I read an article recently about how the use of social networks is really starting to impact people’s professional lives. There’s the challenge of your boss or employer in general being on the same network you are, whether it be twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or a host of others. Most large companies are using online services to monitor and watch what’s being said about them and their brand. Most of us should assume that there are people listening, regardless of whether we think they care of not.

Spending time in the recruiting business and as a manage for other offices, reviewing applications and doing a quick name search for applicants online was just something I did. I was amazed at what I found sometimes, and more amazed at the stories I’ve read.

I know someone who was looking for a job and shortly after the interview wrote on his blog and called the person that interviewed him an “idiot” and doesn’t know if he could ever work for that company. They were so “screwed” up he wasn’t sure if he could really turn them around and fix anything.

I can tell you right now. If he’d interviewed with me, there’s not a chance he would have gotten the job and you can believe I would have let my own network know about my experience as well.

There’s a balance between being “transparent”, the buzz word of choice for social media, and maintaining a healthy inner dialogue as the article stated.

Image: sxc.hu

Image via WikipediaThis is just a quick rant. Meets are a pain in the butt. I mean, sometimes it’s necessary to meet and talk about a project or get people up to speed on the latest information. We have them each week for the bloggers and our group and I usually held a network meeting each week at my last company but to have meetings to decide what will be accomplished at the next meeting is rediculous.

People who set these types of meetings up — and you know who you are — stop it! Email and IM are great tools to collaborate while getting work done. A quick, “Who will do the research on the new cat toy?” email will do wonders. It doesn’t take blocking out 30 minutes of someone else’s time to decide on this.

Oh yeah, and when the research comes in, email it out to the group before the meeting. It’s of almost no use if people have to thumb through 30 pages of junk at a meeting table before they can even start to talk. Archives, message boards, wikis and more are great tools that businesses and groups of people should not take lightly. They are productivity tools for a reason. They increase it.

Image via WikipediaIt’s a fact of life that information overload is not easy to escape. Whether you enjoy playing the license plate game or reading the New York Times on your way to work (Do they sill print a paper?), there is a lot to read, take in and retain out there in this cruel world. Luckily, with the help of many great Web 2.0 tools out there, it’s becoming a bit simpler. I’d like to point you in the direction of a few that I have used to simplify my life.

Google Reader (or any other web feed reader) -
GR is an excellent tool to help process the everyday information that shows up on most of your favorite sites. This can be used to find both the latest nuddy magazine photos and the greatest updates on the Apple/i phone information saga. Convenient? I think so.

PageOnce -
PageOnce has been a big help for me and now that it’s out of strict beta (closed to some), it’s even better. I use it to pull in bank account balances, bill due dates and the latest in my Facebook statuses. You can use it to do the same and keep your life organized on just a few pages.

Mint.com -
Mint has been a lifesaver or me (no pun intended) when it comes to keeping track of my finances. I am able to pull in all my financial services — stock portfolios (like I trade, hah), bank accounts (already know they’re near zero) and credit cards (those just keep rising) — and then get information about each of my accounts. It’s secure, easy and fun to use. In addition to getting account info, Mint also gives suggestions on ways to save money or cut down on debt — always a helpful feature.

Whether you’re an information whore or a drive-by reader, services like these can help you stay organized. Being organized can not only save you time but introduce you to new information. How do you think I found out about LOLcatz? Oh yeah, my feed reader!