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FEARLESS NETWORKING – CONNECT FOR RESULTS

In my last article, I covered some basics of LinkedIn networking and I had a really

good response. So many people REALLY struggle with networking and I get it.

To be honest, when my business partner and I attend a networking event together,

she always tells me not to follow her around because she won’t talk to me. I hate that!

First and foremost, as an introvert who covers it up well, I would rather

have my teeth pulled than network with strangers. However, I find that once I get rolling, it really is no big deal. So, why do so many of us dread networking and how can we work around it?

For most of us, if we think about it, we can start by realizing that we find out about jobs, gain clients or make money by knowing the right people. So, how do we meet those right people are? Your “right people” might be completely different than my “right people”.

Identify who you need to meet. If you are in transi-tion, you already know that you must have a list of your target companies. Find professional associations and universities in your area that host networking events.

Talk to current and former co-workers; try a Chamber of Commerce event. There are many ways to get out

there and start meeting the people who can help you move towards your goals.

Now, you know where the right people are, why are we so uncomfortable with taking the next step and actually meeting them? For me, it’s one, if not all, of the following:

I don’t want to be rejected I don’t want to sound stupid I have nothing to say I sound very “salesy”

I know I wouldn’t want to talk to someone who clearly wants something from me! This would be a good example of what you shouldn’t say (and it’s typically what I hear being said).

“My name is Susan and I am currently in a job transition. I met with your colleague on Tuesday and she suggested I connect with you. I was laid off from my previous employer, COMPANY X, at

Central Valley Professionals Monthly Career Advice Articles October 2013

To Contact CVP: 3302 N. Blackstone Ave., Suite 225 Fresno, CA 93726 (559) 230-4063 cvpfresno@gmail.com www.cvpfresno.org CVP Coordinator:

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE Page

“Fearless Networking – Connect for Results” 1 “9 Tips for Becoming a Successful Networker” 3 “10 Things You Need to Know About Job Searching” 4 “Top 8 Tips for Job Fair Success” 6 “LinkedIn Headlines: What Not to Do” 7

Edited by

Darlene E. Lobkowski Roselyn Walker darlenelob@gmail.com roselynwalker@aol.com

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the end of January, so I am in the market for a job again. I am seeking out the following types of positions:

“Director, Software Implementations “ “Senior Business Analyst” “Director, Business Systems Implementations”

“At COMPANY X I managed the implementation of a proprietary membership management/scheduling/ point of sale system for 21 sites and also played a lead role in their PeopleSoft Financials implementation. I would like to get back into this type of work.”

In my business, which is all about networking and teaching people the importance of networking, we call this the “show up and throw up” approach. I think that visual speaks for itself.

If I am the recipient, a few things have most likely taken place. My eyes have glazed over and I am thinking about what I am going to have for dinner OR I have a plastic smile on my face and am searching for the nearest exit.

Why is that? Because you are violating the Golden Rule of Networking!

The Golden Rule of Networking “Networking and building relationships is about giving, not getting.”

Okay, so we have established the most fundamental rule about networking and you find yourself at an event. What, then, are the steps to an effective plan for networking that takes the fear out of the process?

The Search Start meeting people. Prior to the event, see if you are able to obtain a listing of attendees. If you can, start with a familiar face; that person can lead you to a new contact.

If you are at a breakfast or lunch event, introduce yourself to everyone at the table. Go early, stay late – great opportunities exist. Talk to someone standing alone; they are feeling uncomfortable as well, I guarantee it!

My favorite, though, is volunteer to check people in at an event. You will get to meet everyone!

The Discovery This is the tricky part, what do you say once you have introduced yourself. Open up with a statement, question

“We haven’t met yet, I’m Susan. What brings you to the event today?”

Or …

“I haven’t attended this event before, have you?”

After an introduction …

“What is your role at your company?” (What are they involved in or what is their profession, etc.)

“I haven’t heard of your organization; can you tell me more about the services they offer?”

Think about the topic that will be covered at the event and go prepared with a pertinent question.

“What do you think about …”

Now, here is the important piece. LISTEN! You’ll begin to hear clues about how you can help.

The Offering After you have discovered their challenge, issue or opportunity, offer to help. Sounds great, but how?

Give them a suggestion, resource, tip, tool, lead or advice; anything that will advance their cause. Good things to give are referrals, Websites, books, potential hiring managers, upcoming events or a contact. This is your chance to take the relationship to the higher level.

The Promotion Now, it’s finally your turn! This is your chance for a quick 10-second introduction and a brief idea of what you do, how you help people and what you are looking for.

Make it simple enough, but specific enough that it will spark an idea in the mind of the listener. This is your chance to build a rapport that can lead to referrals, leads, new contacts or other networks.

