Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

Face-to-Face Networking for the Introvert: Tips for Success

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Photo by Donna Cymek

Since I’ve been writing about online networking this week, it seems fitting to end the week with a jump back to the personal: in-person networking! Be sure to read my earlier blog: Networking Obstacles and Shy Networkers as background information for these tips. These points are courtesy of Angela Marino, whose blog is Girl Meets Business (commentary is my own):

Suggestions to Help You Work a Room

Use the buddy system
It’s not a bad idea to bring a friend to a networking event, as long as you don’t rely on the friend too much. Personally, I like to go to these kind of events on my own. That way, I can come and go as I please and talk to people without anyone I know watching me!

Attend a sit down event
While this type of set up eliminates the problem of having to randomly approach people who are standing up, the downside is that you may be stuck at an undesirable table. Maybe the people aren’t interested in you, or you in them. It is a good exercise in small talk to sit next to someone for a meal. Think of it as good practice, and you may get lucky and meet a great contact.

Give People Something to Talk About: Wear Something Memorable (Hat tip: Kate @ Defending Pandora.)
It can’t hurt to wear a great pin or scarf or special tie. Be careful not to be the one everyone remembers for what you wear, though! Especially if it is a conservative group, be sure your choices are interesting enough to be noticed, but not outlandish.

Get a drink
If everyone else is eating and drinking, holding a glass may make you feel more a part of the evening and give you something to do in-between talking to people. Stopping at the bar also gives you an opportunity to talk to people.

Find someone alone
You know there are a lot of other people who hate to “work a room.” They are probably standing alone, with a drink in their hand, wishing the whole thing was over! Go up to them and say hello! You may find a kindred spirit and maybe a new networking friend.

Hang out by the food line
Everyone has something to say about food! “How’s the dip?…Don’t those cookies look delicious?” You get the idea!

Don’t dominate one person
Angela notes that “Introverts enjoy deep conversations, not small talk.” If you do have the opportunity to get involved in a conversation with someone, make sure that you are mindful of their body language to know when it is time to move on. Most people attend networking events to circulate and touch base with a lot of people, so be sure you don’t keep someone hostage talking to you!

Take breaks
Retire to the restroom or step outside of the room to recharge. Remember that the event will be over soon, and that, even if you consider yourself an introvert, you can still act extroverted. The more practice you have, the easier it will get.

Congratulate yourself on your accomplishments, and think about how you can work the room even better next time!

Keppie Careers will help you learn how to network, online and in-person and prepare you for your job hunt! Need a great resume? Help with a cover letter? www.keppiecareers.com

10 Reasons Your Job Hunt May Last Too Long

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Photo by Aaron Edwards

I came across information about a book by Tony Beshara, The Job Search Solution: The Ultimate System for Finding a Great Job Now! While the book came out in 2006, I thought several of the main points suggesting why you may be having trouble with your job search are relevant for job seekers today. (Points are from Beshara’s book, commentary is my own.)

1. You’re not making finding a job a job itself. Focus, schedule your time and make a committment to finding a job. It isn’t going to just happen on its own.

2. You haven’t developed a system of finding a job. Set goals. Make plans. Follow through. Network.

3. You have an unrealistic idea about the market for your skills. Recognize that there is no perfect job.

4. You aren’t acknowledging the psychological and emotional stress that changing jobs entails. Looking for work can be stressful. Seek support from friends, family or a group. Consider hiring a career coach to guide you 🙂

5. You ignore small businesses. Most people work for small companies. Don’t overlook these potential employers.

6. You don’t recognize the importance of the face-to-face interview. A great resume will get you an interview, but the interview is what will get you the job.

7. You don’t prepare well for interviews. This is a big problem for job seekers and employers. Be prepared and don’t waste an opportunity in front of a decision maker.

