What If Your Network Doesnt Respond

What If Your Network Doesnt Respond My post last week on creating a monthly newsletter to keep in touch with your network has some interesting comments. The first is from Mario, a CPA in Mexico, who asks: In other words, how to ask proactively for replies when those guys simply say â€Å"I’ll let you know†¦Ã¢â‚¬  but they don’t tell me when they are supposed to let me know and despite efforts to contact them again, the response is†¦ nothing? This is a great question. I think that proponents of networking (like me) probably have a tendency to come across with a PollyAnna attitude, leading you to believe that once you start doing all the right things then youll get amazing results. Things like networking into the hidden job market is more effective than applying online may be misleading (although I obviously recommend it) because (a) the effectiveness likely depends on the position (level) that you want, and (b) just because its more effective doesnt mean you will get a job faster. Mario brings up a great point which falls in the networking isnt all that easy category. Heres my thoughts on how to respond: when you are valuable to someone they will make an extra effort to repond to you, or help you. Ask yourself if they perceive you as valuable to their network, and if the answer is no (or, not much), figure out ways to become more valuable to them. Along with the idea that networking is about giving, its kind of also about not expecting (or demanding?). Ive put out hundreds of e-mails asking for things, giving updates, and keeping in touch, and have not received replies on many of them. I can either stew over it, or ignore it and send the monthly update to them next month. I really dont think that youll get a 100% response from a campaign like this. Why are you not getting responses? It could be that they are not strong network contacts (in which case, you would rank them with zero, one or two stars in JibberJobber) and thats okay. It could also be that they dont have anything significant to offer, and instead of saying I dont have anything they just dont respond. Should you take them off your e-mail list? I would say NO. Circumstances this month may be different next month, and your newsletter next month might remind them of what they committed to, or prompt them to reply. when you say Ive tried to contact them again did you try and contact them by e-mail? I would suggest a face-to-face meeting, perhaps you buy them lunch. This is not a meeting based on why didnt you respond to me rather, its a meeting of Id like to get to know you better and see how I can help you with your personal or business goals. One thing that Ive had to realize is that my sense of urgency is different than other peoples sense of urgency. I want an answer now, and waiting a week to get a response really hurts my plans (especially true when looking for a job). But dont penalize your contact because of your situation. If you communicate your sense of urgency dont do it in a way where they can smell blood, as that might drive people away. Networking is a long-term thing. I do not open my network to everyone immediately. Its based on trust so ask yourself what you are doing to increase the level of trust between you and your network contact. When its all said and done, some people just arent going to reciprocate. And that has to be okay. Salespeople understand that not everyone is going to buy from them right now but the good ones consistently communicate to keep that relationship moving. What this means is that you have a lot of people in your network, and it grows over time. I really, really, really, really suggest you get a free account with JibberJobber to keep track of those network contacts. If nothing else you can put in 250 network contacts, rank the relationships, put log entries and create action items. This is a long-term thing something you do the rest of your career. If 250 is not enough, theres a loophole to get an additional 75. If thats not enough, consider the upgrade What If Your Network Doesnt Respond My post last week on creating a monthly newsletter to keep in touch with your network has some interesting comments. The first is from Mario, a CPA in Mexico, who asks: In other words, how to ask proactively for replies when those guys simply say â€Å"I’ll let you know†¦Ã¢â‚¬  but they don’t tell me when they are supposed to let me know and despite efforts to contact them again, the response is†¦ nothing? This is a great question. I think that proponents of networking (like me) probably have a tendency to come across with a PollyAnna attitude, leading you to believe that once you start doing all the right things then youll get amazing results. Things like networking into the hidden job market is more effective than applying online may be misleading (although I obviously recommend it) because (a) the effectiveness likely depends on the position (level) that you want, and (b) just because its more effective doesnt mean you will get a job faster. Mario brings up a great point which falls in the networking isnt all that easy category. Heres my thoughts on how to respond: when you are valuable to someone they will make an extra effort to repond to you, or help you. Ask yourself if they perceive you as valuable to their network, and if the answer is no (or, not much), figure out ways to become more valuable to them. Along