life@work

Tips for Handling Career Fairs

Career Fair
Originally uploaded by espy786

Many people who haven't attended a career fair since they were 22 years old are stopping by now. Seasoned professionals who have been laid off are flocking in droves to these events that have traditionally targeted entry level people.

How to cope with the crowds? Career Journal offers some good tips. Here are the highlights:

    * Pre-register if possible.
    * Show up early. Be one of the first people recruiters talk to, not the thousandth.
    * Identify the companies you are most interested in, and visit them first.
    * Research the participating companies online so you know their mission, products/services, and positions they have open.

Talk with the other fair participants while you're waiting in line - everyplace is a good place to meet people and network.

After the fair, plan to do something energizing. You can bet that the very tired recruiters are going to as well!

The Latest Tips on Smart Networking

You probably already know that networking is a top priority in today's employment climate.

What you may not know yet are the answers to your questions about how to be a smart networker. Enter Liz Lynch, whose new book, Smart Networking: Attract a Following in Person and Online is here to help you.

I interviewed Liz recently about her best tips for networking, and here they are:

1.    What's the most critical networking mistake you see people make?

The most critical mistake is having a narrow view of networking—that it’s only for finding a job, or only to be done when you need something. It puts new networkers in a subordinate state, where they feel they have no power and they’re begging for that opportunity. It’s not a great feeling so they put it off as long as possible.

2.    What are three common myths about networking?

1) Only extroverts can be good at networking; 2) it’s all about passing out your business card; and 3) it takes a lot of time. Smart Networking erases all of those myths.

3. What's your most useful tip for introverts who think they hate networking?

I’m so glad you asked this. My biggest advice to introverts is that you don’t have to love networking to be good at it. Don’t set that expectation for yourself. I’m an introvert too, which means I need a lot of alone time. It’s very draining to be around people all the time, and sometimes I have to psych myself up to go to events. But because I know how to maximize every networking interaction I have, I don’t have to put myself out there as much. I know for many introverts too, online networking can be much more comfortable because it can be easier to start a conversation with someone when they’re not standing in front of you, and you can set your own pace.

4. How would you describe a smart networking strategy in ten or fewer words?

“Networking is easier when people come to you.” The strategies in Smart Networking are all about making yourself an attractive networking target, in person and online, and then developing the skills to take advantage of those opportunities when they arise.

5. What trends are emerging in networking that we haven't heard much about yet?

The trends are towards more sharing, more user-generated media and more devices. But in the end, good relationship building skills will never go out of style. So while tools will continue to evolve to make connecting and sharing easier, if you focus on getting good at the fundamentals of networking--on building relationships to be mutually beneficial, and being someone that people know, like and trust—you can adapt to any changes that come at you.

LinkedIn is Essential

The other day I met with a client who's a professional in his 40's who is not on LinkedIn. He admitted this fact rather sheepishly, and was not surprised when I "assigned" him the task of joining it and setting up his network.

It's time to get over your fear of transparency or procrastination or whatever it is that is keeping you from bothering to join LinkedIn! Even if you're not looking for a new job, get on there. Like it or not, LinkedIn has become an incredibly useful tool to build and maintain your contacts, and in today's climate, working your contacts is Job #1.

One caveat: don't join LinkedIn if you're not willing to commit. By commit I mean bothering to set up a complete profile, and by complete profile I mean writing compelling copy about yourself, getting recommendations from others and writing recommendations.

Like any other tool, LinkedIn is only helpful if you use it. Signing up and not showing up gets you the same results as paying for the gym membership and staying home to watch TV.

It's easy to prowl around on the site and learn about its features, but there are also more ways you can learn how best to take advantage of LinkedIn. Here are just a few:

• The official blog
• Linked Intelligence, the unofficial source for all things LinkedIn
• I'm on LinkedIn, Now What? It's a book by Jason Alba, and there's a blog, too.

So what are you waiting for?

I'd love to hear your story about how LinkedIn has helped you in your career.

