Networking - Pay it forward before it pays off... read more...
The phone rings. It is a recruiter. Did he get your name from Monster or Career Builder? Maybe Dice?
The phone rings. It is a medium-sized, but growing company who is interested in your product. Did they get your number from the company website?
An email arrives. Someone wants information on a technology related to your product. How did they get your email address?
How did these opportunities come your way? Through your personal network.
Why did members of your network send your revenue and job opportunities? Because you did something for them.
That is the secret to personal and brand marketing - you must pay it forward before it pays off. Your network and the people in it have specific needs and goals. Help them meet them.
Sure, it's tough when you have so many other activities to complete in a day to spend time writing referrals, making introductions and digging up contact information. But it pays for itself over and over again.
When I looked for my last job, I spent a month making calls and sending emails to my network. Most responded quickly where others took their time. Invariably, those who responded fastest were repaying an introduction or opportunity I forwarded them another time.
Today you may be fat and pretty (I know it!) sitting where you are now. But what about tomorrow? Our bags are packed, but who is going to pick you up in the career van? Better start helping your network today - send them referrals, leads, prospects, a new employee, a better customer or a reference. Drive traffic to their product and web site. Blog about them. Link to them. Click them.
Pay everything forward and the returns will be ten fold.
Happy hunting,
Monday
Marketing Me! The Exit Interview
If you have been following the subject here at Marketing Me! we have been covering resignation letters and goodbye emails. Naturally, what follows the resignation is the possibility of an exit interview.
For more background, check out this informative article at Job Search Tech. For the personal branding and self marketing spin, stay tuned here on Marketing Me!
First, I have never, ever done an exit interview. When I leave, I submit my resignation letter, send my goodbye emails to colleagues and customers, and depart taking with me unused vacation and a final check.
I am never in the building long enough for HR to tackle me and put me through the interrogation process of an exit interview.
First, the idea that an exit interview will improve conditions at any workplace is a farce. Most companies know that most jobs are commodities as are the people who fill them. Thus, the value of a soon-to-be-former-employee's thoughts on the rest room and vacation policy is wishful thinking at best. Today's employers simply don't care.
Next, I worry about the liability of an exit interview. Will the employer come after me with competitive clauses? Will they force me to sign documents which limit my ability to make a living or contacting my customers? Will the employer try and trap me into signing away something I have earned such as unused personal time or a commission check?
Finally, if one is truly a valuable employee, the HR department will not be interviewing him or her. Rather, a senior manager, director or even the CEO will be speaking with the soon to be departed. And their goal will be to retain them and that is the real goal for any one self marketing. Desire.
Take the exit interview with a grain of salt. If corralled into the interview, smile, answer politely and avoid incriminating yourself at every turn. If necessary, insist that a supervisor be present at the interview to corroborate any information put forth. Some might even go as far as to reschedule the exit interview at such time that legal council could be present. It's your call.
Until then, happy hunting.
For more background, check out this informative article at Job Search Tech. For the personal branding and self marketing spin, stay tuned here on Marketing Me!
First, I have never, ever done an exit interview. When I leave, I submit my resignation letter, send my goodbye emails to colleagues and customers, and depart taking with me unused vacation and a final check.
I am never in the building long enough for HR to tackle me and put me through the interrogation process of an exit interview.
First, the idea that an exit interview will improve conditions at any workplace is a farce. Most companies know that most jobs are commodities as are the people who fill them. Thus, the value of a soon-to-be-former-employee's thoughts on the rest room and vacation policy is wishful thinking at best. Today's employers simply don't care.
Next, I worry about the liability of an exit interview. Will the employer come after me with competitive clauses? Will they force me to sign documents which limit my ability to make a living or contacting my customers? Will the employer try and trap me into signing away something I have earned such as unused personal time or a commission check?
Finally, if one is truly a valuable employee, the HR department will not be interviewing him or her. Rather, a senior manager, director or even the CEO will be speaking with the soon to be departed. And their goal will be to retain them and that is the real goal for any one self marketing. Desire.
Take the exit interview with a grain of salt. If corralled into the interview, smile, answer politely and avoid incriminating yourself at every turn. If necessary, insist that a supervisor be present at the interview to corroborate any information put forth. Some might even go as far as to reschedule the exit interview at such time that legal council could be present. It's your call.
Until then, happy hunting.
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