Networking Tips For Recent Grads

As the calendar turns from July to August, students everywhere are gearing up to go back to school. For recent graduates, this is the first time they will swap their classroom desks for cubicles in the “real world.” If you are a recent graduate looking for the first step in your career, the importance of networking cannot be stressed enough. Given the competitive nature of the job hunt, figuring out how to stand out becomes crucial.

According to Front Office Sports, one out of every 200 resumes results in a job offer, but one out of every 12 informational interviews results in an offer. What does this mean for job seekers? Networking is the way to take your job search to the next level.

Although it is commonly perceived as something only done when looking for a job, networking takes place at all stages of your career. While it is often an awkward experience, networking doesn’t have to be as difficult or daunting as it is thought to be. For recent grads looking for a job, building a network can be the first step in finding your career fit.

If you’re a recent grad on the job search, check out some networking tips from Forbes Contributor Frances Bridges:

Networking Can Just Be Making Friends

Networking is often seen as a contrived, transactional process. Believe it or not, not all networking needs to end in a job offer. In fact, it rarely does. If you’ve already landed a job, this is a way to engage with coworkers and connect with other like-minded individuals within your industry. In doing so, these relationships can be more valuable than the relationships you build up the ladder. According to Bridges, your peers can be the first ones to think of you when there is a job opening, or be a soundingboard for when work is difficult. Your relationship with them is just as important as your relationship with your boss.

Be Intentional With Your Events

When it comes to networking events, selecting which ones to go to comes down to quality over quantity. Don’t sign up for events just for the sake of doing so. If you want to connect with professionals within a specific industry or at a certain company, there are events at which you can do just that. Often times these events have a list of companies that will be represented, so you can decide whether or not you want to attend before signing up blindly. What can you do instead? Try reaching out to industry professionals you’d like to connect with via email or LinkedIn InMail.

Introduce Yourself At The End Of Events

There serial-position effect is a psychological term that refers to the tendency of a person to recall the first and last items in a series best, and the middle items worst. Broken down further, the primacy effect refers to remembering things that happen first, while the recency effect is when people remember things that happened at the end of an event.

That said, when introducing yourself to people at networking events, you should introduce yourself to people at the end so they remember you better. If you make a good impression at the end of the event, they are more likely to remember you compared to introducing yourself at the beginning.

It’s All For Nothing If You Don’t Follow-Up

As we mentioned in last week’s featured article (Want To Get Hired? Don’t Forget This Simple Task), following up is a key way to stand out in both the job search and networking. If you make a good connection with someone through your networking, make the effort to follow-up and stay in touch. If anything, just stay relevant to them because it is hard enough to make connections, but pretty easy to lose them. You don’t want to gain a reputation of being someone who only reaches out to connections when you need something (a job, introduction, etc.). Fostering and maintaining your networking relationships is as, if not more, important than making that initial connection.

Wrap Up

If you’re a recent graduate looking for your first “real world” job and are frustrated with the job search, it might be time to take a step back and focus on your networking efforts. Thanks to these tips from Frances Bridges (read the full article here), you can use networking as a way to stand out during your search.

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Looking to Network? Admitting You Need Advice is the First Step

Stop and think back in time for a moment. How often have you said no to someone when they asked you for advice?

The answer for most is likely never. As leaders and professionals, most relish the opportunity to share their expertise and be seen as an “authority” on a topic—even if it is only for a short period of time. It is also why many leaders, like yourself, write blog posts for their company to share their insight and advice into the world they work in.

Why is this important? Well, the idea of asking for advice can help open up a bigger world of networking for most people, they just never really looked at it that way.

Let’s face it, in large part the reason professionals network is an attempt to create new business opportunities for their company and find a new way to meet their monthly sales quota. Very few people really want to go to a networking event for two hours AFTER they have been at work all day long, but they bite the bullet for the drinks, appetizers and possibility they may have a good conversation with one prospect who can make their month go from okay to great when it comes to reconciling their bottom line.

