Ignite Your Passion – Interview with April M Williams

I had the opportunity to interview the producer of the Ignite Your Passion eBook.  Thought you might find this interesting.

April, you are a social networking advocate. Why is connecting with others online important?

April:  Michelle, I am a firm believer in social networking because I have see the power it has. I became a believer when I was laid off in 2001 during a deep recession and was hired at my new job within four weeks. I landed the job through a fourth level networking contact. I was determined to keep my professional network invigorated. I use LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, blogs and Youtube for most of my online connecting.

 As part of my professional business, I teach others how to use these tools to boost their career. For job seekers, it is especially important to use LinkedIn. Currently, 80% of all companies use LinkedIn as their primary recruiting tool. If your not on LinkedIn, you’re not swimming where hiring managers are fishing for talent.

You are passionate about helping people with their careers. Why is it important to be passionate about your work?

April:  I have never met anyone who deliberately wants to do a poor job. Sometimes we just do not feel passionate about the work we are doing. Often an unchallenging or stressful environment is the cause. If you are a person who likes to continually learn new things, doing repetitive work will not keep your mind active. When your interactions with co-workers or managers cause you grief, you will dread going into the office. 

Being passionate about your work is important because it takes up about half of our waking hours. Why spend that much time doing work you do not enjoy. Stress, whether physical or  psychological takes its toll on us.

Tell our readers about the “Ignite Your Passion” book.

April: Michelle, this book is a collection of inspirational stories of triumph. Each author shares their personal story of how they let their passion shine. Readers will be motivated by their ability to overcome and learn how they can find their passion in life. 

Who are some of the contributing authors in the book?

April:  We have a diverse group of writers here. A technology wiz who is all about helping people. A Fortune 50 Human Resources Manager who has a passion for diversity. A wellness guru who improves workplaces. A life coach who knows how to ask the tough questions. And of course, YOU. 

Note: I’ll talk more about my contribution in a future post.

You work with people in career transition. What is the most important career advice you can share with our readers?

April: The job search is changing. Things are different even from a few years ago. People using job search techniques that worked for them in the last recession are frustrated that they are not getting the same results. Online job boards are not landing them jobs. Passing out business cards is not working. Blasting your contact list with your resume and requests for jobs does not work.

What does work is relationship building. Talking with others. Getting to know people on a deeper level. 

Demonstrate your expertise by doing rather than telling someone how great you are. Actions speak louder than words. The best advice is to get out of the house and build your network of advocates who will work for you in your job search.

 You have a weekly newsletter on career and networking topics. How can readers read your latest updates?

April: Michelle, my weekly Career Clues newsletter comes out once a week. To register for your free copy, visit http://www.cyberlifetutors.com/blog and sign up for your free copy. As a bonus, I will email subscribers a link to using LinkedIn more effectively.

Thanks for your comments and time to provide your thoughts and insights with my readers.

Other links you might enjoy:

Ignite Your Passion – new eBook Announcement   http://wp.me/ppbqd-jH

Go here to view / order your eBook today:  http://cyberlifetutors.com/IgniteYourPassion.htm or the shorter link bit.ly/IgniteYourPassion.  Get 5% off this eBook or other items using this coupon code Le5Ord3r11