Holiday Networking

Tis the season. . .for shopping, and caroling and spreading good cheer. And. . .if you’re in the job market, ‘tis the season’ for networking. For getting out there and talking to people. The hustle and bustle of the season, including holiday parties and festivities, provide perfect opportunities for “running into” friends and family you haven’t seen for awhile, as well as meeting new people.

Accept invitations to holiday gatherings. Introduce yourself and shake hands with people who may have forgotten you and people you’ve not met before. Spend a little time getting acquainted or reacquainted. Listen and show genuine interest in folks and in what is going on in their lives. And, when they ask “So, what do you do?” or “What are you doing now?” you can tell your story.

Don’t be so bold as to ask for jobs. Make your goal instead to build rapport. It is appropriate to ask if you can call later for advice or to hear more about a particular person or organization. Take time and make the effort to jot down names and titles of people you talk with so you can follow up with a note saying how nice it was to meet/talk with them.

Take the challenge. Meet new people this holiday season. You never know when you might make a new friend . . . or meet a future coworker or even a future boss.

Happy holidays!

Moving On, Or. . . Finding a Job Out of State

Ready to graduate and begin a new career? Want to begin that new career in another city or state? Here are a few suggestions to help you identify employers who would benefit from your skills and what you have to offer.

Make connections in the geographic area you are interested in relocating to. Network to let people know you are looking for a job out of state. Talk to instructors who may know of former students who are located where you want to move.     

Join professional associations affiliated with your career field. Contact officers of those associations regarding the job market and suggestions for your job search as you relocate. Let them know you will be a valuable member of their organization when you move.

Review the WSU Alumni Directory to find Alumni to potentially network with. Find out if there is a chapter of the WSU Alumni Association in the city you want to call “home”. Connect with the President or another officer.

Utilize LinkedIn to make connections and communicate. Join professional groups on LinkedIn, including the WSU Alumni Association Group. Participate in discussions to establish visibility.

Contact the Chamber of Commerce in the city you are interested in moving to. Ask if they have a directory similar to Wichita’s “Book of Lists”. Go through the yellow pages and make note of organizations that could use your skills. (Note: You may be overwhelmed with the number of employers you identify so break your possibilities down into workable groups.)

Use LinkedIn and networking to connect with people at the organizations, or people who may know about, the organizations of interest to you.

It is far less expensive for employers to hire a local candidate. Therefore, make it clear in your cover letter, emails, etc. that you are relocating to their area, have begun the transition and are looking for a job in advance of moving. Establish a mailing address in the city you plan to move to. Get a post office box or use the address of a friend or relative.

Plan a tentative trip. Notify actual and potential networking contacts and employers of interest that you will be in their area on a certain date. Ask to meet with them while you are “in town”.

As in any job search, making connections is crucial. It takes far more effort to connect with people across the country than to connect with people in our city, but the payoff is worth it. Once again the answer to the question “How do I do that?” is “Network”. You have to do it. So. . .what are you waiting for? Get out there. Network! Get a job. . .

Spending Time with Brad Haralson at Printing, Inc.

Our office was fortunate to tour Printing, Inc. yesterday. The purpose of our tour was to learn more about the Leadership Development Program offered by Printing, Inc.’s parent company, Consolidated Graphics.

The tour was informative and even offered the opportunity to jump across, or through, rain puddles, but the best part for me was learning from Brad Haralson, President of Printing, Inc. Brad’s three steps to success are straight to the point and pretty easy to work by:

1.      Come in early.

2.      Connect with people.

3.      Learn something new every day.

We also asked Brad what he looks for in candidates when he is hiring. The first words out of his mouth, with absolutely no hesitation, were “work ethic.”  Work ethic as demonstrated by working hard, doing more than expected, doing more than the other person is willing to do.  

I think we can all learn from Brad Haralson. Come in early, connect with people, learn something new every day. And, don’t forget. . . work hard. Sounds like good advice to me.

 

“ And where I excel is ridiculous, sickening, work ethic. You know, while the other guy's sleeping? I'm working.” ~ Will Smith

A Good Job

A good  job. We all want one.

A good job is different for all of us, but you know it when you have it.  You’re excited to go to work when you have a good job. And, excited about what you accomplish while you’re at work.

But . . the real reason for this post is to say “there is no such thing as a bad job.” Every job teaches you something. Every job gives you the opportunity to connect (i.e. network) with other people. Every job gives the chance to do good work and make a reputation for yourself. And, if you perform well, any job, can be a stepping stone for your next job.  

