Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

Job Action Day – how to create job opportunities by being a connector

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For the third year in a row, I am thrilled to be invited to participate in QuintCareers’ Job Action Day, when many career professionals write about the selected, timely topic. QuintCareers explains, “The theme for Job Action Day 2010 is “Creating Opportunity.” At a time when traditional full-time jobs with benefits are giving way to temp jobs, contract/project work, and part-time jobs with limited or no benefits, job-seekers must be both open to nontraditional twists on jobs and creative ways — such as through submitting job proposals to employers — to land positions.”

I write a lot about using social media and other “non-traditional” approaches to job search. I believe in social networking tools, and know that entrepreneurs can win business using them and job seekers can land opportunities. I particularly love Twitter, and have often waxed poetic about how useful it is for job seekers. (See this post for links to my thoughts about using Twitter for job hunting.)

Attending several conferences recently (Career Directors International, a career coaches’ and resume writers’ convention and Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), Atlanta, an organization dedicated to recruiting and HR issues) inspired me to go a little retro for this post.  I’d suggest that to create opportunity, you need to think about being a connector (someone who enjoys introducing people, for personal or professional benefit).

Wikipedia defines “connector,” a term Malcolm Gladwell popularized in his 2000 book The Tipping Point:

Connectors are said…to be people in a community who know large numbers of people and who are in the habit of making introductions. A connector is essentially the social equivalent of a computer network hub. Connectors usually know people across an array of social, cultural, professional, and economic circles, and make a habit of introducing people who work or live in different circles.

Although connectors are rare — only one in several thousand people might be thought of as a true connector — they are…very important in the healthy function of civil society and business. Connectors are also important in trendsetting.

My friend, Jenny DeVaughn, is the best example of being a connector that I know. Jenny is the Director, Social Strategy at Bernard Hodes Group, where she is “responsible for developing and overseeing the implementation of social media strategies for clients, including ongoing training.” She is an expert regarding recruiting for today and develops and implements social media recruitment strategies for clients, including Fortune 500 organizations. She also has her own blog, Social Precision, where she shares tips and up-to-date ideas relevant to both the hiring side and job seekers.

I had a chance to see Jenny speak to a packed room at SHRM-Atlanta. (Read some of her advice  HERE.) She’s clearly way ahead of the curve when it comes to technology and connecting online. She shared that she is one of the top three most connected women on LinkedIn! You may assume someone so focused on online connecting might not be a skilled in-person networker, but the opposite is true when it comes to Jenny.

Jenny creates opportunity wherever she is. I have never stood next to her without watching Jenny introduce someone to another person, suggest some potential business or personal commonalities, make a connection or offer an idea. It amazes me how focused she is on helping other people succeed and what an awesome link she provides by letting each person know how the other person might relate to what he or she is doing.

Creating opportunity is an important and relevant topic, and one that job seekers need to think about in an environment when jobs are few and far between. Take a lesson from a connector — Jenny sees opportunity just by looking around and by thinking ahead. She obviously makes it a point to know what people do, what skills they have and makes the most of this information by sharing it and introducing people.

Think about it — how can you make opportunity by looking around? Who might you be able to introduce to someone else for a potential opportunity? How can you help those around you? When you are in that mindset of being a connector and serving as a hub of information and resources, it will also help you identify opportunities that may be available to you.

Stay tuned for a post about my friend Laura Labovich’s tips for how to introduce yourself effectively and for impact when meeting in person!

Please check out these blog posts that are joining mine in supporting Job Action Day 2010:

You can also find Job Action Day 2010 posts on these blogs:

Optimize your job hunt for today's ecomony

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JobActionDayLogo300As co-coordinator with my colleague Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter, I am pleased to participate in our second round of posts from our community of expert career advisors and resume writing professionals called the Career Collective.

Today’s post is special because we are participating in Quintessential Careers’ Job Action Day. This is one of many responses aimed at helping job seekers focus on the future and what they can do differently in today’s economy to succeed. I encourage you to visit other members’ responses, which are all linked at the end of my post! Please follow our hashtag on Twitter: #careercollective and visit our Career Collective site.

As a career coach and blogger, I am constantly seeking inspiration and looking for messages to convert into job search advice for my readers. So, when I watched a commercial for Lexus, one sound byte really resonated with me:

You can’t change traffic, so change the way you drive through it!

How true – there is so much that individuals do not control. The economy. The weather. The neighbors’ barking dogs. I bet someone once told you, “You can’t change other people, but you can change how you react to them.”

How much happier would we be if we stopped trying to change the things that we cannot alter and instead focused on what we do control – our responses?

The job market is a case in point. What if job seekers stopped “oh woe is me-ing” and instead focused on what they DO control – the way they navigate their searches. The playing field has changed, and it is important to adjust to the new terrain.

