How to Network in the Modern Era

While I’m in transition from Calix into that which is to come next, I thought I’d begin to provide you with some of the insights I've gained over the years as a recruiter and recruiting manager.  When I was with IBM, I handled their Internet Recruiting channels and designed their social media engagement strategies (which are now defunct and non-existent I have to add) and since then, my skills have only improved with the times, my experiences and the technology. In so doing, I’ll ask the kind favor of you to share my blog with someone you know who may find this new, and long run conversation interesting as well.

Social networking isn’t just about making content, it’s about sharing content. "Moving Words", so to speak (with a pun intended). It’s about sharing the authenticity of the experience with those you trust to keep the connection in good care, standing and esteem.

In this electronic age, it can feel surprising to run into someone who is actually, well, a real live, (and potentially interesting) human being who may just know what he’s talking about and is sharing it in real time. Even more so, it can feel just as surprising to learn that you don’t really know what to do with that valuable piece of information right now, in real time.  Now, with the live human being behind the hiring curtain.

Networking suddenly returns to mind. So let’s return to discussing it as a skill you can learn or a skill you can always improve.

Keep in mind, Networking is best when it is about Win Win. It’s a subtle point that will grow in your understanding over time but always fits the times. It's a universally attractive idea. Hold on to that.

I am very well connected  on LinkedIn, but there are surprisingly few people who actually know how to network successfully with me.  When it comes to job and career, it’s been my experience that people really don’t know how to make, nurture and develop valuable connections and relationships.   When it comes to job search, I would expect every candidate applying for a job with Calix to reach out to me on LinkedIn and get connected and start a conversation about their fit with the company and the roles we hire.

Saying Hello to the recruiter or hiring manager on LinkedIn is the new form of Cover Letter. Only no one knows that yet.  Well, now you do.

Reach out because you’re interested in building a relationship with that person about that company and learning what your prospects are of making that place a career destination in the years to come. I expect every candidate to know how to find me and how to gently influence my decision to give their resume an extra nod and overview. It’s a good idea and it’s so easy these days and yet, it’s a rare occurrence whenever it does happens.

So, How many people know how to do any of this?? Not many at all and well, now it’s as many people that also know about the value of sharing this article with someone they talk about work, job, bosses, coworkers, customers  or careers with... This is Behind the Hiring Curtain, don’t forget.

I’m right there on LinkedIn as easy as it can possibly be to find me. Type in: “Calix Recruiter” and you’ll find me at the Top of the list.  For that matter, type in “IBM Recruiter” and you’ll still find me. Think about that, the next time you’re interested in prospecting for a new job. Get connected, make things happen. Network. (Lots’ more on that in my book, but I digress and it’s not done, so that’s just a teaser and a reminder of how much work I have in front of me)

Networking is about connecting to add value to someone else’s life, not just to solve your own problems. When it does both, it’s Win Win and then it’s the best reason of all to network, because then value is added to all parties and the world feels just a little bit closer together.

I talk with a lot of people every day and I’ll tell you this much, generally speaking they all want to be as helpful as they can.  They are all mostly kind and usually recognize your appreciation for bringing some good will to their attention.  At least that’s my perception. It’s not as unfriendly out there as some may prefer to think. This isn't Gotham City. It's much better. 

Here’s a tip that might be helpful:  If you begin by sharing information or content, explain why you think it’s relevant to that person. Put yourself out on a limb and tell them why it was interesting to you. Here’s another tip: If you’re not sure what to say- just tell them “For some reason, you just came to mind. Hope you’re well, pass this along if you find it useful” and then be done with it.

In this case, this very article you’re reading  is an attempt to educate people on how to network successfully and with some good manners and technique I might add. Oh, another Hot Tip: manners are never out of fashion and neither is public or private praise.  Compliments come too rarely and when they do, take the time and learn to appreciate them. It’s worth standing in the glow of that moment for as long as it can last. Good Karma happens in that space and time.

Networking is about value propositions and relevancy. Maintain your value proposition and maintain your relevancy and people will recognize you for it over time. Take for instance this article, again…I'm the same guy I've always been, but now, my words are more public. Asked to be shared.

This space today is about networking some best practices that you may be interested in adopting yourself or seeing in the community that we share.

If you see a guy putting his name out there and you appreciate what you're reading, then share it and watch that good will find its way back to you over and over again.

Pay it Forward comes to mind.

