Ask the Coach #5 How to Network in a New Area

Ask the Coach #5 How to Network in a New Area This is part of a continuing series called Ask the Coaches, where YOU pose a question that I send to dozens of career experts, and they give their awesome responses. IF YOU ARE A CAREER EXPERT and want to be on the list, email me (contact link at bottom of any page). This weeks question comes from Kathy: I am struggling with networking. If you are in a new area, what is the best approach to making new contacts? Great question for many, they arent new in an area, but once they are in job search it sure can feel new.  The responses are below Gavan Ambrosini, Executive Coach, Career Consultant Its not easy breaking into a new area with few contacts and resources to lean on. Three things I recommend to get you  started: Join a job seeking groupthey pop up in different forms but the best and easiest way to find one is to check in with your local One-Stop Career Center (www.servicelocator.org) and they should be able to point you in the right direction to one.   Other entities to check out are local churches, veterans associations and experience Experience Unlimited and MeetUp.com to name a few. You will meet other professionals, and get on their radar for opportunities that might not be a fit for them but perfect for you. It also helps to know you are not aloneand to be a support to others on this journey. Join and/or attend association or industry events  to increase your visibility and to get to know what is happening in your new town.   You dont need to say you are unemployed, but that you are working on some projects (sure it may be yourself) and that you are looking at (not  for) new opportunities in the area.   The idea is that you are always in charge of your job search and that everything is a possibility (not a need, want, desire). Volunteer  somewhere.   It doesnt have to be in your industry, but it will help to get you involved in the community and away from the computer and outside of your head.   Serving others less fortunate than you is the best way to get you into a positive mindset  and with an attitude of gratitude. If you can find somewhere that can utilize your unique skills sets, even better! Just dont get yourself so busy, that you dont have time to look for a job!   If it starts to feel like too muchease up and pick and choose what events will give you the best return on your time.   Its ok to take a break and go back to what you started or try something completely differentjust as long as you are getting yourself out there meeting people. Remember, the goal is to expand your network and to make important connections along the way. Good Luck! Sonia Cerezo, Certified Professional Career Coach Dear Kathy, I am not sure if you are looking for a new job in your new city or you simply want to meet others but either way, the process is the same. First, start by reaching out to newcomers groups in your area. Second, via  meetup.com, join groups you are interested in. Third, become a member of the professional associations in your industry. Fourth, going to church  on Sunday,  not only helps the spririt but it is  a great way to meet others. Fifth, volunteer either at your church or pick a nonprofit you feel strongly about. But remember true networking is about meeting one person at a time, so be intentional about getting to know others. I hope these suggestions help. Wishing you the very best in your new career! Jenna Hartwell, Director of Veterinary Career Services Professional Development Excellent timing for this question networking has been on my mind a lot this week! Before sharing some ideas, I think its extremely important to first mention what networking is NOT. Networking is not about the number of people in your contact list. Networking is not being fake. Networking is not about being an extrovert. Networking is about trust. It is about creating a community of people around you who want to invest in your success (and believe that, if given the opportunity, you would do the same for them). From those trusting relationships we build our network and from building that network we develop a positive reputation which, in turn, fosters more trust. Its a cycle. See: Keeping all of this in mind, here are some practical ideas: Start with the people in your life who already know and trust you. You never know whose uncles cousins sister in law lives in your city or is knowledgeable about your field. Join affinity groups through meetup.org or your local chamber of commerce. These dont have to be in your career area they could also be for a hobby or interest! Several of my friends have built new networks through the World Adult Kickball Association. Find alumni from your college/university through LinkedIn or your schools alumni association (call the office they would love to help you!) If youre someone who isnt at your best in in-person situations; use the phone! In an age where so many of us are bound to email, a call can be refreshing and a nice middle ground for people who prefer to network from home. Engage your nag find that overly honest person in your life who pushes you to do the things you dont want to. There is nothing a nag wants to hear more than I need your help. Schedule a weekly call with them about who you met since your last conversation. Find the local chapter of your professional association. When I first moved back to North Carolina, the people at the NC Association of Colleges and Employers quickly became my second family! Focus on your successes no matter how small. A case of the shoulds coupled with negative self talk lead to spending the evening on the couch (not networking). Take a class at your local university. I love the forums on city-data.com. Every city has their own unique culture and learning from the locals is a great way to find places to network. Volunteer. Idealist.org, volunteermatch.org, or even your local non-profit association can help you find places to help yourself while youre helping someone else. Adele Leah,  Career Wingwoman whose mission is to help careers fly and put people on the path to career happiness and success Leverage the power of LinkedIn, whether it is a new area in terms of location or in terms of industry sector you are looking to move into. LinkedIn is like attending a big networking event with more than 400 million users, its the largest professional social network. With the various functions, its a great tool to find companies, people, and jobs in any location and industry. You can reach out and connect, start conversations, network and build up new contacts. There are also various groups you can join which is another great way to join new communities and expand your network. The important thing is that you have your profile up to date and really showcasing who you are, what you do and the value you bring. People want to see clearly and quickly what you are about and why they should connect and network with you. Not having an updated and complete profile is like turning up at a networking event in your pajamas and mumbling. Not many people would want to engage and talk with you! Your summary is key this is your introduction, think about what you would say to someone if you met them in person about who you are and what you do. This is what you want to put there Around 99% of people fail to optimize their profile and arent using LinkedIn to their advantage so be in the 1% and have a profile that really stands out and then your ability to connect and network gets a whole lot easier. Also, its important when you reach out you send an introduction with the connect message giving a bit of detail about why you want to connect. Part of the work I do as a career strategist, coach and mentor is to help people to stand out and shine with their LinkedIn profile as well as understanding how to use it to its full potential to develop their personal brand, grow their network and increase their career opportunities. LinkedIn is for your career life, not just a new job. Wendy Terwelp, Executive Career Coach, Speaker, Author: Rock Your Network ® for Job Seekers As the author of Rock Your Network ® for Job Seekers, I recommend the following steps for Kathy and others who are newly relocated: Determine your goal for networking. This impacts the type of groups you will explore and join. If your networking goal is for job search, you’ll want to explore area job search groups. Additionally, I recommend joining a local chapter of your professional association. For example, PRSA if you’re in PR; ATD, if you’re in training and development; ASQ if you’re in quality management, and so on. Check out LinkedIn’s “groups” tab to see if there are relevant groups for your networking goals in your area. Update your LinkedIn profile with a current professional photo, summary, and experience. This way, when you’re exploring connections and groups, people can easily associate your name with a face. Create a sound bite you can modify and use when meeting new people. Instead of, “I’m between jobs right now.” When asked, “So, Kathy, what do you do?” you’ll have a polished sound bite you can share that’s positive and focused. (Chapter 5 in my book has a formula you can repurpose.) Check out the local Chamber of Commerce. Typically, they’ll have Business After 5 or other networking events you can attend. One of my clients who’d recently relocated had no local network. She volunteered for her Chamber of Commerce and updated their website. She had a master’s degree in information technology. The chamber wrote a press release about it, highlighting her expertise. She was introduced to several business leaders in the area and was hired by one of them to run their IT