Tag Archives: friends

3 Ways You Should be Growing Your Network at LinkedIn

Advice, In Transition, , , , , , ,
grow network linkedin
Photo by Christophe Kiciak

The more connections you have at LinkedIn.com, the more likely people may be to accept your request to connect. Also, the larger your network, the more 1st- and 2nd-level connections you’ll have available when you’re networking.

Here are 3 main ways you can grow your network at LinkedIn:
1. Those You Know Already – After setting up your profile, invite those you know to connect. From the Connections link in the options bar at the top of most pages, choose Add Connections, and follow the process to import your email address book. LinkedIn can then suggest connections. Here’s another route: A list of “People You May Know” will also show up on different screens as you use LinkedIn. Don’t use the Connect quick-link, however. Make your request more personal. Go into each person’s profile to send connection requests, so you can customize the message they’ll see. You can also go back and add friends from high school or college.

2. Those You Meet – Add each person you meet as you network to your LinkedIn connections. Do so within two days so they won’t forget who you are, and always mention the event where you met when customizing the wording of your connection request. (As part of the targeted networking process, you’ll be requesting LinkedIn connections to people with whom you’re attempting to schedule networking meetings. This will also grow your network.)

3. Group Members – This is how I grew my network from about 50 people to 200. Join LinkedIn Groups (probably no more than 8-10) that have to do with your field. (To browse Groups, use the search blank at the top of the screen, change the setting to Groups, and enter keywords.) After you’ve joined the group, from the top of the Groups page, click the Members link; you can only see all members if you’re a member of the group. From their profiles, you can start to invite select people to connect. On the “How do you know ___” screen, select Groups; then choose the Group you both have in common.

Your personalized message can be something like, “Hi, James. We’re both members of the Music and Marketplace group here on LinkedIn. I’d like to connect with you.” Participate in discussions as often as you can. This way, you may meet potential employers or people who can help you learn more about topics in your field. You can also establish yourself as a subject matter expert by contributing original material to your groups. I once got a contract position after having met a hiring manager in one of my groups.

 

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GUEST BLOG: What’s On Your Bucket List? (Why You Should Make a Bucket List Instead of New Year’s Resolutions)

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© 2008 Warner Brothers

As Christmas 2014 closes and the New Year approaches, where did the year fall short?  Maybe this was a great year, and you would rather stay in the moment; but for others, turning the calendar can’t happen fast enough.

At the beginning of each New Year, people automatically turn to goal setting and thinking about where they “fell off the wagon” again on losing weight, getting organized, saving money and exercising more—all in the Top Ten Resolutions each year according to USA.gov. Maybe you got the promotion you wanted, and you lost the 45 pounds you needed to take off.  Now you are wondering how you repeat it again next year.

If you are like my friend Dave, you can’t wait to start a new year.  Dave had major surgery and was in a car wreck, causing him to miss more than a month of work and setting him back thousands in medical bills—plus having to buy a new car.  2015 can’t get here fast enough for him, but how do you reset and start to think about the upcoming year?

I totally changed my mind a few years ago after watching the movie The Bucket List.   The main plot follows two terminally ill men on a road trip with a wish list of things they want to do before they kick the bucket. I was thinking about my New Year’s Resolutions and why it takes a death sentence to get us thinking about travelling to exotic places, courage to go sky-diving, and spending quality time with loved ones.  I decided to forego New Year’s Resolutions and make my own personal bucket list each year.

Before you start thinking I’m morbid, I put together a few parameters for developing my list each year.  I promise it’s tons more fun and insightful than a New Year’s Resolution list.

