Archive for the ‘Linkedin’ Category

1. Fear of being your own boss: You have no choice to face this fear, because it is right there already. You are your own boss, whether you like it or not. Due to the trend of shrinking job tenure, everyone needs to think about what their next step is going to be, on a regular and strategic basis. Long gone is the lifetime career working for “the Man”.  People need to consider not just one, but multiple sources of income and manage their career like a business.  As such you need to become your own Chief Marketing officer.  This requires you to be more proactive than ever before in your own promotion process. In addition to the traditional job search methods, and the obvious fall back of seeking jobs online, you need to think about how you can develop a professional online presence, that it is branded and compelling, enough so that people will be intrigued to click on your profile if it comes in a Google search.
 

2. Fear of social media  - There are valid reasons to be a cautious about increasing your social networking activity. Feelings of being exposed, and the fear of compromising your privacy are the most common ones I hear. The reality is that there probably is more information about you on the web than you are aware of. When was the last time you did a Google search of your name? By setting up your own social media profiles, you can start to control what comes up if someone searches for you. If you don’t come up at all, not only does this represent you in a   negative light to recruiters (According to Execunet, 70% of hiring managers rejected candidates due to little or no information about you online or if there is digital dirt, unsavory and inappropriate material online). In fact the saying goes, if you can’t be found on Google, you don’t exist. By establishing your presence online via various social networking sites, you are leveraging your voice and taking control of your brand and message that people will find. Inversely, without using these tools, you can do little to manage the information that might come up in a Google search.  The numbers speak for themselves: 86% of hiring managers said candidates with a good online reputation can positively influence their application

3. Fear of putting your photo on LinkedIn: In almost every group I present to on LinkedIn, there is always a small, but diverse group of people who are leery of putting their photo up.  Underlying your fear of putting a photo on LinkedIn is possible fear of discrimination, lack of confidence, or heightened self-consciousness, or strong preference towards privacy. Well, if it’s any of the last three, I say, get over it. Regarding fear of discrimination, whether it’s race, gender, age or ethnicity, while these are certainly all prevalent to degree in our society, I don’t believe it will be the only reason you didn’t get the job. I have a number of successful 60+ clients who have landed work, simply due to their level of persistence and the fact that they were the best people for the job.  If you aren’t convinced yet, read this: having a photo on LinkedIn is essential to getting to 100% (critical for a truly optimized profile that lead to you coming up in more searches). In fact, according to LinkedIn research, your profile is 9 times more likely to be viewed if you have a photo of yourself. Just smile, and you’ll look beautiful.

4. Fear of reaching out. Social networking sites have transformed the job search process. The potential to reach out and connect with relevant people in your field that you would not normally connect to is possible via LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook, as well as many other forms of social media. So why are so many people not doing it?  It seems to be well understood that job searching is about networking, and here the opportunity to network is offered up, ostensibly free of charge to connect to almost anyone you want to. If referral is the most successful form of getting you hired today, then every job seeker or career changer needs get over this fear of reaching out and work on expanding their networks with key people who can help them land their next job. It is simply a matter of making the effort to find those people on these networks, and then crafting a short and compelling note asking them for some quick advise. It can be as simple as this:

“Dear Michael,
I was intrigued by your background and experience and I was wondering if you could spare a few minutes to give me some advice about your industry/ company etc.
Thank you,
Donna
If you are writing to them via LinkedIn, they can take a look at your profile if they want to know more, which they most likely will.
 

Ok. Done!… Are you cured of your fears now?

Don’t underestimate how you might be able to help someone by inviting them into your network. A Linkedin invitation is ideally a mutually beneficial experience; assuming that both parties are equally invested in their professional networks and they both use Linkedin. So, when you are enjoying the holiday parties of the season, go armed with your business card, and if you don’t have one, now is the time to invest in one. Vistaprint is relatively inexpensive, and easy to design online. This is one present you need to give yourself and the most important piece of information you can have on it is your Linkedin Profile URL. Before you leave, ask others if they have a business card, or give yours card to every person you have talked to, and invite them to connect. You might be the link to helping someone else find a job, and that’s priceless, and not just for the lucky person. Being the essential connection in that process will pay long-term dividends back to you.

