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July 27, 2009

Develop a Social Network Dialogue

How do you start a conversation in a social network that helps you get the job information and referrals/introductions you need for your job search?

Focus on the further information you need that is essential to your career goal -- information you could not get through your online research.

Always have these two questions in the back of your mind as you form social networking relationships: What information does this particular contact person have that can be helpful for me? What information do I have that can be helpful to that person?

In other words, establish your social networking strategy first before you dive into a relationship-based campaign to find the job that's right for you.

Then, you're ready to work on the details.

On each social network you form, keep your bio and profile focused on key words which describe the job you're seeking and what you have to offer as a job candidate for that job.

Recognize that some social networks, such as Twitter, work just like e-mail. And, just like e-mail, social networks can overwhelm you. So, set up a separate, free e-mail account for each social network, using a keyword from your profile in your e-mail address.

Keep a file of your good outgoing messages and the helpful information you receive.

Start small. Listen to what others in your job sector are saying. Then, start a dialogue with three or four people -- maybe some of whom you already know either in person or online.

For starters, you can focus your conversation on an issue that is currently "hot" in your targeted job sector. Ask questions, such as: What do you think about this?
Does this bother anybody else?

Think about how to challenge a paradigm within your job sector to gain attention.

Then, gradually begin to ask questions that will provide answers you are seeking during your job search.

You might begin by asking reflective questions such as: What makes a company successful in your industry? Or, in your industry, what are the qualities that make people successful? Or, where do you see your industry heading?

You may want to ask about your field's problems and trends - questions such as: What problems do you see your industry encountering in the future? And, what kinds of actions are companies taking to solve those problems? And, how are these changes affecting your job?

You can then get more specific about your job search and ask questions such as: With my skills and background, what kinds of problems do you see me working on within your industry? And, what obstacles might I expect in obtaining a job within your industry and how could I overcome them? Or, if you were in my shoes, what would you suggest I do first, second, and third and for what reasons?

Your can even form a chat room in Twitter, for instance, based on your job search goal. Or, find an existing chat that fits your needs through twitterchat.com/ .

Try to connect with influential people within your targeted job sector and within your area through twittergrader.com .

Always keep in mind that you need to be helpful for others within a social network by asking appropriate questions and offering needed information. Provide solutions to people's problems, and they'll return the favor. It's what is now called relationship-based marketing.

Before the Internet, information/referral interviewing was the forerunner of online relationship-based job searches.

For a glimpse into how starting a conversation in a social network is similar to conducting an information/referral interview, go to "Managing the Information/referral Interview" .

This whole process is a very indirect way of gaining the job information you need and learning about jobs which are open but not always posted -- jobs which are right for you.

It takes time and effort. But, you don't need to leave your keyboard. And, it works.

What ways have you found to be most helpful in establishing a social network dialogue?

Posted by Liz Seger at 06:20 PM | Comments (3)

July 20, 2009

Ask the Right Questions

Do your research online about the industry, company and job you're targeting before you join a social network as a job seeker so you know what topics you want to discuss and what questions you want to ask.

Both informational interviewing and social networking accomplish one thing: they carry you beyond the shotgun approach of blindly sending out a bunch of resumes to companies and beyond the routine of submitting your resume electronically to job sites. Instead, they both allow you to target the industry, the company and the job which are right for you.

Social networking allows you to achieve that focus with less time and work at a lower cost than you would probably spend in conducting in-person informational interviews.

For a glimpse of what is involved in making sure you're prepared to ask the right questions in an in-person informational interview, go to "Preparing for Informational/referral Interviews"

I believe the following guidelines from that article for making sure you're asking the right questions in an informational interview are still valid in a social networking situation you may create for yourself today as a job seeker.

Here are those guidelines, divided into four categories: general, industry research, company research and job research.

General:

  1. Decide on the purpose of your social networking effort. Be sure you understand exactly what you want to accomplish by deciding what information you need from what group of people.

  2. Prepare a list of discussion topics or questions which are appropriate for the particular group of people you want to add to your network. Those will help you start a dialogue and establish relationships.

  3. Don't be afraid to ask questions, but do not waste your contact person's time by asking about something you could have obtained, for example, through a simple Internet search.

