Get Hired Stay Hired blog discussing professional resume writing and all things career related.

Being nice and polite is the real key to effective networking

I have been to more than a thousand networking events in my career, from meetings over coffee to large conventions, and there are few scenarios where you are restricted to only 60 seconds to grab someone’s attention. If you are in the rare situation where your conversation will be limited, if you dominate the discussion regurgitating your elevator speech, it is unlikely to make a favorable impression any way. Like a relic from a bygone era, the elevator speech has outlived its usefulness.

What never goes out of style is demonstrating good manners and pleasant, engaging conversational skills. Job seekers in particular will labor over their elevator speech, even taking seminars to learn how to memorize the perfect pitch. Unfortunately, what is often lacking is an unbiased perspective on how real-world networking plays out. I’m here to help.

Some things I’ve observed:

• Virtually no one gets an interview, an introduction, or a job due to an elevator speech. In fact, more professionals are harmed by their attempts at elevator speeches than helped.
• Job seekers are so nervous about having the perfect elevator speech it can paralyze them, making networking more difficult than it really is.
• Seldom are you in a situation where you only have 45-60 seconds to speak with someone. Even if you are, (in a line for example), being social will work better than a memorized pitch.
• Too often professionals lack basic manners, or conduct networking while they are angry or depressed over their job situation, and it comes through in their demeanor.
• Employed networkers often feel “assaulted” by job seekers, and many are trying to avoid functions that are known to attract unemployed attendees.

The best way to enjoy and maximize the ROI from networking events is to ask questions and engage in two-way conversations, while not appearing desperate. People want to help people they like, regardless of anything else. Having something in common and displaying a sense of humor will go further than pushing your agenda on them.

At appropriate times in the conversation, the information from your well-developed resume will provide the ammunition you need to expand on your value. Instead of one canned speech, you should have multiple brief examples of your successes that can be woven into a conversation when the situation naturally occurs. If the person you are talking to is intrigued, they will ask follow-up questions for more details. Make sure you understand social cues so you can modify your behavior if needed to keep people connected to you.

Networking is an invaluable career management tool, whether you use it to land a sale, learn about your industry, or find a new opportunity. Try to relax, focus on socializing, and remember to say “thank you.”

If you still think Twitter is a social media tool mainly used to discuss the details of your latest meal, think again. The Global Language Monitor selected Twitter as “Word of the Year,” above Obama and H1N1, to name a few. It has evolved into a sophisticated resource to network, manage your career, and find a new job using 140 characters or less. Before you sign up, here are a few pointers to guide you along.

 Some do’s:

• Browse Twitter and read several streams to get a feel for what the community is like. Then decide what you want to accomplish – networking, job seeking, research, fun?
• Choose a professional screen name, whether it’s your first and last name, or one that captures your brand (like me for example: @Resume_Writer).
• Shoot for a 70%-30% business-personal tweet ratio, particularly when you are new. Potential managers and customers will be reading your stream, and your digital footprint is fair game.
• Tweet with regularity and make sure your comments demonstrate your skills and interests. Try to set aside 15 minutes per day to establish a consistent presence.
• Engage in interesting conversations, and offer advice to promote your expertise.

 Some don’ts:

• Don’t be negative, depressing, or share too much personal information. Don’t tweet anything you wouldn’t want a boss or customer to see.
• Don’t expect Twitter to land you a job or increase your network overnight. As with all social media tools, building relationships takes time.
• Don’t forget to learn the basic rules and terminology before you start. “The Twitter Job Search Guide”* is a comprehensive resource if you want to use Twitter for career management.

 Some myths:

• Myth: Twitter really isn’t that valuable if you are looking for work. Truth: More than 1,000,000 jobs are posted on Twitter every month (tweetmyjobs.com).
• Myth: I don’t need Twitter for business when I’m already on LinkedIn. Truth: Twitter is the only social media tool that doesn’t require permission to network. This allows you unhindered access to more companies and connections than LinkedIn.
• Myth: No one that can help me with my career or job search is on Twitter – it’s just kids and people with too much time on their hands. Truth: Fortune companies, recruiters, business leaders, hiring managers, entrepreneurs, CEOs, and more are on Twitter.

As with all social media tools, the more you invest, the bigger the return. Now that you have some tips to get you started, join in the conversation and don’t be afraid to ask, “follow me!”

August Cohen is an award-winning, triple certified resume expert and executive coach guiding determined professionals to their next-level career goals. Supporting jobseekers in all aspects of modern career management, her services encompass powerful branded resumes, focused interview practice sessions, and targeted job search strategies. August is a frequent guest on career-related blog talk radio shows and is a contributor to the upcoming books, “The Twitter Job Search Guide” and “Step-by-Step Cover Letters,” both from JIST Publishing, 2010. 

*”The Twitter Job Search Guide: Find a Job and Advance Your Career in just 15 Minutes a Day” by Susan Britton Whitcomb, Chandlee Bryan, and Deb Dib was published in March 2010.

I interface with numerous HR professionals, hiring managers, and recruiters through my business as a resume writer and career consultant, and LinkedIn recommendations are a hot topic. While some LinkedIn members have none, others have hundreds. Can you have too much of a good thing? And, what makes a recommendation attractive to a company that may be interested in interviewing you?

While there is a minimum number of recommendations sourcers believe that an experienced professional is expected to have, (usually at least 10), quality is much preferred over quantity. They also understand outside sales reps will typically have more than a programmer.

Hiring managers are very adept at reading recommendations to determine if there is a legitimate and direct understanding of the jobseekers talents. Then, many take it a step further, and will review the recommenders profile to fully appreciate the connection. Having an unsubstantiated quid pro quo recommendation (not directly working with the individual and observing their actual work), or weak recommendation can do more harm than good, and works unfavorably for even an otherwise qualified candidate.

Many sourcers are frustrated with the maneuvers around recommendations, and will circumvent the process all together. They look at the candidate’s connections list for names of co-workers or managers that worked at the same company, at the same time, and proceed to directly contact them to discuss the candidate even though they have not provided a recommendation on LinkedIn.

What do most managers and recruiters look for in a recommendation? Here are some basic guidelines:

• Proximity:  How close and on what level is the business relationship, and have they directly worked with the candidate in a meaningful capacity.
• Detail:  Does the recommender have an actual understanding of the jobseekers key skills, abilities, and achievements, and are they described in any detail.
• Sincerity:  Is it clear the recommender appreciates, admires, and likes the person they are recommending.
• Relevancy:  How recent is the recommendation, and does the information pertain to the position that the company is trying to locate candidates for.
• Legitimacy:  Is the professional offering the recommendation a customer or manager – or a friend or colleague trading a recommendation for one on their profile.

While recommendations are a great starting point for a company to review your qualifications or informally background check you, don’t rely on them exclusively to promote your talents. They must be supported at every touch point the company will examine to identify your credibility, brand, and unique value.

LinkedIn has served to advance the careers of numerous professionals, and while some members flourish with this premier business networking site, others just can’t seem to get it right.

Apparently forgetting the basics of good manners, along with the caveat, don’t do anything you wouldn’t want your mother (or boss) to see, some members treat LinkedIn as their personal sounding board and free sales tool. By the time the offending member is done, instead of enhancing their network and establishing a positive brand that adds value, they have become a source of ridicule and derision.

Don’t do the following if you care about your reputation:

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