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SpeaKing HR
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Top Ten Strategies for Networking to Gain Employment |
Having been in the business of helping people find jobs for a number of years and frankly, been a job hunter myself - here are our Top Ten Strategies for Networking to Gain Employment.
| 10. |
Talk to people at your church and find encouragement through prayer. |
| 9. |
Send birthday cards to your friends, family and business associates – not emails – real cards in the mail with a stamp. It is important to stay in touch all the time, not just when you might be job hunting. |
| 8. |
Visit with your Doctor, Dentist, Hairdresser or Professional Service Provider. Several years ago while my husband was getting examined in the emergency room, the nurse found out that I was in HR and proceeded to tell me all about her husband’s qualifications as a great mechanic. We exchanged information and ultimately forwarded the husband’s resume to a large firm that was hiring mechanics. |
| 7. |
Visit with other parents while attending your child’s (or other family members) sporting or school events. You can develop a tremendous referral network with like-minded parents. |
| 6. |
Participate in social networking sites. Be careful to keep your entries and contacts professional. |
| 5. |
Attend professional and industry association events. Try to meet several new people at each event and follow-up with them within a couple of days.
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| 4. |
Consider getting a hobby that encourages team participation (e.g. golf, playing cards, scrabble club, etc). |
| 3. |
Contact previous employers or former customers. If you left on less than good terms . . . see Numbers 10 and 9 above and try again in a year. |
| 2. |
Volunteer – it’s good for the soul and the economy. |
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Attend business events where you have no real purpose for being there. In the HR industry, we often attend construction pre-bid meetings simply because we are meeting people generally outside our area of expertise. We are not seen as competitors and generally walk away with new contacts. |
For more on connecting – creating meaningful, dynamic and resourceful relationships I highly encourage you to read the book Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi – it will change your life.
Leanne King
President, SeeKing HR
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Whether you are an employer searching for great talent or a potential employee seeking the greatest of opportunities - interviewing basics are essentially the same. Interviewers and Interviewees are both nervous. The interviewer wants to make a good hire. The interviewee wants to land a job. Here are few strategies that can help you regardless of which chair you occupy during the interview process.
• Greet the other person with a warm and friendly smile, introducing yourself by stating your first and last name.
• Shake hands firmly, web to web, hold for several seconds and release.
- Gentleman - no death grip.
- Ladies - practice shaking hands with another man; this will help you get comfortable with the grasp and appropriate squeeze. Never use the fingertip handshake unless you happen to be interviewing with the Queen of England - in which case don't forget to curtsy.
• Make eye contact. You don't have to have a staring contest just be sure to focus in when responding.
• Be sure to repeat the person's name throughout the interview.
• Remember to breathe . . . it's just an interview.
Keep in mind that interviewing is just a conversation. The objective is to learn about the other person/company. The easiest way to learn about another person is through relevant dialogue - questions and answers.
For more tips on interviewing check out this link: Interviewing Tips
Leanne King
President, SeeKing HR
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Do I Really Need A Job Description? |
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Job descriptions can be too restrictive or too vague providing no real value. How do you find the happy medium that also meets basic compliance needs? The primary purpose of the job description is to provide a statement of facts that describe the job. Consider these five reasons for creating job descriptions.
1. Recruitment & Selection - job descriptions provide structure to the interview process by identifing key skill sets and mandatory proficiencies.
2. Structure - job descriptions provide a comprehensive view of the organization and how each person's position contributes the company's overall mission.
3. Performance Management - job descriptions provide employees and supervisors with documented performance standards and expectations.
4. Employee Development - job descriptions provide a baseline for developmental opportunities and help identify current skill deficiencies.
5. Defensibility - job descriptions booster your defense in the event an employee must be terminated for poor performance.
Ensure that job descriptions are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Consider the essential functions of a job and be specific about the physical, ergonomic and environmental requirements.
We welcome your comments.
Leanne King
President, SeeKing HR
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Ever felt like a square peg in a round hole? Worse yet . . . you've been labeled as the official company boat rocker? I have and it’s OK. It took me several years and a significant health issue to realize square peg - round hole. So here’s some advice, evaluate yourself by examining the things you’re good at, what you love to do, the people you admire, who you love to spend time with, etc. Ask your friends and family about your talents. You may find - in a very short amount of time – you need a change.
Making a professional change can be exhilarating and exhausting – mostly determined by your level of commitment. Sometimes the change is simple – getting reengaged, taking on a new assignment or volunteering. Sometimes the change is intense – changing careers, relocating or moving to a new industry.
Whatever and wherever professional change leads you – remember to be true to you. You might not be at the right place right now – but change is always possible.
For more tips on changing careers visit these popular sites:
Careerealism
Quintessential Careers
Do you have a great story about a successful career change? We would love to hear from you!
Leanne King
President, SeeKing HR
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It’s time to jump off and join the ranks of the quick witted and create our corporate blog – aptly named SpeaKing HR. This blog is just another step in our evolution and we are committed to utilizing this venue to provide our clients and candidates with experiential information in an effort to add value to their professional lives. Our goal is to post a couple of times a week and we highly encourage you to leave a comment or send us an email with your questions.
By way of introductions, I’m Leanne King, Owner and President of SeeKing HR. I started the company just over 2 years ago with more than 20 years of public and private sector experience primarily with the United States Air Force and in the construction and manufacturing industries. Jennifer Reynosa, Director of Employment Services, joined the firm in July 2009 and she has nearly 15 years experience specializing in recruitment, selection and employee development. Jennifer’s industry experience includes financial services, construction and manufacturing. Finally, Laura LaChaussee, Marketing & Communications Manager, joined the firm in July 2009. Laura is highly experienced in corporate branding, proposal design and social media. We all work flexible schedules – so feel free to leave a reply anytime day or night.
Look for these entries coming soon... interviewing basics, great ideas for connecting and do you really need to have a job description.
Leanne E. King
President, SeeKing HR
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