Why Your Networking Sucks — And the Secret to Doing it Right

By Therese Schwenkler

Wanna know a secret?

Your networking sucks.

No worries, though. Mine used to suck, too, until I discovered the secret: stop networking altogether.
See, a few years ago I was a young professional, fresh out of college and ready to conquer the world. “It’s all about the people you know,” everyone told me. And so I went out to meet some people — I went out to “network.”

No matter how hard I tried, though, and no matter how many people I talked to, it never really got me anywhere.

I couldn’t understand what I was doing wrong. I couldn’t understand why people weren’t offering me jobs or leads or becoming my new BFFs. Instead I was lucky if they even remembered my name.

Fast forward two years to the fall of 2011.

I stared at my computer screen in disbelief.

“I’d like to fly to Boise and meet you in person. I’m really interested in what you’re doing,” read the message in front of me.

“Me?” my voice echoed around the empty room.

I looked around to see if there was any other Therese Schwenkler he could have been speaking of. Nope, it was just me.

Soren Gordhamer, the founder of the Wisdom 2.0 Conference? The guy who knows all these awesome people at Google and Facebook and whose sold-out conference features Eckhart Tolle (one of Oprah’s favorite peeps)? Soren Gordhamer wants to come talk to me? In my hometown of Boise, Idaho?
This was only the first of many unexpected and wonderful relationships that I’ve built in the past half year, one of many that have helped shape me into the person I am today.

So what am I doing differently now? How did I go from being a complete networking loser to forming relationships with some of the most genuine, most interesting, most well-connected people around?
It’s simple, really: I dropped the whole notion of “networking” and did something completely different instead — a little something I like to call “non-networking.”
Here’s how it’s done (or rather, here’s how it’s not done).

How to non-network in two simple steps:

1. Develop your own brand of awesomesauce

Awesomesauce is simply that thing that makes you interesting. It’s that thing that makes you, well, you.
Joel Runyon has it. So does Amber Rae. And Charlie Hoehn. You know what those people stand for when you see their names, right? That’s their awesomesauce.

Have you found your awesomesauce? If you haven’t yet, get on it. Otherwise you’ll forever be out of the game.

When I started growing my website, The Unlost, I unwittingly discovered my own brand of awesomesauce. All of the sudden people started coming to me. Bloggers and authors and brand strategists and entrepreneurs — suddenly they wanted to know who I was and what I was doing.
The concept’s simple, really: When you’re doing something interesting and unique, something that’s truly you, when you’re infused with energy and passion and life, people become intrigued. People want to get to know you.

And that’s the goal of networking, right? Developing your own brand is simply coming at it from a different angle.

Everybody — yes, everybody — should take the time to discover and build their own brand of awesomesauce.

2. Stop caring about results and start caring about relationships

Read #2 and the rest of the BrazenLife Article

Create Google Plus Circles for Your Job Search

by Hannah Morgan



OK, I got you with the headline, but first, can we talk about your job search approach…reactive or proactive?

Proactive Job Search

Defined by me (and others as well) as one in which you are seeking information from target company contacts about opportunities that may not yet be public.  A proactive job search is one in which you have control over.  Miriam Salpeter of Keppie Careers writes for On Careers and her post The Best Way to Take Control of Your Job Search has more detail (plus she references some of my tips!)

Reactive Job Search

This is the type of search where all you do is apply for jobs that are announced on job boards.  You spend most of your time just applying to jobs and are most likely one of hundreds or thousands applying.  Obviously, this type of search requires less effort and also nets poorer results.

Define Your Target Audience

Just ask yourself, “Who are the employers that would hire this type of position?”.  If you don’t know that answer to that question, ask people you know if they have the answer.  You can also visit your public library or check out some of the resources in Going Directly to the Source.

Now, On to the fun stuff!

If you haven’t heard about Google Plus (Google+) yet, you will probably want to check it out.  Whether you are an active or a passive job seeker, this tool has some great features and Search Engine power (it is a Google product!). You can read more about the features and benefits of Google Plus on Google+ Opens Up…Should You Jump On for Job Search?

Finding Targets on Google +

After you have created your branded Google Plus profile and shared at least one interesting/on brand post/update on Google+, you are ready to create circles and start adding people to your circles.
I suggest creating circles by target company to make it easy and clear to follow what they are saying and doing.  If it is easier for you to create a circle called “Target Companies” that’s fine too.

Read the rest of the CareerSherpa article for more tips and examples



Hannah Morgan, Job Search , Career and Social Media Strategist
Founder of Career Sherpa.net

What you will find on my site:

I dish out all kinds of advice on job search, careers, social networking, personal branding, you name it. Everything that has anything to do with providing you with necessary information to start your job search off on the right foot, keep it moving forward and maintain the search momentum once you’ve landed your next great gig!

Career Change After 50: Tips from an Expert

Nicholas Lore, author of The Pathfinder, shares six tips from his new book.

