The Voice of Job Seekers

Mark Anthony Dyson ★ Career Writer ★ Speaker ★ Thinker ★ Award-winning Blog & Podcast! ★ "The Job Scam Report" on Substack! ★ I hack and reimagine the modern job search!

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5 Ways Mentoring Others Add Career Value

5 Ways Mentoring Others Add Career Value

Our career paths have many twists and turns. One moment chaos and another, tranquility. It is a reminder of how far we come or fall short.

Experience brings many points of contacts and many places we’ve been. When we began, we didn’t know where to start. For most of us, we have begun a slow learning patience.

Read: 9 Ways to Keep Your Job Net-Working

1. Mentoring energizes

Mentoring others can energize us once we remember the zeal we once employed. Enthusiasm is still a critical attribute whether we’re seeking promotions, raises, or employment. The lack of it is unappealing, and a job candidate who lacks zeal doesn’t have a chance. It is not always an emotion, but it does display the fervor for getting things done.

2. Mentoring is a reminder of the basics

More experience often results in efficiency, but forget how we got there. The reminder of the basics can improve current results. Then when we mentor others, we can bring more value to the relationship. Maybe this could be a valuable start to a blog, training manual or producing a video using the manual.

Listen: How to Use Your Blog for Today’s Job Search

3. Mentoring tests your learning

You may have forgotten more than what your mentee knows. But relevant guidance is critical. It is an opportunity to learn some new tricks from our mentee and sharpen our skills.

We forget that technology from a year ago changes what we did two years ago.

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4. Mentoring creates gratitude deepening relationships

Appreciative mentees will make it known to many how you’ve inspired and developed them. When you’ve written a recommendation on their LinkedIn profile about their greatness is everything. Note how your guidance has transformed and improved a process or achieved something greater. This kind of act will create unmeasurable meaning.

Listen: Be BRAVE! Don’t Let People Should on Your Career!

5. Mentoring creates a serious job candidate– you may hire your mentee

Who else says you can “…become like your teacher but never greater than your master?” Prophets, philosophers, and mentors will say that imitation is the highest form of flattery.

If you mentored them well, they may imitate your spirit and do things like you do.

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Does it get any better when they’re successful too?

Out of everything, we need access what makes us tick. Once we have time to assess the mentoring process, many times we can come away with a renewed love for what we do. Or it can clarify why we need a change in our careers and ensure our decision to change was the right one.

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.

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9 Ways to Keep Your Job Net-Working

9 Ways to Keep Your Job Net-Working

Job networking is difficult because people expect so much to the point where it’s expectations are unrealistic.

Although referrals account for more than 60% of people finding jobs, networking is hard work. Not to mention there needs to be a mind shift in the way we use it.
Networking should be a way of life, not just a pill in the medicine cabinet.

Even when your career is well and productive, engaging your network should be a priority.

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If used right, job networking will be our primary career tool. You can’t take control of your career without it. Since it’s a little easier to initiate and sustain relationships anywhere in the world, there are some ways to foster useful long-term relationships:

1. Investment in yourself

Free is good and is encouraged, but when you research and are convinced paying is more than worth the value, then pay. There are countless stories of how iron sharpens iron when people are exchanging value with each other. It’s even better when one is out serving the other. Conferences, workshops, dinners, coffee, are all great–when it costs your something for the long term career goal. You don’t pay to meet the people, and you pay for the value people offer.

2. Give without measure

The people who I see with growing networks, who are always getting feedback and opportunities, and have set themselves up as the go-to insider or expert, are individuals who are very generous. There is no science to giving other than receivers are often more than willing to give back. The people we often see on social media who are successful in my eyes are the ones who have been givers for many years.

3. Widen the net

Usually, this would mean the number of people instead of diverse. In this case, a different network is everything. In your network, striving to have executive connections are as meaningful as the cab driver. Being considerate same says everything about your character people will need to know. We learn from a variety of resources, and somewhere along the way it is very useful.

4. Find out what works

Your network is a dynamic resource and not a static one. Whether it is a phone to people once a month or viewing your timeline, people are often sharing their successes. If you pay attention, there are golden nuggets you can apply to your career.

I think the old quote, “The best lessons are caught, not taught” is true.

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Some are willing to tell you how he or she got a raise, or negotiated their contract, or got a referral from someone they have yet to meet in person.

