How to Become an Accountant

The most effective method to Become an Accountant The most effective method to Become an Accountant It is safe to say that you are investigating a lifelong change and have a head for numbers? Or then again would you say you are an understudy considering the bookkeeping degree track? You may even be a records payable assistant hoping to climb the company pecking order. Despite the fact that you may not yet know precisely how to turn into a bookkeeper, breaking into the field is an entirely feasible objective. Skilled bookkeepers are sought after and can order rewarding pay rates, as per the Accounting Finance Salary Guide. Be that as it may, it's critical to comprehend that setting out on this vocation way takes noteworthy time, understanding and arranging. In case you're considering how to turn into a bookkeeper, the accompanying six stages can assist you with outlining your course. 1. Recognize your objectives There's a large number of ways to look over when arranging your bookkeeping profession. For instance, you should fill in as an open bookkeeper with your own training, a staff bookkeeper at a law office or an inner evaluator at a charitable association. When gauging these choices, set aside the effort to consider your inclinations and interests, just as your short-and long haul objectives. Utilize our Salary Guide to look into the a wide range of bookkeeping employments accessible and get a thought of which territory you'd prefer to represent considerable authority in. Examine your arrangements with a school vocation advocate, confided in associates or experienced budgetary experts who can help point you the correct way. 2. Acquire a degree Numerous businesses look for competitors with a college degree in bookkeeping or a related field. On the off chance that you as of now have a four year college education and are hoping to change vocations, consider seeking after a post-graduate alternative, for example, a graduate degree in bookkeeping or business organization. Do take note of that if your vocation way drives you to the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) assignment, the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) prescribes seeking after alumni level courses to get the 150 semester hours required to sit for the test. 3. Pick among open and private bookkeeping Deciding if to work in general society or private segment is a fork in the vocation way of each trying bookkeeper. In case you're keen on offering money related types of assistance to customers from a variety of enterprises, the open course could be for you. Then again, the individuals who need to work in the bookkeeping division of an organization that centers around a solitary field may discover more fulfillment down the corporate passage. Your gifts are probably going to be sought after paying little mind to the bearing you take. In like manner, the two fields are all around redressed, however open bookkeeper compensations will in general be somewhat higher. Visit our Salary Center to become familiar with the going rates for explicit jobs in your area. Utilize THE SALARY CALCULATOR 4. Create aptitudes and experience Managers look for bookkeeping experts who are versatile, community oriented and focused on ceaseless instruction. They're likewise attracted to exceptional communicators with initiative characteristics, so set yourself up for progress by cleaning these delicate aptitudes. Bookkeepers with innovative sagacious are additionally exceptionally looked for. Stand apart from the pack by having solid information on computerized reasoning, process mechanization, cloud-based frameworks, ERPs, and (obviously) Excel and QuickBooks. While it tends to be hard to pick up understanding before handling your first passage level bookkeeping work, it's certainly feasible. Understudies and ongoing alumni should contact teachers and direction advocates about entry level positions. In case you're now in the workforce, approach your manager about open doors for broadly educating or work shadowing. 5. Get confirmed Gaining bookkeeping accreditations takes noteworthy time and exertion, which shows managers you're resolved and focused on your activity. These assignments can separate you from the opposition and assist you with bringing a more significant pay. Open bookkeepers should take a gander at turning into a CPA, which has for some time been viewed as the best quality level. Those working in the private segment can increase an edge in the activity advertise with capabilities concentrated on their claims to fame. Here are a few of the most attractive affirmations: Contracted money related examiner (CFA) Confirmed money related organizer (CFP) Contracted worldwide administration bookkeeper (CGMA) Confirmed interior examiner (CIA) Confirmed data frameworks inspector (CISA) Confirmed administration bookkeeper (CMA) 6. Secure your first position Your underlying bookkeeping position can establish the pace for the remainder of your expert life. Before applying, survey and update your objectives, interests and the territory in which you'd prefer to practice to guarantee your energies are focused toward what will present to you the most vocation fulfillment - and achievement. How to turn into a bookkeeper? As should be obvious, there's a whole other world to turning into a bookkeeper than there might be for different occupations. You have to pick your profession way, become taught and affirmed, create aptitudes, gain understanding and get recruited. Be that as it may, the prizes will make everything beneficial. At the point when it's a great opportunity to search for an occupation, work with an accomplished staffing operator who can assist you with recognizing quality chances. Particular scouts can help with finding jobs that dovetail with your resume, and your yearnings and character, as well. Think bookkeeping is the field for you? Investigate employment opportunities in your city.

