Networking Archives - Page 10 of 12 - The Voice of Job Seekers

Is Your Social Network Working?

Editor’s note: Sandra Tedford is a regular contributor and founder of WE Talk Today (@WETalkToday). She offers this article as a conviction of hers.

When it comes to making a career move, your online network is your most valuable asset to land your next dream job.

Chances are your connections are just well connected but have the power to help you land your next gig. Your online network is most likely connected to decision makers at companies or are the hiring managers who can help you move your career forward.

Leverage Your Network

Leveraging your online network is sometimes tricky. Sometimes friends either make the best advisors or the worst colleagues. You’ve heard the saying of “never hire a friend”. There’s some truth to the saying, however having friends at the office is invaluable. Your connections can give you the inside scoop on upcoming projects or job openings that may be a good fit for your skill set. Friends can also provide the skinny on the corporate culture and what I like to call “hidden networks” that often influence office politics. Sometimes business people have relationships that transcend the office setting. If you utilize your contacts wisely, they can help you navigate the complex terrain within that organization.

Working Your Network

Here are a few ways to work your online network

Like & Subscribe: Follow the interests of your connections by clicking “like” or subscribing to their page. Pay particularly close attention to organizations your contacts are involved in related to your industry.

Comment on Blogs: Show that you have something to offer by blogging. Blogging is a great way to provide your perspective about your industry. Start commenting on blogs written by people in your network.

Join Groups on LinkedIn: Join the discussion and provide valuable insight. By joining a group, you have the opportunity to increase your visibility in the community. Attend group member’s events offline to show your support. Ask former employers and colleagues for recommendations. Request recommendations from people you’ve worked with on volunteer projects as well. People within your network will see that you are a valuable contributor to any organization.

4. Share information: Notify your network of events and interesting news stories. Ask people in your network to reciprocate. People love getting and sharing information about events.

Staying plugged into your network online and increasing your exposure will give you an edge with those who the decision makers at the companies you’re interested in working.

About Mark Anthony Dyson

I am the "The Voice of Job Seekers!" I offer compassionate career and job search advice as I hack and re-imagine the job search process. You need to be "the prescription to an employer's job description." You must be solution-oriented and work in positions in companies where you are the remedy. Your job search must be a lifestyle, and your career must be in front of you constantly. You can no longer shed your aspirations at the change seasons. There are strengths you have that need constant use and development. Be sure you sign up to download my E-Book, "421 Modern Job Search Tips 2021!" You can find my career advice and work in media outlets such as Forbes, Inc., Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, Glassdoor, and many other outlets.

by Mark Anthony Dyson

Book Review: I Got My Dream Job and So Can You by Pete Leibman

From the good people at AMACOM books, I am privileged to review a new book release again this month. Pete Leibman’s book, I Got My Dream Job and So Can You: 7 Steps to Creating Your Ideal Career After College is a recommended read (I was NOT compensated for this review. I received one review copy and authorized to give one free copy away).

Not only there are principles, strategies, and ideas for college students, but also for the current employed or unemployed job seeker. If you are passively looking for work, this book will inspire you to become more aggressive, strategic, and dynamic in your approach to finding your dream job.

Leibman states that he found his dream job before he was 23 by using most, if not all strategies mentioned in this book. He pursued and landed his dream job in sales with the NBA Washington Wizard, and eventually became one the youngest managers ever within the organization (and probably the entire NBA). Overall, this book is not written for college students and the job seeker universal to find a job, but to grab THE job!

By the way, I will be giving away a free copy of the book, so look forward to that at the end of the post.

Here are some of his strategies and methods cited in his book:

1. Employers Are Nervous Too. Leibman states that one of your goals is to make sure that you are not dishonest, lazy, difficult, uncommitted, unprofessional, or unqualified. Just as you don’t want to be stuck in an undesirable position, employers are trying to avoid a troublemaker or an unproductive employee.

2. Create your own job description. Not only employers should want you, but also should have qualities that attract you to the job. List your own ideal location, schedule, environment/culture, function, salary/compensation, and employer size.

