Power out? No problem. twitter.com/Oreo/status/29…

— Oreo Cookie (@Oreo) February 4, 2013

I love @Oreo‘s response! If you want more information on how their team was able to get the graphic up so quickly, check out this Buzzfeed article.

We just really don’t want football season to end. Can you blame us?

— Buffalo Wild Wings (@BWWings) February 4, 2013

As it happens, a stadium blackout is the subject of another Buffalo Wild Wings ad. Their social team didn’t miss the opportunity.

I’m sure there were other clever brand responses that I missed. What were some of your favorites? Let me know on Twitter or in the comments!

I particularly identified with this line:

I know the skills I developed through AmeriCorps will help me be a better employee and a lifelong community member. My work challenged me to invest in a new community, allowed me to develop new relationships, and encouraged me to find innovative ways to tackle community problems.

Serving the Homeless as a VISTA

Cornerstone Assistance Network is a faith-based agency, and works with families on life and job skills. (Image credit: CAN).

Looking back on my own service experience, I can say it was worth it. I served as a VISTA with Cornerstone Assistance Network, a non-profit that meets the needs of people struggling with poverty in Tarrant County. Before my service, I had little direct knowledge of homelessness as a social problem, and relied on my perceptions.

The truth is, the reasons for homelessness are varied. I learned during my service year that everyone has a story, even the homeless man you pass on the street. We are all one or two wrong moves, or an economic downtown, away from needing help.

In my role as a VISTA, I had the opportunity to interview current and former clients, who shared their stories of struggle and triumph. In every case, I found a sense of gratitude, despite adversity.

I established a social media presence for the agency and was a key member of the website development team. Looking back, I take pride in my external relations role, helping Cornerstone tell its story online.

I’m proud that these contributions continue to live on after my service.

 Why AmeriCorps Matters

I make a point to tell my story of service because AmeriCorps is in danger of losing Congressional funding.

It has been my experience that national service is not only a fulfilling way to serve, but also an answer to our nation’s youth underemployment gap. AmeriCorps is a perfect partnership between young adults who serve, the federal government and non-profits around the country.

Last year alone, 80,000 Americans served with AmeriCorps, a Corporation for National and Community Service program.

It needs to be fully funded. Visit OneMillionNewJobs.org to learn more.

This is a guest post by Morgan Tracey. Morgan is an AmeriCorps Alum, lawyer and 2014 Olympic hopeful. She was recently honored at the White House as a Champion of Change. Find her website here.

Morgan Tracey at the White House. (Image Credit: Morgan Tracey)

Inspiration comes in many forms. When I began training for the Winter Olympics in the sport of skeleton, I was inspired by the dedication and sacrifice of the talented athletes around me.

Olympic Inspiration

Every day I walk the halls of the Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid, NY, admiring the athletes with whom I train. I’ve watched them overcome setbacks and injury, while sacrificing everything for a chance to represent their country in the Olympic Games.

I never thought I would meet a more inspirational group of people, until I attended the Champions for Change event at the White House in honor of AmeriCorps alumni.

As an athlete and Olympic hopeful, I’m acutely aware of the number of days leading to the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi. I was hesitant to miss a single workout, as each day of training is important. While looking through an old AmeriCorps photo album, I realized that if the other invitees were anything like my AmeriCorps NCCC teammates, the trip would be worthwhile.

Meeting Champions of Change

Morgan is training to compete in the 2014 Olympic Games. (Image credit: Morgan Tracey)

I was unsure what to expect when I arrived at the White House. As I stood before the gates and introduced myself to each attendee, I knew I had made the right decision. After a brief meet and greet, we spent the rest of the morning hearing from community leaders like Wendy Spencer, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service. The afternoon was devoted to the “Champions of Change” event.

The most enjoyable part of the day was the time I spent socializing with other alumni. Each had an inspiring story to share, from starting a non-profit for battered women to building homes for struggling families. I met people who mentored troubled youths, contributed to Teach for America and volunteered their time to Habitat for Humanity.

Every person I spoke with was the living embodiment of Chicken Soup for the Soul. They were making a difference in the lives of others in important ways.

Inspired to Serve

As I left Washington D.C., I thought about my own AmeriCorps experience. I realized that AmeriCorps was not just the most important period in my life, but in the lives of all the alumni I met. When I enlisted in 2003, I thought it was for 10 months. I’d get to volunteer, meet interesting people, travel the country and learn something about myself.

I didn’t realize it would be a life-changing experience, one I continue to learn from to this day. I would never have been inspired to become a wildland firefighter, attend law school, pass the bar or chase my Olympic dreams were it not for my AmeriCorps service. As I train for the 2014 Winter Olympics, the 175 AmeriCorps alumni I met, who continue making a difference, will be my inspiration.

