We Need YOU!

As you may have heard by now, we are busy working away on our brand new community site, TwitJobs Opportunity Community (due for launch in November 2010).

TwitJobs incredible success would not have been possible without everyone being involved and so willing to help other people find work, with our unique search engine gathering jobs and content from 1000's of job sites all over the world.

How could we make our community better? By asking you what you want!

Please feel free to share services you like, suggest new services, inspire us, help us, get involved and together, we'll make the best possible community that we can!

Just to give you an idea, I've listed some of the services that will be available from launch...

Twitter/Facebook login (login directly using your facebook or twitter account)
Forums/Chat/Blogs/Discussion Areas
Multi Language
Employer/Recruiter area
Groups and sub groups
Events section

Plus (obviously) a whole lot more - but we'd love for you to tell us what you think, and what you'd like to see - also, feel free to expand on any of the current features above.

Also...you can sign up to our beta (launching November 2010) by clicking here -> http://twtjbs.net/botRdX


http://TwitJobs.net The Career Community

Rewrite Your Pitch with the Most Used Skill from Your Work

If there was a skill I admired watching, it was a colleague take a product idea and strip out the features, functions, etc. until they got down to what was most valuable to our customers. The items removed were good ideas; but they cluttered up a client’s path to what they really needed.


This is an example of the most used, though unrecognized, skill from your work: Understanding what’s relevant.

Think about it for a minute. How many times did you look at projects, new products, task lists, presentations, etc. and remove the items that got in the way of what needed to be done or were out of order? My guess is that it was a daily task and you were probably pretty good at it – because it’s the engine behind making things happen.

Now how can this skill help your pitch?

I’ve heard enough pitches (including my own); to know that they become muddled because we don’t want to leave anything out and then start to incorporate ideas from others. Each point is valid, but when all together, it’s less than a clear statement to the reader of what’s most important – no matter how many times we reorder, bold, change font or italicize. More data = Less information.

A good pitch is like your favorite website. It was easy to figure out what the site does, the features you want are logical to use, and it’s easy to navigate. Because the designers did not overwhelm you, you’re hooked. For your pitch: Provide the most relevant information in a simple form. Then you’ll hook them to want to learn more. Less data = More Enticing Information.

Okay, so how do get there?

To start, create four lists to summarize your last few roles. Just write down everything that comes to mind, don’t worry about editing it.

List One: Work situations you faced (big shifts in market, competitive change, new product launches, merger, international markets, etc.)

List Two: Outcomes achieved

List Three: Skills regularly used, new skills learned or improved

List Four: Lessons and Mistakes

Next, imagine you had to hire someone to replace you. Scan each list and then circle the three most important items from each one – what you would want to see on their resume. Just put your “what’s relevant” skill into action.

The end result is your pitch: What situations you can handle, the proof of your success, the best skills you bring and how you apply them.

One last thought, I like to start with the situations and accomplishments, because people don’t ask for “10 years of experience”, they ask for “Someone who can handle sales in 10 states”.

Good luck today.

Mark

www.candidateschair.com – Tools and Advice from a Candidate’s viewpoint to help get past job search roadblocks and keep your spirit strong. Please take a visit.



http://TwitJobs.net The Career Community

How many networking meetings should I have each week?

If you are in search, you have asked this question. The responses I received ranged between five to thirty meetings a week. My initial thought was “That’s quite range”, but I realized these answers represent two schools of thought for networking: “Specific Focus” versus “Gaining Exposure”.

Specific Focus: Meetings with a high probability of moving you toward a new job.

One: Meet with a potential hiring manager – may not be an opening, but a firm where you want to work

Two: Meet company insider to gain insight on a company to learn how to get into the company, tailor your application and key items to include on your resume

Three: Meet company insiders after applying for a role to build your ‘brand’ inside the company

Four: Meet with an advocate who can pitch you inside a company directly to the hiring manager

Time required: 5-6 hours a meeting – schedule, in depth preparation (research, developing questions, etc.), travel, meet and follow-up

Gaining Exposure: Meetings which build your presence or ‘brand’ within the market.

Because most people do not know of an immediate opening, these meetings accomplish the following:

One: Increase the number of people who know what role you seek and where you want to work

Two: Increase the size of your primary and secondary network – great for finding future connections or people that you can connect with others in your network

Three: Help make connections into targeted companies, specific people or certain types of people (e.g. marketing in software firms).

Time required: 3-4 hours a meeting – prepare, travel time, meet and follow-up. If you have meetings with very similar connections, it may be faster.

How many meetings a week?

You need to start by dividing your week into three parts: Business development, Maintaining contacts and New Contacts. In a 40 hour week, about 10 -15 hours are spent on business development (finding who to meet, reaching out to new contacts, follow-up on open invitations to meet) and maintaining contacts. (updates to network, making introductions, or other activities to continue to build the relationship).

With the remaining 25-30 hours, assuming you do not have any interviews in the week, the number of meetings depends upon the type.

How can you get 30 meetings in a week?

The number sound intriguing so how can you get it done? It’s really a combination of the following: A) They have to be all ‘Exposure’ meetings. B) Many are by phone call – to eliminate travel. C) Keep several meetings to ½ hour in length D) Reduce time spent on business development.

