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Networking – The Art of the Data Dump

May 30, 2011 By

To data dump or not to data dump – that is the question.  My answer is ‘Not until it’s asked for’.

There is always a temptation to pack as much information into an e-mail, resume, biography, or answer so the person on the other end gets the ‘full picture’ of who you are.   You are also worried about time – it always seems best to jam in what you can.

You’ve also confirmed it yourself.  Just think back to the last time a salesperson carried on about the features of a product.  You sought the product because it generally fit a couple criteria (size, price, etc.).  Once the salesperson covered your key points, the rest was less interesting or sort of annoying when they kept carrying on.

So how does one data dump artfully?

First, let the information build by starting with a small pitch.  Think of your e-mails, resume, marketing plan, etc. as a commercial.  Give them enough to get interested to ask for more detail.

A decent commercial gives you what need the product fulfills and a couple unique points – that’s it.  Do the same for yourself.

Second, let them seek it out.  Your networking contact will guide where they want more information.  Let them seek it out, because they will remember what they seek and you will be amazed at how much information you will give out.

Go back to the salesperson example; you will remember the 2-3 key features that interest you.  The interesting part is the amount of recall you will have on details shared as part of an answer to your questions.

What if the person does not ask for anything more information?  Then they either do not want it or need it.  So do not give them anymore.  Stick with repeating key points you want them to remember without any depth beyond.

Three, tell a story.  Telling stories of events are useful, because it gives something tangible (an acquisition, a new client, etc.) that the person can attach each of your abstract feature (strategic thinking, communication, etc.).  Begin with the tangible event, this you can give a bit of depth since it’s probably something they are familiar (if not, you’ll know by the look in their eyes), then tie your key point (communication skill).  I find they I get more great questions and discussions following a story.

Lastly, go back to the beginning.  Remember that the sharing of information has to achieve an end goal.   Therefore, always start with what commitment you seek from the person with whom you network (provide a referral, etc.).  Give them enough to be interested, through their questions they will decide if they make the commitment.

Good luck today!

Mark Richards

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Making Networking Effective – Your Timing is Everything

May 8, 2011 By

Your timing of when you deliver your story makes all the difference of whether or not a meeting is successful or not.  A story or pitch is only effective once you’ve fully engaged the other person.

WHY THEY WANT TO BE THERE

“Interested, but need to be engaged” is what I call people who have agreed to network with you.  They agreed to network because of a mutual connection or desire to help, so they are interested.

You want them engaged from the start; therefore you must begin the meeting by showing them why they want to be there.  We all have self-interest and desire to be appreciated.  We also know when those two elements are fulfilled; we are far more likely to engage in whatever activity lies ahead of us.

While not scientific, the chart below will illustrate where to put your attention to get the most of a meeting.

HOW TO GET THEM ENGAGED

Let’s slice up the meeting into four sections and your objective for each section.

Initial Impression: It starts with simple professional courtesy, being on time, etc., but it continues with setting the stage by establishing why you wanted to meet, expected outcome and that you are looking to network with them.

Selling Phase: The initial impression you want to set is that there is a good meeting ahead, which gets their interest.  Now you want to stoke that interest by beginning with them.  The best way to do this is use the 80% rule (80% of networking should be focused on other person – click on the link for tool).  By doing homework beforehand and asking question during the meeting, you will likely be able to offer them help through connections or insight.  During this time you do not focus on yourself at all.

Telling Phase: The help you offer has opened the door for you to make a very simple pitch.  The pitch should be the 2-3 important messages that want your connection to remember after the meeting.   To make a message about a skill or experience memorable is to accompany it with an outcome or important lesson.  If someone would like to learn more about any of the 2-3 message, they will ask.

It’s your pitch, but you still need to keep focused on your contact and watch their eyes and body language for signs of disinterest or lack of understanding.  I learned that just because I thought a point was compelling it did not mean everyone did  (even if I repeated it).  I also learned to what how my questions where answered, which gave me a sense of how the other person likes to communicate – whether it was telling stories, humor and sketching on paper – I would use the same methods to explain my message.  Remember if the loss of interest continues, regardless of where you are in the pitch, it’s time to move to the close.

Close: To send your contact with motivation to help, close the meeting with your follow-up actions.  Most people will respond with their own actions, if they do not, it’s not a cause for worry.  Once a meeting starts to finish most people begin to think about the rest of their day.  You will get those thoughts to them in your follow-up e-mail.

Changing your contact from ‘interested’ to ‘engaged’ will make the world of difference in a meeting’s effectiveness.  Not just during, but more importantly after the meeting when most of the follow-up work really happens.

Hope this helps.

Mark

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Letting People Know How It Went

April 5, 2011 By

You love to know how a story ends and your networking contacts are the same.