While I am sure some of you thoroughly enjoy the repetitive nature of networking events, what if you took a different approach when it comes to networking? Why not reach out to people—either at the events or through great tools like LinkedIn—and ask for their advice?

How could this work? Why would someone who does not know you take the time to give you advice? Well, let’s look at a scenario.

Let’s say you have identified a company you would like to do business with in the future. Furthermore, you have identified a key member of that organization who you would like to be in contact with because you know they can influence the outcome of the decision. How do you go about reaching out to them?

Most would start with something like, “Dear (insert name here), my name is so and so and I think our businesses would align well in the future. I’d love to set up a meeting with you to discuss. Please let me know if you have 15 minutes on (insert date here).”

If you are laughing right now, it is probably because you sent that email—or one like it—at least 10 times this month alone. On the other side, how many times have you ignored an email just like that from someone you do not know? Probably quite a few times.

So how do you get around this “blocker” of an email?

Well, it is time to turn back the clocks and do some good, old-fashioned research on the person you want to reach, then ask for their advice. “Dear (insert name here), I came across your profile on LinkedIn and notice your company is doing (insert stat from profile or website here) in the (insert industry here), that is amazing! I was wondering if you could share some advice with me on how you motivated your team to reach numbers like that. I have a great team here, but I really want to do something to take them to the next level.”

Your message does not have to be exactly like that, as you will tailor it up to fit your need and the person’s industry, but you get the picture. The identified prospect is much more likely to take a couple minutes to provide you with advice on how they were successful, than set up a 15 minute-fact finding mission with a person they do not know. On top of that, they will likely look into your organization through any links in your email signature as well to find out who you are and what your company does (boom, you do not really even have to spend time establishing credibility). And if you are really lucky, they may extend an offer to “talk more.”

But Wait …

Now that you understand how to ask for advice, I have to tell you something—the message of the email or LinkedIn message is great, but it does not get you in the door. You need to make sure of one thing above all else.

Your request for advice MUST be in subject line or everything we just discussed does not matter.

Finding a way to make your need for advice stand out in the email subject line is paramount. If they are from the same college you went to, point that out (Fellow Viking Grad Looking for Advice), if they are in your industry, mention that (Fellow Marketing Professional Who Needs Your Advice). These are just a couple of suggestions, feel free to get creative with it when reaching out, but unless you draw attention to the fact you need advice before they open the email, they may never see your request!

The moral of the story here is simple.

Everyone is looking for a way to grow their network and develop better business contacts, it is just a natural part of our professional lives. Furthermore, everyone is looking for a way to stand out from the crowd.

Well, standing out has never been easier. All you have to do is stop looking for a cheap trick that has worked for someone else on the internet. Instead, swallow your pride and be genuine—and just ask someone who is doing it right for a little advice.

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3 Ways to Get Ahead With LinkedIn

After a brief trip into the NexGoal toolbox last week, we have decided to return back to our “Three for Thursday” ways here in the content department. This week’s focus returns to a constant source of frustration for some job seekers—LinkedIn.

Commonly viewed as a “living resume” by some, jobs seekers do not seem to utilize LinkedIn to the most of its capabilities. Sure, it isn’t as “cool” as Facebook or Twitter, but creating and managing a top-notch LinkedIn profile could help you ascend to new career levels you never thought were a possibility.

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With the next evolution of LinkedIn on the horizon (I had the privilege of recently viewing the upgrade coming for users in the near future as part of an Influencers’ community), making sure your LinkedIn profile is updated and accurate is going to be of the utmost importance. With this in mind, let’s take a look at three ways you can create or update your LinkedIn profile to stand out from the crowd!

Take Advantage of the Summary Section

The difference between LinkedIn and an actual resume you send to an employer is you can personalize it more because you are not bound by the one/two page requirements of most resumes. The best place to do this is the summary section.