8. You’re not selling yourself. It is up to you to let the employer know why you are the one for the job.

9. You have the attitude, “What can you do for me?” Develop your “hire me” strategy around the employer’s needs. They don’t really care what you want them to do for you – explain what you offer the employer for results.

10. You give poor reasons for leaving your job. Be positive and honest, but don’t dwell on the past. Emphasize your future plans as they relate to the potential employer.

If your job hunt is going on too long, consider seeking help. A professionally written resume will save you time and money. Keppie Careers is here to help! www.keppiecareers.com

Remember Their Names for Career Success

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The  Wall Street Journal.com’s  (wsj.com) career tip of the week…
One of the most valuable business skills is the ability to remember people’s names…Name recall will boost your image, earn you respect and differentiate you.
You’re not good with remembering names?  All is not lost! 
Try these tips:
  • Be sure to repeat the person’s name.  “Nice to meet you, Sarah.”  Try to say the name several times during your first introduction.
  • Write the name down or secure a business card as a reminder.
  • Did you meet two people together?  Perhaps a couple?  Link their names to try to remember them.  I know a couple named Debra and Brett.  Once I learned Debra’s name, I used the “B” sound to remind me of Brett’s. 
  • Use a mnemonic device.  BuildYourMemory.com suggests:  In order to remember that the name of a tall, thin man, that you have just been introduced to is Mr Adamson, you might try the mnemonic of visualising the biblical first man ‘Adam’ (complete with fig leaf), holding a little boy in his arms. Adams son – ‘Adamson.’
  • Think about how the person looks.  For example, Short Shelly, Muscular Mike or Dapper Dave. 

Witt Communications suggests that you create an exaggerated image, rhyme or connect a feeling based on the name to help you remember:

  • Imagine a ham that weighs a ton spinning on the end of Mrs. Hamilton’s nose.
  • Picture an old-fashioned car jack under Jack’s prominent jaw.
  • See margarine melting through Margaret’s curly, blond hair.
  • Dave needs a shave.
  • Latrice is Patty’s niece.
  • Michelle, ma belle. (The Beatle’s tune)
  • Martin Peck is a pain in the neck.
  • Suzanne Patterson has sweaty palms.
  • Paula is pushy.

If you make an effort to commit a name to memory, you are much more likely to succeed!  It may be worth the effort!

If you want to receive free up-to-date tips to help with your job hunt, Click here to subscribe to receive future blogs sent directly to you!

Keppie Careers wants you to remember our name!  We’re a head above the rest!  Keppie Careers will write your resume, teach you about networking and how to search for a job and assist you every step of the way!

Enhance Your Linkedin Profile for Job Seeking

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In light of the fact that linkedin has become a source of choice for people who love to hire passive job seekers (those who may not actually be seeking a new job), I thought it would be a good idea to remind readers to pay attention to your linkedin profile!

First, a note on visibility….

If you use linkedin, you know that your visibility goes up the more links you have. Your second- and third-degree connections help put your profile in front of more people. I am a 3rd degree link to all three candidates for President! (Yes, Obama, Clinton and McCain are all on linkedin!)

There are several ways to increase your connections:

  1. The preferred way is to link with friends and colleagues. When I started on linkedin, I convinced a friend who always sends mass emails to a g’zillion friends to join linkedin. In about a day, she had over 100 connections, all of which became my 2nd degree connections.
  2. Another easy way to increase your visibility is to link with a LION (linkedin open networker). These LIONS have over 500 connections and welcome any invitation to link. You gain visibility to all of their connections with the click of a mouse.

Your profile…

First things first – Be sure that anything in your profile is spelled and punctuated correctly! Typos scream “don’t hire me” to anyone with a critical eye. Have someone with an eagle eye proof your profile. (Keppie Careers will be happy to assist in revising or proofing your profile. Email me at [email protected] for details.)

Especially if you are looking for a job, focus your profile to include skills and experiences that will be of interest to potential employers. As with a resume, don’t just list what you did – help the reader envision you working for them by highlighting your skills and accomplishments. As you would with your resume, use active and interesting language.

