More networking tips for introverts (and extroverts)

While most of my posts live a short life and retire quietly to the archives, this post from last spring about networking tips for introverts continues to get several hits hits every week, and has been referenced on other blogs. Since there seems to be a lot of interest in this topic, I continue to watch for articles and information that may add to the discussion.

This afternoon I was reviewing the blogs and websites of some of the people who have visited my blog and came across this interesting post on Ron Bland’s blog about how to start a conversation (written by Peter Murphy). Probably the biggest networking challenge for introverts is just trying to get the conversation started, so I thought this article could offer some valuable tips for my readers.

To these tips, I would offer one additional suggestion: Ask open-ended questions.

When you ask open-ended questions, you automatically get the other person talking. Most people enjoy answering thoughtful questions about themselves or topics they are interested in, and they tend to like people who listen to them talk. The other person will often (but not always) turn the table and ask you questions, giving you an opportunity to tell your story. It’s always easier to talk about yourself in response to a question.

When you ask open-ended questions, you also have a chance to listen well (Point #5 from Mr. Bland’s blog post). As you are listening, be alert for ways that you can help the person. You might be able to introduce them to someone who can help them. Or tell them about a related book or article or web site that may interest them. Remember that effective networking is more about giving than receiving.

What is “personal branding”?

During a recent conversation, a friend started talking about a bad experience he had the other day with an overbearing and disingenuous salesperson. He felt like the salesperson’s persona — hair, smile, language, clothing, jewelry, etc. — was just an act only slightly less transparent than that of a circus clown. He described with great disgust how the salesperson was willing to “fudge the numbers” a little to close the deal.

Then my friend said something totally unexpected:

“It’s all this ‘personal branding’ stuff that just makes me sick.” [You can imagine two hands raised up with fingers making imaginary quotation marks in the air. You can also imagine some word other than "stuff"]. He continued: “This guy has probably been trained by some consultant to act this way because this is the way to make the sale.”

After listening to his passionate rant, I realized that he is not alone in his misunderstanding of personal branding. When I connect with job seekers, I discover than many are just as skeptical — albeit less vocal — about personal branding. Perhaps the term “branding” is too closely associated with the term “marketing” in a lot of minds. Whatever the reason, many people believe that personal branding is sort of like an “Extreme Makeover: Professional Edition” that turns you in to a completely different person.

Personal branding is about

1. knowing your unique skills, talents, passion, and personality traits (i.e. your “brand attributes”), and
2. proactively emphasizing those attributes to others

Seth Godin wrote an interesting post about personal branding today, in which he compares your personal brand to a caricature. He says:

A caricature falsely highlights various anomalies while diminishing the boring parts. So Jay Leno gets a ridiculous chin, or Jimmy Durante gets an even bigger nose (okay, he had a pretty big nose). The same is true for your brand, but even more so. The best brands are caricatures of their true selves.

I thought that summed it up pretty well. Personal branding isn’t about being something you aren’t or putting on a fake persona for someone else. It’s about promoting your “various anomalies” (the interesting things about you) and diminishing the boring parts.

The value of a consultant, Part 2

As a follow-up to my recent post about the value of a consultant, I wanted to share this related post I just came across from KnowHr entitled “10 Ways to Know It’s Time to Dump Your Consultant.”

clipped from www.knowhr.com If he says “synergize” more than three times in 5 minutes. If he’s talking about your business plan on his cellphone earpiece while boarding an airplane. If he’s so full of himself that he takes his jacket off and tries to hand it to the pilot to hang up. (Sorry, sir, I don’t do coats, I just fly this thing.) If he uses the phrase, “Fleshing out the business case is the critical path.” If he says, “Ping him. We need to meet his expectations.” If he says, “We need to debrief this puppy.” If he talks about “the ultimate win-win solution.” If he wants to “run it up the flagpole.” If he keeps talking on his cellphone about your specific company and plans after they’ve closed the airplane door so that the flight attendant has to get up twice to ask him to turn it off. If he’s sitting right behind me on Delta 973 last evening from Atlanta to Philadelphia and I could write all this down in Twitter.

