How To Build A Powerful Professional Network
Tai Goodwin, 07.22.10, 9:15 AM ET

It is important to know the two Q's as you build out your network: quality and quantity. But have you considered the importance of having a well-rounded network?
In this job market, having a strong network is critical to your professional survival. There are plenty of tips and articles on where to find people, how and when to connect to them and even what you need to say to attract and maintain your network. This article focuses on who should be in your network.

Here are the top 10 people that should be in your network:
1. The Mentor: This is the person who has reached the level of success you aspire to have. You can learn from their success as well as their mistakes. Heed their wisdom and experience. This relationship offers a unique perspective because they have known you through several peaks and valleys in your life and watched you evolve.
2. The Coach: The coach is someone who comes in at different times in your life. They help with critical decisions and transitions and offer an objective perspective with no strings attached.
3. The Industry Insider: This is someone in your chosen field who has expert-level information or access to it. This person will keep you informed of what's happening now and what the next big thing is. Invite them to be a sounding board for your next innovative idea.
4. The Trendsetter: This is someone outside of your chosen industry who always has the latest buzz. It can be on any topic that you find interesting. The goal in having this person in your network is to look for those connections that spark innovation via the unconventional. It will also help you keep your conversations interesting.
5. The Connector: This is a person who has access to people, resources and information. As soon as they come across something related to you, they are sending you an e-mail or picking up the phone. Connectors are great at uncovering unique ways to make connections, finding resources and opportunities that most people would overlook.
6. The Idealist: This is the person in your network you can dream with. No matter how "out there" your latest idea is, this is the person who will help you brainstorm ways to make it happen. Without judgment, they are focused on helping you flesh out your dreams in high definition, even if you don't have a solid plan yet on how to make it happen.

---

7. The Realist: On the flip side, you still need the person who will help you keep it real. This is the person who will give you the raised eyebrow when your expectations exceed your effort. These are not people who knock down your dreams, rather they challenge you to actively make your dream happen.
8. The Visionary: Visionary people inspire you by their journey. They are similar to the Idealist, but the visionary can help you envision an actual plan to reach your goal. One personal encounter with this type of person can powerfully change the direction of your thinking and life.
9. The Partner: You need to have someone who is in a similar place and on a similar path to share with. In fact, partners do a lot of sharing. This is a person you can share the wins and woes with. Partners will also share resources, opportunities and information.
10. The Wanna-Be: This is someone you can serve as mentor to. Someone you can help shape and guide based on your experiences. One of the best ways to tell that you understand something is to be able to explain it to someone else. And sometimes, one of the best motivators for pushing through obstacles and hardship is knowing that someone is watching.
Obviously you will want to have more than 10 people in your network. The trick is to make sure you are building a diverse network by adding people from different industries, backgrounds, age groups, ethnic groups, etc. … that fit into the roles listed above. Building a deep network by only including people from your current profession or business focus leaves too many stones unturned, limiting potential opportunities.
Serious about building a strong professional network that can actually provide the leverage you need to make progress at work or in your business? Evaluate your current network and get started filling in the gaps.
Happy Networking!

Tai Goodwin, The Career Makeover Coach, is a professional development coach that specializes in career rejuvenation and reinvention. She is also host of the online radio show, Career Makeover Strategies.
Keep reading at ForbesWoman

Social Media: Get Your Foot in the Virtual Door

Use Social Media Like Twitter and Facebook to Get Ahead in the Job Search

By TORY JOHNSON
Workplace Contributor

July 15, 2010 —

The key to getting a job is getting in front of a decision-maker, which isn't as impossible as it may seem.
If you're savvy, social media can get you and your resume through the virtual front door to the person doing the hiring.
The key is to shift your emphasis from looking at positions to finding people. It starts by having comprehensive profiles on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. Without fully complete profiles, which includes uploading all of your contacts and connections, none of these sites are effective for jobseekers.

Twitter: Follow people who work where you want to work.

