Student Branding Blog - Dan Schawbel

Striving for Perfection

Lori Bielek — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 11:00:31 +0000

If you personally strive for perfection in all that you do, please consider the following:

“Striving for perfection is the greatest stopper there is.… It’s your excuse to yourself for not doing anything. Instead, strive for excellence, doing your best.” – Sir Laurence Olivier

It is important that you distinguish for yourself whether you want to strive for excellence or for perfection. There are differences between the two. For example, you likely know what doing your best feels like, while your perception of perfection often involves what you think others want from you. This can be intangible and even impossible to achieve.

Characteristics of Perfectionists

Just as the quote states, those who strive for perfection are often so concerned about doing something perfectly that they end up doing nothing at all. It may be an extreme example, but perfectionism also manifests itself in less apparent ways:

Avoiding group projects because no one can meet your expectations
Perceiving advice as negative and critical
Being inflexible and stubborn
Procrastinating
Being overly critical of others
Obsessing about minor details of a project at the expense of efficiency

Will you be employable?

If your tendency towards perfection leads you to behave in some of the above ways, you may need to realign your priorities in order to be successful. As opposed to perfectionism, doing your best and striving for excellence will make you an ideal candidate for most jobs. Your hard work and attention to detail will likely get you noticed by current and future employers.

On the flip side, trying to be perfect will make it hard for you to find a job and become successful in it. Here is a list of a few of the most desired characteristics that employers seek in job candidates:

Communication skills
Strong work ethic
Teamwork skills (works well with others)
Initiative
Flexibility/adaptability
Interpersonal skills (relates well to others)

If you compare this list to the above list of perfectionist tendencies, you will certainly see that the two are incompatible. The characteristics of some perfectionists — being inflexible, anti-teamwork, and unreceptive to advice — make it hard to get along with others. Effective teamwork and communication skills are vitally important no matter what your career goals are.

Focus on personal excellence

Instead of being overly concerned about perfection, consider how you can become an excellent job candidate. There are several articles in this blog that speak about how to optimize your desirability as a job seeker.

To ensure your ability to be successful, be sure to work at:

Building your network, finding mentors, and fighting shyness
Getting involved and having a variety of experiences
Discovering and building your brand
Fighting the pervasive stereotypes of young workers, as being unprofessional and lacking communications skills

“The one important thing I have learned over the years is the difference between taking one’s work seriously and taking one’s self seriously. The first is imperative, the second is disastrous.” – Margot Fonteyn

If you find that you are being overly critical of yourself or others, remember that perfection is ultimately unobtainable. All we can have control over is how we react to the world. Try to learn how to laugh at yourself and the ridiculousness of some of life’s challenges. If you can do that, you will likely be much happier and more successful.

Author:

Lori Bielek is the Marketing and Technology Coordinator at University of Delaware’s (UD) Career Services Center where she advises students in the arts and sciences through all steps of their career development. You can connect with Lori through LinkedIn or her UD Career Services Twitter account (@UDcareers).

Volunteering: Your hidden lifeline

Karen Obringer — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:00:43 +0000

Have you seen those recent PSAs on television from iParticipate with various famous people, like Morgan Freeman, encouraging us to volunteer? They state that by helping others we help ourselves, our community, and our nation. (CLICK HERE to view one) It’s amazing but true, that volunteering can have such a strong impact on others and ourselves. Not only can it positively impact our health; it can also impact our career path.

Every time I talk to students about job searching, internships, resumes, and career development as a whole, I also ask about what types of volunteering they’ve done. Some are surprised to hear that volunteering can go on their resume, but most are surprised when I tell them that volunteering could be the thing that tips the scale in their favor when applying for jobs.

Can volunteering get you a job? YES!

Maybe not in a direct way like internships can- nearly 80% of the time, but indirectly through networking and developing a focus for your career direction. Let me share a couple stories of people who have utilized their volunteer activities in this way.

A college female was active with two campus organizations, one that had a focus on service and would ask the members to volunteer their time participating at soup kitchens, urban development, and service trips to Appalachia over spring break. She took advantage of these volunteering opportunities because she enjoyed giving back and many of her friends were also involved. Little did she know that six years later, those volunteer activities were exactly what she needed to gain an Outreach Coordinator position with a local non-profit, who had a strong presence on the local college campus, organizing volunteer activities.