Here are some tips to help you take the wheel:

Draw Your Own Career Map

Identify your goals. You can’t get anywhere until you decide the destination! What characteristics and traits make you special? What are you (or do you hope to be) known for in your field?

Review trends and industries with career potential and determine if there are matches between your skills and interests and those fields. Instead of cursing a business with a shrinking job market, re-adjust, re-tool and re-train to take advantage of new possibilities.

Once you know your direction, optimize your resume. Be sure that it is skill and accomplishment focused, not a list of “stuff” you’ve done. (If you’ve been blaming your age or experience level (too much/not enough) for your lack of interviews, take a good look at your resume. It may be holding you back.)

Is this “new” advice that only applies to today’s economy? No. However, it is so much more important now than ever. If you do not know where you are going, you are EVEN LESS likely to get there!

Design Your Vehicle – Brand YOU!

Once you identify a destination – drive there! Learn how to position yourself as the expert in your field. Use all of the tools at your disposal to create a “vehicle” (your brand – it doesn’t have to be a Lexus. Or a bus!) that will drive you where you want to go.

If you haven’t looked for a job in a while and/or aren’t tuned in to managing your “digital footprint,” it’s time for a quick lesson in social media. Presenting yourself well both online and in person will help open previously closed doors. Optimize Twitter, LinkedIn, blogs and other social networking tools to make connections and share information.

In fact, Twitter’s new “Lists (which you can read more about HERE) are an absolutely amazing way to mobilize a terrific network in your industry or niche. Essentially, those who use this feature (which is not available to everyone, yet) will select a group of people they identify as leaders in their fields (or, at least the most interesting people to follow in a topic). You will be able to visit someone’s Twitter page and easily access not just whom they follow, but whom they endorse.

Job seekers who take the opportunity to get inside someone’s head (via Twitter lists) will be able to narrow down the “movers and the shakers” in their fields of interest. This is really an incredible opportunity. The only downside is the amount of work it takes to get these lists filled in! I have not had a chance to create all of my lists, yet, and it is possible some will “opt out” of creating lists. (For example, Chris Brogan, a social media guru and author of Trust Agents, has some reservations about leaving people out and does not plan to create lists of individuals.) For anyone who jumps in, though, it is a gold mine of opportunity for job seekers. Take advantage of it!

Take the Keys!

The key to a successful career is to network generously. There is nothing more important or more useful for your job search, and the current economic climate makes this even more crucial. Your success depends on your ability to broaden your professional circles and to reach out to a diverse socio-economic group of people. Do not allow your network to be the people you happen to know. Be purposeful. Identify organizations and see how your network can lead you to people who work there. Conduct informational interviews and demonstrate why they can’t do without you!

Professionals who habitually facilitate introductions earn goodwill and reputations as valuable resources and colleagues. Become that professional; it will help you overcome obstacles to career success.

Start the Ignition – Communicate Your Value

Your ability to promote, communicate and connect your value to colleagues and superiors is crucial. Hone this “soft” skill – practice your writing, emailing, speaking, interviewing and presenting skills. Join Toastmasters. Make a point to learn how to communicate well. When you can articulate why your role is vital, you will help secure your future.

Confidently Forge Ahead – Start Rolling

Adjust your rear-view mirror, but keep your eyes on the road! Move forward with your plans knowing that you DO control your career. Is it as easy as reading these steps? No, but if you follow this plan, you will be on your way to managing your job hunt and/or your career with finesse and aplomb!

Seize control of what you can! Don’t be a victim of circumstances. Drive your own career bus!

Feel free to add your 2 cents to the comments…What are YOU doing differently? (Or SHOULD you be doing differently?!)

How have my colleagues responded? Follow us on Twitter with our hashtag #careercollective and read these posts:

Gayle Howard: Today’s Enlightened Job Seeker

Meg Montford: Job Action Day: Finding Your “Mojo” After Layoff

Debra Wheatman: Plan B from outer space; or what do you have in case your first plan doesn’t work out?

Heather Mundell: Green Jobs – What They Are and How to Find Them

Erin Kennedy: Cutting Edge Job Search Blueprint

Grace Kutney: Securing Your Career While Navigating the Winds of Change

Hannah Morgan: Career Sherpa Why Our Job Search Advice is the Same but Different

Heather R. Huhman, Take Action: 10 Steps for Landing an Entry-Level Job

Laurie Berenson: Making lemonade out of lemons: Turn unemployment into entrepreneurship

Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter: You Can Thrive In, Not Just Survive, an Economic Slogging

Rosalind Joffe: Preparedness: It’s Not Just for Boyscouts

Rosa E. Vargas: Are You Evolving Into The On-Demand Professional of Tomorrow?

Dawn Bugni: Your network IS your net worth

Miriam Salpeter: Optimize your job hunt for today’s economy

GL Hoffman: The Life of An Entrepreneur: Is It for You?

