Never Stop Networking

One thing I have learned this past year is the power of networking. When we work full time we don't focus on it. We are so wrapped up in our daily lives, putting out fires and managing our workload, networking falls to the bottom of our "to do" list. It doesn't belong there!

Yes, networking takes time. You need to find groups that are of interest to you, you need to find time during your day or even during your evening, to attend meetings. You need to defend to your management why this time is important and the ROI for the lost company time. You need to put your "face on" and be upbeat and excited about being there...it can be exhausting. But you know what, you never know who you are going to meet at one of these meetings. It could be your next employer, or the neighbor of your next employer or the mentor you have been needing that you haven't yet met. I remember sitting in the parking lot at one of the first networking events I decided to attend. I didn't know one person who would be there, I didn't know if they would welcome me to the group, I didn't know if this was going to be the "right" group for me. As I sat there in my car, I watched others go in the building and said to myself..."what do you have to lose?" Go in, be excited about being there, meet new people and see where it takes you. You can always leave!!

Networking groups are in place just for that...to help others network and share ideas. I haven't been to one meeting where I didn't feel welcome or where there wasn't some value added--a new contact, a new idea or a new suggestion for other groups. I have met people who have heard my story and remember me at the next meeting. I have met people who have helped me grow and connect me to people they know. And in the true spirit of networking, I have done the same thing for them. I am also involved in networking through twitter and other social networking groups. Not "in person" meetings, but still I am developing relationships with people and learning and growing and sharing ideas----all important even if not face to face.

Networking doesn't always have to occur in a "formal" setting. In any setting you are in, make the effort to get to know the people around you. It can be at the Saturday soccer game, at the gym or even with neighbors. You will regret that you didn't make the time to develop contacts and build relationships that will help you grow both personally and professionally. You never know when you may need to contact a member of your network for some help or you will be called on to help someone else. Never stop networking even if you have a full time job and busy life--put it at the top of your list!

Validation

Recently I saw this short video documentary titled "Validation" by Kurt Kuenne. Only 16 minutes long, but tells a story that all of us need to live by.

The story revolves around a man who works as a parking lot attendant whose main responsibility is to validate parking tickets in a garage. Not a difficult job and probably not a very exciting job, but a job that needs to get done. He becomes a very popular garage attendant once the word spreads that he treats his customers with respect and "validates" them all. Whether it be a compliment on a clothing item, a friendly smile or diffusing an angry customer, he is able to make each person feel special, therefore making their day. Each day the line gets longer and longer at his window --people want to walk away feeling good about themselves, which then allows them to go make other people feel good.....and there it is....viral validation.

How simple---so if all we need to do is respect, appreciate and validate each other the world would be a better place? Why don't we do it more? Not really sure of the answer there, probably because we are busy and people aren't validating us. It is time to stop that cycle! A kind word, an appreciative comment, or a smile are really all that is needed to make others feel good. Pretty simple.

Check out the Validation video on YouTube...it will make you realize how easy it is to make a difference and how we all need to slow down and validate each other.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cbk980jV7Ao

My Ferris Bueller Day Off

A few weeks ago I traveled to Chicago to see Keith Ferrazzi, the New York Times best selling author. I felt a bit like Ferris Bueller, skipping school for the day. Off to Chicago on a Thursday for a little lunch, a walk along the "Miracle Mile", and even a visit to the Contemporary Museum of Art. The only thing missing was a Cubs game and a parade. We made up for it by seeing Keith in person talking about his new book, Who's Got Your Back.

Keith is the well known author of "Never Eat Alone" and now "Who's Got Your Back". In his first book the premise was all about how to network and how to build a network. In his second book he takes it a step further---having a network is necessary , but what is also important is having a few key relationships with people you can count on and who will tell you the truth. Keith calls these people your "lifelines", and he says you really only need three. Three key people who you can go to to discuss what is going on in your life and not worry about being judged. He believes one of the issues today is that no one wants to look vulnerable or weak, so everyone is afraid of really talking about how they feel or sharing what is really going on in their lives--both professionally and personally. Without this kind of support and the oppportunity to share our concerns, it is very difficult to grow and achieve our personal best.