Self Indulgently, this article is a great example yet again.  My book is filling up with all sorts of this kind of useful material and now I finally have the time on my hands to concentrate on finishing it. I want you to read it and to gain some real advantages in your career which will unfortunately sound like a cliché of exceptional life changes ending with a great life lived and the world in position for a better series of tomorrows but again, I digress.  It’s not fully cooked yet, so you’ll have to wait a little longer. 

My entire family is committed to making a great change in the world and I think I have something interesting to offer to that cause.

If you will, hang in there with me. The ideas bubbling up and beginning to manifest themselves in the world.

Oh- and let me know if you think I should meet or be introduced to anyone in your network. Think about it. One of my best skills in networking and I enjoy Win Win relationships... a lot.  I’m in transition, I have a lot to offer and great people, great Decision Makers are usually only one connection away looking for special Talent.  I’ve got a value proposition to share, who wants in? I’ll do the heavy lifting, you do the sharing: Win Win.

Cheers to the future, I see us all in it.

Rob Segall

PS- Thanks again for forgiving all the typos all the way to the end.

Equal but Separate: Life as a Contract Recruiter

They Say that when a man turns 40, something happens to you.  They say you see the world with a new focus and with greater meaning. They say you see the world with a reflection of the things that are more important to self, community and the world at large. They say you become more settled, more in touch, more involved in the making of the world forward. Reflections and lessons of the past are applied for the future.

I think I agree.

I started my job with Calix just before I turned 40.  A Corporate Contract Recruiter on a hamster wheel of a Career. There are hundreds if not thousands of people out there like me. The job is always evolving. It’s a changing industry and if you allow yourself to remain complicit to your original technique, and do not evolve your understanding to match the times, you’ll become an ineffective and undesirable dinosaur.

I have to wonder what they think of me. The praise I get from candidates is great, but because I’m not a member of the staff- full time, regular- I can’t be brought into the family as they would expect I should be. They probably can’t perceive the difference and difficulty of being a third party.

Separate but Equal comes to mind. But it may be more appropriate to say Equal, but Separate.

A livelihood as a contractor. 

It’s tough to live your professional life without a future. Every day there are questions. What’s next? How do I pay for Health Insurance? What about Retirement? What is my career path? Where will I wind up next? How does this year over year resume turnover affect my long term employment prospects? How do I break out of this cycle?

Different Questions; Difficult Questions.

I look for answers to hard questions from all the resources around me… the company is the first, since they are paying the bills. But really it’s candidates mostly that give me the most insight. They have an honest agenda of need for the Right Now and the Long Term. The unique nature of the individual and their problems is fascinating to me. I see threads that connect us all. I believe it’s a byproduct of the third party nature of my life and livelihood.

Like everyone, I have to first be true to myself. Circumstances around us swirl and we can sometimes feel caught up in a world that is moving on without us. But in the stillness of that isolation, if you can fight off that feeling of panic and dread, you can learn to see new opportunities and discover new strengths in yourself. I think these are the strengths that underscore our true nature and get to the essence of what we can, should and will become.

A job is the work you do for someone. A career is the knowledge and experience you gain from that work  applied to your own life and livelihood, over time.  It’s more than the daisy chain of jobs strung together to say where you have worked. It’s about your impact and what solutions you can make to the world and community around you.

A career is a valuable thing. Valuing one’s Career is a good idea. Employers who value Career value their communities and their employees. Career then becomes an important word. The people who talk about that Word (ie, recruiters) are important then too. It’s a problem then when the word isn't valued. It’s my problem at least.

SO what’s Next??

What good is knowledge and experience if you don’t use it…? Or don’t share it? It seems like an awful waste, so right now, I’m feeling my ground for what I can do with my knowledge and experience for what I want to do NEXT.

One thing’s for sure… In true Libra fashion, I’m going to see if I can help people and companies through and from my experience. I had one full year with Calix. It has been a great run. I have LOVED every minute of it, and believe in this company, but it’s definitely time to leave this job behind and get on with the mystery of what Next is for me.

41 is right around the corner… Another set of experiences under my belt, more perspective on the world around us, tons of experiences, tools and ideas to leverage and most of all, a lot of important decisions to make. NEXT is on its way. Stay Tuned for what that will mean to me. Things are moving fast now so hang on.

More to come, but for now it’s finish up with Calix. As always- thanks for being there and most especially for forgiving the typos. Stay tuned.

Cheers to the future,

Rob Segall