Raise Your Hand If You Love Networking

This came through my mailbox earlier today from Kevin Donlan and I felt it was worth passing along.

Hey, job seekers: Raise your hand if you love networking.

I thought so.

And why don't you get a thrill out of talking to friends and family about
your job search?

For many folks, it's a problem of how to start. There's really no way to
ask, "Know anyone who's hiring?" without feeling awkward.

To fix that, here are two ways to open your next networking conversation
that are proven to produce job leads -- and won't make you feel self-conscious

1) Use Me as an Excuse to Call
Over the past year, I've quietly been perfecting a short networking script
at my Guerrilla Job Search seminars.

In every case, at least one person in the room gets a job lead -- in less
than 5 minutes.

Here's the four-part script that people are using to start networking
conversations by phone, with explanatory notes in parentheses:

1. "Hi, this is YOUR NAME! I'm at a training session and they told me to
call the most-connected person I know. That's you!"

(This gets you over the hump right away, by giving you an excuse to call.
Here, that excuse is me -- just say that somebody else told you to call.)

2. "I'm looking for a position as a JOB TITLE at a company like COMPANY #1,
COMPANY #2, or COMPANY #3."

(You have to think first, about what JOB you want and 3 COMPANIES you most
want to work for.)

3. "Who would you call if you were in my shoes?"

(You're asking someone to take ownership of your problem, by putting their
ego aside and thinking as if they were you. Simple psychology that's very
powerful.)

4. "Could I have their name and number?"

(Write it down. Hang up. Call that new person and drop the name of the
person you called first.)

For best results, use this script to call the most-connected person you
know -- the one person who seems to know almost everybody.

Here are three examples of how this has worked in my seminars:

1. Ellen in Minneapolis, MN, got a networking lead at the chamber of
commerce after calling a friend.

2. Greg in Fargo, ND, got a lead on a pharmaceutical sales job by calling a
friend.

3. Pete in Chanhassen, MN, got the name of an HR rep by calling a colleague
he had fallen out of touch with.

2) Use an Object as a Conversation Starter
Chris Russell, founder of JobRadio.fm, warns that a false sense of pride
can hurt your job search, recalling a friend who struggled mightily to get
hired. "He would never tell people that he was out of work, even his former
co-workers. I guess he was embarrassed."

Russell points out that, when it comes to your job search, you should look
for any excuse to start a conversation.

One such excuse may be the "Laid Off, Need a Job" wristband.

Described as an "attention getting conversation starter" by its makers, the
wristband retails for $3 and comes in bright yellow, with the message, "I
Need A Job."

The idea is, you put wear the wristband each day, people see it, ask about
your job search, and -- shazam! Instant networking conversation. More
information is at www.LaidOffNeedAJob.com.

Two other tactics I've seen are renting a billboard (pricey) and wearing a
T-shirt with your resume on it (no verifiable successes).

Now. How else could you get attention and start networking conversations?

Here's an idea: Stick a magnetic sign on the side of your car.

For less than $95, Kinko's can create one for you. Your sign's message
could be on two lines, like this:

Need Accounting Help?
HireShellyNow.com

Nobody wants to hire, but almost every business needs help, so don't use
"Hire me!" or "U-M Grad Will Work Cheap" as your headline.

The format I would follow is: "Need YOUR SKILL Help? CONTACT INFO."

Test several ideas on cardboard mockup signs and drive them past people, to
see if they can read your contact info at 25 or 40 miles an hour.

(Note: I practice what I preach -- look for my black SUV around the Twin
Cities with a magnetic sign on the side that says, "Got Work? My New Job
Hunt .com")


Do these conversation-starting ideas make you feel uncomfortable? Good!

Because, if you've been comfortable thus far in your job search, and you're
still unemployed, it may be time to leave your comfort zone and try
something new.


Kevin Donlin is co-author of Guerrilla Resumes. Since 1996, he has provided
job-search help to more than 20,000 people. Kevin has been interviewed by
The New York Times, Fox News, ABC TV, CBS Radio and others. To learn more
about how to create a Guerrilla Resume, visit
Cover Letter Examples
151-32500 South Fraser Way, Suite #290, Abbotsford, BC V2T 4W1, CANADA

You are what you attract!

Wallace Wattles wrote it in the early 1900s and it is still true today. The things we think about, positive or negative, are the things that we attract. With this being the case, we have a choice in how our lives will proceed and that choice is made through our thought processes.