Using LinkedIn to Connect With Me

Recently I angered a blog reader by something I did on LinkedIn.

He invited me to connect with him on LinkedIn, and because I do not know him, I declined his invitation. I use LinkedIn only to connect with people I already know in person or online. Early on when I accepted some invitations from people I didn't know, I found that I never knew what to do with my new contacts who were complete strangers in radically different industries.

The gentleman sent me an email telling me that because I declined his invitation, LInkedIn has locked down his account. He's angry and has decided to stop reading this blog as a result.

I sincerely apologized - I had no idea that account lock downs happen on LinkedIn. This seems pretty harsh - just because I don't know someone and don't wish to connect doesn't mean that I think I should be able to click a button and lock them out of LinkedIn. I have no idea if this is a temporary inconvenience for him or a permanent state.

He suggested that I change my settings so that you have to know my email address to connect. I've done this, but I also realize that I publish my email address on my blog and on my business website. It ain't exactly privileged information.

So FYI, if you'd like to connect with me on LinkedIn and I already have spoken with you, please invite me. And if I don't know you, I will simply ignore your request and not click on the "I don't know this person" button!

I invite you instead to email me directly at the address below.

If anyone out there with more LinkedIn savvy than me has any additional tips about accepting and declining invitations, please add them here.

Heather Mundell
Dream Big Coaching Services
www.dreambigcoaching.com
heather@dreambigcoaching.com

Networking How-To's You May Not Have Heard Much About

Many of my clients are confused by, scared of, or too busy for networking.

Is this you? Is simply saying the word "networking" enough to create a small (or large) feeling of dread?

Here's a great tips list by Debra Feldman on Career Hub about how to network purposefully. She offers specific and varied ideas - surely there is at least one of these you can put into play immediately.

I challenge you!

Heather Mundell
Dream Big Coaching Services
www.dreambigcoaching.com
heather@dreambigcoaching.com

What To Do When You're the Newbie

When you were a kid, were you ever the "new kid"?

When you were the new kid, did you immediately join in and assert yourself, or did you hang back for a bit to get the lay of the land?

Even if you never had to join a new 4th grade class in the middle of the year or change high schools after sophomore year, you've probably been the "new kid" at work many times.

How do you do "new" well? Sarah E. Needleman of CareerJournal.com has these tips:

Meet your peers in advance.

You get insights into the culture, discover how communication works, and show that you're interested in learning from your colleagues.

Don't be a know-it-all.

Even if you've been in this line of work for a bazillion years, you still have things to learn at this new job. Listen more than you talk - you'll learn more and you'll come across more favorably.

Be diplomatic about your prior employer.

You have no idea whose best friend is your former CEO's sister, so avoid criticizing your past employer or divulging proprietary information about them.

Sign up for extra projects - within reason.

Balance is key here. You want to differentiate yourself without going overboard.

Ask for feedback.

Start with once a week for the first month, then reduce that to one or twice a month. You want to stay in touch with your boss' expectations.

Build your network.

Get to know people throughout the company and search for a mentor. Don't forget to stay in touch with your existing contacts.

After 90 days, make longer term goals.

You've gotten the lay of the land and should set longer term goals and share them with your boss.

Heather Mundell
Dream Big Coaching Services
www.dreambigcoaching.com
heather@dreambigcoaching.com

JibberJobber Helps You Manage Your Career Contacts

I can't believe that I haven't already written about JibberJobber, which is a great tool for both career managers (i.e., all of us, right?) and job seekers.

Jason Alba created JibberJobber as a result of his own frustrating job search process. So what else is an Internet application design expert to do but invent his own tool set that complements, yet doesn't duplicate, other tools out there.

JibberJobber helps you organize all the information you gather during a job search. Where have you sent your resume? To whom do you owe a follow up call? What is the name and number of the hiring manager your friend told you about? Did you remember to send a thank you note after the last interview? You can have all that data in one place.

The especially smart aspect of the tool set is that has features that help you manage your career on an ongoing basis (I'm talking about networking here), not just when you're looking for a job.

