Growing your network

How do I grow my network? What do I mean; social or business?  What I have found that both overlap too much so I am not afraid to cross pollinate.   I focus mainly on two: LinkedIn & Facebook (I do use others but for this post I am limiting my comments to them).  I keep most of my business functions on LinkedIn & Facebook I post things about life.  So, how does that grow my network? It doesn’t but what it does do is it lets people understand me a little bit more.

Here are my 5 tips for making your network more meaningful:

1. Don’t be afraid to friend people, if you want to keep it more personal, limit on Facebook but open up more on LinkedIn. When I meet someone face to face or via social, I add them in.
2. Share more information – I don’t mean “what coffee did I get today” but articles, things that interest you, etc.    If you sit back and don’t say anything, no one knows what to engage you in.
3. Join groups – in both LinkedIn & Facebook, there are groups.  On LinkedIn I used the groups to ask questions, get opinions and comment on other posts.  This also allows me to meet new people and expand my network.
4. Offer to help – A lot of people post a ton of content, needs, jobs, etc.  I love jumping in and helping.  I never expect anything in return but it is nice because people tend to pay it forward.
5. Just because it is a network, don’t make it impersonal - everyone sees what you post/write/comment on.  The best approach is “would you say it in front of a group of people” if not, don’t write.  But, don’t be afraid to give a heartfelt opinion just as you would if you are speaking one on one, face to face.

Personally, I love networking. There is so much I can learn from so many other people and knowing more, helps a ton.  Just because I use the online tools, doesn’t mean I can’t make it more personal!

Management basics

No, this isn’t a dissertation as to how to manage, the concept of managing or anything like that. I wanted to share some quick thoughts on basics concepts/thoughts that people miss while managing.

1. You don’t have to be the smartest – This seriously bugs me, why do people who manage tend to think they need to know everything?  Be humble and realize the people around you tend to know more than you.  It is ok and should be encouraged!
2. Know your place – yes management is a key role to come up with a plan, give direction but know that your main duty is to support your team.  Make sure they are set up for success and you are the person to go to when they need support.  Don’t make them feel like they are on their own.
3. Be prepared to make a decision – One good way to make sure your team is dysfunctional is to hold off on all decisions. Nothing is harder for your team when they don’t know where you stand and what they should be doing.  Even if your decision is wrong, at least they have direction.
4. Communicate even when you don’t think you need to – I admit; this is one of my biggest faults. I assume too much and sometimes I forget that I need to share more.  In meetings, emails or one on one discussions, share your points and always set expectations.
5. If you are not happy, make sure they know – A very bad approach is to wait till the yearly review to tell someone they are not doing their best.  You should have ongoing meetings, discussions, etc.  If they think all is good, you are not doing them justice by waiting or communicating.

There is so much more to managing but making sure you are focused on the right things and not yourself, will help large and small teams go the right direction.

Employer interviewing tips

I have been focusing on the interviewee lately so I thought I would shift gears and focus on tips for people who are interviewing the candidates.  I lot of people really do an “okay” job with interviewing people because they handle the discussion wrong.

1. Plan ahead – figure out what is important and have a list of questions/areas you want to discuss.
2. Encouragement – help the person in the interview, your attitude should not be sink or swim!  Interviewing is stressful, find ways to make the conversation more easy for both sides.
3. Honesty – this is one of my favorite things.   If they are not answering the question you are asking, tell them, don’t let them think they addressed properly.  In many interviews you hear me say, “Thank you for that response but you didn't answer my question.”  I ask again, if they answer wrong again I let it go.
4. Smile - Don’t you want the person to come to your company?
5. Be polite – If someone took their time to come to your office to interview with you, don’t act like they are wasting your time. That isn't fair; they are spending their time too. Be gracious, polite and thank them for coming.

Some of the best interviews I have with candidates are when the whole interview becomes a conversation.  Follow these tips and I am sure it will help.

Handling yourself in a face-to-face interview

Following on from my post for interviewing tips the other day, how you handle yourself is key through the discussion:

1. Always look people in the eyes when answering questions – shows confidence.
2. Take time to answer – no need to rush, slow down take a deep breath.
3. Smile – yes, it is that simple, helps loosen the nerves on both sides.
4. Don’t slouch – comes across as more attentive and interested in the question.
5. Ask clarification questions – communication is hard no matter what you do, sometimes a little clarification goes a long way.
6. Show passion – you are interviewing for a position you want; you should seem to want to be there!
7. Thanking them goes a long way – don’t forget to say thank you and let them know you appreciate their time.

Also, don’t forget to follow up with an email thanking them and make sure you reference something from the conversation.  Generic thank you comments, no one remembers.

6 quick tips to interviewing

Someone asked me the other day for tips about interviewing.  Instead of over thinking the whole thing, some quick ones might help and stir up other questions. 

1. Come prepared – don’t be shy to ask about why are you interviewing with, knowing your audience always helps.  Also, make sure you re-read info about the company and the job description, you don’t want to show up and forget why you are thereJ
2. Know your needs – this could be a blanket statement to know the type of job you want, the environment you want to work in and open questions for concern.  Writing up a head of time things that are important to you will help you prepare (better to do this before the interview so you don’t forget the ones that matter most).
3. Listen to the questions  – huge mistake by so many, they think they know the question they are being asked and they don’t answer anything relevant.    If you are not sure you understood the question, restate the question back to confirm.
4. Be concise – love the run on responses, sometimes people say too much.  Goes back to the last point, know the question and answer appropriately.
5. Be honest – guessing sometimes hurts more than admitting you don’t know.  I ask questions sometimes knowing they shouldn’t know the answer, the whole point is to know if I can trust they would admit they don’t know something from the start.
6. Don’t be shy – you are going for the job right?  Make sure it fits you.  Ask questions that are important, how you think you did and whether or not you answered question correctly (if you are not sure).  If any of this turns the interviewer off, do you really want to work for that company?

Resume and tips!

Are you ready for my latest tips on resumes and applying for jobs? :)

1. Manage your resume, if you haven't worked that long your resume shouldn't be that long.  I just reviewed a resume that was 7 pages long with only 3 years’ experience.  Brief, concise and to the point.

2. Email etiquette, be polite and formal.  Love receiving responses that are three word answers “yes, call me” or “what job”.  If someone is taking time to respond to your resume, respond professional.

3.  Know when to ask your question – don’t ask about money in the first email, make sure it is the right position first.  Everyone should always focus on if they will be happy in a position, start there, money next.

4.  Location, location, location – don’t leave your resume blank where you are based.  I know some people don’t like putting their address down but give an idea where you live, no one wants to guess, it is a quick way to get your name pulled from a list.

5.  Read the posting - make sure you know what you are applying for!  I love receiving applicants for something totally unrelated, really shows the attention to detail.