What are your thoughts are they about the future and your upcoming successes or about the the things of the past that have happened to you? Only one of these thought processes is something that you can take action on. Think the positive thoughts of how your life will be, rather than the thoughts of how your life has been.

The past is the past and that cannot change, the future, your future, is yet to be written!

What is your networking mindset?

Do you know your networking mindset? Do you even care about your networking mindset?

It amazes me when I encounter people that do not understand the importance of networking. Look at any successful person and you will find that networking is a key ingredient to their success. Success is not a solitary process, success requires a circle of friends that have friends to achieve your goals and therefore your success.

I was listening to a recording today done by Mark Victor Hansen and Robert G. Allen called "The One Minute Millionaire". In the recording they tell an interesting story, but even more important is the commentary that describes actions taken in the story. One of the commentaries speaks specifically of the importance of your network.




Your network consists of strong connections and weak connections. Your strong connections are those that you encounter frequently and your weak connections are those that you connect with through others.

In the recording Robert Allen makes the point that your weak connections are where your greatest opportunities lay. That's because your strong connections often know the same things that you know, where your strong connections greatest strengths lay is in connecting you to others.

Here's my take on networking:

1. Networking is never a wasted effort.
2. Networking is integral to your future success.
3. If you don't like to network: get over it and get on with it.
   
4. Make a commitment to building your network at least weekly, but preferably daily.
5. Find a meaningful way to connect with your network at least twice per year. Through an email blast or some other means, but maintain at least minimal contact.
6. Build your network by connecting with those that have large networks of their own. Building one connection at a time is time consuming and inefficient.

Happy networking!

Effectively using LinkedIn

I talk about using LinkedIn to help in your networking and job search activities. Here is the text of an article/interview published by CIO Magazine with Jason Alba. Jason is an expert on LinkedIn and how to take advantage of the features. Read and study to enhance your use of LinkedIn.

In the midst of the recession, many job seekers have spent more time on LinkedIn to connect with colleagues, customers and partners in an effort to land a new gig. Unfortunately, many people commit common errors in their LinkedIn profiles that cost them new opportunities, says Jason Alba, CEO of JibberJobber, a company that provides web-based tools for managing your job search.

Alba, who recently released a DVD called LinkedIn for Job Seekers, shared with CIO.com the five most common mistakes he sees on LinkedIn profiles. Here's how to spot trouble in your profile and fix it.

1. Don't Get in Picture Trouble

Many people choose not to use a picture on their LinkedIn profiles. While some of you have your reasons, it's a mistake for the typical user, Alba says. Some common concerns: Perhaps you don't want to disclose your ethnicity, or you don't consider yourself photogenic.

"Some situations are justified in not using a profile picture, but in the end I encourage people to include one because it shows you're comfortable with yourself," Alba says. "It also makes your profile a lot more personable."

Alba recommends a professional headshot for LinkedIn, rather than the picture of you in front of a mountain or lake that you utilize on Facebook. In addition, if you're a job seeker, odds are that you will meet your prospective employer in a face-to-face interview, so that picture of you twenty years ago that you like to leave up there — that needs to be replaced.

"Sometimes people are floored when they see the person if they left a really old picture up there," Alba says.

2. Write a Descriptive Professional Headline

When you edit your LinkedIn profile, you have what Alba calls a "professional headline" right beneath the name. The common mistake here (as shown in the picture below) is to simply put your name and title. He believes you should use something catchier. Instead of saying, "project manager for X company," say something more specific: "I manage complex projects involving IT and marketing."

When people search for you, they will see this professional tagline, and it might decide whether or not they feel compelled to click on your name and see your profile, Alba says.

"Think of yourself as a marketer, and this is where your big ad appears to the world," Alba says.

3. Properly Label Websites Displaying Your Work or Blog

LinkedIn offers you the ability to list the websites where your work might be displayed. This is a great option if you keep a personal website with a resume or a blog. But when you go to edit the website descriptions, Alba recommends dispensing with LinkedIn's default descriptions of "my website" or "my company." Those descriptions aren't a compelling read for employers, he says.

Instead, when you edit your "websites" section, LinkedIn provides a drop down menu (see picture below). Click "other," and you can upload the link and describe it as you see fit. Instead of "my blog," you might write, "my blog on complex project management."

4. Consider a Vanity URL

Maybe you haven't changed the default URL that LinkedIn provides for your profile. Especially if you have a common name, this will make your name after the LinkedIn address appear with a bunch of ugly code and numbers. If you have to give your LinkedIn profile address over the phone, or you wish to print it on your business card, it should be as concise and self-explanatory as possible, Alba says.

