Kids’ YouTube stardom dreams might not be so frivolous
Dear J.T. & Dale: I read recently that the No. 1 thing kids want to be today when they grow up is a star on YouTube/ online sites. What is our world coming to? Shouldn’t we be teaching kids to be more sensible instead of so narcissistic? — Ellen
J.T.: While on the surface it might seem like kids are being unrealistic, is that really any different than when we were kids and wanted to be famous?
DALE: I spent my boyhood wanting to play in the NBA. Now that was being unrealistic. Even so, everyone encouraged me, and I devoted hours a day to that dream. Meanwhile, my other interest was science. I started a science club that peaked at two members. If the internet had been around, perhaps I would have spent more time with science because I might have found a community that wasn’t based on mere geography.
J.T.: I think so. If you take a closer look at what’s happening on sites like YouTube, you’ll see it’s actually becoming a place where top experts in all sorts of professions are sharing their expertise and insights. It’s how younger people consume information about current events, world affairs and how-to tips to navigate life; so, it’s very possible that many of these kids will in fact have an online presence. Especially if they want to share and help others!
DALE: And when you start creating content, think of all you learn beyond just filming and editing: how to create compelling information, how to win an audience and how to deal with criticism. Those are all in addition to finding a community.
Dear J.T. & Dale: Everyone keeps talking about personal branding. It sounds so cocky and selfimportant. Is it really necessary or is it just a fad? — Kendra
J.T.: A great way to think of personal branding is reputation management. Do you think your reputation matters when it comes to earning respect and trust in your career? If so, then you need to invest in a strategy to make sure that reputation is solid online.
DALE: Well said. While personal branding sounds kind of silly, reputation doesn’t. Reputation is “you” when you aren’t there, like when upper management is discussing whether you’re the right one for a major new assignment. While the MBA-speak term “personal branding” might make you feel like a product instead of a person, it does serve to remind you to be active with your image and corporate politics. Remember, “promote yourself” has two meanings — it’s not just personal PR, but making yourself the obvious choice for promotion.
J.T.: And, while you don’t have to go crazy with all sorts of selfpromotion, you do need to at least do the basics.
For example, making sure your LinkedIn profile is updated and complete is a great start. That way, people can find you online, which shows you are up-to-date and savvy enough to know the importance of basic personal branding.
Dear J.T. & Dale: My employer let me know that they are going to send me to a conference in Las Vegas. I’ve
never been and would love to stay a bit longer to see the sights. Is it inappropriate to suggest that if I pay for the extra hotel days, they could adjust my flight schedule so I can stay longer? — Eloisa
DALE: If you ask around, I think you’ll find that such tag-on vacations are quite common with your colleagues. In fact, most conference planners help you out by having the meetings scheduled at the start or end of a workweek, knowing that a major draw for conferences is the vacationing around them.
J.T.: I would map out the entire trip and then approach your boss and explain how you will make sure that work comes first. If you take vacation days for the ones you miss and pay for your own hotel on the days outside the conference, it seems like a great opportunity. The worst your employer can say is no.
Jeanine “J.T.” Tanner O’Donnell is a career coach and the founder of the leading career site www.workitdaily.com. Dale Dauten is founder of The Innovators’ Lab and author of a novel about H.R., “The Weary Optimist.” Please visit them at jtanddale.com, where you can send questions via email, or write to them in care of King Features Syndicate, 628 Virginia Dr., Orlando, FL 32803. (c) 2020 by King Features Syndicate, Inc.