with the idea that networking is about giving, its kind of also about not expecting (or demanding?). Ive put out hundreds of e-mails asking for things, giving updates, and keeping in touch, and have not received replies on many of them. I can either stew over it, or ignore it and send the monthly update to them next month. I really dont think that youll get a 100% response from a campaign like this. Why are you not getting responses? It could be that they are not strong network contacts (in which case, you would rank them with zero, one or two stars in JibberJobber) and thats okay. It could also be that they dont have anything significant to offer, and instead of saying I dont have anything they just dont respond. Should you take them off your e-mail list? I would say NO. Circumstances this month may be different next month, and your newsletter next month might remind them of what they committed to, or prompt them to reply. when you say Ive tried to contact them again did you try and contact them by e-mail? I would suggest a face-to-face meeting, perhaps you buy them lunch. This is not a meeting based on why didnt you respond to me rather, its a meeting of Id like to get to know you better and see how I can help you with your personal or business goals. One thing that Ive had to realize is that my sense of urgency is different than other peoples sense of urgency. I want an answer now, and waiting a week to get a response really hurts my plans (especially true when looking for a job). But dont penalize your contact because of your situation. If you communicate your sense of urgency dont do it in a way where they can smell blood, as that might drive people away. Networking is a long-term thing. I do not open my network to everyone immediately. Its based on trust so ask yourself what you are doing to increase the level of trust between you and your network contact. When its all said and done, some people just arent going to reciprocate. And that has to be okay. Salespeople understand that not everyone is going to buy from them right now but the good ones consistently communicate to keep that relationship moving. What this means is that you have a lot of people in your network, and it grows over time. I really, really, really, really suggest you get a free account with JibberJobber to keep track of those network contacts. If nothing else you can put in 250 network contacts, rank the relationships, put log entries and create action items. This is a long-term thing something you do the rest of your career. If 250 is not enough, theres a loophole to get an additional 75. If thats not enough, consider the upgrade What If Your Network Doesnt Respond My post last week on creating a monthly newsletter to keep in touch with your network has some interesting comments. The first is from Mario, a CPA in Mexico, who asks: In other words, how to ask proactively for replies when those guys simply say â€Å"I’ll let you know†¦Ã¢â‚¬  but they don’t tell me when they are supposed to let me know and despite efforts to contact them again, the response is†¦ nothing? This is a great question. I think that proponents of networking (like me) probably have a tendency to come across with a PollyAnna attitude, leading you to believe that once you start doing all the right things then youll get amazing results. Things like networking into the hidden job market is more effective than applying online may be misleading (although I obviously recommend it) because (a) the effectiveness likely depends on the position (level) that you want, and (b) just because its more effective doesnt mean you will get a job faster. Mario brings up a great point which falls in the networking isnt all that easy category. Heres my thoughts on how to respond: when you are valuable to someone they will make an extra effort to repond to you, or help you. Ask yourself if they perceive you as valuable to their network, and if the answer is no (or, not much), figure out ways to become more valuable to them. Along with the idea that networking is about giving, its kind of also about not expecting (or demanding?). Ive put out hundreds of e-mails asking for things, giving updates, and keeping in touch, and have not received replies on many of them. I can either stew over it, or ignore it and send the monthly update to them next month. I really dont think that youll get a 100% response from a campaign like this. Why are you not getting responses? It could be that they are not strong network contacts (in which case, you would rank them with zero, one or two stars in JibberJobber) and thats okay. It could also be that they dont have anything significant to offer, and instead of saying I dont have anything they just dont respond. Should you take them off your e-mail list? I would say NO. Circumstances this month may be different next month, and your newsletter next month might remind them of what they committed to, or prompt them to reply. when you say Ive tried to contact them again did you try and contact them by e-mail? I would suggest a face-to-face meeting, perhaps you buy them lunch. This is not a meeting based on why didnt you respond to me rather, its a meeting of Id like to get to know you better and see how I can help you with your personal or business goals. One thing that Ive had to realize is that my sense of urgency is different than other peoples sense of urgency. I want an answer