Nicholas Lore is a pioneer in the world of career coaching.

For one thing, he actually coined the term "career coaching" back in the early 1980s.

Before then, coaches were for athletes. In the years since, he and the career coaches at his company, Rockport Institute  have helped more than 15,000 people find the right career path for them.

In 1998, the first edition of his book The Pathfinder: How to Choose or Change Your Career for a Lifetime of Satisfaction and Success, put his new methodology into print and became a bestseller, recommended by Presidents and Ivy League schools. This week, the long-awaited updated and revised edition came out, with new chapters and updates.

I had the chance to talk with Nick Lore about the new book and his advice on choosing and changing careers, which is a special passion of mine as well.

He's a delightful example of what is possible when you consciously create the career change you want.
He made a major career change himself thirty years ago, when he was running an alternative energy company but realized it wasn't actually satisfying for him. Seeking out traditional career planning resources to find a new direction, he found the methods were too limiting.

Wanting a more holistic and personal look at what he wanted to be doing—and with the support of a remarkable friend and mentor, future-thinker Buckminster Fuller—Lore created a new methodology for people to see the elements and pieces of what it makes to make "a spectacular career choice."

I asked him what advice he had for people making career changes mid-life or later.

He answered, "What I tell them is that you can do it. Even though there will be voices discouraging you—some of which might be your own—voices telling you to stick with that job you hate because it pays well or whatever… you can do it. Thousands of people have changed their careers entirely, and you can do it, too."

Career changing at any stage of life can have a happy ending. Success stories for the Rockport Institute include an attorney who now runs a music school, and an economist who became a consumer product designer.

Nick was emphatic about the need for knowing what you're looking for if you want to succeed.
"The trick is that you have to be absolutely sure of your new career direction, because equilibrium and homeostasis is powerful. If you're at all vague about what you want, your mind will talk you out of it."
He shared some great tips from the new book for people over 50 who want to find a job they love:

1. Make it a project.
Design your career before you start job hunting, so you know exactly what you're seeking.

2. Become a career detective.
"Put on your Sherlock Holmes hat and look for clues about the best fit for you and the workplace," he told me. Look for what you do happily, naturally, perhaps even brilliantly, and notice your innate talents and a lifetime of experiences.

Tips 3 -6 and Complete Article

Employers Reject More Than 90% of Resumes – Will Yours Survive?

Many job seekers mistakenly believe because their old resume worked years ago, it’s going to work again in today’s job market.


Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth. Due to the shear volume of resumes employers receive, many recruiters and hiring managers have opted to automate their hiring process. Rather than read each resume, the vast majority of companies require that job seekers upload their resumes into a database which often contain hundreds perhaps thousands of resumes from other candidates. Hiring managers then use industry related keywords to filter and identify those candidates they feel are likely to be most qualified for the position. The more keywords they find in your resume the more likely it is your resume will be printed and actually reach the hands of the hiring manager.

You can drastically improve your response rate by creating targeted resumes that are focused on the needs of the employer.


One of the most common mistakes job seekers make is that they want their resume to be general enough to be used for a variety of unrelated jobs. When you focus on your past rather than the needs of the employer your resume is likely to simply disappear into their vast black hole of a database.

In addition to targeting your resume it is imperative that you quantify your professional accomplishments whenever possible using numbers, dollar amounts, and percentages. This information allows you to differentiate yourself from your competition and gives the hiring manager an idea of both the level of responsibility that you’ve held, as well as your success in your previous positions. The goal of your resume is to “Wow!” the employer and convince them that they will miss out on the best candidate if they don’t pick-up the phone and give you a call.

Many polls show that only one or two typos can be enough to disqualify a candidate from consideration. In fact, I’ve had the experience of working with one job seeker who had actually been offered a job and the resume was supposedly just a formality. After reading the job seeker’s attempt at a self-written resume which highlighted his poor organizational and written communication skills, the employer actually rescinded the job offer.

More Tips and Complete Careerealism Article

Help for people over 50 to score jobs

By ROBIN KAMINSKI Hour Staff Writer


For those who have been fired after the age of 50, the fear of not being able to find a new job can quickly set in, especially during a down economy.

Coupled with forms of age-related bias in the workplace, the future for out of work, older executives can seem downright bleak.

There is hope, however, and it comes in the form of a new book penned by Tucker Mays of Westport and Bob Sloane of Greenwich titled "Fired at 50: How to Overcome the Greatest Job Search Challenge."

With real-life examples of advice given to former executives navigating the job search, Mays and Sloane unveil tips on how the unemployed can land new jobs in a relatively short amount of time.

"Imagine a 52-year-old executive that is doing nicely, has a couple kids and a good sized mortgage," Mays said. "Then, all of a sudden, there's a reorganization at the company, or maybe it's through no fault of their own and they're let go. It can become depressing, especially when no one is calling them (for jobs). They feel lost."

