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In a world that values small talk and outgoing charm, extroverts seem to rule the world of networking. Introverts can feel overlooked and undervalued. However, networking is not just for extroverts. Introverts can network too, and arguably, do it better than extroverts! They call it connecting.

Let’s start by defining networking. Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries defines it as “a system of trying to meet and talk to other people who may be useful to you in your work.” Meet and talk. What is notably missing from this definition is loud events, small talk and crowds. It also does not say how many people constitute a network. Sometimes less is more. The quality of your network is determined by the strength of the connection, not by the number of people.
 The only qualifier for a business connection is that they need to be useful to you in your work. Ouch. Does that mean you have to be manipulative and inauthentic? No!
Introverts are especially sensitive to being manipulated and have no tolerance for fakes. The “sleazy” approach appalls them, which is why introverts get freaked out at the very mention of networking. Authenticity is one of an introvert’s highest values. It is also their strongest asset in the world of networking. When you bring your real self to the world of networking, you bring fresh air and grace
Think about people who you have met in the past who impacted your career, or whose career you impacted in some way. How did you meet? Did you work together? Sit beside each other at a conference? Share a “moment” in a mutually difficult situation? Take a class? Whatever it was, they became part of your network. You liked or respected each other and kept in touch. Or lost touch. The point is: you met. I met an amazing mentor and friend when we literally bumped into each other escaping from a networking exercise. Both introverts.
 

1. The Principle of Authenticity

Be real. If you abhor crowds, do not go to events that will have you shallow breathing within an hour. Instead, hang out in places where you are comfortable and look for opportunities to connect through mutual interests. Consider coffee / golf/ tennis dates, writing social media posts (especially on LinkedIn) on subjects you are passionate about, or engaging with other people’s posts where you can be yourself.
Relax your face and remember to smile. It is amazing how this simple fix can change your life.
One of the things introverts do well is listen. So listen! Ask follow-up questions. Listen more. People will be impressed by how well you converse when they do all the talking!
Wear or carry something interesting or colourful that you have a story about. It acts like a green light at an intersection. A conversation is sparked and you are on your way to a new connection.
Approach people who look even more shy than you are. They will be grateful! Conversation starters that succeed begin with a shared experience, something that is going on in the environment: a barista with flair, how long you have been waiting, their cool shoes, the cost of organic eggs, children playing, a song playing in background.
Being prepared is another of your strengths so keep some tried and true icebreaker ideas in your toolbox - they will be ready when the opportunity arises.
You are good at picking up on the energy around you. If it feels like a waste of time, don’t torture yourself –leave.
Manage your anxiety in whatever way works best for you. Stay hydrated and nourished before important events. Avoid or limit alcohol intake.
 

1. The Principle of Circulation

Paying it forward and helping others is a core principle of effective networking. It is not a one-way street. When you are genuinely engaged in helping others achieve their goals, WITH NO EXPECTATIONS, you strengthen your NETWORK and your own sense of accomplishment at the same time. Asking for help when you need it becomes easier when you have shared your insights, leads and valuable information with others. What goes around comes around, not necessarily from someone you assisted.
Building your network is not nearly as important as maintaining your existing network. This is where the first word in the definition comes in: a system is what makes networking work. This means there is a set of principles and methods involved.

1. Keep contact info in your phone, an excel spreadsheet or phone book, whatever works for you.
2. When you see something that could be interesting to someone in your network, career wise or personal interest wise, send it to them or give them a quick call.
3. Keep the lines of communication open. Sending best wishes for birthdays or other occasions is a great way to stay in touch.  Make a conscious practice of regularly reaching out to the people in your life (aka your network) by text, email, phone or getting together.
4. Remember to acknowledge people who have given you information, whether it was useful or not. A simple thank you is never amiss.
5. When adding a new contact to your phone, make a note about how you met or something you talked about.
6. For business contacts, request a LinkedIn connection with a short message about how or where you met.

When you play to your strengths and change your mindset from “I hate networking” to “I am a connector,” success will follow. Try it; you’ll be great!

It is a rare person who sends out one application and gets the job. Most of us spend weeks or months combing the Job Bank, Indeed and other websites for something that appeals to us. Like it or not, job search is a numbers game. Simply put, the more often you apply, the more likely you will get a call. It is not an exact science because there are so many variables, just as there are in any other kind of sales (yes, you are selling something – you!). Assuming you fit the position and did your research, on average you can expect 3 interview calls for every 10 applications sent. Like most mathematical concepts though, there is more than one method for a successful solution and some methods are more effective than others.

