Networking is something that just doesn’t come naturally to many people. For them it’s a chore. So many people to meet, so much searching to the right thing to say to the right person and then cultivating that relationship over the months until it culminates (hopefully) into something useful. But how doest one network with the best of them?
Go beyond your circle
Remember the value of professional networking. Those who can network will tell you that it’s the lifeline of anyone’s business career. Why? Because as someone once said, it’s what you know, it’s whom you know. In this day and age of fast-paced business, you may have all the knowledge and skills that you require at your fingertips, but long as long you don’t know the right people, it won’t get you very far.
A strong professional network extends your sphere of opportunity far beyond your contacts. The idea is to let your contact think of you first when suitable circumstances arise. Referrals and networking create a natural and effective screening process.
Biggest don’t always matter
This is not to say that this has to be purely business deal. Effective networking is all about creating and fostering relationships. Your ability to foster relationships with people you meet over your career span will always matter. Therefore take the time out to introduce yourself around. It’s not only the big names that matter. This is something that you should always remember sometimes; even the lowest in the feeding chain can give you direct entry to the top.
Often, little else is needed beyond that simple introduction. Eventually, conversations ensure, particularly when you see the same people day after day. Remember that this might involve you sticking you neck out (particularly if you are an introvert) and stepping out of your comfort zone. It will serve as a stepping stone to higher places.
Talk naturally
Practice conversing. People don’t always want to talk shop. Lean to have general business and life conversations. Learn also to make you introduction and conversation-stating naturalistic to standard introductions, rather than rambling, stammering ones. Act interested in the person and asks intelligent questions.
You might not be a people person, but remember that there’s nothing designed to make someone sheer off in the opposite direction than a person who’s visibly disinterested. If you hate meeting people the conventional way, try the unconventional way, try the unconventional route to see how it works for you. Sometimes, even the bathroom is a great place to strike a conversation.
Link up with ex-colleagues
People leave a company almost on a daily basis. Don’t just let your colleagues walk away. Take their email addresses as well as phone numbers and stay in touch.
Organize the contact list
Cultivate your contacts. Maintain a separate list on your email account and store conversations separately. You can also keep the list updated with details of their professional and personal interests, to maintain a personal handle on the people you know. All this information helps you remember the conversation and help you create goodwill in future conversations. Keep meeting your contacts. It needn’t always be a formal affair; it depends on the relationship you have with your client.
If it is a casual acquaintance you met during a meeting, for example, your time between contacts will be grater than for a client you are currently working with. I the ultimate analysis, it is important to remember that when you are networking, as a job-seeking technique, it is usually five contacts down the line that come in useful.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Just do it!
Yes the difference between success and failure is of three words-“just do it”! You must imbibe this attitude if you want to see yourself go places.
Be positive, be a doer
Even though this may sound simple, there are many who don’t really want to get themselves out of their comfort zones and get going. So, here are three ways to inculcate a “just do it” attitude.
First rule: Fear can be your friend and not your master. It can be powerful motivation if you can manage it. However, it should not ruin your life. Many people allow fear to stifle their creative argues and their options. Many times this is fear of the unknown, fear of failure or fear of loss. Fear is the major reason why people don’t take action. So instead of fear managing you, you manage fear and see how things can change for the better.
Second rule: Be positive. Think positive. You will be able to develop a positive attitude only when you think positive. We all have choices to make. We either embrace being positive and forget about negative and forget about negative thoughts or vice versa. Make positive people your companions. Turn negative situations positive by looking at bight side of thing. At work, you may have to sit late to complete something but think of the way it could help you grow, what you will be learning new and so on. Embrace the positive and you will surely attain your goals. Negativity pulls you down, retards growth and clips your wings.
Third rule: Create a sense of urgency. Many people believe” why do today what can be putt of until tomorrow”. This attitude make one a procrastinator. You have to become doe. This means striving to do today what you can tomorrow. Push forward all the time. Remember that time is precious and those moments lost can never be regained. Work hard ,play hard and keep all loose ends tied up. And then sit back and watch yourself climb up the corporate ladder at top speed.
Have a focus: The secretes to a “just attitude are simple to apply. When you want to succeed at anything, you must master fear so opportunities can present themselves. You should have a focus on the positive and on the negative and lastly you must have a sense of urgency to want to get things done, now. Why implement what you can do today tomorrow? So begin right away-Just do it!
Be positive, be a doer
Even though this may sound simple, there are many who don’t really want to get themselves out of their comfort zones and get going. So, here are three ways to inculcate a “just do it” attitude.
First rule: Fear can be your friend and not your master. It can be powerful motivation if you can manage it. However, it should not ruin your life. Many people allow fear to stifle their creative argues and their options. Many times this is fear of the unknown, fear of failure or fear of loss. Fear is the major reason why people don’t take action. So instead of fear managing you, you manage fear and see how things can change for the better.