Morgan Tracey
Attorney at Law
United States Skeleton

Note: To learn more about Morgan and the other AmeriCorps Alums honored as Champions of Change, click here.

The National 9/11 Flag (Image credit: www.911Memorial.org)

September 11, 2001 was, as President Roosevelt said, “a date which will live in infamy.”

I’m sure you can remember exactly where you were on that day. I was in high school, and heard the news in class. I watched the towers come down with the rest of my French class, trying to make sense of what was happening.

America Responds

In the days following the attacks, we saw the best of America. We helped each other grieve by serving one another. We read stories of heroism and survival like this one from FDNY Deputy Chief Jay Jonas (published in 2011). We even got back to watching baseball, and the song “God Bless America” took on a new meaning in the wake of the tragedy.

Now, A Call to Serve

Want to get things done for America? Serve with AmeriCorps. (Image credit: www.AmeriCorps.gov)

Today, we mark another anniversary of our nation’s worst tragedy since the attack on Pearl Harbor. We can honor the memory of the nearly 3,000 people that lost their lives by serving others.

After 9/11, many answered the call to serve by joining our nation’s military. The United States military has defended our nation admirably in Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan. To these brave men and women who defend with honor, thank you for your service.

You may not be called to serve in the military, but everyone can serve.

After graduating from college, I served as an AmeriCorps VISTA with Cornerstone Assistance Network, a non-profit that fights homelessness. I loved serving my country, and enjoyed contributing to a cause bigger than myself. I continue to learn from the experience.

Service to Honor 9/11

If you’d like to volunteer in your community to honor the anniversary of 9/11, there are non-profits around the country that would be glad to have your time and service. Here are a few resources to help you find a project:

1. 911Day.org: A movement to remember 9/11 each year through service. If you are interested in serving, enter your vip-code here to search for local opportunities.

2. Mission Continues: Have you ever wanted to say “Thank You” to a veteran? Here’s your chance! There is no better way to thank a veteran for serving than to volunteer alongside them. Mission Continues provides fellowships to post-9/11 veterans. Click here to register for a project.

2. Serve.gov: United We Serve is a nationwide service initiative, launched by President Obama and managed by the Corporation for National and Community Service. Learn more about the nationwide effort to mark 9/11 with service.

How will you honor the anniversary of 9/11?

Note: The credit for the images in this post goes to www.911Memorial.org and www.AmeriCorps.gov. They can be found here and here.

The closing ceremony ends 18 days of Olympic competition. (via London2012.com)

As the London 2012 Olympics draw to a close, I started thinking about the lessons we can draw from watching athletes compete at the highest level. The Olympics hold so many parallels for success in your career and life, so I thought I’d touch on a couple that stood out to me.

Focus on Your Goals

NBC did a great job of profiling Olympic athletes. In every case, the athletes showed a singular focus on their goal. One such profile was of South African track athlete Oscar Pistorius, the first double amputee to compete in Olympic history. His story is inspiring, and an example of what is possible when we refuse to let obstacles be obstacles.

“Being disabled doesn’t have to be a disadvantage.” – Oscar Pistorius (@OscarPistorius on Twitter)

What are your goals? What could we achieve if we had the focus of an Olympic athlete?

Perseverance

Things don’t always come easy, for the Olympic athlete or the rest of us. We saw in this Olympics that failure builds character. When life throws you a curve ball, take it as a learning experience. The ability to “get up off the mat” is crucial in life as well as sports. This parallel is one of the reasons I find sports so compelling.

“Hard days are the best, because that’s when champions are made.” – Gabby Douglas, Team USA (via London2012.com)

You are Bob Costas

Social media had a big impact on the fan experience of London 2012, which has been called the first “social” Games. Twitter’s partnership with NBC made it easy to follow the action. In 2012 and beyond, you don’t need a journalism degree to comment on, or even make news. You just need an Internet connection and a social network.

Your turn!

What will you take away from the London 2012 Olympic Games? How will Twitter and other social media outlets impact future events?

I have several years experience working with youth.

I have a passion for impacting the lives of youth. I’ve worked or volunteered for several organizations, including the Epilepsy Foundation and Fort Worth Zoo. But at first glance, you might think this experience has nothing to do with a professional career promoting non-profits.

In fact, I have found that these experiences have helped me be a better communicator.

I believe there are three reasons for this:

1. Patience, Patience, Patience….

Do you have a colleague that frustrates you? Staying patient isn’t easy when we are working with difficult colleagues or trying to meet deadlines. But, if you are working as part of a team, it’s an important skill. When working with youth, staying patient was important so that I didn’t overreact to any one situation.