When you keep those who provided you with leads, networking referrals, contacts, etc. with an update on the outcome, it gives people a sense of self-satisfaction in two ways.  You give affirmation that their networking provided value (1X) and that you appreciated their efforts (2X). 

The sense of satisfaction and ability to help is a great motivator for all of us when it comes to networking.  It’s this sense that you want to build into your networking relationship, as it almost ensures you will network in the future.

This is not a step that not everyone takes and by doing so, you set apart your relationship from their others, because those with great satisfaction have greater meaning and depth. 

I can share from my own experience to demonstrate the power of the follow-up.  I’ve made over 500 introductions to my network and have received 15 follow-up notes.  I can tell who each person who sent me those notes and will share with them again and again.

Like any follow-up note, you have another opportunity to offer to share your network and also remind them of what you are seeking, thus keeping the spirit of mutual networking going.  However, these notes are much more powerful than general update e-mail, so they are more likely to get a response.  

One big question is how do you follow-up to situations that do not go as expected?  You always send a follow-up note.  Here are some ideas you can use to respond to different situations.

What if the meeting was a clunker?    I was honest and said as much as it’s what they probably heard already.   You can be professional, prepared, etc., but a networking meeting may not go well as you don’t connect with the other person.  It’s just a matter of when, not if, so take it as part of the journey.

What if the other person was a not a fit?   If someone makes a referrals for a specific purpose (connect into company, etc.) that was not a fit, then it’s best to let them know.  My follow-up note shared thoughts on where the person would be a good referral.  For example, I got someone who was great in an industry, but not for the specific company I sought.    

What if the other person was a dud?   I’ve had referrals of people who were simply poor networkers (lack of interest, incredibly busy, etc.) or where the connection was not strong.  My follow-up note acknowledged that I met with the person and that there were no immediate areas to assist one another.

What if the person was no-show/no-response?  My note stated that I had reached out and we had been unable to connect.

I know that sending these notes adds another layer of work, but well working the investment into the long-term relationship building and will pay dividends both today and in the future. The good thing about these notes is you can fit them in when you have time, so I usually did loads of these while watching a football game, etc.

Good luck today!

Mark

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When Anyplace, Anytime, Anywhere Yields Lower Results

March 27, 2011 By

Your objective in networking is to build a relationship that mutually benefits each party.

The first step in building in defining how you can help one another, as once this is defined the networking can really get underway.

You’ll do research and listen during your first meeting to get ideas for where you can help one another.  Now what?

You will be tempted (like all of us) to use the approach called “Anyplace, Anytime, Anywhere” where you keep the networking very general to keep all the options for helping one another open.

However, while it may appear counterintuitive, the more focused you become on a single area for each of you to begin, the greater the result.   Because this gives you something to act upon and it is action that truly builds a relationship.

I’ll use a live example from my job search to show how ‘keeping all options open’ does not work.  Here’s how I answered questions during a networking meeting.

Q: What size company are you targeting?

A: My experience could work at any size company.

Q: What industry are you interested in?

A: I have service industry experience, but I’m open to all industries.

Q: Public or Private firm…

You know where my meeting was going: Nowhere. I came across as either uncertain of my skills or interests.   I gave my networking contact nothing to work on to make connections or help identify possible jobs (I have also sat through countless meetings where I received similar answers). 

One of my favorite examples of where taking a very specific focus is very effective, the 37Signals team’s (www.37signals.com) approach for building software.  They intentionally design less features and scope in order to deliver a specific need of high importance to their clients.  Their philosophy is to establish a very clear relationship with the buyer as to what they should expect to receive.  The smaller focus also enables them to deliver.  (Writer note: I’m totally underselling the 37Signals story, recommend you visit their site or better yet read one of their books to get the full spirit of the firm and their accomplishments).  

What is interesting is that once I narrowed my search focus (very narrow), I was finding myself interviewing more often based upon leads from my networking contacts.  On the flipside, I also found myself delivering more networking referrals.  Mutual benefit = Mission Accomplished.

The lesson here is to start small by picking a specific topic or 3-4 tangible actions where the two of you can help one another.  You will get immediate results and a nice momentum to start this professional relationship.

Good luck today!

Mark Richards

www.candidateschair.com

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Winston Churchill and My Resume – A Lesson in Differentiation

March 18, 2011 By

OUTSTANDING IN YOUR FIELD VERUS STANDING OUT IN THE FIELD

Your resume is probably efficient in conveying all the pertinent data on yourself.  When a prospective employer or networking contact reads it independently it most likely works well.

How does it do among a large field of candidates?

The challenge comes when your resume is one of several dozen that the person is using to screen candidates or deciding which networking request to accept.  What is in your resume to help you stand out in the field so that it gets pulled from the pile?