A male in the military, with a focus on satellite communications and computers, decided to offer his free time and learn about a specific program that could benefit his current position but wasn’t required. When he was discharged and had to look for a civilian job, he of course applied to computer related positions. During an interview, for a potential job, the employer asked about his experience with that specific program. He shared his knowledge and experience but also stated that he voluntarily learned the program and used his personal time to do so. He was offered the position.

What does volunteering really mean to employers?

When a potential employer sees volunteer activities on a resume they are able to distinguish a number of characteristics about that candidate. Here are a few that I’ve learned about over the years:

Passion - You care about the community and other interests, and are not seeking a monetary reward in return.
Above & Beyond – If you’re willing to donate your time to a cause, then it’s likely you’ll be willing to go above and beyond the call of duty for the job.
Responsible - Volunteering shows that you feel responsible to contribute to a cause and this responsibility characteristic will flow into the work environment through strong business ethics.
Confidentiality - If a job requires employees to hold confidentiality, many businesses look for volunteer activities on a resume as a means to validate that the candidate can respect this ethical guideline.
Time Management – If you’re able to coordinate work, school, and volunteering then you’re not only a well-rounded person, but also someone who can manage their time well and keep track of a schedule.
Positive Reputation – Many businesses encourage their employees to volunteer and give back to the community. This helps to increase a positive reputation of that business and thus increase customers and overall community interest in that business.

Choosing your volunteer efforts wisely

It’s important to volunteer for things that you enjoy and I believe that every volunteer activity is relevant and helpful when applying for jobs and networking. But, if you also consider your overall career goals and choose at least one activity that’s related to those goals then you’ll also gain relevant experience. Relevant experience is essentially what you need to make yourself competitive in this job market.

Consider volunteering as a supplement to your job searching. You may not get paid for doing the work, but you’re sending a strong message to potential employers. Volunteering says that you will not wait for things to happen, but will take the initiative to create positive happenings for yourself and those around you.

Author:

Karen is a Career Counselor and Internship Coordinator at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW). At IPFW she assists students in finding internships, coordinates and assists with campus-wide events, teaches a Career Planning course, and meets with students individually to assist them with all aspects of career development. Connect with Karen via LinkedIn or Twitter.

Making Your Own Opportunities

Dan Klamm — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 11:00:08 +0000

Last week, Seth Godin professed that “safe is risky.” Many people follow directions, aim for approval from professors/bosses, and color inside the lines. This aversion to risk is actually risky — in that you risk not taking advantage of the world of opportunities around you.

Godin used the example of a student only interviewing with companies that come to her campus to recruit. In doing so, she shuts herself off to all sorts of great employment options, including small/medium-sized companies with no formal recruiting programs with her university. The student’s unwillingness to strike out and go after other options signficantly limits what she can achieve.

I completely agree with Godin. In today’s economy, it is imperative that you make your own opportunities. You can’t wait for things to fall into your lap. You need to go out and make them happen.

Propose an internship idea to a local non-profit where your skills can be utilized. Cold-contact someone within a company that interests you. Set-up an informational interview with an alum in your field. Start a blog to demonstrate your expertise. Go up to a guest speaker after class and strike up a conversation. Launch a company. Write a book. Do something.

My story

A few months ago I was reading through my local newspaper and noticed that it lacked content relating to social media — specifically, how job seekers could utilize social media to aid in their job search. This was a niche I was pretty familiar with, as I had written posts here and presented to several audiences on this topic. So, I sent an e-mail to the business editor in which I offered to pen an article for the paper. I expected not to hear back.

Fast-forward about six weeks, and my first article was published in The Post Standard on the subject of leveraging LinkedIn and Twitter in the job search. It turned out that the timing of my e-mail was perfect; the newspaper’s editors were looking to assemble a team of local career experts to tackle issues relevant to today’s job seekers.

If I hadn’t sent that e-mail, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity.

My advice

Today, it’s more important than ever to take a proactive approach to your career, whether you’re a college student or workplace veteran. Once you know what you’d like to accomplish, take strategic steps to make your vision a reality. And remember, some of the best opportunities lie beyond the comfortable boundaries that you’ve come to know.

