Last week I was fortunate enough to be asked to speak at the first Chicago Social Media Breakfast. SMB has been in existence in other cities since 2007 but this was the first one in here in the Windy City. The event was separated into different groups with specific topics to discuss. My group was focused on social media and personal branding in regards to the job search and career advancement.

As marketers we are seeing a wholesale change in how companies engage in communication with their clients and consumers. In addition, the ways we as individuals communicate are also changing dramatically. I think for the most part marketers (especially in the last year) are really starting to grasp the enormous changes going on within their space.

What has continued to be a struggle for people is telling the difference between “blowing your horn” in regards to your talents/expertise and “communicating your passion” to a wider audience than your existing personal/professional network. The ability to help people and in turn receive recommendation has never been more important.  It’s a very organic way of self development which also can help you gain recognition and ultimately a new job, a promotion or new business for your organization.

My Top 5 Takeaways from our group discussions were:

1)      “The golden rule” treat others the way you would like to be treated. This will ultimately be something that will come back around to you.

2)      When networking on LinkedIn or other sites don’t “ask for a job” use the tools available to create awareness for your expertise to gain a larger network of targeted individuals for potential career placement and/or advancement.

3)      Use social media to create an integrated marketing campaign around a helpful blog post you have written (become a resource). This is a post I wrote describing an initiative I created here at Paladin: 

       Paladins Marketing Ninja guide: The 30 Minute Challenge

4)      Don’t close yourself off to just blogging, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. One of the attendee’s was discussing his use of Tumblr something I am going to attempt to utilize.

5)      Nothing replaces face to face contact. Definitely get out from behind your computer and regularly get out to coffee meetings, association evening events and luncheons. This is a post I wrote regarding networking events in Chicago: Paladins Galaxy Guide to Networking in Chicago

 We are all hearing the constant chatter (no pun intended) around social media. Some of the discussions are valid and some of are based upon lack of understanding and experience. My recommendation is to continue to share openly with each other and pay it forward. It’s a great community we have here in Chicago and I’m excited to attend future Social Media Breakfast’s!

Take the red pill.

In fact, take it now before you really need it.  That’s the lesson I’ve learned about networking.

In The Matrix, our hero is given a choice: take a blue pill and continue on with his life or take the red pill and see life as it really is.  Of course, he takes the red pill (wouldn’t be much of a movie if he didn’t), the veil is lifted and he becomes aware of things that were always there but never seen.

Lately I’ve begun to build on my own network of friends and professional colleagues, coaxing it to take form, and develop.  Actually, I’m helping it grow.  The network was always there; I just never saw it.  Then I took the red pill.

It was April 2006 when I was first asked to join a friend’s network through LinkedIn.  Sounded like fun and a good way to stay in touch with people.  But I rarely looked at it.  The next request came in October 2007.  I was flattered someone would ask me to join a network and, yeah, I felt hip.

But it wasn’t until this past February that I began to build my network in earnest.  I had to; my role had been eliminated and along with so many others folks I was in the market for a new position.

As so many at Paladin attest, you’ve got to get out and network.  This may seem rather obvious but it isn’t something all of us do when we’re employed.  Of course, some roles – from sales to marketing to politics – require networking and maintaining relationships to achieve their goals.  Networking within the organization was key to my last role.

Many job descriptions, however, do not ask you to stay in touch with people who don’t directly affect you or your work.

Because so many people are new to this networking gig, it seemed like a good idea to ask some friends from my network what they have learned along the way.   This list is by no means comprehensive, but it is road tested:

• Get out of the house – My friend Buzz put it as a simple, Nike-esque rule: “You just gotta be out there!  Go out and go to things anytime you can.”

It’s okay, everybody’s doing it.  And by “it,” I mean looking for work.  Here’s the yin and the yang of it: We all know that this isn’t the best time in the history of humankind to be looking for work.  On the other hand, the stigma of being out of work isn’t what it used to be, not when so many people are in the same position.  There’s no shame in being unemployed but somehow it seems a little easier to say “I’m in transition” when the headlines are always talking about yet another round of lay offs.  Just ask all of those former headline writers.

• Don’t be so shy – Of course, once you’re out of the house you’ve got to meet people.  “People want to help,” as my friend Katherine put it, but don’t make it difficult for them.  Give them your personal marketing plan or your newly updated resume to review.  Suggest meeting for coffee so there’s an understanding that the meeting doesn’t have to last for hours.  (And note that just because you say “Let’s meet for coffee” doesn’t mean you need to drink coffee at every meeting – especially if you have several lined up in one day.  Trust me on this one.)

Job seekers and their friends might want to read this article in The New York Times that provides some suggestions for how to give and receive help.  “The most important corollary to this rule,” Katherine points out, “is to thank people for their time and respect their schedules.”

• Be prepared – It’s not just for Boy Scouts anymore.  “Never show up unprepared even for a quick networking meeting,” said Katherine.  “You have to do your research in advance, or you waste people’s time.”  This means knowing about your contact’s business and providing something for them to use (which can be as simple as meaningful article referrals, for example, suggests Leslie).