department. Volunteer for a cause you believe in. If you have a tight budget and are unemployed, one thing you do have is time. Volunteering demonstrates your leadership skills, you’ll meet people interested in the same cause as you, and often business leaders are involved in those efforts. This gives you a chance to talk about something you enjoy and are passionate about, which makes networking easy and natural. Finally, don’t forget your new neighbors, friends and family who may have connections in your area, local sports events, farmers markets, and more. When you have your polished sound bite, it’s much easier to start a conversation with those you meet. These tips will help you get started. I recommend making a networking plan to make regular progress toward your goals and positive connections with your local market. You got this! Perry Newman,  Certified Social Media Strategist, Certified Personnel Consultant, Resume Writer, and LinkedIn Transformation Specialist Kathy, this is a great question and one I’m often asked to respond to. Ask anyone in career services (and in sales as well) and we will all agree the single most important component of success is making and staying in contact with people you know and those you want to know, both in and outside your current or desired field or profession. This is why I am a proponent of reaching out to make a minimum of three contacts a day. Imagine this 330 = 90 people you reach out to every month and 3365 = 1095 people you now have in your network in the course of one year. This is what serious and successful networkers do! This said, networking in a new city is more challenging and requires additional effort to yield tangible results. In addition to standard Networking 101 techniques, you will need to consider more unconventional and perhaps less comfortable than you prefer measures. At the outset, you’ll also need to make a modest financial investment in yourself, if you have not already done so. The first investment is to create a catchy business card to hand out to the people you’ll meet to remember you and know how to contact you. I use and recommend Vistasprint, a low cost high quality option. The second investment is, I recommend a low cost or free website and/or blog (check out Wix.com and WordPress). Here you can showcase your resume and bona fides, and have a URL on your business card along with your fully optimized LinkedIn profile page URL so people can check you out, follow you, connect with you, and refer you to others. Now, here are networking suggestions in a new city and they work in your hometown as well. Step out of your comfort zone. For many this means being less timid and much more sociable. Go to a sports bar for Saturday College football and Sunday and Monday night pro football (or whatever sport you enjoy or is in season) and start a conversation with the people around you rather than sitting like a wallflower and waiting to be approached by others. You can also go to a movie, a concert or the theater, a museum or a lecture by your lonesome and strike up a conversation with the people you meet on line and at the event. You never know what will happenâ€"or whom you will meetâ€"when you step outside of your comfort zone. Take up or continue a hobby. Find those things you want to do but your pocketbook or inner voice often says Nah. For example, join a business district or local gym or health club. Take a Yoga, Spin or kickboxing class. Join a flag football or softball league. Try a new restaurant or bar in the business district. Whatever you do, steel your nerves and walk into a room or place full of new people. Go on Dates. For those who are single, going on dates is a great way to meet new peopleâ€"even if you don’t hit it off romantically, you could strike up a friendship. If you’re male, ask a woman out and don’t stop asking if you’re rejected. Women, you too can ask a man out. So get out of your comfort zone, take a flyer, and accept an offer or ask out a nice guy or gal, even if he or she is not someone you’d ideally choose. Be up front and say “I’m new to this city and I’d like to get to know you and your friends.” If you’re seeing, someone expand your horizons and get creative: Branch out from your neighborhood and go places where there are crowds. When on line at a movie, ballgame, or anywhere you go strike up a conversation with the people around you and let you partner know why are so friendly to strangers. Volunteer: So many causes you can support need your help where you can spend time doing something you’re passionate about. Try to keep it close to your field of work if possible. Political clubs are also a good place to volunteer and network and meet influential people in a new city. Seek out fellow alumni and former co-workers. Search fellow college and even HS alumni on LinkedIn. Then reach out and connect with them, tell them what your connection is and you want to speak with them. If they listed a phone number, take the initiative and give them a call. The same for fellow coworkers who may be in your new city or have contacts on LinkedIn who live where you are now living. Take chances and say YES: If you get invited to places or events, where there are a lot of people that are not in your wheelhouse or comfort zone say YES. This may be an invite to go bowling, dancing or skiing, to go to a lecture or attend a CW, Rock or Classical music concert to name a few. In other words, make it your policy to socially say YES rather than to always say No or giving an excuse. Sign up and attend classes: Continuing education in your field or something related (or even in something that interests you) is a great place and way to meet likeminded people who you can easily start a conversation with. They are also likely to have a network of people you can tap into. Join Toastmasters: This has a double benefit. Aside from meeting career minded people who are out to advance their career, you will have an opportunity to improve your public speaking ability and hone your business persona. Check out Meetup in your new locale. This allows you to meet people in different walks of life who share common interests with you. Take a chance and get involved, after a while, you will meet some great and helpful people. Join your local area LinkedIn group and professional associations. The members of these groups are people you could and should be reaching out to, and most sponsor networking events you can and should attend. Faith Based Networking. For some this is a first and natural step in networking in a new city. For those who are unaffiliated, lapsed religiously, agnostic or atheists this can be uncomfortable. However most houses of worship and faith based organizations have tremendous resources they are willing to share with newcomers in a city and they can be exceedingly helpful in picking you up when you feel alone, down, lost, home sick or hopeless. Elva Bankins Baxter, Certified Master Coach Kathy, one of the best approaches to making new connections is to join a group or volunteer to work where you have common interests and are passionate about a cause.   If you have interests in some type of sport, exercise, are a music lover or an avid reader of books or bird watcher, there are likely to be groups of people in your area with the same interest (s) that you have.   Many of these groups meet on a regular basis in your area. You are in luck if you are on  Facebook.   There is an “Events” tab that appears under the “more” tab on your home page.   Check this out because by clicking on this tab, you will find a list of events that are happening in your area that may be of interest to you.   I found Fall Festival train rides to watch the Fall Foliage in October, a few jazz events, a tour of vintage homes, a few plays at local theatres and book clubs…all in my local area.    And, the best part is that it lists my Facebook friends who are planning to attend. Once you attend one of these events or contact the leader of the group, the networking becomes easier. Not on Facebook, try your local newspaper.   There are always listings of what’s happening in your new area.   If possible, bring a neighbor or co-worker with you. If you are in a career transition, perhaps there is a local  Five O’clock  Club  meeting that you can attend. Simply “Google” the name and view their website and attend a meeting. The key is to attend these events and making those connections.   