Social Networking Etiquette

As mentioned in a previous blog, social networking is becoming more and more useful for college students to network and make career connections. But while using these business networking sites, what is appropriate behavior to use and not to use?

I recently found this article about social networking etiquette:
http://www.cio.com/article/493176/Social_Networking_Etiquette_How_to_Introduce_Yourself_and_Others_Politely

Sometimes when social networking, you may question what the appropriate way to make connections is and this article helps to answer a lot of these difficult questions. The article answers questions such as how can you politely decline friend requests? How can you effectively introduce yourself to someone who doesn’t know you well? How can you connect two of your own connections?

Continuing, the article mentions that one of the most common dilemmas that arise when using social networks is who you should or should not accept as your “friend” or who you should or should not “connect” with. This is quite a dilemma because who you are friends with and connecting with can say a lot about your character. This article gives great tips for dealing with these dilemmas. For example, the article suggests deciding on a “friend” strategy for your social networks, and communicating this strategy with your potential contacts. For example, if one of your colleagues requests you become “friends” on Facebook, and your strategy is to only “connect” with colleagues through LinkedIn, you can politely say to them that you value the working relationship that the two of you have and consider him/her a friend, but that you only connect with colleagues through LinkedIn, and you would gladly connect with them there.

Furthermore, the article also offers etiquette tips when requesting someone to be your friend. The article suggests that you should be specific when sending invitations to someone and explain to your potential “friend” or “connection” how you know them or why you are interested in connecting with them.

This article offers great advice and tips to follow when social networking. Because social networking has developed its own set of rules and etiquette, it is important to stay up to date with the latest trends in order to ensure you do not offend anyone via the web.

I hope this information helps when you are out in the social network world.

Jeanette Schoettle
Senior, Psychology Major and Career Peer Advisor
psyadv@iupui.edu

How Job Shadowing Can Benefit Your Job Search

It is always a great idea to research an interesting career choice as much as possible prior to actually working in the career. To research certain career aspirations people often use O*Net (http://online.onetcenter.org/) to look up job descriptions as well as using one of several internet sites, such as http://www.payscale.com/, to find salary information. However, even all the research and information in the world on a specific career can’t beat the knowledge gained through a simple job shadow or a series of job shadows. Job shadowing can be an extremely useful tool in verifying your interest in any career of choice. I recently came across an article from Texas State University that discussed several tips and guidelines that would be useful to make the most out of any job shadowing experience.
http://www.careerservices.txstate.edu/Students/Internships-Experiential-Learning/JobShadowing/Tips.html
I found three tips to be especially helpful in this article; do your research, network, and expect the unexpected.

Before you show up for your job shadowing experience, it’s important to do some research. One way to research a career area or organization is to ask people you already know. You would be surprised how many of your friends or family may know or work with someone in your career of interest. Another good way to research careers or organizations is a simple Google search. ONET, mentioned above is another great source for researched career data. The more you know about the job and the company before you shadow the easier it will be for you to come up with intelligent questions that will help you learn more about that person that job and that organization. Going in informed will also potentially impress your host and make them aware of how interested you really are in the area of work. Doing your homework before you job shadow provides you with a better understanding of the career area in a general way, and the job shadow experience gives you a deeper knowledge through real life experience.

The second tip I found useful is networking. You may not realize it, but job shadowing is the perfect way to get your foot in the door at a particular company or with a group of people that you may someday want to work with. When job shadowing, collect contact information or business cards from the people you meet so you can follow up with further questions after your experience. Staying in touch with the people you meet at your job shadowing experience. They may be able to refer you to others or provide you with another opportunity down the road.

The third tip I liked was that not all job shadowing experiences go the way you think they will. In many cases people job shadow and realize that the career of interest is not a good fit for them. In that case you should not make it obvious that you are no longer interested in the career, you should finish out the shadowing experience on good terms and chalk it up to being a helpful learning experience on the path to finding the career that is a good fit for you. Also, take note of the time you’re saving if you learn that early in your academic career.

You now know a little more about why it’s useful and how to prepare for a job shadow experience; now all you need to know is how to go about setting one up. This can be relatively easy if friends or family know someone in the field of interest; however, it can be tricky if you do not have that initial connection. If you do not have a connection then a good place to start is with your academic or career advisor. In addition, IUPUI students have the benefit of using the Alumni Mentor Database (which can be found at http://www.jagjobs.org/) to get in contact with graduates from IUPUI who are currently working in their field of interest.

