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Networking Mastery

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Research suggests that anywhere as many as 80% of jobs are filled through networking. Networking can also be an important factor in a shorter job search. But how can you exercise your networking muscle?

Here are 10 different areas to focus on as you build your network:

  • Networking Foundations
  • Building Connections
  • Strengthening & Deepening Connections
  • Broadening Your Network
  • Leveraging Social Media for Networking
  • Expanding Beyond Your Comfort Zone
  • Offering Value to Your Network
  • Going the Extra Mile
  • Deepening Relationships
  • Reflecting & Reinforcing Your Networking Efforts

Here are a few suggested actions in each of the areas to get you started; I’m sure you’ll be able to think of more!:

Networking Foundations
  • Define your networking goals (for example: finding a mentor, a certain number of new LinkedIn connections, five new job opportunities, etc.)
  • Set a specific target for the number of people you want to connect with during this challenge
  • Craft your 30-second elevator pitch (that clearly communicates who you are, and what you do) so you can use it with new contacts
  • Identify your top 3 ideal networking connections
Building Connections
  • Send a LinkedIn connection request (with a personalized message) to someone in your industry
  • Comment thoughtfully on someone’s LinkedIn post
  • Join a LinkedIn group relevant to your profession or industry and introduce yourself
  • Ask a colleague to introduce you to someone they know who could help you grow your network
Strengthening & Deepening Connections
  • Write a personalized follow-up email to someone you met recently
  • Reach out to an influencer in your field and ask for advice on a specific topic
  • Share an article or resource with someone in your network
Broadening Your Network
  • Attend an event outside your industry to meet people with different perspectives and meet new types of professionals
  • Attend a community volunteer event or participate in a charity event to meet new people
  • Send a LinkedIn message to a recruiter to inquire about career opportunities
Leveraging Social Media for Networking
  • Create a professional bio for your social media profiles that clearly states who you are, and what you do
  • Host a LinkedIn Live or Instagram Live session discussing a topic of interest and invite others to join and contribute
  • Curate a list of recommended resources (books, podcasts, tools) and share it with your network
  • Share a professional accomplishment on LinkedIn and tag people who helped you get there
Expanding Beyond Your Comfort Zone
  • Join a meetup group related to an interest you want to explore further
  • Reach out to someone who is a few steps ahead of you in your career and ask for advice
  • Attend a cross-industry event to expand your networking horizons
Offering Value To Your Network
  • Offer to write a testimonial or LinkedIn Recommendation for someone you’ve worked with
  • Share a job opportunity that may be a good fit for someone in your network
  • Make an introduction between two people who could benefit from each other’s expertise
Going the Extra Mile
  • Host a virtual “office hours” session where you answer questions from your network
  • Attend a conference and actively network with speakers and attendees
  • Send a “just checking in” email to someone you haven’t spoken to in a while, even if you don’t need anything from them
  • Send a thank you note to someone who has helped or mentored you recently
Deepening Relationships
  • Send a “check in” message to someone you haven’t talked to in a while
  • Ask a colleague or connection for feedback on a project or presentation
  • Invite a connection to a free industry-related event or webinar that could benefit them
  • Arrange for a casual coffee chat with someone you’ve recently connected with to get to know them better
Reflecting & Reinforcing Your Networking Efforts
  • Review your connections and identify key relationships you want to strengthen
  • Review your networking activities and determine which methods were most successful in helping you build meaningful relationships
  • Create a list of three action steps to continue improving your networking
  • Reflect on the types of people you’re connecting with and whether you’d like to broaden your network even further
  • Check-in with your key connections to see if there’s any way you can provide further value to them

Remember, the purpose of your network is not to get you a job but rather to build strong relationships to enhance your career through mutually beneficial relationships—whether it leads to a job or not. The time to build your network is NOW so it is there to support you no matter what happens to your career.

Need to Write a Bio?

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If you’ve been asked to write a bio, you may be wondering if you can just use your resume and be done. The answer to that is, “no.” A bio and a resume have two different purposes and formats; a bio provides a narrative summary of your professional journey, accomplishments, and a bit of personal information; it serves as an introduction. A resume on the other hand is a highly structured document that communicates your experience, skills, education, and accomplishments; its purpose is to demonstrate your qualifications for a particular position.

Now that you have an understanding of the differences between a bio and a resume, why might you need a bio?

  • To Serve as an Introduction: It introduces you to the audience, helping them get to know you.
  • Establish Credibility: A well-written bio highlights your qualifications, expertise, and achievements, establishing your credibility in your field.
  • Networking: It aids in building professional connections and relationships, as others can understand your background and interests.
  • Personal Branding: A bio can help shape and communicate a personal brand and present your unique qualities and values.
  • Career Advancement: It can contribute to career growth by showcasing accomplishments and expertise, which may lead to new opportunities.
  • Online Presence: In this age of social media, bios, especially on LI (called the About section) are essential and allows you to manage your online presence.

