How to Job Search as a Mid-Career Candidate

How to Job Search as a Mid-Career CandidateHow to Job Search as a Mid-Career CandidateSearchingforanewjob mid-career is different than when you first entered the workplace. Many aspects oftheprocessare easier as a mid-career applicant, you can point to yourbody of work or track record to help support your candidacy for a position. Plus, youre flush with examples when it comes toanswering questions about past triumphsand how youve tackleddifficult colleaguesor situations. You have substantial work experience on your resumeand strong credentials you can bring to your next employer. Successful Strategiesfor Mid-Career Job Searches The flip side to this mid-career advantage being in the middle isnt always easy (just ask any middle child you know). A mid-career candidate is too advanced for an entry-level jobbut oftenlacks the required qualifications for a senior level role. This can make finding a position harder, since you have to target your job search so precisely. Hereyoull find recommendations to help make your mid-career job search a success, so you can land the right job for this stage of your career. Know What You Want and Target Good Matches Early in your career, flexibility may have been a guiding force you may have applied to jobs in several cities and been open to working all sorts of hours. While its not always the case, many mid-career employees have more parameters when it comes to work needs. If youre a homeowner, for instance, geography may play a role in where you performyourjob search. Parents may feel that long hours or frequent travel arent iabsprache. (Parents, hereshow to know if a job posting is family-friendly.) Be realistic about what aspects of a job are a deal breaker for you, aswellas where you can be flexible. Unlike entry-level candidates, mid-career candidateswho have been in the workforce for several years know more about what works best for them, from company size toculture. Use this information to create a list of companie s and positions that are a good matchforyou. Spend some time at the job you have now positioning yourself to move successfully to your next role. If youre considering a career change, start by creating a transition plan. It will be much easier to get started if you know what youre looking forand what you want to do next in your career. Identify and Use Your Network Your network is one of your biggest advantages. Even if youve worked exclusively in one job, youve likely encountered lots of people who have moved on to other companies. Use yournetwork to power your job search. Reconnect with former colleagues. This can be as simple as a quick email to say helloor an invite to a coffee date.Check on LinkedInto make sure youre connected with everyone youve worked with. Before you apply for a job, see if you have a connection there who can personally refer youtothehiringmanager. A recommendation from a valued employee at the organization youre interested in can help you secure an inte rview. Overhaul Your Resume andOnline Presence Has it been awhile since you updated your resume? Review thesetips for mid-career resumesand give yours an overhaul. There are simplebut powerful, ways you can update your resume to increase your marketability. Inplus-rechnento updating your resume, you may also want to refresh orcreatean online presence. This could beas simple as updating yourLinkedIn profileor requestingrecommendations on LinkedIn,but you may want to go bigger Consider if it makes sense for you to have a personal website or an online portfolio to broadcast your qualifications and show off your work. Update Your einstellungsgesprch Persona As a mid-career candidate, confidence, experience, results, and leadership are some of your strongest assets. Its no longer enough to say youre a hard worker - employers are looking for more. Think about how you carry yourself in interviews, fromyour outfittowhats on your resumetoyour responses to interview questions. Sho w the Right Qualificationsand Make Sure Your Skills Are Up to Date Where early-career candidates may struggle to have any experience, mid-career candidates can run into trouble if they have out-of-date experience. This can be particularly true in tech-driven fields. Make sure any certifications are up to date, and review industry websites, newsletters, and social media to ensure that youre using the right lingo. Inadditionto making sure your skills are current, its important for mid-career applicants to show off the right level of qualifications. While you dont want to seem underqualified and downplay your experience, you may find that for some jobs you get dismissed as being overqualified. Here are tips forwriting your resumeandcover letterif you are overqualified for a position. Consider a Recruiter As candidates with proven experience, mid-career job applicants are attractive torecruiters, who act as matchmakers between companies filling open positions and candidates. Inaddi tionto arranging interviews and making introductions, recruiters can help you tailor your resumeand provide tips on how to answer questions and what to skills and qualities to emphasize. If this sounds like it could be helpful, heres more information onhow to find a recruiter. Aim High As you look at job postings as a mid-career candidate, dont be afraid to aim high. Stretch yourself Look to make a vertical move rather than a horizontal one. Its all too easy to undercut yourself or talk yourself out of applying for a job, but know that even if you dont have every single skill or requirement listed on a job posting, you can learn on the job. If youre feeling intimidated, try this exercise make a list of each of your on-the-job accomplishments. Once thats complete, youre sure to feel confident when sending cover letters and interviewing for jobs.