Company values

 

This poster by Anthony Burrill is profound in it’s simplicity. Many organizations have a list of company values that most most employees can’t remember, much less comprehend. This poster conveys values that most people inherently understand, and are easy to remember.

Thanks to the KnowHR blog for finding and sharing this.

Practicing gratitude

In yesterday’s post, I wrote “As Thanksgiving approaches, this seems like a perfect time to start practicing gratefulness and honing that mindset.”

But how to we “practice gratefulness?” It sounded like a good suggestion, but it also felt a little incomplete without some sort of practical application. And to be honest, I didn’t have any great ideas.

Later in the day, however, I came across this excellent suggestion from Keith Ferrazzi. While driving out of town, he used the time in the car to scroll through contacts in his cell phone, and call them to tell them how grateful he was for their presence in his life. In the process, he realized how truly blessed he was.

Can you imagine getting a phone call from someone just to say “I am grateful for you”? How much would that brighten your day (week, month)?

I thought this was an excellent — and very practical — way to “practice gratitude,” and wanted to share it with you.

Don’t forget to say “Thanks”

Sending a Thank You note following a job interview, an informational meeting, or a networking event is a simple way to stand out. I always thought this was a common courtesy, but I discovered last spring just how uncommon it really is. Then I recently attended a meeting where a panel of recruiters agreed that receiving a follow up Thank You note is so rare that it makes the candidate really stand out. One of the recruiters said:

I get so few Thank You notes that if you send one, you automatically stand out. And if it is handwritten, you really, really stand out.

This is both exciting and troubling to me. It seems incredible to me that I could “automatically stand out” just by doing something as simple as writing a Thank You note. Thus it is exciting because it seems almost like winning the lottery — getting so much return for such an easy investment.

And yet troubling because it is so uncommon. If writing a Thank You note is so easy and yields such a great return, why isn’t everybody doing it? Have our collective manners eroded to the point that we have we have forgotten how or (worse) don’t care to be gracious?

Why handwritten?

Sending a Thank You note by email may be better than no thanks at all, but there is great value to a handwritten note. In her recent excellent blog post on this topic, Ruth Sherman writes

A handwritten note rises above the clutter of email so effectively. Think about it: You may not respond to most of the hundreds of emails you get each day. But I’ll wager you immediately open a piece of mail with a handwritten address and that doesn’t come in a #10 envelope. I know I do. I love getting these thoughtful notes.The act communicates so much: The writer took time, she or he cares, the receiver is important. When was the last time an email made you feel that way?

Handwritten cards are better because they stand out. Not everyone will open and read your email, but you can almost guarantee that they will open a hand-addressed envelope received in the mail. And it communicates a thoughtfulness that can’t be captured in an email. Handwritten notes are more heartfelt.

True Gratefulness

And that leads to my final thought about Thank You notes. Sending a Thank You note simply because it is a good job-search or networking strategy seems disingenuous, so I hesitate to advocate it as such. I know I’m guilty of writing Thank You notes filled with empty platitudes simply because I know it is a good strategy. Or maybe because it’s what my mom taught me to do. And maybe I wasn’t even that grateful, but was just pretending to be (ouch!).

Instead of writing something bland and staid like “Thank you for taking time to visit with me yesterday blah blah blah,” perhaps we should try to express what we are truly grateful for. Did the person share some particularly useful information or wisdom with you? Did the person challenge you in a positive way? Did the person go out of the way to do something special for you? Was the person unusually patient in answering all your questions? If so, try to express that in your written note.

This requires a little more thought, and I suspect is not as natural for most of us. As Thanksgiving approaches, this seems like a perfect time to start practicing gratefulness and honing that mindset. And perhaps our future Thank You notes will be expressions of true gratefulness instead of just a strategy.

