Linkedin has Incredible Value to Seed Planters

RevenFlo » The 5 Do’s and Don’ts of Using of Linkedin | 

Above I've linked a quick article about the do's and don'ts of using Linkedin. The article appears on Revenflo.com, it may contain only common sense pointers, but it's short and relevant. To start, if anyone has ever heard me speak about networking (some like to call it "preaching"), they know I love using a particular gardening metaphor I first heard years ago at a networking event in Chicago. It goes something like, "your network is like a garden, you need to water it from time to time to make it grow." I wish I could remember the origins of the metaphor to give it proper recognition, but not only has my memory failed me, so has my trusted Google search. Regardless, I love what this stands for. It's about building relationships and growing those relationships.

The article uses a similar metaphor by noting "the value of planting seeds and tending them through relationship for, perhaps, but maybe not, a harvest that may come down the road." It must be my central Indiana roots, but the agricultural metaphors perfectly portray my views on networking. If your goals in networking are to build a relationship, add to that relationship, and then perhaps gain from it down the road; then Linkedin is an excellent tool. I've incorporated my favorite quote from the article as the title of this post, "Linkedin has incredible value to those who are seed planters." 

I use several social media outlets, but I find myself using Linkedin more than any others. For one, it's relevant to my business, and I've found it easy to tailor my updates to only those with potential relevance to me. Some people misuse Linkedin, and some people don't use Linkedin as it was originally intended, to foster new connections. I've discussed the benefits and how to use Linkedin in the past in a few pieces: What's Your Online Footprint Saying?; Social Media Not Your Thing?; and the Second Degree of the Network. There's a lot of material available on how to use Linkedin. Regardless of what your take is, the article above keeps it simple and has rules everyone should follow.

(1) Don't collect connections. Do connect with more people. Make meaningful connections. Don't try to out-connect everyone by stockpiling connections with people you don't know. Instead, make connections with "a purpose of wanting to help someone in promoting their business."

(2) Don't pre-script your invites. Do make it personal and specific. I'll admit, I don't live by this rule. I have no problem with using the pre-script when connecting with someone I already know fairly well. However, if you are using Linkedin to make a new connection, or you do not know that person particularly well, then use a personalized introduction.

(3) Don't hard sell. Do be authentic. Anyone who has been active on Linkedin has probably seen the hard sell. It's best to avoid brazenly pitching your products. Rather, find discussions that relate to your expertise and add to the discussion.

(4) Don't group gather. Do join relevant groups. This mirrors the first point. It's pointless to blindly join as many groups as possible. I like to join groups that are particularly relevant to me or my practice, and I contribute to those groups when I can. It would be impossible for me to accomplish this goal in a plethora of groups.

(5) Don't be a taker. Do add value. This point is great advice. Remember that there a lot of real people out there that have fallen on hard times in the last couple of years. A lot of these professionals are working hard in avenues such as Linkedin to find opportunities. Don't be insensitive to those efforts. The article suggests finding one connection a week and offering to help them with whatever they are seeking through Linkedin. This is a reminder that Linkedin is a tool for real people, and it helps focus on building relationships through networking.

These pointers may come as common sense to some, but nonetheless I believe they are important reminders.

8 Networking Tips to Help Us Introverts

Over the past few weeks, my posts have focused on social media and its affect on job searching, networking, and what I like to call "career development." My new obsession, seemingly, as been fueled in part by my work this past summer with law students. I've found that many students, and young professionals, don't know how to use social media to connect professionally, and many are not taking the precautions to control their online content that may have a negative impact. Recognizing both the benefits and pitfalls of your online footprint is integral in job searching and networking, but this recognition fails to really teach you anything about how to network.

I repeatedly tell my audiences that online networking and social media is a fantastic tool and powerful supplements to your networking efforts, but it cannot completely replace good, old fashioned face-to-face networking. Depending on my audience, a lot of the talk will be about the "networking theory". I feel it's important to stress to students that networking is essential in your career, and it's most effective when done all the time, particularly when you don't need it. But, like many things, networking is a term of art used by career services offices and the likes. It's difficult for some people to understand exactly what networking is or how to network. I usually field both questions.

