Social network vs Formal Network - Secrets of the Job Hunt Career Podcast

With this picture (Knowing what we know), I hope you will understand the huge difference between a social network and a formal structure.

www.laurentbrouat.com

It is a rigid organization chart which explains who does what and where.

You can understand in which department people work, who is their boss and what is their job title.

But this formal structure does not say anything about the relationships within the organization and who knows who, who is friend with who...

Formal structure: rigid, informational, structured, 1.0

Cole

For example, looking at the organization chart, would you have ever thought that Cole is a powerful hub in all the organization?

He is one of the guy in the C&G department but he actually knows everybody and he is a real hub in the whole department for information and connections.

It would not appear on a formal structure but it would appear on a social network.

In their article, the authors explain the situation the company is facing:

"A particular surprise came from Cole’s central role: over time, his reputation for expertise and responsiveness had made him a critical source for all sorts of information. Indeed, he was the only point of contact between members of the production division and the rest of the network. Through no fault of his own, the number of informational requests he received and the number of projects in which he was involved had become excessive, which not only overburdened him but also turned him into a bottleneck.

The social network diagram made it very clear that if Cole were hired away, the company would lose both his knowledge and the relationships he had established, which were holding the network together. As a result of the analysis, the organization decided to categorize the requests that Cole received and then allocate some of these informational or decision domains to other executives."

A social network is a lively structure

It is made of nodes (people) and ties (relationships) which allows you to understand all the flow of information and connections in any organization.

Social networks are dynamic, interactive, supportive, and lay at the heart of any organization and people.

In our increasingly flat world, where structures and people are managed on a project basis, social networks are not only important but key. How to get information as quickly as possible, how to get problems solved?

Have you ever thought of the coffee machine social network or even the smokers social network (now that they have to smoke outside) in your company?

That is the reason why social networks online are so powerful: they allow you to visualize and use your connections in a clever way.

via secretsofthejobhunt.com

Posted via web from AndyWergedal

Losing A Job That Really Matters

If you have a job that makes you especially proud.  Gives you confidence.  And a significant role in the community.

What would you do if you lost that job?  Maybe you did.

And it doesn’t have to be your day job.  Because for some people, their most valued job is not the one that they work from 8-5, but the one that keeps them away from home a few nights a week.  Being on the board of a local charity or your son’s little league.

But for many it is that day job.  It is all they have known and all they’ve been known for throughout their career.

In fact, they are so tied up in that job that they can’t imagine doing something else or being introduced as someone else.

Did this happen to you?  Or a friend of yours?

If so, you know that this can be one of the toughest lay-off or firing experiences.  Someone has taken away your identity.  Perhaps something you were passionate about in life.  Your platform.

And those first few weeks at home after leaving your position can be miserable.  Not just the shock and awe of the experience (like a tornado just hit) but also the slow realization that this role was tied directly to your social life.  And now your career path, it appears, has just been interrupted.

And for some this platform was powerful enough that people returned your calls the same day.  With an urgency to see what you needed.  And now they don’t because you lost your platform.  That job or role in life that helped you stay up above others on the priority list.  And now they don’t.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

You can start now.  To create a new platform for your life and career.  One that is not reliant on one day job or one volunteer role to keep you afloat in case of emergency.

How?

Start by writing down the events, people, projects, and places that matter in your life.  Where are you currently finding your joys, sense of purpose and sense of belonging?  If your list is really short.  Or if your list is long but centered on one big role that really defines you.

Then I think you need to rebuild your platform.  To establish a broader focus in life.  So that if one of the supports is removed, you can still stay afloat.

I can hear some of you saying that you don’t have time to build a bigger platform.  That with a day job, house and kids, there’s no time for anything else.

But I think there’s always time for something you care about.  Maybe it is a passion or a pursuit.  One less hour of TV a night can be the time you read books on the subject.  And waking up one hour earlier can get you working before the kids wake up.

So what can you build in and around your life to prevent the removal of that one thing destroying a big part of you?

Have you lost a job that really mattered?  I’d like to hear from you . . .

Also, see part two of this post later this week: 5 Ways To Build A Stable Career and Life Platform.