A colleague of mine uses a wonderful adage; “To be specific is terrific, to be vague is the plague.”

Once someone engages in a true give and take dialogue with you, it’s VITAL that you be very clear about what you are looking for.

What does this mean? Your intro needs to be clear on how you are different. Have a list in your head of at least two or three target companies.

If you tell the listener, “I am a financial professional and am interested in working for a small- to medium- size company,” that is not likely to spark any sort of lead because the statement is too vague.

A better statement would be, “I am a financial professional and have had quite a bit of success in identifying inefficiencies that hurt the bottom line of a company’s profitability. I have been researching

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several companies and I would love to learn more about Companies X, Y and Z.”

By being clear, you have opened the door for the listener to think about what contacts he or she might have that can be of use to you.

The Close Finish it up with an exchange of business cards and information. Tell them that you will follow up on what you said you would do. Jot a short note about your conversation and what you have committed to on the back of their card.

SHAKE HANDS! Reach out and thank them.

You are there to connect with several people, so a great break-away statement is “It was a pleasure to meet you. Thanks for telling me about what you do. I am going to let you meet more people here. I will follow up with you tomorrow on what we talked about.”

Here is the kicker, this is the point where 90% of people drop the ball. Be the 10% who actually follow up. It says a lot about who you are and helps cement the relationship.

So, that’s it… five essentials to effective networking. You can do it and you can be successful at it.

Understand the process: Find an event where your “right people” are, have an idea of how to open a conversation, be prepared to give before you get, know who you are and what you need and be able to articulate it succinctly, follow up.

Ok, now, you are ready! Start networking!

Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Article from: http://www.careerealism.com/fearless-networking-connect

9 TIPS FOR BECOMING A SUCCESSFUL NETWORKER

What’s the secret to being a successful networker?

Well, we all know how

important it is to

balance the online and

offline networking and

connecting what we are

doing now.

We can’t only live online

or offline anymore. Each

one is mutually inter-

dependent and inter-related. They work so well in

tandem.

Both have their importance, purpose and value. We

know being “online” is simply smart and essential

because that is where people converge, gather and

interact. But, “offline” is where the true personal

connections are made to explore the mutuality and

develop the relationship. If you are not in

physical proximity with someone, what are some of

the ways and things you can do to accelerate

relationship building?

Are you meeting, picking up the phone or Skyping

regularly when you make new social friends?

How to be a Successful Networker Here are nine things you can do that will help you develop some warm connections, stand out and be remembered.

1. Share Your Passion, Authenticity and Story

People really connect with your real side and everyone

has a story. It’s the new “elevator pitch.”

2. Target Your Audience

Learn about the community where you are meeting.

Research and find out about them on websites, blogs

and through others that may know about them or are

members of the group.

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3. Know the Guest List

When you know some specific people that will be there,

that you will want to meet, do your homework and find

out about them. Company, awards, community activity,

accomplishments. This is great fodder for conversation.

How would you feel when someone you didn’t know

yet, approaches you and says, “I loved the blog post

you wrote on how to be a Mom and grow a business”?

It certainly says something to me about them.

4. Work the Room

Mix and mingle, and try to have several warm

interactions. Don’t monopolize or be monopolized. Engage

and encourage mutual conversation and include others

into it.

5. Pair Up With a Mentor

Find someone who knows the crowd and group and

rely on them to introduce you around. Coming with

someone others know and respect says something

about you. “You are judged by the company you keep,”

is the quote, isn’t it?

6. Set Goals

Have goals for what you want to accomplish and come

out of the experience with: five warm connections, new

friends, someone you can refer business to.

7. Be Inclusive

Be inclusive and see how making connections for

others makes sense both at the event and after. I have

been amazed at how encouraging commonality and

synergy can work with complementary businesses.

8. Ask HCIHY (How Can I Help You?)

This is the new benchmark for networking. Not what

can I sell you, but how can I serve you. “Serving is the

new Selling.” When people know you are in it for the

right reasons and motives, the relationship naturally

grows. Building trust, by freely sharing knowledge and

being who you say you are takes time. Invest and

commit to it with people you feel good potential with and

demonstrate a mutuality with you.

9. Follow Up

Follow up promptly and with purpose with those warm

connections you made. Lunch, coffee, guest blog,

mentor, referral, Skype, phone call, collaboration, link

swap are only a few reasons to reach out and continue.

Relationships take time,

effort and commitment.

Some grow, some go, but

you won’t know which

until you take the actions.

Networking is a natural

extension of all our inter-

actions and communications today. We are pretty much

networking all the time now, aren’t we?

What are some of the successful ways you have used in

your networking?

Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Article from:

www.careerealism.com/9-tips-succeessful-networker/

10 Things You Need to Know about Today’s Job Search

Job search has changed dramatically in the past few years thanks to technology. Are you up-to-date on the best job hunting strategies? Here are 10 things today’s job searchers need to know:

1. Google Has Replaced the Résumé

Recruiters are now using Google and LinkedIn

searches to find talent, instead of paying for job board

or talent databases like they used to do. In fact, many

companies are even mandating that every new application

go through a Google screening process. So that means

the first page of your Google results matter much more

than they ever did before during a job search.

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2. A Summary is Enough

Today, the résumé is used mostly in the screening

process while actual decisions are made after inter-

views. And because there are so many candidates

competing for each job, HR people (or hiring managers

if they are tasked with recruitment) often scan résumés

very briefly. In fact, the average time on a résumé is 30

seconds.

3. Social Proof is a Must

Social proof, testimonials or recommendations

seriously reduce the perceived risk of you as a

candidate. The most costly mistake a hiring manager

can make is to hire the wrong person. Some say that if

a new hire leaves within three months, it costs the

organization one and half that person’s annual salary.

And with the economy as tight as it is, you can

understand why hiring managers are so risk averse.

4. Résumés and Cover Letters are not Read on Paper Anymore

Most organizations are not receiving paper résumés

and when they get them via email or their application

system, they don’t print them. So expect your résumé

and cover letter to be read on a computer screen. This

means you have to format your documents in a way

that makes screen scanning easy.

5. Relationships First, Résumés Second

Résumés are not used as introductory documents

much these days. In fact, “send me your résumé” is

often an afterthought after an introduction is made.

And if an introduction is made online, then your online

profile offers much more information than a résumé.

So shift your priorities from, “Oh crap, I have to get my

résumé done!” to, “Oh crap, where can I meet some

more people today?”.

6. Employers Only Care About What They Want

In years past, a résumé or job application was focused

on what the job seeker wanted. This is not true

anymore. Now, an application, résumé, or cover letter

must speak to what value the seeker can bring to the

organization. How can you bring value to the company

and how soon can the company realize that value.

7. Don’t Mind the Gap

Large gaps in your résumé are not as important as they

used to be. Not only do employers today realize that

millions of great and wonderful people got laid off, they

also appreciate it when candidates showed initiative

and tried to start their own thing.

8. Nouns are the New Currency

Screening software and LinkedIn talent searches have

introduced an unexpected element to the way a résumé

should be written. Because these tools rely on nouns or

keywords to deliver search results to recruiters, the

résumés with the right combination of nouns often

win. If you want to succeed in today’s job search, make

a commitment to learn how to research keywords and

how to use them appropriately on the page.

9. Everyone Has a Personal Brand – Yes, Everyone

Ten years ago, not many people knew what a personal

brand was, let alone was having one really that accessible.

These days, even if you don’t know what it is, you still

have one. And because recruiters and hiring managers

are just looking for red flags, inconsistencies in your

image or messaging will prevent you from passing

screening. Even if you never touched a computer in

your life, you have a personal brand as well as an

online reputation. So you have to decide, will you be in

control of your image or will someone else?

10. Typing Isn’t a Skill Anymore

Being able to type used to be a skill people would

highlight on their résumé. Now, you have to know how

to type just to have a résumé. What really matters is

how well you’ve prepared yourself for the application.

You have access to more information about a company

then generations past. As a result, expectations for pre-

paredness are much higher. To really shine, focus on

customizing each résumé and cover letter. It’s better to

send off a few very targeted applications then it is to

spray and pray.

Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Article from:

www.careerealism.com/job-search-solution/

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TOP 8 TIPS FOR JOB FAIR SUCCESS

Walking into a job fair may seem like a daunting task. You may be one of

hundreds of candidates vying for a recruiter’s attention, but you can earn an

advantage over the competition by following these top tips for job fair success.

1. Do Your Homework

Most companies have to pre-register if they plan to have a

booth at a job fair. This information is generally made

available to participants. See which companies are hiring

people with your skill set and then make an effort to visit

those recruiters first while you’re still fresh and have copies

of your résumé available.

In many cases, the job fair organizers will provide

participants with a floor plan or map of the company

locations. Since job fairs can be overwhelming, bring a

highlighter or pen with you to mark the places you need to

visit first. You should also mark off the companies that you

speak to, so that you can remember to follow up after the

event.

2. Arrive Early

Recruiters are at their best at the beginning of the job fair,

too, so plan to arrive when the event begins to attract the

most attention. Be prepared to answer some brief interview

questions on the spot or fill out applications for some

employers.

