Christmas Networking

The Christmas season is upon us!

Well, it seems the Christmas season began the day after Halloween this year.

It’s a time for getting together with family and friends, parties and of course, networking?

The Christmas season is a great time for networking.  There are office parties, Christmas parties, and dinners where you can get together with family and friends that you may only see a few times a year. 

How can you make networking work for you during the holidays?

Office Parties

If you work part-time or full-time, you will probably be invited to your office’s holiday party.  This is a fabulous opportunity to network with other people at your company, who you may not otherwise have an opportunity to speak to on a daily basis.  This is a great time to get face time with decision makers at your company.  Your part-time position just may turn into a full-time job offer at the end of the year.

Christmas Parties

Parties are a fun way to get everyone together during the holidays.  During the course of Christmas season, you may go to two or ten Christmas parties thrown by friends or family or your significant other’s friends or family.  After being introduced to someone new, strike up a conversation.  Be certain to exchange business cards.  You may just be able to exchange some business advice in the new year.

Christmas Dinner

If your family is anything like the Griswold’s, you will have a lot of family to visit with at Christmas.   Christmas dinner is an opportunity to really spend time with your family.  You are getting ready to start your career or perhaps you have already begun.  Your family will have a lot of questions about this new step in your life. 

Of course, like any family, some questions will be more tactful than others. 

This is not the time to be bashful about your career goals. 

Tell your family where you would like to work and the type of work you would like to do.  Out of your entire family, there will likely be someone who knows someone that could help you on your career path.  You just have to ask.

A Word of Caution

While the holidays can be a great time for networking, don’t get too caught up with networking and forget the true meaning of the season. 

Recommend Me?

When you applied to college, you needed to ask your favorite teachers, advisors and coaches for letters of recommendation. 

Letters of recommendation are important for college admissions.  Now that you have graduated, letters of recommendation continue to be important.

For some positions, employers request 1 or even 2 letters of recommendation.

As you know, when you request a letter of recommendation, you need to give your recommender a 3-4 week time period to write your letter. 

Job openings don’t last that long.

Ask for letters of recommendations now, before you need the letters.

When soliciting letters of recommendation, make a point to request a well-rounded stack of letters that showcase your academic and professional background.  Ask your favorite professors or advisor to reflect your academic achievements.  Ask each of your previous employers to reflect your professional skills.  If you are an athlete, ask your coach.  If you volunteer regularly, ask your supervisor. 

By gathering your letters of recommendation before you need them, you have a better chance of getting called for an interview.

A Little Something

If you ever been to an event with networking in the title, you have probably been asked to share a little something.

Are you breaking out in a sweat yet?

Many networking events begin with an icebreaker.  The most common icebreaker is to go around the room and have everyone stand up, give an introduction and say a little something about themselves.

What should you say?  How much should you share?

Be prepared before you go to your next networking event by creating a standard little something about yourself using this easy to use formula.

Your name, educational background, what you’re looking for and some way that you spend your time, such as a hobby or volunteer work.

For example: My name is Caroline Jones.  I recently graduated from State University with a degree in business.  I would really like to find a position in the financial services industry.  In my spare time, I love to play soccer.

Practice your little something and you’ll be calm, cool and collected at your next networking event. 

Be a Mentor!

You have a lot to offer someone as a mentor.

Not 10 years from now when you have an established career, but right now.

You have navigated your way through high school.  You have taken the SAT and SAT II.  You have navigated college admissions.  You have applied for scholarships.  You have chosen between colleges.  

In college, you chose a major, learned to balance your time, completed difficult coursework and written a thesis.  You have applied for internships, interviewed and developed a resume. 

You have even learned the ins and outs of networking.

Find Opportunities to Mentor

Contact the head of your major department or a favorite professor at your alma mater and offer yourself as a mentor. 

Sign up with your college’s career services to mentor undergraduates.

Contact your high school and offer to serve as a mentor for college seniors

How to be a great mentor

Being a great mentor means offering your experience and advice.  But don’t try to force your ideas on someone else.  Your mentee needs to make his or her own decision. 

Be available for your mentee.  Respond to emails in a timely manner. 

Above all, be supportive.  

The All-Important Email Update

Remember those networking contacts you have that gave you some great advice?  

