Networking is a skill that comes naturally for some, and less so for others. And it takes many forms. But ask most people if it’s essential to getting ahead in your field, and moving up, and you will get a resounding “yes” from most.
In a recent edition of the #sasearch Twitter chat, which I host each week with Laura McGivern of theSASearch.Org, we talked about networking and tried to give people some good tips on how to network, in person and online. You can find the full transcript of the chat at thesasearch.org/chats, so I encourage you to go there and download the pdf.
I think that networking is a skill that must be learned by doing. So while it was definitely nice to talk about how to network, and to learn about what people struggle with, I also want to help people move from processing and reflecting and into action. (And, as Mallory Bower pointed out in the networking chat, we often network without realizing that were are doing it.)
It also occurred to me that staying motivated is one of the hardest parts of any job search. It can be hard to keep your spirits up in the face of uncertainty. At times like these it’s useful to have a strong support network, and these days that extends oftentimes to online networks. Twitter in particular is one place where modern professionals find regular support and encouragement.
But there is something to be said about taking networking relationships off-line, and dialing back the use of technology. Some great example that comes to mind are the “good luck” cards that many of us make a point to put in candidate mailboxes at Placement Conferences, and those times when people who have connected online send each other cards and faxes, or schedule phone calls or Skype dates. Bringing in a human element to your online relationships makes them feel more real, and can reaffirm the possibility of these virtual relationships resulting in long-term friendships, mentoring relationships, and even potential career opportunities. (My favorite example of this was the “parking lot pep talks” that Stacy Oliver and Shannon Healy discussed on a previous episode of my podcast.
In this vein, I would like to create an opportunity for readers and colleagues to engage in positive networking, to bring relationships off-line and into the real world, and to share a little bit of themselves and their talents with a broader audience.
I am a big fan of the simple artwork by Hugh MacLeod of gapingvoid.com, and of the simple cartoons by Mike Davenport of stickfiguresimple.com, who I worked with to create a brief video last year as part of the “What Higher Education Needs to Learn” series. These two artists post regular updates to their blogs in the form of simple drawings that creatively illustrate simple and powerful lessons for life and for work.
As the father of 2 small children I am also a big fan of arts and crafts. This was true before I ever had children and is a common affliction among many in student affairs. A while back, I came across an article about artist trading cards in Disney Family Fun magazine. You can find the article online at familyfun.go.com, but I’ll explain the concept briefly here.
Artist trading cards are tiny works of art on rectangles of paper, either cut by hand or bought in an art supply store. The artist trading card movement, also called ATC movement, began in Zürich Switzerland, and has become a favorite activity of many. The idea is that artists swap work in their communities and online and then kids and family discover art, and learn about trading, while expressing themselves, and developing a love for art.
There are just 2 rules in ATC. First, the cards must be 2.5″ x 3.5″ and second, they may be traded but not sold. I think that the ATC movement, crashed together with the kind of inspirational and motivational messages in MacLeod and Davenport’s art, could lend itself toward the creation of the great experiment in positive networking that could forge new off-line connections between members of the online student affairs community that might otherwise not happen.
You may have noticed that a while back, I posted some random cartoons that I drew on my Facebook business page and on Twitter. This was the mysterious project that I was beginning to work on. And now I need your help.
I’d like to feature artist trading cards designed by readers and other members of the student affairs communities that exist online on this blog. But I want to take it a couple of steps further as well, by not only sharing the art here, but by acting as an intermediary in the creation of potential real life relationships. If you would like to participate, here’s what you need to do:
Draw an artist trading card with your own original message and art on a 2.5 x 3.5 piece of paper or index card stock.
Mail the artist trading card, a copy of your current business card (if you do not have one, include a piece of paper with your name, telephone number, physical mailing address, and e-mail address written clearly on it), and a pre-addressed, stamped envelope to Cook Coaching and Consulting LLC, 191 E. Broad Street, Suite 217, Athens Georgia 30601
When I receive your card, I will scan it, and upload the images to a gallery that will be linked to my Facebook company page.
In your pre-addressed stamped envelope, I will return to you someone else’s art card and business card, in the hope that you will connect off-line. (Please remember to pre-address and pre-stamp the return envelope!)
This project will continue through the end of the year (if not longer), and the art contributed to this project will be considered for inclusion in upcoming products, including postcards, posters, online videos, presentations, and a possible motivational book for job seekers in higher education. Ideally, I’d like to choose a few of the best and make some cards that you can send to friends, colleagues and students to help them stay motivated in their search, or to
All submissions shall become the property of Cook Coaching and Consulting LLC. Artists will not be compensated for their contributions.