Photo Credit

via timsstrategy.com

Posted via web from AndyWergedal

How to Negotiate a Pay Raise | EmploymentDigest.net

With the state of the current economy, it is highly unlikely your boss will call you into his or her office and give you a raise unless you initiate the negotiations yourself. Asking for a raise is a nerve-wracking task, but by utilizing the following strategies you will increase your chances of increasing your pay and getting what you want.

Know what you’re worth. Look for information regarding compensation for your type of position in the marketplace. This can be done by contacting other companies or search firms and finding job advertisements. There is usually space between what you are making and what the market says you can earn, so if you have worked for the same company for several years you should feel good about your request. Do not be discouraged to ask for a raise if you find that you are already making what the market says you’re worth.

Be specific. Ask for a raise of a certain size rather than a raise in general. Leaving the request open-ended will be less likely to yield the desired result.

Determine how you can become more valuable. Take on additional responsibilities or discover new projects that will make your more valuable to your boss. Cross train into new positions or take classes to further your education and enhance your skill set. If you do decide to move to a new company, these skills will make you more valuable to your next employer.

Don’t worry about getting fired. The cost of hiring and training your replacement will cost much more than your raise, so don’t weaken your argument by expecting the worst. Be confident in your request and don’t worry about being let go.

Anticipate objections. Try to think about possible worries or problems your boss will bring up when you ask for a raise. Counter these objections and include them in your initial statement. By easing their minds about potential issues right away, it will be harder for your boss to decline your request.

Base your request on job performance. In today’s economy, employers are concerned with how your performance will advance their organization. Arguments about equal pay or big expenses coming up will not get you the result you’re looking for.

Bring proof of what you’ve done for the organization. You’ll need to have documentation to verify your job performance. Key a file of all your job evaluations and performance reviews to use in these types of situations.

Don’t be aggressive. Do not give your boss any ultimatums or threats. If your request is denied you can then evaluate whether you want to stay or leave, and you will stay on good terms with your boss.

NOTE: When comparing jobs or seeing the advantages of requesting a raise, use this Salary Calculator.

The Annual Salary Calculator will take your hourly pay and use your tax rates and deductions to give you a detailed summary of your take home by on a yearly, monthly, weekly, and daily basis.

via employmentdigest.net

Posted via web from AndyWergedal

The iPad Job Search

I will be one of the geeks on line at the Apple Store, picking up my pre-ordered iPad early Saturday morning.

Part of this is my Apple fanboy-ness and part of it is my desire to remain ahead of the curve.

A lot of job search has moved mobile. So many apps are now out there for mobile job search that it has become a major source of job search traffic and also a major tool in the modern job search.

I just perused the list of iPad launching apps and to the best of my knowledge, there are no job search apps on there yet. What I’d like to do is have us all keep our eyes out for when the first one launches.

Will it be Careerbuilder, an early and heavy user of the iPhone app ecosystem? Will someone make a mashup app for craigslist?

Or will it be more interesting?

Just as the mobile web has given us a new way to job search, will the iPad bring us something we can’t imagine yet? Will the iPad become something (more interestingly for me, certainly because I own a resume writing business) that is a presentation device? Will it be something we bring along to interviews and job fairs? Will the iPad become the modern brief case? Will this be the way we show off our resumes or portfolios?

I don’t know the answers yet, but I want to make sure we’re all there when we find out.

So, I’ll be getting my iPad on Saturday. And I’ll post some stuff here about it.

But help me out as well. If you see some job search oriented iPad apps pop up, please, let me know. If someone starts using the iPad for job search in new and interesting ways, please let me know.

I’ll share it here, and we can all dissect and evaluate it. Is it the future? We’ll decide together.

via thejobbored.com

Posted via web from AndyWergedal

Build Your Digital Relationships Before You Need Them | Personal Branding Blog - Dan Schawbel

The old rules of professional networking translate to the online world as well. I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase “build your network before you need it.” Every single job search success story that I’ve heard stems from someone already having a network, tapping into that network, and then securing referrals and interviews from it. In this way, your online network is your only insurance policy against a layoff, and it is a bridge to new opportunities as well. On the other hand, if you choose to solely focus on job boards, newspaper ads, and job fairs, your job search will last five times as long. If you’re starting a business and you don’t have a large network, then you are at a big disadvantage and you’ll have to spend more time networking, when you could be investing in your business and serving customers.

