6 Strategies for Navigating the Career Development Maze
Is it just me, or does the concept of “Career Development” stymie many people? If you’re nodding along, you’re not alone. Employees often struggle to manage their careers, and managers grapple with how best to support them. (If you fall outside either or both of these camps, let me be the first this week to say, “Yay, you!”) When I’m working with managers, these questions frequently arise: These are all valid concerns. Let’s dive into some strategies and ideas to help you navigate the waters. 1. The Career Development Trifecta: A Three-Way Partnership Think of career development as a three-way partnership involving the employee, you (the manager), and the organization. This approach is most effective when it’s: Employee-driven – It’s ultimately up to the employee to identify and articulate where they want their career to go. Your job isn’t to figure this out for them. If they’re unsure, that’s okay! Your role is to partner with them and help them gain clarity. Manager-facilitated – As a manager, think of yourself as an air-traffic controller. Your job is to: Remember, you don’t need to have all the answers. Your primary task is to ask questions and guide them toward resources and opportunities. Company-supported – Most organizations have a vested interest in employee development. They often provide resources such as: Get familiar with what your company offers so you can direct your team members to these resources. 2. Redefine Career Development At its core, career development is about helping people grow. That’s it! This simple definition should take some pressure off. Your role is to: 3. Growth Isn’t Always Vertical Remember, “up” is not the only way to grow. Many employees are interested in learning and developing without necessarily seeking a promotion. Here are some alternative growth paths: 4. Look for Different Mediums to Help People Grow While providing information through articles, videos, blogs, trade publications, networking, and job shadowing is valuable, the real growth happens when employees apply newly acquired knowledge. To maximize learning: 5. Be Transparent Honesty is crucial in career development discussions, especially when addressing aspirations that may not align with current opportunities. When faced with such situations: 6. Ask for Help Remember, you don’t have to navigate career development alone. If you’re feeling stuck or unsure about how to support an employee: Remember, career development is an ongoing process, not a one-time event. By consistently engaging with your team members about their growth and aspirations, you’re not just developing careers – you’re building trust, boosting motivation, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
You’re Networking All Wrong
Not sure if it’s the time of year, the economy, or something else all together, but I am getting a lot of requests from people to “keep them in mind” if I hear about open roles. If you’ve read my notes for any length of time, you know I love networking. I think networking is a critical life skill. I love connecting people who can mutually benefit from knowing each other. And, when I was last looking for a job (2005) people were so generous with their time and introductions, I always want to pay it forward. I routinely receive emails to the effect of: Hey Sarah – How’s it going? It’s been a while since we last spoke, and I’d love to reconnect. I’m looking for a job and I was hoping you could keep your eyes and ears open for me for any [type of job] you hear about. I’d also appreciate introductions to people that you think would be good for me to connect with.” Thanks, Name There are three challenges with this: Here’s where we pull a lesson from Jerry McGuire: Make it easy for people to help you and support your search efforts! If you’re looking for a job and asking people to support you, minimally, offer them the following information: Alternatively, you can download a blank Networking Profile form here. Use this in conjunction with, or in lieu of your resume (depending on the networking situation.) What’s the difference between the two? Your resume is past tense. It speaks to the experience that’s behind you. Helpful. To a point. The Networking Profile is future-focused. It tells people what you’re looking for in a new role, supported with a few bullets of relevant experience, and lists companies you’re targeting. Most importantly… It gives people a call to action! Because you have listed 40 companies of interest* you can then say to someone: “These are the companies I’m targeting for my networking. I’d welcome an introduction if you have colleagues in any of these organizations.” *Yes, you can and should list that many companies or more. Minimally, go for 20. You don’t need to want to work at all of them. You are networking. The goal is to meet as many people as possible and gather data about companies and industries as you do. Before you end any networking conversation, ask how you can help the person you’ve been speaking with. It’s literally as easy as: “I really appreciate your time today. Is there anything I could do to support you?” Finally, if during the course of your networking, you find there’s an opportunity to introduce people in your network, please use the “double opt-in.” This means you have permission from both people to go ahead with the introductions before you fire off an email. Doing so respects that not everyone has time for networking in the immediate present, and there are some instances where people will decline the invitation. My experience is that the majority of time, people say “yes” to an intro, but give them the option to do so vs. making an assumption that it’s ok to send someone their way. Finally (no, really, this is definitely my last point), when you make the intro, provide some context for both parties. I usually say how I know each person and articulate why I am making the introduction. Most of the time I will also hyperlink their LinkedIn profiles to their names in the email to make it easier for them to find each other online. And with that, my good people, I am hopping off the soapbox.