Author:

Dan Klamm is the Outreach & Marketing Coordinator for Syracuse University Career Services. In his position, he is responsible for student engagement with Career Services. This includes managing the marketing campaigns for events and programs, leading social media initiatives, and fostering relationships with people across campus to build awareness of the office. Connect with him on Twitter @DanKlamm and LinkedIn.

Do Things Differently

Kelly Cuene — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:00:37 +0000

Recently, one of my favorite bloggers wrote about a day in which she did everything entirely different than she normally would. Instead of getting up early, she slept in. Instead of scarfing down lunch at her desk, she was able to arrange for a more leisurely lunch outside her work place. Instead of minimal make-up, she wore bright red lipstick.

I know – red lipstick, sleeping in, leisurely lunches…. what does this have to do with personal branding, right?

As Cassie Holman wrote a few weeks ago, it’s important to be consistent in your personal branding but also be “open to new concepts, people, situations, perspectives, activities, scenarios and interests”. Breaking out of our routines allows us to experience new things and opens our mind to new ideas.

As a college student, your days might vary a lot – different classes, lots of different friends, student organization meetings, internships, jobs, parties (at least for traditional college students). Days are probably a little more exciting and diverse than hanging out in a cubicle from 9-5.

But consider mixing things up and embarking on a day done differently. What if you got up early to work out or to have coffee with someone instead of sleeping in? What if you cooked a meal instead of stretching that $10 pizza for 3 days? What if you selected an elective course in an academic department totally different than your major?

I love my routines. But too many routines combined with the gray days of winter meant my life lately was boring and non-inspired. To combat that, I’m doing things differently: Lunches with new people outside my normal social circle. Choosing Zumba class over my regular pilates class. Going to the roller derby.

Has my life or personal brand been totally shaken by these small differences? No. But I have thought about things in new ways and have reminded myself that life is more interesting when you make a complete fool of yourself in Zumba class. It’s exposed me to new things that allow me to connect with interesting people.

What can you do differently in your day?

Author:

Kelly is a career advisor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she assists undergraduate business students with all aspects of their career development. Connect with Kelly on Twitter, LinkedIn or BrazenCareerist.

Blogging as a Branding Tool… for Non-Bloggers

Learn to Brand

Bret Simmons — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:00:53 +0000

If you want to excel at personal branding, you have to make a commitment to lifelong learning. You have to be able to do something that people value, but what they value will continually change, so you have to be able to continually learn to do new things or to do old things better.

Bret L. Simmons: Learn To Brand from Bret Simmons on Vimeo.

In my last post I recommended Peter Senge’s book “The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of The Learning Organization.” Here is what Senge says in his book about learning:

Real learning gets to the heart of what it means to be human. Through learning we re-create ourselves. Through learning we become able to do something we never were able to do. Through learning we reperceive the world and our relationship to it. Through learning we extend our capacity to create, to be part of the generative process of life. (p. 14)

The most successful personal branders will be those that can learn faster than their competitors. Learn how to learn and you can make yourself and continually re-make yourself remarkable.

When people spread the word about what you can to do add value to what they care about, and they choose to do business with or pay you instead of someone else, you’ll know that you have learned the art and discipline of personal branding.

Author:

Bret Simmons is an Assistant Professor of Management in the College of Business at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), where he teaches courses in organizational behavior, leadership, and personal branding to both undergraduate and MBA students. He has a Ph.D. in Business Administration from Oklahoma State University. Bret practices personal branding at his website Positive Organizational Behavior where he blogs about leadership, followership, and personal branding. His purpose is “to change your mind about the value of partnering with others to build healthy, responsible organizations where everyone can thrive.” You can also find Bret on Twitter, Facebook, and Linkedin.

The Entry Level Diary – Getting Hired

Shannon Reed — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 19:00:47 +0000

Some of you may know this but I graduated college in December. I have been in the midst of the job search since. Well after all the interviews and the emails and the calls I got a job! This week was my first week. I wanted to do kind of a diary of the interview process and the first month or so on the job. Below are my thoughts on the interview and search process.

