Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

People to follow on Twitter to accelerate your job hunt

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Since I first started writing about Twitter for your job search, it has continued to grow into an even better resource for job seekers. I am planning some posts to updates my readers in the near future, but in the meantime, I’d like to offer some compilations that my colleagues have put together.

Alison Doyle, the author of about.com’s job search blog, maintains a list of top job sites and career experts to follow on Twitter. Be sure to take a look at her list to find job search sites and many terrific career professionals to follow.

Willy Franzen from One Day, One Job compiled another list of the top 25 “must follow” Twitter users for your job search.

I’m so pleased to be named on both of these lists! I’m happy to share pertinent career advice and forward information from my colleagues (via “retweets”) on Twitter! I’d be delighted if you “follow” me on Twitter HERE.

What I liked most about Willy’s list is his suggestions about how to fill out your “top 50” people to follow on Twitter. He says,

“…The true power of Twitter comes through connecting with people who share your interests and passions. Instead of focusing on specific people, this second half of the list will focus on the types of people that you should look to connect with on Twitter. Finding them may not be easy at first, but once you find one, you’ll be able to look at whom they’re following to fill out the rest of your list.

26-30. Thought leaders in your industry – You need to be up on the latest news. Find the big names in the industry that you want to be in and hang on their every word.

31-35. Local leaders in your industry.

36-40. People who share a common passion – Although you may not be pursing a career that is aligned with their interests, you never know when meeting someone with common interests might help your job search.

41-45. Amusing people – You need to stay entertained. A job search can be depressing, so make sure that you follow some people who can make you laugh.

46-50. Real life friends – It’s easy to get caught up in social media and social networking, but make sure that you’re using tools like Twitter to connect with people that you actually know. It’ll help you keep things in perspective.

I think this is great advice! Let me know if you have any additional recommendations of people to follow for useful career and job hunting information! Stay tuned for more up-to-date tips about optimizing Twitter for your search.

Still can’t figure out how to use all of this to help propel your search? I am happy to help get you started. Contact me to learn how a little coaching can go a long way!

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Network with strangers

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My social Network on Flickr, Facebook, Twitter...
Image by luc legay via Flickr

I coach my clients to cultivate loose networking ties. (Effectively, connect with people outside of your immediate circle.) Many wonder how useful it is to reach out, especially  online, to people they only expect to “know” via the Internet.

My colleague, JT O’Donnell, recently wrote a great piece for Mashable asking, “Would you refer a stranger to a job?” Her response to her own question:

“I guess that all depends on what your definition of ‘stranger’ is these days…Last week, I sent an email to an HR Director introducing a candidate. Seems normal, right? Well, the catch is that I’ve never met the person I referred, or the HR Director – in person, that is. I met them on LinkedIn.”

JT explains her thought process in referring a virtual stranger for an opportunity:

1. In my mind, she’s not a stranger. While it is true that 93% of effective communication between two people is done face-to-face (i.e. voice tone and pace, eye contact, body language, facial expressions, etc.), the reality is that she only got to use 7% of her communication skills (the words and style of her writing) by e-mail to connect with me. I had multiple dialogs with her online – and all of them were consistently professional and enjoyable.

2. Networking online is easy an efficient. These days, it is estimated that over 80% of jobs are gotten by referral. FACT: The ‘Six Degrees of Separation Theory’ truly applies when it comes to job search. Just look at the evidence: it took me all of three minutes to learn that I was only two contacts away from the HR Director she wanted to meet, and just another five minutes of my time to send the e-mail recommending her.

3. Being helpful is good for your business-of-one. Leveraging our contacts online to help someone find a job in this economy is thoughtful and much needed. Not to mention, it boosts your own credibility as a professional. Besides, you just never know when you might need the favor returned. The reality is that anyone you refer still has to get the job, the assignment, or the sale on their own. So, it’s not a big investment on your part. I actually think the returns are greater for the person who does the referring.

I think that JT’s story is a wonderful reminder to job seekers – do NOT underestimate the value of “loose” connections and the opportunity to build relationships using technology and social media.

The majority of the 80% of jobs found via networking are not likely to be a result of “close” connections – What I like to call the “brother-in-law phenomenon,” where you have to hope your family member can connect you to an opportunity. Things are much more in the job seeker’s hands than that!

This contact JT  described in this story did everything right by building a relationship first. She did not cut to the chase to ask for a “favor.” JT was willing to refer the job seeker because she had a good feeling about her skills – and a sense that she would behave in a similarly professional way when connecting with another contact.