In this area, you have plenty of space (2,000 characters to be exact) to tell employers what you can bring to their company. Do not just reiterate what you have done at past companies, instead utilize industry jargon and keywords to draw connections to the skills you possess and help you stand out from the first moment they read this section.

In my personal summary section, I chose to let other LinkedIn users get to know me on three levels. The first level is in regard to my sports writing background, then the second is directly tied to my current industry experience. Finally, I put a short statement on what I bring to companies right there in the summary section.

You can obviously tailor this section to fit your industry and career desires, but make sure to put some thought and effort into developing something original for this section. The more you can stand out, the better chance you have of someone reaching out to you about a career opportunity.

Make Your Profile a Portfolio

Did you know you can add videos, images, documents, presentations and more to each of your positions on your profile? Seriously, it is a great feature that can help enhance your profile from just another resume to a small portfolio website that stands out from the crowd.

Pretend you are a hiring manager for a second. Say you are looking to hire someone for video editing and are searching on LinkedIn. How great would it be if you could actually view a video they have edited before reaching out to see if their skills match what you are looking for?

Well, that is exactly what LinkedIn allows job seekers to do—and many are taking advantage of it, so you should too.

Connect With People!

LinkedIn is all about connections, so you need to actually have some for the social networking website to be effective. You can connect with people you know in your personal life, former colleagues, those you have met at networking events and so many more. In fact, when you log on you even have the option to scroll through recommendations for people you may know based on your current connections.

Why is this important? Put simply, the more connections you have the better chance your profile shows up in search and recommendations for others. If your name and job title stand out to someone, that could then trigger them to reach out to discuss a possible opportunity for career growth. So go connect, now!

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3 Workplace Stories You Should Read Before 2017

As 2016 comes to a close, there are always some stories in the employment world that do not get enough attention. For that reason, our content team put together a list of three stories that stood out over the last couple of weeks, why you should take the time to read them and our reaction to the report.

NBA Player Criticized for Missing Work for Daughter’s Birth

In an article originally published on Inc.com, the author discussed criticism that Boston Celtics center Al Horford was receiving from some in the local media about missing a game because of the birth of his daughter.

The media member, Michael Felger of CSN New England, stated, “Al Horford, your $30 million man or however much you pay him a year, sat out tonight because he had the birth of his kid–was it yesterday? Yesterday. He had the birth of his kid in Atlanta. The game was in Miami. I know when you make $30 million a year, it ain’t much to get a private jet. [Celtics co-owner] Wyc [Grousbeck] would probably pick it up to fly down at 3 o’clock from Atlanta. It’s a 90-minute flight to Atlanta. Play the game and come right back. I’m sure his wife is in the hospital surrounded by nurses, mothers, aunts, relatives. I would have gone to the game, I would have played the game, and I like my guys to sort of forsake everything for the team.”

Why is this relevant to the workplace? Paternity leave has always been a hot topic in the hiring industry because fathers often have to take the time off unpaid for the birth of their child. Some, like friends of mine, saved up their vacation time for the week after the birth of their children, but many get caught in a situation where they do not have enough time off to be with their family after birth.Al Horford Baby

Many companies are adopting more flexible scheduling and time off benefits, which include paternity leave for their male employees. The reaction by this Boston-area media member over Horford missing time—granted by his employer—is incredible and an archaic response to what is supposed to be a great time in someone’s life.

6 Icebreakers for Your Next Holiday Event

We all spend a lot of our time Networking, so it is no surprise the fine folks over at TopResume provided us with this great read on how to break the ice at your networking events. I am not going to list out all six icebreakers, please head over to the article to read them in full, but this one seemed much easier than the card trick they suggested to start.

Ask for Advice: “These networking icebreakers are especially easy if your event has a buffet or a drink menu. “I’ve never been here before. What’s their specialty?” “I’d like to try something new. What’s your favorite?”