The answer is both simple and complex. There is no magic formula to networking. Like many things in life, it's personal, so find what works for you, and practice what you find successful. The easiest thing for me is to collect tips from others, try them out, and eventually develop your own networking style. Networking can seem to come naturally to those who are outgoing, but what about those of us who are introverted or get anxiety about meeting new people. For us, like anything, it takes practice. I've come across a couple of articles recently that give some simple, but nonetheless useful pointers for those of us who have difficulty "networking."

Two short articles worth sharing are, 8 Ways To Shake Your Nerves And Network Like a Pro, by Alana Horwitz, Business Insider (this article was linked to by the one sited below, and can be found on www.openforum.com); and, Networking: Be Confident in any Environment, by Martha Newman, JD, PCC, TopLawyerCoach, LLC. Combined, these articles offer 8 easy tips:

(1) Start small. Attending large networking events can be overwhelming, so start small. You can tap into networks you already know, like old friends or acquaintances you've lost touch with. Focusing on a small group of people is an easy way to start growing your network. You never know who your old acquaintances might know. Someone you have lost touch with may be a great foundation for meeting new people.

(2) Listen. This is an oft overlooked skill which is essential to effective networking. Not only that, but it's easy for those of us who are not outgoing and not comfortable driving a conversation. For law students knee deep in job searches, I half jokingly tell all of them, follow the stereotype: lawyers love to talk, and usually really love to talk about themselves. Networking is a two-way street. Nobody wants a contact who is constantly taking and never giving back. Law students always say to me, I have nothing to give the managing partner of a firm. They couldn't be farther from wrong. If someone wants to meet a student to offer advice or help with their job search, then what they want is for you to LISTEN to them. This applies to networking in general, not just job searching. Listening is a great way to get to know someone, and, for example, an easy way to discover what someone's goals may be at a networking event. It's not always this easy, but don't forget to listen.

(3) Smile. This sounds ridiculous, but I agree with the advice. I attended a networking event in Chicago years ago put on by the Chicago Real Estate Council (CREC). Unfortunately, at the time my law practice was consumed by two particular litigation cases, where my opposing counsels were not always conducting themselves with the professionalism most lawyers like to see in their practice. For a young attorney, the stressed seemed unbearable. The day of the event happened to be a particularly bad day. I was allowing the stress of these cases to affect me outside of the office. I was approached at the event by a real estate partner at a small/mid-size firm in Chicago. I knew the firm well, and may have enjoyed working there. I wasn't rude, but let's just say I wasn't my usual smiling self. Our conversation was very short, and he quickly moved on. I have always regretted that moment. Moral of the story, I should have smiled.

(4) Find Common Interests. This goes hand-in-hand with the first tip. Start small. Find something you're interested in and get involved. One of the articles suggests attending a wine tasting event, great suggestion. Meet people at a smaller event who also enjoy drinking wine. Events like these are less intimidating environments and give everyone a conversation starter, the wine.

(5) Be Prepared. The articles suggest having an amusing story to break the ice or fall back on if you get nervous. This can be a good suggestion, but I think your preparation better served by focusing on the common interest, or theme, of an event. For example, if your at a business networking event for an alumni club, it's easy to ask how active an attendee is with the club. If there's a speaker at the event, use that as a conversation starter. Throwing out a random story about a past job might not always be a safe fall back. If the conversation lends itself to that, then by all means go ahead. The important thing here is to prepare yourself to drive the conversation if you have to. This can be difficult for us introverts, so try to prepare with something simple. Ask a simple question and be prepared to listen.

(6) Don't Be Late. The articles make a great point, if you arrive late, most of the attendees may already be involved in conversation. It might be a lot harder to break into one, and it definitely be a little more intimidating to do so. I was early to one of the first true networking events I attended. I had no idea what I was supposed to do, and I was actually early by accident. I was approached by the person who organized the event and she quickly introduced me to two people. I must have had that deer-in-the-headlights look. Like any true Domer, I had already found my security blanket, the bar and a beer in my hand. That might have tipped her off that I needed help. Being early allowed me to helped by one of the volunteers at the event. Had I arrived late, they might have been already tied up and been unable to help my lost soul.