So, pay-it forward and put some good will out there this holiday season, everyone will be very grateful and you won’t be forgotten.  A win-win for all. Cost:  Priceless

I invite you to share your thoughts about networking during the holiday season. Have you met any interesting people? Did you invite them to connect? Its not too late. Please comment below or on our facebook page, click here

In September I launched a weekly group & workshop, the Carerfolk café dedicated to helping people get a grip on the social media tools that have revolutionized the job search and career management. I’m talking specifically about LinkedIn, Twitter & Facebook. Indeed, I am a bit of an evangelist because the more I learn about the powerful impact these tools can have on one’s job search or career advancement, I cannot help but find the closest mountain where I can wax lyrical about it all!. The reality though, is that all of these sites can be a complete waste of time if you are not using them correctly, and opportunities are being lost if you are not using them at all. It’s a chicken and egg thing. If you are not doing it or not doing it right, you don’t know what you are missing, and vice versa.

This past week I had a chance to hear directly from a LinkedIn representative on how LinkedIn can impact your search and career. She confirmed many of things I already say about LinkedIn, giving us some very compelling stats that underscore their importance. She also introduced me to the most exciting update of all and I have left the best till last (see #7).

Here are the 7 Updates you can make that will transform you search- Just watch your own stats.

1. Photo= Your profile is 9x more likely to be viewed if you have a Photo (a 100% Complete profile= essential)

2.Past Experience=Your profile is 7x more likely to be viewed if you include your past experience  (Make sure you have a complete and comprehensive profile)

3. 50 = The magic number of connections (according to LinkedIn algorithms) needed to generate information that you can benefit from.  The more connections you have, the more results you will glean when searching for companies, or people in careers you wish to explore.

4. Customized= Customizing your LinkedIn URL with your full name boosts your G-cred  (Google-credibility). Simply put, your profile is more likely to come up high in Google search results of your Name, than if you don’t have it customized.

5. Volunteer Experience= 20% of hiring managers made hiring decisions based on volunteer experience on LinkedIn.

and Two Really important LinkedIn Updates:

6. Skills:   One of the newest and very important sections of LinkedIn is the skills section. You can access it via the More button, or activate it via the new ADD SECTIONS box, just below the Profile section. Just click on + Sections, and discover a whole new universe inside LinkedIn, just waiting to be optimized.

and last but not least:

7. Updates: Probably the most exciting and powerful of all is a new advanced search tool LinkedIn has created to help you search UPDATES. Like so many things on LinkedIn, it’s placed so you don’t even know its there. But look for it, because you’ll be blown away!  This search mechanism opens up access to an inordinate amount of real-time job information if you are looking for it! Not only is it searching regular LinkedIn Updates but it is also drawing from Twitter feeds since many people now link the two. Why is this so Big?  Try typing in the keywords “Hiring, + “Your Key job target”. The most amazing thing about it is that your search results include updates from all 3 levels of connections, so when I typed  “Hiring” (see below) I literally got full access  to 16,829 Linked updates/ Tweets with someone Hiring!

We already know that recruiters and hiring managers are doing Google searches in order to find you. Are they going to find your LinkedIn profile or your holiday photos on Facebook? Try making some of the changes suggested above, ie Customize you URL, Include your photo, completely flesh out the content of all your jobs, skills, and volunteer experience, then see what happens. There is so much more that you can be doing with your LinkedIn profile to not only “Be found” but for you to find what you are looking for. Just play around, you might just be surprised.

Want to learn more about Linkedin, Twitter and Facebook, and how they can transform your job search, and long term career management, join us at the weekly careerfolk cafe either in person or virtually.

Up Next: Curious to know why Twitter is the most revolutionary job search tool since the internet? Join us for the first of a two part Twitter for Job Search Boot camp on 11/22 and 11/29. Get a taste for why it’s important, you can read an earlier post here.

Have some thoughts or questions about LinkedIn, drop us a note below. What challenges are you having with this tool?

On Friday I sat with a client who is making a career change from being a College Professor back to his earlier career in Investment Management. It has been many years since he worked in this field, and he has somewhat of a network, but in this environment, he can’t rely on this old network. He has to work on expanding his it significantly. After working on improving the branding and SEO (Search engine Optimization) aspects of his LinkedIn Profile, I wanted to introduce my client to a very valuable area in LinkedIn that many people don’t know about -and for good reason. It’s buried.. deep. The Events Calendar is an incredibly valuable tool hidden on LinkedIn with all the Apps.

