Thursday, June 26, 2008

High Impact Interview Close Achieves Getting Hired Quicker

by Carl E. Reid

The June 25, 2008 ETP Network Member conference call included the topic "High Impact Interview Close". Click here to listen to the podcast.

In a previous chapter of my life, I went on 22 job interviews and received 22 NOs. I changed my tactics. Using a tape recorder and the mirror, I took my resume profile and practiced my interview closing everyday for 4 weeks. Then I went on 3 interviews and received 3 job offers. Life is always grand when we have choices.

The resume profile can be used as an effective closing statement during the interview. The last few minutes of an interview can make all the difference. People usually remember the last few minutes of a conversation. Once you know the interview is coming to an end, your closing statement should be natural, sell the benefits of hiring you and be lively so it is a memorable commercial.

Use a tape recorder to practice, practice, practice your close. Using a video camera provides the best feedback to develop a closing that results in multiple job offers.

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Social Networking and Collectible Cars Mingle

As we know the world is an event, our ETP Network partner organization, Westchester New Rochelle Networking Group, is hosting a business networking social June 17, 2008 at New York City's #1 collectible car dealership TNT Classic Cars. This is a unique venue where people can travel back to yesteryear viewing vintage cars from the 30's, 40's, 50's and 60's, while connecting with like minded career professionals and business owners. Ahhh . . . they don't build cars like that any more.

Although this opportunity to network may be a hike from your neck of the woods, you can still network long distance. Maybe you have family, friends or associates in the New York, New Jersey or Connecticut area. [Re]Connect with them by letting them know about this event. Use the email or phone call about this networking event as an excuse to catch up with someone you haven't spoken to in a while. It doesn't matter, if they go to the event or not. You're just letting someone know you were thinking about them and you care about their success.
This simple gesture is a networking home run!!

Click here for details on this networking opportunity.

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

The ETP System - The Job Search for the Successful Professional ©

by Rod Colon, Founder & CEO ETP Network, June 10, 2008

Step 1: Make the mental conversion from employee to business ownership

  • You are running a business and the business is YOU!
  • You report to a Board of Directors – Your Family, Your Loved Ones! (This reduces procrastination)

Step 2: Write down your top 5 core skills

  • Each core skills must be described in 3 words or less (project manager, nurse, lawyer, marketing manager, etc.)

Step 3: What is the demand for your core skills in the local market?

  • Use any job search engine and determine what is the market demand for your core skills (www.indeed.com, www.simplyhired.com, www.dice.com, www.hound.com, etc.)
  • Input one of your core skills and zip code and see how many openings are within 50 miles of the location of interest.
  • If you find 75 or more jobs within 50 miles - you are doing well.

Step 4: Success is in the Job Description Review Process

  • Read the job description once quickly and determine if the location/dollars/overall job responsibilities are of interest to you.
  • If you are interested in the job, find the Required Skills Section.
  • Copy and past the required skills to a blank page (word document).
  • Review the required skills section and determine if you have 70% of what is REQUIRED SKILLS (if you do not have 70% of the REQUIRED SKILLS stop and move on to a new opening).
  • If you have at least 70% of the REQUIRED SKILLS do the following.
  • Put the required skills in priority order.
  • Remove the required skills that are soft skills (verbal skills, communication skills, great leader, etc.)
  • The final list should be no less than 4 and no more than 7 of the REQUIRED SKILLS

TIP/HINT: This list is now the left hand side for your EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Step 5: Complete the EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

  • Read and apply the tips/hints in document JobAid The Executive Summary (Download this document from www.etpnetwork.com articles section).
  • The JobAid document clearly describes the step by step process of developing a powerful Cover Letter (ETP members call this the EXECUTIVE SUMMARY).