The facts

Avoid networking at your own peril. You can’t afford to ignore online connections these days, especially when almost every first impression is created virtually, and people are more accessible than they have ever been. As you can see by the following statistics, building your network before you need to is timeless advice. If you have a network, especially an active one, it’s far easier to land your next big job, start or expand a business, or move up in a company.

• 70% of jobs are secured through networking (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)
• Jobs seekers spend 68% of their time looking at online job postings–and less than one-third of their time reaching out to others (UpMo.com)
• 92% of small business owners recommend business-focused online networking (WeCanDo.biz)

What happens when you build your network when you need it?

You shouldn’t rush to build your network. There’s a reason why ExecuNet states that 74% of executive jobs are through referrals. There’s also a reason why one-night-stands don’t result in relationships!

If you’re looking for a new job or another opportunity (and don’t have a network), you will exude these three qualities (acronym=DAD) to people who you’re trying to network with:

1. Desperate: Job seekers, entrepreneurs who are trying to raise venture capital, and corporate workers who are begging to move up the ladder, will naturally appear desperate if they don’t have a support system to back them up. Other people will know that your desperate because you’ll promote yourself and hand them a resume, without shaking hands with them. You will try too hard, talk too fast, and ask for an introduction, without even getting to know the person. I don’t know about you but I don’t respond favorably to those types of people.
2. Aggressive: Being aggressive is a very good thing in life, but if you’re overly aggressive because you need something from someone else, then it makes you look bad. For instance, if you’re really looking to get promoted and you bug your boss every day, you will probably either lose your job. Also, if you’re looking for a job and you’re in a conversation with someone, you’ll harass them in-person, and then through email after, until they respond. You need to understand that people will only go out of their way for you if they already know you, like you, trust you, and feel that they can proudly endorse you.
3. Disingenuous: You can’t force relationships on people, so your attempts to network when you need it become viewed as dishonest and insincere. People know what you’re after so they will be turned off, not engaged, and not welcoming of your resume. Adding one hundred new LinkedIn contacts isn’t going to result in a job because people don’t know who you are, what you want, and if they receive an email from you saying that you want a job, you will be “LinkedOut.”

When you have an agenda, other people can smell it out, and it will be hard to convince them to support you.

The difference between online and offline networking

Online networking

When you have an online brand, you will be judged on the size of your network (your popularity), your influence within your industry, how you describe yourself and what you do professionally and personally, and the way you go about reaching out to other people. Also, it’s important to note what your intentions are for networking online, and how you will continue to provide your knowledge to that networking community forever. When you network online, there are certain unspoken rules, such as “don’t add a friend without sending a customized introduction letter,” and figuring out “what’s in it for them.” In the online world, your introductions and conversations are cataloged, shared, and responded to. This means that you have to be twice as careful as what you would say in-person.

Key differences are: your network is visible, searchable, and people can draw conclusions about who you are based on who you’re connected with on a grand scale.

Offline networking

When you’re in an offline networking situation, people can get a good feel for who you are based on your behavior, body language, and words. They can also grasp how you conduct yourself, and who you associate yourself with. All of these factors in drawing people into your networking database. Offline connections tend to become online one’s as well, especially if someone wants to follow-up with you or remain connected because they or you might feel compelled to work with them in the future.

Key differences are: Offline networking, or networking in a real-world environment, breeds stronger connections because you get a better sense of who someone is based on emotions.

5 steps to build your digital network in preparation for a career or business move

Let’s think of building your digital network like building a house. Here are the following steps you should take:

1. Have a plan of attack: Before you build a house, you need to know where you want the house built, who you want to work on it, what materials you’re going to use, etc. When you build your online network, you will want to know which social media sites you want to use, and which target group of people you want to build relationships with.
   
2. Lay the foundation down: Always, always, always, import your current email, instant messaging, and social network contacts in everything you do. Of course, you shouldn’t do this if you have a “personal profile,” but otherwise you should. By starting with a base, even if it’s your parents, friends, and a few acquaintances, it’s easier to build off of it. You can’t build a house without a foundation, and a deed.
   
3. Get all your bricks together: Once you’ve chosen the social networks, blogs, and other websites where you want to grow your network, then you have to enable others to become connected to you. For instance, with a blog, you’ll want to add the “Facebook Like Plugin,” or a “Share This Plugin.” By doing this, you’re able to attract more referrals from people who are in your industry. Other bricks you’ll need are the design, some content to make it appear that you’re human, and flawless profiles.
   
