Network Like a Millionaire: 6 People Who Determine Your Future

The most successful people in the world have a small, structured network of core contacts. Here's how you can, too.

How many "best friends" do you have? Social scientists say most people count just four friends with whom they can discuss very important matters, but the maximum possible number of such friends is around six. With rare exceptions, it's just not practical for anyone to maintain close, truly meaningful relationships with more than six people.

Super-successful people know this better than anyone. In the survey research I did for my book Business Brilliant, I found that the wealthier you are, the fewer "best business friends" you have. Specifically, when asked to count how many people they closely network with in order to source new business, the average number was 4.8 for millionaires who have a net worth over $30 million and 5.7 for millionaires who have a net worth below $10 million. 

Ordinary middle-class people? They reported an average of 9 close contacts. That's right. The people at the lowest level of financial success counted the highest number of close networking contacts.

The reason is very simple. If you count nine people as very close, the odds are you're not really close to them at all, which means they won't be inclined to offer their close network connections with you. If, on the other hand, you are very close to six highly-connected people, as most super-successful people are, those six people will make their networks available to you, giving you potential access to 36 more people, as well as access to their networks, by which time your effective network numbers in the hundreds.

[Original Article and Five Steps to a Better Network]

5 Secrets to Effective Networking

Gwen Darling, Healthcare Informatics

1. Make your first and last impression count: Firm handshake, look ‘em in the eyes, smile! Your mission is to make your new acquaintance (and that’s really how you need to approach this – this is not a chore, an interview, or an audition - you are making new acquaintances) feel like you are truly interested in him/her, and only him/her at that instant of connection. Friends of mine who have met Bill Clinton tell me he is the master at this skill, as he has a knack for making you feel, for a moment, like the two of you are the only people in the room (this would certainly be a feat at an event like HIMSS!).

2. Do not talk about yourself until asked to do so: HUH? That’s right. Even though your mission is to connect with and make an impression upon those who can assist you in your personal quest for meaningful use, do not launch into your elevator speech, your employment status, or your long list of accomplishments the minute the handshake is disengaged. Instead, glance at his/her name tag, make a mental note of the first name and name of company, and then smile and say something along the lines of, “So Jonathan, what exactly do you do at athenahealth?” And then listen. Intently. And then? Ask a follow up question about something they just said, which shows that you are interested, and listening. At the conclusion of their answer, acknowledge it – “Wow, that’s impressive!” “Ha! Bet that keeps you hopping!” “No kidding – that’s really fascinating!” Whatever works. At that point, if your new acquaintance possesses any social skills at all, s/he will then ask you, “So what do you do?” And then it’s your turn.

3. Make sure every public word or action is a positive one. There is nothing worse than attending a function and being forced to listen to someone complain about … anything. Don’t do it. You don’t have to be chirpy happy, but these events are not the place to gripe about the overpriced food, the lost luggage, or the ridiculously long lines at the bathroom. The last thing a potential employer wants is a whiner. And if you whine it will be the last thing they remember about you. So keep any negative thoughts or actions to yourself, and if you need to, unload on your poor spouse during your nightly phone call, once you get back to your room.

4. Observe the five-minute rule. Even though the person you are speaking with may be endlessly fascinating, your goal at a business conference networking event like HIMSS is to have meaningful conversations with as many potential employers as possible. Therefore, try to limit your time with each interaction to around five minutes. I’m not suggesting a stopwatch approach, or even an attempted-stealth-but-they-caught-you-anyway glance at your watch approach. What I am suggesting is that you try not to allow someone the chance to monopolize your time, and vice-versa. Asking for a business card is the perfect segue for your exit. “I’d really love to continue this conversation in the future, learn more about your company, get the number of that recruiter you mentioned,” etc. May I have your card?” And then of course, whip yours out.
Note: Even if you are currently unemployed, you still should have a business card with your name, contact information (including LinkedIn profile address), and title. If your heart is sinking because you think it’s too late for the upcoming HIMSS Conference, don’t despair – go directly to Vista Print and order a simple card online. Opt for the thicker matte card stock (not the glossy which are impossible to write on) and skip the graphics, hokey templates, etc. With rush delivery you can still get them in time.

