Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

Networking "HOWs" – Virtual Networking

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If you haven’t read my previous blogs about networking, look at the “Categories” section to your right and click on “Networking.”

Practical Tips to Help Optimize Your Online Network 

The possibilities to connect are endless:  Blogs, networking sites such as linkedin.com and large and small social networks provide opportunities to “meet” professionals from every industry.  How should you take advantage of the possibilities?

Blogs
Identify the key bloggers in your industry.  Who has their finger on the pulse of your working world?  Read their blogs and, whenever possible, make intelligent comments and suggestions.  Simply agreeing or saying “nice post” doesn’t count!  Take some time to try to add to the conversation.  When you become a regular contributor, you will begin to form a community of people who recognize you and value your opinions.

Consider authoring your own blog!  The Wall Street Journal article, How Blogs are Changing the Recruiting Landscape, reports that one recruitment manager spends one to two hours a week searching blogs for potential hires.  In three years, blogs helped him fill 125 corporate jobs. Only take this on if you are willing to work at putting together something professional.  If your blog is sloppily done, it could hurt you.  Blogging about your industry can be a great way to gain a positive reputation.

Organize a Social Network 
If you have the time, consider organizing a social networking site online.  It could be an offshoot of another site or in response to your in-person networking.  If you see a need or a niche, taking the time and effort to fill it may get you noticed!

Linkedin
This site is a goldmine of information, networking resources and potential job opportunities.

Industry Specific Groups
Consider joining several industry specific networking groups.   This association  directory can help get you thinking about organizations in your arena.

Etiquette 
As you join social networks, chat rooms and groups, be sure to observe (lurk) before you chime in with your 2 cents worth.  You will come across more professionally if you understand the etiquette of a site before you inject your opinions.

Don’t forget that networking isn’t only about what you can get from others.  What goes around comes around – be sure that you make the effort to extend yourself in your networks.  Help someone else!  Provide a suggestion, a resource or an answer to a question.  If nothing else, it is good karma! 

Your Reputation
As you put your name out there, be sure to keep track of how you are being indexed in search engines.  Google your name.  If anything negative comes up,  Lindsey Pollak’s  blog suggests checking out  reputationdefender.com.  This company promises to get rid of unflattering online content.  Since many employers are supplementing reference checks with online searches, this may be a valuable tool. 

Another great idea from Lindsey’s blog is to sign up for Google Alerts on your name. Google will e-mail you every time you are  indexed, and you can keep track of your virtual reputation.

Consider the following tips that apply both to on- and off-line networking: 

  • Don’t wait until you are looking for a job to begin networking.
  • All leads are worth pursuing.
  • Set networking goals.  Prioritize and focus. 
  • Stay organized. Keep track of contacts, what you have learned and who referred you where.  (This can be especially important in the online world, where networks will intertwine.) 
  • Research and be prepared.
  • Always send a thank you note to everyone who helps you.  Cyberspace contacts appreciate knowing they had a positive impact, even if their comments or suggestions were not targeted to you.  If someone’s blog or suggestion helps you, let them know!
  • Write professionally.  Spell check and use proper grammar.
  • Be genuine, enthusiastic and confident in all networking communications.
  • Keep adding to your contact list and continue networking, even when you have a job.

Stay tuned for how to optimize your in-person career networking! 

keppiecareers.com…We advise, encourage, enlighten!

Networking: Obstacles and Shy Networkers

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If you missed the post Networking: Who, What, When, Where and Why?, you may want to read it first!  In summary, networking is your best tool to find a job and to find information that you’ll need to land a job.  Even if you realize that networking is important, it can still be intimidating…

Obstacles to Networking 

I don’t like to ask for help…

Many ask me, “Isn’t this about “using” people?”
Networking is not about using people; it’s about plugging into the job market.  When you network, you are looking for information and advice from those who know it best. Most people can and will provide helpful answers to your questions and guidance, and are only too glad to do so if asked the right way.

I’m just not an outgoing person…
That’s okay! You don’t have to change your personality type to be successful at networking. The goal is to project a confident, articulate and professional demeanor. If you prepare yourself to be confident about your goals and skills, you should be able to better project confidence and professionalism in your own way.

Some Suggestions:
Role play – Practice “working a room” and chit-chatting
Prepare things to talk about in advance in social situations
Have a list of questions or topics to discuss
RESEARCH – What you need to know and who knows it?

What’s the worst thing that can happen?
Maybe you’ll encounter someone who won’t want to help you. That’s okay.  Ideally, you’ll ask them if they can suggest someone else who may be able to answer some questions for you.  Most of the time, you will at least be able to get a referral from someone who isn’t interested in helping! Don’t let fear or shyness get in the way of your job search.

Shy or Introverted Networkers
There are some terrific points for shy or introverted networkers on Lindsey Pollak’s blog.  Lindsey is the author of Getting from College to Career.  Her ideas apply to all potential networkers.  The advice (above) about networking encourages shy people to act outgoing.  Lindsey’s article, Why Shy People Make Great Networkers reminds these networkers of their great innate traits.

In summary, shy and introverted people ask for personal referrals, tend to be polite, are good listeners, bring a friend to networking events and leverage their on-line contacts – all great indicators of a successful networker! (Thanks, Lindsey for those timely points!)

