Accelerate Your Search™ Now

Networking gets a bad rap sometimes.  I think it’s because networkers forget the basic reason for networking — connecting with people and building relationships.  That’s it.

The goal is not to get something from someone.  The goal is to get to know people.  People are amazing and fun — and great resources.

Here are 6 tips to help with networking, whether you love to do it or if you want to improve your skills:  

1. Identify well-attended events.

Select events that will help you expand your contacts within your industry.   Leverage the events you always attend and add other events to your calendar.  Look for events where you can meet new contacts.

2. Set a budget for networking

You will have expenses:  business cards, attire, event fees, food or beverage, or a donation to a charity or cause.  Be willing to invest in yourself — and do it with a grateful heart.

3. Set a schedule for networking

There are so many events you could attend.   Plan which events to attend, who to connect with, what to wear, and how you will follow up.  Having a plan and a schedule will keep you focused.

4. Leverage your existing relationships and connections.

Are there people you want to see or speak with?  Is getting an appointment on their calendar tough?  Seek events where you know those people will attend.  Connect ahead of time and arrange a time to talk at the event.  This uses your time (and theirs!) effectively.

5. Stand out in the crowd

Know how you want to differentiate yourself from others at an event.  You want to gain favorable attention with key contacts and those who can help you land your dream job.  Know who will be at the event and be open to the opportunities before you.  Don’t sell, rather ask questions and get to know people.

6. Leverage your online network and online events

Many events are growing and some events combine both online and face-to-face experiences.  If you get an “Evite” with an RSVP treat it as you would any invitation with an RSVP.  If you need to check in – do it.  Check the list for who is attending — you may wish to add someone to your “connect with” list.  If you can’t join in person and the event is live-streamed join online.

Do you have a networking tip or comment to share?  Post it below.

In work, play and life relationships matter.  When assisting your department or team with projects and deliverables both internal and external relationships are critical.  The relationships you have with co-workers, bosses and vendors are also vital when organization leaders are discussing personnel moves.

According to data published by Great Place to Work Institute, 30% of positions in the 100 Best Companies are filled internally.  Your work does get noticed.

You need a strategy to build and nurture your internal and external networks.  What’s yours?  Is it any of these three?

1. Wait till you need something, then ask.
2. Help others all the time, hoping they will help you in the future, or
3. Create a balanced approach that includes getting to know people so that you understand what is important to them and creating results that are of value to your network.

You may have guessed the third strategy is the one I recommend.  It is too easy to spend time and energy on items that take up time yet net minimal real results.

Technology is a wonderful tool, yet it can too easily rob you of the opportunity of spending quality time with your boss, peers, friends, business associates and possible employers.  Take a good look at your relationships.  Ask yourself the following questions:

• Who are you meeting with face-to-face?
• Who do you need to add to the list?
• What priorities, outcomes or results can you impact now?  In 3 months?  A year?
• What priorities, outcomes or results can your team impact now?  In 3 months?  A year?
• Who knows you?
• Who is getting the results you want to achieve?

Being promotable requires marketing yourself and your results.  One of the more productive ways to market yourself is to understand, nurture and build key relationships.

What are three things you will do in the next 30 days to learn more about others, enhance your current relationships or connect with those who need to know you?

Life is crazy busy.  Full schedules, meetings, emails, social and professional association sites to visit and maintain and requests from family members — whew!

The thought of one more email, phone message or “to do” item is just too much.  Who has the time to stay connected to your network, possible references or past co-workers, right?

The impact of those beliefs may lead to a shrinking network or worse — you will be forgotten.  When you need your network most, it may not be there.  Relationships and networks require “care and feeding.”  If staying connected feels like a chore or a burden, your network will notice and it may negatively impact your relationships.

We all know people in our network that we haven’t spoken to in 20 years, yet the bond is so strong that when you do talk to them its as if you have chatted that morning.  Those people are the exception, not the norm.  I call them my “Ruby Connections.”  Those precious connections that will be there no matter matter what.