Unlike a resume, you can use mini paragraphs in your profile. Keep it short – large blocks of text are hard to read. It should be somewhat conversational to grab the reader’s attention. It is okay to use “I, me or my” in your profile, unlike in a resume. (Don’t overdo it, though. You don’t want to appear self-centered!)

Make use of the “HEADLINE” feature. It goes right under your name and is the first thing people see. If you are a marketing professional, you can say so! Maybe you are a “Skilled problem solver and community builder.” Think of a tag line that grabs attention and describes you.

Be sure to edit your “Public Profile” to have a vanity URL (that has your name at the end).

I really like the “Summary” and “Specialties” sections. This is where you can briefly sum up what you offer. If you have a “Highlights of Qualifications” or an “Accomplishments Summary” section on your resume, it should be easy to transfer it to linkedin. The “Specialties” section is like a list of tags – keywords that describe you and your work.

If you have a website or blog, use the “other” category and name your site when you add the URL. Also, you can edit your linkedin URL in your profile to include your name.

Ask colleagues and clients to “recommend” you on linkedin. They can say all of the flowery, fabulous things about you that you can’t say about yourself! Only ask those you know will write a quality review. Most people will discount a poorly written recommendation.

Especially when you are job hunting, your linkedin profile may be your golden ticket. Make sure you keep it shiny!

If you want to receive free up-to-date tips to help with your job hunt, Click here to subscribe to receive future blogs sent directly to you!

Keppie Careers will help you with every aspect of your job search…Resume writing, linkedin summary editing, interview prep, career coaching…Contact us to see how we can take your job search up a few notches! www.keppiecareers.com

Top 5 Resume Do's and Don'ts

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There is a lot to consider when writing your resume. You don’t want to miss an opportunity for an interview by offering a less than stellar result.  In her blog, Hire Someone to Write Your Resume, career advice blogger and author Penelope Trunk refers to a resume as a “complicated sales document and also a piece of direct mail.” That said, here are my top 5 Resume Do’s and Don’ts…

DO

Remember that your resume is a marketing piece, not a laundry list. Sell yourself; don’t just list what you’ve done.

Focus on transferable skills and quantifiable accomplishments. Determine the employer’s key words and incorporate them. Include soft skills, otherwise known as emotional intelligence. Use strong, active language that helps the reader picture you working for them.

Design your resume to be easy to read and scan – both with software and the eye. Remember that the typical first read allows a 10-second glance. (Some say 7 seconds is all you get!) Make it count by using white space, bullet points and bold, appealing design elements. Ensure that your resume is error free.

Target your resume to the employer. Do NOT zap your generic resume to 100 different online job postings. If you do not personalize your resume to include key words, you may be wasting your time sending it at all.

Be precise. Although the “one-page” rule no longer applies for all employers, it is important to narrow your information to include the most important material. (Typically, two pages are plenty.) Employers do not want to wade through a lot of extraneous information.

DON’T

Use “I, me or my” in your resume. The first-person is implied. Don’t use the phrase “responsibilities included” or “responsible for.” These are passive ways to structure your information.

Don’t use an objective. Your objective is to get the job, so you are wasting space in the very important real estate of your resume – the top! Attract readers with a targeted “Accomplishments,” “Highlights,” or similarly named section. Don’t list “References upon request.” This is assumed.

Don’t include ANY personal information such as age, gender, religion, marital status, social security number, weight, etc. In the U.S., do not include a picture on your resume.  All of this information is inappropriate and will make you seem dated and unaware of correct resume etiquette.

Don’t rely on standard resume templates, especially from your word processing program. Don’t copy text from sample resumes posted on the web. You are unique; your resume should be distinctive.

Don’t ever lie on a resume. Present the best possible image consistent with the truth.

I will design and write a resume that captures your skills and accomplishments and sells your skills!