3. Bring Extra Copies of Your Résumé

Even though you have target companies that you’ll want to

visit, bring extra copies of your résumé in case you see an

employer or position opening that appeals to you the day of

the job fair. You don’t need to hand out your résumé

aimlessly, but bring at least a dozen extra copies above what

you need for your target companies.

4. Practice Your Elevator Speech

In this economy, job fairs attract hundreds of candidates. In

order to be noticed – and remembered – by recruiters, you

should have a 30 second or less pitch about who you are and

what value you would add to the employer. It takes a while

to perfect your pitch, so write it out, revise it and practice

several times before the job fair.

5. Wear Comfortable Shoes

This may seem like a no-brainer, but participating in a job

fair can be grueling both emotionally and physically. You

won’t be able to be your best self for the recruiters if you’re

in excruciating

pain because of

uncomfortable

footwear. Most job seekers dress professionally for job fairs

and you should do that, too, but make comfortable business-

appropriate shoes a priority.

6. Bring a Bottle of Water and Hand

Sanitizer

You’re going to get thirsty from talking to all those

recruiters, so bring a bottle of water to refresh yourself.

While many job fairs provide refreshments to participants,

it’s not a given. You’ll feel much better if you can hydrate

yourself during the event. Hand sanitizer is also a great thing

to bring to cut down on passing germs back and forth with

all the handshakes you’ll be doing. Using hand sanitizer is

also a good way to prevent sweaty palms if you’re nervous.

7. Just Say No to Giveaways

It’s perfectly acceptable to take some company literature if

you’re interested in a company, but try to stay away from

taking giveaways and extra items from all of the employers.

These items weigh you down and make you tired.

Remember, you’re there to find a job, not to get a new stress

ball. If you must take items, consider bringing a messenger

bag or briefcase with a shoulder strap to put the items into so

your hands are free for sealing a conversation with a firm

handshake.

8. Follow Up Within 48 Hours

Recruiters meet lots of candidates at job fairs. If you want to

set yourself apart from the competition, take business cards

and send thank you e-mails after the event. In your e-mail,

you should reference when and where you met and the

position that interests you. You most likely won’t receive a

response from the recruiter, but it might help move your

résumé to the top of the pile.

Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Article from:

www.careerealism.com/prepare-job-fair/

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LINKEDIN HEADLINES: WHAT NOT TO DO

There are certain areas that always seem to cause

controversy when training people on using LinkedIn.

The first area of controversy is about profile

pictures. But the second, and I think most

misunderstood area, is your professional headline.

Your headline is the area just below your name in

the top-most blue box of your profile. Every time

you send an invitation to connect, or send an E-

mail, or comment in a group, your headline

appears below your name.

So, assuming your first impression with a

recruiter is probably going to be on LinkedIn,

those first 120 characters must have sufficient

impact and clarity.

In reviewing many LinkedIn profiles over the

years, and more recently getting to know the

recruiting industry well, I can tell you the key

points you need to know when writing or editing

your headline.

LinkedIn Headline Basics

First, there is no magic formula. I’ve seen LinkedIn

trainers build apps and even invent mix-and-match

charts to help you write your headline.

It’s not that hard if you think about this from the point

of view of your audience. After all, when you use social

media, you are a publisher!

Write With Clarity Remember recruiters are busy. Some headlines are so

nebulous and non-specific that it’s hard for me to

understand precisely what that person does. A vague or

overly creative headline causes two major problems.

One, a creatively written headline probably lacks

certain keywords or phrases that recruiters search for.

Two, people looking to fill positions are busy people.

They don’t have the time to translate the meaning of “I

help companies with go-to-market planning.”

You’ve got less than 10 seconds to get them to click on

your profile from a search results page with a long list

of your competitors.

Here’s the fix: clearly and concisely state your job title

as it is described by your target organization. If you are

currently employed, you should also note this in your

headline.

Write for Impact While it’s important to clearly state your job title, there

is no way your title will take up all 120 characters

available to you in the headline area.

And because the headline is your first impression, you

have to find a way to differentiate yourself with a little

personality.

For example let’s take our earlier headline and spruce

it up a bit:

Senior Marketing Executive experienced in go-to-

market planning in the software industry with a knack

for adding excitement to business solutions

Are you addressing a need?

All this creative work is great, but it goes only so far if you

haven’t uncovered the needs of your target organization.

In our example, although it’s a great LinkedIn headline,

it would fall short if this person’s target company

doesn’t need a strong go-to-market strategy – what if

what they need is a marketing analyst?

Avoid the two extremes of too simple or too creative

and give those recruiters a break. They will thank you

for it!

Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Article from: www.careerealism.com/linkedin-headlines/