"No (one) is an island..." John Donne
Job search is a team sport.
The first and biggest mistake most make when searching for a job is to go it alone.
And when you do connect with others, and you must do so right up front, you need to engage them as members of your job search team.
Approaching your network of contacts asking them to help you find a job without helping them understand how they can help you specifically guarantees you last place in the standings.
Get in the game by scouting, then recruiting, first and continually, your job search team.
Start with your existing network by asking for advice, direction and guidance regarding your job search. Share with them what you plan on doing, what you have been doing, to find a job. Those who want to be on your team will be helpful. And that is how you know who to keep on your team.
Expand your team by scouting for people who are working in the types of jobs and within the companies where you want to work.
Use resources like Indeed and LinkedIn to find the right people.
You are on your way to winning your next job once you go beyond just looking for leads and start looking for people in the places you want to be.
Set out to assemble a team of about twenty. Research has proven that around twenty connections are sufficient to start the network that can put you in contact with just about anyone. Also, you can manage to stay up close and personal with twenty.
Ask your core job search management team to help introduce you to those right people that you have identified in your research.
My next post will begin with your job search team's training camp.
"Players win games; teams win championships." Bill Taylor
JVS and I want to be on your team.
Visit www.jvsdet.org for job postings and upcoming events.
And contact me at wtarrow@jvsdet.org.
Showing posts with label networking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label networking. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Lookin' For a Job Ain't What It Used To Be
"Everybody is for progress, but nobody wants change." Will Rogers
It seems that looking for a job has become so very, very hard and so very, very discouraging.
This "tough economy" has high unemployment and fewer jobs.
But I just searched on Indeed.com for jobs near my office and came up with 2,680 job leads for the city of Southfield, MI alone.
No doubt the economy has affected job search; but what is really at work here and now?
First and, by far, foremost, the process and mechanics of the job search have changed ginormously.
The use of computers and the Internet as primary, if not exclusive, tools for employers and recruiters looking for qualified candidates has had the greatest impact on the job search of today.
And very often not in a good way.
It has become very quick and easy for job seekers to apply to many jobs. Just a click of the mouse and you can send out thousands of resumes. And all from the convenience of your home or your local library.
One study revealed that 97% of applicants to a variety of positions did not meet the minimum requirements for the job!
That means the employer has to dig through the haystack of all those applications and resumes to find the needle of 3%.
No wonder, on many occasions, employers will opt out of the resume mountain in favor of the personal, word of mouth, molehill.
More and more businesses are paying their employees bonuses for personal applicant referrals. In some cases, bonuses of several thousand dollars.
And that's the good news.
If you can make the personal connection with an insider or key person within the company, you increase your chances of a job offer immensely.
Maybe your job search starts in cyberspace, but it really works when you are face to face.
If you need help in making those up close and personal connections, get in touch with me and the employment services at JVS.
Walt Tarrow, wtarrow@jvsdet.org
www.jvsdet.org
JVS Job Posting Site at www.ParnossahWorksDetroit.org
It seems that looking for a job has become so very, very hard and so very, very discouraging.
This "tough economy" has high unemployment and fewer jobs.
But I just searched on Indeed.com for jobs near my office and came up with 2,680 job leads for the city of Southfield, MI alone.
No doubt the economy has affected job search; but what is really at work here and now?
First and, by far, foremost, the process and mechanics of the job search have changed ginormously.
The use of computers and the Internet as primary, if not exclusive, tools for employers and recruiters looking for qualified candidates has had the greatest impact on the job search of today.
And very often not in a good way.
It has become very quick and easy for job seekers to apply to many jobs. Just a click of the mouse and you can send out thousands of resumes. And all from the convenience of your home or your local library.
One study revealed that 97% of applicants to a variety of positions did not meet the minimum requirements for the job!
That means the employer has to dig through the haystack of all those applications and resumes to find the needle of 3%.