One Simple Change to Radically Improve Your Work
We live in a relationship economy. Work gets done with and through other people. Full stop. “Doubling down” and working harder, “figuring it out” on your own, and burning the wick at both ends is an express lane to burn out. We are social beings. We are not meant to exist in isolation. When we engage our networks, internally and externally, we open ourselves up to innumerable possibilities and benefits. So you can see why I’ve included Connection as one of the anchors of the Leadership Fluency Framework. It’s silly to think we can “go it alone” and be successful. Here are just four ways real-world examples of how tapping into your network can support you: Increased Productivity →I used to work for a large multinational organization. My friend Sue worked for a burgeoning tech company. We routinely shared (non-proprietary) information so that we didn’t have to create programs from scratch. For example: “Hey, got any information on performance management I can share with my leadership team?” “I need to help managers understand the basics of compensation. Have you done anything like this before?” While the cultures were vastly (VASTLY!) different, this gave us each a starting point for our respective projects. Support → I’m running a women’s mastermind group. Recently a topic of discussion was “Sharing bad news with the CEO.” Participants were able to offer experience and insights to each other that helped them prepare for challenging discussions. This was also tied to increased productivity and diversity of thought, since these leaders weren’t sitting in a vacuum alone trying to figure out their best approach. They crowd-sourced information to identify the best path forward. Diversity of Thought → Since 2016, I have been partnering with NEHRA to create, deliver, and tweak the Executive HR Women’s Leadership Program. (The application window is now open for the September cohort!) Every year, we review what worked and what needs to shift based on evolutions in the HR space. To do this, NEHRA pulls in different Chief People Officers or subject matter experts to offer insight and deliver new content. In doing so, we have input from a wide range of companies and industries and are able to create a robust offering to women who aspire to the C-Suite, with information that is widely applicable. The diversity of thought is much greater than if the organization were to create something on its own. Covering Your A$$ (in a good way) → I rely heavily on Katelyn to get this note out every week. (Really, if I was doing it solo, there would be no weekly note!) Last week there was a confluence of situations that resulted in me being overtired, overwhelmed, and confused about dates, specifically for a recent note. I was equally grateful and relieved when she texted early on a Saturday morning to ask if I had made the changes I said I wanted to make to the test email. Without her, you would not have heard about 28 Ways to Support Your Wellbeing. 🙂 Need more ideas? Head on over to my blog – I have several articles on networking that can support you – here, here, here, and here. Bottom line, look for opportunities to engage with your network and watch what happens next!