5. Watch the alcohol intake. There’s nothing better after a very long day of meetings, educational sessions, and exhibit hall interaction than to hit several afterhours’ functions and take advantage of the colleague camaraderie, free food, and open bars – right? Absolutely! However, when you’re tired, probably food-deprived, and planning to party-hop, it is all too easy to suddenly realize that you’ve overindulged. And even though your business networking events are not a chore, an interview, or an audition, they are still business events, with potentially harmful career ramifications should you decide to take this opportunity to demonstrate your break dancing/karaoke/watch-me-jump-in-the-hotel-pool-with-my-clothes-on skills. Remember, a networking event is a string of first impressions – you want to be memorable, but in a good way.

So there you have it – now you know my secrets. Effective networking takes practice, but once you get the hang of it, it becomes fun, and very productive.

Read the full article here.

4 Habits of Highly Successful Job Seekers

Shala Marks, Recruiter.com

Meet Jane.

Jane graduated college six months ago. She worked three internships while in school, graduated with honors, and has sent her resume to hundreds of companies. But, Jane is unemployed.

Meet Bob.

Bob also graduated college six months ago, no honors. Bob didn’t work at any internships while in school and has never applied for a job, yet Bob is employed. One day while he was playing basketball in a local gym, the president of one of America’s largest auto manufacturers sees Bob. The president has a company team and wants Bob to play on it so he can win a championship. He hires Bob immediately (true story).

Every last one of us knows someone who always seems to have the most incredible luck when it comes to locating and making the best of opportunities that come along. We’ve all also spent quite a bit of time wondering what his or her secret is and wishing we could bottle it to use to our own advantage. This is especially the case when it comes to landing a job in today’s economy.

While Bob is an uncommon scenario, there are plenty of people whose paths seem to be effortless when it comes to getting the best opportunities. And although you may wonder what the person’s secret is, the truth is that there’s really no secret to be bottled. The person is simply someone who naturally develops good habits in regards to job seeking. You can do the same by making sure you incorporate the following four habits into your own strategy:

1. Be Proactive

Successful job seekers aren’t successful because more opportunities fall into their lap. They’re successful because they make it a point to get out there and find chances to make things happen. They’re also ever-prepared for the next good thing to come along. For instance, their online professional profiles, personal websites, and resumes are kept perpetually updated. Their wallets are always full of business cards just in case they run into someone to give them to while out and about (you get the idea).

2. Be Outgoing

Successful job seekers never turn down an opportunity to network or rub elbows with other people in their field. Instead of sitting at home in front of the television, they’re accepting those invites to corporate get-togethers and attending local events where great contacts are likely to be found. They’re also outgoing once they get there, making it a point to introduce themselves to people and engage potential business contacts.

3. Be a Team Player

Whether you’re working in a highly social environment or working remotely with clients and customers who live overseas, it’s important not to underestimate the value of people skills and the ability to connect when it comes to those you work with. No one wants to hire someone who doesn’t work well with others or who’s going to have too much trouble being engaging and pleasant when they have to. Successful job seekers take advantage of opportunities to get to know new people or to contribute something to the team.

4. Step Out of your Comfort Zones

On some level, just about every one of us would prefer to play it safe and be comfortable than take risks and step out a little. However, those who are successful at what they do take the bull by the horns instead and find ways to welcome new experiences as new adventures. They welcome chances to try new things, meet new people, work on different projects, and pick up new skills. They realize that every time they do, they grow as people and have even more to offer than they did the day, week, or month before. The more varied and experienced you can become in regards to different things related to your field, the more attractive you’re ultimately going to be as a job candidate.

Original article found here.