I can't tell you how many people I talk to who need to contact people with whom they've lost touch and feel really awkward about that.

Ideally we're staying connected with the past and meeting new people frequently - you know, keeping up our relationships with others. It's so easy to let a really interesting person or a mentor from years past fall off the radar. But it's also easy to keep in touch, especially if you have some kind of system to help you do it.

You can get a free, basic subscription to JibberJobber, or you can pay about $10 per month for additional features.

Heather Mundell
Dream Big Coaching Services
www.dreambigcoaching.com
heather@dreambigcoaching.com

Linked In Answers as Networking Tool

One of the most brilliant features of LInkedIn has to be "Answers".

Wondering whether an MBA will help your HR career?
Launching a fashion label in Egypt?
Want to know what people look for in a VP of sales candidate?

LinkedIn's Answers feature allows you to pose a business question to your network (and the connections of everyone in your network). People have seven days to respond.

But wait, there's more! You can browse the questions that are "open" by category to find a subject you know something about, and chime in with your two cents. If your response is chosen as the best answer you become flagged as an "expert".

In the meantime you can become more closely acquainted with all sorts of people, as you give information and assistance and receive information and assistance. Virtual networking at its best.

Of course you need to have people in your network to make this an interesting experience.

LinkedIn's recommendation is that you only add people to your network whom you know and trust, and that makes sense. But I also see the value of having new connections who interest you in some way. I don't see the value in "collecting" hundreds of connections whom you couldn't possibly know or care about.

I'm curious about your own experience with LinkedIn Answers and how you believe it stacks up against other social networking sites' features.

Has it been worth your time? What benefits have you received from it?

Heather Mundell
Dream Big Coaching Services
www.dreambigcoaching.com
heather@dreambigcoaching.com

A Different Kind of Business Networking Group

Biznik has been getting buzz.

If you're the owner of a small and/or emerging business, and if you're tired of or disappointed by traditional business networking groups, or if you just want to try out a fresh concept for business networking, take a look at Biznik.

Lifehacker and  WorkHappy.net both have interesting things to say about this community that focuses on both virtual and face-to-face meetings, invites collaboration and participation, and does not charge a fee to join.

Right now all face-to-face meetings are in Seattle, but new members are popping up everywhere, and you could be the first to start events in your area.

I'm giving it a try because I'm ready for something fresh. I have a feeling it will be a better fit for me than groups such as LinkedIn (which is admittedly quite different from this).

Heather Mundell
Dream Big Coaching Services
www.dreambigcoaching.com 
heather@dreambigcoaching.com

LinkedIn - Are You?

Several months ago, a colleague invited me to join her network on LinkedIn. I did, and it's been interesting to see what has happened and hasn't happened with this tool.

If you haven't heard of this tool, check it out. It's not just for the high-techies anymore. If you want to find clients, industry experts, references, reconnect with former colleagues and more, you'll want to know about this.

I am not a natural networker/chit-chatter with strangers, so the opportunity to conenct online was quite appealing!

The design of the tool - a system where through personal referral you can connect with people "several degrees of separation from you" - is a powerful one. No cold calls to make or receive, and as far as I can tell, a lot of good will. So far, so good.

What I'm learning is that even with a powerful online networking tool, I still have to be a networker to get any benefit from it.

To me this means reaching out frequently and creatively and asking for what I want. Gulp.

Oh yeah, and I coach people to do these very things every day! So best to put my money where my mouth is and stretch myself on this one. (I'm not going to bring out that "walk your talk" phrase because that is too corporate cowboy for me).

Smith College, my alma mater, has a group on LinkedIn that I was invited to join this week. I was invited because the creator of the group is connected to one of my connections. Now I am acquainted with more alumnae, some of whom I didn't know and live in Seattle. Pretty cool. I put myself out there with the group and told them what kind of support relative to my business I am looking for.

Where can you put yourself out there today? What connections will you make?

www.dreambigcoaching.com