No wonder, on many occasions, employers will opt out of the resume mountain in favor of the personal, word of mouth, molehill.
More and more businesses are paying their employees bonuses for personal applicant referrals. In some cases, bonuses of several thousand dollars.
And that's the good news.
If you can make the personal connection with an insider or key person within the company, you increase your chances of a job offer immensely.
Maybe your job search starts in cyberspace, but it really works when you are face to face.
If you need help in making those up close and personal connections, get in touch with me and the employment services at JVS.
Walt Tarrow, wtarrow@jvsdet.org
www.jvsdet.org
JVS Job Posting Site at www.ParnossahWorksDetroit.org
Monday, February 21, 2011
Flattery will get you everywhere...
A thank you goes out to Claudia Mills, claudia.mills@homeinstead.com, of Home Instead Senior Care, www.homeinstead.com/283, for her invaluable advice about recommendations on LinkedIn, www.linkedin.com.
At our JVS Employer Forum event last Tuesday, February 15, Claudia suggested to get recommendations on LinkedIn, first you should give recommendations.
What a wonderfully wise idea!
First seek out others who have qualities, or experience, or situations you admire. People who are working, or have worked, where you would like to work. Others who have the background, the education or training, or skill sets you find of interest. Fellow professionals or workers who are where you want to be; who have taken the journey you may need to take to get where you want to be.
Include those who have connections to those people with whom you most closely want to identify.
Then read their profiles and invite them to join your network if you already know them or have a connection in common.
Get to know them to learn what you admire, appreciate, the most about them.
And, most importantly, compose a recommendation and send it to them.
By taking these steps, you also learn about yourself.
You learn about what is important to you, what interests you and what you admire.
By finding it in others, you gain a better understanding of what strengths you have already and what strengths you need to develop.
And you take action to enlist the aid of others who have developed those strengths to show you the way.
If you need help with your recommendations or in learning about and navigating LinkedIn, attend my LinkedIn series the first week in March. Go to www.parnossahworksdetroit.org and click on the Seminars/Events tab for more information and to register.
You can also follow me and JVS on LinkedIn, the JVS website at www.jvsdet.org, and JVS Detroit on Facebook.
Or email me at wtarrow@jvsdet.org.
Recommend us to your friends and connections, especially anyone who is looking for help in finding employment or changing careers.
At our JVS Employer Forum event last Tuesday, February 15, Claudia suggested to get recommendations on LinkedIn, first you should give recommendations.
What a wonderfully wise idea!
First seek out others who have qualities, or experience, or situations you admire. People who are working, or have worked, where you would like to work. Others who have the background, the education or training, or skill sets you find of interest. Fellow professionals or workers who are where you want to be; who have taken the journey you may need to take to get where you want to be.
Include those who have connections to those people with whom you most closely want to identify.
Then read their profiles and invite them to join your network if you already know them or have a connection in common.
Get to know them to learn what you admire, appreciate, the most about them.
And, most importantly, compose a recommendation and send it to them.
By taking these steps, you also learn about yourself.
You learn about what is important to you, what interests you and what you admire.
By finding it in others, you gain a better understanding of what strengths you have already and what strengths you need to develop.
And you take action to enlist the aid of others who have developed those strengths to show you the way.
If you need help with your recommendations or in learning about and navigating LinkedIn, attend my LinkedIn series the first week in March. Go to www.parnossahworksdetroit.org and click on the Seminars/Events tab for more information and to register.
You can also follow me and JVS on LinkedIn, the JVS website at www.jvsdet.org, and JVS Detroit on Facebook.
Or email me at wtarrow@jvsdet.org.
Recommend us to your friends and connections, especially anyone who is looking for help in finding employment or changing careers.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Thirteen Lucky Tips for the "Networking Challenged"
Courtesy of Karen Gutman, Employment Specialist at JVS Detroit...thanks, Karen!