Job seekers who learn how to form relationships with people instead of looking at “networking” as a chore will be the success stories we career coaches point out for everyone else!

Use LinkedIn, Twitter and FaceBook to propel your search! I would be happy to help teach you how to leverage your job search network for success. Contact me!

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How to find a community of job seekers, Part 3

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This is part 3 of a series to describe a selection of resources to help job seekers support each other for networking and information sharing. Today, the topic is college/university alumni groups. I’ll also share some additional on-line resources targeted at helping alumni and mentors connect.

Read Part I – On-line resources

Read Part II – In-person resources

Don’t forget your alma mater!

Some college and university career centers have begun to extend benefits (some for a small fee) to graduates, and alumni organizations may be great resources of information and support. LinkedIn is full of opportunities to join alumni networking groups.

Andrew Rosenthal, President of the University of Pennsylvania Alumni Club of Philadelphia, acknowledges that his club is encountering increased discussion of how the alumni group can help connect people to job opportunities. While focusing on what services alumni should provide and what services the University should offer,  the club does partner with Penn’s career services for job seeking events.

Will Robinson, owner of Virtual Career Coach, has contact with college career offices as a business owner, and he suggests that both alumni and career offices have experienced an uptick in addressing their alumni relations. He notes that Yale, his alma mater, has had an evolving program that offers job-listings for alumni and the beginning of some ‘career transition’ seminars to local alumni groups.

Old-fashioned networking with a modern twist is alive at Wake Forest University. Business school professor Aneil Mishra, co-author of the book (with Karen Mishra), Trust is Everything, maintains a network of well over 1000 current and former MBA students whom he helps find opportunities for free via his “Trust Network.” He receives “scores of job opportunities” via his network and then passes them along to students and other alumni.

Mishra is connected to members in a variety of business school networks, including Princeton and U-Michigan alumni. He notes, “There is not much of a chance that Princeton, Wake Forest, and Michigan alums would have naturally had the opportunity to learn about and share such opportunities with each other, so we thrilled about how [the network has] taken off.”

Ben Holcomb, Mishra’s former student, learned about his current job via this network. He says, “The Trust Network was an invaluable tool to further my career upon completion of my MBA at Wake Forest University…I was connected with Green Resource LLC, a rapidly growing business (in the top 5 of The Business Journal’s FAST 50 Awards Program) who sought a Controller to manage the company’s finances. Without being a part of the Trust Network I would not have been presented with such a great opportunity.”

It is worth investigating if YOUR alma mater offers a network or resources. Otherwise, you may be missing some great opportunities.

Interesting online resources.

As with in-person networking, there are new businesses aiming to help connect alumni for networking.  One such site is www.onedegree.com, which is University specific (only 5 schools are online now), and offers social and professional networking for students, fans and alumni.

Another interesting service to investigate is GottaMentor. This site aims to connect those who have advice to offer (mentors) with those who seek it. CEO Ron Mitchell notes, “We felt that, particularly in this tough economy, people needed a resource they could use to get more personalized career advice and feedback from people they know and trust.”

Potentially useful tools in GottaMentor’s library include a public database of searchable career advice from trusted sources related to finance, consulting, education, media, marketing, healthcare, entrepreneurship, technology and more. The site offers certain services free to anyone who joins and has a list of paid services.

Summary

The last topic in this series is corporate “alumni” groups. I am still collecting information about these groups and welcome you to email me at [email protected] if you are involved in a corporate alumni group or have benefited from an affiliation with one.

Do you host or sponsor a group or site that supports job seekers? Feel free to add it in the comments!

You have no idea how to network and could use a little help?I can teach you how to take the steps you need to be successful. Contact me to learn more.

photo by clevercupcakes

How to find a community of job seekers: Part 2

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In an effort to share a selection of resources to help job seekers support each other for networking and information sharing, this week, I am writing about resources to help job seekers connect. Read Part I (On-line resources) HERE.