"It literally takes 30 seconds, and it makes your profile look more on purpose," Alba says.

(When you edit your LinkedIn profile, go to the "public profile" section to create your LinkedIn URL of choice).

5. Finish with a Strong, SEO-Friendly Summary

The "summary" section of your LinkedIn profile could be the biggest missed opportunity for the majority of job seekers, Alba says. While this section has a 2,000 character limit, Alba suggests packing as much about you and your abilities into it as possible.

In reality, the ability for people to find you will depend on LinkedIn's search engine linking your name to certain search keywords. So (staying with our repeated example), a project manager might want the term "project management" to appear a few times throughout the summary.

"Most summaries are a couple sentences or a couple paragraphs, and they're missing out," Alba says. "The more you put in the summary, the better your SEO is."

Remember that you're in a crowded field of applicants. Alba recommends that you put in short "problem, action and results" stories that show how you contended with challenges that helped your business succeed.

© 2008 CXO Media Inc.

Guage your contacts before you use your network

Sometimes people make mistakes with their networks by assuming that they know their contacts better than they really do. The mistake is making requests for things that are unreasonable considering the level of the friendship.

For example if you want an introduction to an executive at a company, make sure that the person you are asking has those connections. Just because your contact works or worked for the company doesn't mean that they are in a position to arrange that introduction. Making such a request could jeopardize or even destroy your relationship. Don't put your contacts on the spot by making a request they cannot fulfill.

Remember that your contact may be able to come through for you, but it will be on their timetable. Don't expect immediate compliance. Your contact may have to wait for the right time or opportunity. You don't want your contact jeopardizing their position simply to help you.

If you are making a request do it in a way that your contact can turn you down without embarrassing themselves while still wanting to do whatever they can for you. Human nature is that they will want to help, as long as you aren't being a jerk. Your request may make them uncomfortable and you need to give them a way out.

Follow these steps when planning your request.

1. Understand your contacts abilities and limitations.
2. Don't put your contact on the spot where they need to immediately respond to your request.
3. Don't make your contact feel that they have no choice but to fulfill your request.

Happy Networking!

The Power of 150

In his book "The Tipping Point", Malcolm Gladwell discusses the power of 150. What he refers to is the maximum size group for effective communications. He uses examples from ages past as well as from today in describing how communications break down once any organization: religious, social, and even work exceed this size.



One of the major examples is the company WR Grace and Company: long believed one of the great success stories in business. WR Grace follows the power of 150 rule in the sizing of all their operations. Their plants have a maximum of 150 employees. That's not just 150 in manufacturing, the front office, or some department. It is the maximum for that particular business unit. Why would that be? In his research Gladwell learned that keeping this as a maximum allows engineering to communicate with marketing, production, sales, research, and what ever other groups more effectively and responsively to problems, customer requests, market changes, or anything else that arises.

Gladwell also talks about the size of groups back to prehistoric days and their ability to support each other becoming problematic when the groups grew too large. When that happened there were food shortages and other problems to the extent that the groups would automatically splinter off to a more manageable size. But enough of that.

How can we apply this to our network? When you follow the Pareto or 80/20 rule you should limit your "A" group to 150. This is your critical group, the one that is the most important, and therefore requires and deserves the most attention. Keep the size manageable so you can communicate with enough effectiveness and timeliness that you maintain a great relationship.

Find other ways to communicate with the rest of your contacts using email newsletters, blogs, discussion groups, and web sites to keep them relatively current on your activities. If you are doing the right things you will have people in this category continuing to reach out to you but your efforts are will be more appropriately directed.

Remember:

1. Keep your "A" list focused and no larger than 150.
2. Communicate on a regular basis and look for things that you can send to your "A" group.
3. Communicate to those that are not on your "A" list through email newsletters, blogs, discussion groups, and websites.

Happy networking!

Do You Follow the Leader?

Okay, I know that sounds a little crazy, but I was just read something on LinkedIn and it made me think about this.

If we choose our leaders wisely, it's a great idea to do what they do, because that can lead you to what they have.

If you want to be the best salesperson in your company, you need to know who holds that position today, learn what that person did to achieve the lead position, and then follow they path they followed. I don't know that I have followed this advice very well myself, but I heard it long ago on a Zig Ziglar tape.

At the time Zig was not doing well as a salesperson in his company and one day the best salesman happened by and said "Zig, I have never seen so much wasted talent as I do in you!" Can you imagine your hero, the person you look up to making such a statement? How depressing would that be? It would definitely be an eye opener.