Don’t forget to connect with everyone you meet on LinkedIn and your number of connections will increase greatly! All the best and happy networking! Rich Grant, Online career course instructor for Peak-Careers Unless you have family or friends in a new area when relocating, networking can be a challenge. If you dont know anybody in your new community, the best approach to making new contacts is by searching on LinkedIn for that location. You might be surprised to find that you have a connection who knows someone in the new area. I was surprised when I searched on LinkedIn for Cheyenne. Ive lived in New England all my life, and I chose the most obscure location for illustration purposes. I dont know anybody who lives in, or has ever lived in, Wyoming. However, on LinkedIn, I found that a former co-worker of mine knows an executive director of a prominent non-profit organization. If I were moving to Cheyenne, Id call John and ask him to introduce me to this individual. I would then call the person in Cheyenne to introduce myself, and that John suggested I contact him since Im planning to move to Cheyenne. Being a friend of a friend, I have no doubt he would be helpful and make my transition much smoother. As I mentioned in a  previous blog post, Dont search for jobs; search for people. Ron Auerbach,  Job search author, expert, and educator I was in this exact situation when I moved from the East Coast to the West Coast. So I know what its like to have to make contacts in the new location. Now one thing I had done is this. Once I knew where I planned on moving, I took an extended vacation to visit and stay in the new location for a while. And while there, I had worked with some local temp agencies to gain some employment. This helped put me in contact with companies in the new area. And gave me an opportunity to meet some people there. So I was able to gain some local work experience ahead of my move. Another thing one can do when they have relocated is join local groups. For example, there may be a local networking group for job seekers in your particular field or just in general. This is a nice way to interact with people in the local community who may be able to throw you some leads. And/or introduce you to others who may be able to help out. You can also use a local religious house of worship. So becoming part of a local congregation will also help put you in contact with locals in that area. And allow you to let them know youre seeking employment. They might know somebody who can help. Or take your resume and pass it along where they happen to work. One more way to network is visiting the local unemployment office. Depending upon the area, there may be more than one. Thats the case where I live. Other places just have a single office. Either way, it gives you a chance to interact with some local job seekers. And you can meet with a local counselor there to look over your resume, do a mock interview, and help you with companies in the area. Its also pretty common for unemployment offices to host local events. So they may have one or more employers coming into the office to meet with potential new hires. Picking up a calendar of events will let you know whats upcoming. And there may be postings of upcoming job events posted in the office. Visiting a local park or other public place is another networking opportunity.. For example, you may be sitting on a park bench next to somebody and strike up a conversation. That gives you the chance to let them know youre new to the area and are looking for employment. The same goes for visiting local coffeehouse or juice bar. Its very common to meet new people in warm and comfortable settings like this. So its easy enough to converse with others who might be able to help. Or may take your resume and pass it along to where they work or somebody they know. FYI, its pretty common for recruiters and hiring managers to meet with people in this kind of place. And work on going through applications and resumes. Ive seen this many times at various coffeehouses in my area. And have struck up conversations with those people. The bottom line here is this. Look to places where there are lots of people around with whom you can strike up conversations. And where its more relaxed so people are more willing to open up and meet new people. Also take advantage of the local unemployment office and library for upcoming job-related events. And hit the local employment agencies for some work, even if its temporary. Lastly, make sure you are always armed with your resume! So keep a stack with you to hand out at a moments notice. Victoria Crispo, College and Professional Outreach Manager at Idealist Careers I find that the very word networking tends to bring out nerves and apprehension among most job seekers. My first suggestion is to throw the word networking out and look at it as relationship-building, and then approach it as you would any new relationship. Also, since youre in a new area, its a great opportunity to do double-duty: youll likely want to check out the hot spots in your new locale, get a feel for the local culture and vibe, and discover activities that fuel your interestsand you can meet people who can become new companions and also serve as professional connections. You may want to join a local club, take a fitness class, or sign up for a sip and paint event! The main thing is that you select activities that you are interested in and that allow for conversation and make it a point to say hello and introduce yourself to people! When the pressure to network for a job (or to advance your career) is off, youll be able to relax, enjoy yourself, and present the real you! These conversations will naturally turn towards what your new friends do for a living, and since youve already built a rapport, it will feel less like networking. Craig Toadtman, Job Search Consultant, Career Adviser, Coach, Executive Search Consultant Establishing relationships in a new area can often be very challenging. Your “pirate” behavior must be in full force to find the treasured contacts. Put bluntly, find all the doors, wherever they may be. Your sources for networking are many, so, here are a few options: LinkedIn  â€" Be sure to check your profile to make certain your profile and settings (particularly security and privacy) are up-to-date and crisp. Then begin the process of expanding your network. I suggest entering the city of your new location in the “search” field of LinkedIn. Scroll through the resulting names of potential contacts and identify people with similar interests, people from potential employers, and people with shared connections. Pay attention to shared connections. If you are looking for a new position, click “Jobs” to search for openings in your new city. Click “Work” then “Groups” and review appropriate groups to review for possible connections. Local Professional Associations and Groups  â€" Google searches can reveal a lot of information about professionals in your area. The local library is also a great resource. Churches, Temples, Mosques, etc. â€" Many places of worship provide opportunities for like professionals to meet informally. Volunteer  â€" You would be amazed how quickly you could grow your network by volunteering at the local library, hospital, or other public organizations needing help. As you expand your network, perhaps the biggest challenge will be to remember names, so be sure to have note-taking tools with you! Cheryl Lynch Simpson, Career, Job Search LinkedIn Coach Master Resume Writer Hi Kathy, thank you for sharing your question. Assuming you want to land a job in the area you are new to, here are some suggestions that will help boost your networking. Offline Networking Search Google and local newspaper events calendars for job clubs in your new area. These face-to-face groups specialize in local networking and will help you to quickly build regional connections. Such groups are generally sponsored by area churches or funded by not-for-profits and/or United Way. If you cannot find these groups through an online search, check for an Information Referral Service in your area. This service is generally funded by United Way and exists to help you find not-for-profit resources. A quick call should prove beneficial. Attend local events sponsored by professional associations relevant to your career field. You can usually attend several before you are required to join a local chapter. Consider joining local chapters of professional, civic, and social organizations to help you meet a variety of folks in multiple industries. Sign up for a library card, go to the local librarys web page, and find a listing of their database/electronic resources. One invaluable resource for job seekers that is free to use is ReferenceUSA, a database of companies in the US and Canada. By conducting one or more searches via ReferenceUSA, you can identify local companies you may wish to target. Note that ReferenceUSA is only available via your librarys subscription and that you may be required to pay a modest fee for printing or downloading data. Online Networking Suggestions: On LinkedIn, make sure you search for and join as many local, regional, or state groups as you can. Since LinkedIn now allows you to join up to 100 groups, this should be easy to do. This will help you cultivate local connections. Look for geographically relevant groups via the search bar in the upper left. You can also search for people on LinkedIn to connect with in your local area using the same process. Additionally, you can search for potential connections in the local companies you identified via ReferenceUSA. Dont assume that the offline or online networks you already possess are useless just because youve moved to a new area. Take the time to alert everyone you know of your move and request suggestions of people to contact in your new area or people who may know someone in your new area. Once upon a time, job seekers used to complain that they couldnt network because they didnt know anyone in their new area. LinkedIn has completely eliminated this concern you can leverage it to build a local or regional network from scratch within weeks if you stay focused. Conducting the LinkedIn searches mentioned above, make it a goal to identify and invite 25+ people each week to connect with you. Join as many industry-specific LinkedIn groups as you can the more the better. LinkedIn only allows you to request to join 10 at a time, so you will need to keep checking your status in order to progress toward your goal of joining 100 groups. Make it a point to get to know your new connections face-to-face and/or via LinkedIn. DO NOT make networking requests unless and until you do so. Networking is not a drive-by activity it requires an investment of time, interest, and energy to get to know people first so they  want  to help you. Another great roundup!  Email me (Jason@JibberJobber.com) if you have questions youd like me to put in front of my list of career experts! See previous questions/answers here. Ask the Coach #5 How to Network in a New Area This is part of a continuing series called Ask the Coaches, where YOU pose a question that I send to dozens of career experts, and they give their awesome responses. IF YOU ARE A CAREER EXPERT and want to be on the list, email me (contact link at bottom of any page). This weeks question comes from Kathy: I am struggling with networking. If you are in a new area, what is the best approach to making new contacts? Great question for many, they arent new in an area, but once they are in job search it sure can feel new.  The responses are below Gavan Ambrosini, Executive Coach, Career Consultant Its not easy breaking into a new area with few contacts and resources to lean on. Three things I recommend to get you  started: Join a job seeking groupthey pop up in different forms but the best and easiest way to find one is to check in with your local One-Stop Career Center (www.servicelocator.org) and they should be able to point you in the right direction to one.   Other entities to check out are local churches, veterans associations and experience Experience Unlimited and MeetUp.com to name a few. You will meet other professionals, and get on their radar for opportunities that might not be a fit for them but perfect for you. It also helps to know you are not aloneand to be a support to others on this journey. Join and/or attend association or industry events  to increase your visibility and to get to know what is happening in your new town.   You dont need to say you are unemployed, but that you are working on some projects (sure it may be yourself) and that you are looking at (not  for) new opportunities in the area.   The idea is that you are always in charge of your job search and that everything is a possibility (not a need, want, desire). Volunteer  somewhere.   It doesnt have to be in your industry, but it will help to get you involved in the community and away from the computer and outside of your head.   Serving others less fortunate than you is the best way to get you into a positive mindset  and with an attitude of gratitude. If you can find somewhere that can utilize your unique skills sets, even better! Just dont get yourself so busy, that you dont have time to look for a job!   If it starts to feel like too muchease up and pick and choose what events will give you the best return on your time.   Its ok to take a break and go back to what you started or try something completely differentjust as long as you are getting yourself out there meeting people. Remember, the goal is to expand your network and to make important connections along the way. Good Luck! Sonia Cerezo, Certified Professional Career Coach Dear Kathy, I am not sure if you are looking for a new job in your new city or you simply want to meet others but either way, the process is the same. First, start by reaching out to newcomers groups in your area. Second, via  meetup.com, join groups you are interested in. Third, become a member of the professional associations in your industry. Fourth, going to church  on Sunday,  not only helps the spririt but it is  a great way to meet others. Fifth, volunteer either at your church or pick a nonprofit you feel strongly about. But remember true networking is about meeting one person at a time, so be intentional about getting to know others. I hope these suggestions help. Wishing you the very best in your new career! Jenna Hartwell, Director of Veterinary Career Services Professional Development Excellent timing for this question networking has been on my mind a lot this week! Before sharing some ideas, I think its extremely important to first mention what networking is NOT. Networking is not about the number of people in your contact list. Networking is not being fake. Networking is not about being an extrovert. Networking is about trust. It is about creating a community of people around you who want to invest in your success (and believe that, if given the opportunity, you would do the same for them). From those trusting relationships we build our network and from building that network we develop a positive reputation which, in turn, fosters more trust. Its a cycle. See: Keeping all of this in mind, here are some practical ideas: Start with the people in your life who already know and trust you. You never know whose uncles cousins sister in law lives in your city or is knowledgeable about your field. Join affinity groups through meetup.org or your local chamber of commerce. These dont have to be in your career area they could also be for a hobby or interest! Several of my friends have built new networks through the World Adult Kickball Association. Find alumni from your college/university through LinkedIn or your schools alumni association (call the office they would love to help you!) If youre someone who isnt at your best in in-person situations; use the phone! In an age where so many of us are bound to email, a call can be refreshing and a nice middle ground for people who prefer to network from home. Engage your nag find that overly honest person in your life who pushes you to do the things you dont want to. There is nothing a nag wants to hear more than I need your help. Schedule a weekly call with them about who you met since your last conversation. Find the local chapter of your professional association. When I first moved back to North Carolina, the people at the NC Association of Colleges and Employers quickly became my second family! Focus on your successes no matter how small. A case of the shoulds coupled with negative self talk lead to spending the evening on the couch (not networking). Take a class at your local university. I love the forums on city-data.com. Every city has their own unique culture and learning from the locals is a great way to find places to network. Volunteer. Idealist.org, volunteermatch.org, or even your local non-profit association can help you find places to help yourself while youre helping someone else. Adele Leah,  Career Wingwoman whose mission is to help careers fly and put people on the path to career happiness and success Leverage the power of LinkedIn, whether it is a new area in terms of location or in terms of industry sector you are looking to move into. LinkedIn is like attending a big networking event with more than 400 million users, its the largest professional social network. With the various functions, its a great tool to find companies, people, and jobs in any location and industry. You can reach out and connect, start conversations, network and build up new contacts. There are also various groups you can join which is another great way to join new communities and expand your network. The important thing is that you have your profile up to date and really showcasing who you are, what you do and the value you bring. People want to see clearly and quickly what you are about and why they should connect and network with you. Not having an updated and complete profile is like turning up at a networking event in your pajamas and mumbling. Not many people would want to engage and talk with you! Your summary is key this is your introduction, think about what you would say to someone if you met them in person about who you are and what you do. This is what you want to put there Around 99% of people fail to optimize their profile and arent using LinkedIn to their advantage so be in the 1% and have a profile that really stands out and then your ability to connect and network gets a whole lot easier. Also, its important when you reach out you send an introduction with the connect message giving a bit of detail about why you want to connect. Part of the work I do as a career strategist, coach and mentor is to help people to stand out and shine with their LinkedIn profile as well as understanding how to use it to its full potential to develop their personal brand, grow their network and increase their career opportunities. LinkedIn is for your career life, not just a new job. Wendy Terwelp, Executive Career Coach, Speaker, Author: Rock Your Network ® for Job Seekers As the author of Rock Your Network ® for Job Seekers, I recommend the following steps for Kathy and others who are newly relocated: Determine your goal for networking. This impacts the type of groups you will explore and join. If your networking goal is for job search, you’ll want to explore area job search groups. Additionally, I recommend joining a local chapter of your professional association. For example, PRSA if you’re in PR; ATD, if you’re in training and development; ASQ if you’re in quality management, and so on. Check out LinkedIn’s “groups” tab to see if there are relevant groups for your networking goals in your area. Update your LinkedIn profile with a current professional photo, summary, and experience. This way, when you’re exploring connections and groups, people can easily associate your name with a face. Create a sound bite you can modify and use when meeting new people. Instead of, “I’m between jobs right now.” When asked, “So, Kathy, what do you do?” you’ll have a polished sound bite you can share that’s positive and focused. (Chapter 5 in my book has a formula you can repurpose.) Check out the local Chamber of Commerce. Typically, they’ll have Business After 5 or other networking events you can attend. One of my clients who’d recently relocated had no local network. She volunteered for her Chamber of Commerce and updated their website. She had a master’s degree in information technology. The chamber wrote a press release about it, highlighting her expertise. She was introduced to several business leaders in the area and was hired by one of them to run their IT department. Volunteer for a cause you believe in. If you have a tight budget and are unemployed, one thing you do have is time. Volunteering demonstrates your leadership skills, you’ll meet people interested in the same cause as you, and often business leaders are involved in those efforts. This gives you a chance to talk about something you enjoy and are passionate about, which makes networking easy and natural. Finally, don’t forget your new neighbors, friends and family who may have connections in your area, local sports events, farmers markets, and more. When you have your polished sound bite, it’s much easier to start a conversation with those you meet. These tips will help you get started. I recommend making a networking plan to make regular progress toward your goals and positive connections with your local market. You got this! Perry Newman,  Certified Social Media Strategist, Certified Personnel Consultant, Resume Writer, and LinkedIn Transformation Specialist Kathy, this is a great question and one I’m often asked to respond to. Ask anyone in career services (and in sales as well) and we will all agree the single most important component of success is making and staying in contact with people you know and those you want to know, both in and outside your current or desired field or profession. This is why I am a proponent of reaching out to make a minimum of three contacts a day. Imagine this 330 = 90 people you reach out to every month and 3365 = 1095 people you now have in your network in the course of one year. This is what serious and successful networkers do! This said, networking in a new city is more challenging and requires additional effort to yield tangible results. In addition to standard Networking 101 techniques, you will need to consider more unconventional and perhaps less comfortable than you prefer measures. At the outset, you’ll also need to make a modest financial investment in yourself, if you have not already done so. The first investment is to create a catchy business card to hand out to the people you’ll meet to remember you and know how to contact you. I use and recommend Vistasprint, a low cost high quality option. The second investment is, I recommend a low cost or free website and/or blog (check out Wix.com and WordPress). Here you can showcase your resume and bona fides, and have a URL on your business card along with your fully optimized LinkedIn profile page URL so people can check you out, follow you, connect with you, and refer you to others. Now, here are networking suggestions in a new city and they work in your hometown as well. Step out of your comfort zone. For many this means being less timid and much more sociable. Go to a sports bar for Saturday College football and Sunday and Monday night pro football (or whatever sport you enjoy or is in season) and start a conversation with the people around you rather than sitting like a wallflower and waiting to be approached by others. You can also go to a movie, a concert or the theater, a museum or a lecture by your lonesome and strike up a conversation with the people you meet on line and at the event. You never know what will happenâ€"or whom you will meetâ€"when you step outside of your comfort zone. Take up or continue a hobby. Find those things you want to do but your pocketbook or inner voice often says Nah. For example, join a business district or local gym or health club. Take a Yoga, Spin or kickboxing class. Join a flag football or softball league. Try a new restaurant or bar in the business district. Whatever you do, steel your nerves and walk into a room or place full of new people. Go on Dates. For those who are single, going on dates is a great way to meet new peopleâ€"even if you don’t hit it off romantically, you could strike up a friendship. If you’re male, ask a woman out and don’t stop asking if you’re rejected. Women, you too can ask a man out. So get out of your comfort zone, take a flyer, and accept an offer or ask out a nice guy or gal, even if he or she is not someone you’d ideally choose. Be up front and say “I’m new to this city and I’d like to get to know you and your friends.” If you’re seeing, someone expand your horizons and get creative: Branch out from your neighborhood and go places where there are crowds. When on line at a movie, ballgame, or anywhere you go strike up a conversation with the people around you and let you partner know why are so friendly to strangers. Volunteer: So many causes you can support need your help where you can spend time doing something you’re passionate about. Try to keep it close to your field of work if possible. Political clubs are also a good place to volunteer and network and meet influential people in a new city. Seek out fellow alumni and former co-workers. Search fellow college and even HS alumni on LinkedIn. Then reach out and connect with them, tell them what your connection is and you want to speak with them. If they listed a phone number, take the initiative and give them a call. The same for fellow coworkers who may be in your new city or have contacts on LinkedIn who live where you are now living. Take chances and say YES: If you get invited to places or events, where there are a lot of people that are not in your wheelhouse or comfort zone say YES. This may be an invite to go bowling, dancing or skiing, to go to a lecture or attend a CW, Rock or Classical music concert to name a few. In other words, make it your policy to socially say YES rather than to always say No or giving an excuse. Sign up and attend classes: Continuing education in your field or something related (or even in something that interests you) is a great place and way to meet likeminded people who you can easily start a conversation with. They are also likely to have a network of people you can tap into. Join Toastmasters: This has a double benefit. Aside from meeting career minded people who are out to advance their career, you will have an opportunity to improve your public speaking ability and hone your business persona. Check out Meetup in your new locale. This allows you to meet people in different walks of life who share common interests with you. Take a chance and get involved, after a while, you will meet some great and helpful people. Join your local area LinkedIn group and professional associations. The members of these groups are people you could and should be reaching out to, and most sponsor networking events you can and should attend. Faith Based Networking. For some this is a first and natural step in networking in a new city. For those who are unaffiliated, lapsed religiously, agnostic or atheists this can be uncomfortable. However most houses of worship and faith based organizations have tremendous resources they are willing to share with newcomers in a city and they can be exceedingly helpful in picking you up when you feel alone, down, lost, home sick or hopeless. Elva Bankins Baxter, Certified Master Coach Kathy, one of the best approaches to making new connections is to join a group or volunteer to work where you have common interests and are passionate about a cause.   If you have interests in some type of sport, exercise, are a music lover or an avid reader of books or bird watcher, there are likely to be groups of people in your area with the same interest (s) that you have.   Many of these groups meet on a regular basis in your area. You are in luck if you are on  Facebook.   There is an “Events” tab that appears under the “more” tab on your home page.   Check this out because by clicking on this tab, you will find a list of events that are happening in your area that may be of interest to you.   I found Fall Festival train rides to watch the Fall Foliage in October, a few jazz events, a tour of vintage homes, a few plays at local theatres and book clubs…all in my local area.    And, the best part is that it lists my Facebook friends who are planning to attend. Once you attend one of these events or contact the leader of the group, the networking becomes easier. Not on Facebook, try your local newspaper.   There are always listings of what’s happening in your new area.   If possible, bring a neighbor or co-worker with you. If you are in a career transition, perhaps there is a local  Five O’clock  Club  meeting that you can attend. Simply “Google” the name and view their website and attend a meeting. The key is to attend these events and making those connections.   