Smile!

As a student, you may have agonized over what should be your new profile picture.  That sweet mixer on Friday night?  You and your newest boyfriend or girlfriend? Or maybe a picture of you and your best friend chugging a drink or two.

Is that the first impression you would want to give a potential employer?  

Do yourself a favor, print your favorite pics and upload a professional profile photo.

Are you guilty of a profile photo faux pas? Check out this article to find out if your profile is a professional fail.

Great Advice from GlassDoor.com

In my book, blog and workshops, I encourage people to prepare a networking profile, a snapshot of who they are and what they are looking for at a networking event.  This networking profile is so you always have a stock speech to draw from as you are speaking with someone.  However, if you are introducing yourself and blurt out your whole networking profile, your conversation may seem canned and rehearsed.

Liz Ryan at Glassdoor.com has a great term for this abbreviated elevator speech.  Ryan calls it a "bumper sticker."  I love it!

Read more about Ryan's bumper sticker networking technique here.

USA Today: Using Your Greek Ties to Network

Are you a member of a fraternity or sorority skeptical about how your Greek ties can make networking work for you? 

Check out this fantastic article by Nancy Oben, a senior journalism major at the University of Miami and fellow sister of Alpha Delta Pi!

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? 

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?  

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.