent over three years to a seven-year low of $164,800 in January 2009, the month before Congress passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act authorizing the tax credit, according to the NAR. The median had reached a record high of $230,300 in July 2006.

To contact the reporter on this story: Kathleen M. Howley in Boston at kmhowley@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: February 11, 2010 10:37 EST