Simply Hired Blog

Top Tips for Summer Networking

By Annie Favreau 

Networking in the summertime can get a bad rap. With many people out of the office, the slower pace of business, and fewer professional development events on the calendar, it’s easy to skip out on networking efforts altogether. But don’t be tempted. The sunny season can be an ideal time to build up your contacts. Why? The long days of summer often equal more free time. Plus, sun-induced relaxation can put you in the perfect frame of mind to focus on what low-stress networking is truly about: making friendly and genuine connections.

Here are four easy tips to get the most out of your summertime networking.

1) Get Outdoors

There’s no rulebook that says networking has to take place indoors or at a formal business event. Developing contacts can be as simple as striking up a conversation with your tennis partner or meeting someone new at the neighborhood barbeque. Many of the best work connections are forged outside the office.

2) Be Prepared

Compiling lists of people to contact, reading up about a company’s culture, or planning in-depth interview questions are year-round activities. As such, summer’s a perfect moment to catch up on any research or preparation you’ve been putting off. That way, when you meet an important connection, you’ll have already done the legwork to make a great impression.

3) Take Care of Your Current Network

Just because you’re linking up with new people, don’t forget to take care of the friends, contacts, or co-workers you already have. You don’t want to get labeled as a “connect and dash” networker! So nurture your relationships by socializing, sharing useful information, and helping connect other people. By taking part in an active community, you can boost your reputation as a relevant, informed, and valuable contact.

4) Donate Your Time

Joining a committee or volunteering for an organization you love is a great way to branch out of your normal social setting and gain new experience. By coming together with people who share your interests, it will be easier to make genuine connections.

What’s your favorite way to network in the summer?

Annie Favreau works for InsideJobs.com, a site designed to help you discover the right career choices and build a strong, successful future.

Preparing for your Career in College: Building a Network

People have been networking to find work since the time of the Ancient Romans, and today, more than ever, jobs are found through networking!  Once you have built up a network you will be able to request referrals and recommendations from your contacts.  Referrals can ensure that your resume ends up at the top of pile.  But building a professional network takes time.  Fortunately, it is a process that you can begin while still in college.  So if you are not networking already, here’s how to start:

• Connect: Not sure where to start to make connections?  Your professors, instructors, and teachers can be a great source for connections within your future industry.  If you work an internship everyone you meet there is a potential connection.  You can also search for groups of professionals on LinkedIn by just click on “Groups”.   Additionally, you can look for career specific blogs, bloggers, and websites online and on Twitter.  Providing relevant comments on blog posts can get you noticed by bloggers and others in your future industry.  This will not only generate contacts but also, by keeping you informed of what’s going on in your future industry, ensure that you will be an insightful and knowledgable candidate in a job interview.

• Conferences, Seminars, and Lectures:  Attending speaking events is an excellent way to learn more about career paths, make connections, and hear about job opportunities. Colleges often host these events, but if your college does not, check area libraries and colleges.  You can also search online or ask professors and department staff.  If the subject of the conference or lecture sounds interesting go ahead and attend, you never know who you’ll meet that can help your career!  Always be on the lookout to make new connections at these events.  Asking questions during Q & A segments and staying afterwards to continue the discussion with presenters and other attendees are great ways to turn these engagements into networking opportunities.  

• LinkedIn Account: These are not just for individuals with jobs.  If you haven’t already, make an account.  When you meet contacts that work in your desired industry, request their contact information, and connect with the on LinkedIn.  You can also search for and join groups related to the industries you want to work on LinkedIn.  They have over 1 million groups so finding some relevant to your career goals won’t be too difficult. Once you join a group you can then request to connect with other group members. 

• Business Cards: The business card is the best way to exchange contact information.  Even if you don’t have a job it’s a good idea to have cards so you can distribute your contact information.  Order some cards online and be sure to include on them your professional email address (firstname.lastname@emailclient.com) and LinkedIn account information.  Keep in mind that your university email address may no longer be available to you upon graduation!  Distribute your business card to contacts you make when going to career and job fairs, conferences, and other career-related events.  

How to Use a Personal Business Card

By Bill Post

Another Tool for Job Seekers: The Personal Business Card

In Victorian times, proper ladies and gentlemen used calling cards to announce their arrival to a home as well as leave a reminder that they had paid a visit. In more modern times, people have used business cards to provide, in addition to their name and company position, relevant information on how to be contacted at their place of employment.

Business cards continue to be an important tool in nearly every form of business today. But what's really interesting to note is that with today's challenging economic environment, the contemporary job-seeker is getting more creative in making a good lasting impression, and one of the ways that is gaining in popularity is the use of a personal business card.