Use the busy holiday season to find a job...

Most job seekers think November and December are lousy months to look for work. People are distracted by festivities and family. When potential hiring managers are at their desks, they’re overwhelmed by year-end deadline pressure. Plus, those who have been job hunting for a long time feel like the holidays present an opportunity to take a break.

But Catherine Jewell, an Austin, Texas, career coach and author of the book "New Résumé, New Career," says job-hunters who keep at it are actually more likely to find a job over the holidays. Among the reasons: There’s less competition, the season puts people in a receptive mood, and all those parties and family gatherings overflow with networking opportunities.

“People forget what great resources they have in their current networks,” observes Jewell, who worked in advertising and marketing for 15 years before she became a career coach. Family and friends want to help you, and even if you feel like you already stay in touch regularly, seeing them face-to-face when everyone is in the holiday spirit offers the perfect opportunity for reminding them of exactly what you’re looking for. Be as specific as you can during your conversations, Jewell advises. “Tell them the title you’re looking for, the kind of company,” she says. “You’re asking for information.” If you’re lucky, your cousin knows someone at the firm where you’d love to work, and can provide a lead.

Forbes.com slideshow: Use the holidays to find a job

If you’re employed and thinking about changing jobs, or if your objective is to make a career switch, holiday gatherings also offer a chance to ask people about their own work. Be inquisitive. “You’re not pushing your agenda,” says Jewell. “You’re a sponge for data.”

It can be helpful to ask a fellow partygoer what’s going on inside her company. Example: at a luncheon, Jewell met a woman who works for a state agency. Jewell inquired about what was new in the training realm, and the woman said her division was focusing on leadership. Since Jewell does leadership training herself, she realized she’d found a great lead, and she arranged to follow up with a phone call the next week. The connection resulted in a contract for Jewell to provide 28 days of leadership training for the state agency.

In addition to parties thrown by family and friends, there are always plenty of festivities hosted by professional associations. If you can cadge an invite to the office party of the company where you want to work, you might get an inside scoop.

“The bottom line is that the best job leads come from other professionals,” Jewell points out. “They are your entry point to the secret job market, which is only available through contact with people.” Out of the 150 people Jewell has coached this year, she says, 125 got their jobs via information they found through family, friends or business associates. “That’s where the leads are,” she says, “in people’s heads.”

Most job-seekers think that it’s fruitless to call a hiring manager on Dec. 22. But Jewell says that’s wrong. “Many managers have a decreased work schedule during the holidays,” she points out. If they’re not away, they’re more likely to engage with you when you call.

Jewell has some more holiday job-seeking advice that may seem a tad Pollyannaish to the cynical among us. “The holiday time is a great time to count your blessings,” she says. “You may be unemployed, but you still have a home to live in and a family that loves you.” She points out that hiring managers are more receptive to job-seekers who express confidence and an optimistic frame of mind. If you can use the holidays to renew your appreciation of all that is good in your life, that can help you pursue your search with an attitude that’s most likely to get results.

by  Susan Adams, Forbes.com

Facebook + Your Job Search (by the numbers)

5 Simple Steps for Improving Your LinkedIn Visibility

by Stephanie Sammons published by www.socialmediaexaminer.com

Are you wondering how to get the most from LinkedIn? Over the last few months, the LinkedIn network has made upgrades and undergone changes.

If you already have a profile created on LinkedIn, it’s a great time to revisit and refresh your presence!

Or if you’re just wondering how to get started, these 5 simple steps will help you make the most of your time and effort!

Why LinkedIn?

LinkedIn is the largest professional social network online today, with over 100 million professional users. The average household income of LinkedIn users is over $88,000 per year, which outpaces the average income for the readership of the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and Business Week!

If you are a professional or a business owner, you can’t afford to miss out on the opportunity to build relationships with potential customers, clients, partners and peers on LinkedIn. It’s a powerful audience that you can engage, interact with and influence.

