agoffredo

Networking — New Opportunities

October 1, 2013 by agoffredo 2 Comments

Came across this great little article this morning on tips for networking (http://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20131001013540-6200057-4-ways-to-make-your-networking-more-meaningful?trk=tod-home-art-list-large_0)

So many people are not comfortable with ‘networking’ and feel that it is something they MUST DO – painful as they find it. While I am a huge advocate of networking, to be successful it has to come naturally. You really must want to meet people and know why you want to meet them. Going to a networking event just for the sake of going gets you nowhere. How many times have you attended an event and came away with nothing more than a belly full of cheap wine and greasy hors d’oeuvres? Going to the event with the thought that you are going to meet one or two people with whom you connect, have something in common and may forge a relationship is best.

Also, don’t think of networking only in terms of those ‘events’ you go to. There’s nothing worse in my mind than a ‘networking event’ where people are passing around business cards like candy and getting nowhere. Everything is so forced unless it is done exceptionally well – and how many of those have you ever attended?

The key to successful networking? Don’t think of it as a job. Don’t think of it as something you must do. Don’t force it. Live it and breathe it each and every day in everything you do. Everything you do has the potential to be an opportunity to meet someone, to add someone to your contacts and to be a valuable part of your network.

Keep your eyes open to the potential. Take baby steps at first if you are unsure. Don’t necessarily focus on the ‘networking events’ but instead focus on your everyday life. Focus on the people you already know. Don’t be afraid to speak to people you don’t know. I have met the most interesting people in lines at the theatre, watching my sons play hockey and football, waiting for a coffee or even waiting at the washroom line-up (and we all know how long those lines are for women)!

Look for commonalities. Don’t be afraid to reach out to folks in your network for introductions. And, as the article says, don’t just start with ‘what do you do?’ How boring….especially if someone is in transition. Use an icebreaker. Think of something that is important to you or something you’ve both just seen or attended.

Make networking a regular part of your day!

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Little Effort = Little Results

September 30, 2013 by agoffredo Leave a Comment

Mastering the maze of the job search mine field can indeed be a daunting task. So much advice from so many different sources. Where to go? What to do? I always say that you should take advice, digest it and then make the right decision for you!

One thing I will say that everyone should follow (of course I’d say that!) is that what you put into your job search (in terms of time and effort) is directly related to what you get out of it (your new amazing opportunity!)

I just started a search for an AVP, Infrastructure for a boutique PE firm here in Toronto. While I will undoubtedly find the successful candidate through referrals and networking, I did post the role on Linked In (you never know!). A number of qualified candidates applied and did so through Linked In – attaching their resumes and, in many instances, a cover letter. Kudos to them. They are covering their bases (of course, if they were my clients I would be telling them to be pro-active and to reach out to folks in their networks who could make introductions – but that’s for another day).

Then there are the other candidates. The ones who undoubtedly apply to anything and everything and the ones who may be qualified but are a bit lazy. Lazy, you ask? How so? Well, they see the posting and decide to apply. What do they do? Hit ‘apply’. That’s it. Nothing more! What do I get? An e-mail indicating they are interested with a link to their profile. Now, if that profile is optimized and complete, that’s great. I can tell where they’ve been, what they’ve done, their accomplishments, and a little peek into who they are. If not, well…..I don’t get much. How can I decide if they are qualified? How can I make the decision to speak to them?

The onus is then on me to reach out and ask for a resume. Chances are good most recruiters will not. My theory is that, if you can’t take the time to prepare a complete package for me to review, why should I ask you for one? If you don’t do the basics when applying, how much effort will you put in afer you are hired?

I realize technology is moving at the speed of light. I realize that Linked In is an awesome tool. However, if I don’t know you and don’t know anything about you, how do you expect me to make a decision about whether or not to interview you? The interview process is where you put your best foot forward.

Seriously, is clicking on the ‘apply’ button all you’ve got? Is that the best you can do?