Don’t forget to connect with everyone you meet on LinkedIn and your number of connections will increase greatly! All the best and happy networking! Rich Grant, Online career course instructor for Peak-Careers Unless you have family or friends in a new area when relocating, networking can be a challenge. If you dont know anybody in your new community, the best approach to making new contacts is by searching on LinkedIn for that location. You might be surprised to find that you have a connection who knows someone in the new area. I was surprised when I searched on LinkedIn for Cheyenne. Ive lived in New England all my life, and I chose the most obscure location for illustration purposes. I dont know anybody who lives in, or has ever lived in, Wyoming. However, on LinkedIn, I found that a former co-worker of mine knows an executive director of a prominent non-profit organization. If I were moving to Cheyenne, Id call John and ask him to introduce me to this individual. I would then call the person in Cheyenne to introduce myself, and that John suggested I contact him since Im planning to move to Cheyenne. Being a friend of a friend, I have no doubt he would be helpful and make my transition much smoother. As I mentioned in a  previous blog post, Dont search for jobs; search for people. Ron Auerbach,  Job search author, expert, and educator I was in this exact situation when I moved from the East Coast to the West Coast. So I know what its like to have to make contacts in the new location. Now one thing I had done is this. Once I knew where I planned on moving, I took an extended vacation to visit and stay in the new location for a while. And while there, I had worked with some local temp agencies to gain some employment. This helped put me in contact with companies in the new area. And gave me an opportunity to meet some people there. So I was able to gain some local work experience ahead of my move. Another thing one can do when they have relocated is join local groups. For example, there may be a local networking group for job seekers in your particular field or just in general. This is a nice way to interact with people in the local community who may be able to throw you some leads. And/or introduce you to others who may be able to help out. You can also use a local religious house of worship. So becoming part of a local congregation will also help put you in contact with locals in that area. And allow you to let them know youre seeking employment. They might know somebody who can help. Or take your resume and pass it along where they happen to work. One more way to network is visiting the local unemployment office. Depending upon the area, there may be more than one. Thats the case where I live. Other places just have a single office. Either way, it gives you a chance to interact with some local job seekers. And you can meet with a local counselor there to look over your resume, do a mock interview, and help you with companies in the area. Its also pretty common for unemployment offices to host local events. So they may have one or more employers coming into the office to meet with potential new hires. Picking up a calendar of events will let you know whats upcoming. And there may be postings of upcoming job events posted in the office. Visiting a local park or other public place is another networking opportunity.. For example, you may be sitting on a park bench next to somebody and strike up a conversation. That gives you the chance to let them know youre new to the area and are looking for employment. The same goes for visiting local coffeehouse or juice bar. Its very common to meet new people in warm and comfortable settings like this. So its easy enough to converse with others who might be able to help. Or may take your resume and pass it along to where they work or somebody they know. FYI, its pretty common for recruiters and hiring managers to meet with people in this kind of place. And work on going through applications and resumes. Ive seen this many times at various coffeehouses in my area. And have struck up conversations with those people. The bottom line here is this. Look to places where there are lots of people around with whom you can strike up conversations. And where its more relaxed so people are more willing to open up and meet new people. Also take advantage of the local unemployment office and library for upcoming job-related events. And hit the local employment agencies for some work, even if its temporary. Lastly, make sure you are always armed with your resume! So keep a stack with you to hand out at a moments notice. Victoria Crispo, College and Professional Outreach Manager at Idealist Careers I find that the very word networking tends to bring out nerves and apprehension among most job seekers. My first suggestion is to throw the word networking out and look at it as relationship-building, and then approach it as you would any new relationship. Also, since youre in a new area, its a great opportunity to do double-duty: youll likely want to check out the hot spots in your new locale, get a feel for the local culture and vibe, and discover activities that fuel your interestsand you can meet people who can become new companions and also serve as professional connections. You may want to join a local club, take a fitness class, or sign up for a sip and paint event! The main thing is that you select activities that you are interested in and that allow for conversation and make it a point to say hello and introduce yourself to people! When the pressure to network for a job (or to advance your career) is off, youll be able to relax, enjoy yourself, and present the real you! These conversations will naturally turn towards what your new friends do for a living, and since youve already built a rapport, it will feel less like networking. Craig Toadtman, Job Search Consultant, Career Adviser, Coach, Executive Search Consultant Establishing relationships in a new area can often be very challenging. Your “pirate” behavior must be in full force to find the treasured contacts. Put bluntly, find all the doors, wherever they may be. Your sources for networking are many, so, here are a few options: LinkedIn  â€" Be sure to check your profile to make certain your profile and settings (particularly security and privacy) are up-to-date and crisp. Then begin the process of expanding your network. I suggest entering the city of your new location in the “search” field of LinkedIn. Scroll through the resulting names of potential contacts and identify people with similar interests, people from potential employers, and people with shared connections. Pay attention to shared connections. If you are looking for a new position, click “Jobs” to search for openings in your new city. Click “Work” then “Groups” and review appropriate groups to review for possible connections. Local Professional Associations and Groups  â€" Google searches can reveal a lot of information about professionals in your area. The local library is also a great resource. Churches, Temples, Mosques, etc. â€" Many places of worship provide opportunities for like professionals to meet informally. Volunteer  â€" You would be amazed how quickly you could grow your network by volunteering at the local library, hospital, or other public organizations needing help. As you expand your network, perhaps the biggest challenge will be to remember names, so be sure to have note-taking tools with you! Cheryl Lynch Simpson, Career, Job Search LinkedIn Coach Master Resume Writer Hi Kathy, thank you for sharing your question. Assuming you want to land a job in the area you are new to, here are some suggestions that will help boost your networking. Offline Networking Search Google and local newspaper events calendars for job clubs in your new area. These face-to-face groups specialize in local networking and will help you to quickly build regional connections. Such groups are generally sponsored by area churches or funded by not-for-profits and/or United Way. If you cannot find these groups through an online search, check for an Information Referral Service in your area. This service is generally funded by United Way and exists to help you find not-for-profit resources. A quick call should prove beneficial. Attend local events sponsored by professional associations relevant to your career field. You can usually attend several before you are required to join a local chapter. Consider joining local chapters of professional, civic, and social organizations to help you meet a variety of folks in multiple industries. Sign up for a library card, go to the local librarys web page, and find a listing of their database/electronic resources. One invaluable resource for job seekers that is free to use is ReferenceUSA, a database of companies in the US and Canada. By conducting one or more searches via ReferenceUSA, you can identify local companies you may wish to target. Note that ReferenceUSA is only available via your librarys subscription and that you may be required to pay a modest fee for printing or downloading data. Online Networking Suggestions: On LinkedIn, make sure you search for and join as many local, regional, or state groups as you can. Since LinkedIn now allows you to join up to 100 groups, this should be easy to do. This will help you cultivate local connections. Look for geographically relevant groups via the search bar in the upper left. You can also search for people on LinkedIn to connect with in your local area using the same process. Additionally, you can search for potential connections in the local companies you identified via ReferenceUSA. Dont assume that the offline or online networks you already possess are useless just because youve moved to a new area. Take the time to alert everyone you know of your move and request suggestions of people to contact in your new area or people who may know someone in your new area. Once upon a time, job seekers used to complain that they couldnt network because they didnt know anyone in their new area. LinkedIn has completely eliminated this concern you can leverage it to build a local or regional network from scratch within weeks if you stay focused. Conducting the LinkedIn searches mentioned above, make it a goal to identify and invite 25+ people each week to connect with you. Join as many industry-specific LinkedIn groups as you can the more the better. LinkedIn only allows you to request to join 10 at a time, so you will need to keep checking your status in order to progress toward your goal of joining 100 groups. Make it a point to get to know your new connections face-to-face and/or via LinkedIn. DO NOT make networking requests unless and until you do so. Networking is not a drive-by activity it requires an investment of time, interest, and energy to get to know people first so they  want  to help you. Another great roundup!  Email me (Jason@JibberJobber.com) if you have questions youd like me to put in front of my list of career experts! See previous questions/answers here.