4. Build a house: Once you have the foundation and the bricks, then you need to build a community by driving conversations, commenting on other people’s materials, and become a leader in your category.
   
5. Make house additions: You should always look to expand your network by providing more value, building a better site, or even starting your own social network. You want to keep leveraging new technology so that you can reach more people.

Your turn

Do you typically put off networking until you need to?

via personalbrandingblog.com

Posted via web from AndyWergedal

Can Prospective Employer Ask Past Employer about Your Salary? - The Career Doctor Blog

Angela writes:

I recently went on a job interview where the person conducting the interview asked me how much I made in both my current and previous job. I told the interviewer who then called my past employer and asked him how much I made as well. I was appalled that they did this and don’t really even think it’s legal.

Is it okay for a company I am applying with to contact my past employer and ask him or her how much I was making while employed there? This past employer was not a reference of mine and in my opinion should not have been contacted and asked how much did so and so make when they worked for you.

The Career Doctor responds:

You have to remember that in job-hunting, knowledge is power. That’s why early in the process, it is critical for job-seekers to research prospective employers. But employers always want the upper hand, and in salary negotiation, having your previous salary information means the employer can possibly offer you a lower salary.

I have had job-seekers tell me that some prospective employers demand to see pay stubs as proof of compensation. Never offer salary information until requested to do so.

I understand the value of information, but I detest the idea that a job-seeker’s worth is dependent on the amount of money s/he is currently earning. I believe employers should pay not only what the job is worth, but what the job-seeker’s potential is worth.

So, the lesson here is not to lie or inflate your former compensation just to try and obtain a higher salary. Instead, be aware of your strengths and achievements — and demonstrate the value you’ll bring to the employer.

Employers typically do not divulge much information for fear of lawsuits, but they do provide starting and ending dates, and some will verify salary information, as well as the circumstances under which you left.

via careerdoctor.org

Posted via web from AndyWergedal

Job Search: Communicate Your Specialty « Career Brander

Harry Beckwith is one of the great business minds of our generation.   His particular expertise is  around branding and modern-day marketing.  He is a NY Times bestselling author and head of strategy for Beckwith Partners. His firm services industry clients in 37 states and 16 foreign countries, ranging from boutique professional firms and venture-capitalized startups to 24 Fortune 200 companies.

Below is an excerpt from one of his books called The Invisible Touch.  Although primarily written for corporate branding advice, it clearly applies perfectly to personal branding.

___________________________________________________________________________

Communicating Your Special Expertise

A surprising lesson, learned the hard way.

Our doors opened in 1988 and we immediately acquired our first client, a national collection agency. For several months our work helped generate business for them. One afternoon in the following year, however, the client’s marketing director called with bad news. He was leaving the company and a new director would be replacing him-a danger signal to a service like ours.

Six months later, we received confirmation of the signal.

“We’ve chosen another agency.” the new director said.

“Oh Who?”

“We are a family business,” he said. “Mater & Pater specializes in family businesses.  They were hard to resist.”

Being diplomatic, we did not let this client know that no marketing or advertising agency specializes in family businesses. Or that “knowing” family businesses in marketing is like “knowing” brunettes in shoe sales: useless.  Unfortunately, “apparent” specialized knowledge mattered to that prospect-as it does to most.

The unique value of even worthless specialized knowledge can be explained by the fact: Every industry, like every person, believes itself-it’s markets, processes, challenges-to be unique.  Businesses and people believe that previous experience with similar businesses and people help, even when it doesn’t.

The title “specialist”– however fraudulent, irrelevant or even comical–packs a persuasive wallop.  You cannot justify, or argue with, the success of hair salons that specialize in blondes, benefits consultants that specialize in law firms, or ad agencies that “know” family businesses.

…..however irrational it is, understanding and capitalizing on this “specialist bias” can launch a small firm faster than any other single tool.

FIND YOUR SPECIALTY—NO MATTER HOW NARROW IT IS—AND COMMUNICATE IT CONVINCINGLY.

How well do you communicate your specialty?

To secure your next job, you will need to convincingly communicate why your skill set, experience and “apparent specialized knowledge” make you the best candidate to meet the hiring company’s needs.  Remember, perception can quickly become reality.

via careerbrander.wordpress.com

Posted via web from AndyWergedal