Updated December 2018 So I'm having an early morning breakfast at a hotel where I'm speaking that day for a group of financial advisers. I strike up a conversation with the guy sitting at the next table. And it turns out that he is attending the conference. He shares that he's been in the business for 20 years and has been pretty successful, but he actually came to the meeting to hear me speak about social media and LinkedIn, because he "...just doesn't get it. Why should I post what I'm doing? Who cares about that? Isn't it just people talking about what they had for lunch?" Create Visibility in a "Noisy" World After explaining … [Read more...]
My Trick to Successful First Dates (It Works on Networking “First Dates” Too!)
Updated October 2018 I wrote this article about how to do well on first dates (because I was going on a lot of first dates and I was struck by how awkward they can be). I realized that the tool works just as well when you grab a cup of coffee or lunch with a new networking partner...which is basically another form of first date. So whether you are looking for a referral partner or a spouse, I hope this will help! Most of us dread first dates. It's a weird combination of job interview, etiquette test, and fashion show that we submit to in the hopes that a) we like the other person and b) the other person likes us. And the most "useful" … [Read more...]
Don’t Worry about Keywords on Your LinkedIn Profile
I'm always looking for a few good tips on improving the LinkedIn profile (and I want to keep tabs on what everyone else is talking about). So I read a lot of articles that are some variation of "X number of ways to make your LinkedIn profile work for you". Most give solid foundational tips for the profile. But I see one idea over and over again that I have to say something about. It seems like basic advice but I think it's actually counter-productive. I cringe every time I see it because it's horrible advice to give someone who is reading an article on the basics of writing a LinkedIn profile: Create a keyword-rich summary and … [Read more...]
One of the Best Time Management Tools I’ve Found
I recently visited the Zen Garden at the Chicago Botanic Gardens, and found it a profoundly calming experience. Like many of us, I find myself bouncing around from activity to activity during the day. My mind is usually even more frantic as it works on what I need to do in the future and what I've done in the past. And, oh yeah, tries to pay attention to what I'm doing right now. For a few moments I was surrounded by the quiet in the Zen Garden. I could almost feel the cogs in my mind slowing down. My breathing became deeper and more relaxed. I was peaceful and felt a sense of clarity that is often elusive. When You Are Busy... … [Read more...]
3 Ways to Use LinkedIn in 3 Minutes Daily
I often get asked "So what am I supposed to actually do on LinkedIn?" Usually this is asked with a mix of confusion, annoyance, and desperation. Online social networking represents a fundamental evolution in how we communicate - and it can be overwhelming. So how can you start using it in a way that helps you accomplish your work goals? One of the best ways to get acclimated to LinkedIn is to use it consistently - you want to make your social media use a habit. You might be afraid that this takes a lot of time - never fear, once you do make it a habit LinkedIn requires just a few minutes a day to use effectively. Social media moves … [Read more...]
3 Ways to Rock Your Second-Half Networking
Ah, July. We're all sitting on a beach, enjoying the summer. But soon the fall will be here and with it the mad dash to accomplish our 2012 goals. Make it easier on yourself by having your network poised to help you as the weather starts to cool. Here are three ways you can make your networking more effective: 1. Create a plan – Many people fail at building a strong professional network because they don’t develop a strategy first, they just blindly flail about. Networking is much more effective when you create clarity around your objectives first. Think about the questions that journalists ask: Who, When, What, Where, Why, and How? Who … [Read more...]
5 Important Networking Tips You Can Steal from Your Dating Life
If you have ever stepped back and watched the action at a business networking event, the resemblance to a singles bar is uncanny (and slightly unnerving). Think about it, there's a bunch of people wandering around, nervously approaching people they don’t know because they’re hoping to meet that special someone that will make their life better. And most prefer to stay with the group of people they already know (or by the bar) because it's more comfortable. Professional networking has a lot of similarities to dating - which shows you why a lot of people don't like networking, because let's face it, dating is hard. But if we look at the … [Read more...]