Proceeds from the sale of any products developed as a result of this project will go toward providing free or reduced-cost coaching, resume services and other career assistance to job-seekers in higher education, and to support other worthy efforts that benefit higher education job-seekers. Updates about proceeds collected, and services/assistance provided will be posted periodically on this site and the Facebook page.
LinkedIn is growing in importance as a tool for professional and small business networking. Here are a few things worth knowing about the world’s second most popular social network.
According to Howes, making money, expanding their businesses, networking, and finding a job are probably the most important reasons the average consumer creates a profile and connects with others through LinkedIn.
He also notes that, compared to the way businesses have networked and promoted their services in the past, LinkedIn is more efficient and less expensive.
A while back, I enrolled in LinkedInfluence, an online training course by Howes’s and his business partner Sean Malarkey. I have personally gotten a lot out of this course, and I think you will, too. Sean and Lewis are two really well-respected experts on Twitter and LinkedIn. I connected with them on the Third Tribe Marketing group a while back, and had an opportunity not long ago to interview Lewis for a Technorati article on LinkedIn’s recent IPO.
LinkedInfluence will help you really understand how to use LinkedIn to expand your professional network and gain career and business leads. I personally joined this program and have seen the benefits. I’ve gained new followers, expanded my network, and been offered new business opportunities based on what I learned. At this point, I can easily say that I have experienced at least a ten-fold return on my investment.
More importantly, I finally understand the power of this great tool, and can share my knowledge with others. I’ve already shared tips and tricks with my clients that have helped them with business and job leads.
But there is more…Sean and Lewis have figured out some incredible new techniques for increasing your Twitter following and you’ll get those as a bonus for purchasing this course. I haven’t tried many of these techniques, but will soon.
Click the link below for a sneak peek at LinkedInfluence.
You’ve probably heard of LinkedIn. With over 100 million users, it is the world’s largest online professional network, and has captured the attention of professionals and businesspersons who see the potential value of online networking to move forward in their careers and their businesses. But when it comes to “getting LinkedIn,” many don’t understand the how to use it effectively.
So let’s get down to business, and up to speed, with what you need to know about LinkedIn to move forward in your business and career.
The first thing you need to know is that LinkedIn is not simply an online replacement for your résumé. If you only use it that way, you are doing it wrong!
Many of us grew up and started our careers when computers were making their way into businesses and homes, and though we are very competent users of e-mail and office productivity applications like Word, Excel, and Access, it’s hard for us to understand the point of “getting social.” We use our computers to do work!
Using a social network to get work is a separate, but related, skill set. It comes easily to those raised as “digital natives,” who have always been connected to their peers online. For their generation, it’s a basic skill, not a luxury to be learned if you have time. And it does require a lot of work, a lot of consistency, and a lot of “long-haul” thinking.
Let’s dig into some terms now, so we’re all talking the same language.
Social Networking is different from Social Media. Social Media is a publishing medium. You can construct a message and deliver it where it can be found online. It’s a great way to get your one-sided, carefully constructed messages out, in a way that increases brand awareness. Social Networking, on the other hand, is an engagement medium. Like joining the Chamber of Commerce or any other network, it can reap great benefits for your business, but only if you know your network, the people in it, and where your common interests converge.
Social Networking is a very special kind of professional networking, in that it allows “shy networking”-content and competence-based conversations around subjects of common interest. It can be a great equalizer for those who aren’t as comfortable with in-person networking, because it gives them a global platform for showing their “chops,” and get connected to others based on their knowledge, skills and interests.
To get the most out of LinkedIn, you need to put some time and energy into using it effectively. Here are Five Quick Tips for Getting Started:
Make sure your profile is complete.
Put a professional photo on your profile. People want to connect with other people, so having a face as well as a name will make you seem more approachable.
Be sure your headline is keyword-rich. For example, “B2B Sales Leader Specializing in Food Service and Hospitality Marketing” is better than “Sales Manager for Aramark.”
Import your contacts from your e-mail program. LinkedIn will tell you which contacts are on their network, and you should invite all of these to connect.
Join groups related to your region, industry and niche. Follow the conversations until you are ready to add something, and when ready, jump in! It’s okay to “lurk and learn” for a while, but effective social networking requires that you add to the conversation. Speak up!
Ask and answer questions. It lets others connect with you as mentors, and people like that. It’s natural to be drawn to people who could use your help. Let other people be your expert mentors every once in a while, too. You’ll be surprised at how answering a few questions or offering support and encouragement can pay off. As in real-world networking, the gains can be exponential and long-lasting!