Networking is great. Reaching out and having a strong ‘elevator pitch’ is fantastic. But, at the end of the day, I may still want to see a resume – or my client might.

Remember…what you put into the job search process is directly related to what you get out of it. Little effort = little results.

Filed Under: Career Transition, Interviewing, Networking, Students and New Grads Tagged With: career transition, job search, networking, new grads, recruiting, recruitment, students

Linked In Invitations

September 24, 2013 by agoffredo Leave a Comment

So much is being written about the benefits of Linked In and the uses and abuses of that great professional networking platform. I personally am I great fan and use it daily to gain insight, keep track of my network and contacts, help my clients in their transition to new roles and, of course, to find great talent for my clients who are seeking new hires.

I’ve written before about my beef with the ‘endorsement’ feature so I won’t bore you with how very much I hate that particular feature and how annoying it is to get endorsements from people who cannot attest to my work. I simply delete their connection from my mine and we’re done.

But today I want to talk a bit about the Linked In invitation feature. I use it all the time. How else would I have 2500+ connections. If you’ve ever gotten an invitation from me that was NOT personalized, it’s because I was too quick on the trigger to hit ‘send’ and it’s never been when I’ve sought you out specifically and wanted to connect. It’s happened a few times when a potential connection’s picture pops up and asks if I want to connect. If I have been too quick to accept, I might have agreed not realizing that the invitation goes out ‘as is’.

My reason for saying this is this: If you want to add someone to your professional network on Linked In, you MUST personalize your invitation. Tell that person why you want to connect or how you know that person — through whom for instance. If you can’t (or won’t!) take the time to do this, why should someone agree to connect with you? I believe that if you won’t take the time, it’s because you really don’t care about making that particular connection and are doing so just to add to your connections. Of course, people who just want to gather connections will accept but where’s the value in that connection?

It’s not a race. It’s not that the person with the most connections wins. In fact, it’s the people with the best connections who win. Your connections are a reflection of you. It’s not dissimilar to your friendships growing up (or even now!). My parents were always telling me to pick my friends wisely — they were a reflection of me. This is true here. As a recruiter I have a lot of connections and many of those folks I don’t know personally. But I can honestly say that I think before accepting each and every connection (what’s in it for me? what’s in it for them?) I now decline more than I accept.

If I don’t know what the connection is and you don’t connect the dots for me, I will not accept the invitation. Am I missing out on a great contact? I don’t think so.

Filed Under: Career Transition, Networking, Social Media, Students and New Grads

I’M AWESOME

August 19, 2013 by agoffredo 1 Comment

Wait, before you think I go around saying that all the time, please know that I do not. However, when was the last time you used those two little words to describe yourself?

If you are like most people, it’s been a long, long time…..if ever. As an outspoken, confident former New Yorker (can you ever really be a ‘former’ New Yorker?), even I don’t use those two words to describe myself often and I’m a fairly confident person.

However, last week I did and boy did I get a reaction. What was the occasion? Well, I had a fabulous week. Some great client work, two potential new clients, fabulous end-of-term presentations from my class…oh, and an excellent hire for one of my favourite clients.

I was happy. I was elated. I was proud of everything I had accomplished that week. I felt like crowing. And so at dinner with my family in my kitchen I raised a toast to me and said “I’m awesome!” My sons quickly said, ‘gee Mom you’re pretty full of yourself.” Then I went on to tell them what an awesome, fabulous week I had and all I felt I had accomplished. I was proud of myself and who better to share it with? They all agreed (and, of course, asked what I was going to buy them!)

Why am I telling you this? Is it to brag? Nope. It’s to tell you that you need to say “I’m awesome” more! Gosh but it feels good! It’s like a cleansing. It’s so refreshing. So many of us focus on the negative but if you take the time to think about all you do, all the little things you accomplish as well as the big ones….pat yourself on the back once in a while. Crow once in a while. Stand up and say “I’m awesome!”

