Research - and how to be Visible

Our last Blog post was about networking at this time of year.  (Interestingly, the Wall Street Journal Report carried a story about the importance of  job hunting and networking this time of year just this morning.) While networking is clearly the number one way in which people find new roles, networking is actually a subset of  something else.  So, let's take this in a different direction.

You can try to find us OR you can make it easier to find you.

In looking at my calendar for the next few weeks, there is no shortage of opportunities to see people at holiday celebrations and at professional association (networking) events.  Professional and industry associations are having their annual holiday meetings; varying companies are having open houses. People use this time of year to connect.  What's on your calendar?

Join, participate and be visible.

Let's start simply - become a member of at least (yes - at least) one professional association or industry association.  It's important for your continuing professional development and you will become involved with people who have the same interests.  And your name will be in the directory.

Then you need to show up . . . . . attend a meeting, go to their networking events, show up at a sub-group meeting.  Your name will be in the directory AND you will start collecting contacts (and their business cards).

Then you need to get active . . . . . get on a committee (the Welcome Committee is my favorite; you meet everyone when they check in).  Or write a paragraph or two for their on-line publication.  Your name will be in the directory twice - once in general membership and once in the Board/Committee section. Bluntly, that is where we look first.  We want people who have invested in their career.

More than a LinkedIn group.

I'm a fan of LinkedIn, and we use it as one of many tools.  That said, it is easy to join LinkedIn groups and feel connected.  The investment is minimal (little time, no money, no commitment).  We know that as well - so we look for you in other areas where you have made more of a commitment.

What if we have your name and search for it?  Your involvement in professional associations and industry groups will show up.  What else might show up?

• Volunteer work in a non-profit (taking on a project in your career field).  (And volunteering this time of year - helping pack or serve food - is just a wonderful thing to do and you will feel better for it.)
• Guest speaking in a class or at a meeting.
• Tweets . . . . . the one sentence statements that will get you noticed (for better or worse).
• Your LinkedIn and Facebook profiles.

Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

This is a dialogue you are holding in front of hundreds of others.  You will be visible; you decide the message you are giving (you

control the content).

New Year's Resolution:

Make the end of this year AND all of 2013 the year you will be visible - by investing in your career and helping others find you.