Cultural Factors
In the U.S, contacting people you may not know for information is acceptable and expected. However, in other cultures, even the most polite networking may be considered rude and disrespectful. If your cultural assumptions prohibit networking, and you are looking for a job in the U.S., you may want to work with a trusted friend or adviser to strategize about how you can take advantage of networking. For those networking with people of various cultures, remember how cultural differences influence communication.

Stay tuned for specific, practical networking strategies in the next installment in the Networking series.

More on Networking: Who, What, When, Where and Why!

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Finding a job may seem overwhelming.

You need to:

  • Know what you want to do. 
  • Create a great resume that shows how you can do it. 
  • Find opportunities that may not be advertised.
  • Generate opportunities for yourself that may not exist otherwise!

That is where networking comes in.  Networking recognizes that relationships are the crux of the job search.  Employers prefer to hire people whom they like, or people their friends or colleagues admire.   Job searchers need to put themselves in the position of being that person!

Don’t forget – approximately 80% of jobs are NOT filled through job postings.  They are filled via networking.  Google it.  Convinced?
 
How do you get started?

First of all, please start networking before you are looking for a job!  Don’t wait another minute!

Many think of networking as something that happens on-line.  I’ve been amazed at the connections available on LinkedIn, and other social networking sites like facebook or myspace, used correctly, may open doors.  Take advantage of all of your virtual resources.  Keep in mind that networking happens in person, too!  Don’t forget:

  • Relatives
  • Friends (especially those in the workplace)
  • Friends of friends
  • Professors and Deans
  • Former employers and co-workers
  • Neighbors and acquaintances
  • Alumni (of undergraduate and graduate schools)

 Where/When should I network?

  • Professional associations/conferences
  • Work events and meetings, social and professional
  • Classes
  • Alumni events
  • Social events
  • Community events
  • Elevators — collect business cards
  • Airplanes
  • Anywhere, all of the time!

Stay tuned for Networking:  Obstacles and Shy Networkers and Networking Strategies.

 keppiecareers.com…We advise, encourage, enlighten!

Are you a workaholic?

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In Five Signals that You May Be a Workaholic, an article by Dana Mattioli for Career Journal.com,, she outlines several criteria to help determine if you are, indeed, a workaholic, or if you are just doing your job.  The criteria:

  1. You are preoccupied with work.  You are always dwelling on your job and can’t “turn it off” in social situations.
  2. You don’t like to delegate.  This is a control issue.  You’re afraid that letting someone else take responsibility would indicate that other people can actually get the job done.
  3. You neglect other parts of your life.  Family and social relationships suffer because you are so immersed with work.
  4. You try to combine work into other parts of your life.  For example, you hire friends or relatives to work for you or use vacations as opportunities to pursue work activities.
  5. You sneak work! (Like one might sneak chocolate to avoid sharing it with one’s children…Not that I would know anything about that personally.)

The New York Times weighs in as well.  Their column, When Hard Work Becomes Overwork,by Phyllis Korkki, touches on the similarities between workaholics and alcoholics.  She describes stress and mental and physical damage (to workaholics and their employees).  Workaholics aren’t even necessarily more productive than other workers.  In fact, they may inadvertently be creating the problems they thought they were solving “to provide the endless thrill of more work.”

So,  here you are, giving your lifeblood to your career, sacrificing everything – relationships, hobbies, free time – and your organization may actually think that you are the problem!  Sad, but true.

It may be time to reevaluate.  Look at yourself and your work objectively.  If you are a workaholic, it may be time to step back and make some changes  You may need some professional help to overcome a work addiction..  Is a new career in order?  Maybe.  Evaluating your options and reviewing your resume can’t hurt. A transfer or new assignment may be in order. If this sounds like you, the new year is a perfect time to think about making a change.

To thine own self be true…

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It’s more than just a line from Shakespeare! Wouldn’t it be nice if everyone who worked had the luxury of spending their work hours doing something that they enjoyed and was true to their values and skills? If you are considering a new career, have you done any thinking about how that career intersects with who you are (or want to be)?

Focusing your your values is one way to help direct your search.  Check out the University of Minnesota’s Values Inventory to get you thinking about your values and what you really want in terms of work.

Another strategy is to focus on skills.  So many job seekers can’t really identify what they have to offer in the way of skills.  This is a real problem when it comes to the self-marketing, self-selling and interviewing aspects of the job search.  I’ve said it before:  If you don’t know what you have to offer, who does?

There are many ways to approach figuring out your skills.  There is a basic one that I advise my clients to consider:  look at a skills list.  Highlight all of the skills you’ve EVER used or could remotely be related to you.  Then, go back and check off the skills that really resonate and feel like “you.”  This is a basic, not time consuming and free way to get you thinking about  your skills.

Another suggestion is to use an on-line skills profiler tool.  This instrument  allows you to identify and match skills used in a variety of different jobs with specific occupations.  You can search by skills or start with occupations.  This tool may give you some new ways of thinking about how you can use your transferable skills.

Personality and occupational tests are tools to help focus your plans.  John Holland’s Occupational Test functions on the belief that people who have similar interests may prefer the same types of work environments.  It aims to categorize your interests, abilities and personality into themes that may then be grouped to target careers.  This is one of many personality driven assessments available that may help focus your goals.