How One Woman Is Revolutionizing Sex Ed Through Tech

How One Woman Is Revolutionizing Sex Ed Through Tech Andrea Barrica was 20 years of age when she began her first organization, InDinero, with her first year flat mate, Jessica Mah. Its a bookkeeping programming organization, however Barrica says she was never keen on bookkeeping, business, money or technology.After three and a half years, she left the organization since it wasnt her fantasy. She turned into an endeavor accomplice in living arrangement at a funding reserve, 500 Startups, putting resources into other ladies around the globe. What's more, it was around that time, she says, that she began to develop into her own.The now-27-year-old eccentric lady of migrant Filipino guardians experienced childhood in a severe Catholic home, where she was instructed to rehearse forbearance. It wasnt until years down the line that she began investigating her sexuality however ground to a halt on the grounds that the instruments and assets accessible to her were heteronormative or basically inadequate.I experienced childhood in northern Calif ornia, which is seemingly a dynamic zone, yet I went to Catholic school, so I didnt get any sex ed, she says. In the event that I didnt get it, I can just envision what it resembled for individuals somewhere else... And afterward there are individuals who dont know anything about their bodies.As for Barrica, she began heading out to sex-positive workshops run by Good Vibrations, and it recuperated her.The amusing thing pretty much the entirety of this is I had just begun organizations, yet I wasnt in contact with my sexuality by any means, she says. It was late in my life, however I couldnt discover anything on the web. There was Cosmo and Planned Parenthood and Pornhub I felt like those were my alternatives I had been building innovations organizations and putting resources into innovation organizations and, yet, the web had not understood this problem.Last year, she chose to assume control over issues. She raised $800,000 and accumulated the enthusiasm of financial specialists lik e Found Fund, X Factor Ventures and The House Fund, and she established O.school, a 18-years-and-more established computerized sexual instruction stage that formally propelled this November. She portrays it as that center ground between Planned Parenthood and online pornography neither too clinical nor too delight focused.In short: O.school is a virtual safe space to discuss sex and joy through sympathy guided learning and directed talks with in excess of 65 joy experts half of whom are minorities and 70 percent of whom are strange. Through day by day live streams on everything from masturbation to crimp, BDSM, accomplishing climax and pushing ahead with a STI finding, members can speak truly about sex and delight, unlearn disgrace, recuperate from injury and figure out how to define limits and seek after their curiosities.Were a 18-and-up stage, however its not on the grounds that we dont need to show kids; this is on the grounds that we truly think theres a huge issue with grown-u ps who are strolling around without essential instruction on joy and sex and how to be an extraordinary human in this world, Barrica says. And afterward there are a couple of disgraces. Theres strict disgrace, prostitute disgrace, body disgrace and theres additionally this grown-up disgrace like, I should realize what this was a disgrace of not knowing.She says that pundits have tested her on showing grown-ups instead of youngsters, however all the disgrace she got was from her folks since they didnt get the instruction they needed.In this age of the web, 11-year-olds are viewing no-nonsense erotic entertainment that is a direct result of telephones. So Im extremely pleased and amped up for the substance that were bringing to the world. Nothing we do has pornography or bareness, not on the grounds that we dont like pornography or nakedness we love pornography and nakedness in any case, theyre poor training vehicles. Some portion of what were attempting to do is simply center around making something so theres another decision. Since right now the decisions are quiet, deception or porn.She felt like in any event, when she got a science-based sex ed, she was just indicated photos of sicknesses or recordings of live births by means of a dread based strategy.Even if its science-based, regardless of whether its improving all in all, it can in any case be curved with social marks of disgrace we have around sex, she says.In request to guarantee that O.school stays a protected, shame free space for watchers and delight experts the same, the mediators are prepared on perceiving trolls who damage O.schools people group rules and quieting them.Were considering the network a great deal so we have fulltime arbitrators that weve employed and prepared, Barrica clarifies, taking note of that as the innovation keeps on creating, it should assist them with holding the network under wraps even more.Of course, that is only one test. Building and promoting O.school has been no simp le business accomplishment. Since the group were worried about getting endorsed for an application because of the sexual idea of their organization, for instance, they didnt invest the energy building one. Or maybe, they emptied their vitality and assets into building their own spilling innovation so watchers wouldnt need to download an app.That was hard, Barrica says. However, were concentrating on each thing in turn and pulling through.Likewise, internet based life stages forbid the spread of sexual substance, so getting the word out may likewise present challenges.That stated, Barrica includes that watchers from around the world have just been routinely marking into each live stream.There are difficulties weve needed to survive and there will be more in our future, yet Im energized that now theres this space where, on the off chance that you go each night, theres a live stream.