Informational Interviews, part 2

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a post about conducting informational interviews. Today, I noticed that Marci Alboher added a different perspective to the topic by discussing her pet peeves about informational interviews in her New York Times blog.

In her article, Ms. Alboher (she called me Mr. Wilson) specifically mentioned 4 pet peeves:

1. Never overstay your welcome. Whether it’s lingering too long in person or on the phone or engaging in too much follow-up, it’s important to read signals and respond accordingly. I’m currently being stalked — by e-mail, IM, and now Facebook, by someone who wants me to be his mentor. He’s blown it. Never, ever IM someone you don’t know, unless there is some odd situation in which they’ve made it known that’s an appropriate thing to do.

2. Always think of how to give back to those who give you time. It may take years to do it, but if you keep it on your mind, one day you’ll figure out how.

3. Be prepared. It means something different in each context. At minimum do a Google search. Make a point to keep up with what’s going on in that person’s world. If the person’s employer has just had a managment shakeup, for example, read about it and try to understand what it could mean for that person.

4. Don’t presume anything. I’ll never forget when a young lawyer e-mailed me asking if he could drop by my office to meet and talk careers the next week. First of all, my friends don’t even “drop by” for meetings with me, so there’s no way that was going to work. Second, I work at home, which made the request a little creepy.

It’s important to think from the interviewee’s perspective. I haven’t been approached for an informational interview, so I can’t speak from that perspective. So thanks to Marci Alboher for adding her very important perspective.

Using Clipmarks to update your blog

This blog post was composed in Clipmarks. I clipped the information below from the Clipmarks web site, and then selected to post it directly to my blog. If you frequently reference material from other web sites, this looks like a really useful tool.

clipped from clipmarks.com Clip-to-Blog™ is the most spontaneous way to add things you find on the web directly to your blog. When you find something online that you want to add to your blog… clip it, add your commentary, click Post to Blog and bam, you’ve just updated your blog with fresh content.

Tips from recruiters

I recently had the opportunity to listen a panel of recruiters sharing tips with an audience of job seekers. The panel included two internal recruiters (one with a large multi-national corporation, and one with a smaller, local corporation), and one external recruiter. The questions and discussion yielded some really good information, and a few surprises. Following are some of my notes and key take-aways from the meeting.

About resumes

Always send an electronic version of your resume (paper resumes are more difficult to track and manage). If you provide a hard copy, use light colored paper that reproduces well on a photocopier.

Formatting is less important (unless it relates to the job you are applying for). It is best to keep special formatting to a minimum.

Recruiters typically sort resumes into three categories: Yes, No, and Maybe. Here’s how to get your resume into the “Yes” stack:

• A clear skills match. Write your resume to match the job requirements listed in the job ad. Yes, this requires customizing your resume for each application, but it pays off. If the position is for a “programmer,” use that term instead of “software engineer.” If the position is primarily responsible for database management, move that experience to the top of your resume. Write your resume so it’s impossible to miss the connection between your skills and the job requirements.
• A clear benefit to the company. Focus your resume on the future (how you can help the company) rather than the past (what you did). Your resume should be a marketing document, not an obituary. Yes, you have to describe your past experience, but do so in a way that sells what you can offer in the future.
• A connection. The best way to get your resume in the “Yes” stack is to send it through a connection. If you know someone in the organization, send it through them. If you don’t know someone in the organization, start networking. Even a casual contact with the recruiter at an event like this is enough to get your resume extra attention.

Here’s how to get your resume into the “No” stack:

• More than 2 pages. The resume is an introduction, not a life history.
• Spelling errors, or (I can’t believe people actually do this) hand-written corrections on the resume.
• Special characters or unusual formatting (electronic resumes) that don’t translate on the recruiter’s system.
• No clear skills match.

There are some key factors that recruiters are looking for to determine a potential match:

• Where did you work? For how long?
• What industry?
• How big was the company?
• What are your credentials?
• What is your progression?