The Interview/ Application Process

Focus, Focus, Focus

I was interviewing for about 2 months (which includes time when I was in school and interviewing). While that is not that much time, especially in this market, it does hurt. First of all before you start applying for jobs, determine a city(or cities) and a list of target businesses in those cities you would love to work for. If you are in advertising check out http://www.agencycompile.com/. For other businesses check out the cities Chamber of Commerce to look for businesses in the area. http://www.uschamber.com/default. This is a great way to get a landscape of businesses in your search area. If you are into social media you may want to use location based searches on twitter so you can see who is tweeting in the area.

Once you compile a list of desired companies check out their websites to see if they have a Twitter or a Facebook. If they do make sure to use social media to reach out to them. It is often a much more direct method and may be an in for you whereas just careers@whatever.com would not. It also makes you stand out and seem like you are really interested in the company.

Also, when you are applying for jobs apply to the career@whatever.com I know it seems like a black hole, and sometimes it is but I got some of my major interviews through this channel. This is where it REALLY helps to make your resume stand out. Check out my previous posts on how to do that. http://studentbranding.com/your-resume-make-it-stand-out/ http://studentbranding.com/your-resume-keep-it-brief/

Patience

The most important tip I can give you is to be patient. Companies are hurting and not in a hurry to hire. It doesn’t mean they aren’t interested in you but they are moving slowly because they do not know what will happen in the next couple of months in the economy. This gives you a great opportunity to stay in the mind of your interviewer. I suggest emailing once a week to check in after you have heard back after your first interview. However, when you email add some value to your email. Send links to articles you have found about the company, industry or something relevant. Stay in the mind of the interviewers but do not be annoying. Every industry and company is different, do what you feel is right but do not harass for that is the quickest way to ruin a good thing. Also every email you send needs to be meticulous. There are a lot of candidates out there so triple check every name and all the spelling. Also send handwritten thank you notes. They show that you care and you are really interested.

Also while you are waiting, get a hobby, volunteer, or get a part time job. These all give you things to talk about during the interview and make you look like a go-getter, not just someone sitting at home waiting for emails.

Offers

If you do finally get the job, remember all offers are negotiable. Companies are tight on money these days so they may not be able to offer you a lot more salary wise but they may give you more room on benefits or transportation. Negotiate your salary, but do it in a respectful way – you do not want to seem greedy! If you have questions ask them and if the HR person can’t help you ask to be connected to the benefits manager or someone who is a specialist in that category. A really important tip is to ask about promotions. How soon do they happen? Does the company promote from within? Is there a formal review system? Does the company actually follow through with their promotions? ( many don’t stick to it, and it is an important question if you want to be promoted) These variables are crucial because your starting salary may not be exactly where you want it but if you only have to deal with it for a year because that is how quickly you get promoted it may change your mind.

Importantly, do not let them rush you. Take a week, talk to your parents, professors, advisers and friends and see what they have to say. They may bring up important things you didn’t consider. And they can help you get a feel of how your offer stacks up in you industry.

Good luck!

Author:

Shannon is a senior at Boston University majoring in Advertising in the College of Communication. She has experience working for NBC Universal in New York City as well as PJA Advertising and Marketing in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She loves clean functional digital design. Digital is the future of advertising and marketing and Shannon likes to stay involved and on trend. Visit her website or follow her on Twitter.

Relocation-Four Things to Consider

Joe Bucher — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 11:00:47 +0000

In this day and age with jobs scarce and candidates plentiful we often talk about setting yourself apart from the pack. One of the things I am starting to hear more and more from employers is: Are students willing to relocate for a job?

This can be a complex topic as you could be leaving your home town, friends, family, and your comfort zone. You may want that hot internship or job, but how much do you want it? Are you willing to relocate or at least go somewhere else for a period of time? If you are like me and you live in sunny California, are you willing to go somewhere that has vastly different weather? Likewise, if you are from a large or small town, are you willing to go to where the work is? It is in your best interest to evaluate every opportunity that comes your way.

Risk versus reward perspective

I like to look at things from a risk versus reward perspective. For instance, is it worth it for you to take a great opportunity in another state if it could set you up for long-term growth? What are you risking and what do you have to gain?

You may want to do a “Personal SWOT Analysis” similar to how Shannon Reed suggests you do with your personal brand.

