Seven Surprises for New Managers

Surprise One: You Can't Run Everything, in Detail
As a new manager, you first need to realize that you can't be directly involved in every detail of every project that your team is working on. Otherwise, work will bottleneck around you, you'll become exceptionally stressed, and your team's effectiveness will plummet.

So your perspective has to shift from getting things done yourself to getting things done through other people. (This sounds obvious - but many new managers struggle with this!)

To avoid the problems associated with this surprise:
Learn how to delegate effectively.
Only attend meetings that you really need to attend.
Question whether you need to participate in tasks, or simply be informed of their outcomes.
Be careful not to make too many decisions for people; when people come to you with a question, ask them what they recommend.
Give people the guidance and resources that they need to do their jobs themselves. This frees you to do the job of managing and leading your team.

Surprise Two: Giving Orders is Costly
As a manager, you need to work towards a situation where you don't need to tell people what to do, and can, instead, trust them to make the right decisions.

Some people may doubt their ability to make decisions. When this happens, they're likely to come to you for approval of everything. This creates "manager dependency," and can make you a decision-making bottleneck, potentially stalling your team's progress.

In a similar way, overruling decisions or making last minute changes can waste a great deal of time and resource; and it can also undermine your people's confidence.

To avoid the problems associated with this surprise:
Communicate your organization's vision and values, keep people informed, and train them so that they have the confidence to make decisions, based on what's best for the organization.
Create systems and structures so that your people understand what needs to be done.
Endorse robust decision making tools, and teach people how to use them.
Let people know that mistakes are part of the development process, and that you'd rather they take some risks than be indecisive. (Clearly, this may not be suitable in all types of work, so use your best judgment.)
Recognize how placing trust in people can improve your team's performance.

Surprise Three: It's Hard to Know What's Really Going On
No one wants to give his or her boss bad news. So, the reality is that by the time you get information, it won't necessarily be reliable.

However, you need accurate information to manage effectively, so you'll have to gather information from as many sources as possible.

To avoid the problems associated with this surprise:
Use Management By Wandering Around. This keeps you in contact with your people, and allows you to see and hear what's going on first-hand.
Talk to customers and suppliers on a regular basis, and build strong relationships with these people.
Analyze all of your stakeholders, and communicate with them often to ensure that you know what they're thinking.

Surprise Four: You're Always Sending a Message
As a manager, your words and your actions hold a lot of weight. People may speculate about why you said or did something; and they'll try to interpret whether your words or actions contained any hidden messages. Your mood will also affect your team, and everything that you say will be analyzed.

Managers lead by example, whether they want to or not. You need to be careful about the example that you're setting, and be fully aware of the messages you're sending - deliberate or not.

To avoid the problems associated with this surprise:
Use simple, clear language when you communicate with people.
Double check that people understand your message, and don't assume that people have grasped the real meaning of what you're communicating.
Think about your body language, and learn how to use it to convey the right message.
Use storytelling to communicate the messages that you want people to hear.
Be a good role model for your people, and lead by example.

Surprise Five: You Aren't Always the Boss
While you might be the boss of your team, you aren't the ultimate boss. (Even a business owner is accountable to his or her customers.) There will always be someone that you need to report to, so you can't allow yourself to get caught up in your own importance.

As a manager, you should know who you need to keep informed, and you should work hard to gain the support of people around you. You will also need to manage upward, and be aware of how you stand with the people you report to.

You also can't let the flow of information stop with you, just because you're the manager.

To avoid the problems associated with this surprise:
Learn how to develop effective relationships with powerful people in your organization.
Find ways to collaborate with people that you report to, and to gain their trust.
Remember to share information and resources on a regular basis - both with your team, and with others.

Surprise Six: Pleasing Shareholders is not Always the Goal
Shareholders typically have a short-term perspective, and may be profit or performance oriented.

However, there are other longer-term considerations that can be more important than the goals of shareholders, and you need to be aware of these.

For instance, should company profits outweigh safety concerns? Should you push your team to finish a project unfeasibly early, because your boss is putting pressure on you? If an executive is behaving inappropriately with one of your people, when should you decide that enough is enough?

Making this type of decision requires knowing who you are ultimately accountable to.

To avoid the problems associated with this surprise:
Take some time to understand your personal values, and how they fit with company values.
Understand the vision of the company and what it stands for. Make decisions based on that vision and those values. Reward team behavior that promotes these values.
Develop a clear strategy for your team, and ensure that it's aligned with corporate strategy.
Attract and recruit people in your team who fit the vision and values of your organization.
Understand Value-Based Management - the idea that you should be chasing the best long-term value of your business, not sacrificing the future just to boost this quarter's earnings.

Surprise Seven: You're Still Only Human
As a manager you must remember that your position doesn't make you better or more capable than anyone else. You'll continue to make mistakes, and people around you will still have opinions that are different from yours.

However, being a manager does make you more responsible, and you need to demonstrate this responsibility.

To avoid the problems associated with this surprise:
Be humble and thankful, and reward the people around you who make you and your team look good.
Be accountable to yourself.
Use your emotional intelligence to remain connected with colleagues, family, and friends.
Create your Wheel of Life, and remind yourself to find the balance you need to be the best you can be.

Transforming Your Hobby Into A Career

Starting a business? Are you eager to turn your hobby into a money-making business? Running your own business can be rewarding in many ways, but before you give up your day job, be sure you are realistic about what you'll be doing when you become the boss. Here's a good look at some of the realities you're likely to encounter in your startup years.

Are You Realistic About What You'll Gain? -- One of the main reasons that people leave the corporate world is a desire to "be my own boss." Being your own boss is highly overrated. I am by far the most demanding boss I've ever had. When you're self-employed, you don't get the luxury of checking out when you leave the office. Your work takes up some portion of your mind space 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year. Your business, your customers' experience and your employees' livelihoods live and die on the decisions you make. That's a lot of pressure, and you'll make demands on yourself accordingly.

For example, I have friends who work at corporate jobs and complain about a meager 6-week maternity leave policy. That's pretty skimpy, I agree. When my second daughter was born at the beginning of our busiest season of the year, I took four days off before I had to come back to work. Four days. I couldn't blame it on an awful boss. It was my fault -- poor planning, in the first place, coupled with bad hiring. My staff couldn't function without me, and had I not come back so soon and spent many days that December working 12-16 hours, my business would've collapsed. You may not be answering to one person in particular, but that doesn't mean you're not answering to anyone.

Other major drivers for starting your own business can be money, quality of life, fame or expertise. All of these are good reasons to switch careers, but most of the time you won't be able to achieve any of them overnight. Be realistic about how much time it will take to achieve your goals.

Are You Ready to Start at the Bottom? -- You may be extremely good at your hobby, but when people start paying you for it, you are subject to a new set of standards. Your age and experience in your first career won't necessarily give you a head start in your new career. Be open to gaining experience through internships or apprenticeships, even if they are unpaid, and expect that many of your co-workers and even your bosses may be years younger than you.

If you use your maturity to your advantage determination and a willingness to succeed can help you move forward. At Tribeca Treats we have had interns of all ages ranging from teenagers to people into their 50's. Regardless of age, they all start with the same level of tasks, and their ability to take on greater responsibilities is judged by demonstration of skill, a good attitude and reliability. Most often, older interns are more reliable and have a great attitude, but occasionally we have an intern whose attitude is clouded by a sense of entitlement or resentment at having to perform menial tasks. Don't be one of those people.

Do You Really Want Your Hobby to Become Your Job? -- Hobbies are typically things you enjoy as a distraction from work -- you can pick them up and put them down at will. So what happens when your hobby is work? Will it make you enjoy your work more or your hobby less? Chances are it will lead to a little bit of both.

