It s a shame I've been sitting on this book for about two years now. A friend of mine gave me Never Eat Alone , by Keith Ferrazzi a couple years ago (thanks Rey), and it s been on my bookcase ever since. It was resting there not because I didn't want to read it, but because I already had so many others in the pipeline. I finally got around to reading it last month and I definitely recommend it. In very simple terms, Ferrazzi explains why networking is important and how to do it. From how to make call lists to planning dinners to personal branding to goal setting, it s all here. He also maintains a valuable blog .
Inevitably there will be times when you have setbacks or things don t go your way. Maybe you didn't get a job you thought you were sure to get. Maybe you lost a job unexpectedly, didn't win a contract, or lost a major client. Your car always seems to break down right after you've had some other unexpected expense. These kinds of situations immediately place us in crisis. They don t feel good, but sometimes they re what we need in order to grow. The beautiful thing about crises is that they force us to take a step back and reevaluate what s going on in our lives and rediscover what we truly want and need. When we get over that initial shock and feeling of disappointment, we might realize that maybe that job wasn't really the best for us anyway. Maybe, just maybe, that wasn't what you really wanted to spend your life doing. Maybe that friend was holding you back instead of pushing you forward. The way I deal with crises of these sorts is simple: If something doesn't go my way professionally, I try to create a situation that would be more rewarding than the situation originally planned. A while ago, I was offered a job that looked very promising. After I accepted the offer, they pushed the start date back three times, later informing me (via e-mail) that they wanted to bring me on in the near future but I should feel free to explore other options. I was extremely disappointed. I felt disrespected and angry, but decided to make the best of the situation and follow my dream of working internationally. I then flew to Santiago, Chile and had great professional and personal experiences I wouldn't have had otherwise. Later, reflecting back on the original opportunity, I realized that working for a company that avoids a start date three times and then can t pick up the phone to explain the situation is probably not where I need to spend my time. Use setbacks as an opportunity to put your goals in order and act on them. In the moment, it s difficult to look at a setback as temporary, but they are. They happen to everybody. It s how you respond to them that will determine how they affect you.
Enhance Your Job Search with Social Media
View more presentations from Chris Brogan.
Yesterday, Chris Brogan (social media guru) hosted a webinar on enhancing your job search with social media. Due to other obligations, I wasn’t able to attend, but being the giving person he is, Brogan has made his slides available on SlideShare. Enjoy.
The Slides:
Here’s a link to the slides: http://www.slideshare.net/chrisbrogan/enhance-your-job-search-with-social-media
The Video:
Here’s a link to the full webinar:
WMV file for Windows - http://www.humanbusinessworks.com/mov/0930JobSearch.wmv
MOV file for Mac - http://www.humanbusinessworks.com/mov/0930JobSearch.mov
Tungle is a simple web scheduling program that allows you to show when you are available to meet. The main draw for Tungle users is that you can place a Tungle widget on your website, provide a link in your emails, etc. and people who want to set up time with you can view you real-time availability (without seeing exactly what’s on your calendar) online and request times that will work for you. This way, you can cut down on the back and forth guesswork that occurs when multiple people have conflicting schedules.
Whether the meeting consists of one or several people, Tungle works on Mac, PC, and Linux. It syncs with Outlook, iCal, Google Calendar, and other popular calendar services. Currently, they have an application for the iPhone and Blackberry. The android application is “coming soon.” If you put in a location, it will automatically provide a Google Maps map of it, allowing you to get driving directions, or send them to those who might need them.
I’ve been using the service for a about a month and it has already proved to boost my productivity. I’m spending less time scheduling meetings, calls, events, etc., and spending more time actually having those meetings, calls, events, etc. Tungle handles the meeting invitations, RSVP’s and keeps you updated on your mobile devices, computers, and web calendars.
Check it out and tell me what you think.
Links: