Warning: Google Talk Phishing Scam Spreading Like Wildfire
Feb 26, 2009 Mashable
It’s been a rough day for Gmail. After a lengthy service outage this morning, Gmail is now being attacked by a phishing scam that is spreading like wildfire.
I became alerted to it when I received IMs from three people I hadn’t talked to in some time within a matter of minutes – one a marketing exec at a prominent startup – with typical phishing jargon “check this out!†with a link to a tinyurl that when clicked, points you to a site called ViddyHo. Apparently, the site sends out the message to all of your Google Talk contacts.
I’m a bit surprised this scam is taking off (and feel sorry for my friends that fell for it, who I expected better judgment from!), because the site itself is so crude and doesn’t even tell you what you’re going to get for entering your credentials. Nonetheless, people are falling for it, and will likely continue to do so until word spreads far and wide (which, it’s starting to do through Twitter).
In any event, if you’ve fallen for the scam, be sure to change your password, as who knows what else ViddyHo has in store for you.
Popularity: 1% [?]
Top 10 Social Sites for Finding a Job
Feb 26, 2009 Mashable
Dan Schawbel is the author of Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success, and owner of the award winning Personal Branding Blog.
Here at Mashable, we’re trying hard to help you stay afloat and succeed in the current economic crisis. We’ve told you how to build the ultimate social media resume, sites to visit if you’ve been laid off, and the secrets to finding your next job using social media tools. Now we’ll look at ten incredible social sites to help you in your job search.
Some of these sites allow you to craft a resume, while others are networking platforms that contain job listings. By signing up for all ten, you increase your chances of getting a job and decrease the amount of time you’ll spend searching for a new one. Three of the listed sites can be combined with other sites to be more impactful. In addition to joining, creating profiles and searching for jobs, I encourage you to support these sites with either a traditional website or blog, so that you have more to present to employers, in addition to your profile.
Have another social network you’d recommend? Tell us more about it in the comments.
1. LinkedIn
LinkedIn is by far the #1 spot for job seekers, those currently employed, marketers who are looking to build lists and salespeople who are seeking out new clients. With 35 million users, including recruiters and job seekers, LinkedIn is quite a hot spot. Of course, due to the current state of the economy, it’s simple to understand why LinkedIn is more popular than ever.
The problem is that most job seekers don’t optimize their profile, cultivate their network, join and participate in groups, use applications and exchange endorsements. That is basically everything you should be doing in a nutshell. I also recommend that you use a distinct URL (linkedin.com/in/yourfullname) and an avatar that best represents you and is consistent with the picture on your other social sites.
When you search for a job, recognize who in your network might help you get to the hiring manager. You’re given 1st, 2nd and 3rd degree connections on LinkedIn that you should be using to secure a job opening.
2. Plaxo With Simply Hired
Plaxo is a social network that resembles LinkedIn to a certain degree. You’re able to create your own profile with a section about you, your contact information and your “pulse stream,†which is made up of your presence on social media sites such as Twitter. You’re even able to share your photo album and send eCards, which is a nice differentiator.
The real value in Plaxo is the address book that keeps track of all of your contact information, including a Yahoo! Map indicating where your contacts live. Plaxo, which is owned by Comcast, is also integrated with Simply Hired, which is a job aggregator that searches thousands of job sites and companies and aggregates them in a single location for you. After building your Plaxo profile, use it as part of the recruitment process when applying for jobs with Simply Hired for success.
3. Twitter With Blog or LinkedIn URL
Twitter is an amazing tool if you can unlock its power. It’s taken me months to understand how conversations flow and how I can add to the discussion. Twitter breaks down communication barriers and lets you talk directly to hiring managers, without having to submit a resume immediately to a machine.
Although Twitter is probably one of the best networking tools on the planet, it needs to be supplemented with a blog or LinkedIn profile. There’s no way you can hire someone based on a Twitter profile, without having a link from that profile to something else that gives more information on that job seeker. You get to add one URL to your profile, so choose wisely.
4. Jobster
Jobster isn’t spoken about nearly enough, yet it is a powerful platform for networking with employers who are offering jobs, while you’re searching. You can upload your resume, embed your video resume, showcase links to your site, your picture and tag your skills, which is a unique differentiator. You can search for open positions and see who the person is who posted the job. Then you can add them to your network and connect with them to find out more about the position.
5. Facebook
Facebook can be used to get jobs. There are two main ways of acquiring a job through Facebook. The first is to go to your Facebook marketplace, which lists job openings or other opportunities in your network. Aside from jobs, there are “items wanted†and a “for sale†listing. When searching for jobs, you’ll be able to see who listed the item and then message them to show your interest.
When you find a job opening that you’re interested in, you’ll be able to message the hiring manager directly. For instance, the subject line of the message will auto-populate with “Principal Web Developer in Littleton, MA†in the subject line. The second way to get a job using Facebook is to join groups and fan pages to find people with common interests and to network with them.