Say cake decorating is your hobby. You love making cakes, and you make them all the time for your friends' and family's birthdays and special events -- maybe once a week. Each time, everyone oohs and aahs and tells you "you should do this for a living." It feels great; why shouldn't you make money doing it? Well, fast forward and think about doing it for a living. You have to make 20 cakes a day to pay the bills, but then you have to hire people to help you make 20 cakes a day. Then you have to spend your time managing those new people you hired, and you have to try to build your business to 30 cakes a day to afford those new hires. You may enjoy your work more than your old job, but I'm guessing you'll find a new hobby.

Be Prepared for an Emotional Rollercoaster. -- As with any job, there will be highs and lows. The more passionate you are about your job, the more personal those highs and lows get. When you pour your blood, sweat and tears into building your dream business, each accomplishment can put you on top of the world, but each criticism can be equally devastating.

Working for "the man" is definitely the safer route in life. For the thrill seekers among us, straying off on your own to pursue your dream can be incredibly rewarding, albeit challenging and scary at times. Just be prepared for what you're getting into, and enjoy the ride.

Key Components of a Business Plan Part

What are the parts of a business plan? A good business plan has ten key parts. Covering each of these areas is important if you want to attract investors. Learn about the first five of these components of a good business plan here.

A good business plan has ten key components. Providing a comprehensive assessment of each of these components is critical in attracting investors. This article discusses the first five components. A subsequent article will detail the remaining elements.

1. Executive Summary. The Executive Summary provides a succinct synopsis of the business plan, and highlights the key points raised within. The Executive Summary must communicate to the prospective investor the size and scope of the market opportunity, the venture’s business and profitability model, and how the resources/skills/strategic positioning of the Company’s management team make it uniquely qualified to execute the plan. The Executive Summary must be compelling, easy-to-read, and no longer than 2-4 pages.

2. Company Analysis. This section provides a strategic overview of the company and describes how the company is organized, what products and services it offers/will offer, and goes into further detail on the company’s unique qualifications in serving its target markets.

3. Industry Analysis. This section evaluates the playing field in which the company will be competing, and includes well-structured answers to key market research questions such as the following:

What are the sizes of the target market segments?
What are the trends for the industry as a whole?
With what other industries do your services compete?

4. Analysis of Customers. The Customer Analysis section assesses the customer segment(s) that the company serves. In this section, the company must convey the needs of its target customers. It must then show how its products and services satisfy these needs to an extent that the customer will pay for them

5. Analysis of Competition. This section defines the competitive landscape of your business. It identifies who the direct and indirect competitors are, assesses their strengths and weaknesses and delineates your company’s competitive advantages.

The first five sections of a business plan are critical because in most cases, investors will not read the full plan. As such, winning the investor’s interest early is critical. In addition to providing background on the full business opportunity, these sections provide the market research to back up the business’ potential, another critical factor in gaining an investment.

The first five components of a business plan provide an overview of the business opportunity and market research to support it. The remaining five components of the plan focus mainly on strategy, primarily the marketing, operational, financial and management strategies that that firm will employ. This article details these elements.

Marketing Plan. The marketing plan details your strategy for penetrating the target markets. Key components include the following:

A description of the company’s desired strategic positioning
Detailed descriptions of the company’s product and service offerings and potential product extensions
Descriptions of the company’s desired image and branding strategy
Descriptions of the company’s promotional strategies
An overview of the company’s pricing strategies
A description of current and potential strategic marketing partnerships/ alliances


Operations/Design and Development Plans. These sections detail the internal strategies for building the venture from concept to reality, and include answers to the following questions:

What functions will be required to run the business?
What milestones must be reached before the venture can be launched?
How will quality be controlled?


Management Team. The Management Team section demonstrates that the company has the required human resources to be successful. The business plan must answer questions including:

Who are the key management personnel and what are their backgrounds? What management additions will be required to make the business a success?
Who are the other investors and/or shareholders, if any?
Who comprises the Board of Directors and/or Board of Advisors?
Who are the professional advisors (e.g., lawyer, accounting firm)?

Financial Plan. The Financial Plan involves the development of the company’s revenue and profitability model. It includes detailed explanations of the key assumptions used in building the model, sensitivity analysis on key revenue and cost variables, and description of comparable valuations for existing companies with similar business models.