11 Smart Ways to Improve Your Networking Game
If you’re currently in transition, thinking about making a change, or deciding to hang out a shingle, these suggestions will help you level up your networking game. Are you happily ensconced in your role? These same tips apply to building your social capital internally and externally to help achieve your goals. Don’t overthink it. Some people are shy about reaching out; they don’t want to impose, etc. Networking is building relationships. Any more than that, you’re making it more complicated than it needs to be. Identify your network. Create a list of 150 people you know. Yes, you do know that many people! Don’t limit yourself to business contacts. Think about your neighbors, your Pickle Ball buddies, parents of your kids’ friends, your stylist, etc. Everyone knows someone. You never know who can connect you with your next great opportunity. Prioritize your list and start your outreach accordingly: This will enable you to practice your networking pitch with your strong ties first. There’s less pressure to be “perfect” because they’re going to love you even if you fumble all over your words. Next, reach out to your dormant ties (emphasis on #6 below – build the relationship first, acknowledge you’ve been out of touch, ask how they’re doing, etc.) Now you’re ready to reach out to your weak ties. You will have had some networking wins, your confidence will be higher, and you will know exactly what you want to communicate, thus putting your best foot forward. Have a plan. Some things to consider: Just start. Yes, it may sound counter to what I’ve just said in #4, but it’s not. Yes, you want to have a plan so you come across as prepared and organized, but the plan doesn’t need to be grandiose. You don’t need five versions of your resume to be prepared to talk to different types of people, etc. Go with what you’ve got to start. Focus on the relationship first. Spend time reconnecting with people or getting to know them and helping them know you before you jump in with, “Do you know of any jobs?” or “Do you have any jobs in your company?” We live in a relationship economy. People first, task second. Be OK not having all the answers. In addition to reconnecting or meeting new people, the beauty of networking is gaining different perspectives, and learning something new. Networking will expose you to ideas you haven’t yet considered. Don’t wait until you have everything “figured out” in order to start the process. It’s iterative. Make it easy for people to help you. There are two ways to do this. If possible, avoid saying, “I’m looking for a senior-level engineering role in a technology company. Please let me know if you hear of anything.” Why? Because people are too busy. Despite best intentions, the likelihood that someone will think of you when they hear of something two months down the road is slim. Make it easy for them to support your search. Offer to help. Sometimes we’re so focused on our own needs we forget to offer help. If someone has taken the time to meet with you, make sure to offer your support to them. It can be as simple as, “Is there anything I can do for you?” Don’t “dine and dash.” Keep people in your network apprised of your progress. If someone has introduced you to new people, send a quick follow-up note and let them know how the meeting went. It’s another opportunity to thank them for their support, and also stay on their radar. Tip: Make a calendar reminder to follow up at an appropriate juncture. Don’t give up. If you’re in full-on job search mode, it can be exhausting (it can also be fun and exhilarating – it’s your choice.) People may not get back to you right away. Some may rebuff your request to meet. Some meetings won’t be as fruitful as others. Don’t take it personally. Just move to the next person on your list. (And how great is it that you have a list of 150 people to tap into!) 🙂 Need a few email scripts to help you out? Click here. Heading to a conference? Here are 42 Networking Questions you can ask.
5 Simple Ways to Network Over the Holidays
The holiday season is a great time of year for networking! Here’s a quick refresher on the benefits of networking if you need it: And, networking isn’t just for job search! It’s a great way to meet new people, be exposed to new perspectives and ideas, get help with problem-solving, gain access to information, and many other benefits. If you don’t feel comfortable networking, here are five ways to make it more seamless. Your call to action is this: When you find yourself in a new crowd, make a point to walk away from the gathering with at least one new work or personal connection. You may be surprised where it leads you!