At first glance you may not get excited, but let me tell you what you can find, and you might want to log in immediately.
After activating his Calendar, we typed in the specific keywords relevant to his current search. In this case “Socially Responsible Investment”. About 21 events appeared in the results. Working quickly, I chose one that looked especially intriguing and relevant and noted that in addition to the LinkedIn member names it gives you of who might be attending the conference , it also gave us a link to the conference website. After perusing the site for a minute, I noticed a curious link: Conference attendees! Yes! Can you imagine, to my clients’ and my great delight, we had just stumbled upon a list of 171 leaders in field he was very interested in.
Haven’t dug up the Events calendar on LinkedIn yet? Go do it now.. Need some guidance on navigating (or should we say digging around) LinkedIn, and other social media tools to help you dig up such valuable information. Join the Careerfolk Café for our weekly talks.

You might not have realized yet, but you recently got a promotion. You’re the boss now and you  have a job.  Today’s new reality is that you are the boss of your own career and your job is to create work for yourself.  That might sound like quite a radical idea but in fact, it’s nothing new.  As early as 1994, William Bridges outlined the idea of how to JobShift: How to Prosper In a World Without Jobs; in 1997, Tom Peters wrote the seminal Fast Company cover story “The Brand Called You,” and 2001, Daniel Pink emerged with Free Agent Nation.

The New Career Model

Timothy Butler, head of Harvard Business School’s Career Center, gave us a really accurate idea of the new career model in his book “Careers in Business.”  He likened it to being a surfer. You’re on your own platform (a surfboard) constantly moving, supported by an ever-changing base (a wave). You’re always on the alert, looking for the next wave, responsible for your own ride.

What do these “New Work Order” trends look like and what do they mean for you?

Out: Full-time Work   In: Contract / Part-Time/ Consulting Work

The promise of full-time work is no longer guaranteed. We live in a world where every job is temporary and you constantly have to be thinking of what’s next. Always get compliments from the boss on particular tasks? Good. Now become a consultant in that area. Let your friends and colleagues know you have a few hours available per week to consult on best practices, if their workplaces need help (you’d be surprised how many do and weren’t advertising). Also, apply to those intriguing part-time offers you read on Craigslist. Short-term contract positions can be freeing – as much as you’re trying to impress your client, you have the power to fire them in a very drama-free fashion if it’s not working out to your liking, as well.

Out: “The Desk Job” In: Virtual Work

We no longer need to be tied to a desk or work in the same location, for some jobs.  Technology has enabled us to be work anywhere. Thanks to video chats over Skype or FaceTime, you can even check in with your boss from anywhere. If you’re comfortable with non-traditional modes of work communication, you can prove yourself to be a reliable go-to person in some companies. This new trend is critical for many professionals who were let go in the recession, as it opens up opportunities for the many “contractors” out there,  even for the full-timers who can now work flexibly at home, in co-working spaces, or even the library, while their colleagues are across the city or the country working in traditional pods.

Out: Employee-mindset     In: Vendor-minded, Free-agent

If you rely on the traditional employee-mindset, where one is going to be taken care of by one employer, you may be missing the boat. If your employer can’t pay you what you’d hoped, you can build your own career by adding on other freelance projects. You can be a vendor-minded, free-agent in many ways – whether it be simple additions like dog-walking or working in a wine shop  in addition to your 9-to-5, or actually cobbling together multiple projects at the same time, in multiple client offices. You’d be surprised what a little creative scheduling can do towards getting you the career you hoped for. Having a “Plan B” can enable you to truly shine while working at “Plan A,” and can actually make you more productive, not less, because of your confidence boost.

Out: Reliant on stable skill set In: Retool  & reinvention

You should always have a stable skill set. However, if your employer isn’t sending you to the relevant conferences or seminars where you can expand your knowledge, you need to become proactive. First, propose to your current employer, if you have one, that they send you to events where you can learn and expand all for the benefit of company’s productivity.  Second, whether they send you or not, you need to also be searching online for the most relevant podcasts and free webinars in your chosen field, so you can hear tales from the trenches by the experts you want to emulate. Adding to your skill set might help you realize you want to change your direction, or might simply make you better at what you do now – but either way, it’ll be empowering. Knowledge is power.