In addition, the financial plan assesses the amount of capital the firm needs, the proposed use of these funds, and the expected future earnings. It includes Projected Income Statements, Balance Sheets and Cash Flow Statements, broken out quarterly for the first two years, and annually for years 1-5. Importantly, all of the assumptions and projections in the financial plan must flow from and be supported by the descriptions and explanations offered in the other sections of the plan. The Financial Plan is where the entrepreneur communicates how he/she plans to “monetize” the overall vision for the new venture.

Appendix. The Appendix is used to support the rest of the business plan. Every business plan should have a full set of financial projections in the Appendix, with the summary of these financials in the Executive Summary and the Financial Plan. Other documentation that could appear in the Appendix includes technical drawings, partnership and/or customer letters, expanded competitor reviews and/or customer lists.

Expertly and comprehensively discussing these components in their business plan helps entrepreneurs to better understand their business opportunity and assists them in convincing investors that the opportunity may be right for them too.

Service That WOWs Customers Into Loyal Devotees

1. Listen. Oh sure, you listen, don’t you? You hear every word the customer says—or do you. Listening means treating them like they want to be treated, a la Tony Allesandra’s Platinum Rule. In my search for a personal watercraft (jetski for land lubbers) I told the salesperson I wanted a three-seater that didn’t go faster than 50 mph. He proceeded to pitch me a two-seater that did 70, so fast it would “feather my hair and clear my sinuses all at once.” Nice try, but no sale. My business went to the competition down the street that provided what I was looking for.

2. Be Proactive. If problems are lurking on the horizon, solve them before you’re asked to. The hotel in Ocean City satisfied me when I complained (after three tries); that’s good service. What would WOW service have been? Well, if I managed that hotel, every room on the fourth floor (scene of the nightly ruckus where police were called, so the hotel knew of the problem) would have gotten flowers the next day with a hand-written apology from the hotel for allowing the behavior of a few bad eggs to ruin their day. I wouldn’t have waited to see what patrons complained.

Here’s a good example. I purchased a signed copy of Evander Holyfield’s autobiography from QVC a few years ago. I read it and I wasn’t complaining. QVC discovered that all the signatures weren’t authentic, some were electronically created, and so they sent out a replacement copy with original signature and a postage paid envelope for me to return the old copy. They included a personalized note heavy on apologies for the screw-up. I was WOWed.

3. Solicit Feedback. Ask customers what they think of your business and how they would make it better. Encourage them to use a suggestion form and, even better, reward customer suggestions that you use by sending them giveaways or discounts (hmmm, sounds a lot like an employee suggestion program). You’re showing a desire to partner with the customer and then proving how much you value her opinion. People like to be asked for their opinion if it is believable that you really value it. Loyalty builds.

4. Contact Repeatedly. Once someone purchases from your business, that person should be in your database and contacted repeatedly over time unless he asks you to stop. If the contact is right, that won’t happen. Send coupons, deals for past customers only, and items of interest specific to that customer. For instance, if you own a ladies clothing store and you just got in a fancy red handbag collection, you might want to contact all of the ladies who purchased red shoes in the last two years and let them know this might be a match. You, of course, are advanced in your data mining and can track the type of items each customer purchased, right?

5. Own the Experience. Your customers want a buying experience that is pleasant to them. That means that as soon as they enter your store, or your website, or wherever you do business, you are responsible for what happens. The hotel didn’t cause those idiots on the fourth floor to get sloppy drunk and make fools of themselves, but since that bad behavior detracted from the customer experience, it was the hotel’s responsibility. Someone trips your on the curb in front of your store, it’s your job to go help that person up, and not because you fear a lawsuit! Take ownership, and surprise customers into unconscious loyalty.