- - AnnaMarie Houlis is a sight and sound columnist and an experience devotee with a sharp social intere st and a fondness for solotravel. Shes an editorial manager by day and a movement blogger at HerReport.org around evening time.

How To Make Better Decisions At Work

Step by step instructions to Make Better Decisions At Work Uncertainty has tormented me for my entire life. I had FOMO before FOMO was a thing: worrying about what top to wear in my tweens, which classes to take in school, and now, what neighborhood to live in or whether to get a pooch. Those are on the whole harmless enough, yet when FOMO strikes at the workplace when Im on deadlineabout which photograph or word decision to use, among other thingsit turns into a down to earth issue. On the off chance that youve ever become gridlocked in your own cerebrum, battling to settle on a choice somehow, you realize how incapacitating it can beand how it can meddle with productivity and time the board at work. I asked vocation master and specialist Becki Saltzman, creator of Living Curiously: How to Use Curiosity to be Remarkable and Do Good Stuff, for her best exhortation on the most proficient method to improve, more brilliant, quicker choices at work. Be Curious Affirmation inclination makes us need to accept that the proof or realities were seeing help what we as of now might suspect or know (political decision 2016, anybody?). With regards to settling on a major or quick choice, however, remaining liberal will make a superior result, says Saltzman. At the point when we stay inquisitive about different conclusions and viewpoints, were not caught unaware when we discover that what we accept isn't generally the situation. Venturing out of our usual ranges of familiarity isn't just useful for an inquisitive and courageous lifeit really helps the dynamic procedure. In the event that your concern isnt taking too long to even think about making choices, but instead settling on choices too rapidly without taking a gander at all the various parts of a mind boggling circumstance, you could wind up lamenting your decision. Dont Be Swayed By What Others Would Do Obviously it bodes well that youd need supervisors to say something regarding a major work choice, or that you may envision what an expert guide would do from your point of view, yet recall that if its your choice to make, you ought to at last think for yourselfeven if that implies its disagreeable or disputable at the time. The entirety of our dynamic is impacted by a similar influence standards: social evidence, correspondence, shortage, amiability, authority, and consistency, says Saltzman. On account of social verification, the assessments of companions and friends here and there convey an excessive amount of weight, which can raise considerably more hesitation. Before you depend a lot on others input, Saltzman recommends you gauge how well these individuals know the particular point or situationdo they truly realize it better than you?and their own track records of dynamic. In any case, its best to depend on your own aptitude, information, experience, and impulses if its your choice to make. Understand That Done Can Be Better Than Good In the event that your issue, similar to mine, is more frequently to overthink than misrepresent dynamic, you might need to think about this as your new mantra: Sometimes, shown improvement over great. Some of the time I put off creation a choice since I need to continue thinking or thinking about whether there are preferred alternatives over the ones Ive as of now suspected of. In any case, the cutoff time fires crawling up and I understand its simply time to make a calland regularly, the best thought or feature was one of the initial ones I concocted, and I was simply overanalyzing it. For choices that require quick activity, there is almost no positive side to uncertainty, says Saltzman. For complex choices and choices that require more idea, impulsivity isn't ideal. The key is to be sufficiently interested to assess the contrasts between impulsivity, uneasiness delivered uncertainty, investigation loss of motion, and appropriate examination that astutely eases back the choice procedure. In any case, the more practice you get in deciding, the better youll get at doing itespecially on the off chance that you utilize these strategies. - This article was initially distributed on SheKnows.com. Related stories: 5 Women on the Thrills and Challenges of Working in Tech 15 occupations with adaptable calendars for caught up with working mothers Adaptable low maintenance occupations for understudies can truly counterbalance school costs Fairygodboss is focused on improving the working environment and lives of women.Join us by looking into your manager!