There are different kinds of bios: work bios for your organization’s website, bios for speeches and presentations; and your LinkedIn bio. Each has a different approach, length, and point of view. When sitting down to prepare your bio, you should think about 3 things:

  • The purpose of the bio
  • Your audience
  • What makes you unique

If you’re writing a bio for your organization’s website or something similar, you’ll want to check to see what requirements they have for format, length, and content. Your work bio is typically written in third person and often includes a professional headshot.

Almost all employers and individual hiring managers are using LinkedIn. If you don’t have a bio on LI (under the “About” section). For your LI bio, you can consider using the WHO / WHAT / GOALS structure. Outline:

  • WHO you are
    • WHAT you have to offer (what is unique about you /  your experience
    • What are your GOALS for your career

Your LI bio is typically written in first person and “friendlier” in tone than a formal work bio. And a professional picture (headshot) is critical.

Wherever you are in your career, a bio is a common career document and it is important to do it right.

Check out our Resources for bundles, e-books, courses and more to help you on your career journey!

I’m in the Federal Government—Do I Really Need LinkedIn?

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I frequently hear from my federal clients that they don’t need LinkedIn. Have you wondered if that’s true?

While I think it is fair to say that LinkedIn plays less of a role in federal hiring than it does in the private sector, I still think it’s value-add.

Here are 6 reasons why:

  1. The federal government is present on LinkedIn; jobs are posted there. While the vast majority of federal positions are also posted on USAJOBS.gov, many are also posted on LinkedIn. And many agencies use the recruiter function on LinkedIn to reach out to candidates.
  2. It’s a great way to research agencies—and find out who you might know. Looking for a new agency? Applying for your first federal job? LinkedIn is a great source of information about agencies; most have a presence. And you’ll likely find someone you know who works for that organization; it’s a great way to find real information about an agency.
  3. Some agencies (and certainly some hiring managers) will look for you on LinkedIn before they call you for an interview. You want to be easily found. Of course not all agencies or hiring managers do this but many do—whether they admit or not.
  4. Interview preparation. Getting ready for an interview? Find out who is on your interview panel and look them up on LinkedIn. It might provide you with some useful information that you can use during your interview.
  5. Networking is critical to your career. There are over 2.4M federal employees on LinkedIn. The Army alone has more than 500,000 employees on LinkedIn. The Air Force (USAF), Defense Department (DoD), Health and Human Services (HHS), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and the Postal Service (USPS), each have more than 100,000 employees who claim to work for those agencies—that’s another 600,000+ federal employees. And of course, that does not count the 220M users in the United States. Lots of possibilities.
  6. Establish yourself as an expert / get noticed. LinkedIn is a great place to showcase your experience and knowledge—as well as share the interesting things your agency is doing. I am not suggesting that you violate your agency’s ethics rules or share information that should not be shared; that still leaves you with plenty of other opportunities.

Looking for more information about LinkedIn? Check out our Resources which include bundles and ebooks about LinkedIn and more! You can also connect with and follow Solutions for the Workplace on LinkedIn too to stay up to date.

Job Search During The Holidays—Networking Made Easy

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The holiday season can be the perfect time to conduct your job search. Why? Because there are many opportunities for networking—even in the current environment. With holiday gatherings, either in person or virtually, you have natural opportunities to build your network. Why does this matter? Because research shows that as many as 80% of successful hiring can be attributed to networking.

Hands typing on a laptop keyboard with holiday decor around.

Here are some tips for successful networking:

  1. Build your network before you need it. Having a strong network helps build your brand and reputation, increases your visibility, and can provide support.
  2. Recognize that networking is a two-way street. You should not think about networking just as an opportunity to improve your own situation but also as a way to support others. Do something to build your network each and every day, whether that’s sending an email to someone you haven’t talked to in a while, or identifying someone new you want to meet.
  3. Find your (potential) network everywhere around you. Sources to grow your network are everywhere from your friends and relatives to business associates such as accountants, attorneys, vendors (be sure to understand your organization’s ethics rules), to alumni associations to community organizations, and everyone in between. Even the people in your holiday card file! Make a list—your network is probably larger than you imagined.
  4. Seek out opportunities to meet people. You can attend holiday parties, volunteer in your community, participate in networking events, and take part in industry-related conferences, among other things. Follow up with everyone you meet either via LinkedIn or email.
  5. Ask for help (if you need it) and be specific about exactly what you need. Most people will be happy to help you — but you need to ask. A specific request for assistance (“Does anyone know someone who works in the accounting department at Company X?”) is more likely to be fulfilled than a general request (“I need a new job! Help!”)
  6. Follow up. If a networking contact gives you advice, a lead, or information, follow up on that information — and then also get back to that person to let them know how it went.
  7. Don’t forget about networking online. LinkedIn is the professional networking site. Make sure your profile is up to date. As you build your connections, customize your ask by sharing where you met / what you have in common. Comment on posts, and join groups. Post yourself. Work on growing your network to 500 or so.
  8. Pay it forward. After you land your new job, be sure to thank your network — especially contacts that have specifically helped you with your job search. At a minimum, send a personal note to everyone who assisted you in your search. And don’t forget to spread the word that you’ve accepted a new opportunity. Don’t neglect your network just because you found a new job. One of the most important parts of maintaining your network is providing assistance when you are asked. Be responsive to requests for help from folks in your network when you are asked.

