Networking strategy - Part18

10 tips for a compilling "ice-breaker" message on LinkedIn - Part2

9- Prefer an in-person interview
What you actually look for has more to do with personal interaction. Having a chance to introduce yourself, share your business card, extend a nice meeting over the limited time and turn it into a nice chat ... will take you much further than just gathering 'information'.

However, please consider not to push (too much) for it. Sometimes, people can just be shy at meeting an almost stranger.

10- Thank in advance
You are approaching on an informal way. Your tone of communication has to be atuned with. Find something less formal and conventional than the typical "Regards"

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Example:

Hi X,

Congratulations for growing your networks over 500 as a LION.

I am also in the process of growing my networks in the HR industry as I would like to pursue my career as a Talent acquisition specialist.

It would be helpful to me to find out about your experience at xXx and xXx.

With 8 years international experience in Recruitment/Contract/Interim with the major players (Hays/Randstad), I am in the process of making a career transition to "social media recruiting".

With xXx I was on a fixed term contract to implement a social media recruitment strategy and help with the launch of a new desk.

I am not expecting to discuss a particular job opening, but would appreciate being able to talk with you on an informal basis.

I promise not to take more than 15 minutes of your time, ideally over a cup of coffee.

What is the best way to reach you this week? I have Thursday 9 am and Friday 5 pm onwards.

Thank you in advance an kind regards,

Kevin

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Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Author - Kevin Simonnet

Tips&Tricks - Part2

Save inMail on Linkedin

Group members

A trick I discovered is to use groups. By joining, you get the possibility to interact with members of the group.

1- Once you are granted the membership of the group, go the home page2- click on the tab "Members"3- tipe the name in the search bar4- by scrolling the mouse over the person's profile you will find on the right hand side a "send a message" link

This opens you with a messaging box just like if you were connected with that person with no character limit.

However, this is not to be taken has a new way to spam!
Bear in mind that on line networking has its own protocole and rules before reaching at them.

Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Author - Kevin Simonnet

Networking strategy - Part17

10 tips for a compilling "ice-breaker" message on LinkedIn - Part1


You have identified your info-source and want to get in touch with him. In a previous post I gave an example of a charted email. From my own experimentation, I have sharpened it:

1- Contextualise
Following a strategic marketing plan you are not contacting people randomely. Subsequently, explain clearly how you came to his profile and give as much details as possible. This has got to be logic and obvious.

2- Highlight similarities
People connect with like-minded others. The more common interest you can demonstrate, the more that person will feel like meeting you.

3- State clearly what you want in one sentence
We are overwhelmed with information. Keep it simple: your reader has to find clearly what you are expecting from this conversation.


4- Assert your credibility
You have to sell yourself with efficient assets. Don't just tell about your general experience. Be specific with higlithing some particular deeds related to what makes you a trustwhorthy professional.

Please relate to the n°2: highlight similarities

5- Give concrete examples
Nothing is more compelling than a real life example. Search in your experience: even things that you may not mention in a Cv, could make a great impact.


6- Specify what action you want him to do
With the same consideration of simplicity, define the action: its duration and delimit a period of time when you want it to take place.


7- Lead on first
To facilitate even more the decision making of your contact, suggest slots for the interview: up to 3.

8- Open alternatives
You have to give your contact two options:
- telecommunication
- in-person meeting.

In fact, he can be trully busy for the next month. And you do not want to wait for that long. A call is the appropriate means. It will keep your communication whitin the announced duration: prepare to have a list of questions ready!

Please think of leaving your phone number in your signature. Do not assume that the person will have time to search for it in your "contact details".

..to be continued..
In my next post I'll finish with the two last, but not least! points and give a concrete example of the message I sent to the Head to Talent at a Fortune500 company.

 Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Author - Kevin Simonnet

Networking strategy - Part16

Establish a strategic marketing plan

1- List of targeted companies

Your source of information can be:

- Chamber of commerce. I got in touch with UbiFrance and FACCI

- Industry directory: as a Microsoft specialist I'm using  www.pinpoint.microsoft.com 

- Professional groups: on LinkedIn I joined groups related to Talent acquisition and Social media. Make sure to join the ones with the highest number of members

- Business association: RCSA, AHRI (Australian HR Institute), AI (Australian Institute of Management) etc

- Event organiser: Australian Talent Conference, Social Media strategists etc

2- LinkedIn as a directory

Search for the company in the search tab. From the home page, on the right hand corner click on the drop down menu to select "Companies".

