3 Lessons from a Serial Networker

When professionals are considering making a job change or are newly unemployed, the first thing they want to do is network. They scour LinkedIn and their contacts to find who can help THEM. Unfortunately this is not the ideal time to begin your networking efforts.

If you are looking to leverage your network, it's best to keep the following thoughts in mind.

1. Networking is about building relationships - it doesn't happen overnight. Put in the effort to create, nurture and grow these relationships as an ongoing part of your work-life.

2. Networking is about giving - not asking. Should someone suggest they can make an introduction for you; Bingo, you did a great job. Be the first to offer help.

3. Treat each person in your network as a cherished friend who you want to keep forever.

There is something to be said about Karma. Be a good networker and pay it forward.

Subtle Changes for BIG Payoffs

A few months ago I met with a coaching client (we'll call him "John") who hated his job and just wanted out. We spent time discovering his strengths and how he wanted to use them. When we really delved into what he liked and didn't like about his current role, he found that there were huge chunks that he loved about his work. As it turns out, he really disliked giving presentations which was a significant part of his job. So he tried something new, John allowed his direct reports to be the presenters with John being present. It was a huge hit as his team received great feedback and are now being noticed by others. Instead of being drained after major presentations, John is now going home happy, fulfilled and with lots of energy. These changes allow him more time to spend on his strengths and less time and effort in the areas that he dreads. It's a good reminder that sometimes we can make subtle changes that can make a huge difference in our day-to-day lives.

Focusing on the Possibilities

These are interesting times of uncertainty. I like and expect predictable outcomes. Just when you think the economy is going to take off, it feels like someone let the air out and it deflates. I know many face this feeling with their job searches.

There is this Law of Uncertainty that permeates looking for a job. By nature, we want to count on predictability. You want to know that: the company received your resume, when they say they'll get back to you they really will, they filled the position and did or didn't even consider you. You just want know.

I can’t tell you how many ads I’ve seen that talk about how “people oriented” the company’s culture is. It’s always amusing when they say “please contact us for more information . . .” BUT THERE’S NO ONE LISTED TO CONTACT.

How do you focus on the possibilities when you just want concrete answers?

Just when we think we know the answer . . . it changes . . . sometimes the question, sometimes the answer. "I think there is a world market for maybe five computers," voiced in 1943, by Thomas Watson, the founder of IBM. The head of the U.S. Patent Office in 1895 argued in front of congress that the Patent Office should be closed. The reason was that everything that could be invented already had been invented.

Having a crystal ball would make life too easy and boring. We can’t count on probable outcomes and predictable scenarios. Do everything you can to be pro-active in your job search verses waiting to hear. You never know what connection will led you down the next great adventure. And you never know what favor you did for someone else will be remembered and returned.

Abraham Lincoln once said “it isn’t what we know that gets us in trouble, it’s the things we think we know that aren’t necessarily so.” Cut the companies some slack. They are bombarded with resumes and doing the best they can with very limited resources.

Forget the betting pool of probability and what you think you know . . . focus on the possibilities. Let go of the angst than comes with waiting and expectations. Keep doing the right things. Focus on moving forward. The right job, the right company, the right career is out there just waiting for you. Just be open to it coming to you in an unconventional manner.

The Wave of Rebound

I'm asked almost every day, when will the economy turn. When I look into my crystal ball, I predict late summer as the beginning of the first wave of management changes. I say this because Korn Ferry recently announced that their business within succession planning is up 400%. Once a new CEO is in place, approximately 70% of the executives will churn within those first 9 months. So depending on where you fall within the food chain, there will be a trickle-down effect as new leaders seek to hire the right people for their teams.

If you are new to the job search market or want to revamp your approach, take a look at my earlier blogs.

2010 Job Market ~ A Rumble or an Earthquake

Wow! Where does the time go? A new year with lots of opportunities. I always find January to be a really exciting time. I've wrapped up the previous year and look to the New Year with eagerness and optimism.

The question I received most often the past year was, "How does the job market look?” Recruiters are good barometers for the market. We hear and feel the rumblings of hiring before it hits. Fortunately or unfortunately, we also hear about the earthquake that will happen once the market starts ramping up. Be ready. A recently survey validated that 65% of employees are unhappy in their current jobs. Personally, I think it's higher than that (upwards of 75%).

So is the market shifting? Yes, but it is slow. When things start rolling though, look out. It's going to be fast and furious.