How to make people want to help you in your job search

How to make people want to help you in your job search Let me share what apparently is a secret to most people: the secret to making (or getting) people to want to help you in your job search. I say this is apparently a secret because in the 10+ years Ive been intimately involved in helping people in their job search, it seems that very few people actually know about this tactic. Heres an example scenario: Scenario  1 (what happens 99% of the time) You: Jason, can you help me?  Id like an introduction to John Doe Me: Sure let me make that introduction. You: Thanks! Then, I make the introduction, and I never hear back from you. I wonder what happened I wonder if you even reached out to my contact, and if you did, how did it go. Scenario 2 (what should always happen, but I hardly experience it) You: Jason, can you help me?  Id like an introduction to John Doe Me: Sure let me make that introduction. You: Thanks! [shortly after I make the introduction] You: Jason, thanks for that introduction. I just reached out to John Doe and have a lunch set up for this week.  I really appreciate your willingness to connect us, and that you trusted me with your friend. I dont wonder, because you followed-up I know that you respected the introduction, and so far, feel good about this new connection. I hope that lunch this week goes well, and honestly, would like to know how it goes (which means, another follow-up). Now, the point of this post is to get more people to want to help you more.  When I experience Scenario 2 that is, when the person circles back and tells me that (a) they acted on the introduction I sent, and (b) what they did, I find myself thinking who else should I introduce to this person? Ive been on the phone with people while they tell me what they did after the introduction, and as we are talking Im thinking of other names Ill send an introduction to as soon as the call is over. I trust that the person will treat my contacts right. You may hesitate a little to bug the person who sent you an introduction, but let me tell you, its much better to bug them with a short follow-up message, reporting back, than to not talk about it again (where theyll just wonder if you did anything). Try it today, circle back, follow-up, with the people who have given you introductions even if you are just saying Hey, I just wanted to let you know that I just emailed this person and hope to have a conversation this week That simple gesture shows you respect and appreciate their trust in you. And theyll want to help you with more. How to make people want to help you in your job search Let me share what apparently is a secret to most people: the secret to making (or getting) people to want to help you in your job search. I say this is apparently a secret because in the 10+ years Ive been intimately involved in helping people in their job search, it seems that very few people actually know about this tactic. Heres an example scenario: Scenario  1 (what happens 99% of the time) You: Jason, can you help me?  Id like an introduction to John Doe Me: Sure let me make that introduction. You: Thanks! Then, I make the introduction, and I never hear back from you. I wonder what happened I wonder if you even reached out to my contact, and if you did, how did it go. Scenario 2 (what should always happen, but I hardly experience it) You: Jason, can you help me?  Id like an introduction to John Doe Me: Sure let me make that introduction. You: Thanks! [shortly after I make the introduction] You: Jason, thanks for that introduction. I just reached out to John Doe and have a lunch set up for this week.  I really appreciate your willingness to connect us, and that you trusted me with your friend. I dont wonder, because you followed-up I know that you respected the introduction, and so far, feel good about this new connection. I hope that lunch this week goes well, and honestly, would like to know how it goes (which means, another follow-up). Now, the point of this post is to get more people to want to help you more.  When I experience Scenario 2 that is, when the person circles back and tells me that (a) they acted on the introduction I sent, and (b) what they did, I find myself thinking who else should I introduce to this person? Ive been on the phone with people while they tell me what they did after the introduction, and as we are talking Im thinking of other names Ill send an introduction to as soon as the call is over. I trust that the person will treat my contacts right. You may hesitate a little to bug the person who sent you an introduction, but let me tell you, its much better to bug them with a short follow-up message, reporting back, than to not talk about it again (where theyll just wonder if you did anything). Try it today, circle back, follow-up, with the people who have given you introductions even if you are just saying Hey, I just wanted to let you know that I just emailed this person and hope to have a conversation this week That simple gesture shows you respect and appreciate their trust in you. And theyll want to help you with more.