• Back to basics – It’s all about the prompt follow-up and the personalized, hand-written thank you notes.  Making sure to write down unique reminder information on business cards. (“No,” says Leslie, “you won’t remember who all those folks are when you’re sitting in front of your computer doing the follow-up.”)

• Don’t just do something, stand there – “A lot of people don’t know how to listen,” says Buzz.  It’s not that you just sit back and watch the show.  “If you ask somebody for help, shut up and listen!  Don’t ask for advice and then overwhelm someone with your expertise!”

Here’s a surprise: You’ve already started.  As I mentioned earlier, my network was always there.  Sure, it was a little fallow and needed some tending and weeding.  But at the risk of taking this gardening metaphor too far, let’s just say you’ve bought the land already; employed or not, you need to start tilling the soil.

At a meeting of job seekers I attended, one participant put the benefits of networking this way: “I’ve lived in Chicago for 20 years.  Now it seems like a small town.”

Take the red pill.

Contributed by: Frank McGee
Business writer, trainer, coach

Relocation is a BIG issue in today’s workplace. Many people who haven’t considered it as a viable option in the past now see it as the only recourse to surviving in their career path. There is a lot to consider. Take the time to ask the questions, consider all options and go for it when it makes sense.

First- Is the target market I would be relocating to a better market, i.e. - more job openings, reasonable cost of living, practical housing options, and realistic property/income taxes? If you are moving from a smaller work community to a larger one your job options increase, salaries increase and alternative jobs (in the event things don’t work out) are more plentiful. It you are moving from a large city to a smaller one there may be less competition for your individual skills and the tax advantages may equate a pay increase in just the savings you get.

Second- How solid is my personal and professional network there? Some people are very capable at life without personal interaction of other people. I’m not one of them. You need to ask, “Do I have friends or family close to this market?” What types of professional organizations are there and how large are they? What type of social entertainment is around:  clubs, churches, and restaurants? Whatever is important to you in your daily life should be considered.

Third- Is the relocation expense covered by the hiring company? It may take thousands of dollars to move your home from point A to point B. Do you have the financial resources to shell out those funds? If the company is paying, how is it to be handled? Do you submit bids, receipts after you move, or do they have preferred vendors with negotiated rates for transporting belongings? What is the process? ASK BEFORE ACCEPTING ANY OFFER! Many firms today will have you sign a separate promissory document upon your hire that if you leave prior to a certain time, you will be liable to repay all or part of the relocation expense.

The excuse of “We just bought a home and can’t go anywhere at this time” may not hold water today. If the house goes into foreclosure because you can’t pay the bill, you may have no choice. KEEP ALL OPTIONS OPEN! You are not only more desirable by many employers by being willing to relocate, but the job options you will have to consider will grow immensely.

If you have a specific relocation story (good or bad) that you would like to share it, please offer your comments here so others can benefit from the experience.

We get calls everyday from people who have abruptly found themselves hitting the streets. These people have many years of experience and are not the “rejects”. Some organizations have found themselves with a duplication of efforts internally either through corporate mergers, overstaffing and quite often over projections of budgets. The first thing many executives will do is “trim the fat”.

Unfortunately, the formula for trimming is not something any of us can project. It isn’t always the weakest performers or problem employees. Sometimes it is the most junior of employees who get the ax, while other times it is the most senior level salaries that seem to make the biggest bottomline impact.

My advice to all of you is the same as the Boy Scout motto- ” Be Prepared”. None of us are immune from a company’s reduction in staff. It is imperative to keep yourself job worthy at all times. With the average job tenure today of 2 years, the loyalty factor between Employers and Employees is almost non-existent. You have to make yourself valuable and keep improving your skills. Today’s marketplace is not the same as many of our parents. Back then, you developed a trade and it pretty much was consistent throughout your career. Now roles are changing on a daily basis. If you can’t keep up with the changes, you will be part of the “dead” industries from not so long ago (remember the Typehouse).

Part of all our preparation can be summed up as follows:

1- Know your marketplace (Know your potential industry and the companies who utilize your skills)

2- Stay current with training and technology (By keeping up with the most current releases of software and computer technology, you become the “company guru”. Staying ahead of the game puts you ahead of the competition. It also helps to keep your salary ahead also.

3- Keep your resume and/or portfolio up to date (Don’t let that dust collect. Keep everything current and in presentation format)

4- Keep an eye on job opportunities (Don’t necessarily jump at anything that comes along, but by watching hiring trends and salary ranges you are better prepared should anything happen)

5- Share the Responsibility of Your Performance Assessment with your Supervisor (Don’t wait for someone to come to you and tell you how your are doing. Your assumption may be totally different from their view. Make sure you know how others view your work. Ask for your annual review in writing. Take the initiative to write your own self-assessment. Document your successes for later reference).

6- Keep in contact with your Strong Business references (Protect those relationships. They can be the difference between a yes or no)

While the market today is somewhat unstable, it will get better. Things always go in cycles and those who can dig deep and survive the storm will be that much stronger in the end. Employers are much more likely to hang onto employees who are constantly working to improve their performance and skills. You are making yourself hard to replace.