The truth is not all relationships are created equal.  Most business relationships need regular contact to maintain the connection.  If not, when you make a call as I did recently to an electrician, I heard, “You have been purged from our system, you would be considered a new customer and the wait for a service call is four weeks.”  I was surprised, but realized I had not cared for this relationship and knew nothing about the changes in the business.  Shame on me.

Here is a simple process I use to stay in touch.  It is not perfect — obviously, or I wouldn’t be considered a “new” customer in the eyes of my West Texas electrician!

1.  When adding someone to your network, also add them to a follow-up group.  For me, I assign these groups a letter (A, B, C, etc.) to keep it simple.  For example, I belong to an association of women golfers and all my connections from that group go into my “G” group.  You got it — “G” for golf.

2.  Follow up quickly with new connections.  Learn more about your connection, what they do, interests, etc.  See how you might assist them now or in the future.  Jibberjobber.com is a great tool for managing contacts.

3.  Schedule time each week to follow-up with those in your network.  I schedule at least 60 minutes per week for connecting with new contacts.  One hour allows me time to connect by phone, in person or by Skype.  For established connections, I schedule 30 minutes.

4.  Follow-up methods vary by person, type of relationship and type of last contact.  Mix it up.   I might drop a card in the mail for someone’s birthday or if I notice, through LinkedIn, that someone received a promotion.  Send Out Cards is one of my favorite tools.  I love to send cards, yet I hate going to the store.  Send Out Cards is so easy — it is done from my computer and includes a personal note.  It is printed, stamped and mailed all in minutes.   [In the interest of full disclosure I am a Send Out Card Distributor.]

5.  Finally, for people I see (or saw) on a daily basis I schedule time to really connect — an occasional lunch or coffee or maybe leave a note on their desk to say, “Hi, thought of you last night when your ball team won.”

The bottom line?  Draw water before you need it.  When you stay in touch and show people you care about them, the people in your network will care about you and be there when you need an answer, a referral or an introduction.

We all have time for the things that are important.

Staying connected is easy when you follow the five steps above.  Start small — pick one step.  If you are over-scheduled, look to next month and add one 30-minuted appointment to your calendar or the next time you jump on LinkedIn share a post you enjoyed with someone in your network.

It is often the simple things you do that brighten someone’s day and show you care.  Nurture your relationships and create a “Ruby Connection.”

If you know someone who can benefit from this post, please pass it on.

Do you say things like:

“Job search networking is so overrated.”  

“I hate networking!”    

“I don’t think networking is worth the effort.” 

“I have never known someone who got a job from networking”

What are your real feelings about job search networking?

Do you believe your network can help you?  Are you willing to ask your network for help?  How will you ask your network for assistance?

Having a basic understanding and respect for your feelings about networking is important.  Think about what you are willing and not willing to do to connect with the people in your network.

What is the size of your network now?

Would you like to build and sustain a larger network?

If you are just going through the motions of contacting people and asking for a job, that is not tapping into or building a network.  It is just asking people you know for a job.

In my view, calling someone and saying, “Hi, I am out of work.  Do you have a job available?” is a little like begging on the street corner.  It sure would not feel good to me.

On the other hand, reaching out to people in your network, sharing what you are up to and letting them know you are searching for your next position is a very different approach.  This type of approach includes specifically sharing the type of opportunities you are seeking and ASKING them to let you know if such an opportunity presents itself, whether inside their company or another.  Remember, these conversations can be very awkward if you haven’t stayed in touch.

If you hate to network, start with the people you know.  Reaching out to the people you know well and speak with often will increase your comfort level.

What is one of the best ways to learn to enjoy networking?  Just do it.  Get out there and try it.  It can be that simple.

Leveraging your network is one of the most powerful tools in your toolbox.  You may be amazed at the reach of your network.  Often clients are surprised at the power and generosity of even a very small network.  You may just discover your network is more extensive than you thought.

AND – once you reach out, make a plan to stay in touch and execute that plan.  Networking includes the word “work” for a reason.  It requires some work on your part.

Have an amazing week!

Share, in the comments below, what you like about networking.