Today, my post focuses on in-person resources you may not have considered…
In-person resources
  • Meetup.com is an organization that helps connect people locally who have similar interests. Review their site and see if there is a group that might interest you, either a job hunting group or a more general networking group of interest. My friend and colleague, Chandlee Bryan, hosts a job search Meetup group in New York City. You should definitely join if you are in the Manhattan area. If there isn’t a group in your area, you can consider starting a job search support networking group!
  • Many communities host career ministries at churches that might be able to assist and support you in your search. Work Ministry is a resource for these groups, but you may be able to find a group locally by checking your newspapers or doing a search for “career ministry, (your city).” These groups often have speakers and offer other resources for job seekers to help them connect.
  • Networking in of itself has become a business. Many people host get togethers for the purpose of connecting people. For example, ExecuNet is one such group for executives. You can see if there are meetings in your area. Do a search for “business networking, your city.” See what comes up. If you live in a fairly large area, I would be willing to bet there are a variety of opportunities to meet people in person. The quality of the groups and interactions will vary. Try to do some homework, especially if there is a fee associated with attending.
  • Don’t forget your professional associations and organizations. Many have local chapters. Hopefully, you are already connected, but if not, now is a good time to start. These groups are also terrific if you are transitioning to a new field. People in leadership roles should be able to welcome you and offer information about the new field of interest.
  • Another resource is Pink Slip Mixers. They host free group meetings for job seekers and have a discussion board and online activity to join.
  • If you are in the Round Rock, TX area, my colleague Michael Kranes is co-hosting a Job Search Boot Camp. There are probably similar events in your city. (Contact me if you are interested in something in the Atlanta area!)
Keep your ears and mind open to the possibilities that exist when you actually engage with people in person instead of focusing all of your networking online. Do you host or sponsor a group or site that supports job seekers? Feel free to add it in the comments! I would love to add it to the next post in this series.
Stay tuned for alumni resources!

You have no idea how to network and could use a little help? I can teach you how to take the steps you need to be successful. Contact me to learn more.

photo by donkey cart

How to find a community of job seekers: Part I

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If you’re a regular reader, you know that I am working with Carolann Jacobs from Vivid Epiphany on a free teleseminar series to help job seekers dive into their job hunts. (Click HERE for more information – you can still sign up; there are 7 weeks to go!)

At our first session last week, one caller made a comment that really resonated with me. She pointed out that it was so nice for her to join the call with so many other job seekers and to realize that she is not alone in her job hunt. All along, I had been focusing on offering specific information in the seminar that would be useful and practical. I hadn’t specifically considered the value of bringing a group of job seekers together for support and encouragement. I’m glad to be enlighted! It was exciting when the participants on our call started to help each other and make suggestions to fellow callers. We started to build our own community in only one “meeting!”

Which leads me to this post…Where else can job seekers find support and encouragement?

My business partner Hallie Crawford made several good suggestions in her recent guest post.

I thought it would be useful to make some additional specific suggestions.

When I started to write this post, I realized that there are so many resources, I decided to break this up into a mini-series of posts. So, please stay tuned for the next few days for a slew of ideas if you are looking for a job! Don’t hesitate to comment with additional ideas or resources. I’ll be happy to include them in future posts.

Blogs

I am a bit biased, but I think blogs are terrific sources of support and can be community building mechanisms. I’d like to think that my blog is a place for job seekers to gain support and information, and there are many other great bloggers in the job hunting niche. You’ll find all of my favorites and more oncareer.alltop.com.

Select online resources

  • Online job seeking support forum, such THIS ONE on about.com, hosted by career advice guru Allison Doyle. At this site, “you can discuss issues related to job searching, employment, and work. Ask questions, provide answers or start discussions on topics of interest to you.”
     
  • Secrets of the Job Hunt is another terrific site that brings job seekers and career professionals together. If you have a question, you can post it and Chris Russell, who created the site and is also a founder of JobRadio FM, may repost it to all of the career professionals who are members on the site to respond to you. You can also read blog posts from many career professionals on this site. (I am a contributor as well.)
     
  • job-hunt.org has a wonderful list of resources and in-person groups by state.
     
  • I’m the Career Advice Expert for GreatPlaceJobs, a job board that only posts positions from award winning companies. Since we know that networking is key to the job hunt, GPJ hosts a LinkedIn networking community for our members, employees at great workplaces and recruiters. We are also planning teleseminars and other opportunities for recruiters at great workplaces to connect with employees. This could be a great resource if you are interested in working for an organization that has the potential to outperform in a recession.
Keep your ears and mind open to the possibilities that exist when you actually engage with people in person instead of focusing all of your networking online. Do you host or sponsor a group or site that supports job seekers? Feel free to add it in the comments! I would love to add it to one of the next posts in this series.
Stay tuned for in-person resources and more!

You have no idea how to network and could use a little help? I can teach you how to take the steps you need to be successful. Contact me to learn more.

photo by niallkennedy