Thursday, October 28, 2010

The 10 Things to Nurture Networking!

I don’t know why 10 – perhaps it is 12 or 7, but over the next several months, I’ll try to explore 10 areas where you can sharpen the sword and improve your networking ability.  It is always convicting when I review topics like this because as I’m writing, I’m failing.  The key is to wake up tomorrow and try again.

1. Be an encourager – what did you notice about somebody that you can use to send them a note of encouragement.

2. Follow-up – when you get an introduction or lead, follow-up with the person who made that introduction.

3. Interesting read – ideas rule.  When you find something that you know is relevant to others, pass it on.

4. Connections – are you connecting different individuals in your network to one another?  You never know who needs somebody you know.

5. Give thanks – never let a favor go un rewarded, even if it is just a short note.

6. Important dates – remember the important dates in people’s lives.

7. Travel tips – everyone enjoys a travel tip, a cool hotel or a great restaurant.

8. Christmas in July – why stay in touch only during the winter holidays?

9. Messages – answer them promptly! 

10. Quick notes – paper is not dead yet!  Write a short note.

This is a quick list that we will explore together.  If you are serious about networking then you need to be serious about having a plan to stay in touch and nurture your network.  Nurture marketing is a term that has been used to describe the process of staying in touch without selling.  I’d like to say this top 10 will help you in Nurture Networking.  Good luck!

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Top Jobs in 2010 Survey

At the end of the day, we are all looking for work!  If we are employed, we are looking for an opportunity to sell or deliver our goods and services.  If we are unemployed, we are looking for a paycheck.  I've heard people say that money is not the most important thing in the world.  That was probably spoken by the guy with a job.  Money might not be the most important thing in the world, but when you need it, it is right up there with oxygen!

Every year Careercast.com puts out a survey that evaluates the top 200 jobs in the U.S.  If you are engaged in changing careers, looking for a job or are just entering college deciding your major, a technical proficiency is a must.  The author of the study, Andrew Strieber, summarizes the top job for 2010.

“Moving down the list, math and science-related professions continue to rule, with Software Engineer ranking as the second-best job for 2010. Involving the design and maintenance of software and hardware systems, the job rates well across all categories, finishing 5th for work environment and inside the top 30 for stress, income and physical demands.  But what truly helps Software Engineer stand out from other career choices is its hiring outlook.  With low unemployment compared to the national average and projected job growth of nearly 45% through 2016, Software Engineer currently has the best hiring outlook of any available job in 2010.”

They use a very sophisticated analytical process that looks at the following dimensions:

Environment – combination of physical and emotional factors.

Income – a derivative of mid-level salary range and long term salary potential through 2016.

Hiring Outlook – a combination of three factors to determine the outlook for future jobs – employment growth, income growth and unemployment.

Physical Demands – evaluation of how physically demanding a particular job is.

Stress – includes 23 different dimensions of tasks or conditions that evoke emotional stress.

We have been talking about the great value of a degree in MIS or Computer Science for years.  If you are looking for a great career, the best place to start is acquiring technical skills, but that’s a blog for another day.

For now, check out the survey from the links below.

Careercast.com Jobs Survey

Wall Street Journal Jobs Ranking