When you're logged into Twitter, on the top right side of your screen, you'll see a link to "Find People." Type in the name of the company you're eyeing and then review the profiles of each person (or organization) that pops up. Follow those who work in recruiting and/or within the departments that appeal to you.
Earlier this year, Trish Freshwater wanted a job at Sodexo, the leading provider of food and facilities management in the United States. She turned to Twitter. Using the "find people" function, she entered the company name, and reviewed the profiles that turned up in the search results. She then followed those with "Director" or "VP" in their title, as well as everyone in recruiting. One month from sending her first tweet to the head of talent recruitment, Freshwater was offered a job.
Bonus tips on Twitter:
#1: Follow me at Twitter.com/ToryJohnson to ask your job search questions and to receive advice and leads to support your advancement.
#2: Check out TweetMyJobs, which allows jobseekers to sign up for daily alerts on job openings from more than 700 top employers. Alerts are delivered to you directly via email, Twitter or text message.

Facebook: Check out openings at the companies where your friends work.

Just last month, SimplyHired.com, the largest job search engine, launched a new way to job search by integrating a special feature through Facebook. It allows users to see the job openings at the companies where their Facebook friends work.
So instead of pleading to your friends, "Hey, do you know anyone who's hiring ... do you have any job leads for me?" -- an approach that's usually met with a blank stare -- you can be proactive by saying, "I found a perfect opening at your company that I'm ideally suited for, and I'm hoping you'd be willing to get my resume into the right hands."
Since more than half of all hires originate from referrals, this is a powerful way to enable your Facebook friends to help you. Click here for a video tutorial from SimplyHired on how it works.
Bonus tips on Facebook:
#1: Join (or "like") my page at Facebook.com/Tory, where our group shares advice and leads on jobsearching and career advancement every day. This is also where I often post questions to solicit ideas and guests for workplace segments on GMA.
#2: Share positive aspects of your job search on your wall to encourage your friends to support your efforts. Similarly, make sure that your photos are employer-friendly. Airing your frustrations or exposing negativity may be viewed by perspective employers, and that digital dirt could cost you an opportunity.

LinkedIn: Use company research to make connections

More than 1 million companies have profiles pages on LinkedIn, including every major company in the United States, as well as teeny ones, too. These company pages offer a wealth of information for jobseekers to put to work.
Once you're logged in, type the company name of your choice into the search box in the top right corner. You'll be able to see several pieces of key information:
Who in your network may work there or know someone who works there?
Who are the new hires at that company? (New hires, even if you don't know them, may be willing to chat about how they got the gig. Send an email saying something like, "Congrats on landing that awesome position! I'd love to work there too and I'm wondering if you'd have five minutes for me by phone?")
Who may have recently left that company, and could that be the sign of a potential job opening?
Bonus tips on LinkedIn:
#1: Your LinkedIn profile, if complete, allows you to showcase your professional best. Include a link to this profile in your email signature and in your other social media profiles.
#2: Join groups and be active. There are groups based on every location, industry, specialty and then some. Find the groups that are most applicable to the work you're pursuing -- and then engage with other members. Belonging isn't enough if you don't get busy making conversation.
#3: Explore jobs. Click on the JOBS tab across the top of your screen. LinkedIn matches openings based on keywords in your profile. That's another reason why it's essential to have a thorough profile posted. Job postings are often exclusive to LinkedIn, which means you won't find them elsewhere.
Tory Johnson is the workplace contributor on ABC's Good Morning America and the CEO of Women For Hire. Talk to her at Twitter.com/ToryJohnson.
Click here to return to the "Good Morning America" website.

Copyright © 2010 ABC News Internet Ventures

4 Lessons From Billionaire College Entrepreneurs

Michael Deane, provided by

Friday, July 2, 2010

There are more than enough college business success stories to go around - and I'm not talking about that dude who lived next to you in your dorm and made enough money for books by selling home-made Che Guevara t-shirts. I'm talking about the businesses that started in college and became billion-dollar companies. There's something to learn from the Zuckerbergs, Dells and Gateses of the world. Here are four of those lessons.