The holiday season is upon us.  It is a great time of year to connect with your network.

One powerful search tool that is often overlooked is the “gratitude letter.”  This is the perfect time of year to send it to your current network of friends, family and past colleagues.

Most people know between 200 – 250 people.  Many, if not all, of your contacts have helped you in the past and, if they were aware of your current situation, would be willing to help again.  Gratitude Letters create powerful, positive energy and, almost instantly, add 200 people to your search team.

So, what exactly is a “gratitude letter?”  It is an opportunity to reach out, say why you appreciate the person and to share your current activities.  It is NOT a letter begging for a job.  Its purpose is to connect, update and appreciate.

Here is how to get started:

• Make a list of your contacts or print one out from Outlook or your CRM system.
• Next to each name write down one thing you appreciate about that person.
• Then verify you have a current mailing address for each contact.

Now you are ready to draft a simple one page letter.  Include your gratitude, a specific business accomplishment from the last year and what you are doing now.  You might say something like, “I am currently looking for my next opportunity as the Director of Marketing in the metro area specifically with ABC, Inc. or ZXX, Inc.  If you know anyone I should speak with at either organization, please let me know.”

If the contact is someone you would like to meet face-to-face, include a P.S. with a suggestion to meet for coffee or lunch.  For example, “If you want to grab lunch, my treat, either November 30 or December 3 at the Brown Deli, I’d love to catch up and find out what is new with you.”  You can also share in a P.S. that you have a bit of extra time and if there is a business project you could help with to let you know.  Make sure to add your mobile number below the P.S.

Print the letters on your personalized letterhead.  Stuff the envelopes, add a stamp and drop them in the mail.    Remember, the purpose is to show your appreciation and to update your network.

Don’t forget to include family and friends on your list.  The people closest to you may know all about your job search and be your biggest supporters.  As career transitions can be stressful, they are often the people who most need to know you appreciate their support.

Be bold.  If you are coming from a place of honest appreciation your network will be delighted that you took time to contact them in a personal manner.  Few people take time to be appreciative and less take to write a letter.  Connecting regularly with your network is very powerful.

Post a comment and share your favorite tip for sharing appreciation.

Getting your résumé noticed and in the hands of the right person is tough.  You can’t afford to waste time or make mistakes.

Boring, plain and empty résumés don’t grab attention and they don’t get read.  If you want to get an interview, you must gain favorable attention.

Are you ready to be happy, make the money you deserve and land your dream job?  Then it is time to avoid the BIG mistakes.

Are you making the biggest mistake?

Failing to address the problems you solve is among the biggest mistakes employers note when talking about résumés.  Hiring managers don’t have time nor do they want to stop and try to figure out if you can solve the problem most important to them.  Grab their attention by sharing how you can solve their problem!

Here are 3 tips to avoid making this mistake:

1. Use all your fire power to quickly and clearly identify what you can do for the employer.

2. Set your résumé apart by telling the reader about the extraordinary manner or method you use to solve problems.

3. Offer an unambiguous picture of what your new boss will experience when working with you as you solve the problems.

Finally, it is not enough to have a great résumé.  You must also be able to avoid this BIG mistake during an interview. If you’re boring or never gain the interviewer’s attention with the problems you solve, you won’t be in the running for the job.

Is a résumé mistake keeping you stuck in a job you have out grown?  Will your résumé knock you out before an interview even occurs?

Do you have a résumé comment or a question?

Please post it below.

Saturday evening we attended Zootopia 2013, an event celebrating the Franklin Park Zoo’s centennial and Zoo New England.  It was fun and inspirational.  Live animals, inspiring people and unique stories combined to produce an engaging evening.

Branded leadership was everywhere.  I truly love to talk to people who have passion for what they do.  The marketplace loves it, too! A person’s palpable uniqueness and authenticity excites, engages, and connects people.

I was most inspired by the owl handler’s love for his job, his strong brand and the immediate impact of his leadership.  You can see in the photo he enjoys what he does.  His voice, eyes and energy share and highlight not only his brand, but also his keen knowledge of of the critical element that helps strong brands flourish — face-to-face time with clients, supporters, and professional contacts.  This time is important for him, the barn owl, and the organization they represent.