(7) Volunteer at Networking Events. This is probably one of the best tips out there. If you volunteer to be a greeter at an event, you are forced to talk to virtually everyone. This forces you to get past any anxiety you might have about meeting new people. It also puts you in good favor with the people who organize the events, who are then more likely to introduce you to some of their contacts.

(8) Use Social Media. I know, back to my obsession. I just can't get away from it. Use social media to follow up with people you meet. Connect with them; send a link you think they might find interesting; use it to keep in touch and schedule an "informational interview" (another career services term of art). There is a ton of materials out there concerning how to use social media. Try to find some advice that discusses using social media in your industry. Someone in sales may use it differently than a lawyer does. Also, read my recent posts, and don't worry, I'm sure I'll be revisiting this soon and often (it is an obsession after all).

Remember, there is no secret way to network. There are definitely ways to network that have proven to be effective, and there are definitely things that don't work. If you're thinking about networking and trying to get better at it, then you're already ahead of most people. Like GI Joe used to tell me, knowing is half the battle.

How Do You Protect Your Online Image? - Could You Survive a Social Media Background Check - Law.com - LTN

Could You Survive a Social Media Background Check?:

Being conscious of your online content is a theme I've been focusing on for the past couple of weeks. How social media affects your career development is a hot topic in recent career commentary. I've come across countless articles and blog posts concerning both how to use social media as well as what not to put on it. The article linked above, which comes from Law Technology News on Law.com, is one of the better articles I've read recently on how social media and online profiles can harm your job search.

The articles states, "as of September 2011, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 14 million people are unemployed." This figure should be eye-popping. With every advertised job opportunity, a hiring manager or recruiter is likely to receive hundreds, if not thousands, of responses from interested job applicants. As I've stressed before, monitoring your online footprint is becoming more and more important. The social media background check "is considered new, [but] it's actually been in use for quite some time." Many employers are using the internet and the popularity of social media to conduct online background checks of potential candidates before you would ever be invited to interview for a position. I recently discussed how employers are using social media to screen candidates in my earlier post titled "What's Your Online Footprint Saying?", and I discussed the importance of knowing what information you are making available to the public in the post titled "Google Yourself!"

The article from Law.com goes even further. It explains that presently, employers have the option of using companies like Social Intelligence Corporation to conduct FTC-approved background checks on potential employment candidates. I'm not sure if Social Intelligence Corporation is the first of such companies to be approved by the FTC, or if it's just an example cited by the article. Regardless, "Social Intelligence scours the internet for everything prospective employees may have said or done online in the past seven years. The company then assembles a dossier with examples of professional honors and charitable work, along with negative information that meets the employer predefined criteria...." This predefined criteria could be things such as: "online evidence of racist remarks; reference to drugs; sexually explicit photos, text messages or videos; flagrant displays of weapons or bombs; and clearly identifiable violent activity."

If you've never considered how your online activity could affect your career, you need to take a second look at your past activity. The article offers six pointers to help you survive a social media background check. Here's a quick overview of the advice offered, but read the article for expanded content. Trust me it's worth the read:

(1) Google yourself!!! I have stressed this several times. It's important to research your own social media background check to figure out what your potential problem areas are. 

(2) Change your privacy settings on social networking sites such as Facebook.

(3) Go through your online photos and photo albums.

(4) Self-sensor your posts, such as status updates and comments. It's worth going through past posts and deleting any post that could be viewed negatively by a potential employer or professional contact.

(5) Re-evaluate your online "groups." Steer clear of joining or "liking" any groups that could be construed as offensive. And finally....

(6) If you blog, re-read your entries from the perspective of a potential employer. Remove or edit postings that could hinder your job search or career development.

You need to be pro-active and conscious of your online footprint and what it says about you, not only to prospective employers, but to all of your professional contacts.