Step 6: The RESUME

  • Now that you have a powerful EXECUTIVE SUMMARY – DO NOT SETTLE FOR A GENERIC RESUME
  • Read every word in your resume and make sure each statement is positive or neutral to the job description
  • Use the EXECUTIVE SUMMARY as the basis for the theme in your resume
  • Make sure to include parts of the Job Responsibilities section of the job description in the resume (ONLY if you have done these tasks in the past)
  • Use a bullets and statements to describe your relevant accomplishments; begin each statement with an action verb
  • Examples:
    • Created a 2.6 million dollar fixed income pricing model using C++
    • Triaged 25 patients for the ambulatory care unit
    • Managed and diagnosed computer hardware and software support issues for six major financial services institutions
  • Remember documents are read top to bottom and the perception is the top bullets are stronger than the rest – so the first bullet in each section will be perceived as your strongest skill set
  • Remove bullets and information that is useless or irrelevant to the job description

Step 7: Finding ADVOCATES

  • Now that you have done a great job in putting together the cover letter and resume (ETP calls these two documents The Value Proposition) Do NOT submit to the black hole.
  • Use LinkedIn’s “Advance Search” page to find the following advocates:
    • Corporate Recruiter (Human Resources)
    • Hiring Manager
    • Agency Recruiter
    • Employees working at the company of interest
    • ETP Angels (ETP’s exclusive advocate group)
  • Now that you are armed with a powerful Value Proposition – make your case to the advocates (As a business owner you are required to do some selling – it is now time to sell YOU!)
  • Never single thread into a job (do not rely on one advocate to take you to the finish line; find as many advocates as needed)

Step 8: Role Play/Practice

  • Practice the sales call to an advocate with a networking mentor
  • Ask questions of your networking colleagues for “Best Practices”

Step 9: Leverage ETP’s Training and Development System

  • Engage Rod Colon as your Job Search and Networking Coach
  • Join the ETP Network and access 1000s of articles to assist in your job search and networking (www.etpnetwork.com) program
  • Join ETP Network’s weekly conference call
  • Tap the 7 million professionals available to the ETP Network

Referenced Articles:
(You can download these documents from the ARTICLES section of: www.etpnetwork.com):


Tuesday, June 10, 2008

10 Powerful Networking Tips Using Business Cards

Carl E. Reid

Whether you are looking for a job or running a business, giving out business cards is crucial to marketing your skills or services. Even as a job seeker, develop the mindset of running the business of YOU, Inc. Business cards speak volumes about who you are, what you offer and how serious you are marketing YOU, Inc. as a business. Oh! So, you have a resume and don't need business cards. Can you carry 10 resumes in your wallet' Do you or can you carry your resume everywhere you go' A church bell ringing lets people know they are open for business. Your business card is your bell. Here are some proven tips using business cards to increase your chances of landing a job or creating a business opportunity.

1. Never leave home without them. Before leaving home, your checklist should be expanded to include business cards, as part of "do I have my wallet/money, house keys, driver's license'" Any 'per chance' meeting is an opportunity to give out a business card. A morning run or a quick trip to the local store could be an opportunity to network. My wife and I always ask each other 'do you have business cards', before leaving the house. Make it a habit to carry business cards.

2. Insert a business card when mailing bill payments. Bills contain advertisements. Why can't you advertise your skills or services the same way' Insert a business card with your payment. You may not think a person in South Dakota who opens your credit card bill payment can help you. Never underestimate the power of networking. A movie, entitled '6 Degrees of Separation' points out we are 6 people away from knowing someone of influence. You could be 6 people away from knowing the President of the United Sates, your favorite movie star or someone who is in a position to hire your skills or services. Each of us knows someone, who knows someone, who knows someone etc. Developing this powerful networking attitude will be a fundamental source of continued success.

3. Use proper business card etiquette. Whenever you give a business card, ask for a business card. When given a business card, don't just take it and place it in your pocket. Make the person feel important by looking at their card for a few seconds. You might see something that could be a topic of discussion. Write comments on the card such as date, location and common points of interest. These comments will prove valuable when following up with that person. This also demonstrates a sincere interest in the other person. Then place it in your wallet. This lets them know they reside in a special place with you. "Skill with People" by Les Giblin is a book that expands on this approach. Make people feel important, in order to make yourself important to them.