6. Craigslist
Craigslist is an extremely valuable job search tool if you’re not looking to work for a big brand name company, such as P&G or GE. Most of the positions on Craigslist are for consultants (design/programming help) and at small to midsize companies that are hiring. There are new listings every day and if you wake up to this site every morning and refresh the page, you have a good chance at getting a job sooner rather than later.
7. MyWorkster With Indeed
MyWorkster focuses on exclusive networks for colleges, allowing students and alumni to connect for exclusive career opportunities. This site isn’t valuable to you if you didn’t go to college though. This social network allows you to create a professional profile and network with potential employers.
For a free account, you get a profile, instant messenger built in the site, groups, events, your resume and more. The big differentiator is that it uses Facebook Connect to get your information. Here is an example of a profile page. MyWorkster also has job listings, which are provided by Indeed, a job search engine and aggregator, which is very similar to Simply Hired.
8. VisualCV
VisualCV understands the importance of personal branding in a job search. Instead of a traditional resume, you get your own branded webpage, where you can add video, audio, images, graphs, charts, work samples, presentations and references. VisualCVs not only let you stand out from the crowd, but communicate your value in a way that’s not possible with static text.
After you’ve created your VisualCV, you can display it publicly or privately, email it to a recruiter, save it as a PDF or forward the URL, which will rank high for your name. On the site, you can search for jobs and apply directly using your VisualCV. Everybody’s favorite venture capitalist, Guy Kawasaki, is on their board.
Disclosure: VisualCV sponsors my blog and magazine.
9. JobFox
JobFox, like online dating, tries to pair you up with a job that best fits you. Their differentiator is their “Mutual Suitability SystemTM†that enables them to match your wants and needs to those of employers to find the best relationship. The system learns about your skills, experiences, and goals and then presents you with jobs.
Then there’s the “Jobfox Intro,†where both the applicant and company get emails to encourage the connection. Just like VisualCV, you get your own branded website, with a personal web address to send to employers. JobFox was created by Rob McGovern, the founder of Careerbuilder.com.
10. Ecademy
Ecademy, like LinkedIn, is a prime source for professional networking. You have your own online profile, where you can tell people what you do. You can join business networking groups based around your expertise and exchange messages with other members privately. You can also ask for introductions from friends, just like LinkedIn. Although, there isn’t a job search area on the site, 80% of jobs are from networking and this place is dedicated to it.
More Career Resources from Mashable:
- CAREER TOOLBOX: 100+ Places to Find Jobs
- 7 Secrets to Getting Your Next Job Using Social Media
Image courtesy of iStockphoto, YinYang
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Effortlessly Share Contact Info From Your Mobile Phone
Feb 26, 2009 Mashable
This post is part of Mashable’s Spark of Genius series, which highlights a unique feature of startups. If you would like to have your startup considered for inclusion, please see the details here. The series is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark.
Name: DubMeNow
Quick Pitch: DUB gives you a simple, smart way to exchange business contact information from your mobile phone.
Genius Idea: DubMeNow competes with a crowded field of mobile and web applications that aim to make sharing contact information a simple and electronic process. The service allows mobile phone users the ability to text or email their contact info to another mobile phone. Sounds basic, right? But where DubMeNow excels is the auto-update of information and group exchange of contact information.
To get started with DUB, all you need to do is create an account and setup your electronic business. Once you do, you can easily exchange that info with contacts via SMS (text DUBME to 32075 with contacts email, phone number, or DUB ID) or email, then anytime you or your DUB contacts update your information, DUB will automatically refresh you and your friends’ mobile address book. We also really like that DUB uses Google Maps and GPS to track where contact information is exchanged, so users can conveniently reference their initial meeting place with contacts by location.
The Group DUB feature is also pretty neat. It gives group coordinators a quick way to create a Group DUB pin number that meeting or event attendees can use to exchange contact information with the whole group. Organizers must set an expiration time for the pin number  they can select from 1 hour, 1 day, or 1 week  preventing new participants from joining the Group DUB once the pin has expired.
Users can even import their contacts from Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, LinkedIn, Outlook, and MobileMe. So, if you’re already using Google Sync to sync up the contacts on your phone with your Gmail address book, then you have a simple way to add those contacts into Dub.
However, since DubMeNow does have mobile apps for all of the major mobile platforms, it would make more sense for them to automatically pull from your mobile phone’s existing address book. We do, however, like the fact that DUB can be synced with CRM solutions like SalesForce and SugarCRM, which should prove to be a huge asset for sales and marketing professionals.
Sponsored by Microsoft BizSpark
BizSpark is a startup program that gives you three-year access to the latest Microsoft development tools, as well as connecting you to a nationwide network of investors and incubators. There are no upfront costs, so if your business is privately owned, less than three years old, and generates less than U.S.$1 million in annual revenue, you can sign up today.
Popularity: 2% [?]