Perhaps, they introduced you to someone in their network.  Or maybe they suggested that you attend a particular meeting. 

Send your contacts an email updating him or her on your progress since you last spoke.  Did you get that interview?  Did you meet with that client? Did you email the contact they suggested?  

If they extended advice or a contact to you, they certainly would like to know the steps that you have taken since you last spoke.  If you take their advice and follow up, they will continue to offer you advice and introductions.

When following up with your networking contacts, be open to their suggestions.  You never know what will get your foot in the door or your resume on a desk.   

Inc.com: 10 Secrets of a Master Networker

Inc.com has a great article about Keith Ferrazzi, a master networker who offers 10 secrets for networking success.  Ferazzi's secrets to networking success are easily applicable to new graduates and young alumni.  Of all his secrets, I think the most important advice he offers is to network with a purpose, don't just network to network.


Check out the article here.  

Wagner College Student-Alumni Networking Event

About a month ago, I had the opportunity to return to Wagner College to attend a networking event.  Returning to campus as a professional was a new experience.  I didn’t quite know what to expect. 

I was blown away by the students and alumni that I met.

The students I met were accomplished and eager to take on new challenges.  They were inquisitive about what they could do to build their network and forge their career path.  here were students from arts and science backgrounds. There were students who worked on political campaigns and interned with television networks.  There were students from Staten Island and around the world.   

It was quite a dynamic group!  With my background as an attorney, I was uncertain if the science majors would be interested in speaking to me about networking, or if they would avert their eyes.

My science background is limited. At best.

But they were very welcoming and had interesting questions.  I was struck by the question one group of students from different science majors asked me:

“We’re starting to realize that we need to look outside the box, where do you think we should we be looking for jobs?”

My science background may be limited, but my networking, job search, and creative career formulation background is ever expanding.

In a tight job market where there is often talk of a surplus or saturation of a particular group of professions, there is great opportunity for employment within the services that meet the demands of this saturated group.

For example, there has been much in the news about the surplus of attorneys throughout the United States.  

While this news might be troubling to the new law graduate, there is great opportunity to work for a company or industry that supports attorneys.  Attorneys require malpractice insurance, continuing education, paralegals, banking and marketing professionals. 

This is a great opportunity to get your foot in the door with a company who works in insurance, education, banking and marketing.  It is also an opportunity to pursue a career as a paralegal or legal assistant. 

But the science majors I met weren’t interested in the attorney surplus.  

For the science majors I spoke to, I suggested looking to companies that work with scientists such as the companies that create the products and lab equipment scientists need. 

Of course, I didn’t stop there.

There may be opportunities within companies that publish science books, magazines and periodicals. 

Lobbying and advocacy groups may be looking for researchers with a science background. 

There may be opportunities to work with lobbying or advocacy groups. 

Universities with large science programs are often looking for program coordinators and grants managers with science backgrounds to support their work. 

Of course, like many majors, you are only qualified for so many positions with a Bachelors degree.  You may need to further your education to be a candidate for the type of position you really want.  Taking some time to work within your field before graduate school will give you time to get a better of idea of what that position might be. 

It will also give you a great network of colleagues you can reach out to when you graduate. 

Many thanks to Wagner College's Career Services Office for putting together such a great event! 

Networking with HR

Amy Gallo, a Harvard Business Review Blogger, has written an excellent article about how to get HR on your side during the application and interview process. By keeping in touch with HR, asking for feedback and following up throughout the job application process, you will stay on HR's radar as a potential job candidate, not only for the position you are currently applying for, but also for positions that may become available in the future.

Check out Amy Gallo's article here to learn more about how you can network with HR and increase your chances for a job offer.

Are You Linked? Beginning to Use LinkedIn Successfully (Part IV)

Continuing with our series on LinkedIn...

Now, it is time to expand your network and add more connections.

Begin by looking to your connections’ connections. Are there people that you know that you have not linked with yet?

Have you updated your LinkedIn contacts lately?  There are people that you meet at networking events, colleagues that you reconnect with, and classmates that may have just joined that you should add as a connection on LinkedIn. 

Make it your goal to update your LinkedIn contacts weekly.

Look to your connections’ connections again.  Are there people that you would like to be introduced to?  

Send an email to your connection asking for an introduction.