1. Remember why you are networking – We network to make connections and broaden our knowledge base. Whether we are in sales or job searching, we do not approach our network to make sales (or get a job), but to gather information and seek referrals of others to meet. Embracing this thought takes the pressure off and allows us to enjoy meeting new people.
2. Dress for Success – Dress professionally in business attire. Be sure your clothes are clean and neat. Do a quick check in a mirror before entering the room. Wear a suit or sport jacket with pockets for business cards. You can keep your cards in the pocket on one side and those you collect in the other.
3. Be prepared to network – We are more comfortable if we know we have everything we need to network. One should never be without business cards! As a job seeker, your cards should include your name, your contact information, and your job goal as a profession. For example, “Inside Sales Professional”, “Executive Administrative Assistant”, or “Licensed Auto Mechanic”. Know your elevator speech! You don’t want to fumble or ramble on when asked the “what do you do” question. Your speech should include they type of people you are looking to connect with.
4. Plan your strategy – Pause for a few minutes at the door to see who you would like to approach. Look for someone standing alone, as they will be eager to engage with you. If you have specific people you want to meet, approach them or join in their conversation. If you put it off, they just might leave before you get your chance! Set a realistic goal for how many people you plan to talk to at the event. It’s ok to start small. Once you get more comfortable, you’ll set higher goals. But push yourself to meet your goal!
5. Plan your approach – Rehearse your approach. Extend your hand, “Hello, my name is _______”. Then have your first question ready. Good openers are: “What do you do?”, “Is this your first time here?”, “How did you hear about this event?” “What other networking meetings do you attend?” Then ask follow up questions and use their name often. It will help you remember and personalize your conversation.
6. Ask a lot of questions. You can find out what the person does, how they got into the field, and what other networking events they attend. People love to talk about themselves and it will put you both at ease. If they ask about you, answer with what you do – such as the title on your business card. Give your elevator speech and let them know with whom you are looking to connect.
7. Do not ask for a job! You didn’t attend to find a job; you are networking to make contacts. It’s ok to mention you are looking for a new position, but DO NOT make that the focus of the conversation. Don’t hand out your resume, that’s what your business card is for. If you are asked for your resume, you can always email it.
8. Know when it is time to move on. The purpose of a networking event is to connect with people you want to get to know better. It is not the time for a lengthy conversation. Once you have determined that this is someone you want to have more conversation with, say something like, “I would like to talk more with you, but I am sure you want to meet others. Would you be interested in meeting sometime for coffee so we can continue this discussion?” If they are interested, make sure you follow up! If the conversation isn’t worth pursuing further, just say, “I will let you go” or simply, “It’s been great meeting you”.
9. But before you move on… shake hands and be sure to ask for a business card. Don’t flaunt your card or hand it out unless it is asked for. No one likes the person who walks around an event handing out their cards and calling it “networking”!
10. Be confident; don’t apologize for taking time or asking for a contact – that’s why everyone is there!
11. Take note! Make notes on the back of business cards to remind yourself what you talked about and what follow up you need to do. You can do this when you are “moving on” or when you return to your car.
12. Follow up... make LinkedIn connections with your new contacts. Follow up with meetings or information. Look for information or articles to pass along to your new contacts in areas of interest that you discussed.
13. It gets easier every time. It’s ok if you feel nervous before you go in. Many people get uncomfortable in new situations. Take a few deep breaths, let the oxygen circulate, and feel confident because you know you are totally prepared!
Prepared by Karen Gutman
Employment Specialist at JVS Detroit
kgutman@jvsdet.org
248.233.4248
http://www.linkedin.com/in/karengutman
http://twitter.com/karenegutman
Karen is just one of the helpful professional staff at JVS Detroit.
Visit us at www.jvsdet.org, search our job bank at www.ParnossahWorksDetroit.org, join our group NextJobs~JVS Detroit on LinkedIn.com and follow JVS Detroit on Twitter and be a fan of JVS Detroit on Facebook.