You’ll certainly feel better for it. And if you don’t feel you can say it to someone, write it in the comments section here. We’ll pat you on the back and say ‘way to go!’

Filed Under: Career Transition, Random

WILL YOU BE MY REFERENCE?

August 13, 2013 by agoffredo Leave a Comment

Five simple words….yet so many people don’t ask! Recently I received a phone call from a prospective employer advising me that my contact details were provided to them and that they needed a professional business reference for the person they were interviewing.

Well, it caught me off guard for several reasons:

1. While it’s true I agreed to act as a reference for this person, that casual conversation happened nearly two years ago and I’ve had no contact with her since and no idea what she’s been up to.

2. I did not know this person was looking for work.

3. I knew nothing about the company or the role.

4. I did not get a heads up from her that (a) she was looking for work (b) I might be getting a call and (c) a little something about the role so I could formulate the best examples.

The very best way to get the very best out of your references?

1. Always have several people available who have agreed to act as professional business references for you. Former bosses, peers/colleagues, direct reports, clients/customers and third-party vendors are great examples of a cross section of people who can speak to who you are and what you’ve done. Keep their contact information (name, company, title, phone, e-mail address) up to date.

2. Don’t have a lot of work experience? Fear not. You can use people with whom you’ve volunteered, your professors/teachers, your coach, your music/dance instructors, your clergy.

3. Before giving your prospective employer the names of 2 or 3 of your references, call them up and remind them that they’ve agreed to act as a professional business reference, tell them about the job you are vying for and who might be calling them. Be specific so that they can best formulate responses that would be relevant to that job and position you in the best possible light.

4. Ask them to let you know (by phone or a quick e-mail) when they have been notified so you know that discussion has taken place.

5. Then – most importantly – follow up and thank them for taking the time to provide the reference.

6. And, by all means, let them know when you’ve gotten the job!!!

Filed Under: Career Transition, Interviewing, Students and New Grads Tagged With: business references, career transition, interviewing, referencing, ssional business references

How to get a recruiter to notice you

August 5, 2013 by agoffredo Leave a Comment

Just had to share this with my readers. It is a true story and very, very recent.

I am in the midst of a search for one of my clients for a fairly junior investment professional. In addition to direct sourcing for this role (and identifying about 100 potential candidates or young professionals who could refer suitable candidates), I posted the role to a number of the business schools as well as to Linked In. I received 500+ applications — many of which were indistinguishable from one another — all highly qualified, educated, young professionals.

I screened them, conducted phone interviews and short-listed the cream of the crop. Some applicants called me to inquire about their applications and, when I told them they were not selected, they said ‘thank you’ and that was it.

One young man, however, chose to differentiate himself. He called me (a few times) till he got me live. When I told him the same thing I told others, he told me a little more about himself. He was clearly smart and very articulate and I promised to review his resume again and get back to him. When he hadn’t heard from me in a few days, he called to follow up.

Well, the stars were aligned for this young man. While I had indeed reviewed his resume again and, while his qualifications were indeed impressed, so were so many other applicants. I still was not going to grant an interview — after all, I had my short-listed candidates. But, I was stuck in the car in traffic and said ‘so, tell me more about yourself and why I should grant you an interview.’

While I don’t remember his exact words, I do know that he had a clear sense of who he was, what he did, what he brought to the table and why I should interview him. And so, that’s how he was granted an interview for the very next day.

And now? Well, all I can say is I am very glad he took the time to reach out, was persistent, knew what differentiated him from the hundreds of other candidates and that I was smart enough to say ‘yes’.

He’s on to final round interviews. Moral of the story? Don’t be afraid to reach out. Don’t be afraid to follow up. Know who you are and why the company should hire you. Be confident. You just might go to the front of the line.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Simple Rules for Asking for References

July 31, 2013 by agoffredo Leave a Comment

A number of my clients have recently asked me about reference letters and I advised them that they have gone the way of snail mail. So often recruiters and hiring managers do not want to see a reference letter – almost anyone can get one and they are pretty much a dated tradition. The last thing you want to project is that you are dated. I’ve seen a forged one or two or three in my day as well.

