Networking...What Is It and How Do I Do It?

What is networking?

The art of networking is part of the proactive approach.  Just to be clear  right from the start , networking is not nepotism (i.e. getting a job because of who you are rather than what you are).

It is the system of identifying those who can give you information and advice to help you increase your knowledge, make good quality decisions and possibly source opportunities.

Remarkably we all have a network....it's not the preserve of the few! Even more remarkably, most people are willing to help if they can.

How can networking help?

It’s much easier to know how an industry or profession works when you’re on the inside. Networking allows you to benefit from an inside view (and often varied experiences) from the outside!

Asking for advice on your CV; finding out who the experts are in your field; identifying any gaps in your skills or experience; knowing how post-grad qualifications are viewed; finding out when and where vacancies are advertised; getting a chance to work shadow; learning what might come up at interview – all of this, and more, is available if you use your network and ask the right people.

Who is in your network?

Friends and family....and friends' families and families' friends (think about it!) 
Are they doing or have they done jobs which interest you? Do they work for organizations which appeal to you? Have they positive/negative points of view to inform your decisions?

Academic staff - not just lecturers -postgraduate students may also be able to offer help and insights.

Personal contacts - from work placements, vacation and term time jobs or voluntary projects.

Professional Associations - are you a student member? Is information on job opportunities sent to you? Do you attend seminars or forums -places where you can meet those working in the field you are interested in?

Local Contacts and Alumni - the Careers Service  has information on professionals living and working locally who have volunteered to provide information and advice to students interested in their area of work.
Take advantage of any alumni events hosted by the Careers Service and your academic department - a great chance to meet people

Constructing your own network 

Start constructing your own network. Write down the people in your life  who may be able to help. Think freely! 

Keep your network up to date , adding and subtracting names as life moves on. And  remember to thank the people  who help you and keep them informed of your progress...maybe you'll be able to return the favour one day.

The above exercise has identified people who may be able to assist your career plans either because they can give you an insight into specific work which interests you, help you obtain relevant work experience - or they know someone who can!

So who are you going to contact first?

 

 

Use the telephone to contact friends and acquaintances outside of your area.  You do not need to be formal, but do keep calls brief and ask specific questions.  Do not take up their time by soliciting help in an unstructured way.  Follow these guidelines when calling your friends.

 

Ø  Explain that you are looking for a new job and would appreciate their advice

Ø  Briefly review your goals, special skills and work experience

Ø  Give your “Thirty-Second Summary,” if your friend is not aware of your work history

Ø  Ask for names of people or organizations that may have openings in your area of expertise or names of people who could give you more information on a specific career you are interested in

Ø  Ask if you can use their name as you contact others

Ø  Be positive and express confidence that something will turn up

Ø  Thank them for their time, mention you will send a resume, and ask if you can call again

 

To your networking success

 

Fran Watson

P.S.  Check out this article on Careerealism... Click here

How Well Do You Communicate?

According to Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D., and Katharine Hansen, Ph.D., Every employer is looking for a specific set of skills from job-seekers that match the skills necessary to perform a particular job.

But beyond these job-specific technical skills, certain skills are nearly universally sought by employers. The good news is that most job-seekers possess these skills to some extent. The better news is that job-seekers with weaknesses in these areas can improve their skills through training, professional development, or obtaining coaching/mentoring from someone who understands these skills.

 So, what are some of these critical employability skills that employers demand of job-seekers?

Communications Skills (listening, verbal, written). By far, the one skill mentioned most often by employers is the ability to listen, write, and speak effectively. Successful communication is critical in business.

Analytical/Research Skills. Deals with your ability to assess a situation, seek multiple perspectives, gather more information if necessary, and identify key issues that need to be addressed.

Interpersonal Abilities. The ability to relate to your co-workers, inspire others to participate, and mitigate conflict with co-workers is essential given the amount of time spent at work each day.

Leadership/Management Skills. While there is some debate about whether leadership is something people are born with, these skills deal with your ability to take charge and manage your co-workers.