1. Remember why you are networking – We network to make connections and broaden our knowledge base. Whether we are in sales or job searching, we do not approach our network to make sales (or get a job), but to gather information and seek referrals of others to meet. Embracing this thought takes the pressure off and allows us to enjoy meeting new people.
2. Dress for Success – Dress professionally in business attire. Be sure your clothes are clean and neat. Do a quick check in a mirror before entering the room. Wear a suit or sport jacket with pockets for business cards. You can keep your cards in the pocket on one side and those you collect in the other.
3. Be prepared to network – We are more comfortable if we know we have everything we need to network. One should never be without business cards! As a job seeker, your cards should include your name, your contact information, and your job goal as a profession. For example, “Inside Sales Professional”, “Executive Administrative Assistant”, or “Licensed Auto Mechanic”. Know your elevator speech! You don’t want to fumble or ramble on when asked the “what do you do” question. Your speech should include they type of people you are looking to connect with.
4. Plan your strategy – Pause for a few minutes at the door to see who you would like to approach. Look for someone standing alone, as they will be eager to engage with you. If you have specific people you want to meet, approach them or join in their conversation. If you put it off, they just might leave before you get your chance! Set a realistic goal for how many people you plan to talk to at the event. It’s ok to start small. Once you get more comfortable, you’ll set higher goals. But push yourself to meet your goal!
5. Plan your approach – Rehearse your approach. Extend your hand, “Hello, my name is _______”. Then have your first question ready. Good openers are: “What do you do?”, “Is this your first time here?”, “How did you hear about this event?” “What other networking meetings do you attend?” Then ask follow up questions and use their name often. It will help you remember and personalize your conversation.
6. Ask a lot of questions. You can find out what the person does, how they got into the field, and what other networking events they attend. People love to talk about themselves and it will put you both at ease. If they ask about you, answer with what you do – such as the title on your business card. Give your elevator speech and let them know with whom you are looking to connect.
7. Do not ask for a job! You didn’t attend to find a job; you are networking to make contacts. It’s ok to mention you are looking for a new position, but DO NOT make that the focus of the conversation. Don’t hand out your resume, that’s what your business card is for. If you are asked for your resume, you can always email it.
8. Know when it is time to move on. The purpose of a networking event is to connect with people you want to get to know better. It is not the time for a lengthy conversation. Once you have determined that this is someone you want to have more conversation with, say something like, “I would like to talk more with you, but I am sure you want to meet others. Would you be interested in meeting sometime for coffee so we can continue this discussion?” If they are interested, make sure you follow up! If the conversation isn’t worth pursuing further, just say, “I will let you go” or simply, “It’s been great meeting you”.
9. But before you move on… shake hands and be sure to ask for a business card. Don’t flaunt your card or hand it out unless it is asked for. No one likes the person who walks around an event handing out their cards and calling it “networking”!
10. Be confident; don’t apologize for taking time or asking for a contact – that’s why everyone is there!
11. Take note! Make notes on the back of business cards to remind yourself what you talked about and what follow up you need to do. You can do this when you are “moving on” or when you return to your car.
12. Follow up... make LinkedIn connections with your new contacts. Follow up with meetings or information. Look for information or articles to pass along to your new contacts in areas of interest that you discussed.
13. It gets easier every time. It’s ok if you feel nervous before you go in. Many people get uncomfortable in new situations. Take a few deep breaths, let the oxygen circulate, and feel confident because you know you are totally prepared!
Prepared by Karen Gutman
Employment Specialist at JVS Detroit
kgutman@jvsdet.org
248.233.4248
http://www.linkedin.com/in/karengutman
http://twitter.com/karenegutman
Karen is just one of the helpful professional staff at JVS Detroit.
Visit us at www.jvsdet.org, search our job bank at www.ParnossahWorksDetroit.org, join our group NextJobs~JVS Detroit on LinkedIn.com and follow JVS Detroit on Twitter and be a fan of JVS Detroit on Facebook.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
What's the hold up?