now, and waiting a week to get a response really hurts my plans (especially true when looking for a job). But dont penalize your contact because of your situation. If you communicate your sense of urgency dont do it in a way where they can smell blood, as that might drive people away. Networking is a long-term thing. I do not open my network to everyone immediately. Its based on trust so ask yourself what you are doing to increase the level of trust between you and your network contact. When its all said and done, some people just arent going to reciprocate. And that has to be okay. Salespeople understand that not everyone is going to buy from them right now but the good ones consistently communicate to keep that relationship moving. What this means is that you have a lot of people in your network, and it grows over time. I really, really, really, really suggest you get a free account with JibberJobber to keep track of those network contacts. If nothing else you can put in 250 network contacts, rank the relationships, put log entries and create action items. This is a long-term thing something you do the rest of your career. If 250 is not enough, theres a loophole to get an additional 75. If thats not enough, consider the upgrade

What If Your Network Doesnt Respond

What If Your Network Doesnt Respond My post last week on creating a monthly newsletter to keep in touch with your network has some interesting comments. The first is from Mario, a CPA in Mexico, who asks: In other words, how to ask proactively for replies when those guys simply say â€Å"I’ll let you know†¦Ã¢â‚¬  but they don’t tell me when they are supposed to let me know and despite efforts to contact them again, the response is†¦ nothing? This is a great question. I think that proponents of networking (like me) probably have a tendency to come across with a PollyAnna attitude, leading you to believe that once you start doing all the right things then youll get amazing results. Things like networking into the hidden job market is more effective than applying online may be misleading (although I obviously recommend it) because (a) the effectiveness likely depends on the position (level) that you want, and (b) just because its more effective doesnt mean you will get a job faster. Mario brings up a great point which falls in the networking isnt all that easy category. Heres my thoughts on how to respond: when you are valuable to someone they will make an extra effort to repond to you, or help you. Ask yourself if they perceive you as valuable to their network, and if the answer is no (or, not much), figure out ways to become more valuable to them. Along with the idea that networking is about giving, its kind of also about not expecting (or demanding?). Ive put out hundreds of e-mails asking for things, giving updates, and keeping in touch, and have not received replies on many of them. I can either stew over it, or ignore it and send the monthly update to them next month. I really dont think that youll get a 100% response from a campaign like this. Why are you not getting responses? It could be that they are not strong network contacts (in which case, you would rank them with zero, one or two stars in JibberJobber) and thats okay. It could also be that they dont have anything significant to offer, and instead of saying I dont have anything they just dont respond. Should you take them off your e-mail list? I would say NO. Circumstances this month may be different next month, and your newsletter next month might remind them of what they committed to, or prompt them to reply. when you say Ive tried to contact them again did you try and contact them by e-mail? I would suggest a face-to-face meeting, perhaps you buy them lunch. This is not a meeting based on why didnt you respond to me rather, its a meeting of Id like to get to know you better and see how I can help you with your personal or business goals. One thing that Ive had to realize is that my sense of urgency is different than other peoples sense of urgency. I want an answer now, and waiting a week to get a response really hurts my plans (especially true when looking for a job). But dont penalize your contact because of your situation. If you communicate your sense of urgency dont do it in a way where they can smell blood, as that might drive people away. Networking is a long-term thing. I do not open my network to everyone immediately. Its based on trust so ask yourself what you are doing to increase the level of trust between you and your network contact. When its all said and done, some people just arent going to reciprocate. And that has to be okay. Salespeople understand that not everyone is going to buy from them right now but the good ones consistently communicate to keep that relationship moving. What this means is that you have a lot of people in your network, and it grows over time. I really, really, really, really suggest you get a free account with JibberJobber to keep track of those network contacts. If nothing else you can put in 250 network contacts, rank the relationships, put log entries and create action items. This is a long-term thing something you do the rest of your career. If 250 is not enough, theres a loophole to get an additional 75. If thats not enough, consider the upgrade What If Your Network Doesnt Respond My post last week on creating a monthly newsletter to keep in touch with your network