Spread Your News
Becca walked into happy hour an energetic college graduate (wisely) eager to connect with established professionals in her field. Armed with a confident smile, positive attitude, and a firm handshake, she was working the room like a champ — until I accidentally smacked her in the face with the networking card swap.
“Oh, I don’t have a business card,” Becca sheepishly replied. “I don’t have a job yet, so there isn’t a reason to have them. And I didn’t think about it until now, but the only thing I have to hand out to people I meet is my full portfolio.”
No card, no LinkedIn account, and no napkin to write on. Just a portfolio. In a bar. (sigh)
This common peer-party foul is not reserved for the recent grad. Young and advanced professionals — especially those between jobs — often find themselves in a room full of potential bosses, sales leads, and important contacts without a clear way to show folks who they are professionally and how to reach them personally.
It’s not the end of the world of course, but if you’re looking for a new gig (or first gig), it is a missed opportunity. Worse, what if it’s the opportunity?
Your new mantra: I am the CEO of me. So, Chief, here are some ways to create your self-sales kit:
Say “Moo”
MOO.com is rocking the personalized business cards market. The cards look professional, and a pack of 50 starts at $22. Select your favorite font, color, and style, and then upload a logo or image. MOO will print your cards on “classic stock” or “green stock” (80 percent recycled and 100 percent recyclable). Be sure to include your email address (with your real name, not IloveJordinTooToo@something.com), cell phone number, blog, Twitter feed, and a good one-liner about you.
Never leave the house without your cards. This way, when you bump into your next boss at the Titans game, Preds rally, Whole Foods, or Fido, you’ll be prepared.
Build Your Brand
Like most forms of advertising, repetition is key. When you walk into the room, folks should say “Here comes the designer/lawyer/geek/photographer/writer/hockey fan/tree hugger/____.” That won’t happen though unless you keep reminding us that is who you are. You don’t have to be obnoxious, just consistent.
An example: the top of my personal website, Flackrabbit.com, reads “PR Flack, Writer, Geek” because I want to be sure you know that’s who I want you to think I am. It took a lot of repeating, but over the years, those words have become the foundation of my personal brand.
Milk the Meetups
If you’ve never surfed around Meetup.com — the online hub for local gatherings, happy hours, and networking events — dip your toe in today. Sign up for a free account and browse through more than 59,000 groups in 11,500 U.S. cities. Nashville alone has 200 active Meetup groups, bringing together on a monthly basis everyone from photographers to writers to real estate pros. If you don’t see a group that fits your field, that’s great news because that means you get to start one!
Leverage LinkedIn
When is the last time you loved on your LinkedIn account? Be sure you have filled out your bio, specialties and relevant websites. Job recruiters are constantly searching through LinkedIn looking for candidates; if you don’t fill out your profile, they won’t be able to find you.
Next, ask your current and former colleagues to “recommend” you publicly on LinkedIn. The best way to initiate this is to recommend someone and ask them to return the favor. This is especially important for those between jobs because you’ll have built-in character and work ethic references ready at a moment’s notice or a recruiter’s whim.
If this whole approach seems a little self-promoting, that’s because it is. Listen, sister, you have worked very hard to become the talented professional you are today. Be proud of your accomplishments, find a way to communicate them clearly, meet folks who should know about your skills, and be prepared to seize every opportunity — and card swap — that comes your way.