I hope that you will try job shadowing as a way to confirm your interests, network with others and learn more about your career of interests.

Chelsey Williams
Career Peer Advisor
psyadv@iupui.edu

Social Networking: How can it be used to my advantage?

Yes, college students have been warned about the detrimental effects of using social networks. But how can social networking be used to a student’s advantage? With so many social networking sites available out in the cyber world, it would make sense for students to use at least a few of these sites to their advantage. All in all, there are thousands and thousands of social networking sites available for students to use. Some of the most popular ones include: Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Flixster, LinkedIn, Tagged, Classmates, myYearbook, LiveJournal, Reunion, BlackPlanet, Bebo, hi5, Yuku, CafeMom, Friendster, Xanga, ViralCommerce, AsianTown, Tickle, etc.

One of the best social networks to use to promote yourself and make connections in the business professional world is LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a business oriented social networking site. It allows you to post a professional profile and connect with other professionals in your career area of interest.

This article highlights 10 ways in which you can use LinkedIn to find a job:
http://applicant.com/10-ways-to-use-linkedin-to-find-a-job/

The article stresses that social networks such as LinkedIn can be advantageous for finding a job, but you still need to work at making connections and put in an effort to personally brand your LinkedIn profile. The article also makes a point to keep your profile updated, and to not overlook anyone as a possible connection. You never know who could be your connection to finding a great job. The article also links you to a “don’t-do-it-guide to using LinkedIn.” The guide reminds you that LinkedIn is a professional social networking site; it should be used differently than how you would use Facebook or MySpace (which you should have securely locked done). You should not be posting pictures of yourself out at the bars for the weekend. You should keep your profile looking professional and post a professional picture of yourself, and unlike Facebook and other social networking sites, it is very appropriate to post your resume on your profile page. It never hurts to have people looking at your well polished resume!

So where do you start? Start by going to LinkedIn today. It is free for anyone. Then develop a LinkedIn profile of yourself. Remember to follow the “Do’s and Don’ts” when using LinkedIn. As you build your profile, you can also join groups of professionals in your area of interests. Me, I’m interested in going into the HR filed, so you can be sure that I’m a member of the local Society of Human Resources group. With a LinkedIn profile you are on your way to making some great professional connections.

This is a direct link to the LinkedIn site: http://www.linkedin.com/

Jeanette Schoettle


Senior, Psychology Major and
Career Peer Advisor
psyadv@iupui.edu

Your Inner Two Year Old Is Killing Your Search

I thought this was an interesting article about the job search process. Let me know your thoughts.

Your Inner Two Year Old Is Killing Your Search

3 Job Search Mistakes Everybody Makes

Wow! I really like this short New Grad Life article entitled 3 Job Search Mistakes Everybody Makes.

"Your personal brand is what lands you a job. Not your resume. Your personal brand should match online, offline, in your personality and in your appearance. The way you write your LinkedIn profile, what you say online, and who you meet in person are a few important aspects of a job seekers personal brand."

Have you thought much about your personal brand? What would I find if I Googled your name? What if I looked you up on Facebook. I have heard many unfortunate stories about individuals losing scholarships, job offers, and graduate school admissions because of some unfortunate pictures on Facebook. When I meet you at an event, will I remember you (in a positive way)?  Are any of you using LinkedIn to connect professionally?  (more on that in another blog)

I also like how the author addresses how much time and effort networking can take. If you want to land a job or internship, it's going to take some work. Like dating!?! oh, my!

Hope you enjoy the article. Please submit comments and questions.

~mikki

Coffee & Conversation

I went to a networking event the other day and was reminded how much work networking can be – even for me. I’m fairly outgoing and talkative, and consider myself to be an extravert. But, it’s so easy to walk into a party, social event or even a formal networking event and gravitate toward the people I know and just hide out there comfortably. Meeting new people takes effort and can be a little uncomfortable. It reminds me a bit sometimes of the middle school dance. AUG!