What Goes On A Personal Business Card?

A personal business card is similar to a company-issued business card in that it lists a person's contact information. But in addition – and this is where the savvy job seeker can work a bit of magic – it can add a touch reminiscent of Victorian calling cards: a personalized message to the recipient that stays around long after the meeting has ended. Consider it the ultimate tweet. Real estate space on a 3-by-2 inch card is very precious – the message has to be short and sweet. It isn't necessary to list your street address on the card as it's (usually) already on your resume. Your name, phone number and email address are sufficient pieces of contact data.

And unlike the black and white, standardized font found on Twitter, a personalized business card allows you to use colors and fonts to create a verbal word picture about yourself and what you offer. Here are some messaging examples:

1. For a writer: Experienced Copywriter – Colorful prose, sparkling invitations and writings with wit.
   
   
2. For a designer: Design, demystified – expert guidance to help you get the rooms you want at a price you can afford.
   
   
3. For a salesperson: Ten years of quota-topping achievements. Compassionate about the customer, passionate about the sale.

There are no hard and fast rules here. You don't have to include a message if this idea isn't appealing or doesn't fit the type of job for which you're searching. Here are some other ideas for what you can put on a personal business card:

1. Include a small picture. Whereas pictures on a resume are still pretty much a no-no (unless you're an actor), a small headshot picture is perfectly acceptable. Some of you might reject this idea because you don't want to be judged on appearances. If you've ever interviewed a series of candidates for a position, you know that despite your best intentions, they can start to run together after a few meetings. A picture is a great way to help people remember you. If you're using LinkedIn and already have a picture associated with your profile, then be consistent and use the same picture on your card. In both cases, the picture should be clear and professional in appearance.
   
   
2. List your website or blog address if you have one, provided that you keep it fairly up to date. Some say that if it's a hobby blog it could hurt you. It depends, but if you write fairly well, then it's worth it to show your potential employers that you are a multi-faceted individual. If you're a sales executive that enjoys hiking, volunteers at a local youth center and writes about your adventures, this is positive information about you as a person. It's highly likely that they will review your Facebook profile any way. A blog is your way to talk to them after an interview, with as much detail as you desire.
   
   
3. Lastly, there are a lot of personal business cards out there that contain no pictures or messages, but instead rely on eye-catching graphics, colors, raised or imprinted lettering or other visual tricks to stand out. These are also very effective.

The obvious way for you as a job applicant to use a personal card is to staple it to your resume. However, it's quite common for interviewers to already have a copy of your resume in hand when they meet you. If that is the case, give the interviewer your card as you collect theirs. If they are out of cards, give them one of yours anyway.

But personal cards are not just for interviews. Be smart and carry some with you at all times. Despite the many technological advancements we have seen, the most powerful form of advertising continues to be word of mouth. Smart job seekers know the value of networking and in talking to the various people they meet about what they do. A personal card sums everything up nicely, and you don't have to rummage around in your pockets for a pen and a scrap of paper, or whip out a phone and start typing away. It's quick and discreet – you hand someone a card and they put in it their pocket. Done.

And even after you get that new job, it's a good idea to keep a stash of your personal cards on hand. You never know who you might meet who could benefit from your talent and expertise!

Bill Post, Small Business Research Analyst, has been providing research on issues of concern to small businesses for 123Print.com Business Cards for three years. Prior to his involvement with 123Print, Bill was a small business owner himself, providing marketing and branding services to other small businesses in the Washington, DC metro area. Before working with 123Print on Business Card Templates, Bill spent several years after receiving his degree in the fast-paced corporate world. It was there that Bill not only honed the skills he uses to help small businesses get ahead, but it is also where he realized that he'd rather help the little guy prosper than make huge corporations money.

Let’s Do Lunch! 7 Tips to Make a Lunch Meeting Work for Your Job Search

By Tony Morrison 

Forget breakfast, lunch is really the best meal of the day. After all, between lunch specials and five dollar foot-longs, what isn’t there to love about lunch?

If you’re unemployed or simply in the market for a new job, lunch offers another sweet benefit: the lunch meeting. This casual encounter can do wonders for your job search (not to mention professional networking). However, many job seekers are left in the dark as to how a lunch meeting should work.

Check out these 7 tips to make a lunch meeting work for you and your job search:

1. Reach out. It might be first-date nerve-wracking, but if you want a lunch meeting, you need to reach out first. Thanks to social media and email, jetting over a quick invitation couldn’t be easier. 
   