You can take advantage of being there to follow the company. Go to the "How are you connected" section to click on "see all".

This gives you a list of targeted persons to fill your directory listing.

A trick I discovered is to sort by "members". Those persons you can directly message them for free: You don't need a Premium account for that!

Go to the section "Tips&Tricks" of my blog to the post "how to save Inmail in LinkedIn"

3- Identify the mutual connections

Associate your targeted contact with potentials introducers from your networks. This will help you:

- realize how close you actually are from people you would never have thought it could be possible

- identify the key persons within your networks by sorting out how many occurances they get from their role classification

- clarify your approach. Instead of sollicitating your 1st degree connection for an introduction at every single time you want to reach at a new person, you will have all the targeted contacts associate to this 1st degree connection. Thereby, you will be able to ask all in once.

As well, you will understand the possible interactions between the members of your networks and understand how to leverage them in a smart way.

In fact, you have to make as easy as possible to the person that offered to help you. Having a big picture will allow to highlight some networking interactions your 1st degree would not have thought about. You can then suggest him to take a particular action.

4- Involve your 1st degree connections

Even if you can reach directly at your targeted contact, let your 1st degree connection, at least, know that you are going to do so.

Might be that he would:

- regeard you to someone more appropriate, which will save you time

- offer to promote you at your target contact

- be in touch at the moment with your targeted contact and you would not like to interfere and embarass him with discovering on the spot that you are chasing in its networks

- be at odds with your targeted contact. That also can happen. I let you guess how "efficient" it could be to start your message mentioning the name of your 1st degree connection.

Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Author - Kevin Simonnet

Networking strategy - Part 15

As I said in my previous post, direct application to job ads won't take you far and will only hit the tip of the iceberg, where there is a fierce competition which, in the end, delivers little to the bottom line: jobs that are advertised are more likely to be the ones previous HR means was not able to fill.

Be savvy!

Avoid hitting the wall by circumventing it. 

We might tend to think that the only way out is to go through. We get caught up, maybe just because we are too close to the wall. Step back and you might find a detour.

The blue ocean strategy

"Blue Ocean Strategy suggests that an organization should create new demand in an uncontested market space, or a "Blue Ocean", rather than compete head-to-head with other suppliers in an existing industry." - Wikipedia

People are fighting hard for a desired position at a well-known company. Well, good on them. Just let them concentrate all their efforts into proving that they can be the best of the best to a limited number of companies. The rest is all yours! ..and it is virgin. (Yes, I do like Virgin Group!)

Find an alternative solution

You know your market and have in mind and idea to leverage it. But, it is too difficult, or premature ...

Consider the syaing that goes "They did not know it was impossible, so they did it" - Mark Twain

Employers are looking for people that will bring solutions to the table. If you come up with an interesting idea and even better, a concept, worth being developed that could enhance the industry and thereby generate a profitable business, then why not? Why wouldn't you be hired!?

You will need to think out of the box

"Going along with the crowd is rarely a good choice" - R. Branson. How would you then identify the issues and think of an original solution?

Offer a value proposition

When you land it, you have to lead it. "Be sufficiently courageous, visionary or perhaps plain crazy enough to establish a brand new business sector" - R. Branson

Because it is innovative, it is new and does not exist yet or just partially. That is why you are more likely to develop it by yourself. Jump into the "Blue Ocean" (with calculated risks)! This will be your contribution to the community.
You will have something to offer to people struggling at their daily tasks. Thereby, you will instigate curiosity and raise interest.

Consider having a pro-active approach

Networking is a secular way of doing business. With the Web 2.0  we got all connected. With social media we are empowered with actively spreading our networks and articulate connections to generate business opportunities.

Networking will not only be an effective way to break into a specific market reaching out targeted contacts but also spread your reputation out of a stuffy private circle in order to raise awareness of your talent!

Bear in mind, that is has to be strategic. I'll develop in my next posts the tactics, tools and strategy I'm using in my job search 

Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Author - Kevin Simonnet

The hidden market - Part3

SECRETS REVEALED IN SIMPLE FACTS

Where are the jobs ?

 I think it says it all..

Only 3,6% of the jobs are advertised. And the majority of the active job seekers  is applying for.

Networking is key:

1- scientifically speaking, what is under 5% is considered as irrelevant. That breaks the common assumption that:

- finding a job will be on job boards

- recruiters cover the job market

2- Simply applying is not enough. You have got to make it happen. The next career (real) opportunity will come out of your networks.

Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Author - Kevin Simonnet