Most people dive into the “what do you do” portion of the conversation entirely too early at networking events, which is why asking someone for advice is more inviting and engaging. Once you loosen them up a little bit because you order their suggestion, the conversation should flow pretty easily from there.

Is it Illegal to Criticize Your Employer on Social Media?

The majority of you have seen the company review section of Glassdoor, but you may have not known they have a blog as well. In this post, they discussed one of the hottest topics of 2016—and one many of you know we have covered a lot on the NexGoal blog as well.

Social media has become such a highly used form of communication that many employees do not see or understand unintended consequences of what they are posting, especially when it comes to work. Far too often I see friends and family members just ripping their jobs to shreds without the understanding that their bosses and HR departments can see what they are writing publically.

So, what did the article have to say?

“Yes – employees can be reprimanded if the employees are on notice that their (even off duty) posts may be found (in general searches regarding the company’s name or reputation) and reviewed by the company. If the employee posts information that is improper or requires the company to respond – for example, threats of violence, hate speech, harassment, disclosure of trade secrets, or information that may lead to the company being sued, discipline may not only be appropriate, but it may be legally required. It is a best practice for companies to have a clear, concise and informative social media policy, letting employees know what the limits are for online posting. Nobody wants to be perceived as, or act like, “Big Brother,” but employees also need to know that there are limits to what can be posted online, just as there are limits to what they can say in the workplace or even out in public.”

Social media is a fun place to network, interact and blow off steam—but more and more people need to analyze what they are posting and decide if it is worth losing their job, or a potential job in the future, over.

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John Davidson and Hockey Players in Business Put on a Show at Quicken Loans Arena

Have you ever wondered how to stay connected to other athletes when your playing days are over? Well, if you are anything like the group over at Hockey Players in Business, it means putting together great events that not only connect former hockey players, but give back to the game they all loved as well!

Recently, the group partnered up with the Calder Cup Champion, Cleveland Monsters, and the Columbus Blue Jackets of the NHL to host an impressive event at Quicken Loans Arena. The admission of the event not only included an opportunity to network with other hockey players in business (hence the name), but to hear from NHL Hall of Famer and President of Hockey Operations for the Blue Jackets, John Davidson.

Davidson wasn’t the only member of the panel, as former NHL player and current Blue Jackets broadcaster, Jody Shelley, was there to help lead the discussion as well. Both Davidson and Shelley provided a excellent insight about the difficult transition players often face when leaving the game behind, but as Davidson put it, “Networking is working” when it comes to helping make this transition easier for hockey players.

Below is a video of Davidson speaking at the event and sharing the knowledge that has helped him transition from one of the greats to ever play the game to a success in the front office. Hockey Players in Business also posted a gallery of the photos from the event over on Facebook, which you can view by visiting their Facebook page—and while you are there, give it a like if you do not mind! They also have a full post with other quotes from the event you can read here.

NexGoal Co-Founder and CEO, Kevin Dahl, was also in attendance and helped give out some of the great door prizes from the event as you can see in a couple of the pictures below. Dahl enjoyed the event and mentioned it was great for former hockey players to have the opportunity to not only network, but share some laughs and take in a hockey game as well.

NexGoal CEO Kevin Dahl helps hand out prizes at the event. Photo credit: Hockey Players in Business

NexGoal CEO Kevin Dahl helps hand out prizes at the event. Photo credit: Hockey Players in Business

Kevin Dahl networks with another former NHLer in Jody Shelley. Photo Credit: Hockey Players in Business.

Kevin Dahl networks with another former NHLer in Jody Shelley. Photo credit: Hockey Players in Business.

Dahl with key panel speaker, John Davidson. Photo credit: Hockey Players in Business.

If you are a former hockey player at any level and want to know how you can get involved with Hockey Players in Business, head over to their website and learn more about becoming a member. They also send out monthly newsletters spotlighting successful hockey players in business—like our very own Dahl—that you do not want to miss!

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