While most of my posts live a short life and retire quietly to the archives, this post from last spring about networking tips for introverts continues to get several hits hits every week, and has been referenced on other blogs. Since there seems to be a lot of interest in this topic, I continue to watch for articles and information that may add to the discussion.
This afternoon I was reviewing the blogs and websites of some of the people who have visited my blog and came across this interesting post …

In yesterday’s post, I wrote “As Thanksgiving approaches, this seems like a perfect time to start practicing gratefulness and honing that mindset.”
But how to we “practice gratefulness?” It sounded like a good suggestion, but it also felt a little incomplete without some sort of practical application. And to be honest, I didn’t have any great ideas.
Later in the day, however, I came across this excellent suggestion from Keith Ferrazzi. While driving out of town, he used the time in the car to scroll through contacts in his cell phone, and …

Sending a Thank You note following a job interview, an informational meeting, or a networking event is a simple way to stand out. I always thought this was a common courtesy, but I discovered last spring just how uncommon it really is. Then I recently attended a meeting where a panel of recruiters agreed that receiving a follow up Thank You note is so rare that it makes the candidate really stand out. One of the recruiters said:
I get so few Thank You notes that if you send one, …

Fountain

Drain
Related post: Real networkers are givers

I attended a career fair this week where I rubbed shoulders with hundreds of recruiters and job seekers. (Okay, it was more like hundreds of job seekers and a handful of recruiters). I arrived with a stack of my own business cards, expecting to hand a few to interested recruiters, and drop a few more into various fishbowls for the free prizes.
During the event, I noticed that several job seekers were passing out their business cards almost indiscriminately. Several people approached me, told me their 15-second pitch, and offered me …

It’s time once again for the First Friday Book Synopsis. As previously mentioned in this blog, Karl Krayer and Randy Mayeux promise to “take you through two books, cover-to-cover, in just one hour.” If you are in the Dallas area, this is great opportunity to get acquainted with new business books and new business people.
 

This month’s synopsis on May 4 features two recent and compelling titles that I’m very excited to hear about.

Karl will review Know-How: The 8 Skills That Separate Those Who Perform from …

LinkedIn now has its own blog. It promises to be “a sounding board for all things LinkedIn.”
See it here.

Thanks to the Be Excellent blog for pointing me to this article in Entrepreneur Magazine. In the article, Robert Kiyosaki stresses that businesses need to hire people with a passion for their mission.
Hiring the right people — the people with the right passion — is one of the toughest jobs for any business. But maybe not the toughest. The toughest job may be getting rid of the wrong people. Hiring for skills will get an organization only so far. Hiring for passion will help the organization excel.
Kiyosaki says his …

Developing an online presence is an effective way to establish your professional brand, expand your network, and create opportunities. In fact, many writers now consider an online presence to be an essential – not optional — component of a candidate’s portfolio.
One of the questions that often comes up is about “youthful indiscretions.” What about those posts, comments, and photos that may have been posted years ago?
I came across this article in the Washington Post recently about a newly minted lawyer named Kiwi Camera. And not just any lawyer — a …

Networking events can be overwhelming for introverts. I recently had an opportunity to brainstorm with a group of introverts about how to be more effective at networking. Here are some of the tips the group came up with:

Set goals. Decide before the event what you want to accomplish, and don’t leave the event before achieving your goal. For example: How many people you want to meet? Is there a specific organization for which you want to find a contact?
Prepare an introduction. Prepare and practice a brief (15-30 seconds) personal …