6. Protect the Customer. Who do you protect him from? Many times, himself. The best story I can think of comes from fabled sales trainer Zig Ziglar, who told the story of a bicycle shop owner who refused to sell a bicycle to a grandmother, a lady demanding to be sold to, because the bike she wanted for her grandson might prove dangerous to the child. His legs were too short and his feet couldn’t reach the pedals. Even though in this story the grandma left in a huff, most people will appreciate that kind of integrity. Imagine the impact on the people in the store who witnessed this non-transaction not take place. For you this might mean (OMIGOD!) pointing out a comparable special to a customer waiting to buy an item in your store. The long term effects of your action will more than outweigh the short-term gain of a few extra bucks, trust me.

7. Empower Subordinates. Look, time is of the essence to the customer. The one thing I hate more than anything is when I am overcharged by twenty-seven cents (or some other trivial problem) and the clerk has to go find the store manager to refund my money. That is zero empowerment, and it not only wastes my time but also makes me feel like a schmuck for even bringing the mistake up. At the Ocean City hotel, the reason I had to go back to the front desk three times is because the managers were not empowered to do anything about my situation. I had to wait for the general manager to come in.

8. Continually Add Value. Gag me with a pitchfork, he said Add Value! You can call it anything you like. When a customer buys the suede upholstery, ask them, without a hard sell, if they have considered a method of cleaning and caring for the material. You have a kit that will do the job if she’s interested. When the customer who buys the PC has a confused look on his face, you write down instructions and a diagram of how to set it up when he gets home, even though that information might be contained in the box. “Wait a second, Karl, no one else would do that kind of thing!” Now you’re getting it.

9. Anticipate Unmet Needs. Similar to number 2, this is where you empathize with the customer, putting yourself in her shoes, and ask the question, “What would make this customer experience perfect?” Let’s go back to the hotel. When we checked-in we asked for the available room with the best view of the bay. There were several available that might have qualified, so the clerk tried something on the fifth floor, telling us to come back to the desk if it wasn’t suitable. Good, but not WOW. Suppose the bellman would have entered the room with us when we arrived and went to the balcony. He would have immediately seen that this view was a lot further from the waterline than anyone thought, and offered to move our stuff to one of the closer, more available units. WOW! We did move, but on our own accord. Yawn.

10. Reward Customer Loyalty. Customers who come back, who refer others to you, should be rewarded. For most businesses, that means discounting merchandise, coupons, points clubs, etc. Instead, many businesses focus on luring new customers and forget about those who are already onboard, assuming those folks are loyal for life. I left my last health club because the new member plan was half of what I was paying, a loyal customer for three years. When I questioned it I got the all-too-familiar, “That’s company policy.” Karl’s policy was to find another gym.

Here’s a big watch out. Be careful that your reward of a loyal customer isn’t perceived as having little value. For instance, the hotel at the shore compensated me for my trouble by giving me a free weekend (2 nights). Great, right, and it’s a typical response in the hospitality industry for about a quarter of the hotels. Problem: the fine print said the days had to be used between November and April 1. This is a beach hotel in Maryland folks. November to April is cold and deserted at the shore. There was no way that any hotel would be even half sold out, so from the hotel’s perspective this reward amounted to two nights of maid service on an otherwise empty room. If you are going to reward people for loyalty, don’t put conditions on it.

The 5 Rules of Happiness

You know when you're happy, and certainly no one has to tell you when you're sad. But what is it that makes a person happy?
It is important to realize that what makes you happy might depress another person. There are people, because of guilt, a feeling they do not deserve what they have, or a feeling they will lose what they have that makes them unhappy when they should be happy.
Possessions are a poor measure of happiness. Possessions are subjective and relative to the individual and the individual's viewpoint. Instead, we will use a philosophy as an example.
This philosophy is about enjoying things you like, avoiding or changing things you do not like, and accepting what you cannot avoid or change by the skillful use of your viewpoint. The use of this philosophy, as embodied in the five rules, will allow you to test many problem areas in your life and find solutions. With this philosophy, you will be well on your way on your pursuit of happiness.

Rule Number One: If You Like a Thing, Enjoy It.
Now that seems outrageously simple. At first you might say, "That's ridiculous, of course if I like something I'm going to enjoy it." But when you stop to think about it you'll probably agree that there are many things in life that we like but don't enjoy. The reasons we don't enjoy things we like are (a) guilt, and (b) fear. You will not enjoy something you like if you feel guilty after having done the thing, or if you are fearful of the consequences of doing it.

