"I have to Network - OMG!"

A life time of networking.....OMG!!!

I hardly ever hear any clients say "I can hardly wait to start networking.....it's so great and I'm really good at it!" In fact, never have I had a client say that! I'm talking about face-to-face networking...the kind where you have to make eye contact and conversation....usually in a room full of people you don't know, wearing a name tag that keeps falling off, trying to figure out what you did to deserve this torture....THAT kind of networking. Here are some trail tips to help you get started:

Decide before you attend an event what your goal is -

1. mingling and drinking


2. hanging out where everyone's eating


3. meeting as many people as you can


4. make three quality contacts

Decide what a quality contact is-

1. a very "connected" person


2. a person who is willing to make introductions for you


3. the first person who talks to you at an event


4. the best dressed person at the event

Topics to talk about-

1. what you want from them i.e leads


2. what they want from you i.e. leads


3. what you have in common


4. how you can help them

How do you introduce yourself?

1. "Hi, my name is Jan Marino and I'm was a CFO. I'm in transition and I'm looking for a new opportunity.


2. "Hi, I'm Jan Marino. I'm an executive in transition.


3. "Hi, I'm Jan Marino. I'm a CFO with successes in taxation, risk management and strategic planning.
   

What networking events will you attend?

1. as many as I can


2. the one nearest my house


3. an event suggested by someone I know and trust


4. the event that best fits my networking goals and strategy

Here's a few more tips from clients who are very successful networkers:

1. Enlist the help of an accountability partner
2. Practice at events when you first start
3. Be persistent and keep asking for feedback so you can improve
4. Remember to breathe
5. Write down and post what works best for you
   

Remember, networking is the ultimate contact game!

“I Am” Statement

This is one of the most important pieces of information you will use throughout your job search. The “I Am” statement tells people who you are, what your values are and what you can do for them in two simple sentences. You’ll use it when you introduce yourself, when you network, when you interview, in your bio, resume, in your Linkedin profile, for your Twitter profile…..basically whenever you talk about yourself. So, you want to spent time and get this statement down so it becomes part of you.

"I am an engineer who saved my last company $75K on one project. I could increase your cost savings."

"I am a marketing professional who knows how to increase brand awareness. I re-introduced a product line and increased sales by 25%."

"I am a senior marketing executive who has extensive corporate and non-profit experience including the auto industry, financial services and most recently the ABA.
I bring my corporate expertise for streamlining and pricing to non-profits."

"I am a data-driven marketing professional who has been both the CIO and CMO simultaneously for a global corporation. I could increase your RIO and provide your organization with cutting edge data management and marketing leadership."

You'll be surprised how this statement will help you clarify your goals and how often you'll use it. So, take time right now to write your "I Am" statement...if you want feedback or help let me know!

The Big 60

My birthday was November 2. I’m 60! It’s a milestone and great because:

 Partying with my 84 year old Mom on Rush Street and being proud of how well we party hardy isn’t surprising.

 Not having to do anything I don’t want to do or work with people I don’t like is liberating.

 Looking in the mirror and seeing a 20 year-old who’s reinventing herself is AB FAB.

 “Acting as if” and “making up as I go along” with even more conviction is way more fun.

 Deciding to work until I’m 87 is an easy decision.

 Giving back through volunteering and serving on the Board of Directors of the Community Career Center is even more fulfilling.

 Learning from all generations in the workplace is more fun than ever because I finally understand that we all can help each other.

 Embracing chaos is much easier than when I was 30….I understand it’s only temporary.

 Having fun with social networking and building my brand as THE Career Management Expert is easy.

 Trusting myself and my abilities and knowing that I’m surrounded by a great husband, family and friends pushes me forward fearlessly.

 Happy 60th to me!

I’m So Over Being “In Transition”

Vicki Znavor is an executive in "transition" who desires to make the most of this time by exploring and writing about people, process and performance and how they deliver bottom line performance. Vicki has graciously contributed this blog - Check out Vicki's blog - http://bottomlineperformance.blogspot.com...enjoy.
Tonight I was reading a biography of Kristin Chenoweth, most famous for her role as Galinda the Good Witch in Wicked and something she wrote struck me as fascinating. She wrote “Human beings – and let me just interject here that I love being part of a species whose name is a verb – human beings…” When I read those words I finally understood why I get irritated by the term “in transition”. It makes “transition” a noun and it really must be a verb. So today I claim that I am “transitioning” as in deliberately and thoughtfully moving forward.
Thinking of “transition” as a verb puts a whole new spin on it, doesn’t it? For me, it reinforces the goal of moving forward because where I am is temporary; it’s not a destination. It’s in my court to direct my destination and it means I’ve got work to do (and believe me, I’ve been working) to get there. None of us can control who will offer us a great position or when we’ll land but there are so many things we can control. Jan Marino’s blog offers a lot of great tips such as showing up everyday or being open to contract work. We can control our attitudes, our willingness to learn, our ability to encourage and support others and we can control the amount of energy we give to this effort.
Tony Robbins recently shared the following quote on Twitter: “There are two mistakes one can make along the road to truth…not going all the way, and not starting.” I am transitioning to my truth, moving forward and it feels good

Linkedin Trail Tips

An important element of your personal branding strategy is to keep your name in front of others. Here are a few tips on using Linkedin....it's a very powerful tool!

Complete your Linkedin® profile and use a professional photo.

Check Linkedin® daily – make it a habit, put it on your calendar.

Customize your public profile i.e. http://www.linkedin.com/in/janmarino and include it in your email signature

Keep your summary brief and interesting so people will read it.

Update your profile regularly – an update message goes to your connections and keeps you in front of them.

Let people know in advance that you will be sending them an invitation to connect with you on Linkedin®.

Change your “Tell Your Network What You’re Doing” info weekly to increase your visibility.

FLASH: New Career Rules

If you're in career transition, here's what you need to know: the rules have changed dramatically since the last time you were in the job market. Here’s what’s new:

The biggest change is that we are now a "gig-to-gig" workforce. Because of the state of the economy, companies are reducing costs by using contractors for projects. These assignments usually last 3-6 months. You may be looking for a full time position, but be open to contract work. The days of long-term employment with one organization are long gone and so is company loyalty. Today's workplace dictates that you are responsible for your own career so re-invent yourself.

The second concept to thoroughly understand is that you are the product/service and leveraging your uniqueness puts you ahead of your competition. Figure what sets you apart from others in your field. Know what makes you the best and capitalize on it.

Number three change is taking time to “chill out and recover” after the layoff is a really bad idea. Because competition is fierce, develop your search plan and hit the road running immediately. If you're lucky enough to receive outplacement services, take advantage of it.

The last major change is that networking is THE way you’ll find your new position and using online social networks in your job search is a must. Use Linkedin, Plaxo and Facebook to serve as your mini-websites. You can put together your marketing message and write your profiles around that message. Social networks expand your ability to connect with more people and increase your networking. They don't take the place of face-to-face meetings so working your network and setting up personal meetings is still critical. The good news is that people are very open to networking because they know they'll probably soon be part of this new workplace world.

Twitter twips

I'm addicted to Twitter. I know it can be a major time-suck, so I've been waiting until the end of the day and use social networking as a reward when I complete daily goals....and I cheat and tweet even when I haven't done everything on my list. Anyway, I've come across some great sites and wanted to share them with you. The list covers the gamut of ti
ps, how to's, and trivia. Enjoy!

www.twitterwatchdog.com/2009/06/16/creating-a-powerful-twitter-bio
www.alltop.com
http://www.chrisbrogan.com/
www.mentalfloss.com
www.twitterbusinessbook.com