IN PICTURES: 6 Millionaire Traits That You Can Adopt

1. Find a Need and Fill It
   This is the most basic of advice for starting a business; either find something that doesn't exist but would improve the lives of those around you, or find an already available product and make it better and cheaper. Mark Zuckerberg is probably the most famous and richest 26-year old on the planet right now, and he did exactly this when creating Facebook. (The social networking site is a private company, but there are still a few ways that you can buy in. Check out Alternative Ways To Invest In Facebook.) Zuckerberg was an undergrad at Harvard in 2004, taking computer science (go figure), and had been programming since he was in his teens. At Zuckerberg's old school there had been a registry of students and their photos published every year, but not at Harvard. So Zuckerberg set out to change that, but after his initial hacking into Harvard's server to retrieve the information needed to make a kind of "hot or not" Harvard page, he was shut down and had to go a different route. This gave rise to thefacebook.com and later, after he and his team moved to California, facebook.com.
   There have certainly been problems and issues along the way, but what started as a desire to give everyone access to Harvard student photos has made Zuckerberg a billionaire. Facebook is expected to reach one billion accounts in the near future. (Find out how to keep Facebook from ruining your job prospects in 6 Career-Killing Facebook Mistakes.)
   
2. Think Outside of School
   Michael Dell regularly ranks among the richest men in the world as the founder and CEO of Dell computers. Dell actually started this company while he was still in college doing his pre-med courses. Even as a teenager, Dell was interested in computers and finding out how electronics work, and while he was at college, he turned this into a part-time job. Dell started upgrading computers from a room in residence and eventually started operating as "PCs Limited" out of a condo, selling upgraded PCs via direct order. This eventually became Dell computers, which dominated the PC world during the 1990s and mid-2000s. The company is not quite as dominant a PC force right now, but having started it as a hobby while pursuing an entirely different goal, Dell has certainly made his mark on the computer world. (The next time portfolio losses have you down, just be glad that you can blame some of your woes on the market, rather than your own poor judgment. Don't miss the Biggest Millionaire Flops.)
   
3. Use Your School Projects for Larger Goals
   When you're in college, it's best to try and focus your studies in a way that interests you and will work out in your favor once you're done school. So don't write a 2,000 word paper on Chapter 57 from "Moby Dick" unless you truly find it interesting or want to teach this Melville classic in the future; make your studies work for you.
   
   This is what Larry Page and Sergey Brin did when they were both pursuing their PhDs at Stanford in computer science. They were working on a research project that would create a search engine that would analyze the relationship between websites, and Google was born. The idea of Google comes from Brin's and Page's idea that information should be accessible and universal, and they're making this a reality through a project started at Stanford.
   
4. Don't Let School Get in the Way
   Bill Gates didn't let school get in the way of creating something that would both help the world and make him a multibillionaire. After scoring a mere 1590 out of 1600 on the SATs, Gates enrolled at Harvard with the hope of studying law, and after seeing one the first mass-consumed micro computers, the Altair 8800, Gates and his former classmate Paul Allen approached the maker of the computer to let them know they had written a programming language for the computer. After the maker of the computer, MITS, accepted the offer, Gates left Harvard to pursue his dream, never to return. Shortly after this, Microsoft was formed. Gates used the college's computer labs to work towards his real passion, and when that passion paid off, he realized that college wasn't for him. Zuckerberg also left Harvard and hasn't returned. (There are many ways to hit the million-dollar mark, but the faster you try to get there, the harder it becomes. Check out So You Wanna Be A Millionaire: How Long Will It Take?)
   

The Bottom Line
There are many other success stories, like Frederick Smith who based the idea for FedEx on an economics paper he'd written while doing a bachelor's of economics at Yale, but the majority of money-making college entrepreneurs have been involved with computers. Overall, college entrepreneurs need to focus on their true passions and let schooling aid them in getting to this goal, and if schooling gets in the way, entrepreneurs have to be prepared to put it aside to follow their idea to the end.
Catch up on the latest financial news; read Water Cooler Finance: Shocking Court Rulings, Sinking Markets.

Original story - 4 Lessons From Billionaire College Entrepreneurs
Copyright (c) 2010 Investopedia ULC. All rights reserved. Investopedia.com is a Forbes Digital Company.

Stay Abreast of Industry News

Did you know that a recent poll conducted across the BusinessWorkforce.com Network found that more than 33 percent of business professionals do not keep up with the latest trends in their industry? If you were a hiring manager, wouldn’t you want to hire a professional who was well informed and could contribute by providing fresh new ideas and add value to your business?

