A Job You Love

Do you still send Linkedin (or viadeo) invitations without personal message?

So you get it wrong!

Networking and social networking is all about quality and not quantity.

In their brilliant article, Networking Reconsidered, the authors go even further and explain that Networking is about genuine relationships where you exchange issues and real knowledge. And only time and trust will ensure this kind of relationship.

By building long term relationships and getting the trust of your contacts you will be able to develop collaborative work.

I know that I don’t share the philosophy … Continue Reading

The other day I got an email from Andrei Parakhnevitch, here it is:

“I have applied your recommendations to my current situation.
Here are some results:
- focusing on the industry / sector I am experienced in (maximum 5 tailored files sent per day) – I don’t know whether you’ve heard about a student who had sent 800! CVs and couldn’t get a job before he broadcasted his case on the BFM radio;
- networking by using alumni contacts from ESCP and joining Groups on LinkedIn;
- not posting “looking for a job” on the … Continue Reading

I have been receiving dozens of emails wishing me a happy new year and a merry Xmas from clients, providers, or contacts. But it is highly impersonal, I am just one of them.

Handwritten cards are a much more efficient way to let you contact remember you, it is a polite and delicate way of paying attention to someone. In this world of automation and paperless, a handwritten card is another way of communicating how much this person is important to you.

I must say that it is not green … Continue Reading

The more I spend time with job seekers and career changers, the more I realize that the most important thing in your career is not your CV, neither your network…but to be focused.

A lot of people want to be everything to everybody, “I am looking for a job in that industry but as well I want to do things in this industry as well…”. They want to keep all options opened, so they try a little of everything. But it does not work.

As long as you want to … Continue Reading

The other day, I was waiting for a train at my station…and I was at the same time observing the pigeons hanging around on the platform (the idea of this article came from reading this awesome story, Job Search Tenacity through a blind dog)

There were 10 of them, 3 were really rawboned, and the other ones were not that great either.

A guy in front of me just dropped a crust of bread, and all of them rushed to grab that piece of food…they were fighting each other … Continue Reading

ON a regular basis, I receive this kind of emails :

“Dear Laurent,

I am an engineering graduate in the area of Electronics & Communications and is looking forward to start my career.

I am looking for a position leading to further enhancement of my knowledge and skills.
Should you require any further information, please feel free to contact me.

Warm regards,
Tar***”

This is the kind of email I call “unsolicited and annoying” emails.

This person sent me an email without even knowing exactly what I am doing (I am a career consultant and not a recruiter) … Continue Reading

I have been giving career reviews at Forum 3 since yesterday and I met so many different people from young graduates to mature people.

But one case struck me more than others.

This girl is in her early twenties and holds a degree in Accounting from another country and now is following courses to have a master in Finance in the UK.

When she came to see me, she asked me what kind of job she could do.

She has been studying a couple of subjects for almost 5 years and was not … Continue Reading

I do remember the first executive I coached…it was back in 2005.

Here was his time schedule:

7.30     He gets up and has his breakfast (and kisses his wife…not all the time)

8.25     He switches on his computer

8.30     He checks his emails

9.10     He goes on news websites and other websites

9.40     He starts scouting through job boards

11.00   After identifying a couple of ads, he reviews his CV and starts elaborating

a cover letter for each position (10-20 positions)

12.30   It is time for Lunch

13.30   Back to computer and some readings, finishes off … Continue Reading

This is the 2nd article about networking. In the 1st we saw Why networking is important to any job search, in this one we see what kind of beliefs can prevent you from networking.

Everytime I run a workshop about networking I hear the same sentences and beliefs about networking.
And my job is to make people think about their beliefs…”Are you sure it is true?”
So let’s have a look at this list of beliefs about networking:

“Networking is manipulation” (it is a classic)
“Networking is for extraverts” (so all the shy … Continue Reading

In my previous post I explained why I think Your CV is boring and ineffective
The CV is boring because it is a list of duties and it is so boring to read for a recruiter, and it is statistically inefficient because now all the recruiters receive hundreds of CVs for each position advertised so your odds of getting a job through the “normal” market is quite low.

Just to give you more insight I will quote this part of the book of Seth Godin:
“Odds are that the last time you switched … Continue Reading

I have reposted the video of this article…to give more information about Keith Ferrazzi.

Keith Ferrazzi is known as the guru of networking worldwide and is the author of the Famous book, “never eat alone”. If there is one book to buy about networking, this is the one!!

This video is slighlty americanised (catchy and emphatic) in the style but it is so true

And you, what do you think?

I had the great pleasure to meet with Steve Preston, director of the Outplacement and career consultancy, SMP Solutions

Steve launched last month a new product for people willing to get a career coaching on their own.  I took the time with steve to talk about the crisis, and some tips to find a job in this climate. He gave some very good advice indeed!!!!

Steve, what is SMP Solutions exactly?

SMP Solutions is a career and people development consultancy. We specialise in helping people unlock their potential to … Continue Reading

Click here and watch this great video!!

When you talk about your career objective, you need to create a minimum of enthusiasm…

Especially when you start networking. If people feel that you believe in what you do, and that you will fight for it, you will have at least one person following you, maybe two.

And if you keep on communicating about your project and your goals passionately and consistently, you may be surprised by the outcome.

Everybody talk about networking…but at the end of the day, we don’t know exactly why we should network.

Here are some good reasons why you should network.

Why networking ?

-        It is the only gateway in job markets inundated with CVs or in job markets that have no advertised positions

-        To obtain information about your industry and the companies

-        To check if your professional project is feasible

-        To develop useful contacts for your business or future employment

-        To get closer to your targeted companies and people

-        To get through the selection process even if you have an unusual profile

-        To pep up your … Continue Reading