4. Be generous. Give business cards out to everyone, including family and friends. Don't let vanity stop you from giving out your last business card or giving 2 at a time to each person. I have met many people who have totally missed the purpose of a business card. I once asked a person for a second business card, so I could refer his services. His response was "I only have a few cards left and I need them", as he looked again at his name on the card. Hoarding your business cards only makes your wallet feel full, not your bank account.

5. Ask for referrals. When giving a business card, people feel more comfortable when you ask; 'I would appreciate a referral, if you know anyone that could use my services'. Don't make people feel like they are on the spot. This approach disarms people much better than asking them, 'is your company hiring'' People naturally like to do favors for people. Saying 'could you do me a favor by referring my services to someone'. This always places you in a better position with them. They will feel better about helping you. Give them 2 cards.

6. Maximize every "per chance" meeting. You never know when you might meet someone who can help you. Family or friends social events could produce unexpected encounters with people. Don't discount those events. So you're going to a birthday party for your friend's kid. You never know who you might meet. At a family holiday gathering last year, I met someone that has been instrumental in developing our business this year. Who would have thought this could happen by giving him a simple business card.

7. Place yourself at the right place at the right time. Have you been to a job fair or business conference and been disappointed with the networking results' Turn the tables around. Consider volunteering to help out at the job fair or other types of events. This puts you in a better strategic position for presenting your resume or business card. Company representatives might view you differently, if they know you are willing to go the extra mile in helping them make their presence easier to manage. Get involved by visiting Eventme.com, TheLunchClub.net, Craigslist.com or view the calendar of events for JacobJavitsCenter.com to place yourself in opportunities for giving out your business card. Volunteering for events has been a very successful resource for my business partner and I to expanding our business. Zig Ziglar, one of the most successful sales trainers in the world says "if you help enough people get what they want in life, you will get what you want in life".

8. Use "In Your Face" follow up. Did you ever have a job interview or meeting with a recruiter, potential client or employer and wonder why they never called you back' 'Out of sight, out of mind' is the operative phrase to remember. Today's economic climate dictates you might be competing with 20, 50, 100 or more other people for the same position or contract. It's quite a task for people to keep track of each individual meeting. So it's up to you to give a person a reason to call you back. Immediately after a meeting snail mail a hand written note thanking the person for their time. Insert your business card. Now you're in the driver's seat in standing out from other people. If you get no response, do it again. Patience and persistence pays off.

9. Use promotions to promote YOU, Inc. Newspapers often have stories of people being promoted to high levels in different organizations' This is an opportunity for you. Consider getting some invitation size blank greeting cards. Use the Internet's search capabilities to find out the address of the company's executive offices. Send the blank invitation type card with a hand written note sincerely congratulating a person on their promotion. Insert your business card. For the cost of a 37-cent stamp, you have just made someone's day and may create an impression that makes a person feel compelled to respond back to you. Make it a habit to do this once a week. Remember '6 Degrees of Separation'. You just never know . . . People open invitation type envelops faster than any others.

10. Brand yourself with a slogan. Print a slogan on your business card that answers the question 'Why should I hire you' Or "What makes you different from everyone else'" A catchy phrase or slogan insures people ALWAYS associate a company name with their product or services. People remember even after the commercial is over. That's called branding. Companies pay big bucks to advertising agencies to come up with these lasting slogans. Consider doing the exact same thing on your business card. This is your insurance people remember you, after you meet. Don't just put Hortence Smiley, Accountant on your business card. Add something like "Financial Services With Integrity". A slogan makes all the difference between getting hired or not, because people will remember you long after a meeting.

Happy trails networking . . .

About the Author
In addition to being a sought after speaker and published author,
Carl E. Reid advises small businesses on Internet Business-2-Business opportunities. Carl's workshops combine proven professional "career management" techniques with "street smart" business savvy. He learned both perspectives as a career professional and entrepreneur.