Fifteen More Law Schools to Be Hit with Class Action Lawsuits Over Post-Grad Employment Rates « Above the Law: A Legal Web Site – News, Commentary, and Opinions on Law Firms, Lawyers, Law School, Law Suits, Judges and Courts

Fifteen More Law Schools to Be Hit with Class Action Lawsuits Over Post-Grad Employment Rates « Above the Law: A Legal Web Site – News, Commentary, and Opinions on Law Firms, Lawyers, Law School, Law Suits, Judges and Courts: 

So news about class action suits against law schools for allegedly misrepresenting their post-graduation employment data is not really in line with my previous postings. However, this one kind of hits home for me. By the time I was a 3L in law school, I was beginning to believe that the pre-admission hype about my career opportunities after graduation wasn't exactly feasible. I graduated in 2004. My class should have been reaping the benefits of the booming economy being led by the real estate industry. That said, reality was far from that. It was difficult to find employment for the class before mine, for my class, as well as the following. I haven't seen any official data, but by keeping my ear to the ground it seems to me that the career opportunities for fresh law school graduates have gotten progressively tighter with each year. This year seems to be the first time that hiring of new-grads has picked up a little bit since at least 2008.

For this reason, I fully believe you have to distinguish yourself. The legal market is over-saturated. There are seemingly more and more lawyers graduating from law school, but fewer and fewer jobs to support them. The article states that these additional 15 schools are being targeted "because they are in 'markets that are saturated with lawyers, making the statistics implausible.'" There are plenty of attorneys out there. Because of this, when it comes to the technical aspect of performing legal work, we're all replaceable. You have to distinguish yourself from the masses.

In my view, the best way is through networking. Your professional relationships and how you use them have value. This is obvious when it comes to business production and bringing in new clients, but it goes beyond that. Your relationships with other members of the legal community or with a referral network add value to your career and your firm. The ability to confidently refer a client to another attorney to handle a problem outside the scope of your work translates to happy and satisfied client. Not to mention, maintaining relationships with other members of the legal community also leaves doors open if you decide a career move is appropriate.

For the new grads, networking is a way to find those opportunities that go unadvertised. Over the past 3 years or so, on campus interviewing has slowed incredibly, if not dried up completely. So how do you find all the other opportunities out there with the firms, businesses, or agencies that don't participate in OCI? The answer is simple, networking.

Your network alone can make you stand out. The referral you get for an opportunity can already put you ahead of other candidates. I think the one thing this article and these class actions suits can tell us is, very few are handed a job out of law school. You have to work to find your opportunities. Get interested in networking, gather as much information as you can about it, and develop a networking process that works for you. There is no magic formula. If you take the time to recognize its importance and pay attention to your efforts, you are already ahead of the young masses. For networking tips, read some of my past posts and stay tuned for more.

Google Yourself! I Lawyer Rating Services: What Will Potential Clients See When Searching for You? | Lawyerist

Google Yourself!

Lawyer Rating Services: What Will Potential Clients See When Searching for You? | Lawyerist:

This post is a follow up to my last post concerning what I like to call your "online footprint." The article I link to above is geared towards the legal industry, but the points made are applicable to professional development in all industries.

The article's title refers to lawyer rating services, such as Avvo, Martindale, Super Lawyers or Lawyer Ratingz; however, the content of the article is directed at the need to be conscious of your online persona and how potential contacts are viewing such. As with a lot of industries, potential clients in the legal industry rely heavily on relationships and trust when vetting attorneys. In the past, this process occurred entirely offline. While relationships and trust are still extremely critical and relevant today, the same vetting process now occurs at least in part online.

More experienced professionals can be notorious for rejecting technological advances. Surprisingly, there are a number of students I've met with recently that are also under-utilizing some of the tools available to them. This can be a potential mistake no matter what industry you are in. An important question to ask yourself is, what tools do my target contacts use? Are they using social media? Are they blogging? Do they research online? I bet the answer is yes to a lot of the questions you'll ask yourself. 