How is referencing done? Well, if it’s done properly, a potential employer will ask a finalist candidate for three professional business references who can attest to the candidate’s work product, work ethic, responsibilities, etc.

But, how to go about asking someone to be a reference? Here are a few rules to follow:

1. Think about folks with whom you’ve worked in the past including former bosses, peers/ colleagues, clients, etc. If you are just starting out, think about teachers/professors, part-time bosses, folks with whom you’ve volunteered, your past coaches, clergy, etc.
2. Ensure you are getting a good cross section and have a list of potential references.
3. If you are actively looking for new employment, ask each one if they would be willing to act as a professional reference. Get their permission! This is critical.
4. When you are asked to provide your references, select the ones who are in the best position to highlight the skills and attributes that are most relevant for the role you are seeking.
5. Reach out to your references inform them that they may be contacted in the near future and them the name of the company and a little bit about the role so that they can tailor their answers and position your past work experience in the best possible light. This is important! Don’t have them get a call and not be aware it’s coming! Prepare them!
6. Once the referencing is complete, follow up with your references and thank them for providing the references for you. After all, they’ve gone out of their way to act as your reference, thank them for doing so.

Then get ready to start your exciting new job! Congratulations!

Filed Under: Career Transition, Interviewing, Recruitment

Cloak and Dagger…Being Anonymous on Linked In

July 29, 2013 by agoffredo Leave a Comment

OK, I don’t often ask for my readers to comment but today I want you to. I have nearly 2500 connections on Linked In as I run a consulting business and network quite a bit on behalf of my business, my clients and myself. I don’t mind that folks whose profiles I view know that I viewed them. Often it leads to people reaching out to me asking if they can help me or if I want to connect because I’ve viewed their profiles. I never hide my identity.

Now I am quite the extrovert and enjoying networking – both for business and pleasure – but it always amazes me that so many people choose to be anonymous when on Linked In. Really? It’s a professional networking site! Why wouldn’t you want people to know you are viewing their profiles? I can’t tell you how many times I viewed someone’s profile, they reached out to me and it’s led to either a new great professional contact or business for me.

Some people tell me they mask their identities because they are looking for work. Really? So you are viewing profiles of people you may want to meet and talk to who might be able to help you find that next great opportunity and you mask your identity! Why? Wouldn’t you want someone to connect with you? Wouldn’t you want to make a connection and learn about that person’s role, the company or the industry?

I think most of these ‘anonymous’ people are folks who have just joined Linked In or who are rediscovering it because they now want to find a new job. If you commit time to Linked In each day or every several days or even once a week, you won’t feel the need to be anonymous. You will be perceived as someone who is keen to connect…keen to network….and perhaps, even better, an expert in your field.

I can’t tell you how many good contacts I’ve made because I’ve viewed profiles. If you are cloaked, it becomes difficult to join discussions, weigh in on topics, make comments and raise your profile. That’s what Linked In is all about.

Come out from under that cloak I say! Reveal yourself! You just might grow your network!!!

Filed Under: Career Transition, Networking, Students and New Grads, Uncategorized

Going the Extra Mile

July 23, 2013 by agoffredo Leave a Comment

So, you’ve found THE PERFECT role for you on Linked In and are so excited to apply. What do you do? Well, if you really are interested in the role, you do a few things:

1. You ensure your resume is reflective of the role. Then you proof it, double proof it and triple proof it to be sure there are no typos. You save it as a PDF.
2. You research the company so that you can craft the ideal covering letter.
3. You sit down to construct a customized covering letter (as the job posting requests) so that you stand out from the competition (500+ other candidates who will be applying – at least for my recent role). You review the job posting and ensure you are highlighting all of the relevant experience you bring to the table and make sure you highlight why you are THE PERFECT candidate for this role.
4. You apply.
5. Most folks stop there. Not you. You check to see who you know in the organization, who you can reach out to, who can get your resume in front of the right people so you can get that all-important interview where you will shine!