---

One of the easiest ways to stay ahead is to stay informed. So what are some of the best ways to stay in the know when searching for a job? Located below are some ideas to consider:

• Attend Classes and Seminars. Furthering your education and knowledge in your field will not only keep you up-to-date on new developments and techniques, but it will also help you become a memorable candidate to potential employers. Attending classes or seminars and noting them on your resume shows that you take initiative and have the drive that employers are looking for in a candidate. If you are a professional entering a new industry, this is a great way to learn about a new career path before taking that first step.
• Search Online Articles and Blogs. A great way to find valuable information about your field or industry is to search and visit sites that provide valuable articles or blogs about the latest topics of interest to you. Don’t forget to visit our Career Resources area often to read the latest articles to help you grow personally and professionally.
• Read Industry Magazines. As a job seeker, it is important to be on top of the latest news affecting your industry and know which companies and industries are hot and which are not. By staying educated you will demonstrate your knowledge to potential employers in this increasingly competitive job market and get ahead of other candidates.
• Look to Government Resources. Are you familiar with the Bureau of Labor Statistics? They provide a wealth of information on the employment and job markets across a variety of industries. Is your industry growing or shrinking? Do you know the salary range for your industry or what skills you need to enter or stay ahead in your position? You can access the latest employment and job information by visiting their site.
• Join a Professional Membership Organization. There are numerous benefits to becoming a member of a professional organization. You will gain access to important networking contacts in your field, receive invitations to networking events in your area, and have access to seminars, classes, and other educational opportunities to help you stay informed. Consider it free education!

At BusinessWorkforce.com, we want to help you gain the knowledge that you need and the competitive advantage that you deserve. We are excited to offer you a complimentary one-year subscription to an industry magazine of your choice. You can search from hundreds of leading industry publications. We encourage you to take advantage of this special offer.

Get A Free Industry Magazine

Now that you have been introduced to some helpful resources to gain a competitive advantage in your job search, we will soon share the many benefits of advancing your career by furthering your education. Until then, located below are a few helpful resources to help you along the way.

---

Career Resources

• Networking Can Jump Start Your Career
• 5 Lessons About Choosing a Career
• Four Tips for Career Research
• Free Information from the Top Online Colleges

Read Career Articles    Access More Resources


Best regards,

The BusinessWorkforce.com Team
BusinessWorkforce.com

Marketing Yourself

Develop Your Personal Brand
Personal branding is an ongoing process that should exist throughout your job search process and entire career. The goal of establishing a strong personal brand is to differentiate yourself among other professionals by demonstrating your unique value to employers. Below are a few steps you need to take to successfully build your brand while marketing yourself to potential employers:

• Increase Your Visibility. The first step towards building your personal brand is to get your name out there. The best way to establish a presence in your field is by attending industry meetings and conferences, participating in panel discussions or volunteering for committees. You never know when your contacts will be able to help you along your job search.
• Stay Connected. It is important to stay in touch with old contacts as well as continue to build and maintain your current network on a regular basis. Don’t be someone who reaches out to contacts only when they need something. Foster those relationships, especially the important ones!
• Create an Online Presence. Take professional networking to the next level by joining online social networking sites. Consider starting a blog on your area of expertise or creating a website that showcases samples of your work. Make an effort to meet other professionals online by commenting on relevant blogs or connecting with professionals through their social networking profile. Consider creating an online career portfolio and remember to manage your online reputation to ensure you are always presenting yourself in a positive, professional manner when interacting online.
• Establish Key Differentiators. Identify what makes you distinctive from other candidates and make sure to communicate it to potential employers. It is important to be honest about who you are as a professional and understand your strengths and unique value you bring to the table. It’s also important to recognize your weaknesses and develop a plan for personal improvement. By knowing yourself, you can more effectively promote yourself to others.
• Be Consistent. Ensure that you have a consistent message when speaking with potential employers, colleagues and other professionals. While you may not realize it, everything that you do or say contributes to your personal brand, including the way you conduct yourself in meetings, in phone conversations, through email communications and how you dress.
• Seek Feedback and Evaluate Progress. Once you have established your personal brand, it is important to continue to gauge how others perceive you. Test your market value by gathering constructive feedback from your co-workers, peers, family and friends. By understanding how others view your personal brand, you can learn what steps you need to take to position yourself for success.