Carl E. Reid founded Savvy Intrapreneur, a business career coaching organization and he publishes a globally syndicated newsletter Savvy Intrapreneur, which teaches professionals how to run their career as a profitable business.
Carl is also the ETP Event Leader for the Westchester New Rochelle Networking Group, located on the eastern U.S.
Email: CReid3005@gmail.com

Sunday, June 8, 2008

How to Build Relationships

Thomas E. Kenny alerted me to the following interview on Dr. Oz's XFM show with Keith Ferrazzi.

Original Air Date: June 6, 2008

"Networking" may seem like a smarmy word, but author Keith Ferrazzi says getting to know people from all walks of life and building strong relationships with them is never a bad thing. Dr. Oz talks with Keith about how to build personal relationships and shares tips from his book Never Eat Alone and Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time.

Whether you want a new job or a romantic relationship, chances are you need to network with others to get it. "Everything that you want to achieve in life is with and through other people," Keith says. Making friends with people you meet is the first step toward getting what you want, and Keith says you do that by getting to know everyone on a personal level—even business contacts. "There is no such thing as a business relationship—there are only personal relationships in a business context that you are fearful of creating a personal relationship with," he says.

So how do you create personal relationships with the people you encounter? Keith offers two suggestions:

* Find reasons to care about others. A good way to ensure you'll connect with something about a new person is to project positive thoughts onto them. "Before you even meet them, you could project enjoying them—it's amazing what the mind does," Keith says.
* Offer others reasons to like you. Be generous with others and help them achieve their own success in any way you can, Keith says. If you create an environment around yourself that invites people in and makes them want to have a relationship with you, Keith says you'll be surrounded by positive personal relationships.

Related Resources

* Never Eat Alone and Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time by Keith Ferrazzi and Tahl Raz


You can listen to part of the show at: http://www2.oprah.com/xm/moz/moz_main.jhtml

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Using Online Tools to Help Build Professional Networking Relationships

One of our ETP Network Board of Advisors, Thomas E. Kenny, is an accomplished writer on networking. Tom wrote the following piece about the importance of building relationships in professional network and some ideas on how to use online internet tools to accomplish them. I am happy to share it with you all.

by Thomas E. Kenny
Much of this focuses on the use of online internet tools but that should not be a substitute for telephone calls nor face to face meetings when the relationship develops to that stage.

Stage 1. Get to know the person you want to develop a relationship with via their work and their interests.
  • Search for their LinkedIn profile but don't ask to connect to them yet as the value of the relationship is not yet known.
  • Search for their Facebook profile but don't ask to be a friend yet.
  • Search for them on twitter and follow them if permission is not required.
  • Find out what publications (magazine, e-newsletters, podcasts) they contribute to or publish and of course read them.
  • Find out what organizations they belong to and consider joining them. Sharing a common interest can provide a common bond in the future.
  • If possible find out what blogs they read and post comments to.
  • Google them to find out more ways to reach them. If they are a publicly known individual setup a Google alert so you'll know when they or their company are in the news.
Stage 2. Provide positive valuable feedback on their work to get on their radar screen.
  • Purchase their product or service and give direct feedback (not only good points but constructive valuable criticisms and ways they can improve/expand).
  • Read and leave valuable comments on their blog if they have one and on blogs you know that they read.
  • Recommend their product/service on LinkedIn.
  • If appropriate (i.e. a book) write a useful and insightful review on Amazon.com and BarnesAndNoble.com.
Stage 3. Create a vehicle for an ongoing direct dialog that is of mutual benefit.
  • Build a relationship with those that connect you to that person if you haven't yet established a direct relationship.
  • Find a way to continually provide value to them on an ongoing basis to keep the relationship alive. For example, provide endorsements and referals for their product/service.
  • Once you have a trusted relationship ask to connect with them on Linkedin, Facebook and Plaxo.
  • Get to know their birthday (if you have not obtained it already via Plaxo) and what holidays they observe so you can contact them on those dates.
  • Get to know more about them such as if they are a Mother, Father, Veteran or other things you may have in common.
  • If they require permission to follow them on twitter this may be the time to ask.
  • Keep an eye on changes to their profiles, Google alerts and such and congratulate them or comment on news regarding them.
  • As the relationship develops occasional phone calls and face to face meetings should occur.
Stage 4. Leverage your relationship.
  • Once you have a lasting trusted relationship you may now ask for a favor or assistance regarding a shared interest.
  • However, of course remember that networking is a two way street. If a favor is asked of you do whatever you can to deliver.
  • Now your strong relationship will reach out so that friends of friends on both sides benefit as the cycle of networking continues like ripples on a pond.
  • There is a lot here to consider and each item is not always applicable, but I've tried to cover all bases.
  • Building mutually valuable relationships requires a serious investment of time. However, I'll let you in on a secret. In committing to such you have an advantage since not everybody is willing to make that investment. Those that don't understand the value of networking and who are looking for quick drive by results won't do such. So be smart and successful by using the above road map to achieve your professional goals via building valuable warm trusted relationships!
  • I've found the ETP Network to be an excellent educational venue and I'm very happy to share what I've learned. The favor I ask of you is to please supply me with feedback. If you've found some thing that worked for you please share so that we can all learn from our mutual experiences. On the other hand if some thing above does not work for you please let us know so that we can determine alternatives as well.
  • Finally, I have to thank Chip Hartman for being such a great catalyst and mentor regarding my writings. Some times I don't realize the wealth of useful knowledge I've learned via my professional networking and involvement in the ETP Network. So Chip thanks for reminding me and encouraging me to share with the group.
Thanks Thomas, a great article. If anyone has any thoughts on this article, I'd love to receive them, and feel free to pass them on to Thomas.

