Network for Work Networking Group Notes

Below is a summary of my blogged experience attending the Network for Work networking group on June 11.  This is a very well-run and successful networking group.  For more information, contact Jim Starrett (www.linkedin.com/in/jimstarrett).

Location:  Marriott Courtyard, Nashua, NH

Attendance:  about 120 job seekers

Background:  There are 4 main founders of this group.  They rotate among 3 hotels for their sessions.  The 3 hotels have donated their space for the event and provide full support (setup, projectors, microphones, coffee) but no food.  Their calendar appears on Better Jobs Faster and on their website:  http://www.networkforwork.com/

KEY INSIGHT:  Approach a hotel and ask them to donate their space for your job seeker networking group

Layout

•  
  Large
  Hotel conference room
  
  
  
  • They have an information table at the front of the conference room that includes materials, and discount coupons (50% off shoes, reduced karate lessons, Unemployment info). 
    
  
  
  
  KEY INSIGHT:  Solicit local vendors for free and reduced offers for your networking group members.
  
  
  
  • There was a Registration table outside the conference room with a sheet requesting members to sign their Name, email,
    targeted industry, most recent job title.  There was also a sign-up sheet for Dale
    Carnegie.  Table had Name badges (sticky) with markers for members to write their name.
  
  
  • The conference room had a computer, projector, 2 flowcharts in the front, wireless mikes and a mike on the podium.
  
  
  • Hotels provide free beverages.  No free food.
  
  
  
  





Agenda



• Meet & Greet                             9:00-9:10


• Welcome/Announcements           9:10-9:15


• Job Landings                              9:15-9:20


• Leads & Needs                           9:20-9:50


• New Member Orientation             9:20-9:50


• New Member Introductions          9:50 to 10:00


• Annie Brankman - Resume workshop  10-11:30


• Networking break                       11:30-12:00


• Dan DeMaioNewton - Inside the Belly of Monster  12:00-2pm

• 
  
  
  
  • Introduction
    
    Started off thanking team who made this possible:  Chamber of Commerce -
    Chris made it possible, Raddisson and Crowne Plaza, and Marriott have
    donated hotel facilities.  They rotate among the 3 facilities
  
  
  • Emphasize Job Landings and folks who've gotten hired
  
  
  • How many new members are here today? 18-24
  
  
  • Ultimate LinkedIn Guide will be free to Network for Work - link
    will be on website.  Shaun is on linkedin.  Book is 150 pages, and
    charges $2-3 for ebook
  
  
  • Upcoming meetings
  
  
  • Have a question sheet for folks to record questions in advance so speakers are prepared.
  
  
  • Upcoming sessions:  Kathering Lake - Personal Branding, St.Germaine
    - Fin. Planning for unemployed, Open session (July 2) - no speaker, Age
    Advantage - Jane (Jul 9), Dave Gallant NewSchoolResume.com (Jul 16):
  
  
  • Have done speed networking session in past
  
  
  • Andy Kopatis has landed FT position with Comcast:  Business Support professional.
  
  
  • KEY INSIGHT:  Always track,
    highlight, and celebrate when a group member gets hired.  Even better
    would be to have them speak and reflect, or come back and speak at a
    later point.
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  • Fran helped Andy land the job based on his connections at Comcast.  Great story of how networking
  
  
  • Tammy is now focusing on other landings:  Keith Sawyer - Comcast,
    Annie - Salary.com, Bruce - Segway 9 mo contract.  Wrote nice article
    on website:  bruce focused on contracting for next job.  Tried to use a
    multitude of recruiters.  Mixed results.  bruce - "NUSH:  Network until
    something happens.  Keeping networked keeps you sane.  It's who you
    know, not what you know that will land you.  What you know may not be
    the ultimate determinant."
  
  
  • Had 5 landings for the week.  A new record.  Applause
  
  
  • Quick Announcements:  Talking about resume reel exercise run by
    Marie Schulmann in Manchester.  Will run another one in a couple of
    weeks.  Thank you to Marie.  Applause
  
  
  • Women's Leadership summit at University starts tomorrow.  Got 10
    reduced tickets:  $75 instead of $180.  Full day conference 7am-5p+,
    includes lunch and breakfaster.  3 keynoters, including Gloria
    Steinem.  Women's leadership in this current economy is the session. 
    Professors, national, and local leaders will be speaking.  See Tammy
    afterwards if you are interested so you can be registered for tomorrow
  
  
  • June 25 Dale Carnegie free 2-hr program sign-up sheet is in the lobby.
  
  
  • Listing local job fairs and career expos.  Next Thurs, there will
    be a (June 18) 5-7:30p SWANH (Software assn of nH) for software
    development networking.
  
  
  • Jim has stepped up and is continuing with agenda.  He's introducing leads and needs activity
  
  
  • Joe and Paul lead New member orientation.
  
  
  
  

Leads & Needs Exercise

Ground rules for Leads & Needs/new member intros:

• Time commitment:  30 seconds per person


• SMA - see me after - network opportunity!


• Parking Lot ideas:  Questions, suggestions


• Network for work job landings


• Reserve first 3 rows for new members.  Folks are rearranging.


• Getting started with "Group talk"  30 second per person

Method

• First person gets up and says name, most recent title, what done or
  what looking for, names a need or lead they have.  Limited to 30 seconds


• Moderator announces when they have 5 seconds left.