5. Challenge and be challenged

Back to my first point where I mention “iron sharpens iron.” When done in a healthy way, finding out the depth of disagreeing can outreach our intent and extend our learning. It does hurt to lower the defenses when someone questions a resource or our thinking about a strategy or procedure. Although it only works with people willing to respond to the rules of engagement, you’ll need to relate to everyone differently.

6. Treating people as individuals and not as a club

Honestly, no one is waiting with bated breath for what you have to say. You’re competing for attention (or more) like everyone else. It’s impressive when you remember people by name and not by group, network, association, or means of connections.

7. Celebrate their success

Write an update congratulating them, lifting them up (and only them). People will remember how you celebrate them. Can you do it without expecting anything back? It’s hard, but it will pay off.

8. Mourn with them too

People need support during hard times or tragedies too! Some people don’t know what to say, and I know it’s hard. A simple, “Sending positive thoughts your way…” or “Prayers for you and your family…” mean so much during those times. Losing a job is similar to losing family. It’s natural to mourn a lost job (or at least the friendships left behind.

9. Invite them into your world a little more

I love it when colleagues let me know when they are coming to town even if I can’t always get to them. The relationship means much more when you meet them in person, or they remember personal milestones (other than birthdays).
The goal in owning the trajectory of your career is mainly through the connections you keep going. If you are job networking just for the next job, you’ll find it frustrating and hard to find relationships productive. It is about professional relationships thriving through service.

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.

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5 Ways to Destroy Your Networking Efforts

5 Ways to Destroy Your Networking Efforts
Good networking requires sound judgment. See what I mean below–
This just happened recently:

Hi [INSERT NAME HERE],

I just came across your website and wanted to say that I love what you’re doing.

Yes. For the first time in my life, I was called “Insert Name Here!” I feel special that it was in all caps — inspired by being yelled at, priceless. I’ve been called many things in my life. Some insults were called by relatives and other family members, friends, and enemies but never mistaken for “Insert Name Here.”

Many job seekers network in a mindless way and wonder why his or her networking efforts implodes rather than expand. At a minimum, deepen the relationships you have for more meaning and usefulness. There’s nothing more disengaging than treating people as they are numbers or tools, mindlessly seeking victims or suckers.

In your mind, you’ve assigned people a name and role. In your virtual address book, you’ve placed people by name in part by simply doing this:

First name: Insert

Middle name: Name

Last name: Here

Whenever you need something, just short of begging you blast everyone you can on your LinkedIn status. They all have the same name and the same career. No consideration needed to personalize a message other than what you need, desire, want, or sell.

If you want to destroy your job search, make it easy on yourself and follow these tactics. I promise you’ll alienate most of your valuable relationships by doing these things:
1. Lie about how you met someone. If you don’t remember when someone asks how you met, be honest and say you don’t remember. However, our goal here is to alienate so unless you want to connect, be sure to pour on the sugar by complimenting them on their blog even if his or her last update was a year ago.
2. Forget about being personable. You can combine this with #1. I joined Snapchat recently and noticed a LinkedIn contact was on Snapchat, so I initiated the connection. She asked me, “Who are you?” I told here exactly where, what, how, and why we met. If you want to annihilate your network, guess or, don’t bother to tell them anything. Or maybe you can respond, “Girl, you don’t remember me?”
3. Ask intrusive questions. No, I don’t think you would ask personal questions intentionally, but you MO does fit the person who asks, “Can I spend some time picking your brain?” Unfortunately, you can’t tell the person what you want except to go fishing for an easier way (or more natural person) to help you find a job.
4. Help no one especially when you are the right person. “Just because you don’t feel like it” is good enough to get people to act indifferently toward you. You can worsen it by not responding to direct messages, emails, or phone calls. A sign of a seared conscious (if you want to hit is out of the park) is not offering when a person is in dire need when the person directly contacts you
5. Only respond when you want something too. You’re not so obtuse to not answering calls all of the time, but you manage to remain in the out of touch zone. Someone asks for a favor such as an introduction or information, and you ask for compensated for your time. You don’t want to provide value. It’s a waste of your time
When you don’t value your network, or engage with them, how can you benefit from their worth? Or if you’re not serving them, how will you gain value because of them? Successful networking is not a thing you do–it’s because of who you are and what you give. Now, just think if you did the opposite of everything I suggested, what a small difference it would make?

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.