If Your Company Won’t Help You, Do It Yourself

O.K. another post about the economic conditions and the fact that companies are cutting back.  I’ve heard, seen and experienced the pinch of what the current economy is doing to people.  I know those that have been laid off, took cuts in pay, reduce hours and had their fringe benefits slashed.  I know people are working harder and longer to make up for the fact that the company  had to let others go and they are left  to pick up the slack.  One would think that just keeping your head above all this would be enough, but wait…. let’s add that you still need to keep your primary and foundational skills sharp.

No one can remain stagnate and expect to grow.  The current economic state will change and jobs will be available once again.  You will want to either move up in your current company or move to another company.  You want to demonstrate that you have not let your skills atrophy while waiting but that you did something to take control of your own destiny.  After all your company has cut out the important programs they once had like, training & development courses, seminars, tuition reimbursement plans and other continuing educational benefits.  They have eliminated mentors and advisers.  You are left to not only work the job, but develop and grow with no help from your employer (in many cases, there still are those wise companies that realize the biggest asset they have – their employees and I salute you!)

So how do you do this?  First,  the easiest way is to read. Read topics relating to your field, read news articles, blog postings, any material you can get your hands on and with the internet it has never been easier.  If you find someone who is of great interest, subscribed to their RSS feed so that their content comes directly to your Inbox.

Next, go on-line and search for free webinars.  YouTube is a wealth of information.  People just like you are sharing their experiences as well as some experts that are sharing their seminars and workshop videos.  Did you know you can learn how to dance through YouTube, just in case you need a diversion occasionally.

Find your own mentor or adviser that who aligns with your career goals and aspirations.  I’d suggest using LinkedIn to find a connection.  With the number of people on LinkedIn you are bound to find one that matches what you are looking for.  When you do, reach out to them.  If you are concerned about how they will react, just think of how you would react if someone contacted you because of your skills, knowledge and abilities.  I bet you would feel honored.

If you are not on LinkedIn now is the time to join.  While you are setting up your profile you also want to check out the Groups and join a few so that you can follow and contribute to the ongoing conversations.  Not only can you get great advice from these groups, but you can also share your knowledge and help someone else.  If you have a question about your field of interest, or you are thinking of changing careers, this is a great place to find out more.

If you really want to push the envelope, start a group at your own company.  You could meet during a lunch hour, before or after work.  Be creative.  You could pick a topic and lead the discussion or ask for an outside expert to come in and be a guest speaker with each person paying a nominal fee if the speaker is going to charge you.   Find out who is handling the training and development in your company and ask for assistance.  They might come back and tell you they don’t have the resources at this time, but you are demonstrating that development is important to you.  Who knows, they may listen and offer support.

Networking Using Social Media

Why is it that people still believe that the only time they need to network is when they are looking for a job?  These same people also believe that the art of networking is telling someone you know that you are out of work and asking them if they know of anyone who is hiring.   I would agree that word of mouth is the best referral, but using this tactic is not the way to gain friends and influence people!

I see something daily about social media the likes of LinkedIn, Plaxo, Facebook and Twitter.  Let’s face it we are a technology driven world.  Where some want to resist using some or all of these means to network, others are using them in the wrong way, but more on that in another posting.  People need to understand that networking is staying connected.  It means taking an interest in what others are doing.  It is building and fostering relationships.    Back in the good old days you knew everyone in your town.  You sat at the corner cafe and talked for hours.  Now a days we use technology and tweet, text, email and SKYPE.  Why? All to stay connected.

If you are using any of the social media as a means to simply gather lists of names or followers, then you have missed the point.  Remember quality not quantity.  The other item to remember about networking is reciprocity.  President Kennedy said it well when he stated “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country”.  Networking is the same.  It is not only what others can do for you, but what can you do to help others.  Perhaps you know of the perfect person to fill a position that they have vacant.  Or you know of a great technology wizard that can help them with the computer problems, or a book, article or publication that they would like to read to stay engaged in their own careers.

If you would like to know how many people now use social media sites, click here. or click here for more information.  Staying engaged with people is part of our fabric of life.   Use these social media sites with care and build your network with the intent of staying engaged for the betterment of all.

Out of Work? Networking?

Networking is something that should be done all the time.  Whenever you are out and about or in your office, you should be keeping your network open.  However, as I coach people who are out of work I hear the same thing over and over again, ” I need to find where all my contacts are.  Or, I have to start networking”.

There are a couple of problems with this thought process.  The first being that you have let your pipeline of contacts disappear and now you are trying to reconnect.  This is always harder than when you have kept a touch point with your network all along.  The amount of time it will take you to find your contacts can be exhausting.  Plus when you do find them, what do you do?  Do you call, send a letter, send an email?  What do you say?  Think of how you feel when someone contacts you that you haven’t heard from in awhile. What is the first thing that comes to your mind?  Exactly!!!!  Not a very positive thought is it?

LinkedIn, Facebook, Plaxo and other networking sites are all wonderful ways to reconnect.  From a professional standpoint, LinkedIn and Plaxo are the best.  Facebook is being used by some, but depending on the industry, it may not be right for you.  You may want to keep Facebook for friends and family only.  Use the filters provided on the sites so that you can have more control over who can see your information.

When I  ask clients what they will say when the do reconnect with someone they tend to tell me that they will let the person know that they are out of working.  Here again is a dilemma.  How would you feel if you hadn’t heard from someone in awhile and when that person finally connects with you they let you know they are out of work.   As the receiver of this news you may feel put on the spot.  An uncomfortable place to be.  This is another reason why networking should be done all the time.  Stay in touch with people and they will not be suspicious wondering why you have just now thought to reconnect.

Once you are reconnect use your network wisely.  When job searching you want to do your homework on companies that are hiring and that are of interest to you.  Your network is the perfect place to find out more about a company.   Here is an example:

1. You see that XYZ company has an opening
2. You check your contacts on Linked or where ever you house your database of contacts
3. You check to see if anyone in your contacts currently works at XYZ – if yes, then you proceed to contact them to see if they know of the opening or who in the company would be best suited for you to contact and inquire more about the job.
4. If no one works at XYZ in your contact list, you can still contact these people and ask them if they know of someone who may know someone at XYZ.

The difference in this approach vs. telling all your contacts that you are out of work is that you are doing your own foot work.  You are investigating possible solutions to your problem of finding work on your own and not expecting or hoping that someone will solve the problem for you.

People want to help other people.   When you approach someone in the manner stated above they are much more likely to engage with you and keep an eye open for opportunities rather than run and hide when they see you coming.

Out of work?  Networking?  You should be, just remember… networking should be done all the time.  And when you find your next job, don’t let your network fall apart.  Someone may be contacting you and asking if you know someone at XYZ company!