50 Shades of Gray

Recent news item: Manhattan basketball coach Steve Masiello never graduated from the University of Kentucky, as indicated on his resume, and his falsifying this information eliminated him from getting the University of South Florida job, multiple sources told ESPN.com.

Rest of the story…poor Stevie has since been placed on administrative leave by Manhattan College.  Shame on them for never verifying his background or worse for verifying and not caring.

Here’s another:

A linkedIn connection recently announced that they had a new job and I was asked to congratulate them.  I actually took a moment to click and read only to discover that they had taken yet another job in another part of the country. We go back a ways so I read further.  Talk about a job hopper…and it wasn’t even accurate.  And here people are expressing congratulations to someone who has distorted their profile so as to cover up a checkered career.

What about those who offered their congratulations?

These events prompted me to revisit this decision of how we decide to market our skills and backgrounds on such sites as linkedIn. Or why do we behave as we do?

So what does all of this have to do with the title of this blog? I understand there’s a book that’s been out for a while now by called “50 Shades of Grey”. Sorry, I’ve not read it. It’s supposedly about some guy named Grey and his relationships. Hot stuff by all accounts. The accompanying picture provides a clue I suspect.

So if you clicked on this title it’s perhaps you were intrigued enough to think this might be about the book, even if Grey/Gray is spelled differently.  In other words, “I made you look”!

Or if you prefer, there’s a term for this called clickbait!

Is that what this is all about…marketing oneself at any cost. Or, is there something much bigger working here?  Could it be that integrity or lack thereof is now on display for all to see.  If we simply tell the truth do we risk being eliminated from consideration, so the need to embellish or create fiction is a necessary part of marketing oneself.  It’s also a warning to buyers out there to beware.

It also may be that this economy is far worse than we are led to believe, so we simply must do whatever is necessary to create “buzz”. And for a limited time only you can upgrade that “buzz” for free and then a minimum of $9.95 monthly thereafter…and I’m thinking who’s making the money here?

There isn’t a day that goes by that we aren’t exposed to Kim Kardashian posting some picture or Justin Bieber’s latest run-in with the law and I’m thinking how’s that any different than someone on linkedin posting something designed to promote themselves—keeping us in their loop.

A “selfie” as it were.  Or posting a group discussion…yawn!

Is this the reason social networking has become so popular? Or does all of this unsolicited attention just become gray!  Do we really pay attention to it?  And if we do what does that say about us?

Same thing with #’s of connections, or skills and endorsements. Soon the numbers will rise to 1000+ and what do we do then? How about Twitter?  Did you know you can buy as many as 35,000 followers for only $15?  Most of them in countries you can’t pronounce, but that’s not the point is it?

Mine is simple.  Eventually we get exposed.  Eventually, someone does the research, or your skills and background just don’t match up with OTJ performance. And you are forced to move on.

I had a conversation about this subject sometime ago with a respected colleague and true to his word he doesn’t show any endorsements on his profile. I think that’s good because I’m not sure what it means anyway. I found myself in a screen the other day where it was encouraging me to endorse people for specific skills. No offense but it suggested that certain people had specific skills and I found myself in a fit of uncontrolled laughter.

Social media has provided a convenient distraction from going about the work of having a plan, targeting contacts and finding people who can really help.  That is hard work and surprise, it takes time.  Usually more time than we can possibly estimate.  I find this to be especially true for those wanting to start their own business.  Whatever they estimate, I multiply by 2 and I’m much closer than they are.

We live in a world which is focused on what is “trending” instead of  the real problems. Or as the saying goes, “majoring in minors”.

Congress! Please take note.

Think about that the next time you spend more than 5 minutes watching CNN or MSNBC or FOX.   What you are really doing is wasting time watching commercials…and btw, how’s that working for you?

If you do spend time in Social Media, especially, linkedIn, remember that people who are really working have less than 100 connections.  They are the ones you should be seeking and that requires focus and determination.

“Effort is a reflection of interest and you can’t force them to see that you’re worth it.  Be wise enough not to waste your time, patient enough not to settle, and strong enough not to force it.”

Sarà sarà quel che sarà