3 Quick Tips to Improve Your LinkedIn Profile
Many years ago, I was doing outplacement consulting and supporting clients who were in transition. At some point during every engagement, we talked about networking as the best strategy to find a new job. I’ll never forget Derek.* After spending a couple of decades at his company, the idea of networking was scary to him (understandably so!) and he was resistant to trying it. After several weeks, Derek arrived for a coaching session all excited. Me: “You’re awfully excited today.” Derek: “I’ve been networking!” Me: “That’s awesome! Tell me all about it!” Derek: “I sent LinkedIn invitations to ten new people.” 🤦🏻♀️ As you will recall from past newsletters: It is not seeing how many new connections you can wrack up on LinkedIn. To be clear, the basic premise of LinkedIn is connecting and building new relationships. So there’s nothing wrong with sending connection requests to people to broaden your reach. The mere act of “linking”, however, is not in and of itself networking. Now, let’s talk about LinkedIn etiquette. Send a Personalized Invitation How many times have you received (or sent!) a LinkedIn request without a personalized message attached? Because the functionality on LinkedIn changes depending on the platform, you can unwittingly send a connection request without including a note. Mistakes aside, it’s helpful and suggested to provide someone with a frame of reference for the connection. Adding a message is especially important if you haven’t actually met the person – make sure to let them know why you’re looking to connect. Another benefit is that a year from now when you’re scrolling through your connections and trying hard to remember who this person is, you can look at the message you sent with your connection request and be reminded of how and why you connected. Know Your Platform As mentioned above, the process for making a connection request will look different on your computer vs. your mobile device. (If you’re a LinkedIn veteran, you can skip the tutorials below.) Here’s what it looks like on my Mac. When I’m getting ready to send an invitation to connect, I always pause to remind myself of which platform I’m on so I don’t inadvertently send one without a personal note. The mobile interface is a bit less intuitive for me. Focus on the Relationship First Every week I receive at least a couple of connection requests from people who are in business to support coaches. Here’s a screenshot of a recent invitation I received. Last I checked, I am not in marketing, and I’m not in non-profit. And the person didn’t specify why they wanted to connect so there’s little incentive for me to click the “accept” button at first blush. Here’s another. This person hasn’t told me anything about who they are or what they do, and they haven’t indicated why they’re reaching out to me specifically vs. someone else. Bottom line, do your research first, be intentional about why you’re connecting, and emphasize building a relationship before anything else.
7 Benefits of Networking You May Not Have Considered
In June of 2005, I experienced an event that was simultaneously one of the most painful times of my life and also one of the biggest opportunities for personal growth (isn’t that always the way?) I got laid off. It was a sucker punch to the gut. Fear of financial insecurity came barreling at me, and any confidence I might have had vanished into the ether. This, coupled with my borderline social anxiety, was a potent combination. Because instinctively, I knew that the one thing I really, really, really didn’t want to do was the thing that was going to propel me forward and help me find a job. Networking. People often assume (incorrectly) that I’m an extrovert. I’m actually highly (highly!) introverted, and reaching out to people is often uncomfortable. So it was with this wonderful mindset that I embarked on a job search.* 🙂 Here’s what I learned pretty quickly. And networking led me to my next job. In fact, EVERY job I’ve ever held (and I’ve been working since I was 13), including all of my consulting and coaching work in the last 7.5 years, has been a direct result of networking. I’ll let that sink in for a moment. With that, let’s look at the benefits of networking. Besides helping you land a job (obvs.), how else could you benefit from networking? Networking can help you: Sounds great, right? But there are only 168 hours in the week, and if you’re like many of my clients, you probably have a hectic job, families, and other commitments. You may have adopted a “head’s down” approach trying to “get it all done.” And let networking fall by the wayside. Because if you’re already exhausted and tapped out, even thinking about networking can start to feel like death by 1,000 papercuts. Lucky for you, I’m a big proponent of keeping things simple. (Except when I cook. Someday, I’ll post a picture of my kitchen mayhem. The antithesis of simple…) I’m here to tell you, you don’t need a project plan or Gantt chart to pull off networking and reap the rewards. What you do need is some level of consistent action. I don’t believe in one size fits all. This will look different for everyone – find something that works for you. Here’s your call to action: Think of someone in your network that you haven’t spoken with in over a year, then reach out. Not sure what to say? Click here to download sample email or direct message templates.