  4. Ask yourself what it is you want to know and then figure out who has an investment in knowing that sort of information. Conduct your Internet search. If you need more information, contact the public relations, communication or human resources department of your target company for brochures and pamphlets that it can send as an attachment to an e-mail message to you.

  5. Don't rely on Internet research alone. Through social networking, you become visible to decision makers in the right places -- putting you in a position of discovering job opportunities and career information you would otherwise probably never find.

  6. Try to avoid forming an opinion based on one person's enthusiasm, cynicism or observation. In a social networking situation, you have ample opportunities to form relationships with a range of people so you can get an accurate picture of an industry, a company and a job and whether they are right for you.

  7. Join groups available on your particular social network for members of your specific job sector or profession. Listen and participate. Ask questions of those in your group as a means of doing job sector and company research - just as you would in a one-on-one conversation with an attendee at a conference or in a more formal informational interview. By doing so, you'll hear about jobs which are open but not posted.


Industry Research:
  1. Go online at Dunn & Bradstreet's Small Business Solutions section and ThomasRegister.com to get a picture of the developmental stage and financial health of not only your targeted industry but also specific companies within that industry.

  2. Read all you can about your targeted job sector before you engage in an online dialogue.

  3. Decide what information you need to obtain through social networking about the industries and companies you find interesting.

Company Research:

  1. Consider using these two umbrella sites that walk you through the whole process of company research (in addition to the services of Dunn & Bradstreet and Thomas Register):
  2. Check these other resources: company web sites, annual reports, company literature, library reference materials and university career service offices.

Job Research:

  1. Select your contact people from those who are actually doing the type of job you want to know about. Consider those who are close to the level at which you would expect to begin working. Be sure they are in the department which interests you most. Beware of top-level people, supervisors, directors, managers etc. who may be out of touch with actually doing the job you're targeting.

  2. Query professors (particularly adjunct or part-time professors) online, asking if they know of anyone who is working in your target job. If they don't, ask them for the name of someone who might. Ask for an introduction, if they are both on LinkedIn .

Note that you can follow up such introductions with direct contact through LinkedIn, via e-mail or by telephone.

I've changed the 14 informational interview tips above only slightly to fit today's social networking environment. That again shows, I believe, that social media have only expanded and streamlined our networking opportunities - not replaced any one tactic.

But, one thing has not changed: the need to prepare for a mutually helpful dialogue once you know what you have to offer, once you can clearly express what you offer and once you get connected with the right people.

You need to do your industry, company and job research before you can ask the right questions. And you can do that mostly online.

What online resources have best prepared you for asking others the right questions about your job search?

Posted by Liz Seger at 06:17 PM | Comments (3)

July 13, 2009

How to Get Connected

It's now estimated that one in five employers use social networking sites to research prospective employees. That number continues to grow.

Many recruiters now consider LinkedIn a "must use" tool for locating active and passive candidates for jobs - especially those with unusual qualifications.

But, as a job seeker, you can turn the tables. You can use social networking to get connected with the specific individual who is going to make the hiring decision about your dream job. And, you can make that connection without leaving your keyboard.

In his "Reality Check" blog, Guy Kawasaki, in citing LinkedIn, says, "People with more than 20 connections are 34 times more likely to be approached with a job opportunity than people with less than five."

And, by being proactive and savvy within a social network such as LinkedIn, you can eliminate much of the leg work involved in getting connected (and staying connected) with key people as you carry out your job marketing campaign.

For a picture of what was involved in networking with company contacts a decade ago, see "Making Appointments by Telephone for Your Information/referral Interviews"

Also see "Writing Effective Thank You Letters."

Today, social networking has streamlined the process, but the fundamentals of networking have not changed.

The social media culture assumes people want to connect and stay connected with others they find interesting and helpful. It's built on mutual need. And, social networking people want to help.

But, as in the past, you need to tell your fellow community members how they can help you. Telling people how you can help them and what you need is paramount.

So, on LinkedIn, for example, you must have a clear reason why you're involved and have a presence that is compelling.

To obtain that clarity, as in informational interviewing, you need to first listen. Listen to get a feel for how any specific social network works, what norms you're expected to follow as a community member and what topics are especially relevant for your targeted audience.

Then you can become active on a routine basis.

Here are seven suggestions for how to do that: Make new connections daily. Answer questions daily. Ask questions. Use recommendations weekly. Participate in the forums. Join targeted groups. Start a group of your own.

