In the spirit of Late Night with David Letterman, here is my Top 10 List for Job Seekers.

10) Get out of the house. Hey, you can’t effectively conduct a job search from your home office.  Get away from the computer and go talk to somebody. Now! (Do that often enough and you won’t need to read the rest of this top 10 list.)

9) Remember, networking is NOT about YOU! Click here to read more about the importance of focusing on the other person in your networking activities.

Shine your shoes.  Even if you are just running to the 7-11 for a Slurpee, you want to dress like a professional.  You never know who you are going to meet when you are out.

7) Have a great elevator pitch. (If you aren’t sure what that is or how to get one, check out “Jim Nudelman’s 4 Step Process for Writing an Elevator Pitch.”

6) Have plenty of Business Cards / Contact Cards on hand.

5) Be memorable, and I mean this in a good way!  One guy always wears a red sweater to these events.  Then, when he contacts someone later he says, “I’m the guy in the red sweater you met last week at the networking meeting.” He’s pretty hard to forget!

4) Check your teeth before you leave the house.  You don’t want some yucky-green thing stuck between your teeth!  Bad first impression! (see #8)

3) Spend at least 90% of your time at a networking event listening and asking questions.  Remember #9, networking is NOT about YOU.

2) Go where the action is.  Lots of job seekers hang out in groups with other job seekers.  While that’s a good place to start and practice your elevator pitch, sooner or later you need to show up someplace where people who would hire you hang out.

and the number 1 tip for job seekers is . . . .

1) Have fun!  My good friend Cleon Cox III leads a job finder’s support group.  His motto is, “Have fun, meet people, and learn something.”  I agree!

Related Posts:

• What Is A Personal Brand And Why Do You Need One?
• How to Work With A Recruiter In Your Job Search
• Why A Great Resume Is Not As Important As A Decent Network

Our friends over at Common Craft do some great work.  There videos are simple, yet full of great information.  Today I want to share with you this 3 minute goodie on using LinkedIn for more than just making contacts.

The protagonist in this story used LinkedIn to grow her business.  What can you learn from her, since you, as a job seeker, are the owner of your own business who’s sole purpose is to find you a job?  How can you search your contacts to find people who will help move your career forward?  Who do you need to meet?  How can you use LinkedIn to facilitate an introduction?

Don’t forget theses 2 important keys to graceful networking (even online);

1. It’s NOT about you. You may feel an urgent need to find a job.  However, when networking you will turn people off if you show it.  Approach people to find opportunity for them and their network FIRST.  When they know you have their best interest at heart they will want to help you fulfill your needs.
2. When asked, have a CLEAR statement of what you are looking for. (See the “4 Step Process for Writing an Elevator Pitch”) Be sure to include a call to action.  You don’t get if you don’t ask, so be sure to ask.  However, ONLY ask AFTER you have helped the other person.

LinkedIn can be an amazing tool for your job search if you use it correctly. I recommend that you do not just accept any link you are offered.  Take time to get to know the other person first.  Then, after a significant conversation, you will have created a quality link.

In the last month I’ve had a few clients who were contacted directly by HR professionals and Recruiters through their LinkedIn profile.  Make sure you have a solid profile, because you won’t get the chance to make a second impression!  Good luck, happy hunting, and great linking!

30 Day Blogging Challenge – day 21. Tomorrow’s post: “How To Conduct An Informational Interview”

Here is a reprint of the most asked for post we have ever published.  It’s a bit of free job search advice that you can’t live without, because networking is the key to finding your next job.  Read it and enjoy!

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Fellow Toastmaster Jim Nudelman has a simple 4-step process for writing an Elevator Pitch — a 10-15 second focused introduction of your “value proposition” that can be given in an elevator when someone asks, “tell me about yourself.” Jim (”the Noodle” as he is known to friends and family) is an experienced National Sales Trainer, so he should know something about putting your best foot forward to capitalize on a brief window of opportunity. Here’s his process:

Step 1 — Begin with an ACTION PHRASE that is NOT a noun. (”I am a ______________” — but don’t use a “label” in the blank.  You don’t want people to put you in a box.)

Step 2 — Add a one sentence statement about what you DO. (”I do _________________” — What do you help people or businesses do?)

Step 3 — Give a statement of the SPECIFIC IMPACT. (”People who utilize my process find _________” — list one or two things from the perspective of your potential employer.)

Step 4 — End with a CALL TO ACTION. (”I am looking to be introduced to _______________” — be specific!  If you ask for something non-specific you are likely to get it.  What good it that?)

Here’s Jim’s elevator pitch and contact information:

“My name is Jim Nudelman. I am a master of building relationships. I teach sales professionals how to build and grow their business. Sales professionals who have attended my workshops have increased their business by as much as 50%. Please introduce me to a sales manager who has told you they are tired of losing sales to their competition.”

James Nudelman, National Sales Trainer
503-939-4715
jnudelman1@yahoo.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/thenoodle

It’s a simple formula that works! Try it and you will notice a dramatic increase in the effectiveness of your self-introduction that we call your “elevator pitch.”

Related Posts:

• Why A Great Resume Is Not As Important As A Decent Network