Several people have suggested this topic to me over time, and I'm past due in sharing my thoughts on it.Austin is a pretty laid back city. That and it's summer and it's HOT! So is it ok to dress things down a couple of levels?I'm actually going to attack this question of appearance from a much higher level as I'm probably not the person you want to take specific fashion advice from (especially if you're of the female variety).  Read more »

Is there something that you want to get from your networking efforts? What is it?Occasionally people will complain to me that they’re not getting what they want from their networking and relationship building efforts. But when I ask what it is they want their answer is either too vague or too broad.Saying that you want more clients, or a new job is just not helpful. What kind of clients? Exactly, what type of job. Often when asked these follow-up questions I get further general statements that aren’t really helpful. Read more »

Networking is not an event... It's a lifestyle. It's not something you do only when you're looking for your next job, big contract or when you're desperately trying to make a sales quota and your other opportunities have run dry. No, networking is about building trust in relationships over the long-term. Unfortunately there are a lot of folks who come onto the scene every now and then to mine their networks only when they need something. Then when they've found what they're looking for they disappear again until the next time they have a need. I see this behavior most frequently among job seekers. They become really active when they need their next job. Once they land that job nobody hears ever from them again. This is certainly understandable in the first few months of a new role. Eventually it's important to maintain some level of consistency in your networking efforts or you'll just be seen as a taker. If your network sees you as a taker then you can soon expect them to stop helping you. The job market is a very different place than it was a generation ago. Statistically you can expect to need to look for a new job every 3-5 years, and 80% of jobs are found through networking (I'm looking for a real source that quantifies this 80% numbers, it's the most commonly used number, but I don't know where it came from). With those kinds of numbers it's easy to see how important networking is, and it's not going to work if you only do it when you need it. Networking is a lifestyle, and I believe it's something you need to work into your regular schedule in a way that fits your style. In my opinion the most powerful form of networking is the networking you do one on one. Sure, being involved in your trade association, the Chamber of Commerce or another community organization is important, but if you're only going to do one thing make sure you meet with a regular number of people one to one. Do you do the Starbucks thing most mornings? Once or twice a week invite somebody to join you for your morning cup of coffee. Enjoy eating lunch out? Lunch is my favorite way to get to know someone, and I eat lunch everyday anyway so I'm able to make a traditionally non-productive part of my day incredibly useful. Happy hour after work? It really doesn't matter which of these you use. Leverage one or more that you already do most consistently. Define a set number of face to face meetings you'll schedule each week. At a minimum I recommend the one and one approach. Schedule one meeting (coffee, lunch, drinks, etc.) with someone already in your network who you enjoy spending time with, and can build a deeper relationship with. Schedule a second meeting with someone new that you've never visited in-depth with before. This might be someone you've known for a while that you've just never had an opportunity to sit down with one on one. Better yet this is someone brand new to your network, and the goal here is build your network (just one person at a time). The easiest way to find these folks is to tell those already in your network when you meet with them that you're doing this. Ask them to suggest someone you should know. It's that easy. Do this consistently over time and you're guaranteed to have a strong and always growing network. Start a habit like this today, and keep it up over time. You'll thank me one day. Happy Networking! -Scott Ingram NetworkInAustin.com

With our Get Hired! event coming up tomorrow I thought it only appropriate that I write a post about Job Networking. Networking isn't just what you do at mixers and job clubs. It's really a part of every conversation and activity you're involved with; since you never know where that next opportunity is going to come from. We all have certain strengths and abilities. Often times we discount the value of these abilities especially when they come really naturally and with almost no effort. They're just part of what you do. It's important to remember that these talents of yours have value. Frequently a lot of value. But you don't always get to demonstrate these skills as part of your regular job searching activities. Maybe if you're in sales, but I digress. For so many reasons I think it's important to somehow get involved in something you're deeply passionate about outside of your job search. You should be doing things like this when you have a job, so why wouldn't you do them when you're looking for your next gig? This is easiest if you start with something you absolutely love. It might be a favorite non-profit, your church, your kids activities, a favorite sport or hobby. It really doesn't matter as long as it's an organization you care about. Approach one of the organizations leaders and tell them how you'd like to help. Make this easy for them. Don't just ask to help, which creates work for them to figure out how they can use you. Instead figure out a way that you can really demonstrate some of your highly valued skills and offer to do that for them. That way they can just say yes, they don't have to think and you get to show your stuff rather than getting stuck doing some menial task that you can't get excited about. So now you're probably thinking. Why Scott? It's really important that I find my next job, and I need to focus on that and you want me to spend 5-10 hours a week volunteering my time? Yes! Looking for a job can be really difficult work. It sometimes leads to depression especially in our society when you may define yourself by what you do. Besides, sending off a few more blind resumes probably isn't going to help you anyway. The psychological boost you'll get from making a difference will be invaluable during your search. Your attitude is so important and you impact your attitude most by what you do. Why not do something really worthwhile? It also will help you develop and deepen new relationships. Don't do this work in isolation, get out and be visible about it. Talk to people, tell them about the things you're doing and how much you enjoy it. Let them know that this is the kind of work that you love doing, and you're looking for your next opportunity to do it full time. Not only will you be demonstrating your skills, you'll also be keeping them sharp. It'll make interviewing easier as you'll have current examples you can point to in a positive light. I'm yet to meet anyone who's sorry they took on this type of project. It may or may not directly lead to your next position, but it sure can't hurt. Usually I think most people already have some ideas of where they want to be involved and how, but if you need some additional help there are a bunch of great resources to help you find this type of work. Here are just a few: Hands On Central Texas AustinProBono Volunteer Match Oh yeah, and this doesn't have to have anything to do with a job search. If it's a good idea when you're looking for work isn't it also a good idea when you're not? Happy Networking! -Scott Ingram NetworkInAustin.com