Comments on: Looking When You Have a Job (aka, the planned transition) http://www.jibberjobber.com/blog/2007/08/28/looking-when-you-have-a-job-aka-the-planned-transition/ advocacy for the job seeker Thu, 18 Mar 2010 21:56:58 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Maggie http://www.jibberjobber.com/blog/2007/08/28/looking-when-you-have-a-job-aka-the-planned-transition/comment-page-1/#comment-68402 Maggie Wed, 29 Aug 2007 16:22:23 +0000 http://www.jibberjobber.com/blog/archives/855#comment-68402 I used to hate "networking". I really thought it was the most repugnant activity imaginable. Even today I don't like the word itself. Drop me at a "networking" event and I freeze. That said, I have learned to network my own way. I am kind to vendors, I crack jokes and I build personal relationships with them outside of work. I have learned that networking is not just building a rolodex of business cards or talking to people you don't know at some forced event. It's about having good relations with people, and helping them before you need help from them. These days I'm a resource for other job seeking friends and coworkers just because I have those relationships. I like to connect people with people. If you're uncomfortable with the word networking, do what I did and look at it as just being good to people. It always pays off in the long run. Maggie http://corprockstar.blogspot.com I used to hate “networking”. I really thought it was the most repugnant activity imaginable. Even today I don’t like the word itself. Drop me at a “networking” event and I freeze. That said, I have learned to network my own way. I am kind to vendors, I crack jokes and I build personal relationships with them outside of work. I have learned that networking is not just building a rolodex of business cards or talking to people you don’t know at some forced event. It’s about having good relations with people, and helping them before you need help from them.

These days I’m a resource for other job seeking friends and coworkers just because I have those relationships. I like to connect people with people. If you’re uncomfortable with the word networking, do what I did and look at it as just being good to people. It always pays off in the long run.

Maggie
http://corprockstar.blogspot.com

]]> By: Pete Johnson http://www.jibberjobber.com/blog/2007/08/28/looking-when-you-have-a-job-aka-the-planned-transition/comment-page-1/#comment-68250 Pete Johnson Tue, 28 Aug 2007 20:59:43 +0000 http://www.jibberjobber.com/blog/archives/855#comment-68250 I couldn't agree more, Jason. In fact, I'd extend your two points to say that networking and strengthening your personal brand not only help your next job find you (instead of the other way around) but can help you generate better resume bullets. Here's my personal sequence of events that has proved this to me: - In February, I posted a comment on a guest post Jason did on CollegeRecruiter.com - Jason initiated an email exchange and added me to his network - In May, I happened to mention to Jason that I was going to Austin on some HP business. Within 2 hours, Jason had arranged for me to meet a group of bloggers based there, including Scott Allen, for dinner. - At the dinner Scott gave me a copy of his great book The Virtual Handshake (<a href="http://blog.nerdguru.net/2007/06/book-report-virtual-handshake.html">my review</a>), which I read on the flight home. - Taking some personal branding suggestions from Scott's book, I begin to use my job title (below) in blog comment signatures. - About a week after I started doing that, I got approached by the editors of an online Java community, who only knew what I did for a living because of the comment signature, about writing an article for them on HP.com's architecture. The article is set to run within the next month. So, because of my network (well, my use of Jason's network really) and a simple personal branding technique, I will soon have a writing credit on my resume I wouldn't have otherwise had. I can't believe I didn't start doing this kind of thing sooner. I have definitely been assimilated on it now. Pete Johnson HP.com Chief Architect Personal blog: http://nerdguru.net I couldn’t agree more, Jason. In fact, I’d extend your two points to say that networking and strengthening your personal brand not only help your next job find you (instead of the other way around) but can help you generate better resume bullets. Here’s my personal sequence of events that has proved this to me:

- In February, I posted a comment on a guest post Jason did on CollegeRecruiter.com

- Jason initiated an email exchange and added me to his network

- In May, I happened to mention to Jason that I was going to Austin on some HP business. Within 2 hours, Jason had arranged for me to meet a group of bloggers based there, including Scott Allen, for dinner.

- At the dinner Scott gave me a copy of his great book The Virtual Handshake (my review), which I read on the flight home.

- Taking some personal branding suggestions from Scott’s book, I begin to use my job title (below) in blog comment signatures.

- About a week after I started doing that, I got approached by the editors of an online Java community, who only knew what I did for a living because of the comment signature, about writing an article for them on HP.com’s architecture. The article is set to run within the next month.

So, because of my network (well, my use of Jason’s network really) and a simple personal branding technique, I will soon have a writing credit on my resume I wouldn’t have otherwise had. I can’t believe I didn’t start doing this kind of thing sooner. I have definitely been assimilated on it now.

Pete Johnson
HP.com Chief Architect
Personal blog: http://nerdguru.net

]]> By: Chuck http://www.jibberjobber.com/blog/2007/08/28/looking-when-you-have-a-job-aka-the-planned-transition/comment-page-1/#comment-68213 Chuck Tue, 28 Aug 2007 17:28:20 +0000 http://www.jibberjobber.com/blog/archives/855#comment-68213 I am skilled on the phone. When I was transitioning, I placed cold calls into organizations that seemed interesting just to express my interest and admiration for what they were doing. They were small companies and appreciated my interest in their niche (mostly software). Then I'd add that I would be interested in exploring a position with the company and would like to learn more. I got an interview about 20% of the time because I was looking at small organizations and gave a great pitch on the phone. It's not exactly the topic of this post, but if you are great on the phone, it probably won't hurt. I am skilled on the phone. When I was transitioning, I placed cold calls into organizations that seemed interesting just to express my interest and admiration for what they were doing. They were small companies and appreciated my interest in their niche (mostly software).

Then I’d add that I would be interested in exploring a position with the company and would like to learn more.

I got an interview about 20% of the time because I was looking at small organizations and gave a great pitch on the phone. It’s not exactly the topic of this post, but if you are great on the phone, it probably won’t hurt.

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