In his book he discusses his three lifelines.....one is a good friend/business associate, the other is a former mentor, and the third was a total stranger he connected with at a dinner party. The first two seem like logical lifelines, but as Keith points out, the third person was just someone who he started talking to and felt very comfortable with sharing his inner most feelings. They quickly developed a relationship and meet frequently to hold each other accountable for both their professional and personal goals. He points out that not all friends can be lifelines. Our friends all mean well, but not all are going to tell you how it really is. The whole idea behind Who's Got Your Back is we need people we can turn to who will kick us in the butt and tell us the truth if we are heading off track. Many times our families want to protect us or don't really get it, so it is important to find people in your life who understand you.

Just like Ferris, my "Day Off" was one that I will remember for awhile. Keith is a great speaker who really connects with his audience and uses real life examples you can relate to. He makes you think about what you are doing and what you need to be doing to achieve your personal best, and how we all need other people in our lives to help keep us focused and supported. Go find your lifelines now!

The Candidate's Experience

In this market where the supply is greater than the demand for candidates, it is understandable that companies are having a hard time keeping their employment brand intact. I've been there, I know how hard it is to ensure all parties involved in the hiring process are reflecting the values of the company and shining a good light on the company culture. Resumes are pouring in, emails are filling your in-box, messages are left in voicemail and candidates drop in unannounced to get their face in front of you. It is hard to keep up under normal circumstances, even harder when you are short staffed and the candidate pool is enormous.

My motto is this:

Treat every candidate just like you would treat a customer or prospect.

That's it. Pretty simple to say, pretty hard to do. Each candidate's experience leaves an impression of your company, both good and bad, and these candidates could be future customers or influence your future customers. They also could be your next "rock star" who probably knows a lot of other "rock stars" who they can bring to join your team.

Recently I applied for a position at a forward thinking, up and coming technology company and was actually surprised at the candidate experience I encountered. Their product is great, their culture is fun, and those that work there seem to love it. They are getting tons of press as a great place to work and seem ahead of the curve when it comes to social media. All of these attributes attracted me to the company and drove me to apply. I went to their careers page, filled out the application, answered a few questions and submitted my resume. The overall process was pretty simplistic and generic---not what I expected from a cool, hip company. There wasn't an interactive website with lots of bells and whistles, no off the wall, crazy questions in the application to give me a feel for what they were looking for and no follow up from anyone at the company after I submitted my application. None at all.

What is my impression of this company? As a HR person, I cut them a little slack, since I understand how overwhelming it can be.....but as a job seeker who is looking for a new company to join, I question whether I want to work there. If they treat candidates this way, how do they really treat their employees? And how do they treat their customers? Is it a great place to work or is it spinning out of control and growing too fast without the proper processes to protect their employment brand? Does management "get it" and understand that taking care of people, both internally and externally, goes a long way in whether a company will be successful?

My gut tells me they are just experiencing growing pains. Lots of growth, a whirlwind ride and just not finding the time to stop and think about how it looks to the outside world. It could be a conscious decision in their brand reflection to attract people who are more flexible and don't want or need a process. My gut tells me I don't think that is true.

Many candidates today look beyond the "experience", since they are desperately looking for a job. When the market turns and candidates have the upper hand again, the candidate experience and employment brand will be key factors in a company's success in attracting and retaining top talent. Take time to look at your processes and ensure they reflect your brand appropriately and you are treating all those who come in contact with your company like a customer.....it will make a difference.

Why Twitter?

I started using twitter a few months ago and was told at the time it may a take a few months to really understand what the benefits are and why people think it is so great. I was told to "hang in there" and "keep at it" and eventually you will see why people can't live without it. Well, I have passed my 2 month mark and I am now a twitter fan. It has become very clear to me why twitter exists and how easily it fits into your life from both a professional and personal standpoint.