Sometimes we think we know what we want, and we narrow our job search to the exclusion of all other possibilities – possibilities that could be close to perfect. That would be picky mode. Then there are the times we just send out application after application regardless of whether we fit or even want the job. That is desperation or lazy mode. Both situations result in fewer opportunities to sit in front of an employer in person (or on video) and show them just how awesome we really are.

Using the internet to your best advantage is one way to up your game. While in today’s world online job search is an essential tool, it is passive. In 2017, having an online presence is crucial for landing the kind of job you want. Whether it is a Facebook Page, YouTube video, LinkedIn profile or posting your resume on a job search engine, be visible! Show who you are, what you can do and how you can be the solution. The more creative and professional your marketing (yes, marketing!) is, the more likely the phone will ring. Have you noticed that the same job appears in more than one place when you are looking online? That’s because employers are playing the numbers game too. Ante up and go virtual. Your number is being called!
For more ideas on upping your game, check out the Hidden Job Market. 

​The 2 P’s of a Pandemic Job Search
 
The keywords for a pandemic job search are patience and persistence. While the numbers look daunting if you are out of work (BC Labour Market Stats August 2020) and if your industry (Industries Hardest Hit) is one of the most deeply affected, all is not lost. We are starting the process of recovery. As always, hard work and hope beat out talent and despair every time.
Be patient. Take the time to create a job search strategy. You could:

1. Find out who is hiring and what positions are most needed right now. If your last position is highly transferable, consider changing to a different industry. For instance, an admin assistant in a travel industry might pivot and focus on construction or IT. If your last position is less skilled or in a dying industry, this may be the time to upgrade with some online courses. My son-in-law taught himself how to program (at NO COST) when he lost his recruiting position a few years ago. He now works remotely in IT.
2. Find out what the Covid-19 protocols are for the industry and type of job you want. This will prepare you for the interview as well as the job.
3. Expand your network and use the connections in your target industry to gain knowledge as well as to let them know you are open to new opportunities. Stay in touch with people. You never know who knows someone who is looking for someone like you.
4. Create a list of companies and jobs that interest you. Then create a template email to obtain information from your network that will help you in your job search. For instance, your mother’s best friend’s daughter may work at Telus in accounting. You want to apply for a technical customer service role. Ask her what the hiring process is like or who she might know who could help you in your job search.
5. Compile a portfolio of your best work. This could include awards, letters of recognition or recommendation, videos, photos, or anything you created that is not proprietary to your employer.
6. Adjust your resumé and cover letters to reflect your strengths for the target jobs. Make sure you load them with keywords for the ATS (Applicant Tracking System).
7. Upgrade your social media presence, especially on LinkedIn. Align your brand across all platforms so that recruiters are not seeing any red flags. Follow companies that you are interested in and connect with people who do what you do. Start commenting and contributing on LinkedIn.
8. Create job alerts and post your resumé online.
9. Hone your interview skills by practicing answering questions on video. Be prepared for video interviews. Research best practices for presenting yourself on video.
10. Be realistic about what to expect in a highly competitive market. Use it to motivate yourself to gain skills, volunteer your time or pursue a hobby.

Be persistent. It’s easy to get discouraged and slack off. When that happens, be kind to yourself. To get back on track:

1. Allow yourself to feel what you are feeling. Nothing is forever, including feeling desperate, so acknowledge it, feel it and know that it will pass.
2. Connect with someone who you know is positive and non-judgmental. Let them know you are struggling. Ask for help.
3. Establish a daily routine that works for you. Let go of the need to know when you will work again. Be in control what is right in front of you – today.
4. Act. However small, any action is a move forward. If you did not get out of bed yesterday, it is an act of hope to get up today and take a shower. Small steps count. Celebrate progress.
5. Join or create a job search group. There are lots of people out there in your position. WorkBC offers free help to jobseekers. Take advantage of the availability of government assistance.  
6. Listen to music that lifts your spirits. Dance. Meditate. Exercise. Write or journal. Bake bread. Go for a walk in nature. Watch an inspiring or motivational TED Talk.
7. Help someone who is struggling. Research confirms that helping others reduces stress. (Secret to Happiness)
8. Set healthy boundaries to stabilize your state of mind. That could mean you turn off the news or notifications on your phone. It could mean you refrain from another glass of wine or another Netflix binge. It could mean calling your negative friend/relative less often.
9. Write the story (or record on audio/video) of how you survived the pandemic. Imagine yourself ten years in the future, looking back with satisfaction on how YOU dealt with the upheaval of 2020. That is your roadmap for what you do next. I dare you to post it on YouTube!
10. View the challenges of these times as an opportunity for personal development (resilience, flexibility, creativity, empathy) and create an answer to the interview question “what did you learn about yourself during the pandemic?”