View relocation through a lens

I think that the best way to look at relocation is through a combination of factors including:

The market
Your life situation
Your values
Realizing that all things are temporary

Use these four sections to understand the impact of relocation and if it makes sense for you.

#1 The market

The market is probably the most significant factor when looking at relocating.

If you are not able to find work or you find that the majority of the jobs you are interested in aren’t located near you, there are choices to consider. You can either pursue your dreams in a new area or you can try to find similar work if available near where you live.

Additionally, if you are considering moving to another location you should examine the cost of living for that area. For example, your rent and living expenses will highly differ depending on the location you move to. This can be surprising when you factor in the cost of rent, gas, and other living expenses.

Here are some great resources I found to help you examine costs:

About.com Career Calculator

Community Information

#2 Your life situation

Your life situation can dictate if you are able to make a move.

As a student you may have concerns such as finishing your degree, finding a job/internship, and other stressors. However, after you leave school your concerns may change. You may get married, have children, buy a house, or have other life changing experiences. Wouldn’t it make sense to examine if relocation is something you should do before you encounter these stressors?

This is something you should carefully consider with your significant other, family, trusted friends, and others in your inner circle. Consider making an appointment with a counselor at your school’s career center to process some of these ideas with an objective source.

#3 Values can help make decisions

Values are the core principles that should determine what you do, who you spend your time with, and how you think about the world.

I try to incorporate the exploration of values into my work with students as much as I can. Your knowledge of your values can assist with any job search, but you may want to think about them even more if you are contemplating relocation. When examining a job opportunity, it is important to understand if your system of beliefs and the core values of the organization where you may work are in alignment. If your values conflict with what you will be asked to do, it will present a significant challenge to your satisfaction and possibly your integrity.

If this is something you haven’t thought about, the following are two exercises I use with students to examine their values:

Values sentence completion

Ordering of values

#4 Everything is temporary

In the beginning of your career, it is important to remember that some experiences are temporary stepping stones that can lead to additional opportunities.

It is pretty common knowledge that you will work multiple careers throughout your lifetime. I have seen quotes that state that people will work anywhere from 5 to 9 careers in their lifetime. Therefore, if you relocate for 6 months or two years- in the grand scheme of things how long is that really? This may very well be the stepping stone you need to get your career on track.

While moving away from your home town may be a tough decision, you do not have to make this decision alone. Think about some of the aspects that I have highlighted to get a head start on this subject.

Have you ever considered re-locating for work? Have you ever done it? Please let us know and add your tips to the comments section.

Author:

Joe is a career counselor at San Jose State University. His areas of specialization include: experiential education, resume development, interview preparation, job search strategy, and assessment inventories. In his role, he also serves as the community manager for the Career Center’s social media outlets. Connect with Joe on Twitter or follow samplings of his work via the SJSU Career Center Blog and Facebook fan page.

Build Your Network Wherever You Are

College Admissions 2.0: Video Essay on YouTube

Nicole M. Anderson — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 15:03:34 +0000

A couple of weeks ago the Boston Globe reported that Tufts University, where I am employed as a career counselor, invited prospective students to include a 1-minute video essay with their application for admission to the class of 2014. In “A Fresh Pitch on ‘U’ Tube” Globe Staffer Tracy Jan notes that of the 15,436 students who applied to Tufts this year, 6 percent, which is more than 1000 students, opted to submit a video. Tufts Admissions office released the videos on YouTube, where they are being viewed by the world.

93,058 Views

Amelia Downs, branded “math dance girl”, had approximately 6,000 views when the Boston Globe article broke on Feb. 21, 2010. Two weeks later, Amelia’s supplemental admissions video has 93,058 views. Talk about an experiment in personal branding and social media! I really enjoyed her video, and I think it is very good because it is quirky, authentic and understated. She obviously didn’t spend lots of money producing it. I also enjoyed Amelia’s video because I can relate to it – I loved math in high school and I probably would have made up a few dances to go along with what I was learning in trigonometry. Watch out American Idol contestants, Amelia Downs has 93,058 views and counting.

Gimic or game changer?