So what have I learned over the past few months? Quite a bit. I started using twitter for my job search--figured it was a good way to get to know what companies are saying, what employees who work there are saying and to network and develop relationships with people who have common interests. Twitter has provided me all of that and more. I have made friends and connections with all types of people all over the globe. I am now following CEO's of companies, thought leaders in the social media world, celebrities, sports stars and companies I have an interest in working for. At times I feel a bit like a stalker, but figure if they are putting the information out there, they want people to read it. From reading their tweets, I am learning about their companies and about social media and how everyone uses it differently. Some use it just for business and others mix business and pleasure (more interesting to me), and others use it to promote a cause that is important to them. It is a cost effective marketing tool--it gets your message out and then it can be "re-tweeted" to more people--viral marketing at its best.

I recently met someone in person that I had been following, and I felt like I met an old friend....I knew what she had done with her business all week, her opinions on recent news stories, and even what her husband made her for dinner a few nights. Kind of strange how much I knew about her without ever meeting her--definitely a benefit of using twitter ---the ability to develop a relationship at a different level much quicker than normal. We had things to talk about and it made it easy to begin conversation. I have also found with twitter, that people want to help and share information and advice. It isn't about self promotion or selling a product, it is much more transparent ---just people networking and developing relationships that will help others.

Twitter has become part of my daily life--not only as a job search tool, but also as a way to keep learning and meeting new people who have the same interests and who want to share their knowledge. As a job seeker, it opens doors that would have taken much longer to get into. I am still looking for a new role, but now after a few months twittering, I have a clearer picture of the type of company I want to work for---one that embraces social media and understands what a big role it plays in a company's future success.

Developing your Elevator Pitch

Recently I was made aware of a great free site offered by the Harvard Business School which helps you develop your elevator pitch: www.alumni.hbs.edu/careers/pitch.

Everyone needs an elevator pitch, whether you are looking for a new job, starting a business, applying for college or in an existing role where you need to promote yourself or your brand.
This site guides you through developing your pitch with 4 rules:

• Who are you--what would you want the listener to remember about you?

• What you do--your tag line; helps the listener understand how you or your company would add value

• Why you are unique--what you or your company does that is unique or better than others

• Describe your immediate goal--clearly explaining what you are asking the listener for

Elevator pitches should be approximately 60 seconds in length. This site lets you craft your pitch and then it analyzes it based on number of words, approximate length of time and how many words were repeated multiple times. You are also provided with suggested word choices to keep it interesting. Once you review and edit your pitch, you can then email it to yourself to practice, practice, practice!

If you need help with your pitch--check this out!

Get out of your bubble and blog!

Here I am....blogging! Who would have thought months ago I would be doing this? I was working full time and in a bubble.....work/home/life; --repeat--work/home/life--repeat--not at all aware of what was going on outside of my little life bubble. Then a change occurs and you have time to open your eyes and see what you have been missing.

Most of those working full time for a company don't have time to attend networking meetings, volunteer with organizations or to blog. They get sucked in to the daily life of working for a company and trying to manage all the internal drama that goes with it. You become focused on what is in front of you and you become isolated from the world around you. Especially when you work for a larger company and you lose control of your own schedule. It is what happened to me---what a mistake!

I was downsized, and now I have the time to research and join groups and associations I want to get involved with while searching for a job. I am enjoying the freedom to explore and learn new things and meet some great people who are sharing their knowledge. It is refreshing to meet people who are doing what they want to do and are happy doing it! They are controlling their lives. It inspired me to begin blogging to tell my story and share my knowledge. Blogging is a great way to become an expert in an area you have interest and grow your personal brand, and while searching for a job become noticed for what you can bring to the table of a future employer.

This is the lesson--don't lose control of yourself when working for someone else. It is very easy to do when trying to climb the corporate ladder and do "the right thing". Stay true to who you are and continue to network even when working full time. It keeps you in touch with the outside world and you will be inspired to keep growing and learning. Start a blog and share your knowledge and story. All the information you can share will help you grow your business and your own personal brand, and keep you connected (even from your bubble.)