Networking Tips

Job Search Tip: Learn 4 Ways to Succeed at Networking

April 1, 2021 By Katherine Burik

Networking is the #1 way to find a job.

In this video, Katherine goes through 4 tips to succeed in networking.

You’ll learn more about:

Not forcing yourself to network.
Using other ways to network.
Being curious.
Having a wingman at social events.

Even if you’re shy or anxious, you need to put yourself out there in a way that’s comfortable for you.

Get more Job Search Tips from the Interview Doctor and Network with confidence! Get your free copy of the “7 Tips for Career Success for the Shy Person” and begin to step out and onto a new career path today.

Click below to view the video.

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Job Search Tip: Do I have to network to find my ideal job?

September 8, 2020 By Katherine Burik

In this job search training lesson today, I answer a question from someone who does not want to network in their job search, but wonders why they are making so little progress.

Networking is something many of us do not like to do, but if you want to find a new job, it is a necessity. Learn how to bust the myth of using an ineffective job search method by networking and expanding your network of connections that are necessary to find your dream job.

For more information on using LinkedIn, check out “5 Tips to a Successful Job Search,” a proven path to finding your ideal job or career!

Volunteering to Expand your Career and Job Search Visibility

November 13, 2018 By Marta Goertzen

Get out there and get involved!

I could hear the hammers before I turned the corner. Midday on one of the hottest days during a very hot Canton, OH, summer; and the Interfaith Habitat workers peeped out from their work stations. They knew I brought lunch!

Trinity United Church of Christ built two Habitat for Humanity houses this summer. I wanted to help but I am a documented klutz. No one wanted me to swing a hammer. But I can cook! This was a perfect opportunity for The Interview Doctor to contribute to a wonderful cause!

I laid out BBQ Chicken Pot Pie with homemade cornbread lattice crust, crunchy vegetable cherry coleslaw with a vinaigrette dressing (wouldn’t want to poison the fine volunteers with a mayonnaise dressing on a hot day!), a vegetarian corn, bean and tomato salad and little tiny fruit pies individually wrapped in wax paper. Kosher, halal and vegetarian for the interfaith crowd. I even brought cold ice tea! The crowd ate it up as they rested for a bit in the shade before returning to work.

Volunteering is a wonderful way to contribute to a better world. Here at The Interview Doctor, we volunteer all the time without tooting our own horns. I speak at many job seekers clubs for no fee in an effort to guide more people to new jobs.

I offer scholarships for job search coaching. Sometimes a confused job seeker reaches out to me with a networking question and I realize this person will never become a client but with a few minutes of coaching on the house, could turn the corner on their job search.

These small contributions by The Interview Doctor add up to big changes in some people’s lives.

Volunteering is also a strategic way to grow a business or manage a job search.

Start-up businesses these days often make a contribution to some charity as a way to market themselves or differentiate themselves from other businesses. Many companies like Toms, Salesforce, Tesla, Deloitte, Novo Nordisk and Connors use volunteering as a way to attract millennial workers who value social action.

A recent article describes how Giving Back to the Community is Good for Business. There are technical benefits like a charitable deduction for the food I purchased for Habitat for Humanity, but more important, volunteering in your community can be a great way to promote your business and get your name out.

I sometimes feel uncomfortable publicizing my community involvement. I could have (but didn’t) passed out business cards for The Interview Doctor or had a big sign saying, “Food Provided by The Interview Doctor, Inc.” (but I didn’t). I could have sent out pictures on Facebook, but I didn’t do that either. I guess I am doing it now though, by just talking about my community involvement.

Job seekers and entrepreneurs can volunteer to receive positive exposure and make valuable new connections while giving back to the community. A client, Agnes, is giving a keynote address at a national conference this winter. She is not charging a fee but is receiving excellent exposure and making valuable contacts. Another client, Marvin, made valuable job search connections volunteering at a local historical society.

Consider how you can publicize your community contributions through social media to raise visibility and improve your image while doing something good for your community!

Sometimes you can move your career forward by getting outside of yourself. Learn how to Grow Your Career Through Relationships! Check out The Interview Doctor’s 10 Be’s to Grow your Career for some ideas.

7 Tips for a Successful Networking Experience

September 11, 2018 By Marta Goertzen

Solving the career or job search networking puzzle can be daunting, but not with these 7 networking tips.

Last night I attended a network event for our local Financial Executive Networking Group chapter. I was tired but I went anyway. Networking events can be intimidating, especially for shy people, but meeting new people and expanding our networking is critical part of job search, career growth and building or maintaining a consulting practice.

Face it, we all need to talk to people we don’t know yet, regardless of how tired we are or how shy.

Here are a few tips to make your next networking experience positive and productive:

Have a plan. What do you want to accomplish by attending that meeting? David wanted to meet folks who could introduce him to private equity. My goal was to pass out cards to grow my LinkedIn connections and to spread the word about my consulting practice. Without goals, why are you there?
Prepare a few things to talk about. Lamar Ratcliffe, a transition coach and networking expert, suggests having a go-to question you can ask. As the MC of the group that night, Lamar helped by giving us a networking challenge to ask everyone you meet what you like to do in your spare time. Just asking that go-to question sparked plenty of conversation. What other questions could you ask? Being prepared makes you feel confident. Having a go-to question takes the burden off of you to do all the talking.
Set a goal. It is hard for many people to walk up to a stranger and start a conversation. I used to force myself to talk to three people I didn’t know before I sat in the corner with my friends. Sticking with this goal helped me meet strangers. I have grown more comfortable with practice. So will you.
Be gracious and kind. Remember Go up to the person in the room who looks most uncomfortable. That person is probably more uncomfortable with networking than you are. He or she will appreciate your conversation the most! No one likes to be picked last for dodge-ball like in grade school so you will be doing that person a favor. Focusing on making the other person comfortable takes the attention and burden away from you and might make the other person open up more.
Having a job to do makes it easier to network. Volunteering gives you something to do with your hands and gives you purpose, an excuse to talk to people. Every group needs volunteers so they will be thrilled to give you a job to do at the next networking event.
Don’t drink too much. When I go to a networking event I limit myself to 1 drink every hour. I might have a beer or glass of wine then water or ice tea. This way I keep my wits about me so I present the sharpest version of myself.
Thank the host. Make yourself memorable by thanking the host for his or her effort. It just takes a minute but might lead to additional conversation or opportunities.

What can you add to your networking tool kit to make the networking experience more productive for your job search or career growth? Check out The Interview Doctor’s “7 Tips for Success for the Shy Person” for more ideas on how to grow your career.

When You Leave, Smile

May 16, 2018 By Katherine Burik

It is hard to leave a job.

The people, the relationships, the experience, all matter. They help to shape us professionally and personally. So when a layoff occurs, the loss can be painful.

Sometimes we can actually feel relief when we leave an employer. Not every job is a good fit and after a few years things can change at a company. What was once a “great place to work” can become a place to “bide time” until something better comes along.

Whether you are happy or devastated , you will need to speak well of your previous employer (even if you cannot think of a good thing to say). No matter what, never bad mouth an employer. If you do, your chances of successfully courting a new employer are next to zero. So prepare to offer a positive, professional explanation as to why you left.

Remember, the more bridges you burn, the less likely any employer will want to bring you on board. So smile, be honest and always respectful. Drop the anger, resentment and bitterness and move on with your career and your life.

Are you ready to explain why you left your last employer, especially one for whom good feelings are not there? What will you say? – Norma Sweeny

Here’s some extra job search resources to check out to help you in your job transition:

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