“Don’t be a resume” and other great networking tips
by Angela Loëb
Yesterday I spoke to a job seekers group in town about networking and making a strong first impression. I borrowed from an older program I gave to Launch Pad Job Club in May of ’09 called Cultivating Connections During Career Transition.
There’s what I call the “Lagniappe Section” of the presentation, which is specifically focused on job search networking versus general business networking. My fellow New Orleanians will know this already, but in case you’re not from New Orleans, lagniappe means “a little something extra.” Below are 3 lagniappe networking tips to help you with your networking approach.
Be aware of how you project yourself.
Always be aware of your manners, your integrity and how you talk about your situation and others (and past employers). Become comfortable saying, “I’m between jobs” or “I’m exploring new options.”
Be truthful and authentic – you never know who might pass your name along. Every encounter is a potential job interview or might lead to a career opportunity.
“Don’t be a resume. Be a person. With a personality.” –Terri Mandell (author of Power Schmoozing)
Give friends & family constructive ways to help you.
Find other ways to discuss your job search rather than asking them if they know of any job openings. Maybe they will know of a job opening that is well-suited to you, but maybe they won’t.
Ironically, friends usually want to help, and if they feel they can’t, there’s a strong possibility they’ll start to avoid you. So here’s an alternative… when they ask how your job search is going, say, “I’ve come up with three target companies – X, Y and Z – do you know anything about them or do you know anyone who knows anyone who works there?”
Enjoy yourself and have fun.
Eventually, opportunities & doors will open, but put that agenda aside and enjoy the experience of making friends – of being in the moment – of being of service to someone else.
“Make friends first; probe for openings later.” – Terri Mandell
Great advice, Angela. The resume is similar in that it is okay to show a bit of your personality in the words you choose and content you showcase. A dry list of facts and figures will only go so far, and the hiring manager will not know WHO you are. I call this “humanizing the resume.” How is this done?
Well, one way is to tell stories-YOUR unique story. You might create an overview paragraph that gives a some detail about why you were hired, and how your position changed over time, as well as what challenges the company faced historically during the period you were employed.
Another way is writing a specific and juicy profile (also called career summary). This is the opening paragraph of your resume. Make is detailed and specific to YOU. Avoid cliches and banalities that you’ve seen (and maybe have even copied) from other resumes. Tell YOUR story, and give some flavor of what motivates you to do the work you do. “Don’t be a resume. Be a person.”
Michael Kranes
Certified Advanced Resume Writer
Owner of Resume Slayer