But, specifically, how can you apply this type of networking to your job search campaign?

Situation one: You know the company you're targeting as a job seeker because you've done your company research on such sites as indeed.com, simplyhired.com and hound.com.

You may have spotted your dream job on Twitterjobsearch.com.

Then, to get your foot in the door of your targeted company, type in the name of that company in LinkedIn's "People Search" box. You'll get a list of all your connections (and their connections) who are associated in some way with your targeted company.

Now you have the contact information for the person who can introduce you to the hiring authority within that company (or the department within that company). You can e-mail him or her or send a LinkedIn message, asking for an introduction. Or, you can simply add that person to your network and follow up after they accept.

Always remember to explain how you are connected: "I went to college with Joe, who now works in your accounting department."

Also, remember that you can get an introduction to a hiring authority through former employees of your targeted company.

In today's recruiting, an introduction carries much more weight than direct contact.

Situation 2: Trade shows, conferences and social networking events are prime locations to meet people who can assist in your job search. Most have an attendees list and at the least, a speakers list.

Use LinkedIn to see who is connected to people you want to meet. Make it a point to introduce yourself, share business cards and get back to them after the event.

Target 10 or 15 people you will meet before the conference or trade show is over by researching their own background on LinkedIn. Not only will you have conversation material, you will know exactly why you want to meet a given person.

In your specific situation, how can today's social media help you connect with people who have the open job you want?

Posted by Liz Seger at 05:18 PM | Comments (9)

July 07, 2009

Using Career Research as a Job Marketing Tool

This is the second week of our summer 2009 interactive project for sharing ideas about how you, as a job seeker with a visual impairment, can effectively use social media for networking so you can gain meaningful employment

Time has changed networking into a sophisticated job marketing tool.

30 years ago, networking for job seekers meant casually striking up a conversation with others at a conference, workshop or cocktail party about "work."

Job seekers sought to discover mutual interests, share information about "who is hiring," exchange calling cards and build their networks by following up a day or two later by telephone. It was basic career research. It was also job marketing.

20 years ago, career research for job seekers became more deliberate. Job seekers sought to expand their networks and go directly to the "hidden" job market by actively but discreetly doing job sector and company research through in-person "informational interviews."

Job seekers personally interviewed people within companies or organizations which met their criteria as a "targeted" employer. They asked about what they liked about their jobs etc. It was basic career research.

At the same time, job seekers sought to actively enroll these key company contacts into their efforts to expand their career research networks. They asked them for referrals to other people they could interview within their particular job sector.

Such interviews became job marketing opportunities.

For an example of that "information interview" approach see "Essential Career Marketing Tactic: Writing Effective Letters of Introduction"

Then, about 10 years ago, savvy job seekers started doing career research online and using e-mail lists to network with prospective employers. "Pay it forward" and "give to get" became the norms in that online environment, where being knowledgeable and helpful to others are keys to expanding the scope of researching a job - and marketing yourself as a job seeker.

Today, each of these forms of networking, when used judiciously, can play a role for us in researching a career, conducting company research, establishing relationships with key contacts, gaining access to the "hidden" job market and "selling" ourselves as a potential employee.

But, there are now additional resources we didn't have three decades (or a decade) ago: online social media, such as: LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, StumbleUpon, etc.

The bottom line: As job seekers (especially those of us with visual impairments), we can now tap our creativity to make our career research and networking less invasive for everyone involved. In doing so, our job marketing efforts become more focused and more time-efficient with less effort and a lower cost.

By using LinkedIn, for example, you can connect with exactly the right people in the companies where you want to work.

If you don't know anyone in a company you're targeting, you can use LinkedIn to find a connection who can introduce you to the company or one of their connections who can make the introduction.

By doing so, you'll likely get higher priority consideration for an open job you would love to have.

That social media approach gives a new dimension to career networking, company research, and job marketing. But, first things first: You need to have your self-presentation (social media profile) and letter of introduction (introduction request) in good form before you start using the power of social networking in your job search.

To help you get started, read "Letters of Introduction" for advice on how to carry out your search for the job and employer which are right for you.

Then give us your thoughts about this question:

How do you make your case that a colleague should introduce you to a member of his or her social network?

Posted by Liz Seger at 01:22 PM | Comments (4)