Out: Extreme professional modesty      In:  Proactive self-promotion using Social Media

We no longer have to wait to win an award or get a major promotion in order to draw attention to our skills and talents. Using the free and simple tools of social media, such as LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook, you can establish yourself as a smart and credible expert.  Fancy yourself an expert in the world of film? Blog and share links to your reviews while on Facebook. Or post news links to articles on your field of choice on Facebook and simultaneously micro-blog in 140 characters or less on Twitter. Brevity is the soul of wit, and you’ll get points for cleverness and sharing pieces targeted well to your followers.  If you’re trying to establish yourself as a person about town, connect socially to friends and colleagues on FourSquare. You’ll see what’s new and hot in real time and can make future plans while also getting discounts with check-ins at many local eateries. Who says the new work order can’t be fun?

Not sure what it really means to “establish yourself as an expert” in the social networking world, or how you even do it? Then, I hope you’ll join me for a very HANDS-ON, in-depth look at how you can make LinkedIn work for you at Tuesday, May 31st at 9.30!  I believe so strongly in the importance of these skills that I have made it very cost effective and have also created a special: Be a friend, Bring a friend. This two part, 6+ small group workshop, where you’ll get a comprehensive critique of your LinkedIn profile, according to my 10 C Rule Checklist.

Find out more about the Social Media Bootcamp, or take the bull by the horns and sign up NOW! Space is limited.

Okay, I know you’ve all heard us Career Coaches wax lyrical about Linkedin, but its still not working for you, so you wonder what all the hoopla is about. I hear this all the time. Most Linkedin Users, aren’t REALLY users. I hate to say it folks, but it’s true. Like any tool, if you are not getting results, you’re not doing it right. The same goes for dieting! right? Not a fun analogy, I know, but it works the same way, if you are eating what you are supposed to be eating, you’ll lose weight.

Okay! so What are you, or Aren’t you doing with LInkedIn? I bet it’s what you ARE NOT doing, rather than what you are, that’s causing the problems. So here is my simple 10 C-Rule  checklist – You got more indepth info on the first five in the blog post just before. Take a look. What do you think? Learn some new nuggets?   Then look at the next five. What are you doing? What aren’t you doing to help make yourself stand out in the crowd? There are over a 101 Million users now on LInkedIn, It’s become the new resume, and the new job board. How can you make it work for you?
Start by going through my checklist. How do you fare? Need some help clarifying what these mean?

The Careerfolk LinkedIn 10-C Rule Checklist

Complete

Compelling

Current

Concise

Comprehensive

Customize

Connect

Companies

Converse

Contribute

Maybe you are stuck and need some help figuring out the nuances, nooks and crannies that are not very easy to understand on your own? Please join me for the LInkedIn Intensive Part of my Social Media Bootcamp. I’m dedicating 3.5 hours to solid LinkedIn excavation that will help you understand what it is you should be doing to make this tool WORK FOR YOU!   Learn more here or scroll down to the bottom of the page and read what others have said about my training.

Or take charge of your job search right now and you will feel relieved . It’s time to move your career forward, and this is  one of the tools that can help you.

Most people leave feeling empowered and confident once they take my LinkedIn training. I look forward to helping you too.

I attended a very inspiring conference today for women entrepreneurs. I am hungry to learn about what it takes to create a successful business for myself but also for my clients. In this new economy, my ideas about career management have changed. Since every job is temporary, one can’t rely on that singular income to always be there. One can also no longer assume you’re going to land another job very quickly or, for that matter, at all. My thinking is that “You are the Boss!” Even if you are out there, working for The Man, you should still be thinking that “I am the boss”. Like that idea? Good, because it’s true, no one is managing your career any more, but you.

I have to learn how to market my expertise so that I can draw in new clients, sell my services and make money. Isn’t that what a job seeker has to do too? Market their expertise so that, ultimately they can earn an income? That’s why when I was listening to marketing guru Payson Cooper share her ideas about how to market a small business in this new world, all I could think about was “That’s what I tell my job seekers!”

In one of her blogs, Payson talks about creating “Top of mind awareness”. This is “when you are consistently in front of your prospect or client, so that when the need or desire arises for the product or service you offer, you are the one they think of.” Isn’t this the strategy you would implement if you are trying to land a position, so that when the opening arises, the hiring manager doesn’t have to look any further because you are already top of mind.