Ah, but that is really NOT the point of my story today. I recently posted a role for a private markets analyst (1-3 years’ experience) coming from an investment bank or PE firm. How many resumes did I get? Well, hard to say. I did get 600+ applications but so many folks applied through Linked In and some did not attach a resume or a covering letter. Really?

One click on the resume enables me to learn more about you, what sets you apart, what experience and education you have, etc. By not attaching a resume (as I asked), you force me to go into Linked In and read what you’ve written on your profile. While it may not seem like a big deal, if I am going back to the client with several resumes to review, yours is not one of them (How can it be? You didn’t include it!)

If a candidate cannot take the time to send a proper resume and covering letter (as requested), the recruiters/hiring managers just might not take the time to reach out to you and request those documents. Then again, for this particular role, strong analytical skills and attention to detail were critical. Obviously those who did not include resumes missed that part of the job posting and have poor attention to detail. Or they just didn’t want to take the time to include those documents. Really? In this job market? Tsk Tsk.

Filed Under: Career Transition, Interviewing, Recruitment, Students and New Grads Tagged With: career management, career transition, interviewing, recruitment, resumes

‘To Accept or Not to Accept’ – That is the Question

July 22, 2013 by agoffredo Leave a Comment

I am often asked for the proper etiquette around accepting or ignoring Linked In requests. As many of you have heard me say before – ‘it depends.’

Linked In is an incredible professional networking platform and cannot be overlooked by any professional these days. Some people tell me they are not looking for a job and so don’t need to pay attention to Linked In. Rubbish!

While it’s true that those in the job market tend to be more active on Linked In, it can no longer be ignored even by those gainfully employed and not looking to make a move at this time – after all, you never know what may tempt you to make that move. We should all be looking forward to our next career move – whether it’s within the same company or elsewhere.

First of all, it is critical to be pro-actively managing your own career. No one is going to do it for you! Secondly, it is not just about job-searching (go play on Monster or Workpolis and see how well that works for you!) It is all about your contacts, your network – peers with whom you can discuss the issues of the day, experts with whom you can discuss challenges you have, people with whom you have things in common, etc.

We should all be managing our careers, making contacts, networking and staying current in the marketplace. Having said that, let me get back to the main point of my story — to accept or not accept.

As I was building my consulting practice, I accepted most invitations. Most were in fact relevant to my growing practice (i.e. colleagues, prospects, potential clients). As my practice grew, I became more selective. I am now quite selective but still have 2500 connections. Why? Because it’s my job to be well connected so that I can source great talent for my corporate clients and help my individual clients land their next role. As a business owner/ consultant, I need to be well networked. I also call upon many experts in a number of fields to discuss issues and challenges.

For most people, however, I say connect with those with whom you have something in common and are of interest to you. Make your network relevant. Perhaps they are in your line of work, your industry, your field – or perhaps you went to the same school together or worked in the same company at one time. Maybe they work at a company of interest to you or are in a role you aspire to fill. Maybe they are connected through others to a charity or volunteer work you do. If you are sent a request and cannot see a reason for accepting, it’s ok to send an e-mail back and ask to be reminded how you are connected. If you don’t want to do that, it’s ok to hit ‘ignore.’

Some misguided people think it’s all about amassing the most connections. This is not Facebook. Your connections are indeed a reflection of you. Tend your connections well and watch your network grow and flourish.

Now, for the lighter side…..This morning I got a request from a woman claiming to be a ‘friend’, who lived in Europe, whose profile (scant as it was was in another language) and whose profile picture was of a woman, in a hospital gown lying in a hospital bed, with an IV drip in her arm. I kid you not. Think I accepted?

Filed Under: Career Transition, Interviewing, Networking