has some interesting comments. The first is from Mario, a CPA in Mexico, who asks: In other words, how to ask proactively for replies when those guys simply say â€Å"I’ll let you know†¦Ã¢â‚¬  but they don’t tell me when they are supposed to let me know and despite efforts to contact them again, the response is†¦ nothing? This is a great question. I think that proponents of networking (like me) probably have a tendency to come across with a PollyAnna attitude, leading you to believe that once you start doing all the right things then youll get amazing results. Things like networking into the hidden job market is more effective than applying online may be misleading (although I obviously recommend it) because (a) the effectiveness likely depends on the position (level) that you want, and (b) just because its more effective doesnt mean you will get a job faster. Mario brings up a great point which falls in the networking isnt all that easy category. Heres my thoughts on how to respond: when you are valuable to someone they will make an extra effort to repond to you, or help you. Ask yourself if they perceive you as valuable to their network, and if the answer is no (or, not much), figure out ways to become more valuable to them. Along with the idea that networking is about giving, its kind of also about not expecting (or demanding?). Ive put out hundreds of e-mails asking for things, giving updates, and keeping in touch, and have not received replies on many of them. I can either stew over it, or ignore it and send the monthly update to them next month. I really dont think that youll get a 100% response from a campaign like this. Why are you not getting responses? It could be that they are not strong network contacts (in which case, you would rank them with zero, one or two stars in JibberJobber) and thats okay. It could also be that they dont have anything significant to offer, and instead of saying I dont have anything they just dont respond. Should you take them off your e-mail list? I would say NO. Circumstances this month may be different next month, and your newsletter next month might remind them of what they committed to, or prompt them to reply. when you say Ive tried to contact them again did you try and contact them by e-mail? I would suggest a face-to-face meeting, perhaps you buy them lunch. This is not a meeting based on why didnt you respond to me rather, its a meeting of Id like to get to know you better and see how I can help you with your personal or business goals. One thing that Ive had to realize is that my sense of urgency is different than other peoples sense of urgency. I want an answer now, and waiting a week to get a response really hurts my plans (especially true when looking for a job). But dont penalize your contact because of your situation. If you communicate your sense of urgency dont do it in a way where they can smell blood, as that might drive people away. Networking is a long-term thing. I do not open my network to everyone immediately. Its based on trust so ask yourself what you are doing to increase the level of trust between you and your network contact. When its all said and done, some people just arent going to reciprocate. And that has to be okay. Salespeople understand that not everyone is going to buy from them right now but the good ones consistently communicate to keep that relationship moving. What this means is that you have a lot of people in your network, and it grows over time. I really, really, really, really suggest you get a free account with JibberJobber to keep track of those network contacts. If nothing else you can put in 250 network contacts, rank the relationships, put log entries and create action items. This is a long-term thing something you do the rest of your career. If 250 is not enough, theres a loophole to get an additional 75. If thats not enough, consider the upgrade What If Your Network Doesnt Respond My post last week on creating a monthly newsletter to keep in touch with your network has some interesting comments. The first is from Mario, a CPA in Mexico, who asks: In other words, how to ask proactively for replies when those guys simply say â€Å"I’ll let you know†¦Ã¢â‚¬  but they don’t tell me when they are supposed to let me know and despite efforts to contact them again, the response is†¦ nothing? This is a great question. I think that proponents of networking (like me) probably have a tendency to come across with a PollyAnna attitude, leading you to believe that once you start doing all the right things then youll get amazing results. Things like networking into the hidden job market is more effective than applying online may be misleading (although I obviously recommend it) because (a) the effectiveness likely depends on the position (level) that you want, and (b) just because its more effective doesnt mean you will get a job faster. Mario brings up a great point which falls in the networking isnt all that easy category. Heres my thoughts on how to respond: when you are valuable to someone they will make an extra effort to repond to you, or help you. Ask yourself if they perceive you as valuable to their network, and if the answer is no (or, not much), figure out ways to become more valuable to them. Along with the idea that networking is about giving, its kind of also about not expecting (or demanding?). Ive put out hundreds of e-mails asking for things, giving