So, I walked into the room that morning and got my coffee (things always seem a little easier when I have my hands occupied and I can always use a trip to the bathroom as an excuse when I need a breather from conversation). I did see some folks I knew so I started there to warm up and wake up. After a few minutes, I refilled my coffee and then struck up a conversation with a woman standing next to me at the beverage table. “Hi, how are you this morning?” We spent a minute or so exchanging pleasantries and then I asked, “Tell me about your line of work?” Then, I did the most important thing one can do in networking situations…I listened! We often forget to listen and spend time thinking about what we want to say next. So, what am I listening for…is this someone who might be a good contact in my area of interest?

If you think about it, we do this all the time with friends and in social situations – look for commonalities. “Oh, you work at Starbucks…so do I!” or “You’re a psychology major…so am I.” or “You live on the south side, so do I.” When you feel you have a connection with someone it’s so much easier to continue to dig deeper for additional connections. In social situations, you’re seeking friends or a significant other. In professional networking you’re usually looking for clients, a lead to other clients, or a career connection.

After carful listening and showing genuine interest in the response the person at the coffee bar was giving the magical question was then asked to me. “What do you do?” This gave me an opportunity to quickly talk about my area of work and what I’m looking for (my 30 second elevator pitch). The first person I talked with was a perfect contact for me…the second, not so much. But by listening carefully and asking that simple question, I was able to move through conversations with people with ease and found a good number of contacts to follow up with later. One sweet person, after hearing about my line of work and interests, introduced me to one of the best contacts of the day. I was so grateful I sent her a thank you note the day after the meeting.

Networking is not always easy, but it can be fun; especially when you leave the situation with at least one good contact. For you as a student, this can happen almost anywhere: at a holiday party, back yard family bbq, a summer wedding or in line at Target.

“The way of the world is meeting people through other people.” ~Robert Kerringin

Bringing Key People into your Career Network

Networking is powerful.  I've seen stats that report that anywhere from 60-80% of job offers come through networking chanels (that's who you know).  I'm not sure about you, but that gets my attention.  While I'm not endorsing the networking bootcamp plug that's thrown in at the end of this video, I think this video give you a nice overview "Why Network to Find Your Next Job." 

Now, what do you do with this list you’re generating of people you know or are becoming acquainted with through close friends and family (see my last post called Networking 101)? The first thing you want to do is to begin to discern who would be best to bring into your Career Network circle. If you recall from my last post, your CN should be made up of “people who have an interest in, work in, or knows someone who works in your career field of interest or at least a field you’re exploring” (March 2, 2010). You next task is to start talking with the people you have identified and learn all you can about your field of interest. One strategy that is commonly used is the Information Interview. An Information Interview is a powerful way to gain information about a career field and to develop your relationships with people who may then become part of your official Career Network. You’ll find a great resource on Information Interviews here. I hope you’ll find this useful. The people you bring in to your CN can help you learn more about the day to day work and trends in your area of interest, refer you to potential jobs or internships, expand your network and introduce you to other professionals, and offer general career advice. It’s useful to go back to the definition I offered in the last post “a supportive system of sharing information and services among individuals and groups having a common interest” and look for ways that you might be able to support or serve the person your meeting with. Maybe they need a contact at your school for recruiting; maybe you can volunteer with them or help with a particular project (of course you win to by gaining experience). Think about your skills and ask how you might be able to help them in return. At the very least, by asking you show that you’re not just in it for yourself. And, of course, always follow up with a thank you note. You’ll get more great tips in the link I gave you above.


Here’s a YouTube video that walks though some strategies for networking and building your Career Network. Enjoy!

Getting Started with Networking

According to Dictionary.com 

net•work•ing –noun: a supportive system of sharing information and services among individuals and groups having a common interest.

We can all come up with a list of people in our lives that fit this definition. Usually, a network is made up of people in your close circle of family and friends who help and support you, and you reciprocate. But what I want to write about today is your Career Network. Career Networking (CN) is developing associations with people who have an interest in, work in, or knows someone who works in your career field of interest or at least a field you’re exploring. To build your CN you will need to place yourself in circumstances that allow you to meet and develop relationships with people. So how do you do that? Here are a couple things you can start working on now.

1) Contact everyone you know and put your request out there. Your request simple: “I’m looking to meet people who work in {enter your career field of interest}. Do you know anyone?” See, simple! Now, you can certainly make your request more personal and maybe give more information but that’s essentially what you’re looking for. You can do this by sending an email to all your personal contacts, shoot out a Facebook status update for a few weeks, make some calls to your close friends and family… make sure everyone in your close circle of family and friends knows what you want.  Get organized and create an excel spreadsheet or a folder where you keep all the referrals you receive from close family and friends.