So, what's my point? You need to have an online presence. As a lawyer, your law firm's website should do a pretty good job of describing your experience and the nature of your practice (if you don't have a firm website, get one). But, there's no guarantee that your target audience will ever see your law firm's web page. A great pointer offered by the article is to create, claim and update your various social profiles. "Often, these 'search authoritative' sites will out rank your own website in search engines."  Your public Linkedin profile will almost always appear in a google search for your name before your law firm, or other employer's, profile does. Make sure your social networking profiles (the ones used for professional purposes) are up to date and contains relevant information you want potential clients to see. 

As for lawyer rating sites, like the article does, I'm going to go ahead and gloss over them for now. The personal referral (i.e. trust and relationships) is still king and plays the most crucial role in developing and using your network. The role of the online footprint is to supplement your good work and reinforce your networking efforts. Too many people are using these resources to simply ignore them.

What's Your Online Footprint Saying? | How Are Employers Screening You Through Social Media? | CAREEREALISM

WHAT'S YOUR ONLINE FOOTPRINT SAYING?

How Are Employers Screening You Through Social Media? | CAREEREALISM:

Using social media can be a tricky thing when it comes to career development. You want to establish an online footprint, but it needs to be a professional reflection of that "you" that you want potential employers, clients or contacts to see. It's easy to let your online presence damage your reputation.

Above I link to an article about employers and recruiting screening potential candidates through social media. If you haven't realized yet that your online presence can and will impact a job search, then you need to. The article states that "recent studies indicate that 85% of employers and 100% of recruitiers will look you up on Linkedin before calling you."

First things first, as we sit here today, Linkedin has established itself as the premiere social networking site for professionals. This will probably not always be the case, but it is right now. If you don't have a Linkedin profile, you should. It's free and easy to create. No, I'm got getting paid money to endorse them, but it's a site I use often and in a variety of ways. The groups are a great source of industry news, as well as industry specific opportunities. It's also a great supplement to your networking efforts (it will never replace traditional, face-to-face networking, but can definitely help it). One of the ways I use Linkedin is to keep track of my network. I can see when my contacts move companies, get promoted, publish an article, or like recently (for those of you who have read my recent posts) are referenced or commended on CNN Money or the like.

So how do I use this information? I use it to water my garden and keep my network fresh. A friend of mine from college recently left his position at a bank in the Kansas City area for a new opportunity with another bank in town. I congratulated him on his move, and through that we have reconnected. In fact, we already have plans to meet up to tailgate at the upcoming Notre Dame / USC night game in South Bend this year. While this will clearly be a social call, I happen to represent banks in my legal practice, and his new employer is not currently on my client roll call.

So, hopefully I've given you a glimpse of some of the benefits of having an online footprint and using social media tools to your advantage. Now how do you protect your image, particularly when job searching. As the article above describes, first Google yourself. If you use them, Google variations of your name too. My business card says "Nathaniel", but those who know me know I go by "Nate." This will give you an idea of how your online footprint is showing itself.

The article continues to briefly cover Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter. If you're using any of these, take note of the author's advice. As I stated above, for me Linkedin is the clear leader in professional social media. Facebook is definitely more social than professional. For that reason, I keep any and all social updates confined to my Facebook account, and I put all of my professional or career related updates on my Linkedin account. I protect myself by keeping my privacy settings such that a career contact cannot see my Facebook profile without also knowing me socially. As a general rule of thumb, Facebook and similar sites are for "social" networking, and Linkedin and similar sites are for "professional" networking. This seems to be how the general populous treats these tools, so you should too. Posting strictly "social" updates on Linkedin can be damaging to your career.

If you use Twitter, you need to always think about how you want to be perceived in your career. Do you tweet useful information, or are you sending out potential career damaging updates? It's still to be seen how newer sites such as Google + will play out. Right now, I treat Google + as a mix of Facebook and Linkedin, but I'm always conscious of the information I publicize. The best two tips from the article are to restrict public access to your "social" profiles, and to make sure your profile picture is always one that you want a potential employer to see (remember profile pics are always public).

There are a lot opinions about using social media out there today. Just remember to use your best judgment and always keep in mind that a potential employer or client my be seeing whatever you are doing online.