We frequently make the mistake of spending time and following the lead of the wrong people. If we want to have success, we need to talk to those that are achieving success, not those that are lamenting being unsuccessful. The unsuccessful person associates success with luck; successful people may say the same, but upon further investigation we find that it wasn't luck, it was hard, specific work that allowed them to achieve their success.

To achieve the same success you need to emulate the actions and do the things successful people do.

So here are the steps:

1. Identify the person that has or is what you want to be.
2. Find out what that person did and copy, copy, copy, and copy some more.
3. Don't waste your time with negative people that do not share or encourage your goal.

Happy Networking!

Networking is about connecting, but ...

Are you spending a lot of time trying to connect and build your contact's list? That's been an approach of mine in the past, but it's a lot of work; worthwhile, but still a lot of work.

The other day I received an e-mail from a recruiter saying that she had seen my name cross her desk a couple of times and felt that SHE needed to connect with me. It turns out we were both members of the same group and what she saw was a posting of mine in the discussion group.

This started me wondering how can I do this even more? What can I do to entice people to want to connect with me, so that they are doing the work, and all I am doing is assessing whether the contact is one that I want?

It's called branding! It's called making me so valuable to others to the extent that they want to connect with me. It's called driving people to me. It's called having others tell people that they should connect with me because I am a valuable connection.

This is not about self-aggrandizing; it's about my providing so much value that others are compelled to seek what I have to offer.

Do you ever learn or hear about products, food, movies, or assorted other things that you must have and will do whatever it takes to obtain that item? Of course you do, because you have associated a value with the item that drives you to do whatever it takes to obtain it.

That is what you want to do for yourself. You want to make yourself valuable to the point that people will take the necessary steps to locate and connect.

There are two major benefits to this approach to networking 1) your time is spent creating value for others so that they want to connect and 2) you don't have to spend your time making connections, instead the connections come to you.

Here are the steps:

1. Create value that others want.
2. Do things that drive others to you rather than your having to constantly be seeking others.
3. Create value that cause referrals to you.

Happy Networking!

Are You Giving Those that Want to Connect Every Chance to Connect

It amazes me when I see someone send an e-mail or hear a voice mail that does a poor job of leaving information for the contacted person to follow up. Just because you sent e-mail doesn't guarantee that the other person wants to reply by e-mail. And likewise, just because you called doesn't necessarily mean that they want to follow up with a call.

Here are some connection ideas:

1. If you leave a voice mail identify whether it is your office or cell number (they may need to text a response because they are not in a position to call).
2. Identify yourself and provide your phone number both at the beginning and the end of your call and at the end speak slowly, repeat your name, and repeat your phone number twice. There is nothing more frustrating than having to listen to an entire message multiple times to get the information correct.
3. In your e-mails provide contact information for e-mail and phone responses. You may even provide your mailing address (discretionary, if it is your home address).

What you don't want to do is miss a response because you didn't provide the necessary options. Phone and e-mail etiquette are critical to good communications.

Happy networking!

Networking works!

The attached article came across my desk from a friend. It was actually the second time I had heard the story.

Read the article and learn how networking saved this family.

Here is an employment success story from a recent college graduate.

Did you know that your Church is not only great for prayer, but also for networking.

This networking success story demonstrates the importance of positioning yourself for the future.

Happy Networking!

Tom

How is your networking attitude?

I received a link today to a friend's blog. She was feeling pretty down about the current job market and that's understandable. This isn't an exciting job market and as we continue to hear the news reports, it's hard to find anything encouraging. With that being said we can't afford to let the economy get us down. I know it's much easier to say than to do, but we need to maintain an upbeat attitude.

We need to find whatever positives we can to maintain our own positive attitude. We can't afford to convey anything but a positive attitude because we never know when we will encounter that person that possesses our next opportunity. I also believe that at this time people want to find positive individuals.

In her blog my friend wrote about a contest, she didn't call it that, but that's exactly what it was. The contest is whose life is worse. It's a game often called one-ups-man-ship. My take on that is if someone wants to point out how much worse they have it, let them have at it. Don't compete with these people let them be worse off, because if they are then you have something to be thankful for, even if it's only a better attitude.

Thoughts for the day:

1. If someone wants to feel more sorry for their situation than you do for yours, let them and be happy that you are not that way.
2. We need to remind ourselves that we are great people and it's the situation around us that is bad.
3. Keep a positive attitude, you never know when the right person will be impressed that you are smiling.
4. Look for people that continue to be successful and start doing the things that they are doing.

This is a great day and live it to your fullest. Happy networking.