#FridayFive: How I got a job 24 hours BEFORE I graduated

Yes, you read correctly. I received a job offer from a great company literally a day before I was to walk across the stage. But hold on to your hats, because this story gets even more twisted. The job I was offered was a job I never even applied for!

So I know you’re wondering … How did this happen!!!??? Well in this post I will reveal that information and much more.  There are five essentials that I feel helped me to accomplish what most would call unthinkable in 2012. Take this advice to heart because it’s all from my experience and seemed to work pretty well.

Networking – Tell everyone you know (and people you don’t know) about your passion for whatever it is you’re passionate about. You never know whom someone else knows and could connect you with. Post it on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin everywhere! Reach out to people who do what you want to do and talk to them about it! Trust me! They want to know you and share their knowledge.  

Resilience – This is a characteristic that is essential in any career and is helpful to anyone looking for a job. Looking for a first job is going to be difficult and stressful. I can remember nights in my last semester of school where I would apply for 5-10 jobs (not even having a degree) and beat myself up about not hearing back. Although, my case is extreme this shows my dedication to wanting a job. If there’s something you want in life don’t let internal or external forces stop you. Be resilient and you’ll be success. Read this post about resilience: http://www.reasonedpr.com/blog/promance-thoughts-from-guest-blogger-graduating-senior-james-burge/

Confidence – You know what you know, so show it in your interview. Make an extra effort to bring up skills and knowledge you have, even if the interviewer doesn’t bring those up. My number one piece of advice is BE YOURSELF during the interview! The person you are during the interview is the person they want to work with if they hire you. Start the way you want to finish.   

Innovation/Creativity - Do something no one else is doing. Think outside the box. In an effort to not be cliché, I’m basically saying create your own persona and don’t copy others. For me, this meant branding myself. By branding myself, I communicated two different skills. I showed my future employer that I am aware of the importance of consistency in branding and that I can do the same for his/her company. See my online portfolio: www.jamesburgepr.com

A Team – The old saying, “It takes a village to raise a child” is very true. When you’re trying to reach your dreams, or even when trying to figure out what those dreams are, a team of supporters is the most valuable asset you can have. These people will edit your resume, call/email you about new job openings they know of, and even provide an ear for you to vent about how you haven’t heard anything back or when you receive bad news. Your team is your core group that will offer you all the things you can’t do for yourself. 

#FridayFive Networking

Guest Blogger: Steven Coyle, graduate of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, with a degree in Public Relations 

How I Got Over My Networking Fear

One of the first things I was told by my public relations professors was, “Learn how to network, your career will depend on it.” Immediately I developed this odd fear of networking even before I knew what it truly meant. I was that one kid who told himself, my skills should get me the job not my connections. I was quickly proved wrong.

The truth is you need both; the connection and the skill. After going through a deep unemployment depression, I snapped out of it, threw my pride out the window and started networking.

Twitter became my mecca for networking. I found my niche in participating in twitter chats, responding to influential professionals and giving my own advice to others. I was no longer afraid.

Honestly my fear was truly based on the fact I didn’t know how to network. I would just simply collect random business cards of professionals I met and then ask myself, what do I do now? Do I just ask them for a job? Do I just email them my resume? The confusion was discouraging. So in-case you’re discouraged, here are five things that helped me.

1. The worse they can say is “No.” They could possibly say more rude things but the usual response of someone who doesn’t want to help you is no response at all. Out of the 14 professionals I reached out too, only 4 responded. Rejection is a huge part of the industry, just get use to it.

2.Twitter Chats! Find a twitter chat that interest you and participate. I love chats about job hunts and resume building. HAPPO hosts some really good ones. I always learn something and meet awesome people.

3. Follow-Up. If you met a professional who is willing to help you and give you advice, try your hardest to keep up with. Learn their clients or some of their interest and follow up with small things. If you notice some press about their clients, send them a congratulations. Show them that you aware of what’s going on and that you have an interest in him or her. But don’t fake it, and don’t bug them. No one likes a suck up.

4. Have your own stories. Whenever you are meeting with a professional to discuss anything regarding help or advice be prepared to share your own stories. I feel like this helps them relate to you more. If you two can find some common ground they will remember you.