Nervous about Networking Find Your Own Sweet Spot - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Nervous about Networking Find Your Own Sweet Spot - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career During my corporate career I attended a class on how to show up confident. It had quite a few tips I don’t remember exactly. But today I remembered it when I noticed that I was feeling very confident and at ease during a networking event. In particular I was standing exactly the way it was taught in that class, standing with the feet in a V-shape and hands on the sides! In that confidence class when the instructor taught us about the standing poses, it didnt make too much sense. It felt awkward, not only that, my analytic mind had lots of why questions. But today I was standing in that posture without even thinking about it. I wondered what actually happened in between. Here is what I found. When I started going to the networking events as a new coach it was very hard for me.  I used to feel small as I didnt have much to offer. Not to mention seeing some others’ highly extrovert styles discouraged me even more, I assumed that was the only way to succeed. It took me a while but eventually I figured what worked for me. 1. Being Purposeful:   I look for the events where I might meet people I am interested about. Few examples: Those who could benefit from my service I could be partner with I could learn from and could connect me with people I am interested in. 2. Being Clear about My Intention: When I am introducing myself, I can clearly articulate, what I do and what I am looking for. 3. Being Unattached to Any Particular Outcome:  If I am not stressed about the outcome I am more natural and confident. I am at my best and those are the occasions I make most quality connections. 4. Being Authentically  Interested:   I focus more to learn about other people and their needs and challenges. It helps, I divert my attention from me to something more productive. 5. Enjoying the Moment: I consider it as an opportunity for me to dress up, go out and enjoy the time. If there is food, I make good use of those.   Not a whole lot could go wrong when you are having a discussion over food! Bottom line? Rather than following some advice blindly, I found my own sweet spot. In the end I am standing the same way it was suggested in that class, but it came naturally when I was more conscious and purposeful not the other way around. Author: Sharmin Banu   is a development partner for high performers who wants to have more Growth, Purpose and Joy for their work and lives. On top of her coach training, a deep eastern cultural background and a 12-year of high tech corporate experience give her a unique position of learning what blocks people to move up in their career path and what helps them to excel. She is very passionate about helping professionals so they can honor their core selves and leverage those to thrive and succeed in the high paced corporate culture and have more fulfillment from their lives. Sharmin’s clientele   is mostly high-tech professionals in the mid-level in their career. Sharmin and her husband have a young daughter and lives in Kirkland WA. Sharmin loves to stay in touch with her friends and the extended family.

Are You Making Enough Money - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Are You Making Enough Money - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career I suspect most people feel they need more money not just to support their current lifestyle, but to provide for the one they aspire to. Despite the risk of sounding politically incorrect or money grubbing: You want to make the big bucks. You dont have to aspire to being a 1%er, but you should be okay with making lots of money. There is a spiritual snobbery some people take on about money. But really, to say you dont like money would be to not like nearly anything because money supplies nearly everything. Think back to your own first awareness of money.  One executive told me, As a kid I lived in California, and my dad and I would drive around Beverly Hills. He would point out wealthy peoples homes and tell me, Thieves live there.  Thats how I viewed people with money. We all have attitudes formed in our childhood about relationships about almost everything in life: the opposite sex, food, beauty, religion, money. Regardless of the subject,  its an outlook you can change with your own free will. So lets debunk some myths and mistruths we were taught while growing up that need to be corrected now that were adults: money is an acceptable topic of conversation money can buy happiness money does make the world go around money is not the root of all evil do what you love and money will follow only if others love it too if you do have health, kindness, balance, and money, you do have everything both smart and dumb people can make money rich people are not bad people people who say they dont care about money either dont have enough or have too much I believe man was born to grow rich by using God-given abilities: intelligence, thoroughness, right-reasoning, promptness, tenacity, patience, labor. (When Moses came down from the mountain he did not bring a commandment, Thous shalt not make money.) By using your abilities and making money, you give yourself power, leisure, solitude, and liberty. It is true that money carries an assortment of distinct and powerful emotions for people, both good and bad. But that does not negate its role as a basic, important, and understandable system. For better or worse, money is the resource, now and in the future, that ties society together. You can choose to spend it, save it, or share it  but first you have to make it.