Market Yourself
Developing your personal brand is one of the first steps towards effectively marketing yourself to potential employers and elevating your career. Employers appreciate job seekers that take the initiative to get noticed and differentiate themselves from other candidates in their industry.

Consider using a resume distribution service to effectively reach employers that are searching for candidates just like you. Remember, some employers choose to search resume databases for candidates instead of posting jobs. You want to be seen by these employers. Don’t delay; employers are searching for candidates like you right now!

Distribute Your Resume

Have you ever wondered if you have what it takes to be your own boss? Look for the next Job Search Guide email which will discuss the benefits of freelance consulting and owning your own franchise business with very little investment.

In the meantime, located below are a few helpful resources to help build and maintain your personal brand. Have a great day.

---

Career Resources

• Create an online career portfolio
• Manage your online reputation
• Using Online Social Networks to Secure Employment
• Increase credibility by obtaining a background check
• Get noticed by employers with a featured resume listing

Read Career Articles    Access More Resources


Best regards,

The BusinessWorkforce.com Team
BusinessWorkforce.com

The Power of In-Person Networking

PMI.org | Career Central

Share |

Power of In-Person Networking 1 March 2010 Even in today's Web 2.0 world, project managers still have to put in some face time. Social networks have become de rigueur for working new career contacts. With users that number in the millions, LinkedIn, Mixi and other sites allow professionals around the world to connect with colleagues past and present—expanding networks to numbers never before possible. But project managers should not forget the importance of in-person networking where connections are more personal and impressions longer lasting. The next time you attend a networking event, remember these five tips: 1. Focus on your audience. Don’t you hate it when you’re at an event and the person you’re speaking with is scanning the room to see who else is there? “When you are networking with someone at an event, give him or her your undivided attention,” says Wayne Botha, PMP, principal consultant, Botha Consulting, South Windsor, Connecticut, USA. “Networking is about building lasting relationships, not about pushing unwanted business cards at strangers,” he says. Instead, concentrate on what the person is saying and try to pick up nuances you can leverage later. “People are impressed when you meet again and you recall their name along with details of your last meeting,” adds Mr. Botha, who also serves as a vice president of membership for the PMI Southern New England Chapter. 2. Go in prepared. “Have a standard set of questions that you can use to begin a discussion,” says Sue Bergamo, former CIO, Aramark Galls & Wearguard, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Not only will you be ready to approach someone, you won’t do all the talking. “People love to talk,” says Mr. Botha. “The fastest way to build new relationships is to inquire about the other person's work, and then ask about their biggest challenges or successes. You may learn useful information in addition to building a new relationship that can be mutually beneficial.” 3. Make connections from the executive suite on down. Reserving your networking to only top managers is a mistake. “My contacts are at all levels,” says Chester, England-based Charles Ryder, PMP, director of the project management training firm Kennedy Ryder. “When I meet someone that I believe has the potential to be successful or is successful and I enjoy their company, I will contact them again.” It’s a practice that has served Mr. Botha well. “While managing a project in 2002, I worked with members of another team,” he says. “I made the effort to visit their desks instead of phoning them while taking a few extra minutes to talk about their hobbies and interests,” he says. In 2008, when the team needed a new project manager, Mr. Botha got the call. “I was recommended by multiple team members due to the relationships we had built six years prior.” 4. Follow up right away. This is where in-person networking and online networking converge. Connect with your new contacts on LinkedIn or friend them on Facebook if you use your account for professional purposes. And don’t overlook the potential of e-mails and phone calls to people you know and with whom you’d like to stay in touch. 5. Never pass up an opportunity to connect. Sometimes even a seemingly random relationship leads to a big payoff. “I was traveling to London when there was a problem with the [rail] lines,” says Mr. Ryder. Forced to change trains, he took the only empty seat he could find. “I chatted to the person in the next seat and we got on well. In the conversation he indicated that his company was setting up in Geneva, and I gave him some advice and contact names. We exchanged cards and parted,” Mr. Ryder says. “Some weeks later his company put some project management training our way.” And isn't that what networking is all about—making and working contacts in ways that can be beneficial to your business and career, and to theirs as well?