#1: Complete your LinkedIn “profile box.”

When visitors first land on your LinkedIn profile, a box displaying your profile highlights fills the screen. Given the importance of first impressions, the information in your “profile box” should be complete, current and optimized.

This is your best chance to make a good impression. In many cases, someone may read through your entire profile, but most people are going to get the information they need from your profile box.

Upload a professional image. This is your very best opportunity to make a great first impression and is essential to attracting connections. No professional photo? No credibility

Create a compelling headline. You only have 120 characters at the top of your profile to describe who you are, whom you serve and how you help. Use brief, descriptive, compelling keywords so the right professionals on LinkedIn can discover you. Focus on terms that your target markets are more likely to search for. What language do they use? Make your headline text compelling, but use words that resonate with your market. 

List your current position and at least two past positions. If you don’t list at least two past positions, your profile won’t be considered “complete,” which can mean missed opportunities to be discovered by prospective clients and customers. Make sure to describe each of your roles in depth, and again use those keywords that will resonate with your target markets! It is also okay to list two or three positions that describe your current role, as I have done in my own profile. 

Add your education information. List colleges and the high school you attended in this area. Why? One of the primary search tools within LinkedIn is the ability to locate people with whom you attended school. This is a potential connection point that can open doors for you. 

Customize your “website” listings. Under the Websites section of your LinkedIn profile, you can have up to three listed. Choose the “Other” option when setting up each of these links and describe the links to your brand with relevant terms. For example, rather than using the phrase “my website,” I use “Smart Social Pro Blog.” Not only is this more descriptive, it also gives me a better opportunity to rank for those keywords in search. 

Include a link to your Twitter profile. Add your Twitter handle to your LinkedIn profile. Visitors to your profile can now follow you on Twitter directly from within your profile box! LinkedIn and Twitter are tightly integrated. You can share your tweets as LinkedIn status updates (best practice: add #in to the end of specific tweets rather than choosing to send all tweets to LinkedIn), and you can share LinkedIn status updates as tweets! 

Edit your “vanity” LinkedIn URL. An example ishttp://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniesammons. This will enable your LinkedIn profile link to show up in search results under your name on all the major search engines! It is important to claim those results for your name as they provide a gateway into your personal brand.

Following these seven tips will ensure that you put your best foot forward with a comprehensive snapshot of who you are, what you do and where people can learn more about you. Your LinkedIn profile should serve as one of your most valuable professional digital assets. 

*Check out tips 2-5 here!

Volunteering Opportunities Pay Off

Can working a job without a paycheck set you up for big bucks? Job seekers who took this route tell all.

www.theladders.com  by Debra Donston-Miller

 

Volunteering is good for your soul, and it can also be good for your resume.
Many in the ranks of the unemployed have sought out volunteer work to pass the time and remain active in the absence of a 9-to-5 daily assignment. And some of those volunteers have found, by design or serendipity, that donating time and skills to a charity can be a ticket to employment.

Making such a transition takes planning. Job seekers who have leveraged charity work into full-time work, executives who run nonprofit organizations and job-search experts told TheLadders that making the connection is not as simple as signing up to serve meals at the senior center.

To turn volunteer work into employment requires a strategic decision about what organizations are most likely to help your career and what roles you can serve that will put you in a position to connect your volunteer service to full-time work, these experts said.

But don’t discount your passion for a particular cause or group, they cautioned. Combining a strategic appraisal of your options and your heart’s desire can lead to a job that nourishes your income and your soul.

• Do what you know
• Leverage your network
• Choose your charity carefullyStill volunteering

read the full article here: http://ops.theladders.com/career-advice/volunteering-opportunities-pay-off?et_id=1998595520&sign=y&link_id=540

Can Recruiters Find YOU? 5 Online Methods to Borrow

Veteran recruiter Joe Turner describes online routes to the short list when professional talent scouts are looking for candidates.

by Joe Turner of www.theladders.com

I was a recruiter for more than 15 years, so job seekers often ask me for advice on how to meet recruiters and how to make working with recruiters a beneficial experience. My reply is not always what they want to hear: Top recruiters don't want to meet you. They don't want you to call them, and they don't want you to send your resume to them.

