Update About Our Group!

Greetings!

It's been awhile since I wrote a post to this blog. 

So to kick start the blog, I thought I would write up a vignette about our group...

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St Mary Job Search Support Group

We are a peer to peer job search networking group.

The format for our meetings is in three segments.

• ·         A moderator, sometimes a guest speaker, does a presentation or leads a discussion on a relevant job search topic.
• 
  
• ·         Introductions. Each person introduces themselves and tells the group what they are looking for in their next position.
• 
  
• ·         Networking including all attendees getting brainstormed advice from that night’s group.

We meet the third Tuesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. in the St Mary Convent Meeting Room. Our meetings are open to anyone.

The St Mary Job Search Support Group is beginning its 4^th year and over 30 people who have attended our meetings have landed.

If you are searching for a job, we hope that you will drop by one of our meetings! We look forward to meeting you!

St Mary Job Search Support is run by a three-person team.

Dan Lenhart is the Chair of the St Mary Job Search Support Group. Dan has over 30 years experience as a Human Resource professional and brings a wealth knowledge about the job search from both the job seeker’s point view and that of the hiring manager.

Linda Cella  is our interviewing expert. When discussing interviews, Linda goes into great detail that many often miss in interviews and offers valuable advice on both face to face interviews and phone screens.

Andy Ancel is the networking expert. Andy worked for Refer.com where he learned the “Refer way” of networking and nurturing relationships from one of the best entrepreneurs in the country. Andy has presented his networking presentation at St Mary Job Search Support and also at Monday’s@7 in Westport.

Mark Toncone - Job Search Guru- to Speak at our Next Meeting

This coming Tuesday, 4/19 Mark Troncone, Super Job Search Guru will be the guest speaker at the  St Mary Church in Milford, CT.

About Mark Troncone 

Mark Troncone is an amazing speaker and presenter. 

A few years ago, he found himself out of work and basically stipped the job search process to its lowest common denominators, developed a map to navigate the process and not only found his next job, but decided to share what he found with others looking for work.

From Mark's Bio on LinkedIn...

Employment Transition Mentor Speaker

Dedicated volunteer focused on helping transition groups or individuals to learn the skills and techniques necessary to re-enter the job market. I am available for speaking engagements and one on one consulting (by appointment) - see list and Slide Share below.

About our Job Search Group

Although our meetings are in the church, one does not have to be a parishioner, Catholic or any faith whatsoever to attend. Father Donahue, Linda Cella, Dan Lenhart and I set up the group 2.5 years ago as a community service open to anyone who feels they might benefit from our peer to peer job search group.

We are a peer to peer support group that focuses on:

•     Job Hunting Strategies
•     Effective Networking
•     Interviewing Strategies
•     Story Boarding for Interviews
•     Feedback on Resumes and Cover Letters

     We also suggest resources in the form of Websites and Other Groups to assist in the Job Search.

If you know anyone that might benefit from our meetings, please let them know about our group! We meet the third Tuesday of every month in the Rectory Basement Meeting Room at 7:00 p.m.

Thank You!

Andy

Try "Update"

Greetings!

One of the toughest things to do as a job seeker is to follow-up on an opportunity whether you applied for the position, were networked into it or sent out a "cold" correspondence.

The more connections you have to the hiring manager, HR or someone in the organization that can help your candidacy, the better.

The good news is that there are a few things you can do to try to increase your chances. You can send additional material in another correspondence, look for networking connections in the firm or even pick the phone and call the name of the contact you either have or one you research.

The bad news is that the hiring system has evolved to where it is as difficult as ever to find that opening in the firm needed to follow-up.

One one word has helped me immensely through the years in all types of follow-up ranging from work, volunteer work, outside of work and yes, the job search.

That word? Update.

I don't remember who enlightened me about the word "update" but it was at least a few decades ago and their advice has served me well.

Why? Why not call the hiring manager or HR contact and say, "Hi Andy, I applied for the XYZ position last week and would like to know when interviews are being setup or if you need more information or am I being considered?" or other approach.

The problem with all of those approaches and in fact almost all approaches is that, for the most part, they put the person your communicating with in a defensive position. There is a chance you might get a response that you seek. But more than likely the response will be a vanilla one that tells you nothing or worse, a response that tells you that you are irritating the person and you may have lost any potential good will with them. 

I've found that using the word "update" works much better. The reason for that is that update is much less threatening. Update does not lend itself  to putting people on the defensive. It is a pretty innocent request.

Compare.

Mr/Ms Hiring Manager I applied for the XYZ position last week. I just want to see if you received my application and if I will be part of the interview pool. 

or

Mr/Ms Hiring Manager, I applied for the XYZ position and wanted to get an update on the hiring process. 

This second approach is less threatening. Although you are not asking specifically about your application, you have a better chance of the person giving you what information they can give out and not give you a blanket, we'll be in touch if you've been invited to interview. 

Try using "update" next time you follow-up a job application. You might be pleasantly surprised...

Thanks for visiting,
Andy

Going about Referrals the Best Way

Greetings!

I often talk to job seekers who tell me some of their experiences in networking.

Typical is a person I will call George. George was networked to me via friends of mine. 