Using the phone and limiting time (especially when you can get more) will likely reduce your effectiveness. It makes it harder to establish an initial relationship, due to less time, level of attention, and ability to make an emotional connection.

The greatest number of meetings I had in a week was 25. All were face-to-face and I got a ton of new connections. However, by Friday, I was exhausted and probably less effective in making my pitch and I did not do any business development – which resulted in fewer meetings in the upcoming weeks. Early in your search, you will have more ‘exposure’ meetings, so you should expect to do more meetings.

The best number to focus on?

In my first search, I made the mistake to get fixated on a specific number of networking meetings. I should have been only fixated on the results: The number of positions discovering and opportunities to meet with people making hiring decisions (whether or not there is a current role). I know that this sounds like a no-brainer, but in the depths of networking, it’s easy to get focused on the means, not the end.

Good luck today.

Mark

www.candidateschair.com – Tools and Advice from a Candidate’s viewpoint to help get past job search roadblocks and keep your spirit strong. Please take a visit.



http://TwitJobs.net The Career Community

Networking Events - Is there a Buyer?

Your pitch needs a buyer.


Most of us could attend a ‘networking’ event daily that is filled with people that could become new contacts. The question becomes whether or not you can turn those contacts into meaningful action after the event.

My enlightenment regarding networking meetings came from a discussion with a colleague regarding options for our event marketing budget. He would accept or reject the idea based upon whether or not the people attending the event were in the mindset to buy the product we offered.

He used the example of a sporting event where a local bank sets up a table. For the bank there are loads of potential customers. But most people don’t stop. Why? They came to watch the match, not talk about their banking needs – so they are not thinking, or buying, banking services.

Correction: Your pitch needs a motivated buyer.

Let’s go back to networking meetings. Before you decide to go, understand the purpose of the event and why people are attending – this will help you determine if there will be ‘motivated buyers’ in the crowd. Leaving aside meetings targeted at those seeking new opportunities, here’s my ranking of the different types of networking events.

HIGH: Social events – These are the most casual and have the greatest amount of networking time, so people are openly mingling and moving about. If it’s associated with profession/industry group, get someone to escort you around to help break into the small groups in conversation.

MEDIUM: Profession/Industry Meetings – If the meeting is a lunch/dinner affair, there is networking time prior to the meal (while people check in). Attendees are there to visit with their friends and listen to the speaker. IF YOU GO: Same as social events, get a well-known member to escort you and make introductions – don’t leave their side, they are your credentials.

MEDIUM: Conferences – If it’s a conference that brings together different people to connect (say small companies with investors, companies with vendors), if you can help facilitate the type of connections being sought, then by all means attend.

LOW: Professional Development Sessions – There is limited time to network and the sessions present more than can fit in your head, so people are not in the mindset to effectively take in your pitch. You might get to know a few people at your table, so if the topic is of interest, you should attend. If not, spend your networking time elsewhere.

LOWEST: Breakfast events – These are usually the least productive. People show up right before they start, eat, listen to the speaker (while not checking their smartphone) and then bolt for the exit to get to the office.

Before you attend any event:

First, ask a few other candidates who have attended how effective these meetings were in getting them closer to the decision maker. Their answers may either confirm or be very different than my ranking above, so it’s easy and effective due diligence.

Second, figure out who you know will be in attendance and contact them in advance. The more people that know you’re coming in, the higher likelihood you should know even more people on the way out.

Remember your network has great value, make sure you know how to best use it for each event.

Good luck today.

Mark

www.candidateschair.com – Tools and Advice from a Candidate’s viewpoint to help get past job search roadblocks and keep your spirit strong.  Please take a visit.

http://TwitJobs.net The Career Community

Taking My Own Advice … Almost

Now that I’m back into search mode again, I am reading my own material.


I can recall the events and meetings with fellow candidate that served as the source for every post and tool. What stands out for each is either discovering a more practical method for search or how to improve our expectations.

Getting back into search has helped me remember why I gave the guideline to use ideas on the CandidatesChair as a starting place, even though they are all based on real-life experiences.

As much as candidates want to be seen as individuals, the same is true for networking contacts, hiring manager, recruiter, etc., everyone comes with their own set of circumstances.

Before you deliver a pitch, hit send, etc. – take a moment and ask three questions about the person you are addressing.

ONE: How many times will they receive a similar message/pitch?

TWO: What is important to me to know about this candidate?

THREE: How well do they know you?

Let’s use some live ammunition from my current search: My e-mail template for setting up a networking meeting (See “Tools You’ll Need”). I can use the template word for word and know it works pretty darn well – it can work better.

For questions one and two, it’s as simple as adding an extra sentence can cement the connection (e.g. same college, profession, company), establish credibility in area (e.g. specific experience addressing one of their needs), or increase their desire to network with you (e.g. people in your network of interest to them).

For the third question, I may use other means to deliver the message than e-mail, to help boost the level of connection or jog their memory. I’ll use LinkedIn, College Alumni message board, ExecuNet, or with a forwarded article of interest.

The lesson I have relearned is that the advice and tools give you a jump start in creating a message. Asking myself these three questions helps me make it more effective.

Good luck today.

Mark

www.candidateschair.com – Tools and Advice from a Candidate’s viewpoint to help get past job search roadblocks and keep your spirit strong. Please take a visit.


http://TwitJobs.net The Career Community