Teamwork. Because so many jobs involve working in one or more work-groups, you must have the ability to work with others in a professional manner while attempting to achieve a common goal.

Many of these skills can be developed through participation in a group or club such as Toastmasters.  Find out more by going to www.toastmasters.org to find a club near you, then drop in for a visit.  You may be surprised by what you find. 

 

Many people have an unrealistic idea of what Toastmasters is all about.  It is not about giving speeches, it is about developing your communication skills - listening, sharing, evaluating and more.  Check it out.  You may find it very helpful in your working life.

To your success in communicating your ideas and strengths to others.

 

Fran Watson

 

Above excerpted from https://www.quintcareers.com/job-skills-values/

Building a Brand

Just like large corporations, it is important for individuals to develop their brand.

In the last three years, the term “personal branding” has gone from buzzword to must-have career requirement. We’re now expected to be able to convey our uniqueness in a powerful way that validates how we save and/or make companies money. Personal branding is about being memorable for the value we can bring to an organization. Easier said than done, right?

Here are some articles from Careerealism that can help you develop your brand.

Step by Step Guide

3 Steps to An Outstanding Branding

The Perfect Recipe for a Great Personal Brand


To your powerful branding

Fran Watson


P.S.  You can also find out who is looking at your Linked-In profile here

Communication and Your Job Search

In today's highly informational and technological environment it has become increasingly important to have good communication skills - Z. Hereford

How was your last interview?  Did you answer the questions well?  Did you understand what was being asked?  Did your body language communicate the message you wanted it to?  In other words, how were your communication skills?

Communication is the process by which we exchange information between individuals or groups of people. It is a process where we try as clearly and accurately as we can, to convey our thoughts, intentions and objectives.

Good communication skills are key to success in life, work and relationships. Without effective communication, a message can turn into error, misunderstanding, frustration, or even disaster by being misinterpreted or poorly delivered. Communication is successful only when both the sender and the receiver understand the same information.

The inability to communicate effectively will hold you back not only in your career, but in social and personal relationships as well.

Concise, clearer and more efficient communication reduces misunderstandings. The more clear the communicators in our workplace, the fewer mistakes we make, the fewer customers we upset. When we are clear, phrases like “I thought you meant” or “oh, now I understand” are rarely heard. 

Most conflict is the result of misunderstood communication. When you become an effective communicator, you can resolve conflict and create harmony by bridging the communication gaps that create conflict.   When we practice good communication skills, our relationships with other people will improve.

To be successful, a person requires an integrated set of communication skills. These skills are: writing skills, speaking skills, listening skills, and non verbal skills. If you need some help with your communication skills, check out a Toastmasters Club in your area.  Attending Toastmasters can help you develop your communication skills.

To your job search success,
Fran Watson

Communication Skills Vital to Your Job Search

A recent study conducted by Stanford Research Institute, Harvard University and the Carnegie Foundation discovered that “85% of the reason people get a job, keep that job, and move ahead in that job has to do with their people skills and people knowledge. Only 15% is the result of a technical skill.”

How are your communication skills?  Do you know how to confidently handle yourself in an interview situation or do you become tongue-tied?  Are you able to make small talk at the company office party, or do you stand in a corner with a drink in your hand hoping no one comes over?  Can you confidently approach someone you don't know and begin a conversation? 

If not, then you might want to check out a local Toastmasters Club where you can begin to develop your communication skills.  In addition to developing confidence in communication, you will have the opportunity to develop leadership skills, another skill needed for employment.

Want to find out more about Toastmasters?  Click here 

I have been a member of Toastmasters since 2002 and I continue to learn and grow as a speaker and a leader.  Why not give it a try?  You have nothing to lose and a lot to gain!

To your successful job search

Fran Watson

P.S.  For more help with your job search, click here

What are you worth?

Recognizing your position of power with your employer – and leveraging it.

