July 2010
You'll Never Walk Alone*
Alvah Parker is a Career Coach who works with clients who are ready for a career change either because they are bored in their current job, ready to retire and find more meaningful work, or eager to find their life's calling to add passion to their current job. She helps her clients find work that is more meaningful and a true reflection of their values and behavioral style. Alvah has developed a unique Value Program designed to uncover the client's strengths, values and style. Along with her own special programs Alvah has been trained in several different approaches to guiding her clients to find meaningful work using life purpose and life history. Alvah is also the coach for several professional association job boards.
*Title of a song from Carousel by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein**
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**The use of song titles is my way of expressing my love of music and musical theater. Each time I come up with a title I rediscover a song I love.
Hey, Look Me Over!*
Can this group help me find my next job?
So many of my clients tell me they go to a networking meeting or two but give up because nothing happens. I've written before about giving the group a fair trial. Building relationships takes time so you will need to attend a few meetings of one organization to see any progress. That said however some organizations may just be wrong for you and the sooner you decide that the less time you will waste and the faster you can move on to a group that will work for you. Here are some questions to ask yourself in order to evaluate the group. If you can say "yes" to at least 8 of these, the group is probably right for you.
1. Are there enough people from your target companies or in your profession or industry to make joining the group and attending the meetings regularly worthwhile? Your goal is to meet people who can either give you information about a company or tell you about a job opening. There should be a number of those kinds of people in the group so that you know your contact list and knowledge of potential employers will grow by joining the group.
2. Is the group large enough so that you get a diversity of ideas and people? You want to learn how others see the value of what you do from a variety of perspectives. In a small group not only will you have fewer opportunities to meet the kind of people you want to but you also will not be exposed to as many different points of view. Different points of view can help you to craft better answers to questions, see your qualifications in new ways, and learn about new ideas in your field and related fields.
3. Does the group meet regularly so that you get to network with the members frequently? You are looking for a group that meets at least once a month. It is hard to build strong relationships in an organization that meets only once or twice a year. Fewer meetings mean fewer opportunities to meet people and also fewer opportunities to reinforce an existing relationship. As the saying goes, "Out of sight out of mind."
4. Is the group growing and attracting new members? New members bring new ideas and energy. Groups that are not attracting new members tend to lose members and fade away. Vibrant groups are growing and evolving.
5. Does the group have long term members? What kind of member turnover does the group have? When long term members leave you lose a lot of experience and contacts. Just as new members bring vibrancy to an organization older members bring stability and connections.
6. Is the overall philosophy of the group compatible with your philosophy? Some service organizations have a rule against talking about business. Other groups are focused on exchanging leads. Will you be comfortable with a group that has a particular focus? Also does the group understand and participate in the general networking philosophy of giving to get? This means you must be ready to help others and give to them if you expect them to help you. This philosophy is a basic in networking both online and off. Are you prepared to do this yourself and does the group you are looking at encourage this?
7. Are the members accessible outside of the meeting so that you have the opportunity to talk with them privately? If the goal of networking is to build relationships with people, members must be available to meet with you. You'll want to have coffee, breakfast etc with some of the people with whom you feel a special connection. This will help you build a trusting relationship so that your contacts are comfortable recommending you to their colleagues and telling you about job openings at their company. You will need to be comfortable introducing them to your contacts too and helping them to find work when appropriate.
8 Are there prominent people or thought leaders in the group that you are eager to know? Join a group where there are people known in the industry as thought leaders or prominent people in the community who are well known and respected. Referrals from these kinds of people can be powerful.
9. Are there leadership positions open to newer members that would put you in a prominent position? Once you decide to join the organization do they make you wait for a period of time to take a leadership position or are there some types of roles that new members can participate in immediately? If you join an organization the fastest way to get known by the members is to volunteer to help. Leadership positions help you to stand out from the crowd.
10. What is the purpose of the group and are you comfortable with that purpose? Some groups especially nonprofit and fund raising groups that you may join have a purpose other than the networking. Be sure that the group's main purpose is something you are comfortable supporting actively and having your name associated with it.
* Song from the Broadway Musical Wildcat with music by Cy Coleman and lyrics by Carolyn Leigh
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About Alvah Parker
Alvah Parker is a Career Transition Coach. An award winning Account Executive for AT&T, an AT&T Sales and Quality Manager, and now a career coach for the past 12 years, Alvah has successfully coached clients to define and achieve their goals. Alvah is committed to helping clients find their purpose in life. Once her clients know that purpose they are better able to select a career, connect with their passion and select a job specialty that expresses that purpose. This leads to a really satisfying and meaningful work experience. Alvah specializes in working with people in transition who are interested in exploring new career options. Her coaching helps her clients to get clear about their vision and then design a plan and strategy for the future based on that vision. Alvah coaches her clients over the telephone. This means she can be reached from anywhere in the world. You can reach Alvah at 781-598-0388
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