THE CURSE OF THE SAME-OLD, SAME-OLD

Having run a job transition group since early 2007 I’ve probably read 200 resumes.  More often than not the point of differences between documents is very little.  This is true both within and across professions, the resumes read and sound alike.

I wondered if my resume was any better. Nope. The source of the problem was easy to see; I used the same blogs, websites, books, terms and expressions as everyone else.   I would only stand out in a crowd of one.

PLAN A: THE SUPERSTAR APPROACH

My next mistake was to try to make myself sound like a superstar.  After reading my updated version, one would not be shocked if I’d been asked to consider being the Pope.  Despite the attraction of Italian food, I decided version of my resume was not much of an improvement.

A MARKETER’S LESSON: DIFFERENT, NOT BETTER

Next, I posed my challenge to a marketing colleague.  His response was simple: You do NOT have to be better than the other candidates.  You MUST be different.  You must create a contrast between yourself and other candidates, it what gets you noticed.

He compared cars and job candidates.  Cars all have the same functions; much like candidates applying for a role will have similar backgrounds (degrees, positions, etc.).  Cars are sold by showing their point of difference versus others, so do the same with my background.

In the case of an open position, whether from a database search or scan of roles held, the first pass of candidates who qualify.  The next step will be figuring who to invite, it’s the points of differentiation that will get you the invite.

WORDS STILL MATTER

Providing differentiation is a combination of both substance (highlighting unique combination of skills and experience) and form (how you deliver the message).  Each of us will know the 3-4 key skills we repeatedly rely upon to be successful in our role, so let’s focus on the form.

The form is two parts.  The first is format, the cleaner the better. The second is the message.    

The second is more challenging because it’s what is written that matters to both capture the attention and engage the reader to want to learn more.

PLAN B: ENTER WINSTON CHURCHHILL

I decided to find a source of inspiration to help me use a different method to describe myself and experiences.  To use language that would interest the reader.   After browsing in the library, I found a book of speeches by Winston Churchill.  (So I guess it was Plan C).

Besides being a fascinating read, Mr. Churchill’s speeches took my writing style in a new direction. I did not use exact lines from the speeches, but it was just the spark needed.  I kept all of the required points of interest for a potential employer and their database search, but how I described them was completely different from before.

Saying re-writing my resume was fun might be a stretch (it’s like saying getting dental work is fun), but I sure felt more productive in how I expressed myself.  More important was the result: People picked up on the key points I want them to remember and I was surprised at how much more of my resume they had reviewed.

For my own blog, I found loads of inspiration from the writing style of author Jeffrey Fox and Guy Kawasaki’s, which write to the point and tongue in cheek, respectively. 

Look around and find what inspires you – and then set yourself apart in the field.

Good luck today!

Mark Richards

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The Dreaded Question: How Long Have You Been Out of Work?

March 3, 2011 By

You may get this question.  The longer you’ve been out the greater the dread to answer it, because we all know there can be a stigma to being in transition.

Fear not, here are two approaches to this question and help get past any stigma of being in transition.  The first is before the interview and the second is for use during the interview.

#1: RECOMMENDATIONS

Recommendations will show that you did good work in prior roles, getting these in the hands of the interviewer in advance is a great way to get them focused on your work. 

Having recommendations from former colleagues publicly displayed on your LinkedIn profile, personal blog or as files on your BusinessCard2.com account is a powerful tool.   Saying that you have relationships is good; having immediate proof for an interviewer makes it stick.

Quick tip: When you make the request include the key points you want your contact to highlight.  This will make it easier for them to write a recommendation.

When reaching out to the HR contact or hiring manager, you can send them a link to your references in advance.  Mention the references in the body of your e-mail and beneath your signature include the following format to describe your references that provide 4 points of information for each one: Name, Title, relationship, and length of relationship.

YYY Corporation:

John Smith, CEO, I reported to him for 5 years.

Jane Smith, Project manager, member of my team for 6 years.

Dave Smith, Field manager, primary contact for on working on new construction for 3 years.

ZZZ Corporation:

Bill Smith, COO, I reported to him for 4 years.

#2: OPPORTUNITY TO GET REEMPLOYED

This is not an economic lesson, but simply sharing your potential opportunity to get reemployed.  If the opportunity has been low, then you again deflect the concern from your performance. The person asking the question may not understand the situation at your prior firm and the industry, the size of the pool of individuals competing for roles you seek, and number of openings available.  You will not use all these points, but getting the facts will help craft a good answer.

  1. Explain the business you were in and situation that required layoffs
  2. The state of business’s recovery and if there has been an opportunity to be rehired
  3. Was the decline across your industry and were other firms laying off people?  If so, then there was a limited ability to move to a competing firm.
  4. What is the fate of people in similar roles from both your prior firm and others? If loads of people in similar positions are still in transition, it’s not just you.
  5. Where does your role fall in the ‘rehire’ cycle.  For example, my own role is in finance and we are often the last to get rehired – simply because we are in overhead.  Despite a company doing better, there is a lag effect before people in my position get rehired.