I don’t think this is a gimic, in fact, I think it could be a game changer for some students and the colleges who admit them. This is not just about Tufts inviting students to submit videos. This is about taking admissions to the next level by appreciating the current generation, their learning and attention styles, and encouraging them to leverage their comfort with technology to access college. Blogs, facebook, cell phones with video, twitter, instant messaging, Skype – Gen Y can navigate this world better than any generation before them.

Gatekeeper?

A legitimate concern is that students from low income backgrounds may not have the resources to create a video essay, which in fact could prove to be yet another disadvantage in accessing higher education. When you view the essays on YouTube, you will find that some seem to be professionally produced. Tufts dean of admissions Lee Coffin, interviewed in the Boston Globe article, insists that “production value” will not determine the admissions process. ”Some of the best videos are rather crude or simple in terms of their production values but they feature an appealing narrative or clever conceit that introduces us, more deeply, to an individual student,” Coffin said.

The video essay could prove to be an advantage, and it’s very appropriate for admissions to a college of arts, science and engineering, where thinking outside of the box is encouraged. I believe that the video essay is an incredible outlet for students whose grades are not a valid indicator of their abilities. A student need not be an extrovert, an actor, or a highly trained videographer to make a successful video essay – they just need to be themselves.

Video essay as personal branding

If high school students are introduced to personal branding through the college admissions process (and I mean that the student is actively engaged in the process of creating their own video - without a parent or a consultant writing the script and directing), it will give them a glimpse at what it takes to apply for internships and jobs.

My favorite video essays

By the way, while I enjoyed Amelia Downs’ video essay, I really liked the following two videos:

Michael Norton’s Optional Tufts University Supplemental Essay

Rachel Ison’s Tufts Supplement Video

Author:

Nicole Anderson is an Assistant Director/Career Counselor for Tufts University Career Services. With fourteen years of experience in college career services, Nicole’s expertise includes career counseling undergraduates, graduate students, and alumni from liberal arts, science, engineering, business, and education.

What Are You Going to Do With THAT Major?

Lori Bielek — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 11:00:43 +0000

If you have chosen a major in the social sciences or arts & humanities, such as sociology or philosophy, you have likely heard the question, “What are you going to with that?” Your parents or friends may have asked you the question with simple curiosity and without judgment, but that is unfortunately how you may end up feeling: judged and criticized.

Besides feeling judged, you may also have trouble giving an honest answer. You have likely chosen your major because it is interesting and engaging to you and not necessarily to get a specific job. You have a vague idea of your career options as they relate to your major, but you may have trouble coming up with a specific career goal, besides the obvious.

Parents want their college students to be successful when they graduate, so they may have difficulty understanding the career options for these types of majors. Arts & humanities along with social science majors have pertinent coursework and college experiences that provide a broad understanding of the world and will enable you to steer your career in a variety of directions.

Variety is the spice of life

You likely know people who have lead a traditional career path based on their major, such as an English major who works in publishing. However, many people do not work in the same field as their major would suggest. Just from a sampling of about 100 graduates of the University of Delaware there are the following:

An art major who is now a probation officer
An English major who is now an event planner
An international relations major who is now a systems engineer

If college graduates can work in a field unrelated to their major, then how do they find their careers? People discover their career goals and eventual jobs in a variety of ways, such as:

Through other work or volunteer experiences
By something they were exposed to in an internship
Through student organization activities, such as event planning
From their network (mentors, family members, acquaintances, etc.)
Creating their own job or company
Serendipitously

A diverse assortment of experiences and an open mind

So now that you know that your future job is not inextricably linked to your major, what will you do? One option is to give yourself the chance to become exposed to as many different opportunities in college as possible. Participating in student organizations or getting involved in research are great ways to get experience. It is important that you keep your mind open to different possibilities.

You could find out that you want to work on U.S. global warming policy after experiencing beach erosion first hand during your summer lifeguard job. You might end up opening your own business to meet the needs of a new immigrant community you worked with during a volunteer position. You also may meet someone at a career fair who gets you interested in working in pharmaceutical sales. Be sure to stay open to different opportunities that come your way.

Talk with alumni

As you go along in your college career, check with your school’s career services center or alumni office to find alumni who share your major. For example, the University of Delaware has an “Alumni Mentor Network” to connect college students to those in related career fields. These alumni can share their work experiences and how they ended up on their career path. They can also give useful advice on what it takes to succeed in different fields.