Update JibberJobber Training and User Webinars

Update JibberJobber Training and User Webinars I finally set up the JibberJobber user webinars so that you can access them with the new GoToWebinar VOIP option which means you dont have to call into a number simply listen on your computer speakers.     Hopefully this reduces any confusion about the audio portion. I also set up a recurring webinar training, starting on Wednesday (June 3rd) and going every other week through the rest of the year (you can see part of that schedule here).   When I first starting using GoToWebinar they didnt have this feature, so people would say why is the webinar in December of 2009?   This should be resolved now, also hopefully. To get on this next webinar (June 3rd), or any webinar after that, simply register at this link below.   When you register you will get an email back with info on how to get on the webinar. https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/549339059 THE BIGGEST CONFUSION Ive seen is the TIME of the webinar. These webinars are at 9am MST, which is 8am PST, 10am CST and 11am EST.   I dont know how to do the higher level math and calculations that Arizona people can do, so I cant say what time it is there, but Im guessing they can figure it out based on 9am MST Here are some other ways to get help with JibberJobber: Written documentation in the WIKI.   This is a project we started a while ago if you have any suggestions on what to add, just let us know. JibberJobber Two Minute Tutorial Videos.   Some are more than two minutes, some are less than two minutes, but you get the point.   Many are years old, were updating these in a different place, check this out for the most updated user tutorials. As always you can use the Contact Us form to submit questions, suggestions, rants, raves, etc. Note that all of these links are found from the HELP page, which is at the bottom of every page in JibberJobber, including this blog. Im very pleased with the LinkedIn for Job Seekers DVD the comments Im getting about it in my email and from the Amazon reviews have been awesome!   If you havent gotten yours yet, you can get it from here if you are a coach, outplacement firm, operate a college career center, etc. email me about bulk rates and site licenses. Update JibberJobber Training and User Webinars I finally set up the JibberJobber user webinars so that you can access them with the new GoToWebinar VOIP option which means you dont have to call into a number simply listen on your computer speakers.     Hopefully this reduces any confusion about the audio portion. I also set up a recurring webinar training, starting on Wednesday (June 3rd) and going every other week through the rest of the year (you can see part of that schedule here).   When I first starting using GoToWebinar they didnt have this feature, so people would say why is the webinar in December of 2009?   This should be resolved now, also hopefully. To get on this next webinar (June 3rd), or any webinar after that, simply register at this link below.   When you register you will get an email back with info on how to get on the webinar. https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/549339059 THE BIGGEST CONFUSION Ive seen is the TIME of the webinar. These webinars are at 9am MST, which is 8am PST, 10am CST and 11am EST.   I dont know how to do the higher level math and calculations that Arizona people can do, so I cant say what time it is there, but Im guessing they can figure it out based on 9am MST Here are some other ways to get help with JibberJobber: Written documentation in the WIKI.   This is a project we started a while ago if you have any suggestions on what to add, just let us know. JibberJobber Two Minute Tutorial Videos.   Some are more than two minutes, some are less than two minutes, but you get the point.   Many are years old, were updating these in a different place, check this out for the most updated user tutorials. As always you can use the Contact Us form to submit questions, suggestions, rants, raves, etc. Note that all of these links are found from the HELP page, which is at the bottom of every page in JibberJobber, including this blog. Im very pleased with the LinkedIn for Job Seekers DVD the comments Im getting about it in my email and from the Amazon reviews have been awesome!   If you havent gotten yours yet, you can get it from here if you are a coach, outplacement firm, operate a college career center, etc. email me about bulk rates and site licenses.

