The Difference Between an Internship and Unpaid Labor

Discussing interns and internships are what I consider an “annual” topic. Every year at about this time we talk about interns, or rather, the folks who like to present a job as an internship in order to get away with hiring free labor.  So let’s talk about what internships are, why they are necessary and why they are not free labor.

What is an internship?

An internship is a job one takes, usually working for a business, corporation or the government, in order to gain experience, build up a reputation and learn from the best. The focus is on the job training, rather than monetary compensation. Most interns are in college and work in this capacity in hopes of having a very good job lined up upon graduation. Read more

Introducing Kommein

New project alert! David Peralty and I have a great new project launching tomorrow. It’s call Kommein and it’s a blog about building community and community management. Kommein, by the way, is an Indo-European term meaning “shared by all”. In other words, community.

As you know, community is very important to me and we wanted to create a place to share ideas and tips with other community minded people.

I hope you stop by and read our posts and offer your own thoughts about community. This is so far a great, fun project. One that I hope keeps us busy for a long time to come.

Holiday Gifts for Bloggers: Blog Posts Sticky Notes

by Deb Ng

I have to admit…if someone I know stuck a package of Blog Posts Sticky Notes in my stocking I’d be touched. It would mean the people in my life sort of get what it is I do. It might also add a touch of practical whimsy to my stocking. These aren’t your usual post its, they’re not even from the same company.

Blog Posts Sticky Notes are from the Imagineering company. Each sticky looks like blank blog dashboard or comment form. But better. Blog Sticky Notes use advanced pencil to paper technology. No wires are involved. No cable hookup – just you and your favorite writing instrument. I know. The idea of putting pen to paper might seem challenging at first, but it can be quite freeing. Try it once and see what I mean. Read more

When Was the Last Time You Said Thank You?

by Deb Ng

Growing up, my mom used to make us write thank you notes for everything. Even the lamest, last minute five and dime gift from friends of friends we barely even knew. She said regardless of the gift, it’s always the deed that counts. Someone was thoughtful to us and we should be thoughtful in return. That advice stayed with me and I carried it all through my career and also through my life as a mom. My son, much to his chagrin, has to send thank you notes as well.

Saying Thank You Can Get You Noticed

As many people who I freelanced for over the years can attest, I always send a “thank you for the opportunity” note after a job is done and this has presented me with more work on many occasions. Clients appreciate the professionalism, the customer service and the good manners. Every year around this time I also send thank you notes to the woman who spends two and a half hours getting out my gray every six weeks, the people who care for my lawn and anyone else who has done something nice for me – even if I paid them for their service.

As a Community Manager I also send thank you’s to many people who take the time out of their schedule for an interview with us. I just feel it’s the right thing to do. Recently, after sending him a thank you note, I was rewarded with this “Tweet” from social media whiz Chris Brogan. When someone like Chris takes the time out to make note of your work, you know you’re on the right track.

I also send thank yous to people who interview me for jobs, even if I don’t make the cut. Once, even though I didn’t get the job a client remembered my thoughtfulness and professionalism and hired me for a more lucrative project. I also send thank you’s to folks who interview me for their blogs or podcasts. After all, they’re helping to promote me and what I do. They deserve a thanks too. Read more

What My Neighbor’s Teen Can Teach You About Customer Service

by Deb Ng

My husband and I have a splurge we feel is justified. We pay local landscapers to mow own lawn. We’re both busy with our careers and our son and don’t want to lose precious down time spending an hour on the lawn tractor each weekend (not that we have one of those.). We recently employed a new landscaper because we felt he offered a good price and he came recommended. I have to admit, his lawn crew does an awesome job, but the customer service sucks.

Every time I call, the landscaper’s wife (who runs the business end) tells me she’ll call back. Sometimes it happens within hours, mostly it happens within days. I called her on Monday asked her to quote on our annual leaf cleanup. We have many very mature trees and our acreage is covered. We generally take care of this ourselves but this year we just don’t want to spare our time with our son. So I called 9:00 Monday morning. As of this morning I’ve yet to receive that return call. It doesn’t matter anyway.

Yesterday I was talking to the school bus driver who is also a neighbor. I told her about my dissatisfaction with the lawn service and she said I was welcome to call her teen who landscapes on the weekend. So I did. He was at my door 45 minutes later with a written quote complete with guarantee. He took a walk around my whole property and came back and asked questions about the border, the dog, and other things. None of the high priced landscapers in this area ever took the time to ask me these questions. Read more

Who Are You Writing For?

by Deb Ng

When you accept an assignment, what’s the first thing you do? Depending on the task, one might assume you either begin writing or researching the subject matter. Perhaps you Google the topic or go to the library. You might even call a few experts to interview. Do you research the readership as well? If not, you might consider moving this to the top of your list.

It’s not enough to  simply write an article or blog post. Knowing who you’re writing for will help to set the tone and ensure you have the correct focus.

Trust Me, It Matters

Clients should give us all the information we need, but we can’t always count on them to do so. They might overlook certain details or not know exactly what we need. For instance, your client might ask for an article on proper nutrition for large dogs. The request is simple enough and you could probably write in general terms. Knowing your client runs a website for St. Bernard breeders will help you to narrow your focus.

When writing an article or blog post you might wish to: Read more