Making Career Networking Fun

If you are like a lot of job seekers, you probably groan a little when you hear the words "career networking." Making small talk about jobs isn't exactly what most people consider a good time.

The goal of networking is to meet new people and grow your list of contacts. While this would indicate you have to attend a lot of conferences and industry events, these don't have to be your only options. With a little bit of imagination, you can turn networking into a fun activity rather than one you dread.

Here are five ideas you should consider:

• Shake-up the normal meet and greets. Instead of heading to that local job fair or networking event, why not take up an activity that you truly enjoy? That way you can have some fun while also making new contacts.
• Find the right hang-outs. Professionals in every industry have favorite places to relax during free-time. Do a little research to find out where nonprofit executives like to frequent.
• Take up a cause. Volunteering is a great way to spruce up your resume and meet people who can help you with your job search. Even if you aren't bought on full time after your service is done, your supervisor will surely have no problem assisting you as long as you did a good job.
• Offer to help at events. Call your favorite nonprofit and find out if they need anyone to assist at an upcoming special event. Even if they say no, you will at least be putting yourself out there.
• Reconnect with the past. College and high school reunions or alumni events are a great place to do some networking. They offer all the benefits of a traditional industry without the anxiety of making small talk with people you don't know.

Networking Events on July 4th

Tomorrow, people all across America will be celebrating Independence Day.  Our forefathers fought for our freedom all those years ago and as a result, we get to eat burgers, drink beer, and watch fireworks every July 4th. Freedom's a wonderful thing, right?

Unfortunately, many Americans are not free this year. There's no oppressive foreign power trying to impose their will on us, but there are still too many people held back by unemployment. It's been nearly three years since the official end of the Great Recession, but Americans are still dealing with its aftermath. Things are better than they were in 2009, but we still have a long way to go. 

It would be very easy to just halt your job search this holiday weekend. And when it comes to applying to jobs, I would recommend that. Since the majority of organizations are off, you aren't going to be finding many new positions. That doesn't mean you can't do anything to move yourself closer to unemployment independence. It may not seem like it, but there really is no better time to network. Think about it: Presumably you will be attending a July 4th party, which will  give you the opportunity to connect (or re-connect) with a bunch of people. Make it a goal to make some new career contacts by the time the party is over. You will probably have some idea of who these people are, which can make it a lot more relaxing than a normal networking event.

It's highly unlikely you will walk out of an Independence Day party with a job interview lined up. That's hardly a guarantee. What is a guarantee, however, is that you will move one step closer to ridding yourself of unemployment if you do some serious networking. And on a day when America is celebrating freedom from tyranny, you can be closer to that freedom as well.

How To Enjoy Career Networking

Let's face it: Career networking is not exactly the funnest thing in the world. Putting yourself out there can be a very stressful thing, which makes many job seekers want to do all they can to avoid it. This is ultimately to their detriment, as networking is a vital part of the job search.

The first thing you need to do to reduce the pressure is to remember you go to networking events not only to receive help but also to give it. Too many job hunters go to these events thinking it's their one opportunity to make new contacts, which sets the stakes at an unreasonably high level. If you change your mindset so that you recognize you are there to contribute and get any help that is available, you will feel less stressed, which will ultimately boost your chances of making solid contacts.

On a similar note, you should not appear desperate when talking to attendees. People have different definitions of this, but one thing to look out for is making the main purpose of your conversations to get something. You should be getting to know the other attendees with talk about work flowing naturally from the conversation. People don't like to feel like they are only being talked to because the other person wants something.

Finally, act naturally. You definitely need to prepare before you attend events, but you don't want to come off as scripted. Being real is the key to getting the best responses from other attendees, as people have a tendency to want to help others who they think are being straightforward.

None of these tips are guaranteed to make you absolutely love career networking if you already don't enjoy it. But hopefully they will make you tolerate more than you did before.

The King's Elevator Speech

If you've ever watched The King's Speech, you know how important vocal mannerisms are to speeches.  You're not going to have to make any big public speeches during your job search, but there's one speech that's worth mastering: The elevator speech.  We've already talked about how to adapt these pitches to different situations.  Now it's time to learn how make your pitch perfect.

First, a short recap on the topic: An elevator speech is a short pitch, no longer than 30 seconds, that you make to recruiters.  They are usually made at networking events, and are designed to give listeners a good idea of how your skills can help their organization.

In The King's Speech, King George VI had a stuttering problem which had its roots in a lack of confidence.  But just because you don't stammer doesn't mean you don't have to practice your pitch.  Practice makes perfect but it also breeds confidence.  Before you head out to your networking event or job interview, practice your speech a number of times with someone who can provide feedback.  Try out different vocalizations each time until you find a style that instills the most confidence in the listener.

It's also a good idea to record your practice attempts.  How we sound in our head is much different than how we actually sound.  Hearing how your words come out can make a big difference, though it can be a bit strange at first.  Once you get over that, you will have a better idea of how you want to say certain words.

