The art of following up

At a recent workshop about networking, I had to bite my tongue.  Although the tips and techniques shared were effective in emphasizing the importance of building relationships long term, another concern bothered me:  how to follow up with someone after the initial meeting.

Picture this scenario.  You attend a workshop, career fair or a networking session.  The most natural next step is to exchange business cards or to ask for someone's card to stay in touch.  What really happens afterwards? Nothing.  There seems to be a belief that having someone else's card in our possession is enough to reach out to them later when it is needed.  False. This is not the most effective way to follow up with someone we just met.  They may have met many people that day.  So, how do you stand out? By following up right away.  Here is how.

• Send a quick and short note within two days.  Include where you met to give a point of reference. Mention something about discussed during your conversation that will help remember you.  Here is an example:  "Good morning Ms. Smith, it was a real pleasure meeting you at the Careers in STEM workshop at Princeton University last Monday.  As an engineer (here you include your current professional status), your comments about the outlook for job growth in the field of chemical engineering were highly encouraging." 
• Rank the relationship.  Decide whether this contact is someone with long term potential or if you are mostly interested in a more tactical relationship like an informational interview or a resume critique.  Beware: if your main goal is to have her introduce you to a hiring manager, you must be patient and take time to build trust. 
• Find ways to remain top of mind.  A common way to remain on your contact's radar is to send occasional emails with articles or links related to her area of interest.  Other ways to build engagement:  ask for a short meeting for an informational interview, extend an invitation to participate in a future workshop, conference, or send a note during a major holiday.

If you liked this post, you might also like,

The 411 on informational interviews

First impressions tips and strategies

Elevator pitch tips

You probably have heard it many times,"when looking for a job, you must have an elevator pitch." An elevator pitch or elevator speech-- for those who might need a refresher--is a summary of who you are and what you are looking for.  And although it comes in many flavors, an elevator pitch, for the purpose of this post, is aimed at showcasing you and your talents and experience as a potential employee.

The internet offers thousands of suggestions on how to develop and deliver an elevator pitch, so I won't repeat what it has already been said.  What I would do, though, is pinpoint a few obvious-- but often missed--tips about creating an effective elevator pitch.

Be Short.  Experts tell us that an elevator pitch should be about 60 seconds long.  Have you ever tried to speak non stop for a whole minute?  You can say a lot in a minute.  So, if the idea of doing a 60-second summary sounds intimidating, think in terms of sentences.  For example, let's start with six sentences.  The first two could introduce you (e.g. name, industry focus, major).  The next two could address your professional experience and interest (e.g. internships, previous work, accomplishments).  The last two could link your experience to the employer's current needs and suggest next steps (e.g. interview).

Be Clear.  Sometimes in trying to impress someone in the shortest amount of time, we  use fancy words that could become tongue twisters or make us sound fake.  Use common language.  Your goal is to help the listener understand who you are and what you can do for them.  Quantifying results is a always a winner (i.e. increased revenues by 30%, decreased expenses by 40%).

Be Sincere.  This is a tricky suggestion because the success of delivering a flawless elevator pitch relies on having spent time rehearsing.  Be aware.  I suggest to spend time rehearsing, but do not come across rehearsed.  You must sound sincere.  Rehearse to the point that you feel comfortable saying it to anyone in front of you.  But do not, please, do not rehearse it with the intent of memorizing every word.  If you forget one word and go blank, you are dead in the water.

If you liked this post, you might also like:
First impressions tips and strategies
Managing your professional reputation

Career tips during Hispanic Heritage month

The festivities to honor Hispanic Heritage month are well on their way.  And, aside from free food and live music, there are hidden opportunities for job seekers looking to engage in the celebration while continuing to identify potential job leads.

Typically, two groups host events related to Hispanic Heritage month:  Student organizations and Professional organizations.  Let's look at each and the job seeking opportunities they offer.

Student organizations focus on social events to attract new members.  On occasion they will invite a speaker to campus.  I remember listening to actress and director Rosie Pérez give an impassioned talk at Babson College a few years back. In these types of events, your goal as a job seeker is to meet and build a network of peers and, perhaps, college professors and advisers who may share your area of interest.  Another way to participate is to practice your leadership, organizing and event management skills by volunteering to help the planning committee.

Professional organizations offer a different experience.  They usually attract sponsors (read companies looking to hire) and openly promote sharing resumes and business cards.  This type of event is the optimal venue to find job leads.  A job seeker would benefit the most by learning in advance what companies will be attending in order to research them ahead of time.  Networking skills that go beyond exchanging information will be the most effective.  For instance, you could ask the company representative for an informational interview or ask him about his experience with the organization.  Volunteering is also another tactic that will give  you an insiders view and possibly catch the eye of recruiter.

Hispanic Heritage month places the spotlight on Latinos.  Organizations interested in learning about Hispanics--or Latinos--will make themselves available through sponsorships and hosting events.  What a better forum for you to showcase your talents, skills and experience!

If you liked this post, you might like:

The 411 on informational interviews
The benefits of joining professional organizations

The 411 on informational interviews

One thing is clear:  Knowing how to conduct Informational interviews is a must if you are looking to find an internship, a job or just get clearer on your career path. 

Three steps that will make informational interviewing a smart, effective and productive process:

• Do thorough research about the company or career of interest.  I repeat.  Do thorough research and I mean thorough.  Go beyond the website.  Find alums in your school that work in the company or work in the jobs you would like to have.  One particularly effective technique is to set up Google search for the topic, company or job description you want.  This way you will be able to skim through information that has already been compiled for you.
• Decide on a specific question to lead with during your interview.  Once you become knowledgeable about the company you are interested, you can pick a few areas where you can go deeper.  These could be a specific area or products within the company where you see your skills be valuable.  Those you are interviewing will be more eager to share their opinion with you if they realize you are really serious about the subject of the interview.
• Find decision makers and advocates. Focus on places where decision makers and advocates gather.  Industry and professional associations are the most common places to find them.  Conferences are also good places to network.  Volunteering to any of these venues gets you closer to meeting speakers, authors, and experts.

Take advantage of the opportunity that Informational interviewing offers:  to learn about a job or industry of interest while making contact with those actively involved in the field.  The best of both worlds!

If you liked this post, you might also like:
Best career advice
Where will the jobs be?