Top Jobs for Sociology Degree Majors

Top Jobs for Sociology Degree MajorsTop Jobs for Sociology Degree MajorsIf you are intrigued by how and why people interact as they do with others, then maybe sociology is the major for you.Sociology majors learn to think critically about social problems and social phenomena. The major is very broad. Everything in the social realm is open for study, including family, marriage, deviance, criminology, group interaction, gender roles, sexuality, work roles, public policy, aging, social inequality, attitude development, and much more. Once you graduate with a degree in sociology, there are a number ofcareersthat willfit your skills and knowledge. Read below for more information on the types of jobs that might be right for you, as well as a list of sociology skills. Career Options for Sociology Majors To choose the best possible career, you will need to consider your other skills, interests, and values as well as the sociology major. Here are some common job possibilities to explore a s you think of ways to apply your sociology major to the work world. 1. Guidance Counselor Guidance counselors use knowledge of the sociology of learning to help students navigate the academic world. They also communicate with families to devise strategies to support the achievement of their students. Guidance counselors utilize interview and counseling techniques to help students make academic and career choices. Guidance counselors use problem-solving skills to mediate conflicts and resolve social problems within schools. They facilitate group sessions and instruct students about social issues like bullying, substance abuse, and safe sex. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the mean annual wage for school and college counselors welches $55,410 in 2017. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $32,660, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $91,960. Employment of school and career counselors is projected to grow 13 percent from 2016 to 2026, faster than the averag e for all occupations. 2. Human Resources (HR) Representative HR representatives need to have finesse with people and interact effectively with a broad range of individuals and groups. They must be able to analyze work roles and assess the suitability of candidates for jobs. Interviewing skills learned by sociology majors are essential for this evaluation. HR staff membersuse problem-solving skills to mediate conflicts and resolve personnel issues. HR representatives use analytical anddecision-making skillsto evaluate alternative structures for employee benefits. The BLS indicated that the average wage for human resources representatives welches $60,350 in May 2017. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $35,810, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $103,570. Employment of human resources specialists isprojected to grow 7 percent from 2016 to 2026, about as fast as the average for all occupations. 3. Lawyer Lawyers use critical thinking and analytical skills to research and l itigate their cases. Many areas oflegal practice,such as divorce, child custody, adoption, criminal law, personal injury, worker compensation, and employment law benefit, are related to sociology. Lawyers draw on research and writing skills to carry out their work. They must gather facts and evidence to support a thesis, just as sociology majors do with their position papers. Lawyers must present their findings in a compelling manner in order to convince a judge, jury or opposing attorney of their position. This is similar to presentations in sociology classes. According to the BLS, lawyers earned an average income of $119,250 in May 2017. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $57,430, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $208,000. Job opportunities for lawyers are expected to grow by 8percent from 2016 to 2026, about as fast as theaverage for all occupations. 4. Management Consultant Management consultants analyze business issues, research possible remedies or enhancements, and present solutions to clients. New college graduates often start out in positions like research analyst, research assistant, or junior consultant, where they support the work of more senior staff. Sociology majors develop the qualitative and quantitative research skills to understand a business problem. Theirproblem-solving skillshelp them to generate viable solutions to unterstellung issues. Writing and public speaking skills are also critical when constructing reports and presenting analyses and solutions to clients. The BLS estimated that the average annual income for management consultants was $82,450 in May 2017. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $47,140, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $152,210. Employment opportunities were projected to increase by 14percent from 2016to2026, faster than average for all occupations. 