All of these techniques have the ultimate goal of giving you more confidence when it comes time to make your elevator pitch.  Making the perfect elevator pitch may not make you a king, but you have to start somewhere, right?

Career Networking Tip: Don't Sound Rehearsed

Picture this: You're at a networking event and, to break the ice, you go up to one of the attendees and break out your elevator speech.  All of those hours of practicing have seemingly paid off because you got all of your lines down pat.  There's only one problem: You didn't get the response you wanted.

We've all been in a situations like this before, and it's pretty discouraging to say the least.  Why would a perfectly rehearsed statement go off so badly?  Part of the problem could be just that: You sounded too rehearsed.  Just like you would adapt your resume or cover letter depending on the job, you also need to adapt your networking talking points based on the situation.  For instance, you wouldn't want to say anything like this at a casual networking party:

"Hello, my name is John Q. Public and I have a successful track record of fundraising at several different organizations.  If you have a few minutes, I'd like to inquire if you have any contacts at a nonprofit that would be in need of my vast knowledge and expertise."

OK, that's a little bit of an exaggeration, but you get the picture.  That kind of sell would be more useful if you were attending a more formal event, say, a business party.  It would be completely obvious you are going off of a prepared script if you said those exact words at a small social gathering.  At those kind of events, you want to keep it more casual.  Make some observations about the party or ask if they tried that great punch.  Anything like that is a good starting point before you start talking business.  You will only hurt your cause if you come off as a robot.

Do you have any success stories from past career networking events?  Share them with us in the comments section below.

Making a Good Elevator Speech

One of the more useful skills to master as a job seeker is the elevator speech.  What is an elevator speech, you ask?  Well, it's a pitch you make to potential employers (either at interviews or networking events) that is designed to highlight your skills and work background.  It should be no more than 30-60 seconds (the time it would normally take to ride an elevator---get it?), so theoretically it shouldn't be that hard, right?  It can be very difficult, however, to compress so much important information into such a short time frame.  How do you know what you should leave out, or what is imperative to mention?  A lot of times, you will find that it depends on the situation.

If you are at a network event, chances are you have not had any contact with the person you are going to give your elevator pitch to.  In this case, you should start by shaking the person's hand and introducing yourself.  There is nothing more awkward walking up to a complete stranger and immediately going off into your speech.  You also want to make sure you have practiced the pitch enough so that it doesn't sound forced or rehearsed; unfairly or not, the first impression someone has of you is the one that is most likely to stick.  It's also important to make sure the person wants to hear your pitch, so after your introduction, ask them politely if they have time to hear about your background.

If you are at a job interview, you should wait to make your elevator speech until the hiring manager asks one of those "tell me about yourself" questions.  In this case it won't be necessary to introduce yourself, as you will probably have talked to him/her before the interview.  This leads us to what you should actually include in your pitch (this applies to either of the situations):

• Give yourself a job title.  This doesn't have to be a title you had at a previous job; it's meant to describe what you are best at doing.  For example: "I'm a PR expert with over 10 years in the marketing industry."  Something like that would be a good introduction (though it should obviously be a lot more polished).
• As you saw from that example I gave, it is important to list how many years of experience you have in your field.  If you don't have little to no work experience, you should emphasize your enthusiasm for the field you want to get into, and mention any classes you might have taken that relate to it.
• Near the end of your speech, you should make a brief mention of how your background will help the nonprofit you are applying to.
• Remember, the elevator speech is only supposed to be 30-60 seconds.  This means you shouldn't go into long anecdotes from your background.  You need only to briefly mention any relevant projects you have worked on that might be of interest to the employer. 

And "relevant" is the key to making a good elevator speech.  If it's not relevant to the non profit job you are applying to, there is no reason to mention it.  The whole point of the speech is to get the employer more interested in you, and the only way to do that is to highlight skills that will apply to the job in question.

Preparing For Networking

I just posted about the nonprofit career event at Notre Dame, so this is an ideal time to talk about some of the things you will need to do to make sure you shine brightly if you decide to go to it (or any event like it, for that matter).

For one thing, you should bring copies of your resume.  As for which resume you bring, that will be a tricky question, as you obviously aren't going to know the representatives from the various nonprofits that might be there (though if this is a career fair, you might have a better idea of that).  If I were to make a recommendation, however, I would bring the resume you base all your various revisions off of.  You should give these to any nonprofit employees you talk to.

When you start your networking, you should almost treat it like a less formal interview.  What I mean by this is that both networking and nonprofit job interviews have the following thing in common: they both give the employee the chance to get to know who you are and what your skills are.  Really, the only real difference between networking and job interviews is that you aren't necessarily going to be talking about a specific position, and it is a bit more conversational than a job interview. 