updates, and keeping in touch, and have not received replies on many of them. I can either stew over it, or ignore it and send the monthly update to them next month. I really dont think that youll get a 100% response from a campaign like this. Why are you not getting responses? It could be that they are not strong network contacts (in which case, you would rank them with zero, one or two stars in JibberJobber) and thats okay. It could also be that they dont have anything significant to offer, and instead of saying I dont have anything they just dont respond. Should you take them off your e-mail list? I would say NO. Circumstances this month may be different next month, and your newsletter next month might remind them of what they committed to, or prompt them to reply. when you say Ive tried to contact them again did you try and contact them by e-mail? I would suggest a face-to-face meeting, perhaps you buy them lunch. This is not a meeting based on why didnt you respond to me rather, its a meeting of Id like to get to know you better and see how I can help you with your personal or business goals. One thing that Ive had to realize is that my sense of urgency is different than other peoples sense of urgency. I want an answer now, and waiting a week to get a response really hurts my plans (especially true when looking for a job). But dont penalize your contact because of your situation. If you communicate your sense of urgency dont do it in a way where they can smell blood, as that might drive people away. Networking is a long-term thing. I do not open my network to everyone immediately. Its based on trust so ask yourself what you are doing to increase the level of trust between you and your network contact. When its all said and done, some people just arent going to reciprocate. And that has to be okay. Salespeople understand that not everyone is going to buy from them right now but the good ones consistently communicate to keep that relationship moving. What this means is that you have a lot of people in your network, and it grows over time. I really, really, really, really suggest you get a free account with JibberJobber to keep track of those network contacts. If nothing else you can put in 250 network contacts, rank the relationships, put log entries and create action items. This is a long-term thing something you do the rest of your career. If 250 is not enough, theres a loophole to get an additional 75. If thats not enough, consider the upgrade

Valentine Gifts That Make Them Feel Special

Valentine Gifts That Make Them Feel Special “The blissful union of two souls till eternity” is what can be best described as the true definition of love. Yes, in order to celebrate this “love” forever, there are ways and occasions to showcase the same. Yes, I am talking about 14th February, which is also referred as Valentine Day, and acts as the best occasion for   people, desirous of expressing their love for one another. How can I best express the love for my better half? Well, there are the “cutest” of ways to do that. Yes, it can be done through gifting valentine chocolates, flower bouquets, cakes, toys, mementos which can be easily purchased online. Yes, there are loads of options to choose from in style. Likewise, if you want to get a personalized gift, then that can be easily done as well with Shopclues Valentine’s offers. What is the importance of Valentine’s Day? The basic essence and importance of this day is to stand testimony to the promise and oath taken for one another and understandably to live together once and forever. In short, it is done to commemorate the true friendship bond between each other, not only just as close friends but also as husband and wife. Gifts for her We know that heart is the perfect symbol of love and the online world has innumerable choices to gift to your partner. Yes, she is going to love it, whether it is “heart shaped cake with roses”, “pink flower heart cake”, “heart shape chocolate photo cake”, “personalized couple mug”, “chocolates hamper”, “teddy with roses” etc. Yes, you can purchase online in just few clicks and be a proud partner in expressing the “cutest” love which you have for her. After all, there is no dearth of options, and that you can very easily get hold of the perfect “gift”, according to her desires. Personalized lamps Yes, lamps as we know glow, and as we get personalized lamps, they best symbolize our real life which is full of light and warmth of love. It acts as a creative gift idea, after all, isn’t it? Little things in life can rejuvenate the spark between husband and wife Yes, of course, and it is infact Valentine’s Day, which gives partners an opportunity to spruce up the relations quite like in a married life for a more welcoming and accepting bond where the chemistry gets further strengthened with passing months and years. Final thoughts Doesn’t the aforesaid post offer the easiest of ways to express your love for her? Yes, of course. So, prove to be the best as a partner and importantly as a husband and give reasons for your wife to feel how special she is actually for you. After all, if you have always wanted to create a sense of spark in the relation, the time has come for you to show how much you indeed her. It indeed acts as a great way to further cement the bond of friendship, thus opening the way for a more blissful, fruitful, happy   and passionate times.