Add applications to help you share your knowledge and increase the interactivity of your profile. You can add SlideShare presentations, Behance portfolios, your blog feed, a recommended reading list, and many other utilities. Only add those that you are willing to learn to use fully. Otherwise, you may seem foolish or inexperienced with the technology.
If you don’t know where to start, just start! Be brave, try new things and ask questions. Those who don’t try new things won’t reap benefits from emerging technology and social networks, while others who do will move forward, onward and outward, toward the new frontiers of business.
My name is Sean Cook, and I am a Career Coach, Organizational Consultant, Writer and Speaker, based in Athens, Georgia. Through my company, Cook Coaching & Consulting, LLC., I help professionals design intelligent strategies for moving forward in their careers and businesses. For more information, connect with me on LinkedIn, follow me on Twitter, e-mail me at sean@higheredcareercoach.com, or just pick up the phone and call me at 706-363-0539.
LinkedIn has passed Myspace to become the second-most popular online social network in the U.S., behind Facebook. According to an article this week on CNN, comScore, an Internet analytics firm reported that LinkedIn had 33.9 million unique visitors in June, approximately 500,000 more than the month before.
By contrast, Myspace experienced a drop of about 1.4 million U.S. visitors from May, and Facebook smashes all of them soundly with 160.8 million unique visitors in June.
This doesn’t really surprise me, because I have been using LinkedIn more and more for professional networking, and have been helping clients understand how to use the network effectively. A couple of months ago, I did my first local seminar here in Athens, a half-day workshop on LinkedIn, coupled with an opportunity to get a professional headshot from one of my local clients, Ann Yarbrough.
The seminar went well, and resulted in a few opportunities for me to get my name out in the area. One of the attendees was the publisher of the Chamber of Commerce magazine for the next county over (Barrow), and she offered me a chance to contribute an article. Two representatives of one of the local phone book publishers and they really enjoyed the seminar, and offered me a free ad in next year’s phonebook. And Ann got a free ad and an offer to possibly have her photos on the cover of the phone book, as well. I’ll be offering an online seminar soon on LinkedIn, based on the format of this presentation. In the meantime, I’ll be running articles this week on how to get the most out of LinkedIn.
Tomorrow: Why you need to “get” LinkedIn.
Don’t forget! If you are still looking for a job, I am running a coaching special until July 15! For $300, participants will get 4 coaching sessions, access to online activities, and brief e-mail and phone check-ins for 6 months. The special price for this offer will expire July 15, or when enrollment reaches 20, whichever comes first.
This is the lowest rate I expect to offer on individual coaching this year, and I am planning to raise my regular rates on August 1st, and to change the structure of packages I offer individual clients.
So, if you are still looking for a job, and could use a strategic partner to help you move forward in your career, act now!
Social Media has changed the way we look for jobs, network, and do research on our fields of interest. Today, there are many opportunities on the internet to expand your reach, and to leverage the power of your personal and professional networks, but it’s especially important that you have a “socially intelligent” approach to what you are putting out to the world. Now, more than ever, individuals need to be careful about how they present themselves, know what is being said about them, and nurture relationships that enhance personal and professional credibility.
Much is made these days of the topic of “emotional intelligence” and what your EQ implies about your aptitude for certain types or positions and your ability to adapt to new situations and challenges. An increasingly important part of the equation is your “Social Network Intelligence.” This is where emotional intelligence collides with technology and communication, and results in perceptions of your motivations for work, readiness for a new role, adaptability toward new challenges and your general degree self-awareness.
To help you understand the various aspects of “Social Network Intelligence,” and to integrate this concept into your job-seeker arsenal, HigherEdCareerCoach will be offering an online mini-course on “Social Network Intelligence for Job-Seekers” this summer. Enrollment for the first session will be limited to 20 persons.
To find out more about this program, fill out the free “pre-enrollment” form below. When the schedule and cost are finalized, members of this list will receive the first opportunity to enroll. If the course fills from the list, those who cannot be placed will be offered the opportunity to sign up for a waiting list for later sessions.
I hope you will be able to participate in the mini-course. The content I’m developing so far should be really useful and I will be adding some bonuses that will be announced only to members of the list (they’re going to be good!)
Work with Sean. I help higher ed professionals take control of their careers with tailored services including resume and CV development, LinkedIn profile optimization and networking strategy, interview coaching, and one-on-one career guidance.