If anything, networking events can be a little more stressful than job interviews.  You are going to not only be surrounded by many nonprofit reps, but many other individuals just like you; people wanting to break into the non profit sector. It's going to be hard not to feel a little competitive.  I remember at my first networking event, I felt like I had to out-do everybody; this is the worst thing you can do.  You should definitely do your best to impress, but not at the expense of acting like someone you are not.  All this will do is add extra stress and make you come off poorly.  Trust me, if you want to get a nonprofit job, you are going to want to be genuine.

So what should you talk about at a nonprofit networking event?  Well, it's really up to you, but you should certainly mention (if applicable) any nonprofit work you have done.  You should also mention what your previous job was and what about it lead you to pursue a nonprofit career.  But perhaps the most important thing you can do is get as much information from the representative you are talking to.  Does he/she know anybody you know in the industry?  Are there any job openings at their organization?  Any type of connection you get from this person will be extremely helpful to your job search.

Finally, talk to as many people as you can.  It's natural to feel a little exhausted after a few conversations but remember, you are at this event for your nonprofit career.  And there is no such thing as having enough connections, especially in the nonprofit world.

Calling All College Students: Nonprofit Career Event Coming to Notre Dame

I talk a lot about how important nonprofit networking events are; well, now's your chance to attend one if you go to the University of Notre Dame.  Apparently, the college will be holding a nonprofit career event on April 5th from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM.  The program, called “Making a Living Making a Difference," will be held in Geddes Hall and will give students and locals the chance to learn what it takes to work in the not-for-profit-sector.

The event is free, so there really is no excuse not to attend this event if you live in the area and are interested in nonprofit jobs.  Even if the speakers end up not interesting you, it's still a great opportunity to start doing some nonprofit networking.  Read more about the event in this article if you are interested in attending.

Are You Treating Your Non Profit Job Search Like a Job?

When going through your nonprofit job search, you might be thinking how the process feels like a job itself.  Indeed, with all the time and effort you put into finding the right not-for-profit job, it might seem like you are already employed.  Well believe it or not, this is a good thing.  Because the fact of the matter is, the more you treat your job search like a job, the better chance you will have in actually getting the position you desire.

Granted, this can be hard.  It's difficult to convince yourself that sitting at home on the computer browsing a nonprofit job board is your employment, but it really is the best way to get employed fast.  This doesn't mean you have to get dressed up in a suit and tie everyday while you browse (though honestly, it doesn't hurt the effect), but it does mean you should set up a job search schedule for the week.  In fact, I would recommend putting aside 20 hours a week to look for work.  That might sound like a lot; and it is.  However, it doesn't have to be as tedious as it sounds. 

Looking for work doesn't just mean browsing job pages, though that is a part of it.  It also means, however, volunteering and doing some major networking.  So for an example, you could spend a few hours a day looking for nonprofit work on the internet, and the rest of the day attending a networking event in your town.  As long as you have a schedule set up, you will be successful.

When it comes to the normal job search, however, you should be as organized as possible.  Whenever you apply for a job, you should immediately write down what that position was.  That way, you won't waste time looking at a position you have already applied to.  This list will also help you in other ways; it's a good way to keep you motivated (by seeing all the work you have accomplished during the day), and it will help you keep yourself accountable (the same way you would be accountable to your supervisor at work).

All in all, if you treat your job search like the job you want, you will find you will be more successful than if you just do it casually.  Besides, when you actually do get the nonprofit job of your dreams, you will find all the organization you have done will help you do better at your job; it's all about getting yourself in the right frame of mind!

Social Networks and Nonprofits: A Perfect Pair

I've already talked about how important networking is in getting into the nonprofit sector.  I didn't mention, however, that there are more ways to network other than just attending networking events.  Perhaps you have heard of this new thing called social networking.  Supposedly it's a big deal these days. 

Joking aside, using tools like Twitter and Facebook can really help you in your quest to start your career in the non profit sector.  Excuse the shameless self-promotion, but you probably already know of one Twitter account that can help you search for non profit jobs.  But besides this, social networking websites can be used to gain a better understanding of the company you are hoping to join.  While reading the "About Us" page on an NPOs official website may give you some knowledge of what the organization does, looking at their Facebook page will give you a better idea of the culture of the company.

As for the actual "networking," I would recommend (if you haven't already) immediately setting up a profile on LinkedIn.  This website is essentially the MySpace for professionals.  It allows you to post your job history, resume, and (most importantly) connect with other professionals.  You can also apply for jobs through LikedIn, and this is when the site really starts to pay off.  If you know someone who knows someone at a nonprofit you apply to on the site, you will be informed of this on the sidebar.  As we all know, connections are key to getting a job you want, so this is why I did most of my job searching through LinkedIn; it allowed me to see what potential connections I had at the compnies I applied to.

Of course, you cannot completely avoid regular networking.  Social networking should be used as a complement to, and not a replacement for, traditional networking.  An example of this delicate process would be using Twitter to connect with people going to a networking event.  One of the hardest parts of these events is not knowing anybody.  By using Twitter (or some other social networking site), you will have instant connections before you even get there, giving you a comfort zone.

What are your thoughts on social networking?  As always, we'd love to hear from you.