3 Common Networking Myths and How to Reframe Them
I put a stake in the ground and declared that networking is a critical life skill. Knowing how to navigate life in a relationship economy will not only enrich your life, it will also provide, hands down, the best ROI. Ever. (If you missed the last post you can grab it here.) Despite this, myths and misconceptions about networking perpetuate. (You’ve already heard me talk about one, “I’m not looking for a job, so I don’t need to network.” This statement makes my hair hurt.) Here are three more myths that may be standing in your way of increasing your social capital and tapping into the vast power that building a network has to offer. Let’s break these down and reframe them, shall we? 1. I don’t like to impose on people. → Reframe: Networking is building relationships. First off, by assuming you’re imposing on someone, you’ve put yourself in a box before you’ve even started. In the last 18 years of proactively networking, I have had exactly one person say “No.” when I asked for a meeting. Virtually everyone you ask to meet with is going to say “Yes.” They may say they can’t meet for another month, they may only offer you 15-minutes of their time, but more than likely, they will agree to connect with you. Why? Because most people want to help. Second, if you don’t ask for a meeting because you’re afraid to impose, you’ve made a decision for someone else without their input. People know how to self-manage. They’ll let you know if it’s an imposition. I invite you to think about networking as yet one more opportunity to build connections. 2. I’m not good at it. → Reframe: You are good at it. (And you do know how.) I debunked this notion last week but it bears repeating because so many people have inaccurate definitions of what networking really is. It is definitively not schmoozing at events, connecting with as many people as possible on social media, or passing out your business card. See #1. It’s building relationships. This means connecting with others, finding common ground, and maintaining those connections in some fashion. You do this all the time in many areas of your life. Networking is an opportunity to apply this skill in a different context. How have you successfully built relationships in the past? What positive impact could this have for you in a business context? 3. I don’t have time. → Reframe: We Live in a Relationship Economy. Make the time. There is a difference between having time and making time. Do you have time to run out to Starbucks for your daily Pumpkin Spiced Latte? Yes, you do. Because you love PSL, you need the caffeine boost, or running to the closest Starbucks is more enjoyable than whatever else was on your to-do list today. Whatever your reason, you’ve prioritized it. The same holds true for networking. When you know why you’re networking, and you’ve found the way to network that suits you (more on this in a future newsletter!), making the time becomes much easier. It starts with shifting your mindset about networking and its importance in your life. What activities do you routinely make time for? How could you make time for networking? Here is a networking resource for you: Give and Take. This was Adam Grant’s first book and it’s a quick read. In it, he talks about three types of networkers – Givers, Takers, and Matchers – and the benefits and downsides of each.
4 Things You May Not Know About Networking
When you hear the word “networking,” what do you think? Are you excited by the prospect of it, or does the idea of it make you want to curl up in the fetal position and hide? I wholeheartedly believe that networking is a critical life skill. So, to bridge the gap of feelings on the networking scale, I am offering you a series on networking. My hope is that if you’re a novice, you’ll learn strategies that make networking feel easier (or maybe less scary!) If you’re a seasoned networker, my hope is that you walk away with a new networking nugget. If you are someone who doesn’t see the point in networking, I hope I can shift your perspective. 😊 I often hear people say, “I don’t need to network, I’m not looking for a job.” I can’t judge. That used to be me. Until I was out of a job and didn’t have a network to lean on. Today I know the value of having social capital extends far beyond the need to look for a job. People will also often say to me, “I’m not good at networking.” I beg to differ. Here are four key concepts to know about networking. 1. Networking is building relationships. I’m going to go out on a limb and suggest you do this in your personal life all day long. When it comes to networking for business – job search or otherwise – you’re simply applying your existing relationship-building skills in a different context. 2. We live in a relationship economy. Work (and life) gets done with and through other people. Case in point: The more you network, the more connected you are (Queen Of The Obvious over here…) 3. Being a connected leader gives you a strategic advantage. Being a connected leader will increase your confidence, competence, visibility, productivity, engagement, and influence. 4. In a relationship economy, connections are your currency. The common thread in all of this is about harnessing the power of relationships. Relationships that provide you with access to information, people, and resources. Brian Uzzi and Shannon Dunlap wrote a great article for the Harvard Business Review entitled How to Build Your Network. In it they say “What separates successful leaders from the rest of the pack? Networking; creating a tissue of personal contacts to provide the support, feedback and resources needed to get things done.” Mic drop. So, to recap: