I remember about 10 years ago, the only way to get press release, financial and other news about companies was to go to the library. You would sift through periodicals and perhaps even read articles on tape (do they still use this?) Today, we are overwhelmed with digital information – blogs, websites, Twitter, etc. This is good and bad.
Good because it makes it easier to find what we are looking for, bad because it can be overwhelming.
If you haven't started converting over to consuming digital information yet, it is probably time to start. It allows you to conveniently stay on top of what is going on in your industry, occupation, and city. It also allows you to monitor your brand, which has never been more important that it is today.
The idea is to have all this information in one simple spot that you can regularly peruse and Google reader might just be the answer. Google Alerts is the other.
If you subscribe to certain newsletters, you might be able to receive them in your Google reader. Some you won't be able to. But if there is a link to them on the internet, try and add it to your subscription.
If you read a good article online, chances are that site might be a source for other good information. Add it to your reader. I wrote a post about this awhile ago with more explanation.
Use Google Alerts to monitor what's going on with your target companies and find out about other companies and people in your field. Meg Guiseppi wrote a very helpful post on how to utilize alerts, Google Alerts Amplify Your Executive Brand Visibility and Job Search
I won't go any further, but will mention that joining groups on LinkedIn and using Twitter are very important to monitoring your field.
Hannah Morgan speaks and writes about job search and career strategies. She founded CareerSherpa.net to educate professionals on how to maneuver through today’s job search process. Hannah was nominated as a LinkedIn Top Voice in Job Search and Careers and is a regular contributor to US News & World Report. She has been quoted by media outlets, including Forbes, USA Today, Money Magazine, Huffington Post, as well as many other publications. She is also author of The Infographic Resume and co-author of Social Networking for Business Success.