Don’t forget to build on your brand

It is also important that you polish up on communication skills, professionalism and work ethic while gaining different experiences. If you make a strong impression on an employer or a professor, they will be more likely to recommend you for an internship or other opportunity that might just lead you on the path to your dream job.

(For more guidance on connecting your major with a career, check out the wonderful book, “You Majored in What?” by Katharine Brooks.)

Author:

Networking for Introverts

Karen Obringer — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:00:16 +0000

I am a self-proclaimed introvert and proud of it! Being an introvert doesn’t mean that I hide away and my only friends are my fish, but just that when I’m exhausted and my energy bank is depleted I need to be alone or with a single trusted friend to re-energize. It also means that large groups of people can make me nervous, which in turn makes it hard to network. I feel more comfortable with one-on-one interactions or in small groups because it gives me the chance to connect with someone individually. This does, however, put a damper on my networking abilities when I’m placed in larger settings. So what can introverts do to overcome these hurdles and still network?

Networking Options for Introverts

Start Small – Begin with talking to people you already know and feel comfortable around. Start talking to your family and friends about your career goals, not just the typical conversations of how you’re doing, what’s new with relationships, and any other hot topic. Begin with asking them about their career or job and what they like about it. This helps with starting the conversation and expressing your interest in learning more about the other person. Now it’s your turn to share some information about where you are in your career path and how you would like a career that you can feel passionate about, be successful with, and anything else that’s driving you towards that career goal. Tell them specifically what type of career(s) you’re interested in pursuing and that you would like to talk to people within that field. Who knows maybe they have a friend you could talk to, but you’ll never know until you put it out there.

Expand Your Network – Now that you’ve mastered the art of professional conversation with the people you feel most comfortable, expand out to the next level of acquaintances. Start talking to other students you know from classes, student organizations, and events you attend. Make an appointment to speak to your advisor or a faculty member within your major of choice. Utilize the same conversation skills you just mastered in your small network group with this new expanded group. You may be a little nervous at first, I always was, but as the conversation commences you’ll feel more comfortable and achieve a new level of success.

Informational Interview – An informational interview is a great option for anyone to have individual time with a professional in his/her desired career field. People who are introverted tend to feel more comfortable when they’ve had the opportunity to prepare for the conversation and have developed talking points. Informational interviews are an excellent option to still network but have more control over the conversation through preparedness.
- How do you set up an informational interview? Utilize your networks which you’ve just successfully spoken to about your career goals, or talk to a career counselor who may know of someone in your chosen career field with which you can connect.
- What should you ask? Anything you want to know about that person’s career. Some suggested questions would be: What’s an average day like for you? How did you know you wanted to be a ____? What’s the good, bad, and ugly about this career? What tips would you give a current student to help him/her be successful within this career?
- Behavior Guidelines: Treat the interview as a professional interaction. Dress professionally, speak with your highest level of communication skills, make eye contact, and shake hands. But, above all BE YOURSELF. Don’t forget to send a thank you letter to the person you interviewed.

Job Shadow – This option follows the same guidelines as informational interviewing, except you’ll spend more time with the professional. You’ll actually have the opportunity to see what a typical day is like within that job and still have the chance to ask questions.

More Words of Wisdom

Sometimes you’ll have to network in less desirable settings, but through individual successes your confidence will grow which will help ease the butterflies in the stomach. 9 times out of 10 the person you’re talking to is just as interested in speaking with you as you are with them. Professionals understand the power of networking and sometimes they utilize networking with students as a means to screen potential interns. The majority of jobs and internships that are available are found through who you know and who knows you.

Networking through social media like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Blogs is another option for introverts because it allows time to prepare what you want to say. The most important guide to follow with this form of networking is utilizing the most professional form of communication and reviewing your online presence for any unprofessional comments, pictures, etc. For more information and other tips on networking for introverts, check out these blogs and online articles.

How To Network: For Introverts – by: Business Pundit
How to Chat Someone Up
Job Search Networking for Introverts – by: Job Hunt
Networking for Introverts: Part I: Start Using Strategies that Honor Your Natural Style – by: Dr. John T. Carlsen

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