Katharine Hansen: Job Action Day 09: His Resume Savvy Helped New Career Rise from Layoff Ashes

Martin Buckland: Job Search–The Key to Securing Your Future Career.

Chandlee Bryan: Where the Green Jobs Are

Barbara Safani: Where the Jobs Are 2009 and Beyond

JT O’Donnell : Actions that got people jobs in this recession

I can help with every part of your job hunt! Need a great resume? Tips to use social networking? Interview coaching?  If you need help mobilizing your networks and your job search plans, learn more about how I can help you! While you’re at it, don’t forget those social networks! Be sure to become a fan of Keppie Careers on Facebook…I’d be thrilled to have you as part of the community! Since we’re on the subject of doing something new…Are you on Twitter? Jump on and touch base with me @keppie_careers.

Empower Yourself for Career Success – Job Action Day Blog

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Today’s post is in honor of Job Action Day, a blogging event organized by Quintessential Careers to encourage service-oriented articles and blog entries that provide workers and job-seekers with information, ideas and concrete steps that they can take to secure their futures — both in the short-term and the long-term.

Secure your future for the short- and long-term – a tall order in today’s turbulent, fast-changing economy. According to former U.S. Secretary of Education Richard Riley, the top 10 in-demand jobs in 2010 may not have existed in 2004. (Hat Tip: The Creative Career.) How can you thrive professionally when keeping up seems about as easy as holding water in your bare hands?

While there is much we as individuals cannot control (e.g., the stock market, whether or not the industry we chose for our career will thrive in tomorrow’s economy and if layoffs will be necessary in our company), careerists still have a lot of power. My advice for those who expect thrive in today’s marketplace…

Seize control of what you can! Don’t be a victim of circumstances. Drive your own career bus. Steps to take:

  • Draw your own career map.
  • Design your vehicle.
  • Take the keys and start the ignition.
  • Don’t let fear drive you.
  • Back out carefully, but do get rolling…

Draw Your Own Career Map
Identify your goals. You can’t get anywhere until you decide the destination! Stop and evaluate. What characteristics and traits make you special? What are you (or do you hope to be) known for in your field?

Review trends and industries with career potential. See if there are matches between your skills and interests and the fields and organizations most likely to have opportunities. If not, consider re-focusing slightly without altering your dream.

When setting your goals, be open to the possibilities that new industries provide. Consider the glass “half full.” Instead of cursing a business with a shrinking job market, be willing to re-adjust, re-tool and re-train to take advantage of possibilities coming down the road.

Design Your Vehicle – Brand YOU!
Once you identify a destination, you need to drive there! Take the time and effort necessary to learn how to position yourself as the expert in your field of choice. Use all of the tools at your disposal to create a “vehicle” (your brand) that will drive you where you want to go.

If you haven’t looked for a job in a while and/or aren’t tuned in to managing your “digital footprint” – what comes up when someone “Googles” your name – it’s time for a quick lesson in social media. The long and the short of it is this: an online presence is key to how people will perceive you. Presenting yourself well both online and in person will help open doors that seemed closed to you.

Dan Schawbel, Personal Branding Expert, suggests these steps to get you started: “Buy yourname.com to secure your brand, make a video resume, start a WordPress blog, use Google Reader, participate (comment on blogs and link to them), get on Facebook and LinkedIn, network and more.”

The key is to become the “go to” person in your field. When you leverage your expertise online and become part of the social networking community, doors will open that you otherwise would never have even considered knocking on!

Take the Keys!
The key to a successful career is to network generously. There is nothing more important or more useful than networking. In our digital, Web 2.0 world, success will depend more and more on your ability to broaden your professional circles and to reach out to a diverse socio-economic group of people representing a mix of opinions and beliefs. Professionals who habitually introduce people who otherwise may not meet earn goodwill and reputations as valuable resources and colleagues. Become that professional to help you overcome obstacles to career success.

Start the Ignition – Communicate Your Value
Your ability to promote, communicate and connect your value to colleagues and superiors is crucial. Hone this “soft” skill – practice your writing, emailing, speaking, interviewing and presenting skills. Join Toastmasters. Make a point to learn how to communicate well. There is no doubt that the superior communicator in a field has the best chance to win the job. When you can articulate why your role is vital, you will certainly help secure your future.

Confidently Forge Ahead – Start Rolling
Adjust your rear-view mirror, but keep your eyes on the road! Move forward with your plans knowing that you DO control your career. Is it as easy as reading these steps? No, but if you follow this plan, you will be on your way to managing your job hunt and/or your career with finesse and aplomb!

Have other ideas to help empower job seekers and workers? Please share them in the comments. I also invite you to review an updated list of Job Action Day participants and to visit their blogs.

You’d love to drive your own career bus, but it sounds like a lot of work? I can help you! Contact me at results@keppiecareers.com to discuss how to get your career bus moving in the right direction!

photo by gwen