Digital Branding for the Job Seeker Part 1 - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Digital Branding for the Job Seeker Part 1 - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Part 1: For Many Careers, Resumes are Becoming Less of a Job Search Focal Point It’s a fact that the majority of intelligent, thorough recruiters as well as hiring managers Google the names of job seekers they interview. Not only are they searching, but they are giving heightened hiring priority to those who have a positive, robust online presence. The necessity of an online presence is now a reality for marketing, sales, graphic arts and PR jobs. Because a positive or negative public image can greatly effect one’s ability to perform in these careers, online resources aligned with a job seeker are given more and more weight, while resumes are proving less and less influential. Over the next few articles, I am going to analyze why resumes, cover letters and, to an extent, LinkedIn profiles mean less to today’s employers and the steps that can be taken to compete with more modernized job seekers. Thinking of Yourself as a Business Not a Piece of Paper As a job seeker and as a professional, you are a business. Instead of offering a service or product to a client, you offer your expertise to hiring managers and headhunters. Just like a company, much of one’s success hinges on building an effective image through creative marketing and frequent advertising of your service. These are the basics of building a brand. In this case, you’re not branding a tangible product such as a smart phone or energy drink. You as a person are the brand and you are more than a piece of paper. By studying what other job seekers have done, you’ll quickly realize that the overarching strategies that work for Apple and Gatorade, in essence, will work for the job seeker. For instance, diversified advertising tactics speak to the consumer (a.k.a. the employer), vastly build exposure which fosters trust and insinuates expertise. However, unlike Gatorade or Apple, job seekers can’t afford advertising luxuries such as primetime TV commercials, PPC advertising and full page NY Times ads. Even with a fractional budget, you can effectively advertise yourself to potential employers and build a personalized brand that creates an image of hard work, success, knowledge, expertise and potential. Prior to doing so, it’s important for our recruiters to discuss the problems we see with job seekers who rely solely on resumes and cover letters. 5 Reasons Why Resumes and Cover Letters No Longer Do the Trick More and more often, job seekers who simply rely on a resume and / or cover letter (even a LinkedIn profile isn’t as helpful as it once was) are frequently outflanked by those who carry a robust online presence. While they used to be sufficient, there are now inherent problems with relying on written word as your main or only method of advertising. Our recruiters see the following as the 5 most prevalent reasons: 1. They’re outdated. Unfortunately, resumes and cover letters are the equivalent of print advertising. We’re a digitally dominated society. Words without enticing, high-def images fail to play to today’s visually oriented individuals and provide no real experience for the end user. 2. There is virtually no way to track their efficiency. Resumes and cover letters leave job seekers in the dark. Without appearing invasive or desperate, it is virtually impossible to know if an employer opened their resume, how much time they spent looking at it and what parts of the document they focused most on. 3. Resumes focus too heavily on an individual’s past and don’t put enough emphasis on current employment desires or future potential. Younger job seekers have trouble standing out because many lack tangible, relevant experience. For the same reason, those attempting to switch careers or even industries suffer. This is mainly due to the fact that when employers perform an initial resume scan, they find little to no relevant information and discard the application. 4. They fail to humanize the candidate. There’s nothing relatable about a resume or cover letter. It talks about what you’ve done, not who you are as a person. Considering people are more likely to interview, hire and be persuaded by individuals similar to them, as similarities often insinuate cultural fit (a significant hiring factor). 5. Resumes and cover letters provide little to no brand differentiation. Companies receive them by the hundreds (if not more) and most resumes say the same thing. For instance, all job seekers claim they are hard working, competent, detail oriented, knowledgeable and efficient. Though, few prove these attributes are present. Going Forward Since a significant number of marketing, sales, graphic arts and PR jobs require knowledge of search engines, copy-writing skills, social media expertise and are image oriented, resumes are providing less relevant information to the employer than ever before.