Business, Medical and Legal Resume Writing Services

Business, Medical and Legal Resume Writing ServicesBusiness, medical and legal resume writing services are the fastest growing type of service in the Boston area. However, not all of these services are created equal, so it's important to find the best talent for your resume.Most individuals online are looking for Boston resume services. If you want to expand your marketing plan or just add more variety to your list of potential clients, hiring a resume writer could be just what you need. If you have any specific questions or concerns, make sure to make an appointment for a consultation.Many individuals in the Boston area are frustrated with the bureaucracy of government and legal departments, so a good attorney, physician or business person could fill a void. Having an attorney write your resume could bring you a new client, but at what expense? While no one wants to see a third party judge on their resume, that's exactly what they are when a contract legal professional does the job. Businesses often times need to hire a full-time attorney for their legal work. Even for just a single case, they are often needed to handle multiple matters at once. They have seen some great deals online and can save you a significant amount of money and time by looking for a Boston resume writing service rather than hiring a lawyer on your own.Job seekers who want to get their foot in the door in the industry will also want to find a reputable organization. Boston resumes have evolved from writing to computerized services, but that doesn't mean a job is out of reach. A doctor can still be located using online research alone. In fact, doing that online research will give the person more options than they might find at the offices of a prestigious Boston resume writing service.Making your resume stand out to a search engine is critical to making it out of the massof resumes for a particular position, but the easiest way to do that is to use the services of a qualified Boston resume writing service. The quality of these services will vary, but if you can find a trusted and respected company, you should be in good hands. Providing professional and competent resume services is vital to your business growth and survival.Most professional resume writers in Boston can assist you in the matter of creating the perfect resume. They can create a fresh, yet professional resume that reflects your skills and credentials. This is exactly what you need to get ahead in the job world and the overall business world.The world of opportunities is changing at a rapid pace, and you can be one of the first professionals in the market to benefit from it. Seek out the services of a qualified Boston resume writing service and reap the benefits of their expertise. It will help increase your knowledge and provide the proper information for your future.

Think Calls are Better than Emails Think Again

Think Calls are Better than Emails Think Again I recently read an article entitled, “Dont Send an Email if You Can Pick Up the Phone.” The article was written by a former member of the Washington, DC political workforce who recounted the advice given to him by a veteran lobbyist. The lesson he took from the conversation was simply not to put anything in writing that you don’t want published for all to see. I consider the article’s title to be a double-edged sword â€" good advice for social media, bad for office communication. The article only refers to social media etiquette, and it’s certainly not surprising why someone who works in politics would want to avoid a paper trail leading to incriminating evidence. The author cites a recent case involving three teachers at a Rhode Island prep school who were forced to resign after making insulting and derogatory comments about their students on the Slack app. The comments were subsequently shared with the school community by a hacker via a Google Doc, causing outrage among school officials and parents. As far as I’m concerned, the subject of what NOT to post on social media is so old and trite, it’s hardly worthy of mention. With social media well into its second decade of popularity, employers would do well to wash their hands of any employee who still can’t distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate content. The lesson to be learned is applicable for all professions â€" don’t put anything in writing that could damage your career, your reputation or that of your employer. Switching gears, when I first read the title of the article, I thought it referred to typical office communication as opposed to incriminating social media posts and texts. I’ve had jobs in the past where managers prioritized phone conversations over email communication, regardless of which yielded better results. While I’ve never been shy about picking up the phone when the situation requires, I’ve always gravitated toward email communication if given the choice. Here’s why. Point of Reference My organizational skills are significantly better than my short-term memory. On a regular basis, I refer back to emails that I archive in folders based on client name or content. When communicating with numerous people daily regarding multiple projects, recalling specific details of a particular conversation after several months becomes nearly impossible. Archiving emails allows me to recall essential information that would be long-forgotten had it only existed in a phone conversation. Proofread to Perfection There’s a reason my title in my signature block says “Writer” and not “Speaker.” Constructing a