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

The Future of Social Networking


The Future Of Social Networks


From: charleneli, 3 months ago





Full blog post at http://tinyurl.com/3yc8q5. Presented at Graphing Social Patterns, March 3, 2008 in San Diego. Theme: "Social networks will be like air".


SlideShare Link

What Is Networking?

Networking is the process of building and maintaining relationships. It’s the development of a team that will support your efforts and the efforts of your network teammates to reach your respective goals. In practice, networking is the establishment of multiple informal, loosely knit, mutual-support alliances. The object is to build the best possible team.

Networking is about forging bonds and sharing. It’s connecting with people who have common interests and objectives and generously give to one another. Networking extends into every aspect of your life; it’s something you’ve been doing all of your life without realizing it. When you recommend a movie, a housecleaner, or a personal trainer, you’re networking.

We network as soon as we start making our own decisions. As kids, our friends introduce us to the latest and greatest; they turn us on to a constant flow of new friends and information.

The object of networking should not be simply to make contacts; it should be to make the best possible contacts! Naturally, what constitutes “the best” is subjective and will vary with the individuals and the circumstances involved. However, seeking the best should always be your objective!

Goodwill is the foundation for making great contacts; it supports and underlies all of your networking efforts. To successfully network with the best you must constantly create goodwill and then build upon that goodwill to forge bonds that develop into close, meaningful relationships.

Implicit in networking is the understanding that there will be a giving back, an exchange, “if you do for me, I’ll do for you.” This unspoken swap of mutual promises underlies networks and keeps them together. Ironically, however, the best networkers are those who give to others because they sincerely love to give and not because they hope to receive something in return. But that doesn’t mean that you don’t have to give; even the most giving and generous networkers will eventually stop giving when they repeatedly receive nothing in return.

Networks are not built overnight. They take time, patience, and nurturing. It will also take time to discover what your network partners need and to continually try to find opportunities to fully satisfy those needs.

(Rick Frishman and Jill Lublin)Networking Magic – 2004 – Adams Media

Finally Someone Sheds Light on the Truth

This article by Dan Gainor highlights why people should not watch the news before going to bed. Dan provides the real story, behind the news. This is the type of truth and and positive information we encourage each other to share within the ETP Network. Reading a PMA book 10 minutes before going to bed, is a better way to keep us positive and upbeat. Start with a book from our suggested reading list to the right.

Thank you Dan!!