 Having the facts will help you state the situation without emotion.

Hope this helps.

Mark

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The Question That Ends a Meeting Quickly

February 21, 2011 By

“So tell me what your company does?”

When I get this question, I start thinking about what else I need to do today.  Why?  Despite having LinkedIn, Company websites, databases available via public library, etc., it tells me that this person across the table has not even taken 5 minutes to do a simple search.

Your willingness to invest into the meeting has a direct correlation with how much you will get out.  The more research you do the more likely you’ll understand the type of connections they will have, how you can help them, etc.  It’s also the first indication to the person with whom you meet whether or not you are taking the meeting seriously.

See the tool “10 Questions to Understand a Company” – whether your contact is a CEO, CFO, lawyer or banker – you can use these questions to understand what they do.

If you are meeting a service provider (lawyer, banker, etc.) most of them have extensive websites with explanation of services, biographies, etc. 

Always look beyond the work experience to their participation in professional associations, college/grad-school alumni, etc. – this gives you another area for networking and indicates where they invest their time. 

The reason you get more out of the networking meeting is because you leap past discovery into greater discussion about their background, issues about their business and how you can help one another.   Both of you will walk away from the meeting with a greater satisfaction and you’ve just made yourself more memorable to that person.

Also, see “Practicing the 80 Percent Rule of Networking” , “Anatomy of a Networking Meeting” and “Networking Meeting Checklist” to help your preparation.

Remember that this person will be likely networking/meeting with a dozen more people – so being memorable is important.

Good luck today!

Mark Richards

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You Are Not a Job Description

February 17, 2011 By

Here’s another one of my mistakes – I described myself by my job description.

In competition for a position, you simply need to be different than the other candidate (Not always better).

If you follow my mistake, you create absolutely no difference.  In fact, all I did was playback their job description in your own terms.   I was so focused on the requirements of the role – not how my experience has shaped how I delivered upon those requirements.

I find everyone has 3-4 unique characteristics that they use on a daily base to solve issues, work with clients, etc. – these are what you want to promote about yourself.

The characteristics are what people will remember and like about you.

Promote these characteristics in your first sentence, opening overview of yourself, etc.   No need to go into detail at this point just set the tone for what sets you apart from the other candidates.  Fill in the blanks as you go. 

If you don’t know what characteristics to use – ask a friend or colleague.

Good luck today!

Mark Richards

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Advice Received – How to Sort Through It

February 13, 2011 By

Advice is one thing you are sure to receive plenty of during your search.  All of it will sound good.

To save time on figuring out what to use, I apply the following rules of thumb.

For advice on how to organize or run your search:

Understand if the person providing the advice has ever been in job search.  If not, then it’s less likely that you can use it, since it’s usually more theoretical than practical.

When it comes to recruiters, they can give you a job search from a recruiter’s perspective – but again if they have not been in search themselves, beyond working with recruiters their advice is more of exposure versus experience.

For advice on how to pitch Yourself:

A colleague of mine, Peter Van Nest, who had been in transition before, took me to task for not have a sharp message.  He stopped our meeting after ten minutes and took me a step-by-step in getting it together.   This advice was pure gold and the type you should openly seek – as everyone who meets you can give you feedback.

Again, while I don’t want to pick on recruiters, but remember that they are working for companies so their advice of making a candidate look good is also a method to receiving a fee.  So just keep that in the back of your mind.  (At my website, I have a great post from Marcia Ballinger on how to work with recruiters – just look under the “You and Recruiters” section).

The benefit of meeting so many people is getting different point of views – so hopefully these will help you sort through them.

Good luck today!

Mark Richards

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Networking Meetings – Ten Tips to Make Them More Effective

February 3, 2011 By

Here are ten tips I’ve picked up to make my meetings more productive:

One:  Start each meeting by stating the purpose for meeting – sets the table for the whole meeting

Two:  Do a time check after you state the purpose – so you know how much time you have

Three:  Save the idle chit-chat to the end, they have agreed to meet and help – use the time wisely

Four:  Start with how you can help them – to show this is a true networking meeting

Five:  Do your homework – try to have 2-3 contacts that may help them

Six:  Keep your pitch short – treat it like a commercial. Get them interested to learn more

Seven:  Use a Marketing plan – a great tool to help express the role you seek

Eight: You take all the notes – confirm the actions each of you agreed to – starting with your own

Nine: They pick up the Blackberry or close their notebook – the meeting is done.  Say thanks and close it down.

Ten:  Send the follow-up note within 48 hours. Put your name in the e-mail title – they will remember your name.

Nothing too fancy here – but helped me get loads of connections.

Good luck today!

Mark Richards

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