So, even if the job you have right now is not one you want to stay in long term, take it seriously and do your best. Be at work and be at work on time. Do what needs to be done – don’t be afraid to do something not in your job description and don’t wait to be asked to do something that needs to be taken care of.  Set a positive example for other workers. Show respect for your manager and coworkers.

In short, appreciate the opportunity to have that job. You just don’t know where it might lead you!  


"The best preparation for good work tomorrow is to do good work today."

~ Elbert Hubbard, American writer, publisher, artist, and philosopher.

5 Step Method of Effective Networking

Lou Adler, CEO, best-selling author of The Essential Guide for Hiring & Getting Hired offers a 5 Step Method of Effective Networking.

1.            Find 3-5 people (previous employers, supervisors, instructors, coworkers) who can vouch for your performance and would be willing to put in a positive word for you and recommend you to other people?

2.            Meet and greet with each of these people one on one.

3.            Ask each of them to review your resume.

4.            Ask each of them to give you the names of 3-5 people in their network who it would be good  for you to talk to and connect with.  

5.            Repeat steps 2 – 5.

To learn more about Lou Adler, check his LinkedIn site (http://www.linkedin.com/in/louadler)

                                                                                                                                                                                

                                                                                                                                                                                

Ever considered studying abroad?

Ever considered studying abroad? Courtney Huslig, a WSU business student is doing just that this semester. She was gracious enough to answer questions so I could share part of her experience with you. Courtney also included photos so you can get a glimpse of China yourselves!

Q: Courtney, what motivated you to study abroad?

A: Ever since I was a little kid, I always wanted to go and see the world. My parents have told me stories about how I kept telling them that I was going to Australia when I was little. Along with this passion to see new things and learn about different cultures, I feel that one of the most important things a student can do is study abroad. Many top businesses are looking for students that not only have good grades and are involved, but also have experiences that highlight their ability to handle something completely alien to them.

Q: What do you hope to gain from this experience?

A: First and foremost, I want to experience a greater appreciation for other cultures and different lifestyles. I also want to use this experience as a time to figure out what career path I wish to follow. This is sort of testing the waters on if I could handle being an expatriate (someone who works in a foreign country) or if I would be better suited to stay in the USA. Finally, I am hoping to have personal growth and a better understanding of who I am.

Q: Why China?

A: This is a question I have been asked a lot. The easy answers are that I really like eating Chinese food, I enjoy history and Chinese culture is one of the oldest cultures in the world, and that I wanted to go someplace far away from home. I also chose China as a career move to help bolster my resume for after graduation. Lastly, I chose China based on advice that was given to me. I was told to not pick someplace I could go to vacation whenever I wanted but to pick a culture different than my own that I would want to experience for a long time. China seemed to fit that description better than any other place I had been considering and, while I have found it is very different, I have also found many western influences in China.

Young Professionals of Wichita

My last post featured Suzie Finn, Executive Director of Young Professionals of Wichita. The information which follows includes Suzie's answers to questions I asked regarding the Young Professionals of Wichita organization.

How do people join YPW? Just go to the website and click “join now”.  http://www.ypwichita.org/

What does it cost? Membership is free for WSU Students because WSU is a corporate sponsor. Membership is also free for alumni if they work for any one of the corporate sponsors.

What age people belong to YPW? Age 21 – 40. The junior or senior year in college is the ideal time to join. However, there will soon be a new initiative – Nexus – that will focus on helping students make connections earlier.

What happens at a typical YPW meeting? Some meetings are social events and held at restaurants/bars. Most are free. There is a charge for “ultra mingles” -- for example, baseball games.

It sounds as if YPW is primarily a social organization. We typically host 3-7 events every month. One of those is a purely social event; the rest have some sort of education, professional development, or service component that is the focus of the event. While there is always time for networking/socializing at events, there is much more to YPW than that.

Are there ways to be actively involved? Yes, be part of a team. Teams meet monthly.

What are some of the teams? Teams include a team that plans events, a team that plans lunch and learns, the professional development team, and the community relations team that plans community service.

What are some of the community service projects YPW participates in? The Kansas Food Bank and Big Brothers Big Sisters. The largest community service of the year is ENHANCE through which YPW members work on the exteriors of homes for people in the community who need help.

What is the best way to get involved in YPW? There is another team --the leadership link team. It is probably the best team for college students to get involved in. This team focuses on political awareness and gives team members the opportunity to meet with elected officials in Wichita and Sedgwick County.

Why should WSU students/alumni join Young Professionals of Wichita? YPW provides the opportunity to network with other YPW members and also more experienced professionals in the community. It also gives people the chance to meet HR representatives from many different organizations in Wichita.

Are you still asking “why join YPW?” I would ask why wouldn’t you?