Continue to grow your LinkedIn network and you will continue to grow your network and networking skills as well. 

Dating Your Business Network

Well, not exactly.

I came across an interesting article this morning that I just had to share with you. Lauren Perkins of Forbes.com advises networkers to treat business networking like a first date.

Check out her article here for a new perspective on networking and some great advice!

Are You Linked? Beginning to Use LinkedIn Successfully (Part III)

Now that you have opened a LinkedIn account, started your profile and connected with people you know, you can expand your outreach by joining groups.

Groups are ways to instantly connect with other LinkedIn users outside of your network.  These groups may be based on general hobbies or careers, but most are more specific.  Some groups that you should consider joining and adding to your profile are groups for:

Your alma mater’s alumni;

Honor Societies members;

Sorority/Fraternity members;

College athletes;

Your Careers (particularly local groups); and

Your College major.

When you join a group, you can make postings to the group and comment on other member’s posts.  In alumni groups, jobs and internships are posted to give alumni the first opportunity to apply for such an opening. 

Networking on Thanksgiving Eve

Thanksgiving Eve is normally associated with college students returning to the local town pub for a night of catching up with friends, swapping gossip....and networking?

GMC Career Services has a great idea to make networking work for you on Thanksgiving Eve.

Check it out here!

Are You Linked? Beginning to Use LinkedIn Successfully (Part II)

You have begun creating a well-rounded profile, but you aren’t finished yet. 

Recommendations

Ask for a recommendation from a past employer, coworker and classmate.  These recommendations allow potential employers and clients get a sense of your work ethics, accomplishments and reputation. 

As you ask for recommendations, be certain to write a few for your connections as well.  They will certainly appreciate it.

Summary

Adapt your networking profile to use in the summary section of your profile.  As your career develops, modify your summary. 

These are just a few more details to make your LinkedIn profile stand out. 

Are You Linked? Beginning to Use LinkedIn Successfully (Part I)

LinkedIn is a fabulous social networking site for professional networking.   Unlike other social networking sites, the purpose of LinkedIn is to link professionals to one another.

It is a great site to visualize your network.

With LinkedIn, you can post to your profile and network projects that you are working on, press releases, and professional accomplishments.

After you open your free LinkedIn account, you begin to build your profile.  Use your resume to create a profile that includes your education, past employment, activities, honors, awards, volunteer work and publications.  You can also add links to your blog and website. 

Once you have completed your profile, add a profile photo. 

Now that you have built your profile, you are ready to add your connections.  LinkedIn has a handy tool that imports your email contacts to easily link with the people you email regularly.  You can add more connections by searching names, searching classmates by clicking on your college or university, and colleagues by clicking on your employment positions.

Start your LinkedIn profile today! 

Untapped Networking Potential: With Whom Who Have You Failed to Network?

At this very moment, you have untapped contacts to add to your network.

You don’t have to put on a suit, or attend an event to connect with these elusive contacts.

Make a list of your family, friends, classmates and colleagues.  Review your list.  Who have you forgotten?  

Have you included your family’s family? For example, have you included your sister’s in-laws or your cousin’s cousins.

Have you included each person’s spouse? It’s far better to send an individual email to each person, than to send one email to a couple.  They have individual careers and contacts that may be useful for you.  Send each person an individual email and they will each look to their network to see to whom they may be able to introduce you.

Have you reached out to your classmates from high school, college and graduate school?  Although you have embarked on different educational paths and careers, you may have contacts and connections that could benefit one another.

You are not the only person seeking to expand his or her network.  Your untapped contacts will be glad to hear from you and will be on the lookout for mutually beneficial opportunities.  

You may just inspire someone else to improve their networking and reach out to their untapped connections. 

Volunteering: Giving Back While You Network

Although volunteering is its own reward, volunteering also offers tremendous opportunities to expand your skill set while you network. 

If you volunteer with an organization outside your field, you will have the opportunity to network with your fellow volunteers who may hold full-time jobs in the field you wish to enter.  Simply by joining the organization, you have made valuable connections. 

If you volunteer with an organization within your field, you will gain valuable hands-on experience.  For example, an aspiring writer may seek to volunteer with a non-profit to write for their newsletter, prepare a monthly mailing, or do some grant writing.  

The possibilities are endless if you are willing to think creatively!