About cover letters

Surprisingly, only one of the three recruiters indicated that they ever look at cover letters. The one who does considers them to be very important. The ones who don’t look at them say it doesn’t hurt your chances, but just doesn’t add much value for them.

If you do include a cover letter, it should be brief (about two paragraphs) and provide information not included in your resume. Don’t simply rehash your resume in the cover letter. That wastes the recruiter’s time.

About interviews

Sell yourself. If you can’t or won’t sell yourself, the recruiter can’t sell you either.

The receptionist has a lot do do with first impressions. When you arrive, treat the receptionist like one of the interviewers. You never know…

Be alive and be vibrant. Shake hands. Smile. Make eye contact.

Be focused. People don’t do what they want to do or get where they want to be because they never decide what it is. Know what you want.

Know and be able to articulate your strengths. Don’t be afraid to sell, sell, sell. Be confident.

Never use “we” when describing your accomplishments. Interviewers don’t want to know what your team or group did; they want to know what your contribution was. Never give philosophical or theoretical responses to questions. Be specific about your accomplishments, strengths, etc.

Know something about the company. Not just “about” the company, but be aware of current news and issues. There is no excuse for not doing at least a basic Google search on the company and/or industry.

Be persistent. Be consistent. Be prepared. Be passionate.

About follow up

Get a business card (or at least a name) of every person you meet. Send them a “Thank You” note. One of the recruiters said he gets so few thank you notes that writing one makes you stand out. Handwritten is better.

Be persistent in following up with the recruiter and interviewer. Don’t be afraid to send an email or make a phone call.

Conclusion

Well, that’s all my notes. There was so much more good stuff, I could not write it all down. Hope some of these ideas help you along your journey.

Informational interviews

The informational interview is one of the most useful and yet under-utilized career management tools. I’ve become a big proponent of informational interviews ever since conducting my first one several months ago. When I’m among job seekers, I often ask if they are including informational interviews as part of their strategy. Many have never heard of them, and many of those who have tend to shy away from them. If you are not using informational interviews, you are missing a great opportunity.

What is an informational interview?

Sometime called an informational meeting, a referral meeting, or a research interview. It is a brief meeting (usually anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes) between you and somebody currently in a career or industry that you want to learn more about. You can use the interview to gain new knowledge, or to validate your understanding, or to sharpen your focus.

An informational interview is not about asking for a job. Never, never ask for a job. That is the cardinal rule of informational interviews.

And therein is the rub for many job seekers who disdain informational interviews. They seem to view them as an underhanded and sneaky way to get a foot in the door when the interviewee knows they are really looking for a job. Or, they may feel that the informational interview puts them in an awkward position by making them appear desperate.

What these job seekers don’t realize is that informational interviews are not strictly the domain of job seekers. Such interviews are an essential part of networking for both the unemployed and the employed. (Note that I earlier referred to the informational interview as a career management tool, not a job search tool.) Most professionals recognize this as an ordinary part of business and are not offended by being approached for an interview. In a 2004 Career Journal article, Pamela Peterson, director of business development for IPSA International, said “Eighty percent of the time people are delighted and willing to meet and to help, primarily because they recognize the value of networking as well the satisfaction that comes from being able to help someone.”

What are the benefits of an informational interview?

Compare the informational interview with a job interview.

• Informational interviews are generally easier to get.
• With an informational interview, you ask the questions and are in control.
• An informational interview is typically more relaxed for both parties.
• Informational interviewees may become part of your network, and may provide referrals.
• Informational interviewees may be less guarded in sharing information.

In addition, you build your professional network. You gain knowledge of a career or industry. You gain confidence in presenting yourself and your ideas to others. And you develop name recognition and a positive reputation in your professional circle.

Okay, I’m sold… Now what?

Watch for additional posts in the coming days about

• How to obtain an informational interview
• How to conduct an informational interview

Update 11/20/2007: Be sure to see Part 2 of this discussion.