Why the delay?
It has been over three weeks since I started this blog and this is only the second entry.
What keeps us from doing what needs to be done?
What is keeping YOU from looking for your next job?
I got stuck because of two things.
Too many demands with too little time...many, many phone calls, emails, meetings and every caller, every emailer wants to be the most important.
And is what I blog good enough, important enough, for someone, anyone to pay attention?
How about you?
How are you managing your job search work, your job search time and all the other demands of life? What are your priorities? How did you handle all those demands when you were working the 40, 50 or more hours every week?
And why haven't you sent out your resume or set up that meeting yet? Is your resume not good enough? Are you not sure if you will make the best impression when you go to that meeting? Are you not prepared?
Well, forget all that.
"A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week." George S. Patton
Do something, anything, now, every day, to keep moving. Something now is better than nothing now.
Take action. Your progress is measured by the number of mistakes you make.
"The man who makes no mistake does not usually make anything." Edward Phelps
By the way, even if you write the perfect resume, only as little as one out of twenty, that's 5%, of resumes ever get read by any real person. That's a 95% chance your perfect resume will go nowhere. That's the resume you worked so hard to perfect...perfect, but neglected and ignored.
Oh, yeah, the odds for your not-so-perfect, maybe even crappy, resume being read by a real person are at least as good as, if not better, than your perfect resume.
It's better to work on making good contacts, connections to the right people, than to work on making your resume perfect.
A construction foreman told me he hired a young man who came to the work site and handed him this resume.
The young man's secret? He went to the work site. He made himself visable. He made the right impression with the right person.
Stop worrying about being perfect and get out there and meet people. Every day. Make at least that your priority.
And don't forget to come over here to JVS in Southfield any Monday evening at 6:30pm or Thursday afternoon at 1:30pm to meet and get help from even more people.
We will be looking out for you.
Walt
Email me at wtarrow@jvsdet.org
Next post: Getting started...first steps
It has been over three weeks since I started this blog and this is only the second entry.
What keeps us from doing what needs to be done?
What is keeping YOU from looking for your next job?
I got stuck because of two things.
Too many demands with too little time...many, many phone calls, emails, meetings and every caller, every emailer wants to be the most important.
And is what I blog good enough, important enough, for someone, anyone to pay attention?
How about you?
How are you managing your job search work, your job search time and all the other demands of life? What are your priorities? How did you handle all those demands when you were working the 40, 50 or more hours every week?
And why haven't you sent out your resume or set up that meeting yet? Is your resume not good enough? Are you not sure if you will make the best impression when you go to that meeting? Are you not prepared?
Well, forget all that.
"A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week." George S. Patton
Do something, anything, now, every day, to keep moving. Something now is better than nothing now.
Take action. Your progress is measured by the number of mistakes you make.
"The man who makes no mistake does not usually make anything." Edward Phelps
By the way, even if you write the perfect resume, only as little as one out of twenty, that's 5%, of resumes ever get read by any real person. That's a 95% chance your perfect resume will go nowhere. That's the resume you worked so hard to perfect...perfect, but neglected and ignored.
Oh, yeah, the odds for your not-so-perfect, maybe even crappy, resume being read by a real person are at least as good as, if not better, than your perfect resume.
It's better to work on making good contacts, connections to the right people, than to work on making your resume perfect.
A construction foreman told me he hired a young man who came to the work site and handed him this resume.
I DO SIDDING
The young man's secret? He went to the work site. He made himself visable. He made the right impression with the right person.
Stop worrying about being perfect and get out there and meet people. Every day. Make at least that your priority.
And don't forget to come over here to JVS in Southfield any Monday evening at 6:30pm or Thursday afternoon at 1:30pm to meet and get help from even more people.
We will be looking out for you.
Walt
Email me at wtarrow@jvsdet.org
Next post: Getting started...first steps
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