How I Made it From the Bottom to the Top CareerMetis.com

How I Made it From the Bottom to the Topâ€" CareerMetis.com Source â€" Pexels.comYou successfully navigated yourself through school. You mastered the art of getting by the recruiter-gatekeeper to tell your story and convince someone that you were worthy of employment; that you could add value to their organization over the long run.You landed the job you were after. Congratulations. You’re in.But recognize that you are entering a new era of your life and career; a period where success and fulfillment depends not on what got you to this point, but on acquiring new skills and competencies necessary to get you where you want to go.evalYour past achievements are irrelevant to your future success; they may have influenced you getting through the door, but they guarantee nothing in terms of what happens from here on in.Your past is merely table stakes to play the career game; you need good credentials to play the game, but you won’t win unless you build on them and become a different person.In no particular order, here are the actions I took to move from my entry level job as a systems analyst to the president of a major data and internet organization.Know the strategy of the organization better than everyone elseevalTreat learning what the organization must do to survive and thrive in uncertain markets as a high priority. What challenges does it face over the next five years or so.Your opinion on any matter is a function of whether or not people believe you and trust your judgment.This takes time but be diligent and patient and watch your internal currency grow.Establish a strong internal networkConnect and engage with people who are viewed as movers and shakers within the organization. You want to be recognized as a member of the “young and restless” crowd who are impatient with the status quo and who show significant potential to move around and up the ladder.Go beyond your current job responsibilitiesExcel in your current position but be seen as someone who is not limited by their existing role; who is looking for more and who wants to make a difference in moving the organization to the next level.evalWhen you spot an opportunity to go beyond what your boss expects of you, do it.And don’t ask permission; empower yourself to have a go at something you feel will add value to your organization. Be known as that person who is motivated by taking a risk to do the RIGHT thing as opposed to merely following what the job outline dictates.Look for every chance to be differentTo be successful in any organization requires that you must stand-out from others; that you are perceived as that special person who can make a difference .Do whatever it takes to avoid being described as a bland commoner whofits into the herd and does things the way everyone else does.“How can I do this differently?”should be the question that drives every action you take and every project you are involved in. Be contrarian. Do the opposite to what others are doing. Resist the temptation to benchmark best practices for opt ing them will only consolidate your position in the crowd.evalAccept recognition and pass it onPass recognition for a job well done on to your colleagues who were with you in whatever achievement attracts attention.Give them the plauditsas team heroes rather than taking all the credit to feed your ego.evalYou never want to be perceived as the narcissistic “I person” who wants all the accolades and who wants to constantly be in the spotlight.Read everything you canVoraciously consume what thought leaders are saying about the matters relevant to your organization and learn from them.Your favourite authors can also be your mostimpressive mentors so find people and material who can guide andenable you to apply new thinking to the business problems of the day. Even though I have never met the man, the marketing legend Seth Godin has always been my virtual advisor through his writing.Hone your communications skillsMake your communications skills an important element of your personal b rand.It’s one thing to think differently, but if you can’t effectively communicate your thoughts to others and hook them with your passion, nothing happens andyour brave idea dies.Get on the internal speaking circuit; talk about where the organization is going and the opportunities presented for people. Stir people’s emotions; establish your currency as one who is an activist and catalyst for change.Declare your loyalty to the organizationAnd do it through what you say and what you do.This is a challenge for the individual who views their first job as one of many and who don’t plan on working for any one organization forever.My advice to you is this: be loyal to the organization while you are with them; do everything to get “loyal” integral to your young brand. Get recognized as someone who seriously cares about adding value to the organization and who doesn’t constantly have their eyes on their next personal career horizon.evalBe comfortable with the notion that IF be tter opportunities present themselves, fine, but don’t spend every day looking for the greener pasture. Others will see you for what you are and you will not move ahead.Once you have landed a job the really tough work starts for those who want a career studded with gems of experience and advancement.Success isn’t rocket science; it’s all about pounding on the basics consistently and with passion all day every day.

Garry Ridge Dont be a soul-sucking CEO - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Garry Ridge Dont be a soul-sucking CEO - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Garry Ridge is the CEO of WD-40 Company and believes that effective leadership is about making people happy. In this clip from his talk at our conference on happiness at work, he talks about the other kind of leader: The soul-sucking CEO. If you like it, watch the whole speech here. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

What Are Your Writing Skills?

What Are Your Writing Skills?If I have writing skills, then how can I put those skills down as a skill on a resume? You may think you know what to say but may find yourself stumped for a few words. I've been there and I still find it hard to write a resume without overstating my abilities.First of all, you can be proud to say that you have writing skills. People are constantly going back to how well you communicate, how much you enjoyed reading, how quickly you did work in a class and so on. It can seem too easy to put that down as a skill, so here are some tips to make sure you don't do it.The best way to know if you have writing skills is to be conscious of the amount of words you use. When you are interviewing for a job or trying to get a job the first question you should ask yourself is, 'How much of my writing do I write myself?' If you answer yes to this question, you are probably putting your writing abilities into question. By setting boundaries to yourself, you will ensure t hat you only put in what you can do and that you make sure you aren't taking anything out of context.Another thing you can do is avoid writer's block. Write the best that you can. If you know you are having writer's block, take a break. By taking breaks you will keep your mind focused and enable you to learn more about the task at hand and make sure that you are ready to tackle it.There are many people who put off writing for a reason - they think that if they have writing skills they shouldn't put it down as a skill on a resume. Well, the problem is not having the skills, the problem is not having the will to write. Make sure that you take action and write your resume even if you don't have a lot of writing experience or have ever written a resume before.As you may already know, there are many areas where you can put down your writing skills. One of the best ways to get your writing down as a skill on a resume is to have your work experience listed on your resume. Most likely your training will be listed under a related discipline, so this will be a great way to include it.If you have taken an arts degree or any kind of non-traditional degree, you can put that on your resume in many different ways. You can list your specialized experiences under your writing experience, for example. Some examples of these are writing for an academic journal, writing a curriculum manual, or writing a research paper. Keep in mind that if you really want to put down writing skills as a skill on a resume, you will also need to have something in writing.Remember, if you have writing skills, you don't necessarily have to put them down as a skill on a resume. Put them into practice and learn to write more than you need to.