3. What is a Dream Job? Leibman describes a dream job as, “…a job that combines your talents and passions in a way that is meaningful to you.” Throughout the book, he stresses high expectations to reaching your goals. No safety net is motivation enough to succeed. One quote that stood out: “It is not impossible to get your dream job with little or no industry experience.”

4. Should I have a back up plan? “NO!” A back up plan is actually a plan for failure. When you are willing to do whatever it takes, eventually you will get your dream job. In other words, don’t plan to fail!

5. 10 Innovative Marketing Assets You Need to Get Your Dream Job. This is a good list to put your comprehensive job search strategy in perspective:

Confident Body Language

Polished Physical Appearance

Rock Solid References

Results-Oriented Resume

Compelling Cover Letter

Pristine Internet Presence

Pumped-Up LinkedIn Profile

Strategic Social Media Account

E-mail/Voicemail Marketing Machine

Winner’s Mindset

6. Crash the Party Through LinkedIn. Throughout Leibman’s book, he emphasis the usefulness of Linked In by stating that it is a place to reach out to “Cold Networking Contacts (People you have never met or interacted with before)”

7. Cool Networking and Seven Effective Strategies. He describes “Cool Networking” as the type of networking everyone is generally familiar with when you think of networking:

Have a strategy

Show Up with the Right Mindset and Expectations

Know What to Say (Create a 5-10 ice breaker list)

Talk to Strangers

Behave Professionally

Ask for the Next Step

Follow-Up Correctly (Networking fails without one

8. Be Prepared to Lead the Conversation. Leibman recommends 10 questions to prepare for asking. It is true that many job seekers know they should ask questions but lack the preparation when it’s time to ask. He also teaches that a candidate should have 5-10 success stories.

These are just some of Leibman’s strategies in his new book. Prices range from $10.95 and up through Amazon.com and other places. Or you can participate in the giveaway of Pete Leibman’s book by Retweeting the post on Twitter, or commenting below about how the book can help your job search. The choice will be random, and the winner will be announced Monday, March 26.

About Mark Anthony Dyson

by Mark Anthony Dyson

Your Spouse Can Help With The Holiday Job Search

Do you and your spouse attend holiday gatherings held by one another’s friends and families? No? Please, reconsider. This year, see it as an job networking opportunity, and not a waste of time. It is not a time to beg for contacts or a job. Don’t use this time to survey. It is a time to become familiar with a readily available contact pool.

No expectations other than having some productive conversations. Here are my suggestions for having subtle but significant social conversations.

It’s 80-90% about them

People love talking about themselves and their successes (notice I did not say problems). Ask him or her how did they reach this part of their success? Ask them questions related to their training and responsibilities. What makes them tick? Be sure to learn first and last names, and ease up on Mr. Walker, please.

The other 10-20% is barely about you

Again, begging and pleading is a turn-off. However, helping has value that keeps giving beyond the holidays. Yes, see if there are ways to help during a party! Less is more, and when done with caution, you can dictate the terms of engagement. (Hint: If I feel welcomed by the host, and gotten to know them well enough, I volunteer to help with…garbage. Proceed with caution.) Ultimately, you can ask for more information away from the gathering preferably after the holiday.

Your spouse can go to bat for you

If you hit it off with your spouse’s co-worker, then he or she can relieve you of the grunt work. It doesn’t matter if the person will refer you to a different company or the same, co-workers unless adversaries will talk. Talk with your spouse before the party to help him or her understand that you are partying with a purpose. If your spouse is uncomfortable with that, DON’T do it!

These same rules apply to family and other social gatherings. As long as you don’t come across desperate, you can find untapped resources from the people you party with during the holidays. If you are successful in finding someone generous enough to give you names, numbers, and more still follow-up sooner than later by thanking them. A phone call is appropriate, but sending them a thank you gift is too friendly. Remember, subtlety.

I should mention that the holidays are opportunities waiting to happen. It’s slower, and call Human Resources may not be the egg hunt that occurs during non-holidays, particularly after January 1. So use the slow period to your advantage, it is the best time to network.