2. Go Team!

Teamwork is essential to the success of any non-profit, and this is especially true for anyone working in child-care. I’ve worked in classrooms of 35-40 children, so having the support of the other instructors was essential. I learned how to delegate responsibility and carry out tasks assigned for the success of the team.

3. Lessons in Crisis Management

Let’s face it, sometimes, things don’t go as planned. Your brand, business or non-profit won’t always get positive press. My experience working directly with youth has taught me to react quickly, whether the situation called for me to discipline a child or bandage a skinned knee.

As communicators, we have to be ready for whatever is around the corner.

Working with youth is a great way to make a difference and improve your communication skills. The next time you need a lesson in crisis management, just volunteer.

A job search in today’s market has to include social media sites like LinkedIn.

For as long as I can remember, I have been told by advisors and colleagues that job boards are ineffective tools in a job search. If you are looking for new employment, using your contacts and finding connections with people is the best way to go.

Increasingly, job searches have become more than just handing out business cards and making connections over the phone. Social media sites like LinkedIn have become tools to make connections and even find that next job. I have been an active user of Facebook and LinkedIn since I was in college. Admittedly, though, I’ve been reluctant to take advantage of social media in my job search. That is until recently.

As competitive as today’s job market is, I’m learning that sending in a resume and cover letter alone doesn’t guarantee an interview. So, I’ve started using LinkedIn’s various groups to make connections and learn of possible leads. I’ve learned of job openings through LinkedIn that weren’t posted on any company website.

Though social media sites like LinkedIn won’t replace the traditional resume and portfolio, they do offer a way to make connections in advance of the interview process. With the advent of Google+ and the explosion of Twitter, job seekers have a number of ways to promote themselves online. I see this trend continuing in 2012 and beyond. As long as job seekers use the same professionalism online as they do in an interview setting, these tools can be very useful.

If you would like to connect with me on Twitter, click here.

Go Frogs! (Image Credit: www.tcu.edu)

Yesterday, I attended the Career and Intern Expo at TCU. This event brought employers from every field to TCU with internship, co-op and full-time opportunities for TCU students and alumni.

I attended a few of these events while still a student at TCU, and they always were a good opportunity to expand my network and get my name in front of potential employers. These types of networking events are also great practice for when I do land an interview.

I talked with several employers. Most were offering internships. This is understandable given that most of the people who came to the Expo were students.

This morning, I followed up with a contact I made. Especially at these events, what you do after the event is almost more important as what you do during it. Without proper follow up with employers you are interested in, your name and resume could go to the bottom of the pile simply because your name is not fresh on the employer’s mind.

Follow up is key!

For more on what to do before and at a Career Fair, check out TCU Career Services.

Over the past few months my site has undergone some changes.

If you’ve visited my site in the past, you’ll notice it looks different now. I’d like to take a minute to detail some of the changes. First, to the redesign. I’m using a WordPress theme called SimpleFolio, designed by the makers of Slimmity.

SimpleFolio is a widget-ready theme that comes with a Portfolio template, which showcases my work both on the homepage through a custom slider and on the portfolio page. I’ve changed the theme’s color scheme, in addition to designing a custom logo.

My move to include a portfolio and showcase myself online started with a basic question: How could I showcase my portfolio online? I did some research and contacted some of my former colleagues, even a former professor at TCU. Their advice was to do as much research as I could to match the presentation of my portfolio to others in my industry.

Online portfolios will never completely take the place of the traditional resume and portfolio. They are valuable for interviews, for both the employer and the job-seeker. But, this is a way to showcase some of my work in advance of an interview.

To view my portfolio, please click here.

In the coming days, I will be working with other Cornerstone VISTAs to turn the footage in to promotional material for Cornerstone’s various programs, but I thought I would share the story of one of our clients with you in advance.

Anita Morgan

Anita was formerly incarcerated. Caught up in a life of drugs, she came to Cornerstone for help and went through the Christian Women’s Job Corps program.

Designed to connect women to jobs and teach life skills about how to succeed in the workplace, Christian Women’s Job Corps exists to help women like Anita improve themselves so they can get a job or go to school upon graduation.

And that’s just what Anita has done.

After graduating from the CWJC, Anita enrolled in Tarrant County Junior College and started taking classes. With plans to graduate soon, she has confidence in herself that the she didn’t have prior to coming to Cornerstone.

Anita is a Powerful Witness

Anita’s story is like many who come to Cornerstone. I am blessed to work at Cornerstone, even it is just for a year. I work to help people see the potential within themselves. Anita’s story is a powerful witness for the healing power of Jesus Christ. Like many of Cornerstone’s clients, Anita wanted to change. God surrounded her with a new support system she uses daily to recover and set her on the right path.