Network Your Way Into Your Next Job

Danielle M. McFadden - @DMcFaddenLowell - [email protected] - linkedin.com/in/daniellemcfadden1

Networking While on the Job Hunt

https://twitter.com/DMcFaddenLowell

mailto:[email protected]

https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellemcfadden1

You Are a Brand

Personal branding is the way you market yourself to the world. This includes what other people and businesses think of you. Although some of this may be outside of your control, Social Media sites like LinkedIn and how you conduct yourself in person allow you to have some influence over it. !Isn’t that an empowering thought? Ask yourself: !✤ What do you want people to say about you? !✤ What makes you unique?

✤ Travel ✤ Languages you speak ✤ Hobbies or skills

!✤ What skill set(s) are you looking to develop and master? !✤ Why should they hire YOU? !

When you’re not around, what do people say about you?





Networking - A Dirty 10 Letter Word

Networking can be very intimidating! Here are a few tips to make it a little easier: !✤ If you won’t know anyone at the event, call the organization ahead of time to let them

know that you are coming. Ask them if they have anyone that would be willing to introduce you around.

!✤ Offer to help with the check-in or volunteer that night. !✤ Show up early so you don’t have to walk into a huge crowd. !✤ Approach groups of 3 or more so you’re not interrupting a potentially intimate

conversation or find someone standing alone and talk to them. !✤ When you approach a group have a conversation starter prepared in advance. You could

reference the location (“This is a great room. Have you ever been here before?”) or the group (“This is my first Greater Lowell Chamber event. Do you attend a lot of their functions?).





Stand Out from the Sea of Networkers

✤ Establish yourself as warm, interesting and approachable: !

✤ Make eye contact, have a firm handshake and don’t look over the person’s shoulder. !

✤ Say the person’s name throughout the conversation. !

✤ Listen and ask questions: Spend the majority of the time listening and try to find a way to help the person you are talking to.

!✤ Thank each person you meet for a great conversation. A little gratitude can carry you far.

!✤ Build a reputation as the go-to person or as an expert in a particular field or topic. !

✤ Be a connector. !

✤ Follow up in a timely manner.





Follow Up Before You Fizzle Out

✤ Follow up within a day or so while the contact is still fresh in your mind. Reference something about your conversation and, if applicable, give them a name or a resource that may be of interest to them (this will help you become a connector). !

✤ The method of contact depends on your style: !

✤ Connect on LinkedIn and Twitter ASAP because once you are connected you will be able to see each other’s updates and stay top of mind.

!✤ Invite the person to coffee or lunch if you think you could develop a strong

professional network. !

✤ A personal note definitely sets you apart. Try using a system like SendOutCards. (www.cardsbydot.com)

!✤ Social Media is great way to stay top of mind with people – you can simply comment on

their posts and reach out via phone, message, email when necessary.


http://www.cardsbydot.com




The Do’s of Networking

✤ Wear a Name Tag. (Get a name tag made so you don’t have to wear a temporary name tag supplied by the event organizer.)

!✤ Dress appropriately and professionally. Keep in mind that this means different things for different professions. !✤ Have an elevator speech that includes a little bit about yourself. !✤ Bring plenty of business cards. !✤ Body language: Firm handshake, eye contact, don’t look over the person’s shoulder, !✤ Listen more than you speak. !✤ Approach/sit with people you don’t know. !✤ Have an exit strategy: It could be as simple as excusing yourself to go to the bathroom. !✤ Write on the back of business cards so you can remember a fact or two about the conversations you had at the event. !✤ Introduce yourself to the event organizer. !✤ Follow Up!





The Don’ts of Networking

✤ Card Spam: Walk around the room handing out your business card without asking about the other person.

!✤ Be a wallflower: Go outside of your comfort zone and step outside of your circle of

influence. !✤ Be overly self-promotional. It’s better to share then to sell when you first meet

someone. !✤ Focus on working the room and meeting everyone at the event. You’re better off

focusing on quality not quantity. ✤ Getting too personal: Don’t talk about things that may make everyone around you

uncomfortable – politics, rocky relationship stories, bashing your competition, etc. ! ! !





Networking Leads To Good Things

✤ Building a robust and diverse professional network is key while you’re on the job hunt!!

✤ Attend a lot of events!

✤ Be an active participant on Social Media!

✤ Join a board, committee or local service group (Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions).!

✤ Use your skills for the betterment of the community and become the ultimate connector.





Why Should I Use Social Media for my Job Search?

Hiring has changed! Organizations are now saving large sums of money on recruiting costs by using Social Media as a primary source for hiring. Many businesses use Facebook, LinkedIn and their personal networks to find referrals. !

LinkedIn even allows employers to narrow their search so they can find exactly what they are looking for!!





Social Media Tips

✤ Go to your Social Media profiles and remove anything that you wouldn’t want a potential employer to see.!

✤ Tap into your networks on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc. to let them know you are searching for a job.!

✤ Prepare yourself for an interview by researching the company and the individuals who will be interviewing you.!

✤ Increase your confidence by searching for interview tips on Google, LinkedIn and YouTube. The more you hear and practice interview tips and skills, the less stressful the interview will be.





LinkedIn: One Giant Networking Event

Make sure your LinkedIn profile is dressed for success:!

✤ Profile Picture: Use a headshot (professional is preferred) that is from your shoulders/chest up. Make sure you look friendly and approachable and don’t be afraid to smile. Dress appropriately, leave the group shots for Facebook and make sure you don’t have a cocktail in your hand. After all, don’t you want the first impression of you to be a positive one?!

✤ Summary: Spend time writing your summary and always consider it a work in progress. Rewrite it as many times as necessary. The summary is prime real estate for you to tell your story. Make sure the way you tell your story is as interesting and approachable as you are! Be deliberate by using appropriate keywords, adjectives and industry terms and put your contact information in your summary to make it as easy as possible for people to contact you.!

✤ Recommendations: Recommendations are like reference letters and testimonials that are posted on your profile and broadcast to your entire LinkedIn network. The more connections that recommend you, the more validity you will have. If you want to increase the number of recommendations that you have, but feel bad asking someone to take the time out of their day to write you one, here’s an idea…. make the commitment to recommend one person a week. In many cases, people will be so thankful that you recommended them (unsolicited) that they will recommend you back.





LinkedIn: One Giant Networking Event

Make sure your LinkedIn profile is dressed for success:!

✤ Specialties: Think about how others may search for you or categorize what you do and ‘tag’ yourself appropriately. Also, consider using the keywords that you’d want to be found under in search results. These steps will make you more searchable.!

✤ Adding Your Websites to Your Profile: Don’t use the default descriptions (My Company, My Website, etc.). Make sure you add a custom description to remind people again what it is that you do.!

✤ Status Updates and Long Form Posts: Show other LinkedIn users that you are a hard worker and expert in your field. Share interesting articles, motivational quotes, business tips, upcoming events, etc. as status updates. This will push you into the newsfeed of your connections, promote conversation and let LinkedIn know that you are an active user and not just someone who sets up a profile and accepts connection requests every once in a while. Want to take it a step further? Be the person who writes posts that other people want to read and share. The Long Form post is powerful way for people to get to know you and view you as someone they want to do business with.





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[email protected]

@DaniMcFaddenlinkedin.com/in/daniellemcfadden1

@DMcFaddenLowell

Danielle M. McFadden!President/CEO!

Greater Lowell Chamber of Commerce



Career

Network Your Way Into Your Next Job