How to Use Smarterer for Personal Branding

How to Use Smarterer for Personal Branding Online skills tests platform  Smarterer describe themselves as a simple, fun, and authentic way for people to show what they know. Allowing users to take tests and assessments on a variety of subjects and skill areas, Smarterer score correct answers and rank the users. These scores can then be shared on their profiles and on social networks and other websites. It is an extremely useful tool for branding yourself throughout the internet, but it has to be done well or you will just be another profile on the website. Here is how to truly make the most of a brilliant personal branding opportunity. Signing up and getting started When signing up, users are given three options, to sign in using their Facebook account, LinkedIn account or Twitter account. For all three, the user needs to give Smarterer permission to post onto their account (ie onto the News Feed on Facebook and LinkedIn, and tweet via Twitter), for when users gain a great score in a test and want to share it with their friends. There is also the option to create an account with e-mail address and password, but if you want to link all your accounts together, using one of the other three options is easiest (it pulls all existing information from your account anyway, such as Name and Location, and saves the time spent filling it in manually). Once signed up, you will have an incomplete profile, and Smarterer will give you options to increase your percentage of completion (I added my location, company name and website to reach 85%). This is an extremely important task to do make sure that your profile is 100% complete. Input any necessary details, such as websites and location to make the most of using Smarterer the correct way, and so any recruiters who may stumble across your profile have all the necessary details about you right in front of them. It also gives your personal brand a more complete look, something which can work well with the test scores. Tests the basics Smarterer revoles around tests. There are tests for every subject Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, social media, Foursquare but you shouldnt be completing every single test. Its crucial to pick and choose the top 5 or 10 which you feel you could do really well in your specialities as such. Imagine it as similar to a Skills Expertise section on LinkedIn or a CV. Each test holds a number of questions, each with a difficulty rating  VE (Very Easy) / E (Easy) / M (Moderate) / H (Hard) / VH (Very Hard). Each rating holds a score, and when a user correctly answers a question that score is added to their total for that test. An incorrect answer will take away those points from the total, however users can save their score by leaving the test at any point. Once youve reached a certain score, you are upgraded to a new level of expertise. It doesnt take many questions to be upgraded  on the Facebook test, it took me 2 correct answer to reach the Familiar level, 3 to reach Proficient and it wasnt long before I was Expert. I am now a Master of Facebook, and Smarterer describes this as Youre top tier! Only 2.5% of Smarterer users earn the Master level, and youre one of them. Be careful though too many incorrect answers and you can be downgraded a level! Pick your tests wisely It is crucial to pick and choose your tests wisely. Dont complete every test to the Expert and Master levels because others will think youre showing off or had help with the answers. Pick tests that will correlate with past jobs or future job opportunities you may want dont complete all the social network tests to Master level if youre looking for a high position office job. Smarterer have a very useful tool where users can select which test results are viewable on their profiles. When deciding which results to make public, ensure there are a range of tests and skills shown on your profile. Dont show every single result, but have a few basic skills in the Proficient section, and one or two in the Familiar section. You will want a recruiter to look at your profile and see a wide range of skills at different levels no-one will be perfect at everything, and some people will have a good enough level in the necessary skill sets. Additionally, make sure there is one or two speciality skills that other may not have or may not be good in. For example, if youre a great recruiter, reach Expert level in the Recruitment test and put that on your profile! There is a final option of promoting your scores on your blog or website using the Smarterer box or on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. The possibilites are endless these tests are recognised as a fair way of showing your skills why not use the results? Conclusions Smarterer is still in the beta process but it is a brilliant resource for personal branding! Make sure your profile is complete even write a bio to gain it 100% completion. Add any necessary location information or websites which may help recruiters find you. Pick your tests wisely dont complete all the tests which show you spend too much time on Facebook or Twitter and nothing else. Have a range of tests and skill levels have a few test scores at lower levels, and a few at Expert you dont want to be showing off, but you want to use your variety well. Share your profile, put your skills on your CV, and invite friends via Facebook and Twitter. I really enjoyed testing out Smarterer and think it is a fantastic idea and website. Have you given it a go? Whats your best score and in which subject? Related: Top 5 Psychometric Tests for Your Career Success.