1. Decide who is your target audience. One of the first things I do with clients is have them start to define their target Industries/ companies/ roles etc. Then you need to figure out where they hang out. Every industry and professional field is represented in the major social networks. Find out in which groups they hang out, or connect with them.

2. Decide on the tool you will use to market your business, (READ: Self) The most effective, free and subtle form of promotion is a blog. You can also create notes on Facebook, or simple 140 character status updates on all three of the social networking trio, LinkedIn Twitter and Facebook. Learning how to blog or to use any of these tools, is a valuable skill and the positive implications are enormous for many professionals today. I met an about to be new college graduate at Purchase College in NY where I spoke about Social Media. She shared with me that the first thing a non-profit manager said when interviewing her was ” I like your web presence”. Apart from having her Web page with her name, she had spoken out on Youtube on what she was passionate about and after watching that video, I can’t imagine how someone is not going to snatch her any minute.

3. Research and share relevant and interesting content. See what others are writing about in your field. You don’t even have to have purely original content- Comment or promote other people’s relevant information.

4. Find the right Keywords to enhance SEO and be found by Google. The right Keywords in your resume has always been one of the most important factors for helping it be found in the ATS’s . Now if your Linkedin Profile doesn’t have all the right keywords, it’s also not going to make it to the front page results.

5. Promote using all social media platforms. Just like the small business owner has to promote their skills in order to find new clients, what’s stopping you from promoting yours to find your own clients (Read: Employers”).

There are people ready to hire someone with your skill set just around the corner on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook, you just need to let them know you are there? Social networking tools are the platform where you can start to create a consistent yet subtle personal marketing plan, Whether your skills are in financial analysis, fundraising, or design, isn’t it time you became your own Chief Marketing Officer?

Please share your comments below, or email me if you any questions or thoughts you have about it Info {at} Careerfolk.com . If you are particularly excited to learn how to do this more indepth, please read more about my social media for job search Bootcamp here

Thanksgiving has come and gone and I didn’t have a chance to thank everyone who has become a part of Careerfolk this past year. I want to say a special thank you to all my clients who have trusted me enough to share their personal stories, struggles and dreams.  I am truly blessed to be doing what I love, especially when it means making a difference in other peoples lives. While the economy is inching forward and showing signs of improvement, millions of Americans struggle with rebuilding their careers, or reinventing themselves entirely.

I would like to say THANK YOU by throwing a Coaching Special Offer into the CyberMonday craziness.  Instead of buying a gift that might end up in a closet, consider a gift that will last a lifetime. Whether for you, or someone you love, this investment will pay for itself. Many people do not realize the profound benefits career counseling and coaching can provide.  Career coaching is a gift to offers SELF-CONFIDENCE, CLARITY, HOPE, MEANING or PURPOSE.  Priceless! Absolutely! But there is a small investment to make it happen: Instead of $185 for my Power Hour session, it is available for  $160 this week (through December 3^rd) and must be scheduled before January 31, 2011. In addition mention this Ad and get 10% of any package through December 31^st. Claim your Power Hour Now or email donna @ careerfolk.com if you have any questions.

What is a Power Hour

In this session, we will laser-in on your specific question that relate to your job search or career transition? This coaching session could be helpful if you need help

• Analyzing your online identity or get you set up on LinkedIn, Twitter or Visual CV
• Reviewing your resume
• Not winning in the interview? -Identifying how you can improve your interview skills.
• Making a decision about future educational endeavors
• Stuck with where to network, next, lets jumpstart your networking action plan with the social media power tools.
• Where are you stuck?  Bring your challenge  and let me help you move forward.

Create A Mindset of Giving This Season – How to turn your Networking into a gift

It is indeed the season and stress abounds. While in the past, you wouldn’t have given it a second thought, many people find themselves managing a very tight budget, as one or even two household incomes have disappeared or shrunk. Going forward for the next month, I want to propose a different mindset of giving.  Last year many of my readers were intrigued that you could make a gift out of networking.  Networking remains one of the most important strategies for landing your next job, I want to remind everyone that they can create their own unique gift that could prove priceless to the right recipient.  Networking is about building relationships, meaningful conversation, asking questions and listening so why not use this December to practice the Gift of Networking.

Seems obvious, right, but one of the biggest mistakes people make is going in with the wrong mindset. Too many people still approach networking with a “what can I get out of this?” attitude.  Of course, having a clear set of goals of what you want to gain from your networking efforts is very important, but that should not be the only motive. A common assumption is thinking that you don’t have anything to give back, espeically if you are not working. This is not true at all and in fact if you go into any setting where you have the opportunity to connect with people, focusing on how you might be able to help someone else is what can really propel your networking efforts forward.

A mindset of giving is the foundation of truly successful networking. Developing your reputation as someone who is interested, helpful, and trustworthy will lead the way for others to willingly and generously want to help you in times of need. If this was not your understanding of networking, what better time to start?

Gratitude Project

Feeling very grateful for everything that I am blessed with, I was inspired to start my own Gratitude project.   We spend only one day saying thanks every November, yet there are in fact so many things to be grateful for, so the first part of my Gratitude project is to devote the next 30 days highlighting some of the phenomenal tools and strategies out in the universe that job seekers can be thankful for making their job search or career changes easier. I also want to remind job seekers that giving doesn’t have to cost anything. Just giving of yourself is of great value. Giving of yourself during the holiday season could also be the remedy you need to uplift your spirits, or lead to an opportunity that could expand your job prospects. How can you give of yourself this holiday season?

The second part of my  Gratitude Project involves a truly inspiring organization Charity: Water that is a powerful reminder of how lucky we are. I am going to donate 10% for every new full package booking I receive from now until December 31^st. I would also encourage you to visit their website,www.charitywater.org if you want to see what is truly possible.

What are you thankful for in your job search? Please share your thoughts about what you are most grateful for while you seek your next career or job opportunity? I look forward to reading your comments, you never know what someone can learn from you.

I was going to try and not mention the word “New Years Resolution”, but what can I say, I couldn’t resist.. and I had to relate it to exercise! Of course, we all (almost all of us, yes?) want/ need to do more exercise right? But what about that Networking muscle.. it’s also poorly neglected  by the majority of job seekers I meet, so here are some thoughts for a new weekly networking regime. Are you up to it?

Monday: Online: Linkedin Research. Target key people in Professional groups/Answers section: Reach out with a targeted question(s), or request for an informational interview. Do Keyword searches to find people who could share relevant information with you, and that would help you build a solid network on LinkedIn. Email first, then ask for a telephone conversation. Emphasis is on making a connection in person, or on the phone. The linkedin connection can wait.

Set up 2-3 in-person meetings for the week. These are opportunities to get to know someone better, as well as get to know a targeted employer, or letting them know you better.  Share valuable information with your network: Know of someone who could help someone else. Share it.

Tuesday: Go Local: Speed networking at Ferguson Library, Volunteer, Join a group via Meetup, local community center- learn new or participate in sport , learn a new group oriented game. Find a Knitting group,  a language group. Share a valuable piece of information with all members of the group. Always mention your name before asking a question or contributing to the discussion.   

Recruiter Connect: Reach out to recruiters you know just to say hello. Ask how they are doing? Maybe you have connections for other jobs that they are looking to fill.

Wednesday: Practice Knowledge-powered networking: Determine your passion/ area of expertise: Gather information, write your own article. Post it on Linkedin, your Facebook profile. Can you make it into a PowerPoint presentation? Who can you present it to. – Call up Continuing Ed Programs as well as professional association groups you are a member of to discuss ideas.

Go where the party is: Register for one professional networking/event a week. Alumni Groups/ Professional Association E.g Whine & dine, MENG (Marketing Professionals) / Conference/ Talks related to your interests. Search Linkedin event calendar, Idealist Event calendars. Set up a Google alert based on Keywords “Non-profit”, Event, CT

Thursday: Online: Share & comment on one or more articles pertaining to your area of interest/ expertise. Share on Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter.