Rule Number Two: If You Don't Like a Thing, Avoid It.
The second rule seems simple enough, but reflect for a moment on how many people are involved with things they do not like -- a job, a person, a vehicle, a type of food, any one of a thousand things -- and for some reason they don't avoid those things. "Well, I can't avoid it. I have to work there because I need the money." Or, "I have to be involved with this person for many valid reasons." How many justifications can you think of for not avoiding the things you do not like to do?

Rule Number Three: If You Don't Like a Thing, and You Cannot Avoid It, Change It.
Here again, the answer is simple: change it. But just as in avoidance we rationalize that we need something about it -- the money, the time, the security -- something is holding you to that particular thing if you don't like it, cannot avoid it, won't change it, but are still involved with it.

Rule Number Four: If You Don't Like a Thing, Cannot Avoid It, and Cannot or will Not Change It, Accept It.
Acceptance -- now there is a catch. How can you accept something you don't like? How in the world do you accept something that is 'unacceptable'? How do you accept a situation that you're not happy with? How do you accept a person that you're not happy with? Well, you really don't have to accept anything; you can, of course, be unhappy. If you don't like it, won't change it, cannot avoid it, and will not accept it, I guarantee that you will be unhappy. There are, however, five rules to the secret of happiness, and within the fifth lies the key.

Rule Number Five: You Accept a Thing By Changing Your Attitude Towards It.
You are the result of your viewpoints and attitudes. Everything is relative to the person experiencing it. There are no absolutes -- nothing is good, nothing bad, except as it relates to you. Nor is life good or bad. Life simply is. You change those things you wish by changing your viewpoint about them.
How easy!
How difficult!
Your attitudes and viewpoints are all part of your mind and once you develop the power of self mind control you will be the master of your own attitudes and viewpoints. Using these five rules you'll soon find yourself on the right path on the pursuit of happiness. You'll realize why people are unhappy. Eventually it will become automatic, and you'll find happiness a predominant state of mind. Once you realize the ease of acquiring this emotion, you develop an entirely new scale of highs and lows.
Unremitting happiness, of course, is not a possible or desirable state. According to the principle of rhythm, there is always an inflow and outflow, an ebb tide and a flood tide. You'll always have highs and lows -- there's no way to avoid that. However, your highs will be higher and your lows will be higher. You'll then find that what is a happy state for you might be a state of depression for someone unaware of the Five Rules of Happiness.

5 Ways to Look for a New Opportunity and Keep Your Job

The standard advice for the employed thinking about greener pastures is to keep your current job while looking for the next big opportunity. Easier said than done! Most people have come to rely on the web-based job search tools like Monster and CareerBuilder, or the more exclusive pay site such as TheLadders. But for those still at their desks, it’s a nerve racking process. Should you post your resume? What if your boss is hiring and sifting through those sites? Will someone downloading or reviewing your resume call for references, or to verify employment?

LinkedIn is social media for business. You can think of it as Facebook for your professional life. One of the first benefits to using LinkedIn is that it can benefit your current business while you search for your next and few employers object. In fact, many large companies have their own LinkedIn pages and encourage their employees to sign on. Even large corporations like WalMart and Samsung have established company pages.

Strategy 1: Your Profile Page
When you first sign up for LinkedIn you create a bit more involved profile page than you might have done with other social media sites. In fact, it’s actually more of a resume than a profile. This is a place for potential employers to see your work history, current position and experience without you having to make the first move.

Like any basic resume, there’s a place for you to list your Experience. Make the Experience section count by listing everything you would normally put in the corresponding resume section. Job titles, dates and the nuts and bolts of what you’d like to show. Better than a standard resume is the Summary section. Summary gives you a chance to tell the story of who you are and what you want to accomplish without having to send someone a cover letter.