5. Join professional groups on LinkedIn. I belong to about 4 groups and actively participate in all of them. Find a topic you are interested in or know about and engage in conversation. Show them that you have personality and expertise then use it to your advantage. Follow the people who you responded to on twitter, engage with them there and then ask them for advice. Like I said in number one, the worse they can say is no.

I haven’t mastered this whole networking game, but these things have helped me become a whole lot better.

Steven Coyle is a social media strategist based in Chicago, IL.
Find him on twitter: @steveninpr

Networking 101: Part 2 / Online

It's a fact that about 80% of new jobs come through direct networking. This stat just goes to prove that networking of any kind is very important to your success as a professional. No one will hire you, if they don’t know who you are! 

Over the past few years there has been a boom of activity online centered on professional networking. Websites like LinkedIn have truly made the Internet a great place to network with others and build your connections with others, some even in other countries. 

This part will help you to navigate through two of the options available for networking with others online. 

Linkedin.com is a business-related social networking site. Founded in December 2002 and launched in May 2003, it is mainly used for professional networking with more than 100 million registered users. This is a great place to begin building your network. Once you signup for an account you’re instantly connected with people you know. Linkedin has an ingenious way of connecting you with people you “May Know”, but probably do know. All the magic is done through connections on Linkedin. They match you up with people who are connected with another person whom you’ve already added to your network. 

Groups on Linkedin are a fantastic way to connect with those who are engaged in discussions about your field. Joining a group will put you in the mix and help you learn about job opportunities. 

Another great way to use this website to your advantage is to check out your networks when you go to apply for a job. If you have the name of the person you are submitting information to, then see if they have a LinkedIn page. If you notice you and your potential employer have a connection in common then shot that person an email asking for a recommendation. 

BranchOut.com is a new site that I stumbled upon about 12 hours ago. The website was founded in July 2010 by CEO Rick Marini and a team with deep experience in social media, online recruiting, and Facebook applications. The site is built around the premise of the old saying “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” By using this service you are almost guaranteed to learn of a current contact of yours who works in the same industry, position, or even office as you may want to be in. Below is an informative video of what the Branchout.com has to offer you!

Networking 101: Part 1 / Face-to-Face

A strong foundation for face-to-face networking will include these three skills: eye contact, a firm handshake, and a friendly smile.

Talking to someone face-to-face can sometimes be daunting. To look into someone’s eyes is intimidating for some people, but essential for all communicators. Shaking a person’s hand with a firm grip upon meeting them is proper business etiquette. Whenever you meet anyone new, from your mother’s new coffee friend to your new coworker or boss, give everyone a pleasant, natural smile. Something that says I am enthusiastic to be here, nothing too big or fake.

Each of these skills is a foundational learning base for networking. These skills can sound easy but may be hard to implement. Practicing can help introductions go smoother. Go around to each of your friends one day and practice your handshake, eye contact, and smile in a hypothetical first meet.

Once you feel comfortable with these foundational skills the next step is breaking the ice and engaging in conversation with people. A good place to start is at your school.  There should be career fairs put on by your school regularly throughout the year. A list of the companies that are going to be attending the fair should be available through the career center at your school.

Get that list and do some research on the companies that interest you. With some research into each company, you will be able to create 2-3 talking points to engage the company’s recruiters.[1] For example, Target always had a representative at my school’s career fair. Just browsing Target’s website, and maybe asking your friends, you will find out that Target is a large retail store that specializes in great customer service. Let’s say you are a marketing major, but have no retail experience. Some engaging questions you could ask are:

1.     What is your target market?

a.    How does your marketing program target your guests?[2]

2.     How does retail marketing differ from the mainstream marketing that I am studying in my Intro to marketing class?

 Dust off your resume, put on business slacks, and button up your shirt. Make sure it’s tucked in, for the gentlemen.  Good luck on your first networking experience!

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[1] If you did research on a company you should know what they do. (Why I say that is because a big red flag for recruiters is if you ask what does their company do, if you are a candidate that wants to stand above the crowd, know what the company does.)

[2] Try to find out some lingo that the company uses. It should be readily available to find on their website. For example, Target calls their customers guests.