That feeling of hopelessness can be quelled through step by step guidance, according to Mays, who said he and Sloane, co-founders of Darien-based OptiMarket, LLC, have instructed those over 50 to market their age as an asset to a new company and to stand out from the rest of the pack.
"There isn't any fluff in the book, just lots of detail and solid ideas," Mays said. "Bob and . . .


Read the rest of the article 

Five biggest time wasters when you are looking for work

 Frances Bridges Forbes.com

 I was unemployed for over a year.

It’s why I ended up spending a lot of time on my bathroom floor, and have tile grid marks branded on my backside to prove it. When I graduated, I wish someone sat me down and told me not to do the things I’m telling you not to do. Instead I got the same generic, common sense advice every graduate gets.


 So for the recent college graduates, or for the young and newly laid off, here are the five things that were the biggest wastes of my time when I was unemployed.

1. Filling out a gazillion online applications
Filling out online applications willy nilly is like letting go of your stack of resumes on a windy day, and hoping one flies into the right person’s face.
Online applications eat enormous amounts of time. Unless you know someone at the company who will flag it or personally e-mail it to the right person, your application is more hay in the haystack. Your time is better spent meeting people in your field who can do something with your application than just filing out application after application after application with no response.

2. Going to “Getting the Gig” events
These are the worst. This is how these events usually go: You register, get a nametag, shell out $20-$45 to eat pretzels, carrots, brie and ranch dressing and hear one keynote speaker or a panel of five people (give or take) discussing what they look for in interns and employees, and what it takes to make it in that particular field. You are in blank conference room in a blank hotel or conference center with anywhere from 50-3,000 other people who are also looking for a job, all of whom will be queued up to talk to whoever spoke afterwards.

They’re all hoping the same thing: that they will hit it off so hard with one of the speakers that they will get a contact or a reference from them, then somehow through someone get a job. They think they will stand out in the crowd of other recent college graduates with the same degree, the same experience, the same elevator speech, the same, the same, the same.
Don’t throw your name in the raffle hoping it’s drawn. Create situations where you’re the only name in the bowl.

Tips 3 - 5 and complete article

12 Ambitious Career Resolutions to Kick-Start Your 2012

By now, you’re probably chipping away at your New Year’s resolution: go to the gym more often, learn a new language, start a garden, stop biting your nails, etc…

Those are all worthy goals for 2012 and with enough dedication, you’ll be speaking Mandarin and shedding pounds in no time
.
But the New Year is also a perfect opportunity to take stock of your job or your pursuit of one. Like a car in need of an oil change, we too often forget about the basic maintenance required to stay sharp.
In case you haven’t added any career-related goals to your resolution list, here are 12 that will help you gain momentum professionally in 2012:

1. Update your resume

Even if you have a job and don’t plan on leaving, you just never know. Your resume should always be fresh and presentable. Once you update it, have a friend with a sharp eye look it over for errors. That way, when an exciting opportunity comes along, you’ll be ready.

2. Back up your computer files

Put all your files on a backup hard drive or server like Dropbox. If you have a job, make sure you ask about your company’s server and how to use it. That way, if your computer crashes this year, you’ll have a plan to fall back on. Don’t be that person who forgot to back it up!

3. Ask about or reassess your 401(k)

See if your company offers a 401(k) retirement plan. If you can’t afford to max out your 401(k), at least contribute enough to get your employer’s matching contribution (aka “free money”).

4. Network, Network, Network

Set a goal to meet with 1-2 people in your industry each month, or folks who could help connect you to the industry you want. Again, even if you’re in love with your job and could never imagine leaving, maintaining and growing your network is one of the best things you can do for your career. Keep your options open and your contact list robust. If setting up 1-2 lunches a month is too taxing, join a business networking group and attend monthly meetings.

5. Learn a new job skill

In between Mandarin verb conjugations and your flourishing garden, find time to add a technical skill to your repertoire and make yourself more valuable professionally. Most people like being asked for their knowledge and expertise, so sidle up next to a friend or co-worker and gain a new skill for free.

Read Resolutions 6 - 12 and more: http://blog.brazencareerist.com/2012/01/19/12-ambitious-career-resolutions-to-kick-start-your-2012/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=12-ambitious-career-resolutions-to-kick-start-your-2012#ixzz1jvC4CSID

Danny Rubin is a national news consultant for media research firm Frank N Magid Associates. He is a former television news reporter, lives in Washington, D.C. and tweets as @dannyhrubin.
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Brazen Life is a lifestyle and career blog for ambitious young professionals. Hosted by Brazen Careerist, we offer edgy and fun ideas for navigating the changing world of work -- this isn't your parents' career-advice blog. Be Brazen.
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Read more: http://blog.brazencareerist.com/2012/01/19/12-ambitious-career-resolutions-to-kick-start-your-2012/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=12-ambitious-career-resolutions-to-kick-start-your-2012#ixzz1jvCIPErM