How to Create a Writing Resume

How to Create a Writing ResumeWriting a resume to get writing position is necessary. Of course, a person who has an in-demand career would not even need to submit a resume anymore because employers will be checking out the work history and other qualities of the candidate before deciding whether to hire him or her. The goal is to provide the employers with a well-formulated resume that would highlight a person's qualities and achievements.To write a good resume, it is important to use proper grammar and punctuation. Resume writers have different styles and abilities that they use for writing resumes. So it is best to choose the resume writer who will fit the style of your writing and is comfortable working in this format.A good resume should provide details about a person's work history. It must include an explanation of when he joined the company, why he left the previous one, and his salary. Such information must be in a chronological order, so that a reader gets the idea what the employer is looking for.The structure of a resume includes the format, content, topic, as well as how the working history was formatted to highlight the achievements. The format part includes the writing style of the resume as well as the bullet points. A resume that has too many bullet points can make the resume look like a jumbled mess, so try to only list relevant information first.The content part of the resume must be done carefully and it must be short and to the point. Sometimes, a writer can add so much information that it turns into a dissertation, which can make the resume unattractive to read. The topic of the resume is the information to be included in the resume.In case you want to be hired for a writing position, it is necessary to provide your potential employer with all the details that the employer will require. The hiring manager must have clear and exact knowledge about what the resume writer wants to cover in the resume. The resume must include all the necessary data about the job opening so that the employer will not be confused about what to expect in terms of the resume.If you want to be hired for a writing position, it is necessary to provide the employers with all the details that the employer will require. The hiring manager must have clear and exact knowledge about what the resume writer wants to cover in the resume.In case you want to be hired for a writing position, it is necessary to provide the employers with all the details that the employer will require. The hiring manager must have clear and exact knowledge about what the resume writer wants to cover in the resume.

How to Dress for Success in College and Still be Comfortable

How to Dress for Success in College and Still be Comfortable Your appearance affects how people feel about you more than you might imagine. “Dress to impress” is a popular saying for quite a few reasons. For young adults in college, how you dress can have more of an impact than you know. In many college campuses, the culture and atmosphere regarding the style of dress is very laid back. Rolling out of the dorm room and into a classroom in sweats and a tee are common; and there is nothing wrong with that occasionally. However, if you look like you have made an effort with what you are wearing, it will also be perceived that you care about your classes and you are making an effort there as well. Dressing down doesn’t mean that you aren’t a good student or are not trying, but it can definitely give that impression. We all know how impressions matter. Why Impressions Matter We are not talking about business suits and ties here and we are not talking about a fashion model either. Just a put together style that gives the appearance that you are organized, you care about your appearance. Find ideas for young, hip, college style attire. This will make it easy to look like you have made an effort and show that attending class and college in general is important to you. Something that makes you stand-out to your class mates and your professors as someone to be taken seriously. Why does that make a difference? Have you ever chosen a partner to do a group project with? Think about how you would choose the best partner not knowing who anyone is and not knowing their grades or academic level. Think about the professor and how many students have passed through his or her class. Which ones do you think professors choose to help or offer extra credit special assignments to? Other Tips for Succeeding in College (College Hacks) College life is not easy and it definitely takes some getting used to. Therefore, it is important to learn from others and find tips or college hacks to help you out. Here are some excellent tips that you can pass on to incoming freshmen when you are an alumni: Visit Your Professors During Their Office Hours. This is an important tip that will be useful to you for every class, every year. On the first day of class when your professors hand you the syllabus and the calendar or agenda, they also list their office hours. As you will see when you go to visit them during office hours, other students never go. They never take advantage of meeting face to face and one-on-one with the professor. This will give you a leg up if you have any questions about a lecture, want to know some specifics about what to study, and are a great way to stand out and be remembered. Being remembered by a professor can lead to extra credit, internships, and letters of recommendation for grad school or a job. Plus, they will know you made an effort, not only by dressing like their class was important, but by caring enough to also make an effort to connect with them and respect their teachings. Join College Groups and Organizations. Besides making friends and being social in college, these types of groups help you learn how to network, which is important for succeeding not only throughout your college life, but also in your career. Use Organization and Efficiency Apps to Help Organize Your College Life. For many, college is the first taste of independence and the first time living on your own. Make sure to organize all of your new found responsibilities, chores, classes, projects, and more with efficiency apps that allow you to set up a calendar and reminders right to your smartphone or tablet. Never Rely on Technology. This applies especially for last minute projects. If you have to print out a paper that is due or a project, never wait until the last minute to print. All too often Murphy’s Law strikes when a project is do in minutes and your computer won’t print, or you are out of paper, or the computer lab printers are out of order. Ask your professors if they will accept digital or emailed assignments so that this never becomes a problem and reduces paper waste and clutter at the same time. Start Building Your Social Network While in College. Building your social network while in college is an excellent way to jumpstart your online reputation. Just as dressing to impress during college makes a good impression, setting up your social network and online reputation while in college will help you land a career. Nowadays one of the first things that an employer does after or even before an interview, is Google you. If nothing shows up, it is not too impressive. If a long list of results show up including things like your LinkedIn profile describing what type of a student or worker you are, your Twitter profile showing links to articles of interest and retweets of industry professionals, and Facebook showing tasteful photos of you at group events for a professional group you belong to related to your industry, that makes a great impression. It’s Your Style and Your Future Dressing casually and looking put-together just make sense for college students. College is about making decisions and gaining independence. It is also a stepping stone to your career and much is riding on having a successful jump start into it. Follow our guidelines and college hacks and you will be on your way to a stylish and successful future.

Vacation Time Ensure Your Brand Runs Smoothly - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Vacation Time Ensure Your Brand Runs Smoothly - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Everyone needs a break from their daily routine once in a while. Taking a break from your usual work is proven to be an effective way to re-energize your senses and boost your productivity once you return. Business owners are no exception. However, it is not an easy decision to make especially when you are hands-on with your business and a huge part of its operation is dependent on you. In the same vein, YOU, as a personal brand, are responsible for managing your reputation. Sometimes taking a break poses more stress than relief, rendering your vacation useless. So how do you deal with such a situation? Here are some tips: Prepare yourself. Condition your mind that you are taking time off to help you get better once you return. Do not stress yourself with how you will respond to any emails or inquiries while you are away. Otherwise, instead of getting excited that you are taking a breather, you’re already stressed out. In this way, you might not completely recover from the stress brought about by your usual routine. Evaluate any critical points such as deadlines that may happen while you’re away. In case there are some things that you need to do even if you are already in your vacation, designate a schedule that will not interrupt your relaxation time. Honor your relaxation time with the same respect that you do your working time.  [tweet this] Inform your clients in time. Let your clients know beforehand that you are going on a vacation. Letting them know that you will be gone for a while is the professional thing to do instead of leaving them clueless as to what might have happened to you, in case they have concerns and you aren’t able to respond right away. From their view, they will appreciate you took the initiative to inform them, and they’ll respect your time off. Set deadlines and reminders. Consider your clients as partners whom you work with hand in hand. As such, give deadlines for any work to be done before your trip. This will give them the impetus to fulfill what needs to be done and you will not be faulted because of your absence. Use auto responders. Set up an auto responder for your email address in order to let anyone who contacts you know that you are on vacation and will respond as soon as you return. Set time to communicate with your point person. Your point person will be in charge of your brand/business during the days you are away. As such, designate a time to speak with them just to get updated on whats happening back at the office. This will ease any anxiety you may have while on vacation. Turn off your phone. It is quite a hard thing to do especially when almost all information and contacts are in your phone. However, be reminded that you are taking time off to relax and get in touch with your inner self.   If you cant leave your phone behind, the next best thing to do is to turn off its notification feature. This will prevent you from getting distracted with the tweets, emails, and updates that might be sent your way. Taking time off is a great way to get over the stress brought about by the daily grind. Boost your creativity and productivity by taking a break. By going on vacation you show that your business is under your control, rather than the business controlling your life. All you need is to carefully plan out your strategy to take time off. With that, have a relaxing, stress, and worry free vacation! Author: Maria Elena Duron, is managing editor of the Personal Branding Blog, CEO (chief engagement officer) of  buzz2bucksâ€"  a word of mouth marketing firm, and a professional speaker and trainer on developing social networks that work. She provides workshops, webinars, seminars and direct services that help create conversation, connection, credibility, community and commerce around your brand.   Maria Duron is founder  and moderator of  #brandchat   a weekly Twitter chat focused on every aspect of  branding  that is recognized by Mashable as one the 15 Essential Twitter Chats for Social Media Marketers. Are you busy? Here’s some quick and easy tips on  Social Marketing for busy people.

