During the past couple of weeks we’ve seen a volume of concentrated active searches that might indicate the worst of our economic mess is behind us — we hope.

Whatever the case, we’re beginning to hear reports from people and organization that there are some particular areas where demand is going up. WebWorkerDaily reported back in October there’s an increasing demand for writing. Of course, our own experience is that there’s a constant high demand for great writing as this is a rare, premium skill. WebWorkerDaily spoke with an online freelance job board and found out that these particular writing skills are in high demand: article writing, copywriting, content writing, ghostwriting, academic writing and technical writing.

But one important trend we’ve noticed is the rise of social networking plus executive visibility. This requires a specific type of writing. Through the careful application of an experienced and talented writer, CEOs can dramatically increase their own brand as well as the brand and search engine optimization of their company.

Providing cogent thought leadership and crafting compelling stories is an ART, and several of our expert consultants provide this expertise for Cisco and NetApp executives right now. These are far more than product collateral writers, web content providers or editors on the hunt for typos. They are true masters of communication who can write for internal and external audiences worldwide with the singular voice of an executive.

If you are an executive with vast responsibilities and little time for writing, you know the value of authentic, informative and easily accessible communication with your constituents. Whether it’s a speech, video script, blog, contributed article or global team email, we can help.

Click here and we can have an exec comm pro ready to write for you within 24 hours. Really.

From my desktop (and now from my living room) I can meet with anybody, at any time. Conference calls, online chats and video conferences are just part of how we get business done these days. I don’t know about you, but every now and then I hear or see a faux pas that makes me think this brave new world we’ve built has some potholes we need to notice.

The New York Times business section had a terrific story, a “Miss Manners” guide to what to do and not to do while you’re at the virtual conference table (or if you have an umi, the living room). Here’s one of my favorite tips:

Q. During a teleconference no one can see you, so it’s common for attendees to hit the mute button and do other things while listening. Should you?

A. …Generally, though, it’s better not to do other things while you’re in a virtual meeting, because you could miss important information. “If you keep asking to have questions repeated or for clarification of what’s being said, you are essentially announcing to everyone: ‘I’m not really paying attention’ and risk looking very unprofessional,” Ms. Stack says.

And use the mute button to block background noise. Mr. Preston recalled a teleconference in which someone was eating a bag of potato chips. “You could hear it rustling during the meeting, and finally someone said: ‘Whoever is eating the potato chips, could you please mute?’ That’s embarrassing.”

Here’s a link to the complete story.

The San Jose Mercury News sheds light on the growing numbers of independent contractors at work in Silicon Valley, complex compliance issues for independent contractors, increased fines for corporations and tougher audits for contractors.

“Tech companies are nervously eyeing proposals in Washington to beef up enforcement and increase fines for violations of a complicated set of rules covering the use of independent contractors. The issue has special resonance in Silicon Valley, where thousands of engineers and programmers work as independent contractors for companies ranging from startups to some of the area’s tech giants.”

But the same issues apply to marketing and communications consultants, like those High Tech Connect represents. Anyone who wants to be a sole proprietor and start their own business providing services needs to understand the IRS has explicit rules about how you can work with your clients. Check out that IRS definition of Independent (Self-Employed) or Employee? here.

Intel said it uses “very few” independent contractors, preferring to hire employees. Cisco said it has “processes” in place to make sure its workers are “properly classified and managed in compliance with the policies set forth by the state and federal governments and their regulatory agencies.”

That’s one of the reasons companies like Cisco work with High Tech Connect to safely and legally employ independent contractors.

Ultimately, independent contractors are just as responsible for managing their business as a BUSINESS, and knowing how to operate within the laws and definitions is key to your success. Read the Merc’s article here.