college graduates

Five tips for new college graduates to find a job through networkingstring(68) "Five tips for new college graduates to find a job through networking"

May 14, 2018
, , , Employees, Interview, Networking

It’s graduation season. However, the majority of soon-to-be college graduates don’t have a job lined up. The New York Post reported that a study conducted by GoDaddy found that only 40% of college seniors have lined up a job and another 30% don’t even believe there are any jobs out there for them. So many new grads are still looking for employment because many of them are doing it the wrong way. They are unprepared because we don’t teach networking in colleges and Universities. Networking is still the best way to land a job. According to PayScale.com, over 85% of all high-end jobs are found through networking.

I thought I would share five tips on how new graduates (or even seasoned professionals) can find a new job if they are looking for employment.

Networking

Follow a lead when you get it but focus on getting a referral. A lead is merely a contact but a referral is about a relationship. Desperation is not referable. Since you’ll be depending on your network to speak highly of you to their hiring manager and contacts, practice confidently touting your skills. Reach out to friends, family and business contacts in person, on LinkedIn and via social media to tell them exactly what kind of position you’re looking for. Ask if they can check for any upcoming openings and keep you in mind.

Mentoring

Every college grad should find a mentor in their profession.  Know how to ask.  Don’t lead with “will you be my mentor.”  Instead, ask them if they are willing to give you some advice.  Tell them you are not looking for anything from them but advice. DON’T PITCH to them.

Checking

Image-check your social media profiles. They are looking! Potential employers will search about you online. Your social media presence could be hurting your chances of landing a job. Take down all your posts of your wild parties and remove any posts that you think don’t represent you appropriately to an employer. You won’t want to make those who have referred you to look bad if they stick their neck out and recommend you.  I was once considering hiring someone and I checked out his Facebook page.  OMG!  He threw out the “F” bomb time after time on his posts.  In addition, he posted widely inappropriate comments and tirades about people.  He was not the kind of influence I wanted in my office.

Strategizing

Determine where you stand with these contacts. Whether they are active, passive, or dormant will determine the strategy. Active; pick up the phone and ask for assistance.  There’s a relationship.  They will most likely love to help. Passive; set an appointment to reconnect (preferably in person).  Find out about them and let them know you’re looking for something.  Dormant; reconnect by social media or email.  Just talk.  Don’t ask for anything – yet.  Stay in touch, build the relationship before you ask.

Visiting

Visit organizations in the industry you want. Network right there, on the ground. Check in at the front desk, drop your resume off in-person and ask to meet with the HR director. Better yet, find out if someone in your network can connect you to a current employee in that company. Contact them through the referral.  Meet them for coffee and come prepared.

Your network is the lifeblood of your career.  Don’t let it die of professional loneliness.  Learn how to network your way into a job.

Share this with anyone you know who is looking for employment.

Use Your Head Works for Folks Who Use Their Hands, Toostring(54) "Use Your Head Works for Folks Who Use Their Hands, Too"

April 1, 2010
, , , , Author, Book, Self Development 13

Yesterday I posted a blog about my friend Harvey Mackay’s new book, Use Your Head to Get Your Foot in the Door: Job Search Secrets No One Else Will Tell You, and I promised that today’s blog would give you a sample of the kind of great content that you’ll find in Harvey’s new book.  So, without further ado, here it is:

Use Your Head Works for Folks Who Use Their Hands, Too

By Harvey Mackay

If you’re out of a job and looking for work, the frustration and disappointment can be overwhelming.  Don’t lose confidence in yourself and who you are.  You’ll never please everyone, but you only have to please a few people to get a good job offer.

While writing Use Your Head to Get Your Foot in the Door, I’ve talked with scores of people who’ve lost their job, many of them managers . . . but many do technical, craft and manual work as well.

You might trim hair, check lab samples, do quality control on an assembly line or stock shelves.  You still need to know how to interview, design a career plan, use the huge job resources of the internet, and master a bucket full of new skills mom and dad never even heard of . . .

  • Trade up your personal network. Still hanging out with your high school crowd?  Especially if many of them are out of a job too, you’re at risk.  Get to know people who are not just in your line of work, but at the front of it.  How do you get them to spend time with you?  Ask them for their valuable career advice . . . and then take it to heart.
  • Get wired . . . smart. People boast about how much time they spend on the internet and how cool their latest iPod apps are.  It’s not how much time you spend with gadgets, it’s what you do after you log on.  Game sites and celebrity gossip won’t land you a job interview.  Chow down trade journals, company websites and business mags . . . nearly all of it is free!
  • Don’t pay for others’ laughs out of your own pocketbook. Dying to upload an outrageous video about you and that party last night?  Remember, firms now routinely check out Facebook and other social websites to see just how much judgment their job candidates have.
  • Do volunteer work. If you can find time to watch Lost or The Vampire Diaries, don’t you have a couple of hours to help out a soup kitchen or the neighborhood community center?  Time and again, people tell me that they meet professionals through volunteering, many of whom are also out of a job, who can help you with your resume . . . or even steer you to companies that might be hiring.
  • Make a plan and work it every day. Set a target of how many business calls you’ll make today.  Commit yourself to a half-hour of reading business websites on the internet.  Learn about the next level of licensing or certification in your trade, and then dig in to add it to your credentials.

To learn more about Harvey and his new book, Use Your Head to Get Your Foot in the Door, visit: www.HarveyMackay.com.

Use Your Head to Get Your Foot in the Doorstring(42) "Use Your Head to Get Your Foot in the Door"

March 31, 2010
, , , , Author, Book, Self Development 1

My friend Harvey Mackay, bestselling author of Swim With The Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive, has a new book out called Use Your Head to Get Your Foot in the Door: Job Search Secrets No One Else Will Tell You. 

In light of the current economy, many people are searching for new jobs, and Harvey is determined to empower people to land jobs that they love and change the job market.  Harvey is a huge proponent of the idea that if you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life. He also knows that the process of getting a job is a job in itself.  Use Your Head to Get Your Foot in the Door is the ultimate career resource book, and it guides you through the job search/career advancement process from A to Z.  Actually, I heard Larry King say recently that he believes it’s the most important book out right now.

I’ve always respected Harvey’s sales and networking tips and advice, and I think this book is a crucial resource for anyone who is embarking on a job search or planning for career advancement.

If you want to find out how to use state-of the-art researching skills and networking strategies, create a daily recovery program and job-search plan, and learn the best questions to ask in interviews and how to get the job, Click here or visit www.HarveyMackay.com to learn more about the book.  You’ll also get access to great tips and ideas that are only available on Harvey’s website.

Come back tomorrow to read a blog containing a sample of the kind of content you’ll find in Harvey’s book!