5 Quick Tips for Finding a Mentor

Mentorship Events:  These events are designed to connect mentors and mentees.  You may or may not find your mentor at one of these mentorship events.

Your Network: Ask the people in your network if they might be willing to serve as your mentor.  

Beyond Your Network: Again look to the people in your network.  Ask if they know someone in your field who might be interested in a mentorship.

Colleagues: Reach out to a colleague whose achievements mirror your ambitions.

Young Alumni: Young alumni are great mentors.  They have been just where you are now, just a short while ago.

Mentorship: Networking for the Mentor

Mentorship relationships are not just beneficial to the mentee. 

By taking on a mentee, a mentor is adding a valuable colleague to his/her network.  You may be new to the profession, but you have a wealth of connections that you could be referred to your mentor’s business.  A great mentor will also be a great professional that you should have no hesitation to recommend.

Mentoring is a two-way street.  The mentor and mentee benefit, but in very different ways.

Make a point to send a referral and recommendation to your mentor. Your mentor will return the favor ten times over. 

Mentorship: Networking for the Mentee

A mentorship is a valuable relationship for career success.  

A mentor is an established professional in your field eager to share his or her experience with a mentee who could benefit from guidance.  For the mentee, a mentor is a wealth of knowledge and can offer advice and support.  A mentor can help you get started and advance further in your career.  

A mentor also serves as a tremendous networking resource.  If you have established a mentor relationship, your mentor will have an extensive networking of connections that he or she will want to introduce to you.

Who’s your mentor? 

Guest Blog: Leaving the Law, Gaining Balance

Jennifer Alvey of Leaving the Law graciously invited me to guest blog about what I gained by choosing to leave the law.

Check it out here!

Memorable First Impressions

Making a positive memorable first impression takes work.

But you are well on your way.  You have a prepared and practiced networking profile.  You want to be certain that you deliver it with enthusiasm and confidence, but not arrogance. 

Extend your hand for a handshake when you first meet someone, make eye contact and smile.  Introduce yourself.  When they introduce themselves, repeat their name. It’s nice to meet you Jack Smith.

After introductions, use your networking profile.  I recently graduated from State University with a degree in Theater.  I would love to work at a children’s theater program. 

What next? 

Networking With Alumni

On-campus events aren’t the only place you will find alumni. 

Be certain that you are receiving all emails from your school’s alumni association.  There may be yearly events, monthly networking events or weekly happy hours.  These events are designed to be affordable and accessible for young alumni.   

Other alumni associations you should consider are any organizations you belonged to in college.

Sororities, fraternities, honor societies and similar groups may have a state or regional alumni association.  Search the internet and see what groups are nearby. 

These are great opportunities to network with people with whom you already have a connection. 

Back to Campus: On Campus Networking

Sure you just graduated, but many networking events sponsored by career services are open to alumni as well.  Some are even designed especially with alumni in mind.   These are great events to attend because there is already a built in connection point—your alma mater.  Many alumni choose to recruit from their alma mater.

Email your college’s career services office and ask to be placed on their mailing list for events.  Be certain that your email address is correct and that you check it often.  There may be registration deadlines for some events, so be certain to sign up early.

Are You Prepared? Questions You Need to Be Able to Answer

Your networking profile is designed to elicit questions.  Although you couldn’t be prepared to answer every possible question, here are a few you should be prepared for:

Why are you interested in that? Be prepared to explain how your skills, experience and values lend themselves to your pursuit of this career path.

What experience do you have? If you do not have specific experience in this career, modify the general skills and experience you do have to fit the requirements of your chosen career.

How did you become interested in that career? What first inspired you to pursue this career?  

5 Fast Tips: Networking for New Grads

Clean up your social networking. If you wouldn’t want your employer to see it, you don’t want your networking colleagues to see it either.

Network for Connections.  Make a point to network for connections. When you expand your network, you increase your chances for an introduction to someone who can help you on your career path.

Be confident.  Although you are just starting out, you have skills and experience that are valuable. 

Maintain a positive attitude. No matter the event, remain positive and smile.

Network Intentionally.  Recognize that there are opportunities to network all around you.  Take advantage of them. 

The Graduate's Guide to Networking Book Launch

I am proud to announce the launch of my first book, The Graduate’s Guide to Networking on sale today on Amazon.com. 