The Economy Isn't Hopeless; It's The Press
By Dan Gainor | Monday, June 02, 2008 4:30 PM PT

One look at statistics — from GDP growth to the unemployment rate — and it's obvious this isn't the worst economic time in U.S. History. But it might be the worst journalistically.

The major media give us only two degrees of economic news — close to "apocalyptic" and worse. They are so outlandishly negative that coverage of the Bear Stearns buyout was vastly worse than reporting of the 1929 stock market crash.

As the stock market reeled from the Bear Stearns collapse back in March, ABC News asked: Is the "economy heading over a cliff?" Journalists made it seem so, calling the American financial system everything from "bleak" to in a "meltdown."

ABC, CBS and NBC made comparisons to America's worst economic turmoil — the Great Depression — more than 40 times in the first four months of 2008.

Compare that with how the New York Times summed up its own market outlook in an Oct. 30, 1929, story after billions of dollars were lost in record trading. "Despite the drastic decline, sentiment in Wall Street last night was more cheerful than it has been on any day since the torrent of selling got under way," wrote the paper.

Words like "optimism" and "hope" shouted off the pages of major newspapers. The Oct. 31, 1929, Times described the devastating six-day decline:

"The market quickly regained its poise and stability."

The same day, the Washington Post discussed "the passing of the crisis."

The difference between how the media handled a crisis in 1929 and 2008 was astounding. Network news was four times more negative about the Bear Stearns buyout than major newspapers were about the 1929 crash, which many historians link to the beginning of the Depression.

Worse Than '29?

Nearly 80 years later, the crash and the depression that followed are viewed as "the great American trauma," as economist Murray N. Rothbard wrote in his book "America's Great Depression."

The mere mention of the term "depression" evokes images of food lines, Dust Bowl refugees and bank failures. A recent USAToday.Com report showed that the majority of Americans thought a new "depression" was likely.

"Asked if the nation could slip into a depression lasting several years, 59% said it was likely, and 79% said they were worried about it," explained the story.

No wonder. Reporters like CBS's Julie Chen warned viewers about the "growing economic meltdown" in a March 17, 2008, story. ABC's Bianna Golodryga used similar language the very next morning. "Some say the economy is like a house of cards," she told "Good Morning America" viewers.

Bear Stearns' collapse, while making some investors justifiably skittish, was nowhere near the marketwide cataclysm of 1929. In the six days that ended the roar of the '20s, Wall Street lost about 30% of its value.

Cut to 2008, when the unemployment rate is one-fifth of what it was at the height of the Depression. We've yet to see even one quarter of negative GDP growth. Why then was the Bear Stearns coverage worse than news reports from the 1929 crash?

Network news shows have been delivering overly negative reports since 2003. This was standard operating procedure, just more horrific than usual. In 2006, 17 network stories drew comparisons with the Great Depression, from U.S. Savings rates to climate change.

Dark Clouds

It's no surprise that with 22 million Americans exposed to that just on the evening news, so many fear another depression.

The Business & Media Institute analyzed two much-discussed weeks in America's stock market history — the crash in 1929 and the week of the Bear Stearns collapse in 2008. BMI compared stories in the 1929 Wall Street Journal, New York Times and Washington Post with daily reports on ABC, CBS and NBC in 2008.

It was easy to find good news amid the market chaos in 1929. Even in the Times, the most downbeat outlet studied from that era, positive stories still outnumbered negative ones by nearly a 3-to-1 ratio. The Times reported that "there was no denying the increased optimism with which leaders of the financial district viewed the situation."

The Post took a similarly upbeat view at the end of the week of the crash. On Oct. 30, the Post detailed the strong outlook of the business community in a story headlined "Bright Future Seen By 98 Business Men." The next day, the Post declared an end to the crisis as "fear was transformed into confidence."

The modern news media had no such "confidence" in the markets. ABC found a dark cloud for every silver lining, saying: "And everywhere you look, it's bad news." On network news, that statement was accurate.

Dan Gainor is the T. Boone Pickens Fellow and vice president of the Media Research Center's Business & Media Institute.