It is not entirely unsurprising that so many people feel that their employer “has all the power” and they, the employee, have no choice but to accept it.

Interestingly, more often than not, when you take a step back and truly take a look at your situation, you may find out that you have a lot more to bargain with – and a lot less to lose – than your boss does.

While we see regular news about the economy hurting and high unemployment, the fact of the matter is that many industries truly are an employees market – not the other way around. In other words, there are more than a small number of firms that are really hurting for more qualified staff.

So: How do you know if you're carrying a bigger stick than you may think ?

Firstly, you have to take an HONEST appraisal of your own performance at work; You don't have to share this with anyone, but you do have to tell yourself the truth:

1. Do you accomplish everything your job requires you to, every day ?
2. Do you often go above and beyond the call of duty in your job ?
3. Are you one of the more productive or skilled employees in your group ?
4. Do you notice that any time you are away, the departments workload to catch up is more than when someone else is away ?
5. Are you the 'go to' person for your colleagues ?

Second, what's the hiring situation like, both at your employer in specific and in your industry, in general ?

1. Is your company short-staffed, with near constant “for hire” ads running ?
2. Do you often receive contacts from recruiters, specifically looking to talk to you (or “someone in a position identical to yours”, nudge, nudge, wink, wink)
3. Do you notice employment ads for many of your competitors in employment sites like monster.com and linkedin.com ?
4. Have you noticed that when other people leave your firm, are they employed almost immediately after they leave where you work ?
5. Do you have an unusual churn rate where you work, despite pay and benefits being attractive ?

Finally, you need to make an honest self-appraisal of yourself-as-someone-to-work with:

1. Do you have a generally pleasant disposition ?
2. Do you avoid complaining about the little – or big – things frequently ?
3. Do you avoid gossiping about co-workers, or speaking negatively about them behind their backs ?
4. Do you generally have a “can do” attitude when asked to perform extra work, even if it isn't necessarily strictly in your job definition ?
5. Do you accept criticism well, taking it as an opportunity for professional growth, rather than a personal attack ?
6. Do you contribute to your work place, be that either/or in suggestions to improve projects in specific, or the company as a whole ?
7. Do you contribute to your co-workers, helping them get their jobs done better, faster or more efficiently, without necessarily “looking for the credit” all the time ?

If you answered yes to most or even all of the above, you have a LOT more “employee currency” than you might think; ...Read More

Thanks Mark Bissonette of Canadian ISP for this article

To your success

Fran Watson

 

What Do Employers Want?

In today’s competitive life, employers are looking for people who can contribute to the growth of the company and boost its productivity.

Therefore, for people who are seeking employment and that dream job, it is important to know the most sought after job skills on the list of most employers.

1. The ability to research

Job seekers should possess the ability to research not because they wanted to land a job in a research company but in order to do simple searches on the data needed by a particular activity.

2. Logical thinking

Most employers need people who are able to produce effective solutions and to make sensible solutions regarding a proposal or a probable activity.

3. Technologically literate

With the advent of information technology, most job openings require people who are computer literate or know how to operate different machines and office equipments.

Most employers do not necessarily need people who are technological graduates. The simple fact that job seekers know the basic principles of technology is already enough.

4. Communication skills

People who are able to land a good job are mostly those who are adept in speaking and writing. Employers hire people who are able to express their thoughts efficiently through verbal and written communication.

5. Organizational skills

Organization is extremely important in maintaining a harmonious working relationship in the company. Hence, most employers look for people who know how to maintain order.

6. Interpersonal skills

Because the working environment involves working with people of various personalities, it is necessary to acquire the skills necessary to communicate with people from different walks of life.

7. Professional Growth

Employers hire people who are able to create a plan that will generate personal career growth. This means that the person is willing to improve him or herself professionally by learning new things he or she still does not know.

These are just some of the most wanted job skills by most employers. Hence, it is important for the job seekers to take note of these assets in order to be successful in every endeavor they make.

To your job search success

Fran Watson