Friday: Take a class for professional & personal development – Continuing Ed. Programs – Broaden your skill set and meet new people with similar interests and at a reasonable price

Volunteer: Preferably in a setting where you are using your skill sets or developing new ones, and you have the opportunity to get to know more people. Don’t know where to find the most appropriate volunteer activity for you, check out this comprehensive list

Saturday: Relax & network:  Find a team sport/ group activity you would enjoy participating in like dancing, Movies, Languages/ Books/ Dogs- Once again, not sure where to look, www.Meetup.com

Sunday: Start a conversation: At the gym, at a kids birthday, at the park, at the library, at Starbucks.  Practice Curiosity as a job search technique- Ask questions. Create your own informational interview. You might be pleasantly surprised by what you learn.
Exhausted? I bet.. If this is too rigorous for you then start slowly- choose a few activities you can get started with. With a little bit of practice, You are going to start feeling really good.Let me know how they go. Happy Networking! And once again, here is to a GREAT 2010!

3. The Gift of a Positive Attitude: You may be in a difficult place with your job search, and understandably so– an ongoing job search, being stuck in a job you hate, or chronic underemployment are all very demoralizing, but an optimistic outlook (ok, not that easy to find at times, but dig up whatever you can), can be beneficial on a number of levels.

Positivity is infectious and the more positive energy you exude, the more others will be inclined to want to talk with you and help you. Taking along your positive attitude might also help someone else who isn’t feeling so good. And if you need a little pick me up, see how other people do it at the Happiness Project or the Positivity Blog. Sometimes, it’s just getting out of the house and being around others that can help you forget about your woes for the time being.

A holiday party, for instance, is a time to put aside those anxieties, relax and make the most of being around old friends, new friends, fellow job seekers and who knows who else, right? Make the decision to show up with the most positive and open mind because the chances of you leaving feeling even better is directly correlated to your positive approach.  Alternatively, take a friend or two to your next party, particularly if you know someone who does not get out enough right now and needs to do more networking, because, the more the merrier when spreading good cheer.

4 Don’t Overlook the Gifts Others Will Have For You. It is easy to go into a networking event or party, take a quick glance, and decide, “There is nobody worth networking with”. Of course, this not a very constructive attitude to go anywhere with, and in fact, since networking is about getting to know people, unless you have really made every effort to do that, that judgment call is inherently false. In fact, everyone has something of value to offer, and if it’s not immediately evident, your task is to engage until you figure out what that nugget of uniqueness is and with enough inquiry and curiosity, you might be pleasantly surprised by what you find out.

You may have holiday parties lined up with family and friend and believe that no networking is going to take place there. However, you might find yourself reconnecting with cousins, aunts, or friends of friends you only get to see around the holidays. Do they know you are on the market for a new opportunity? Do you know what type of work they all do, where they work, and how they got there? Maybe not, so be prepared to find out what they do, ask questions about their career trajectory, and any other good advice they can share with you. Never dismiss anyone and their potential to share something with you and vice versa. With an open mind, and a little curiosity, you might walk away with a lot more than you expected.

5. The Gift of Genuine Interest. Find out who is going to be at your various networking events by calling your friends, perusing the evite invitations, or Meetup.com RSVP’s, and then select 1 or 2 acquaintances (or more, per party) who you have always wanted to get to know better but haven’t had the chance. You’ve seen these people at networking events before and you know a little about them and want to know more because they do something you are interested in, worked a company you are exploring, or they are just interesting. If you know they will be at a party you are going to, do some research (No this is not snooping, just a little networking preparation). This way, you will be able to engage in some meaningful conversation, and be ready with some strategic questions that might help you learn more about a company you are interested in, or about their particular expertise. By having learnt a little about them, make your acquaintance feel special, and interested in what they do and have to offer, without asking too many questions. Most people loved to be asked advice, and are generally very willing to share their knowledge with interested parties. So, show your genuine interest, and you just might reap the rewards of a more fulfilling conversation.

6. The gift of a Linkedin Connection . Don’t underestimate how you might be able to help someone by inviting them into your network. A Linkedin invitation is ideally a mutually beneficial experience; assuming that both parties are equally invested in their professional networks and they both use Linkedin. So, go armed with your business card, and if you don’t have one, now is the time to invest in one. Vistaprint is relatively inexpensive, and easy to design online. This is one present you need to give yourself and the most important piece of information you can have on it is your Linkedin Profile URL. Before you leave, don’t forget give your card to every person you have talked to, and invite them to connect. You might be the link to helping someone else find a job, and that’s priceless, and not just for the lucky person. Being the essential connection in that process will pay long-term dividends back to you.

So, pay-it forward and put some good will out there this holiday season, everyone will be very grateful and you won’t be forgotten.  Ultimately, that’s what really counts.