BizAnalyst Network

Current Issue:	September 5, 2005

Blend Networking Into Your Life

Whether employed or not, you must ALWAYS keep a fresh supply of personal business cards handy for networking opportunities. There's nothing worse than making a great contact, searching for a pen and writing your number on a napkin, that's sure to be lost. Personal business cards project an image of professionalism and leave a lasting impression.

Right now you can obtain 250 premium quality, full color business cards at no cost to you. No strings attached. Using pre-designed online templates, you create professional, attractive business cards in seconds. Instantly preview the cards online before submitting your free order. To get your free business cards, go to VistaPrint.

In today's job market, to be noticed your resume needs to be in all the right places at all the right times. Network your resume with the oldest and largest service that offers one-stop resume posting on up to 75 top career sites.

Resume Rabbit will instantly post your resume to career sites like Monster, Job.com, CareerBuilder, Net-Temps, Dice & more. Then you'll be seen by over 1.5 million employers & recruiters daily. Their simple online form takes only 5 minutes and saves 60 hours of research and data entry. Network your resume now by going to Resume Rabbit.

Article:	The Practical Realities of Networking

By Cynthia Osofsky, BS, MBA, Mentor and Career Coach

Networking is the buzzword for knowing lots of people in all walks of life. We hear it all the time, in social circles, professional circles, even in academia. It's how people find spouses, jobs, houses, and handymen. But until you really understand what networking is and how it will get you from point A to point B, you will travel in frustrating circles and never reach your destination.

I am currently 'in transition'. Simply put - I am between jobs. Classic time to dust off that folder of contacts with whom I had some connection at some time in the past, but for one reason or another have lost touch. It is time to resurrect my network.

Here are some thoughts I would like to share with you:

1. Tell everyone you know: "I am looking for a new opportunity. Do you know someone with whom I can connect?" If the person says no, you can scratch that contact off your list. But unless you have come into contact with someone who lives in a bubble, everyone knows someone!

2. Every contact is important. Some are just more important than others. During this time of transition, I am spending some time on home repairs and recently was chatting with one repairman. Commenting that I wouldn't be able to complete the repair until I found a new job, he stated that he was doing work for someone else who happens to be an executive at a large retained search firm. Will this go anywhere? Who knows? But how many minutes did it take me to hand my resume to someone? Not long!

3. If you are not passionate about your worth, no one else will be. Exude confidence even when it hurts. First and foremost, unless you have committed some egregious illegal act, you are most likely a good person who just got caught in a bad situation. Stand tall. Be proud. You are every bit the star that any Hollywood actor is. Now go out and show the world!

4. You can never smile enough. An executive at a major financial institution once told me that he never really had the technical skills to do his job. But he smiled a lot, and made those around him feel very comfortable with that smile. You are selling yourself. The more you smile, the more those around you will translate that smile into competence.

5. Even if a meeting produces nothing immediately valuable, send a thank you note. Not only is this common courtesy, but also who knows when that person you meet does find something valuable for you. A contact today can be valuable tomorrow or the next day. Find a simple way of staying in touch. Send a thank you. It will also act as a reminder to you to follow up again a month or two later.

6. Never give up! Some days are more productive than others, but that's true while you're working, too. All days cannot possibly have the same impact. Cut yourself some slack. Ever have one of those days where nighttime falls and you say, "I didn't get a thing done today?" Welcome to the crowd! It happens. Everyday cannot be a networking bull's eye. Pace yourself. Networking is a way of life, not just a passing fancy.

7. Stay focused. Follow your plan. It becomes a talking point with everyone. When you are in transition, people from all walks of life will want to be helpful. Many just don't know how. If you are focused and have a plan, you can guide your networking contacts so that they can be optimally helpful to you. Be ready to talk about who you are, what you want, where you add value, what your plan is, and where you are in the development of your plan.

In today's job market, being "in transition" may not be a one-time event and it may happen again. This means that your personal connections remain valuable and important and treat each one of these contacts as such. Create a system to reach out to people on a regular basis. For me that means keeping an email address system and a handwritten file system. My daughter remarked to me that she thought networking was a job in itself. I think networking is life in itself.

Cynthia Osofsky, BS, MBA, who has spent her career helping companies achieve revenue and profitability targets, and guiding individuals to reach their career potential by being a mentor, coach and keen assessor and developer of professional talent.

In today's job market, to be noticed your resume needs to be in all the right places at all the right times. Network your resume with the oldest and largest service that offers one-stop resume posting on up to 75 top career sites.

Resume Rabbit will instantly post your resume to career sites like Monster, Job.com, CareerBuilder, Net-Temps, Dice & more. Then you'll be seen by over 1.5 million employers & recruiters daily. Their simple online form takes only 5 minutes and saves 60 hours of research and data entry. Network your resume now by going to Resume Rabbit.

Whether employed or not, you must ALWAYS keep a fresh supply of personal business cards handy for networking opportunities. There's nothing worse than making a great contact, searching for a pen and writing your number on a napkin, that's sure to be lost. Personal business cards project an image of professionalism and leave a lasting impression.

Right now you can obtain 250 premium quality, full color business cards at no cost to you. No strings attached. Using pre-designed online templates, you create professional, attractive business cards in seconds. Instantly preview the cards online before submitting your free order. To get your free business cards, go to VistaPrint.

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