How To Network Naturally in Your Career

How To Network Naturally in Your Career By Jacqui Barrett-PoindexterA rose by any other name would smell as sweet.  This Shakespearean quote resonates as I ponder the value of networking.If only networking were under the guise of a different name. Personally, I bristle when someone uses the word, networking, an odd reaction considering the line of work I am in. I use the term, because of its universal appeal, but sparingly, as I believe there are better ways to articulate how to forge, cultivate and leverage value-add relationships in ones career.When someone overtly and pushily tries to network with me, my response often parlays my distaste. More organic in my approach, I weave in proactive, and when needed, assertive communication to move conversations forward. But bottom line, I strongly believe in a more natural approach to connecting with others to build a net of supportive careerists.Networking Will Happen OrganicallyWith that said, natural does not have to imply weak or lacking assertiveness. Certainly, if you have an important message to share with someone, and you genuinely feel that it will add value to them, then push a bit to get voice or face time to present your position.While I DO believe it is essential to get a bit out of ones comfort zone to initiate conversations with others, I also  believe that, if done well, and as a daily part of your career and personal life, networking will happen organically, through conversations you are having with your colleagues, friends, family and such. As well, compelling someone to engage with you, to help fuel your goals, is best done as a result of your first proffering your value to them.3 Ways to Netweave Toward Your GoalsWe must learn to invite others into our lives to build those value-add relationships, and that in and of itself may require initially unnatural confidence in believing you add value to others and have something to add to the conversation.  For those who struggle with exuding that confidence, I offer three scenarios where you may find netweaving your way toward career goals more naturally attainable.1. Solving Mutual Problems: A colleague or someone in your industry and you are having a conversation about a problem(s) with a specific technology, product, process or customer acquisition challenge. You have some ideas that youd like to share, and you offer a 30-minute phone call to avail yourself and provide value. Likewise, your colleague will naturally unveil his/her ideas during this exchange. Everyone wins. You may find this initial conversation a lead-in to future exchanges and/or to further resources with whom you can connect on similar such issues.2. Inspiring: Youve connected with someone online (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Pinterest) who inspires you with his or her words, images, enthusiasm, personal or professional goals and achievements and such. Likewise, s/he feels a connection with you, and you hit it off. Why not take it a step further and schedule a focused one-on-one Skype, phone o r face time to brainstorm and plan and encourage one anothers efforts and goals?You may even find that this new-found friend is someone you will regularly meet with, or, who will spur ideas and contacts for further netweaving connections. Several of my Twitter colleagues and I have formed what we now unofficially call #SummitFriends, and we met by Skype for the first time in late 2012. Dorlee (@DorleeM), Marianna (@AuntieStress) and Jackie (@JackieYunTweets) inspire, motivate and support my blog with their words. Several other careerists and encouragers have imbued my day-to-day, on- and offline, and will be mentioned in future posts.3. Industry Visibility: Through Twitter, Facebook and industry conferences, youve discovered chemistry with and among several of your peers. An opportunity to collaborate on a particular event, project or public speaking initiative arises, and it requires a collective mind. Invite your colleagues into the experience. Remember the rising tides quote? Lif t one another.You might find that an initial collaboration turns into a career-long conversation. When a handful of colleagues and I came together in 2009 to appear on Recruiting Animals show, we didnt know it would turn into a more substantial collaboration. The Resume Chicks  has converted into a Twitter stream, a website and a bi-monthly meeting schedule where we share industry best practices, help each other solve business problems and freely exchange strategies through sometimes casual, sometimes quite focused brainstorming sessions. We also genuinely like one another, on a personal level, which further fortifies the bond.

The Best Way to Write a Resume For Part Time Work

The Best Way to Write a Resume For Part Time WorkWriting a resume for part-time work can be very frustrating. If you want to land that position, you have to come up with a great resume. The best part about this is that once you get a job interview, it is a piece of cake!It may seem that writing a resume for part time work would take all day. However, this can be done in a matter of minutes. Before you start writing your resume, you should spend some time thinking about the qualifications that you have that could help the company find you. Once you have a list of qualifications, you will be able to go back and revise your resume after writing it.Well, this is one way of saving time. Many employers have one look at the resumes that are handed to them. Since there are many job opportunities out there, it is better to leave it to the companies to decide if they need the resume or not.Once you have prepared your resume, you can begin writing it. You should make sure that it is professiona l as well as concise. Your resume should clearly tell the employer what you do and why you deserve the job.You should also make sure that you include a short personal statement to the employer so that he can determine whether or not you fit the job description that you have. This is very important because a lot of times, a person with a personal statement can get the job over someone without it.When you are looking at writing a resume for part time work, you will want to keep in mind that there are many options that you can choose from. You can either use your college or high school years or, if you are a recent graduate, you can also use some of your previous work experience. If you went to college years ago, you can always use those years to write your resume. However, you can also include current work experience in order to make it seem more professional and that your experience is up to date.Writing a resume for part-time work is not hard if you put your mind to it. All you need to do is get started!