An integral part of any job search must include networking.  But where to begin?

The Graduate’s Guide to Networking makes networking accessible to new graduates.  With practical, straightforward advice, The Graduate’s Guide to Networking presents new graduates with the tools needed to create and nourish a network of valuable career connections.  The Graduate's Guide to Networking will give graduates the confidence to network successfully.

Take a look inside The Graduate’s Guide to Networking today!

Get Carded!

In the networking world, exchanging business cards is like a handshake.

For a new graduate, offering a business card displays a level of professionalism that is pleasantly unexpected.

Your business card can be designed simply enough.  Be certain that it includes your full name, phone number and email address.  You may also want to include your major, degree and alma mater.  A graphic or interesting font is also a nice touch.  Just be certain that the font is easy to read.

You can order business cards from numerous online sites, office supply stores or your local printer.  You can often order and pickup your business cards in less than 48 hours. 

Revamp Your Resume

Your resume is an important part networking.  It should be updated and ready to send. 

Be certain that you have included the degree you received and the month and year it was conferred. Add any awards or honors you have received.  Update your email address if necessary.

Proofread your resume and be certain that it is free from any typos.

Invest in a package of resume paper and envelopes.  Resume paper is a higher quality paper that can be found at most office supply stores.  It makes a professional presentation when you must send your resume through the post office. 

Networking Profile-Part II

Practice your networking profile.  It should feel natural and authentic. Revise it if necessary. 

This is how you will introduce yourself at the next networking event you attend. 

You are seeking to make a connection with the person you are meeting.   You make a connection through connection points in your conversation.   In your networking profile, these connection points may be your alma mater, major or your chosen career.  A connection point leads to further conversation.  Further conversation leads to a professional relationship, referral or introduction to a colleague.

The only item more important than your networking profile is your resume. 

Networking Profile-Part I

Now that you have developed your introduction and taken an honest inventory of your skills, experience and career interests, you are ready to put them together.  This is called your Networking Profile.

Make sure that your profile is honest.  Be true to who you are. 

For Example:

My name is Carolyn Smith.  I just graduated with a degree in History from State University and I would love to work for a museum in New York. 

You may want to include a significant internship, volunteer or co-curricular position that influenced you.

Write down your profile.  Then revise it.  Revise it again.  

How to Network Intentionally

To network intentionally, you must first determine why you are networking. 

Most likely, you are a job seeker.

Once you have determined why you are networking, you must prepare to network.

How will you introduce yourself to someone at a networking event? Create an introduction that is short and sweet.  Then practice your introduction until it feels natural.  Be certain to smile.

Now, take an honest inventory of who you are and what you want.  What are your skills? What experience do you have? What do you value? What career interests you?  Be specific.

You are almost ready to network.

Leaving the Law Guest Post

I am very excited to have the opportunity to write a guest post for Jennifer Alvey's fantastic blog, Leaving the Law.   I have been following Jennifer's website for years and I am honored to be able to contribute.

Leaving the Law is an inspirational website for lawyers seeking a career transition.  Although geared to lawyers leaving the profession, Jennifer's advice is beneficial to anyone considering a career change. 

Please take the time to check out Jennifer's website.  While you’re there, take a peak at my guest post and let me know what you think!

Thank you!

Have a great weekend!  

What Is Networking?

At its core, networking is simply meeting people.  At its best, networking is creating, developing and nurturing connections with other professionals to advance your career.  

When we think of networking, we often think of a formal event that has “networking” in the title.

But that isn’t the only time we network. 

We network every single day.  When we post on Facebook, we are networking.  When we strike up a conversation on line at the grocery store, we are networking.  When we attend the annual homecoming game, 

we are networking. 

But, Making Networking Work for you requires that you network intentionally. 

Introduction

Networking is universal.  Whatever your career, whatever your profession, you need a solid network to succeed.

Are you a recent graduate, unsure where to begin?

This blog is for you.

The goal of Making Networking Work is to empower graduates to take charge of their career and network with colleagues and potential employers. 

Designed with the new graduate in mind, Making Networking Work will give you the tools and confidence to network your way to a successful career.   

In 100 words, these short posts, will take you from an uncertain graduate to a savvy networking professional.

Let’s Make Networking Work.