well-thought-out email to a client or coworker allows me the chance to write, rewrite, proofread and edit until the final result looks polished and professional. Even if you’re just sending an informal email to a coworker, the content is still a reflection of your detail-orientation and professionalism. Similarly, if you anticipate follow-up questions after conveying important information to a client or coworker, it’s always better to provide thoughtful, accurate responses by email than spontaneous, inaccurate responses by phone. Cover All Bases Most of us have experienced the occasional client or manager who requests something, then after a period of time and dealing with numerous other people and projects, mysteriously changes the details of their request, only to insist that their request never changed at all. While sometimes you have no choice as to how you’re contacted with the initial request, if it’s in an email, it can mean the difference in an angry client or manager blaming you for not following directions, or them admitting fault and commending your attention to detail. In any job, both verbal and written communication skills are essential. Focusing only on one and not the other would be a mistake, and I certainly would not advise an employee to avoid taking or receiving phone calls. However, when both are weighted equally and given the choice, I find email communication advantageous. Regardless of what method of communication you prefer, when you decide to communicate in writing, remember…proofread, archive, and NEVER send or post anything you’ll regret.

Personal Branding Interview Don Bulmer - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding Interview Don Bulmer - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Today, I spoke to Don Bulmer, who is the Vice President of Global Communications at SAP AG.   In this interview, Don talks to us about the most important aspect of his personal brand, how social media is changing marketing, how social networks make it easier for companies to grow their audiences and much more. What is the most important aspect of your personal brand? The most important aspect of my personal brand is success enablement. I discovered early in my career that individual success (and self promotion) is important â€" especially as you build expertise, credibility and mastery of your craft as an individual contributor.   However, at a certain point in your career as you look to move from an individual contributor role to that of a manager or organizational leadership role, your success is measured by a much different and arguably more important set of criteria. In large part your success will be measured on your ability to enable the success of others. This often requires the ability to motivate and get the best out of people (where often you have no authority over them) to follow your lead and to work together to achieve a common set of goals that generate a much higher level of organizational, company and even industry success.   I feel that good leadership comes from the ability to be a success multiplier and for me this is a very important aspect of my personal brand which I constantly strive to evolve. You recently had a blog post that included an article about how social media is changing marketing. Can you explain the difference between business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-person (B2P) marketing? The Internet has rapidly expanded to become a global network of seamlessly connected computers and devices that has revolutionized information sharing and communications, challenged governments, broken down cultural barriers and driven innovation and business velocity to levels never before imagined. One of the most important successes of the Internet is how it is enabling globalization and more importantly business model innovation. Today’s most successful companies are driving product and business model innovation from outside their own walls by leveraging the Internet as a collaborative community-building platform. This platform has allowed organizations to harness the innovation power of the community and not just individual innovation; some notable examples are Topcoder.com and Innocentive.com.   With the execution of business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) ecommerce over the last ten years, the Internet has enabled companies to create, build and maintain rich and vibrant ecosystems of partners, suppliers and now social networks. At the center of these ecosystems is the customer who has indeed benefited the most from these advances. However, we are now entering the age of business-to-person (B2P) communications, which is the result of Web 2.0 based social networking platforms that give new power to the customer and the communities of interest that form around them. The affects of this transformation have broad and lasting impact on marketing and communication professionals. The financial crises and daunting uncertainty across global markets has put significant pressure on companies to aggressively manage both the bottom-line (expenses and operational budgets) and top-line growth (sales and revenue generation). This intensive thrust to ‘back-to-basics’ management impacts all departments and organizations. Managers are required to make adjustments to their operations to become more focused and efficient and deliver more value and results for their company (and some cases much more) with less resource (and in some cases much less). The convergence of the recession, with web 2.0 technologies and social media/social networking strategies has created a perfect storm for marketing and communication professionals. We are now forced to make fundamental shifts and adjustments to our strategies to account for reduced budgets where ‘virtual’ is becoming a new reality for events and a budgets for traditional advertising (print and online) are being shifted to investments in social media and community marketing. Do social networks make it easier for companies to target specific audiences? Yes. We are now starting to experience how social networks are changing the way we do business and are, in themselves, new ecosystems, virally creating communities within communities that are driving brand recognition and brand experience.   