Second rule: Be positive. Think positive. You will be able to develop a positive attitude only when you think positive. We all have choices to make. We either embrace being positive and forget about negative and forget about negative thoughts or vice versa. Make positive people your companions. Turn negative situations positive by looking at bight side of thing. At work, you may have to sit late to complete something but think of the way it could help you grow, what you will be learning new and so on. Embrace the positive and you will surely attain your goals. Negativity pulls you down, retards growth and clips your wings.
Third rule: Create a sense of urgency. Many people believe” why do today what can be putt of until tomorrow”. This attitude make one a procrastinator. You have to become doe. This means striving to do today what you can tomorrow. Push forward all the time. Remember that time is precious and those moments lost can never be regained. Work hard ,play hard and keep all loose ends tied up. And then sit back and watch yourself climb up the corporate ladder at top speed.
Have a focus: The secretes to a “just attitude are simple to apply. When you want to succeed at anything, you must master fear so opportunities can present themselves. You should have a focus on the positive and on the negative and lastly you must have a sense of urgency to want to get things done, now. Why implement what you can do today tomorrow? So begin right away-Just do it!
Friday, May 28, 2010
5 Issues that caused controversy at work
5 Issues that caused controversy at work
2009 has been a tough year for most people. Without an iota of doubt, most will be glad to bid good-bye to this”annus horribills”, which has seen many incidents of wrecked careers, though it did build some as well. So, what were the issues at work that bothered most of us? Here we take a look at five issues that probably received the maximum coverage and also generated the maximum interest and stoicism.
Gone with the wind: 2009 has often been described as the worst year after the great depression. Many companies folded up and some big firms became bankrupt overnight.
Career in niche sectors like finance, banking, retail and investment took a dip. Now, however, with the markets looking up a little, have those who lost their jobs got a chance of getting back to work?
Layoffs and salary cuts: Layoff became a routine affair as stories of people being laid off made headlines. Every day papers carried stories of the number of people fired. The economic meltdown has been a few companies cut there employees’ salaries as well. If firing wasn’t an alternative, then people were offered lowered salaries. It’s hard to find anyone happy with their salaries as employees always tend to feel that salaries are a mismatch with their skill-sets. But a salary cut in the time of inflation. Obviously made the home-front uncomfortable and hence this became a big issue for conversation in offices and at times a raging controversy. As the new raging controversy. As the New Year begins, people will have their fingers crossed for a better salary structure.
No increment, bad appraisal:
After a year’s hard work, the appraisal came as a damp squib. Many companies didn’t even have one in the year 2009 as they did not feel the necessity of going through the entire process. For some companies, even if they had one, the appraisal made little sense as it did not result in any mentionable increment. All that employers talked about was the dreaded R-word and silenced everyone. Even if performance was good, increments were rare, as companies didn’t make enough profit. You worked, in effect, more-for less, as companies tried to cope with staff shortages.
No promotion: Promotion has been the forbidden word of 2009. Companies held that your having the job is ample proof of your being regarded as a valuable employee. Promotion was a rare instance indeed! So, all the efforts of putting in long work-hours, skewed work-life balance and slogging proved non-rewarding.
Career advancement prospects: with recession at its peak, career advancement was in the doldrums. Saving your job was of paramount importance. With fewer jobs in the market, it was more of an issue of sustainability. Moreover, many people did not get opportunities to train as cash-starved offices tried to cope.
But it’s now time to put the past behind us and look at 2010 with renewed hope and enthusiasm. Job changes, salary upgrades and promotions all seem to be on the anvil. So get charged for the coming year and prove your worth
2009 has been a tough year for most people. Without an iota of doubt, most will be glad to bid good-bye to this”annus horribills”, which has seen many incidents of wrecked careers, though it did build some as well. So, what were the issues at work that bothered most of us? Here we take a look at five issues that probably received the maximum coverage and also generated the maximum interest and stoicism.
Gone with the wind: 2009 has often been described as the worst year after the great depression. Many companies folded up and some big firms became bankrupt overnight.
Career in niche sectors like finance, banking, retail and investment took a dip. Now, however, with the markets looking up a little, have those who lost their jobs got a chance of getting back to work?
Layoffs and salary cuts: Layoff became a routine affair as stories of people being laid off made headlines. Every day papers carried stories of the number of people fired. The economic meltdown has been a few companies cut there employees’ salaries as well. If firing wasn’t an alternative, then people were offered lowered salaries. It’s hard to find anyone happy with their salaries as employees always tend to feel that salaries are a mismatch with their skill-sets. But a salary cut in the time of inflation. Obviously made the home-front uncomfortable and hence this became a big issue for conversation in offices and at times a raging controversy. As the new raging controversy. As the New Year begins, people will have their fingers crossed for a better salary structure.