  1. Target items that are relational:  I try to target 1-3 groups of people or individuals who are especially important to me but due to distance or busyness, we don’t get to spend the quality time we’d like.  For instance, my friend Sarah moved out-of-state ten years ago.  She is a special person to me and my entire family, so I wanted to carve out some time for just the two of us to spend time together as well as with our families.  We planned a long weekend together in Florida, courtesy of her frequent flyer points and going during the off-season to save money. It allowed us to have hours of conversation catching up instead of just text or emails.  We had our families spend time together at her house one weekend too. Once, I planned a “Cousins’ Reunion Weekend,” realizing that we had not seen each other since our parents had all passed away.  It was such a great time that we decided to make it an annual tradition.  So you see, you just need to be intentional about the relationships you want to give attention to.
  2. Make your list no longer than five items: This requires you to put real thought behind everything on your list.  Make a couple of them more achievable so you can check them off or give yourself a pat on the back.  A few need to be a stretch goal, where there is time allocation, logistics, or financial challenges involved with achieving the goal.  Just the anticipation of planning and preparing for something adds excitement.
  3. Include things that involve personal growth: Ask yourself is there is something you have always wanted to do or destinations you’ve wanted to see?  Maybe you have always wanted to play the piano or visit the homeland of your immigrant grandparents.  Schedule the lessons, or plan the travel.  You will feel twice the satisfaction because you are doing something for yourself—something most of us neglect.
  4. Put your bucket list items on your calendar early: Go ahead and schedule a date for each bucket list item.  You are half way to accomplishing something if you get it on your calendar, even if you still have to finalize details.  If your bucket list item involves scheduling time with others, this step is even more important because schedules tend to fill up as the year progresses.

Don’t wait till January to start thinking.  Put your bucket list together, and get moving.  It will be more fun and meaningful than New Year’s resolutions. I would love to hear some of the bucket list items you put on your list for 2015.

Ruth Smith
authorruthsmith@gmail.com
authorruthsmith.com

 

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MUCHO MONDAYS – Fiesta!: After You Have Your New Job, A Checklist

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benefits, insurance, evaluation, celebration, considerations, alerts, professional association, LinkedIn, filter, budget, vacation time, volunteering, networking, network, colleagues, friends, family, headhunters, doctor
Photo by Maria Elisa Duque

Congratulations! All your hard work, networking, resume’ writing, and everything else you’ve worked so hard for in your position as a marketer of yourself has paid off! But before you simply show up for the first day with your briefcase and Scooby Doo lunchbox in hand, here are some reminders that should ease the transition into your new job.

BEFORE THE FIRST DAY
• If you have certain things you always bring from home (photos, office supplies, notes) box those up and have them ready to bring with you day one.
• If you have kids, plan with your spouse who will do what based on the hours/days of your new position.
• Follow any instructions your new company has given you, and return any forms they’ve asked you to complete.

DURING
• Turn off job postings alerts from sites like indeed, careerbuilder, and beyond.com (and de-activate your resume’) as well as those you have set up with job boards at any professional association sites. Change pref’s to stop or reduce any communiqué coming from LinkedIn.
• Set email filters at job posting groups of which you’re a member to direct those to the Trash.
• Delete all your recurrent events on your calendar.
• Give your new work phone number to your spouse, etc. Get your supervisor’s office and (if it is appropriate) cell phone numbers into your phone.
• Figure out your new budget after receiving your first check.
• Treat yourself! You’ve worked hard for months. Buy something from your Wantlist.
• Find out about how to set up direct deposit. Make sure you understand your vacation time and benefits. Set up things like insurance and employee retirement funds when the time comes. Cancel any independent insurance policies you’re on.
• Meet as many people as you can early on. Not only is this beneficial in case you have questions about something, but it helps build goodwill and fit you into the family and culture of the company. Try to understand the hierarchy as you go.
• Volunteer for some things as you see opportunities arise. I was asked to judge a dessert contest—boy, was someone dead on with that one!
• Alert your headhunters that you have a job and to change your status to Inactive (but not delete you from their system.) Thank them for their help.

AFTER THE 90-DAY MARK
• Email (at least bulk) your networking colleagues to thank them for their help and let them know where you landed and what your title is.
• Facebook or email your friends and family to do the same.
• Clean up your Job folder in your email. You could delete any messages 9 months or older.
• Add the new job to your LinkedIn profile & update your Headline and if relevant, your City and Industry.
• Schedule any doctor or dentist appointments you may have been putting off.
• Update your profile at any professional organizations of which you’re a member.
• Don’t throw all your network out the window. Try to attend at least one networking event a month.
• (From day 1 forward) keep track of your accomplishments