• Monologue approach.  Notice that in the back, many people are talking, not paying attention so much.


• For leads, folks are talking about the jobs they've seen online.


• Questions/Reflections:  What
  incentive would people have to share their leads?  How many people can
  really track/remember what folks are saying?  How effective is this
  approach?  Would it make more sense to have a dashboard of what people
  are looking for:  Face, name, Need, Lead (e.g.,iPhoto faces layout). 
  What if you had people listening indicate if they can help person in
  real-time (e.g., pass a numbered token to the person if you think you
  can help them?


• One person mentioned Chelmsford Public Library is hosting free tech
  workshops (e.g., SQL) for job seekers to learn, sharpen skills.


• Mentioned that volunteering while unemployed is valuable.


• Folks keep muttering "See me after" for folks who have a need to
  see them and connect.  (There has to be a better way to keep the "See
  me afters" fresher.


• "Hi my name is >>>, I have over 10 months of job search experience" got a good laugh.


• Encourages people to bring at least one lead and one need.


• Next week will be doing Table Talk -

Table Talk Exercise (not done in the session)

• Arrange in groups of 8.  Each person gives their elevator pitch and then there's a roundtable discussion - open forum.

New Member Session (held in breakout room to prepare those attending for first time)

Welcome was a 5-10 minute description of the origins of the group. Didn't include empathetic or value message. Discussed how the group has grown.

• Presented an example of an elevator pitch and "Are you ready to write
  yours?" Mood in the room wasn't enthusiastic, not really negative
  either, just sort of confused.

• Short talk about local merchants that have
  discounts for members that might be beneficial. Jos A. Banks will
  give you 20% off of a new suit.

• Comment that there are employers here and
  they are "incognito" which seemed both cool and unsettling to the crowd

• Presented an example of a "value proposition" Talked about taking your
  resume "visual". He passed around his which was several boxes in Powerpoint
  

• Description of the New England job show by its producer.
  

• Gave direction to now "write your
  pitch!" Participants practiced with a neighbor,
  then stood up in front of the group and tried it. Only had time for about half of
  the people to deliver theirs to the group.


• Group re-merged with the overall group.

Ana Brankman Presentation on An Effective Resume

• Do not have a resume that raises flags.  Have a resume that raises interest.


• Have a consistent marketing message and career marketing
  collaterals (verbal and written) to support your match to the market
  needs.
  
  
  
  • Positioning statement/elevator speech/summary
  
  
  • Accomplishment-based resume
  
  
  • References Document
  
  
  • Business Card
  
  
  
  


• Who are you?


• Research the market requirements and needs:  Job postings to
  identify changes in titles, core competencies and skills, experiences,
  credentials and certifications, compensation


• Trends and changes in your profession and industry.  NH Business
  review, Business NH, Boston Business Journal, industry journals and
  magazines


• It's a buyers market.  Meet the market as close as you can.


• Chronological resume
  
  
  
  • Summary:  3-5 sentences.  Define yourself in terms
    of your profession, background (industries, size of company,
    international/domestic), competencies/skills, Experiences/Successes,
    Credentials/Certifications
  
  
  • Professional experience:  Forget
    about responsibility.  Focus on accomplishments.  Recruiter wants to
    know how good you performed in your job.  Always start with a past
    tense action verb.  Only show last 10 years
    
    
    
    • Company name, city, state, years there
    
    
    • Title
    
    
    • Responsibility statement - 3-4 sentences that describe the scope of
      responsibilities in terms of overall responsibilities.  Include budget,
      number of employees managed, clients, virtual, cross-functional,
      international, domestic
    
    
    • Accomplishments - support and demonstrate your success
    
    
    • Strong pasttense action verb plus result/goal/benefit of action
      taken  e.g., increased client satisfation by 10% in last 2 years.
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Other relevant experience.  Document 10-15 years.  Beyond 10-15 years, include under other relevant experience.  Do not show years.
  
  
  
  


• Cover Letters advice:  Employers understand in today's market it's
  going to take some time.  Do not say you are "present" at a company
  where you no longer work.  Jim recommends listing volunteer time as an
  effective demonstration for the use of time while not employed.


• T-format Exercise for preparing to apply to a job:  column A:  Job requirements, Column B:  Your qualifications.


• Keys to a successful resume:  Market-focused, accomplishment-based,
  Creates interest but doesn't tell the whole story...must have a
  compelling reason for getting you to meet the hiring manager.  Create
  the marketing hook...tell part of thestory based on results, intended
  goal and/or benefit of action taken.  Do not crowd the document with
  how.  Always use a cover letter to better align your candidacy to the
  needs.  Recommends list accomplishments/awards at bottom of first page
  and include criteria for selection to demonstrate that this is
  something that matters and why it matters.  Indicate why you were
  recognized and what's the merit.


• How to handle employment gaps:  In current market, gaps are expected to be 6-8 months.


• Candidates, find out the hiring manager and get a letter of
  introduction through to them.  Cover letter goes with a resume when
  applying to a position.  Letter of Introduction is a different version
  of a cover letter introducing you to the most likely hiring manager and
  the value you propose.


• 5-10 minutes for Q&A.


• Recommendations for when they ask for salary requirements:  Respond
  with a question.  That's a good question, I'd like to defer this
  discussion until I have a full idea of the position, or what is the
  salary range the employer is offering for this position to see if it
  fits.  Recommends checking salary.com for salary range for the job and
  location.