5. Market Research Analyst Market research analysts test products and services and evaluate the effectiveness of marketingcampaigns. They util ize social science research techniques, including interviews, surveys, and focus groups, to gather data. Market researchers employ statistical methods mastered by sociology majors to analyze data. Market researchers often track preferences for specific consumer groups. The sociologists knowledge of gender, youth, aging, race, ethnicity, and social class helps to inform these assessments. An understanding of group process and advanced communication skills help sociologymajors facilitate focus group interactions and conduct interviews with consumers. According to the BLS, market research analysts earned an average of $63,230 in May 2017. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $34,510, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $122,770. Employment opportunities for market research analysts are expected to expand by 23percent from 2016 to 2026, much faster than average. 6. Media Planner Media planners assess the advertising needs of clients and design a media plan to enhance sales to various groups. Like sociology majors, they must be able to interpret research and analyze the preferences of their target population. Media planners are aided by sociological knowledge, as they study the characteristics of various groups in order to select the best possible media to advertise their product. According to Payscale, media planners earn an average salary of $47,710. 7. Policy Analyst Policy analystsresearch issues that affect the public. They recommend legislation to address thoseproblems. Knowledge of sociology helps analysts to assess the impact of legislation on social problems and various populations. Sociology majors have the foundation to analyze issues like welfare, poverty, substance abuse, job training, education, healthcare, and gay marriage. Policy analysts, like sociology majors, rely on strong writing skills to represent the findings of their research and convince legislators and the public of the viability of their recommendations. According to Payscale, policy analysts earn an average of $56,178. 8. Public Relations (PR) Specialist PR specialistsneed to be the ultimate communicators. As such, they must have the sociology majors ability to understand an audience and its attitudes, needs, and preferences. Writing skills are critical for crafting high-impact press releases. Public relations staff must have theinterpersonal skillsto talk to the media and convince them to cover stories about their client or organization. They need to convey ideas clearly to staff and clients and engender support and consent for their ideas. The BLS indicated in May 2017 that the average salary for public relations representatives was $59,300. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $32,840, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $112,260. Employment opportunities for public relations representatives are expected to grow by 9percent from 2016to2026, about as fast as theaverage for all jobs. 9. Social Worker Social workers apply the knowledge of socia l dynamics and social institutions learned as a sociology major to assess client issues and help resolve problems.They make referrals to appropriate community agencies to leverage resources on behalf of individuals and families. Active listeningandverbal communication skillsare essential to assessing problems and advising clients about ways to improve their lives. The BLS estimates that the average salary for social workers was $47,980 in May 2017. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $29,560, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $79,740. Opportunities for social workers areprojected to grow by 16percent from 2016 to 2026, a much faster rate than theaveragefor all occupations. 10. Survey Researcher/Pollster Survey researchers and pollsters measure attitudes and opinions in areas familiar to the sociology major, like social and political issues, health, culture, and consumer products. They carefully compose survey questions to elicit clear answers. Survey researchers use the data collection and statistical analysis techniques that sociology majors learn. They write and present reports to share their findings with clients. Survey researchers use knowledge of groups and sub-cultures as they assess the opinions of targeted demographics. They must be curious about a social phenomenon in order to conduct background research about survey topics. According to the BLS, the average annual salary for survey researchers in May 2017 was $54,270. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $27,000, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $100,660. Employment opportunities for survey researchers are expected to grow by 2percent from 2016to2026, slower than theaverage for all occupations. Sociology Major Skills Sociology majors learn to conduct research about the social world. They gather and analyze data using both qualitativeresearchmethods and statistical tools. Students who major in sociology write reports to convey research findings and present their perspect ive on social issues. They learn to think globally about issues as well as to attend to details. Sociology majors refine presentation skills by sharing findings with faculty and peers. All of these kinds of assignments help students develop strongcommunication skills. Sociology majors are taught to identify problems that exist in the world around them. They apply problem-solving skills to these social dilemmas and exercise theircreative abilitiesto find remedies. Sociology majors learn to take a position on an issue and construct a rationale to support their perspective. Sociology Major Skills List Below is a list of skills most sociology majors develop over the course of their academic careers. When applying for a job, consider which skills on this list are important for the job. Highlight your experience with these skills in your resume, cover letter, and interview. Think of examples of times you demonstrated these skills in coursework, internships, and jobs. Skills vary by jo b, so also review theseskills listsfor a variety of different occupations. A - C Active listeningAdministering surveys and questionnairesAnalyticalAnalyzing social problemsAnalyzing work rolesApplying ethical standards to researchApplying principles of group processApplying theories to real-world situationsAppreciating individual differencesAssessing demographic trendsCaringCoding dataCommunicating with diverse populationsComparing and contrasting methodological approaches to gathering dataConducting field observationsConducting interviewsConstructing research modelsConstructing valid arguments Conveying sociological conceptsCreating charts and graphsCreativityCritical thinking D -I Detail orientationDeveloping public policy recommendations based on sociological trends and dataDevising surveys regarding the social phenomenonDiscerning recurring patternsDisplaying knowledge of the impact of social institutionsEmpathyEvaluating the reliability and validity of research findingsExplaini ng complex conceptsFacilitating focus groupsFacilitating group discussionsGathering information from multiple sourcesIdentifying patterns of deviant behaviorIdentifying signs of conflictIdentifying underlying assumptions in particular theoretical orientations or arguments IndependenceInterpersonalInterpreting data L - P LeadershipLeading meetingsLogical reasoningManaging stressMarketingMediating disagreementsMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft WordMotivating othersNote takingOrganizationalPerforming descriptive statistical testsPerforming multiple linear regression analysesPerforming two-way correlationsPersistencePersuasive communicationPlanning projectsPowerPointPragmatismPredicting outcomesPresentationPrioritizingProblem-solvingProducing bivariate tables with chi-square tests of significance R - Z R (a Stat Package)Reading complex materialResearchResolving conflictsSASSelf-awarenessSocial perceptivenessSPSSStructuring focus groupsStudyingSystematically observing a social phenomenonSystemati zingTeamworkTesting hypothesesTime managementUnderstanding an audienceUnderstanding cultural differencesVerbal communicationViewing issues from diverse anglesWriting research proposalsWriting

How the CSI Effect Influences American Jurors

How the CSI Effect Influences American JurorsHow the CSI Effect Influences American JurorsThe CSI effect is a belief held primarily among law enforcement personnel and prosecutors that forensic science television dramas, such as CSI Crime Scene Investigation, influence American jurors to expect more forensic evidence to convict defendants of crimes. Public Perceptions of Forensic Science In forensic science television dramas, crime scene investigators collect and analyze evidence, interview suspects and solve the crime in one hour. Police and prosecutors know this is unrealistic, but they are concerned that the futuristic technology and speedy resolutions viewers see each week shape the publics expectations of crime solvers. Television writers and producers do bedrngnis make their characters live within the time and funding constraints placed on actual forensic scientists. Professionals worry that jurors may acquit guilty defendants because forensic evidence is not presented by t he prosecution at trial. Since the television shows gained popularity in the early 2000s, juries have been on pins and needles when it comes to forensic evidence. Talking about science in the courtroom used to be like talking about geometry - a real jury turnoff. Now that theres this almost obsession with the (TV) shows, you can talk to jurors about (scientific evidence) and just see from the looks on their faces that they find it fascinating, Jury consultant Robert Hirschhorn said in a 2004 USA Today story. Empirical Research on the CSI Effect The CSI effect has not been substantiated by empirical research. While some existing evidence on juror decisionmaking is consistent with the CSI effect, it is equally plausible that watching CSI has the opposite impact on jurors and increases their tendency to convict, Tom Tyler said in the Yale Law Review in 2006. There are instances documented in news stories where jurors specifically request forensic evidence. Even if these instances can be attributed to the CSI effect, they themselvesdo not empirically prove a widespread phenomenon. Stories like these compel prosecutors to outline to juries why certain pieces of evidence do or do not exist in a case. For example, jurors in a murder case may expect to hear ballistics evidence if the murder was committed using a firearm. If the bullets were damaged so that they could not be conclusively matched to the alleged murder weapon, a prosecutor would explain this rather than omitting the ballistics report from the states evidence list. Gregg Barak, Young Kim and Donald Shelton conducted research on the opinions of potential jurors in Ann Arbor, Michigan. In the summer of 2006, they set out to find whether those people who watched programs like CSI demanded to see more scientific evidence before they would convict a defendant. Although CSI viewers had higher expectations for scientific evidence than non-CSI viewers, these expectations had little, if any, bearing on the re spondents propensity to convict. This, we believe, is an important finding and seemingly very good news for our Nations criminal justice ordnungsprinzip that is, differences in expectations about evidence did not translate into important differences in the willingness to convict, Shelton wrote about the research for the National Institute of Justice in March 2008. Shelton said they saw more of a tech effect where jurors are influenced by advances in technology rather than what they watch on television. As jurors see technological advances in their own lives, they expect forensic science technology to keep up with or outpace consumer technology. Impact on Forensic Science Education Since the rise in popularity of forensic science television dramas, the number of universities offering forensic science degrees has increased as have the number of students pursuing those degrees.

How Flextime and Telecommuting Benefit Workplaces

How Flextime and Telecommuting Benefit WorkplacesHow Flextime and Telecommuting Benefit WorkplacesNearly 4.3 million employees worked from home at least part-time in 2018, according to GlobalWorkplaceAnalytics. Thats an increase of 140% since 2005. Millions mora work in positions that could easily lend themselves to flextime and telecommuting, at least a couple days a week. Experts have long predicted that the emergence of mobile technology would eventually have a major impact on the way people work, and that time has come. EMarketer indicates that adults spent more than three and a half hours a day on their mobile smartphones in 2018, even when they worked in brick-and-mortar workplaces, and its expected that theyll spend more time staring at their phones than at television screens in 2019. Thats a lot of texting, surfing the internet, and collaborating using mobile technology, both in the office and on the go. Smart employers have begun to offer a lot more flextime and telecommutin g to keep up with these trends and employee preferences. The Business Atmosphere is Global Companies have started to expand globally. Teams are no longer always sitting in the same office, or even in the same state or country. They have to work outside normal work hours to accommodate team members in other time zones, and this demands more flexibility in scheduling. Traveling employees can take their work on the road with them to improve their productivity levels, and companies can safely outsource tasks to contractors in other regions. Telecommuting Appeals to Younger Workers Telecommuting and flextime appeal to the younger, more technologically savvy generation of workers. An employee benefits package that allows for flexible schedules and remote work options is a major boon if your company hopes to attract and recruitthe freshest young talent. Millennials now make up the single largest population of workers, just behind baby boomers who are retiring and leaving in droves. Theyre more inclined to work looser schedules that allow them to focus on work when they want to, and they prioritize their personal commitments the rest of the time. Its expected that 75% of the U.S. workforce will be made up of millennials by 2025, and they want more flexibility and versatility. The Value of Work/Life Balance More work/life balance is a new value in the workplace, with flextime and remote work leading the way. The Workplace Trends 2015 Workplace Flexibility Study revealed that while 67% of employers feel workers have work-life balance, 45% of employees disagree. Many employees are part of the sandwich generation- theyre taking care of ailing baby boomer parents while simultaneously raising their own children. Flexible schedule and telecommuting allow employees to make the most of their time without sacrificing their careers or personal lives. The good news is that companies are taking steps to provide employee benefits that honor greater flexibility and the o ption to work from home as necessary. The Workplace Trends study indicated that seven out of 10 HR managers have made flexible work benefits a priority, and 87% of organizations have experienced improved employee satisfaction. About 71% have seen an increase in productivity.

How to Add Resume to Linkedin Guide

How to Add Resume to Linkedin Guide You have to make your personal customized LinkedIn profile URL as a way to utilize your LinkedIn profile in your branding. The LinkedIn profile is a crucial component of your career promoting portfolio. Additionally, your LinkedIn profile can boost your visibility online and help you construct your professional brand. It has a unique URL, which is useful if you want to share your LinkedIn profile. The other way that you can search LinkedIn for individuals with specific GPAs is to leverage an online search engine like Google and carry out an X-Ray search of LinkedIn profiles. Dont give us the firms branding from its site, which is guaranteed to be boring and stodgy. One of the absolute fruchtwein important components of LinkedIn is your profile. While LinkedIn is an excellent tool for networking, in the same way as any other utility, it has some weaknesses alongside its many strengths. LinkedIn is undoubtedly the most common social network f or professionals. Fortunately, LinkedIn provides an option for you to make a short, custom made LinkedIn profile URL. Then youve got to work out the LinkedIn thing also. The One Thing to Do for How to Add Resume to Linkedin There are not any limits on the amount of your on-line profile, so that you can use it in order to go over all your different, relevant skills. There are several simple dos and donts that youre able to implement in the resume process that may earn a big difference in the accomplishment of your resume leading to interviews. You can improve your profile in various ways by taking advantage of LinkedIn applications. Once youve got an account, complete all sections of the fundamental profile and any extra qualities you wish to improve put you and your company in the very best light. The Meaning of How to Add Resume to Linkedin LinkedIn also allows you to personalize your URL with the edit settings. You also wish to check the LinkedIn Company Page URL youre a ttempting to obtain before submitting your request. You may also add your resume utilizing an application called box.net. Just be sure to tell us you are seeking the Append LinkedIn ID once we call you. New Questions About How to Add Resume to Linkedin When applying for work, its wise to phone in advance and learn if the geschftlicher umgang youre applying to scans their resume submissions. If you dont have a Premium account but are interested in finding a refund from LinkedIn, youll need to submit a support ticket. While users wait to discover what changes LinkedIn will implement, its ideal to set a plan in place that will guard your information in the event of problems. The advice for LinkedIn is, naturally, the precise opposite. The Definitive Approach for How to Add Resume to Linkedin One of the absolute most important elements of your LinkedIn profile is the list of positions youve held over time, including your existing job. Bear in mind that LinkedIn is among the be st regions to look for job postings online. LinkedIn offers a vast network of both employers and prospective employees, which makes it a terrific place to look for employment. As soon as you are LinkedIn you can begin benefiting from your efforts. You may even locate a new client or business partner by means of a group. Most experienced professionals possess the skills to do mora than 1 job. You are able to create a profile on LinkedIn which can be utilized to network with future employers, in addition to connect with others in your industry who can help you to find the job of your dreams. So creating a superb profile is critical to being found for your next career prospect. The Dos and Donts of How to Add Resume to Linkedin If youve got a Premium account, your account is going to be reviewed and youll be notified via email. Scannable resumes need specific page designs because computer scanners cant read certain products. The last issue to improve your resume is your very ow n human voice. Check your signature appears the direction you want, and visit the bottom of the webpage and choose Save changes. For starters, the resumes owner employs full sentences in place of sentence fragments.

A Lesson in Brand Management, Courtesy of Bill Cosby

A Lesson in Brand Management, Courtesy of Bill Cosby The www is a powerful tool. Use it well, andyou can become the peoples champion. Just check out the eternally goofy and slightly anarchic Tumblr presence of Dennys. An elderly gentlemanhula hoops with an onion ringand receives the adulation of thousands of users.A goofball reference to Taylor Swiftfares similarly well. Dennys runs a very strong Tumblr game by embracing the platforms culture. The Dennys blog is not a staid corporate promotional tool its a gleeful little community, and Tumblr users have grown very, very fond of the Dennys brand. The diner chain has successfully turned Tumblr into a significantcustomer base (and maybe even a talent community) which might have something to do with why the company saw its earnings grow by almost 19 percent last quarter.Pulling a Dennys is no simple task. As freewheeling as the companys Tumblr page seems, its the result of smart calculation. Im willing to bet that whoever runs the account is a Tumblr native, or at least a damnobservantresearcher corporate behemoth or not, Dennys posts come across as authentic and believable, in tune withthe aesthetics, preferences, and sense of humor endemic to Tumblr.The Dennys triumph is especially laudable when you consider just how distrustful Internet communities tend to be of corporate entities. Recall how bitterly the denizens of Tumblr reacted when Yahoo bought the platform and now, many of those same users are reblogging Dennys posts left and right.Still unconvinced that Dennys brand managers have shown exceptional prowess on the Web? Still think that anyone can dive headfirst into the Internet andgain legions of adoring fans by simply being random and hip?Well, then you and I need to talk about Bill Cosby.How Not to Manage Your Brand OnlineFirst things first I recognize that Cosby is an entertainer and personality not a company loo king to attract talent so thecomparisons I make between his brand woes and the shining success of Dennys will be imperfect. That being said, Cosbys goals online are still fairly similar to the goals of any company. Regardless of whether or a brand is looking to attract fans, customers, or talent, theyre primarily looking to cultivate goodwill and a positive public image. Therefore, I think brands of all kinds can learn from Cosbys teams mistakes.For those who dont know, Cosby is the midst of a public image crisis hes facing 14 allegations ofsexual assault, according to CNN. I am not here to weigh in on whether or not he is guilty. I am neither judge nor jury, and my opinions on unterstellung allegations would require an entirely separate piece.I bring these allegations up because I suspect they motivated his (or his social media teams) decision to tweet a picture of him and invite other Twitter accounts to meme him on Monday. If my suspicions are correct, this was Cosbys first cruc ial mistake you will never, ever, ever deflect a scandal of this magnitude by trying to position yourself as a harmless jokester who wants the Internet to play along with you. Allegations of this severity will not be dispelled with a few goofy pictures, and to think this could be the case shows both a painfully tone deaf response to serious accusations and an underestimation of public morality.For Cosby to overcome these allegations if, indeed, he is innocent if he is not, I dont believe hell be able to overcome them, nor do I necessarily believe he should be able to overcome them requires a lot more than just palling around with Twitter. It requires serious, rigorous, direct engagement with the issue at hand.Cosbys legal team has issued a series of statements that attempt to refute the allegations, but his (or his social teams) decision to play it casual in the midst of the firestorm was a serious misstep. It made Cosby come across as oblivious to think he could invite memes at a time like this shows very poor judgment.And so, it should come as no surprise that the memes Cosby received were all sarcastic and venomous, with many outright accusing him of being a rapist (see the above-linked CNN article for examples). Cosbys (or his teams) decision to play it cool in the midst of such a situation only served to further lower his esteem in the public eye.This is because the meme me tweet lacked the very same authenticity that makes the Dennys blog such a success. Dennys is obviously in tune with the thoughts and emotions of the people it interacts with. The Cosby Twitter account, on the other hand, tried to not-so-slyly manipulate fans and followers into serving its own agenda. The Cosby brand wanted people to ignore a very serious reality. Such a move is offensive it underestimates the agency and beliefs of the very people it seeks to win over. Why, then, would anyone fall in line? Why wouldnt they fight back and express their disappointment and disgust?The po int is this no brand will ever win adoration or loyalty by treating its target audience like a bunch of easily swayed suckers. Authenticity, honesty, and mutual understanding are crucial to brand success in the Internet age. If you cant address your audiences concerns directly and truly, youd best keep your mouth shut until you can.Your brand may very well never face allegations as serious as the ones Cosby currently faces, but the point still stands your consumers the people who follow you, buy your products, enjoy what you do, and pay attention to your moves are human beings. Dont try to manipulate them into seeing things your way rather, try to earnestly connect with them.Cosby and his team did not do this. They were hoping to distract the people with what amounts to digital bread and circuses. It certainly doesnt win them any goodwill. If anything, it makes us all a bit more skeptical about Cosbys innocence.