Preparing for success takes patience and persistence at the best of times. In the worst of times, it takes even more patience and persistence. As Dr. Bonnie Henry has told us:  be kind, be calm and be safe.
 

​Are you looking for a project to keep you busy and connected to your career story? This is a feel-good idea that will help when it comes time to put together a resume or answer questions in an interview.

The idea? Make a record of all the good things you have done in your career. Do not limit yourself to the things that are big. Maybe you are the person in the office I can depend on to start my day with a cheery good morning and a smile or a joke. Maybe you are the one I listen to in staff meetings because your perspective is always interesting. Maybe you saved my butt when I was overwhelmed.

If you connect better with pictures, create a poster or scrapbook with pictures of highlights of your career. For artistic types, you could even draw them! For those who really understand graphs, try making a graph in Excel organized in a way that makes sense to you. For people like me, stories work great. You could even make a video story. Whatever you do, be creative and have fun with it.

​Include all the things you wish your boss or colleagues noticed you did. What will be they miss when you leave this job? No idea? Ask them!
 

These are uncertain times, and we have no idea what will happen to the economy when things go back to “normal.” If you have been laid off, or think a layoff is coming, there are things you can be doing to prepare for the upturn.
 
1. Find out how you will fare with references
 
Ask your manager how you have been doing, performance wise. This can be difficult to hear but it's better to be prepared than caught off guard. If you're doing well, ask what in particular stands out.
 
2. Review and record your career achievements
 
Hindsight is not always 20/20. It is sooooo much easier to keep track of achievements with a career journal. Do you remember...

Your top 1-2 achievements in the last 5 years for each position?
How can they be measured – saved dollars? time? awards? sales? accolades? customer appreciation?
Do you have the stories of those achievements to back them up?
 
It’s easier to collect this information while you’re still employed and surrounded by the evidence. Ask for their permission to be a reference and ask for a personal contact number to avoid problems getting in touch if they leave their job.
  
3. Optimize your resume
  
Finetune your resume against postings that appeal to you, using keywords as your guide. Take note of any gaps in requirements and look at ways to close the gaps by doing online learning. Take the time to create a killer cover letter.

4. Update your LinkedIn profile

Once your resume is updated, update your LinkedIn profile and picture. Over 90% of recruiters use LinkedIn.
 
5. Stay connected to friends, colleagues and social media
 
This is a perfect time to catch up with people who have drifted away as well as those you normally connect with regularly. More than any other time, they are sure to welcome your call! Remember to pay extra attention to people who you can help. Kindness and generosity of spirit are at the heart of connection.
 
6. Consider a career change
If you have been considering a different direction, but feeling a bit too comfortable, this is the time to explore other options. Research what you need to do to make it happen. Then take the first step.

How do you choose a career coach? How can you tell which one will be best for you? While technical skills  from individual coaches may be more or less equal, it is often the "click" you get when you talk with someone that determines who you pick. You may think it is your intuition or gut instinct, but it is more likely your emotional response to the soft skills that a coach displays in your initial meeting that clinches it for you. 

I was recently asked to weigh in on what soft skills I believe are most important in a career coach. Here is my response, along with the responses of several other career coaches. I'd say we are mostly all on the same page. What do you think is the mos important soft skill for a career coach?

https://careerprocanada.ca/the-most-important-soft-skill/
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Because you never know when you’ll need to use your résumé, the month of September has been designated “International Update Your Résumé Month” as an annual reminder for job seekers to review their résumé, LinkedIn profile, and other career documents. If you are asked for your résumé, you want to be able to provide it quickly. It can take time to gather your accomplishments, and you don’t want to forget something if you’re in a rush.

Here are some guidelines for updating your résumé:
• Is your work experience up to date? Need to add your current position? Now is also the time to review your accomplishments and make sure they are reflected in your résumé.
• Check your contact information. Make sure you’ve included your customized LinkedIn URL on your résumé, and any other relevant social media platforms or blogs where you are active.
• Update your education, training and certifications. Have you taken any classes in the last year? Earned a degree? Pursued a certification? Attended a job-related seminar?

Most important, make sure the résumé makes it clear who you are, what you’re good at, and what type of job you’re interested in. You have less than one minute to capture the attention of your résumé’s reader, so make it count. This is the 14th year for “International Update Your Résumé Month,” originally created by Career Directors International in 2001 to support job seekers worldwide.

If you are interested in a consultation, please contact Sandie Seymour at 778.928.8941. She is a certified résumé writer and a member of Career Professionals of Canada. She is also writing an upcoming book, No Job, No Hope, No Problem!