2) Get involved in something. On campus that may mean attending club meetings, departmental colloquiums, job fairs, workshops…you get the idea. When you attend these events, be prepared to stick around and introduce yourself to other students, the speaker, faculty and staff in attendance. Challenge yourself to start making conversation. The easiest way to start and maintain conversation is to ask people about themselves. “What do you do?” “How are you involved on campus?” “What are you interested in?” “What classes do you teach?” “What kind of research do you do?” Often these questions are reciprocated and BOOM you have a 2 way conversation going and, potentially, a new person in your Career Network. To maintain these new connection you must must continue to engage in theri lives.  Don't just join a group to join, get involved and you will get to know others in the process. You will be amazed at how helpful having a network of peers and faculty and staff can help you in your pursuit of your chosen career path.  Does anyone have any examples of how this type of networking has helped you?

So, from all of these great connections you’re making from your close family and friends, peers and faculty and staff on campus, what do you do next? I’ll address that in the next post. If you would like some extra reading on communicating with people about your career interests and needs, read this article called 5 Elevator Pitches That Get Job Referrals. Keep in mind as you read this that Networking and Elevator Pitches are not just for job referrals, but also help you gain career information.

Job Boards on the Web

I ran across this posting on another blog I follow.  100 Niche Job Sites is a collection of 100 of the more common job sites people use to search for open posititons.  This is a great way to learn about job openings, but it may not be the best way to apply.  I know everyone seems to cringe when I say it, but the best way to land an interview is to network.  I can hear you now..."AUG!"  But it's true.  So, I will spend the next few upcoming posts sharing with you some ideas I have for networking.  Anyone can do it, even shy people.  For now, check out the listing of Job Sites and don't forget the local job posting sites we have here on campus Jag Jobs and Science Careers.

Rattled Resume Readers

I read a lot about how to create the most effective and efficient resumes. I want to be able to advise the students who seek my guidance with the most up-to-date information. Yet it seems that almost weekly I am reading something new about what recruiters and hiring managers expect from resumes. Some hate objective statements, others love them. They used to prefer action verbs, now numbers are ranked higher in importance. Cover letter no cover letter? And all of this is decided in a mere 20 seconds or less. It can be mind boggling. So what’s a person to do? Here are some tips I generated after reading a rather depressing blog about how overstressed and overwhelmed some recruiters and hiring managers are when they pick up or open your resume document.  I believe if you employ these tips, you're on your way to creating a resume that will be read.


1. Be truthful. Resume readers have seen it all. They know fluff when they see it. They read right though half truths. Represent yourself in an honest and forthright way and don’t be afraid to blow your own horn (you need a job) – just be truthful.

2. Attention to detail. Resume readers don’t have time to sort around through 100+ electronic documents that are all called resumefinal.doc (you should always name your resume document with your full name in the title). They become more and more irritated when they see you have not taken the time to proofread and create a PERFECT document. And talk about ticked…when they try to call and get your old cell phone number that you disconnected or a crazy wacked out voice mail that you thought was funny or cute. I can just hear her say, “I don’t have time for this.”  bye-bye!

3. Professional and perfect in every way. Some readers are looking for a reason to whittle down their pile – what will it be today. A handwritten rather than typed address on the envelope? Your email is too cutesy? Snowman stamp vs. the standard? Too many files to open in your email? The file is zipped and they don’t have time or energy to deal with it?

4. Focus on the top 1/3. Most readers have less than 30 seconds to scan for key elements. Don’t bury your special skills, unique strengths, and potential value deep in your resume and cover letter.

5. Write to the skimmer. Readers will not look at every detail and word on your resume (yet somehow a spelling error or layout error stands out like a sore thumb).  They might first look for job titles or academic degrees or job skills. Use the job ad and information you can find about the companies priorities on their web page to determine what they are looking for to fill the job and fit into the company (then read item 4 again).
Well, that’s a start. It’s not an exhaustive list of tips by any means but it’s what came to mind for today. I’ll continue to address resume issues in the coming weeks. If you have specific resume questions, be sure to ask and we’ll chat.

~Mikki Jeschke, Career & Academic Advisor