No increment, bad appraisal:
After a year’s hard work, the appraisal came as a damp squib. Many companies didn’t even have one in the year 2009 as they did not feel the necessity of going through the entire process. For some companies, even if they had one, the appraisal made little sense as it did not result in any mentionable increment. All that employers talked about was the dreaded R-word and silenced everyone. Even if performance was good, increments were rare, as companies didn’t make enough profit. You worked, in effect, more-for less, as companies tried to cope with staff shortages.
No promotion: Promotion has been the forbidden word of 2009. Companies held that your having the job is ample proof of your being regarded as a valuable employee. Promotion was a rare instance indeed! So, all the efforts of putting in long work-hours, skewed work-life balance and slogging proved non-rewarding.
Career advancement prospects: with recession at its peak, career advancement was in the doldrums. Saving your job was of paramount importance. With fewer jobs in the market, it was more of an issue of sustainability. Moreover, many people did not get opportunities to train as cash-starved offices tried to cope.
But it’s now time to put the past behind us and look at 2010 with renewed hope and enthusiasm. Job changes, salary upgrades and promotions all seem to be on the anvil. So get charged for the coming year and prove your worth
Monday, May 3, 2010
Take a test to find career direction
Not sure if you have chosen the right career path? Bored with your job and wondering what went wrong? Then the situation is ripe for a career test. For, this can ascertain what it is that you are cut out for and what career you should have chosen.
Of course, if you’re long into your job, you could only get into an allied field but if you are new, then there is time for you to chosen a field of work you will love.
It gauges traits, skills
A career test will probe your thoughts and reveal what you are interested in doing. In lay-man’s language, it is called an aptitude test, career assessment or a career quiz. The test is designed to help you understand what options would be best for you and what you are best suited to. Taking into account several aspects such as your personality (what type are you: a longer, vocal pushy, retiring etc.) interests, IQ, skill sets, aptitude etc, this test gauges several facets of your (current or potential) work life.
There are several kinds of career tests, such as the aptitude test that assesses your innate skills, the personality test measures your pattern of thoughts, feelings and behavior, and the IQ test that will look at your ability to solve problems, plan and think abstractly.
It points to your passion
This would be beneficial for you if you are looking for a new career, if you want to shift gear or found out more about your career passion. It can happen that you have lost sight of the direction you are headed in and you may be stuck in a rut.
Taking the test is useful in knowing where your are heading and what you need to do to get there. The test will also assess if you are burnt out in your current job or are dissatisfied with your position or job responsibilities. And what’s more apart from shedding light on the reason for your dissatisfaction, it can also suggest alternatives that will help you counter this burnt-out sensation.
And there’s more. A test like this aspects related to your job. First, it will pick your work preferences, your tendencies at work, your traits and desirable characteristics related to your work front. It will also tell you how relate to people. Whether you are a team player or not. It will also highlight your interpersonal skills.
Use the result to take action
Once you completely know all these points and have a full analysis on these, you will be in a far better position to weigh your present situation and take the necessary steps to make yourself more productive.
You could take the test online there are several sites offering such tests free!
Of course, if you’re long into your job, you could only get into an allied field but if you are new, then there is time for you to chosen a field of work you will love.
It gauges traits, skills
A career test will probe your thoughts and reveal what you are interested in doing. In lay-man’s language, it is called an aptitude test, career assessment or a career quiz. The test is designed to help you understand what options would be best for you and what you are best suited to. Taking into account several aspects such as your personality (what type are you: a longer, vocal pushy, retiring etc.) interests, IQ, skill sets, aptitude etc, this test gauges several facets of your (current or potential) work life.
There are several kinds of career tests, such as the aptitude test that assesses your innate skills, the personality test measures your pattern of thoughts, feelings and behavior, and the IQ test that will look at your ability to solve problems, plan and think abstractly.
It points to your passion
This would be beneficial for you if you are looking for a new career, if you want to shift gear or found out more about your career passion. It can happen that you have lost sight of the direction you are headed in and you may be stuck in a rut.
Taking the test is useful in knowing where your are heading and what you need to do to get there. The test will also assess if you are burnt out in your current job or are dissatisfied with your position or job responsibilities. And what’s more apart from shedding light on the reason for your dissatisfaction, it can also suggest alternatives that will help you counter this burnt-out sensation.
And there’s more. A test like this aspects related to your job. First, it will pick your work preferences, your tendencies at work, your traits and desirable characteristics related to your work front. It will also tell you how relate to people. Whether you are a team player or not. It will also highlight your interpersonal skills.
Use the result to take action
Once you completely know all these points and have a full analysis on these, you will be in a far better position to weigh your present situation and take the necessary steps to make yourself more productive.
You could take the test online there are several sites offering such tests free!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)