Thinking About Personal Pronouns on Your Resume and/or LinkedIn Profile?

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You may have noticed pronouns (he/him/his, she/her/hers, they/them/theirs, ze/hir/zir) being included on social media profiles, email signatures, and in the job search process in general. Including pronouns can prevent accidental misgendering, helping you avoid having to correct a hiring manager or recruiter using incorrect pronouns. It could also help you identify an inclusive workplace. There is no one blanket rule/policy that can apply to all, and your decision to include your pronouns is a very personal one.

There are a few ways that you can clarify your pronouns within a job application process. If you want to include on your resume, you can simply add your pronouns under your name in the header (before your contact information). Another perhaps less obvious way to include your pronouns is in your cover letter, beneath your signature at the bottom of the page. You can add your pronouns in parentheses next to your name, or you can add an additional line under your name/title.  Sometimes, job applications will ask you to identify your salutation of Mr./Ms./Dr./other.

If you do want to include your pronouns on your career documents, there are a couple of ways to do so.

  • On the resume, add your pronouns in parentheses next to your name, or under your name. You can also choose to put your pronouns in a different color text to make them stand out.
  • On your cover letter, you can include your preferred pronouns under your signature at the bottom of the page. Or you could add them in parentheses next to — or underneath — your name at the top of the cover letter.
  • When sending an email to a hiring manager or recruiter, you can include your pronouns in your email signature.
  • On job applications, there may be a place to select your gender and/or pronouns. If you identify as nonbinary or transgender, you can leave that question blank if there is not a suitable choice.
  • On LinkedIn, you can add your pronouns to the “Last Name” field (so they appear after your name), or LinkedIn has now added a “Pronouns” drop-down to select your pronouns (or input custom pronouns).

While there can be many benefits to including your pronouns, the unfortunate truth is that there is still hiring discrimination in some quarters, so delineating your pronouns on your documents is ultimately your choice. You may have other opportunities, during the interview or after hiring, to share your preferred pronouns.

LinkedIn by the Numbers

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As you know by now, LinkedIn is a powerful networking tool. I look at LinkedIn profiles every day and see that many users do not take full advantage of their profile. Character counts are changing regularly; here are some current character counts—check out your profile and make sure you’re taking advantage!

  • First name: 20 characters. If you have a formal name but use a nickname, this can be helpful. For example, Robert (Bob). This is 12 characters and allows people to search for you by either your formal or nickname.
  • Last name: 40 characters. BONUS: If you name is difficult to pronounce, LinkedIn has a feature where you can record your name; this is a great tool to use!
  • Headline: 210 characters. If you don’t create a headline, LinkedIn automatically uses your job title. Consider using a customized headline so you can include words that are specific to your industry. This is a search feature that recruiters use.
  • Customized URL: 30 characters. LinkedIn allows you to customize your URL; a customized URL allows you to remove the random numbers that LinkedIn assigns. A customized URL can be used on your resume.
  • About: 2,600 characters. This is a great opportunity to get personal and tell something about yourself; who are you? What do you bring to the table? What is your story? Using first person is acceptable, as is highlighting your achievements and the things that are important to you. This section can also be searched by recruiters so be sure to include key words from your industry.
  • Company name: 100 characters
  • Location / Industry: this is a predetermined list prepared by LinkedIn. Don’t forget to include your industry and location. As of this writing, LinkedIn as identified 148 industries ranging from law enforcement to shipbuilding to retail to farming to computers and everything in between. These too, are searchable by recruiters.
  • Job Title (100) / Job Description (2,000) each. Don’t forget to populate these sections.

LinkedIn offers lots of other section too including Education, Field of Study, Volunteer, Skills, Projects, Publications, Certifications, Languages, Awards, Courses, and Patents. Take a good hard look at your Profile and see what you can do to attract more views and connections!