My first friend introduced George to my second friend because the first friend thought the second one might know of a job for George. The second friend did not know of any jobs but knew I help run a job search support group and suggested that we connect.

This scenario happens all of the time. There is nothing wrong with it. In a job search you need to get your name out and get exposed to as many people as possible. 

But here's the rub.  It is not the most effective way to network. Most people will try and help someone who is referred to them by someone they trust. However, the issue with the person being referred through trusted friends or relative (hereafter the introducee), is that there is no trust between that person and the person they've been referred too (hereafter the introduced- the person who introduces the two of them is the introducer). 

Since the introduced person may not know the introducee well, if at all, the introduced probably isn't going to put his or her reputation on the line by making a referral of substance for someone they just met. Would you? If they give a referral at all, it is usually something safe and vague along the lines of ' Hey you should talk to Bob or Shirley over at Acme Personnel Partners.' Big whoop. The introducee could make that call his or herself.

If I am the introduced, I would want to know more about the introducee before I make referrals for the introducee and really try to help that person.

So what then needs to happen for the introduced to help the introducee? 

The introducee needs to create a relationship with the introduced. That is really the only way that introducee can build the trust necessary to ask for referrals for both more networking contacts and potential jobs should the introduced run across an opportunity that is a good fit for the introducee.

There are effective ways to grow professional relationships. You need to strike a balance between contacting the person you want to build the relationship with too much and too little. Too much contact and you become a pest. Too little contact and the the person you want to build the relationship with forgets about you. 

Also coming into play is the law of reciprocity. As you know, in life, you often have to give to receive. 

In my next post I will outline ways to develop a professional relationship to get referrals that will stay be sustained through time.  

Thanks for Visiting,
Andy

Thanks to Mark Troncone - Last Meeting Observations...

Many thanks to all of you who attended the Job Search support Group with our guest Mark Troncone last week. 

Mark did a tremendous job in his presentation.

What was impressive to me and I think the real value of his presentation is that he took the mystery out of the job search process. From interview preparation to the most efficient ways to network, Mark covered a lot of bases and advice that should help all who attended.

Mark's presentation also validated many of the job search principles that the St Mary Job Search Support team teaches and preaches about interviewing and networking.

The one recurring theme that, in my mind wove Mark's presentation together is that you have to have skin in the game to have success in the job search. The more passive one is in the search, the longer it is going to take to find one's next position.

Mark talked about creating GodFathers who will be on the lookout for you. I would take it one step further and add that one create an inner circle of trusted team GodFathers. TOMA, or Top Of Mind Awareness is critically important in networking.

How sad it would be a friend or acquaintance of yours was in a conversation with some people. One of those people said his/her firm was looking for someone that is you -you are the perfect fit...and your friend or acquaintance forgot all about you and never said anything to the person in the conversation about you or told you about the potential opportunity. That is why you need Mark's GodFathers, an active inner circle of them that have you in their top of mind awareness.

Special thanks to Linda for reaching out and bringing Mark to our meeting. Also to Dan Lenhart for all of his hard work in publicizing the meeting and helping us to get a good crowd to attend!

Thanks for visiting,
Andy 

Mark Trocone is the Guest Speaker at our March Meeting!

Greetings!

The St Mary Job Search Support Group will welcome Mark Troncone at our March Meeting! Mark is a highly regarded employment transition expert. 

The St Mary Job Search Support Group Team hopes you will take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to hear and meet Mark! 

Mark's is an IT Project Manager by profession. His avocation, certainly one of them, is helping people and groups with employment transition. Below is a summary of Mark's volunteer work as an employment transition mentor from LinkedIn.

Employment Transition Mentor

MT Associates

February 2009 – Present (6 years 1 month)

Dedicated volunteer focused on helping groups or individuals in learning the skills and techniques necessary to re-enter the job market.

This includes:

* Self evaluation questions to determine your next career path
* Creating an effective Marketing Plan
* Formulating a powerful "Elevator Speech"
* Researching "Target Companies"
* Job search organization strategies
* Networking fundamentals
* Identifying networking groups to join
* Using LinkedIn in the Job Search Process
* Cover letter and resume best practices
* Telephone interviewing Techniques
* How to Effectively Work with a Recruiter
* 7 Point job search strategy

Networking Groups where I have presented at include:

* New Canaan CATS Networking Group - New Canaan CT.
* Westchester PMI Job Club - Westchester NY.
* Darien Professionals Networking Group - Darien CT.
* Fairfield Library Job Club - Fairfield, CT.
* Execunet 100k Networking Group - Stamford, CT.
* Mondays at 7 Networking Group - Westport, CT.
* Northern Fairfield Professionals - Danbury, CT.
* Southern New England PMI Group
* Westport Library Employment Networking Group -
Westport, CT.
* St. Catherine's Support Circle - Greenwich, CT.

February Meeting

Our next meeting will be next Tuesday February 17th. 

The meeting will start a 7:00 p.m. in the St Mary Church Rectory basement and led by Team leaders Linda Cella,  Dan Lenhart and me. 

Come on by and pick up a few job search tips and techniques and connect with others who are also looking.