Introverts, Embrace Your Strengths and Network Like a Pro

Let’s just admit it:  The world is skewed toward extroverts and it adds an extra challenge for introverts.  Being an extrovert married to an introvert, I’ve had my eyes opened to how this affects people.  (For the record, introversion is a preference for the inner world and thoughts, which is where introverts get their energy and where they process things. It’s often used interchangeably with shyness but the two are not the same.) The world is, however, finally starting to see that introversion has its benefits, as evidenced in the recent popularity of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking.

Networking and connecting with others in social or quasi-social settings is an extroverted activity and it’s critical in many, if not most, fields.  It can be exhausting, even prohibitively so, for introverts.  There are some useful strategies, however, that will help introverts manage these events and realize their benefits.  They include:

1.     Appreciate your introversion.  It’s not a weakness.  It’s a preference.  Many times, it is even a strength as it may make you more predisposed to listening and observing things that the more talkative might miss.  At events where you need to connect, seek out one conversation at a time and ask questions.  This will help you budget your energy reserves and connect with others because it displays your interest in the other person.

2.     Reach out first and try pre-introductions before events.  If it’s possible, use social media to connect with a few people who might be at an event to ease the way.  Let them know that you are looking forward to meeting them, which will make it easier when you actually do.  If that’s not possible, practice being the first to offer a friendly contact when you meet someone in person – those old standbys:  a smile, your name, and a nice handshake – because everyone responds well to this.  Then you can use your introvert strengths (see #1 above) to wow them. 

3.    Recharge your batteries.  An introvert friend once told me at a conference that she was going up to her hotel room for an hour because she was “extroverted out.”  This was a great idea because it gave her quiet time to power up internally and prepare herself for more  events to come later that day.  Use the time you need to recharge after these types of events and you will feel better about them.

Click here for more information about these tips and happy networking!

There Are Really Only Three Interview Questions

Professional recruiters tend to believe that there are really only three interview questions.  They are:

Can you do the job?

Will you love the job?

Can we tolerate working with you?

George Bradt, author of The New Leader’s Playbook, will tell you more about those questions and how to prepare for answering them here.

Job Searching Advice from the Founder of LinkedIn

LinkedIn has become a major player in job searches.  Not surprisingly, its co-founder, Todd Wasserman, has some insightful tips for anyone who is job searching and some of his advice runs counter to come classic career advice.  He says there’s no need to “find yourself” to find the right direction or position because your “true identity” is constructed, not discovered.  You certainly have some strengths and preferences for how you work, but your environment and experiences also influence you all the time.  Some self-knowledge is certainly helpful, but not the “be all, end all” that it’s been made out to be.  So you can stop trying to figure out what color your parachute is and start figuring out if you like where it’s taking you. 

Another piece of advice he offers is being able to explain what value you bring to an organization in very specific terms.  You are competing with other talented individuals, but what makes you different from others? 

Want to know more?  Find Wasserman’s eight tips here.  

Five Things Interviewers Look for in a Great Job Interview

It’s the time of year when many of Gwinnett Campus students are getting close to graduating and may be looking for new jobs to go along with their shiny new UGA credential.  So this is the first in a series of posts that will help you in a job search process, whether you do it now or later.  Check back regularly for more tips or get the updates sent to your email address by signing up to the right in the box that says, “Enter your email address.”

Have you been in the work world a long time and think you don’t need these tips? You may need it more than anyone because job searching and interviewing is a skill.  If you haven’t used that skill in a while, a refresher will really help your chances.

In a recent post, CEO Matthew Swyers describes five things he looks for in an outstanding job interview and they apply no matter what your field, from sales to social work to education.  Find them here.