Social networks are being leveraged by sales executives to understand the networks of prospects and leads and customers in the realm of B2P marketing and sales. Social networks facilitate and automate vast interactions, connections and networks of people by enabling collaboration with colleagues, clients and suppliers anywhere and at any time. This new paradigm lessens the need for travel, and these platforms incorporate a rich suite of evolving Web 2.0 applications. The impact of these far-reaching social networks on business is becoming clearer every day as millions of consumers, partners, suppliers and businesses discuss and share their brand experiences.   As we enter the era of B2P marketing communications, those organizations that harness Web 2.0 technologies and platforms to enable business-to-person communications will be the winners. Laggards that do not understand the value of social networking and its appeal to the emotional side of customer relationship management will lose competitiveness and, ultimately, market share. The era of B2P marketing harnesses the new and deep connections that are forming between customers, products and their suppliers. Peer groups, associations and social networks are now one of the most powerful influencing mediums in the world. The article also says that consumers are demanding more transparency. How can you be transparent with your personal brand without giving out too much information? What is unnerving for many marketing and communication professionals about managing influence in a Web 2.0 world is that social media forces you to play by ‘crowd rules.’ Crowd rules dictate a fair level of transparency, authenticity, agility, honesty [you can continue to fill in the blank] but most important crowd rules require you to LISTEN. No longer are the ‘house rules’ of marketing and communications effective where you can create a message or position and expect it to automatically resonate or stick in the market. Using Word of Mouth (WoM) as an example. In the old model of WoM (before the emergence of Web 2.0), if a customer had a good or bad experience with your company’s product or service, they might share the experience with a neighbor, friend or a colleague at work. In this old model of WoM the collective community experience with your brand would ‘eventually’ create a community reality in a viral fashion over a ‘period’ of time. The affects of this in a Web 2.0 world are much different. In a Web 2.0 world if ‘a’ customer has a bad experience with your company’s product or service and they share that experience in a blog or other form of social media (like Twitter) this experience can reach hundreds, thousands or millions of people overnight â€" around the world. This can cause great brand destruction and turmoil if you are not prepared to address it.   Now, even in ‘crowd rules’ not everyone expects a company to be infallible. You just have to LISTEN. If you have good sensory awareness and respond to negative issues quickly if for nothing else than to show corporate humility and engage with a negative blogger or disgruntled customer/community to understand the issues, you can quickly turn an adverse situation into great opportunity by: Fixing the product and/or service issues to advance greater business opportunities. You have the opportunity to turn a negative blogger or customer into a net promoter â€" which is the greatest form of advocacy/influence you can hope for. Social media changes the rules of the game in an era of new marketing and new communications, by forcing companies to be more accountable. I personally think that this is a great thing.   If you understand and learn to work within the crowd rules of Web 2.0 in an authentic and agile way, you will increase your company’s brand value and overall experience in the industry. What is the best way to build your personal brand with social media? In one word: Engage! Join discussions, contribute ideas, share your experiences and ask provocative questions that not only show your intellect and personal experience but also involve the ‘crowd’ in social discussions of issues that just might be the answer to solving big problems of great personal, corporate, social and economic significance. Don Bulmer is Vice President of Global Communications at SAP AG. As part of the global communications management team at SAP Don is responsible for leading the Industry and Influencer Relations organization which includes: IT Influencer Relations, Business Influencer Relations, Global Customer Communities, Integrated Partner Communications and University Alliance programs. Don has over 14 years of multi-national experience leading award-winning marketing, communication and business development programs with measurable affect in accelerating the sales and competitive strength of enterprise technology, Internet start-up and professional service companies.   He blogs at Everday Influence.