Why iTunes Pass is a Great Idea
Feb 25, 2009 Mashable
iTunes offers a new option to users: iTunes Pass. It’s basically the iTunes equivalent of fan club; you buy the pass for a particular band (currently, only Depeche Mode is in stock) for a fixed fee, and you receive all their stuff – singles, remixes, exclusives, videos – as it appears on iTunes.
It may not be too interesting for the casual iTunes users, who buy a couple of songs per week, but it’s a great option for the true fans – if executed properly. Here’s why:
1. It reduces the hassle
One of the biggest problems the entertainment industry faces today is not only the fact that pirated content is free; it’s also more efficiently organized, faster, and in many ways better than what you get in stores. One of many reasons why this is so is the fact that to purchase something digitally, not only do you have to give money for it, you have to go through the process of purchasing it, which can be a hassle for various reasons. Perhaps you’re a kid and you have to nag your parents to use their credit card. Perhaps you’re scared of leaving your credit card number on the Internet. Maybe you’re just lazy. With the iTunes Pass, you pay one time, and you receive stuff as it arrives on iTunes, without having to go through the process of purchasing new products every time.
2. It offers more
The industry is trying to rip you off all the time. I can give you a very fresh example: a couple of days ago, I was at a Gaslight Anthem gig in Vienna, and they played a song that was recorded as an extra, iTunes-only tune. However, the band was unhappy with the deal; they told the audience they wanted this tune to be free for people who had already bought the album, but it wasn’t so. Definitely not a good promotion for iTunes.
Now, iTunes Pass should ideally be about offering exactly these kind of deals: extra content and features for the true fan out there, for a lesser price. Which brings us to another important point about iTunes Pass:
3. It’s cheaper
Or at least so they claim on iTunes: The purchase price of iTunes Pass will not exceed the fair market value of individual items offered as part of iTunes Pass.
It doesn’t sound too reassuring, though. Actually, it sounds like they’re trying to rip you off again, by making you buy more for a tiny weeny bit lower price than it normally is. Hopefully, this won’t be so: for a feature like iTunes Pass to work, the extra content that you get for the price must be attractive and plentiful, because the true fan will definitely know the difference between one crappy remix and, say, an entire live concert set. The industry needs to understand that a) fans are always thirsty for more content, b) there’s a lot of content to give, and c) this is not the time to be cheap.
When more iTunes Passes are available, we’ll see if the music industry and iTunes are ready to make the best of this opportunity, or they see it as just another way to milk more cash from the fans. Hopefully, it’s the former.
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Popularity: 1% [?]
5 Startup Tips From the Father of Gmail and FriendFeed
Feb 25, 2009 Mashable
Andrew Warner is an Internet entrepreneur and the founder of Mixergy. He interviews successful people to learn how they did it.
I asked Paul Buchheit for advice on launching startups because he fathered two of this decade’s most successful online products: Gmail and FriendFeed. As part of his work on Gmail, he also developed the first prototype of AdSense, Google’s ad program. And he’s known as the engineer who suggested Google’s now famous motto: “Don’t be evil.”
Here’s some of what he had to say (also, see the video below):
1. Launch a scaled-back version
You can find a simple, scaled-down way of launching anything. “Tesla [the financially struggling electric car startup] spent a lot of money making these cars, but there are people making electric cars in their garages. So it’s always possible to do a scaled-back version of what you have in mind.”
2. Notice sluggish competitors
When he considered building Gmail, he looked at Yahoo! Mail, the leading Web-based email provider and noticed that “they were actively making their products worse. Which I think is a really good indicator of an opportunity. Yahoo! decreased their [email storage capacity] from 6 megabytes to 4 megabytes.”
The free email providers at the time “were trying to push you into their paid accounts. And in general, people had a low opinion of Web mail because they thought it couldn’t be good.”
3. You don’t need virality if your product is good
“I think the best kind of virality,” he said, “is a product that people like so much that they just want to tell people about it.”
“Think about Google search itself. Where’s the virality? There is none. But people just love the product, so they tell their friends, and somehow it just grew to where it is now, with some huge share of the market.”
4. Follow your passion
Instead of setting goals, he said, “I have a different approach. I look to see what things I enjoy doing and just try to figure out how to spend my time doing things that I enjoy.”
“I like writing code. I like building product. I like making things that people like.”
5. Sometimes you have to go off on your own
“Inside of a big company like Google,” he said, “you can do just about anything and a million people will show up just because the Google name is attached. That’s kind of like cheating. What you make doesn’t have to be good.”
“Consequently, of course, Google has to be careful that you’re not just releasing random things. That means that there tends to be a lot more process to prevent you from doing those random things. Because that would harm their brand over time.”
More startup resources from Mashable:
- Startup Hacks: Seven Ideas for Building Your Team
- Seth Godin’s 7 Tips for Startups in a Down Market
- HOW TO: Raise Money in a Down Economy
- What Every European Startup Should Know: 10 Keys to Presenting Your Startup in the US
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