It was clear that the entire Zoo New England team (zookeepers, animal trainers, business development staff and board members) understood that uniqueness unlocked allows life to flourish, fun to blast forward and amazing results to occur.  They truly inspired themselves and the event attendees with their passion for what they do.

Do you inspire yourself?  Why do you do what you do?  Do you share your vision, passion and mission with others? Who else have you inspired to share your story?

Here are just some of the people telling the Zoo New England story to the world:   Jeff Corwin, Anna Rose Rudy, Robin Young, Adam Crellin-Sazama and Beau.  And, clearly they are inspiring others to tell the story, too.

Is it time to build your brand equity and inspire others?   Who is shouting about what you do and how you and your team are unique?

If you need help to leverage your uniqueness, do what you love, and inspire others, give me a call.

Oftentimes, it is easier to listen to the voices of doubt and sit still than it is to have the courage to listen to your REAL call to action and move forward with faith, completing what you really need to do.

Everyone desires success and wants life to be easy.  Me too!   I would love it if I could just wait by the phone or my Inbox and clients would come flooding in.  However, without continuous and innovative marketing and networking, I don’t land the job — and neither will you.

You can’t just keep fussing with your résumé of filling out online applications and expect someone to call you.  Unfortunately, time is not on your side.  Being out of work for a period of time does impact your value in the market.

If you are ready to stop making excuses and be back to work soon, it is time to take action!

Where to start?

First, you must BELIEVE!  Believe that results will come as a result of your actions.  Have faith that you are enough.  By nurturing and believing in your vision you become a magnet for success and prosperity.

Next, feel CONFIDENT in your values, skills and the job you perform.  Be aware of your doubts and negative feelings or you may miss out on available opportunities.

Then you must ACT!

Begin by assessing your network.  Take inventory of the people you know.  Do you need to grow and nurture your current network?  As in any business, inventory is an asset and impacts your bottom line.

Create a plan to connect and stay connected.  Who knows you?  Who likes you?  Who trusts you?  What is the best way to connect?  How will you stay connected?

Execute your plan.  Who will you call this week?  Pick up the phone.  Connect with people.  If you don’t have opportunities for a job in your pipeline you need to expand your network.

At the end of the day, stop listening to your doubts, decide what results you want and take action to achieve it!

“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more.  If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” ~ Oprah Winfrey

Happy Thanksgiving!

In the U.S., many are making plans for Thanksgiving Day!  May your celebration be special and include time for quiet reflection, gratitude for your blessings and simple moments of appreciation for all you have been given.

With Thanksgiving, the holiday season is officially underway.  It is a great time to expand your network and to Accelerate Your Search.  Holiday and family gatherings provide opportunities to connect and nurture relationships within your network.

Here are four tips to maximize each gathering during the holiday season:

1. Give.  Be prepared to give something to everyone you meet.  A smile, a kind word, a connection or your time — these are wonderful gifts.
2. Ask questions and listen.  Ask others questions about what they enjoy about the season or what exciting things are happening in their lives.  Listen carefully and ask follow-up questions.  Avoid offering helpful suggestions/ideas unless specifically asked.
3. Market yourself.  But, don’t beg for a job or oversell!  Be prepared to answer the question “What do you do?”  Avoid saying, “I am unemployed” or “I am looking for a job.”  Instead share what you do and how you add value.  Exchange business cards when appropriate and don’t forget to follow up.
4. Manners Matter. Take your manners and a positive attitude to each event. Be sure to thank the event host.  Yes — even Aunt Sally — your less than favorite person.  Show appreciation for the work and effort put into planning and hosting the event.  When appropriate,  prepare and deliver simple, unique and fun gifts to the host.

Go network, enjoy and have fun!  Avoid negative comments or conversations.  Be open to the opportunities before you and maintain an attitude of gratitude and appreciation.  Your upbeat attitude will prove contagious and you will expand your network and Accelerate Your Search.