How to Become a Powerful Connector

How to Become a Powerful Connector As much as I love connecting and networking with people, there is an undeniable feeling of  impurity  that can arise at networking events. It’s the feeling that someone wants to talk to you because of who you may know, not for who you are. There is no doubt that networking is one of the most effective ways to advance our careers. But without the personal and emotional connection, it’s hard to make a lasting impression on anyone. Quality vs. Quantity There are generally two types of networkers we see. Many people we see at networking events are  artificial networkers. These are the people that go for  quantity. These individuals work the room by handing out as many business cards they can before the event ends. The second types of networkers are  connection networkers.  These networkers choose  quality  over quantity. They take their time listening and asking the right questions in their conversations. They may not reach the same number of people as artificial networkers, but that’s not what they are after. The quality of connection formed from the segment of people they have spoken with will create a much larger impact and a longer lasting relationship. Instead of trying to empty your deck of business cards, focus on making 3â€"5 quality connections by spending at least 15 minutes with each person. Networking after the networking event If you’re not sure how to best approach connection networking, try networking after the networking event. You know, when the ties have loosened, and the attendees have gone from handing out business cards to handing out cheap beer. It’s when most individuals have let their guard down, and when real and authentic conversations are open for business. I’ve personally had some of the most important and long lasting relationships formed from late night conversations after networking events. This is because the conversation is no longer about “what do you do, and how can you help me” but it becomes more about “what is your life story, and where can we find a common ground.” The openness for connection without being bombarded by dozens of cards is the difference between a business opportunity and being “some person” the individual met at a networking event. In fact, avoid the typical networking small talk and try to find some commonality outside of business. This will help you become not only more memorable, but it will allow the individual to find an emotional connection with you. Follow-up connection This is the most important step that most people have not mastered. It’s one thing to establish a connection upon meeting, but in order to keep the relationship going, the art of following up is crucial. Following up through a simple “great to meet you” email is a good start. However, to be a powerful connection networker, I recommend following up by  introducing your new connection to at least one person in your current network.   This is incredibly effective because it demonstrates through action that you valued the relationship enough to follow up, that you were genuinely listening to the conversation, and that you went out of your way to create value for the individual. Truly connecting with someone involves more than simple words of small talk exchanged following a business card trade. Becoming a connection networker involves getting to know someone on a deeper level, and understanding how you can create value for one another professionally and personally. Networking shouldn’t be treated as a numbers game. If you can add real value and create an emotional connection with the person you’re speaking with, you’re already on your way to becoming a powerful connector. Author: Sean Kim writes for  https://nextSociety.com.

5 Ways Millionaires Approach Their Careers - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

5 Ways Millionaires Approach Their Careers - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career In the majority of cases, it’s not luck that makes people money, nor is it who they know.    Rather, the people who make the most money in their careers are the ones who display discipline, and who have a definitive sense of purpose and heavy duty resiliency. The positive news is that even if you don’t possess these skills now, it is very possible to obtain them. The first step in doing so is to analyze how millionaires approach their careers and begin to alter your thought processes, practices and overall professional approach. To get you started, here are 5 ways the highly successful approach their careers: 1. Maintain an Open Mind and Active Imagination Effective job seekers and entrepreneurs understand that tolerance and maintaining an open mind are necessities for anyone seeking wealth and prosperity from their job. They are not afraid of new ideas and understand that closed minds do not inspire faith, courage or belief. 2. Effective Job Seekers Are Success-Conscious One of the main weaknesses of the average employee is their familiarity with the word “impossible.”    They know all the rules that will not work.    They focus on the things that cannot be done. Instead, superior job seekers think about possibilities and focus on solutions, not problems.    Their thought process does not include the terms: lack, want, resentment, failure or capitulation. 3. Their Desire for Success Results in an Unmatched Determination The most successful job seekers buy into the belief that desire is the starting point of all achievement. They aim to make their dreams a reality regardless of hurdles or current setbacks. The success-oriented understand that they are the masters of their own fate.    They have taught themselves to displace destructive thoughts with a viewpoint that is constructive, visionary and promotes movement rather than stagnation. 4. They Possess a Keen Ability to Influence Others Successful individuals have an ability, whether inherent or learned, to influence and gain favor from others.    They greet others with enthusiasm and show a sincere interest in those whom they work with. Their positive energy is contagious and allows for heightened productivity both in themselves and those around them.    This belief system naturally combined with a deep knowledge of their business lends itself to others wanting to be around them. 5. They Remain Optimistic in the Face of Adversity Highly paid individuals don’t quit in the face of adversity. They realize that everyone makes mistakes, that every leader stumbles and falls. When this happens, they regroup and get going again with a renewed speed, sense of purpose and confidence. The global business world will knock everyone off course from time to time. What makes millionaires so highly paid is their resolve and sense of purpose. In the End Simply knowing about the above five facets is not going to suddenly catapult you into the career stratosphere, which brings us to the unifying component of success. It isnt enough to know that successful people keep an open mind, or focus on success itself, or have the skills to genuinely influence others. Youve got to be willing to put in the time and effort of forming these five new habits, not just 9-5 at the office, but throughout your whole life.    These are baseline things that must be practiced consistently if you are to achieve your best level of success and fulfillment in your career.

Public Engagement and Academia Some Things to Consider for Manchester Early Career Researchers (ECRs) University of Manchester Careers Blog

Public Engagement and Academia â€" Some Things to Consider for Manchester Early Career Researchers (ECRs) University of Manchester Careers Blog by Stephen Gordon* *completed PhD in 2013 and has held numerous postdoctoral positions and student support roles;  worked as an Advisor in the University of Manchester Careers Service since 2016 The term ‘public engagement’ can seem like an anathema to some aspiring academics. As a medievalist â€" and, it should be said, not the most extraverted of people â€" my natural instinct is to find an out-of-the-way seat in an old, preferably historic library and surround myself with stacks of books. There’s nothing more satisfying than finding something new and exciting in a musty, half-forgotten manuscript. And yet in this increasingly interconnected â€" and, dare I say it, ‘commercialised’ â€" academic world, there is a definite pressure on researchers to demonstrate the public utility of their work.   For newly-minted postdocs who are perhaps juggling two or three part-time jobs, spending time on ‘engagement’ activities leaves no time for research, writing, and job/funding applications, and can sometimes be seen as detrimental to attaining a full-time academic position. As read on the Times Higher Education Supplement a few years ago, the belief that public-focused projects can have a negative impact on one’s career path is not a new argument. Paradoxically, job adverts are now insisting that applicants demonstrate their ability to disseminate their research to wider audiences. To use a Star Trek analogy, it’s like taking part in the Kobayashi Maru test; a no-win situation.  Fear not, however, for there are certain things ECRSs can do to engage with the general public that doesn’t involve completely overextending one’s work/life/research balance. Blogs and Social Media The easiest method for disseminating your research to a wider audience is the creation of a social media account. Twitter is an especially useful platform. Whilst admittedly it can sometimes resemble Obi-Wan Kanobi’s description of Mos Eisley, there is no better tool to get your name (and, more importantly, your research) out there in the wider world. Flagrant self-promotion is the name of the game: have a nice photo of a primary source you’re working on? Published something recently? Attending a conference? Tweet it.  Follow the relevant institutions, funding bodies, and movers and shakers in your field. Retweet subject-specific posts and comment on relevant links. Piggybacking on theme day hashtags (e.g. #folklorethursday) is a further way of getting your posts seen by a wider audience. For professional accounts it’s best not to engage with some of the more emotive political discussions that usually populate Twitter. This is especially true for ECRs â€" contentious online ac tivity is a turn off for any potential recruiter. Another important method of dissemination is the creation of a professional blogsite, ideally linked to your Twitter account. WordPress and Squarespace are two of the most popular and widely-used examples of website-building software. Writing for public audiences requires a totally different skillset than writing for a PhD supervisor or conference attendees. Brevity and clarity of expression is paramount. Say in 500-1,000 words what would usually take 3,000-plus words in a conference paper. Intersperse your paragraphs with images to entice the reader. An ability to engage the sensibilities of non-specialists, to sell your work in a clear, easy-to-under-stand manner, is something that can really enhance an academic job application. Admittedly I haven’t updated my own blog, Supernatural Histories, in a while, but it’s also important to get into the habit of making regular posts to build up a following. Who knows, one of your readers could be a potential future employer. Discover Day Workshops at the University of Manchester Discover Days are intended for A-Level students interested in applying to the University of Manchester and usually take place throughout the year. They incorporate talks, workshops, and question-and-answer sessions delivered by departmental staff and postgraduate students. Running a Discover Day workshop based on your research is a great opportunity to develop skills in curriculum design and project management, as well as working with different age groups. Of course, contact your department first to see if your services are required! Public Talks and Lectures Public lectures are a perfect opportunity to utilise the communication skills you’ve accrued as a seminar leader and/or conference speaker. But where to start? Local history groups represent the most obvious arena for advertising your research beyond the confines of academia. For example, last year I gave a talk to a local archaeology society, the South Manchester Archaeology Research Team (SMART), on the topic of medieval death rituals. Wary of overloading the audience with subject-specific jargon (the bane of all conference papers) I actually found it quite liberating to simply talk about some of the more interesting aspects of my research â€" medieval walking corpses! â€" without being beholden to the occasionally tedious minutiae of academic presentations. As a cultural hub, Manchester is a city that has lot to offer. Consequently there may be opportunities to organise talks or workshops in association with local heritage partners. Although the deadline for the 2018 programme has passed, the annual Manchester Histories Festival is a prime example of the type of event that is always on the lookout for contributors. Of course, your engagement activity â€" whether a lecture, walking tour, or a more labour-intensive pursuit such as a pop-up exhibition â€" must accord with the aims and intentions of the event organisers. These are just some of the ways to consolidate your public engagement experiences. It’s not an exhaustive list by any means, but a sample of the things to consider. The liminal stage between finishing a PhD and finding an academic position is admittedly a fraught one. Maintaining a balance between research, working, *and* consolidating the skills demanded by an increasingly public-facing role is tricky, but by no means impossible. All Careers advice Postgrad-highlighted Postgraduate academia careers PhD postdoctoral postgraduate researchers

Tips and tricks for creating an office space people will want to work in

Tips and tricks for creating an office space people will want to work in We’ve all worked in an office that’s been, shall we say, less than habitable. Your desk was so battered it looked like it had been foraged out of a skip and your chair had been sat on so many times it didn’t actually have any padding left in the seat (much to the despair of your poor bum cheeks!) So what types of office space do people want? Here are some tips and tricks on how to make yours more enjoyable for you and your employees and boost both productivity and morale. Make space A cramped office isn’t going to do you any favours and one of the easiest ways to create space is to remove that sad old document filing system from the room. Move your important documents somewhere safer, talk to a professional storage company, such as Kelly’s Document Storage, who can help you move your necessary files and keep them stored securely â€" plus if you need to access them in the office you can visit scanned versions online so they’re never out of reach. Throw in some plants A study by psychologists at Exeter University has discovered that people react positively and work better if they can see a plant while sitting at their desk. More and more office spaces are taking a minimalist approach to design these days, which can leave employees feeling disengaged from their environment but once houseplants were introduced workers were discovered to be 15% more productive. Comfort is key Ensure your employees have comfortable chairs and desks at the right height to ensure they can work without feeling hindered. We’re not saying give everyone a massaging, all singing all dancing computer chair, just ensure it can be adjusted and moved easily. Hang up some pictures Sure the company logo on the wall is important but you need to add a human element to an office to help people relax. Don’t be afraid to implement some fun into your workspace, some good examples are a ‘bang head here to relieve stress’ sign, which will encourage people to be more open about their workload if it is too much. Or a gallery of employee portraits on the wall in fun frames to help people feel like they are part of a family, rather than a stuffy business. Don’t leave out the fun Yes, we know your employees are there to work but it’s a good idea to let them know they can take 15 minutes out of their day to relax a little and socialise with other employees. Its a better way than talking over monitors. Bring in a Ping-Pong table, celebrate company anniversaries with champagne and a party at lunch, go out for beers once a month or incorporate fun competitions in the calendar â€" employees love getting involved in cook offs and seasonal activities and you can even raise money for a charity. While you might not be able to install a slide between office floors, implementing these tips and tricks shouldn’t be too difficult. It’s important that a workplace feels inviting, motivating and comfortable for employees to ensure your business continues to grow and evolve â€" don’t stamp out the fun, embrace it and see just how great things can become.

Does Your Resumes Contact Information Make or Break Your First Impression

Does Your Resume’s Contact Information Make or Break Your First Impression Photo Credit- Flickr.comA great resume is a key first step toward that next critical step â€" getting an interview. Just as your choice of wardrobe is important to face-to-face interview success, the contact section at the top is your resume’s chance to make a great first impression.While details like your name, address and email may seem straightforward, they are anything but. The decisions you make around these small details plays a bigger role than you think in making a solid first impression.NAMEIn many professions, licensures or certifications Examples include an RN applying for nursing roles, an IT project manager who has earned their PMP, or a social worker licensed in the state Prove you are up to speed in today’s high-tech world by creating an email for at the very least the purposes of your job hunt designed from the beginning to be web-based like gmail.com or me.com.SOCIAL MEDIA LINKSIf the ability to embrace technology is important to the hiring manager or company wit h whom you wish to work, prove it! Include URLs or links to social media like LinkedIn, Twitter and even Instagram.Keep in mind, however, that it is important to keep your personal and professional lives separate. That means these accounts should only be shared if the content on them is professional and relates to your career aspirations.A Great First ImpressionevalHow you dress, the power of your handshake, your ability to make strong eye contact, etc., are critical when it comes to making a great first impression during the interview process.evalLikewise, the power of small details like the contact information on your resume is equally impactful. Select wisely to convey your best professional image!