How to Write Sales Resume About Fitness

How to Write Sales Resume About FitnessYou should know how to write sales resume about fitness. When you're ready to begin a new career, you need to be able to sell yourself and your skills. Well, written sales resume about fitness can help you get that job. So let's look at a few examples of writing sales resume about fitness.As you begin to apply for jobs, ask them for a copy of your resume so you can review it and see if it's up to your standards. Make sure it is short and to the point. This will help you avoid problems later on when you don't know how to describe your qualifications properly.You need to discuss your life experiences in your sales resume about fitness. Do you have any testimonials or references? If you don't then you might have to put that information somewhere else on your resume. Don't hesitate to take time and make sure you cover all of your life experiences. Nothing is worse than having to explain that you didn't want to make any references because you just st arted your job.You can also include some interesting facts about you. This will help you stand out from the competition. If you know of some interesting facts about yourself then you might want to bring them up.Also, you need to include your good references. This could be your co-workers or past customers. It doesn't matter who they are. If you were talking to your former boss before he passed away or if you helped a little girl with her homework, mention these examples of writing sales resume about fitness.You can include some samples of other places you've worked. Thatway you have examples of how well you did in different types of sales situations. You can also include a statement of why you're the best candidate for the job.Finally, you should show examples of how you have sold products. Take advantage of some product samples if you can so that you'll be able to give examples about how well you do with selling products.Remember, there are many ways to write a sales resume about f itness. As long as you write it correctly, you'll be okay. Start to review your sales resume about fitness now and you'll be able to write a successful sales resume about fitness.

How Productivity is Affected By Office Design and Layout - CareerMetis.com

How Productivity is Affected By Office Design and Layout Photo Credit â€" Pexels.comA number of factors at several levels affect workplace productivity, with office design and layout definitely having a part to play. However, there are likely to be a few surprises in store if you’re not familiar with the psychological impact that can be caused by physical changes to the working environment. Here are a few scenarios that may help you to understand why this is so.Influences on productivityevalNaturally, personal motivation plays a big part in productivity as an employee who is engaged, likes being in the workplace and wants to do well, is likely to be more productive than someone who is disinterested or bored at work. Then there is the quality of employee training.It’s common sense that someone who feels inadequately equipped to do his or her job is also likely to perform inadequately, so prioritizing top-notch training is vital.evalSystems promoting positive teamwork, employee rewards, and incentives are known to encourage workers to do better more consistently, so employers who introduce these can find that general morale in the workplace increases as a result. After all, a happy employee is more likely to be a productive employee.Office layoutArchitects designing homes aim for a layout that is fit for purpose. For example, to make sense of plumbing requirements the rooms that need water or waste disposal tend to be arranged in a logical order, so that kitchen, bathroom, and laundry facilities are close to each other, perhaps in a linear order, if not grouped together. The same is true of custom-designed offices.Designers frequently seek to open up spaces so workers don’t feel unduly confined or ignored. As you might imagine, there is a delicate balance required to achieve good communication within office spaces â€" clumsy open-plan designs can result in an environment that is distracting due to interruptions and noise while other options can be isolating. Obviously, both these extremes tend to lower employee m ood, thereby adversely affecting productivity.How do we know what works best?A well-known series of experiments in a factory in Hawthorne, just outside Chicago, in the late 1920s and early 1930s made an enormous impact on how productivity at work came to be viewed.One of the areas tested was the effect of increasing the amount of lighting available to a group of workers, while a second It’s no surprise that natural daylight lifts the spirits and literally brightens the workplace, however, as with controlling open spaces, too much light, and heat can be as much of a disadvantage as too little. One useful option is to fit wooden shutters as these allow you to control the amount of daylight entering the office space and offer some additional protection in terms of noise pollution and security issues.Once you have daylight control in the office space, you also have some control of heat, although if over warm or over cold temperatures become a major issue you may need to rethink your h eating and cooling systems.evalColor codingSo, shutters are a solution regarding light and heat, plus they are stylish no matter how old or young a building your office occupies. Remember also that wall colors may need a bit of attention if office spaces have become dull and uninteresting, however, and doing a little research about the effects of color on individuals will give you lots to think about.For example, warmer colors such as red, yellow and orange are stimulating and often used in company meeting rooms and work areas where it’s important that new ideas are generated. Much cooler colors such as green, purple and blue are associated with contemplation and calmness, which makes them useful in employee rest areas and also in lobbies and waiting areas for clients and guests.

Do You Miss the Windows of Opportunity

Do You Miss the Windows of Opportunity Its been said one million times that networking is about building relationships. Period. The more people we actually know, the bigger our sphere of influence and the odds are greater of finding the information we are looking for. Dont be blind to potential opportunities to meet new people or acquire new information. If someone has a name they are willing to provide, ask how they know the person, why they think it would be helpful for you to speak with them and either ask for an introduction or contact information. Then, follow up! In workshops, I have had to stop on occasion to educate someone on how to do this. Here are some open doors that were missed, until I stepped in: My wife works at that company you are interviewing with. No response. (slap goes Hannah) I used to work at the company you are interested in. No response. (Slap from Hannah) Have you looked into jobs at XYZ company? No. (Slap again from Hannah) I know someone at that company. I do too. (Slap) There is a job over at XYZ company you might be interested in. Ive already applied there, they have my resume. (Slap) End of workshop. All leave. No conversation/connection. (Slap) It is easy to get tunnel vision and I know how important focus is, however, if a window or door opens, dont ignore it.

Tough (Question) Tuesday Whats the choice thatll treat you the nicest

Tough (Question) Tuesday Whats the choice thatll treat you the nicest Practice Saying Only Nice Things by dwell deep In my Simply Fearless Fempreneurs (try saying that 5 times fast!) session on Friday, we were asked to write what became clear for us this past week. Without hesitation, I wrote If Im not nice to myself, it doesnt matter if anyone else is. This has been both my biggest lesson my biggest challenge in the short time of being a full-time entrepreneur, but I have to say that Ive been doing well in keeping an open mind, taking deep breaths,   not working myself to the point of drop dead-dom, literally figuratively patting myself on the back. During that same session, I spoke with Coach Cassandra about the challenge Ive been facing in prioritizing the projects I want to work on, how Ive been resisting just picking one running with it. It was then that she asked: Whats the choice thatll treat you the nicest? It immediately brought up that feeling: of fun, of peace, of accomplishment, of ease. The free download!, I responded enthusiastically. Then I put a structure in place so I could have time every day to work on it. Look for it this month! Yay! Projects decisions , um, life dont need to be hard. I repeat: Life doesnt need to be hard. Pretty mind-blowing, huh? Think of the challenge youre facing today, go immediately to the choice thatll treat you the nicest, then share it in the comments (because were nice). Its nice to be nice!