They are already wired into their own network of potential candidates in the fields they cover. If they're doing their jobs correctly, they already know all the top candidates in their fields or know where to find them. In other words, if they want to meet you, they'll find you. 

But these are the people you want to meet! These are the executive search firms that will introduce you to a company or corporate recruiters who want to fill open positions. 

There are ways you can increase the odds that they will find you. By making sure you are visible in the places recruiters look for new talent and by optimizing your profile to appear high in their search for candidates, you can increase the odds you'll become one of those candidates recruiters in your field seek out. 

1. Build and update a LinkedIn profile

"If you're not online, you don't exist." That‘s the motto of many recruiters today. And for many of them, "online" means one place: LinkedIn. According to a recent survey of U.S. hiring managers, 66 percent used LinkedIn to find job candidates for openings, 23 percent used Facebook, and 16 percent used Twitter. 

If you haven't done so already, visit both LinkedIn and Facebook to establish a profile page that describes who you are. Keep it professional, but make it an expression of your professional personality. Whet the appetites of visitors to your page. Update it regularly. 

2. Advertise yourself with a Unique Selling Proposition

Describe yourself with a brief sentence - a Unique Selling Proposition. A USP is a one-sentence description that says who you are, what your biggest strength is and the greatest benefit you bring. 

For example:

"Hands-on Operations Manager with strong people and team-building skills who has helped produce revenues of $2.8 million with a 22 percent margin for my previous employer."

Place this sentence in your profile header as a starter to explain what distinguishes you from others in your field. Include your previous employers as well as the briefest descriptors about you. 

3. Add your LinkedIn profile URL to your resume

Once you've built your profile, make sure you make it easy for recruiters and hiring managers to find you on the Web. Add this link directly to your resume right under your contact information. 

4. Ask for LinkedIn recommendations

Amassing recommendations is like stockpiling referrals before you need them. Once again, you want to make it easy for recruiters and hiring managers. A great way to provide them with good feedback about your work is with LinkedIn recommendations. A recommendation is merely someone saying something good about you. Make a list of your past (and present) bosses, supervisors, colleagues and clients. If they're on LinkedIn as well, they can provide you with a recommendation. Don't be afraid to ask, since most will be more than glad to do this for you. When they're done, you'll have a number of professional recommendations easily seen by anyone who visits your profile page.  

Career Advice from TheLadders

• Woo Recruiters to Make an Industry Switch
• How Tough Times Open Doors
• Why Recruiters Resist Industry Switchers
• Tips for Industry Switchers

 

5. Make yourself an expert

You can also employ tools like LinkedIn and Facebook to extend your network. You'll find hundreds of groups on LinkedIn beyond the obvious ones dedicated to alumni and job search. With a little searching you'll also find groups of people dedicated to the advancement or discussion of their particular profession or industry as well as people seeking solutions to specific problems. 

Recruiters will often monitor groups relevant to the industries in which they specialize and keep an eye on outstanding members. Once you're a member, you can initiate new discussion threads for others to join. You can ask and answer questions; if members of the group deem your answer the most relevant or helpful, you gain visibility within the group. Recruiters definitely notice these people, since they prove to be the movers and shakers within their profession. They make the short list for a check on your profile and a potential e-mail or LinkedIn direct message to your inbox. 

Start with LinkedIn as a tool to gain the attention that will merit a call. Then you can move to incorporate both Facebook and Twitter into your job-search marketing.

Great New LinkedIn Feature for Job Seekers!

Check out LinkedIn's new feature that allows you to tap into your network more effectively than before!

Linkedin Optimization, Part 6

Linkedin Optimization, Part 5