   There are plenty of people that can help you in your job search, so don’t feel that your lunch meeting has to be with a potential employer. Try meeting up with past classmates, someone you look up to, or a former co-worker. Perhaps meet with a friend and ask them to bring along a work colleague or two.
   
   
2. Be flexible. Chances are, the person you want to meet will have a more rigid schedule than you, so be flexible. Offer to meet at different times or on different days. If you want to go 2.0, scheduling applications like Tungle.me take the hassle out of finding the right time to meet.
   
   
3. Come prepared. If you wanted to meet with this person, expect to lead the conversation. Do your research about your contact and come up with a couple questions to ask them.  Don’t just ask simple questions that anyone could easily answer with a simple Google search of the company.
   
   
4. Don’t sell (or beg!). Repeat after me. This is not an interview. That means the person you’re meeting with doesn’t have a job for you and isn’t looking to hire. They are meeting with you because you want to discuss the industry and the job hunt with them. 
   
   In a perfect world, your lunch might end in a job lead or tip, but don’t pursue it.
   
   
5. Just say No. You might be nervous, but pass on the pint of ale, wine list, or jello shots. It’s lunchtime and, if the person you’re meeting with has a job to get back to, they’re not going to drink either. This lunch might be a little casual, but not casual enough for cocktails.
   
   
6. Expect to pay. Just like a first date, go in with the expectation that you’ll be taking care of the tab. After all, you’re the one who wanted to meet in the first place. By paying (or attempting to pay) for the meal, you’re showing your lunch buddy that you are professional and grateful for the time they spent with you. 
   
   Worried about bankrolling this meal? Do some research to find an affordable restaurant with good service and food. Consider the lunch rush too when selecting a restaurant.  Try to avoid a long, uncomfortable wait for a table. A happy lunch over sandwiches is considerably nicer than a stressed out lunch over lobster. 
   
   
7. Coffee works, too. If you find yourself limited by your schedule or wallet, go for coffee instead. It might be shorter than lunch, but a coffee meeting will get straight to the point and leaves less room for awkward silence. Tip: pick a coffee shop that isn’t going to be flooded with people.

What do you think? Have you ever used a lunch meeting in your job search? How did it work for you? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Tony Morrison is the Vice President of Business Development at Cachinko, a unique professional community where social networking and job opportunities come together. His roles include sales, marketing, and business development. He brings passion to Cachinko where he focuses on helping job seekers to find their ideal job and employers to find, attract, and engage their next rock star candidates. 

Watch Your Words! 4 Kinds of People Who Are Reading What You Write & Why You Should Care

By Sean Weinberg

The Internet is pretty awesome. Between watching the latest Gaga video, broadcasting your opinion 140 characters at a time, and Googling how tall Napoleon actually was, the World Wide Web truly is an amazing tool.

The Internet is just as helpful in your job search. Gone are the days of pounding the pavement and mailing off unsolicited resume packets. Job seekers in the know use social networking, personal websites, and blogs to connect with influential people and communicate their way into a job.

While it might seem like a blank canvas ready for anything, your blog and online presence can actually do a lot of harm to your job search if you don’t watch what you say. Share something inappropriate or say the wrong thing and you could burn bridges permanently.

While it might seem like a great idea to jet out a NSFW joke or rant about someone in particular online, consider who is reading what you have to say:

Your next boss

When you want to learn about something new, what do you do? Google it, of course. Well, potential employers are doing the exact same thing. With HR budgets shrinking and the importance of a professional online presence growing, more and more employers are turning to search engines to get a good idea of who you are.

Current and future networking contacts

Today, over 75 percent of new hires come from a referral, not a job board posting. That said, your networking contacts are more important than ever. Thanks to social networking, many of your networking contacts know more about your online self than who you are in person.

Your competitors

Today’s job market is competitive. While there may be a couple of candidates for a position a few years ago, nowadays, there are dozens. Your competitors are going to absorb the good content you put online and use bad content against you.

Your personal contacts

Last, but not least, your personal circle of contacts is reading what you have to say online. It might be a great release to rant about someone in your life, but you never know if that individual might end up reading your content.

Why should you care?

Everyday, all kinds of people view and read your blog, profiles, and website. The Internet might seem like a vast space, but when you burn a bridge, it can get pretty tiny. When in doubt, save it for later review -- you never know when it could cost you an awesome job.

What do you think? How important do you consider the content you put online? Have you ever made a mistake that came back to haunt you?

 

Sean Weinberg is the COO and co-founder of RezScore, a free web application that reads, analyzes, and grades resumes – instantly. Also the founder of Freedom Resumes, Sean has dedicated his career to helping job seekers write the best possible resumes. You can connect with Sean and the RezScore team on Facebook and Twitter.