Strategy 2: Groups

Groups in LinkedIn are typically based around a profession, technology or business type. They’re designed to be a place where like minded professionals can come together to discuss industry trends, exchange ideas and connect with potential new customers..and potential new employers. For example, I’m a member of International DIY Trade, a group made up of 433 people that manufacture, sell or buy tools like our Mille-Rod all over the world, and the Telecom Professionals Group that has more than 162,000 people in the Telecom business as members. Often, people in each of these groups post job openings. If you’re a member they come right to your inbox! Not only will you see jobs posted there you’ll see nowhere else, but being a member of a group allows you to view the profiles of all the other members. Be a contributor, show off your expertise. Out of 162,000 people in the Telecom Professionals Group, do you think there’s someone I might approach if I’m looking for a job?

Strategy 3: Customers and Connections

As in any social media, the object is to connect. You may avoid coworkers and business connections like the plague in Facebook, not wanting to show them the embarrassing party photo,s or that you actually went to Miami that weekend you had the flu. Not so with LinkedIn. The whole idea is to connect professionally. Whether you’re a Radiologist or Apple App Designer, Accountant or Salesperson, your customers and competitors are on LinkedIn. Your next job will probably be with one of them.

Once you connect with another person, you can see all the Groups they belong to and all the people they’re connected with. Connect with them! The first thing that anyone does when you request to connect is to look at your Profile. See Strategy #1. After you connect, start a dialogue. Let them know on an individual level that you’re looking for a change.

Strategy 4: Recruiters

LinkedIn has become a primary source for professional recruiters and head hunters. First, just type “recruiter” in the Groups search box and see that there are more than 5000 Groups listed. These aren’t Groups you’ll join, but ones you will prospect for good recruiting connections. Select and Recruiter Group and sort through current discussions and find one or two that you might want to work with.

Recruiters will find you too because not only do they surf the Groups looking for likely prospects, but also will look at their client’s competitors for them as well. For example, Bob the Recruiter might be looking for an VP of Operations for a Financial Services company. Where do you think he’ll look? Bob will go to the Banking Connections Group and look for people in that or a similar position. Then, Bob will go to that persons Profile and check qualifications.

Strategy 5: Recommendations and Introductions

LinkedIn encourages you to complete your Profile in many different ways, but the most valuable may be their prompting for you to ask for Recommendations. Getting a Recommendation is the same as having a written letter of recommendation, in advance of you starting a public job hunt. It’s perfectly acceptable for you to go through your best contacts and make the request, not even your boss would object. When someone asks you for a recommendation, always respond. It shows up on your Profile and makes you look good as well. Here’s an example of a Recommendation I wrote for a former boss:

BOSS is one of the very few people I've come into contact with that has the drive and leadership ability to move a company in a different direction and change it's culture for the better. The changes he's made in our current company through astute marketing and savy, long term strategy has made all the difference. February 5, 20009

Now every time a potential employer views BOSS's Pofile that’s what they see. They will also see a link to your Profile.

Introductions are much more direct. You’re not asking for a general recommendation, but a literal introduction to someone you’re not connected to. For example: Let’s say you want to find the right person at Ericsson to speak to about a job in Software Engineering and you find a likely candidate in one of the Groups that you’ve joined. You could send that person an invitation to connect or message directly. The better strategy would be to take a look at that person’s connections and see who you know in common, then write to that person and ask to be introduced. In fact, LinkedIn actually has a button to push to specifically to request an introduction. How would you like to have an associate place a call on your behalf like that? It’s a very powerful tool.

These 5 strategies for job hunting in secret using LinkedIn are simple, easy ways to start your search for that nest great opportunity.

How to Network

In the age where jobs are hard to come by, and experience is less important that the all encompassing term, “it’s who you know,” everyone should be able to network at social gatherings, and in regular day to day living. Here are some great tips to help you get started.

Dress Professionally.
Whether you are attending a barbecue or a business function, always dress professionally. In fact, this is always the first step to being able to network. Of course, this does not mean if you are attending a picnic to wear a suit and tie, but rather to dress how you would want a future employer or business partner to see you at the event. Most likely this does not mean ripped jeans, messy hair, or B.O. It’s also important to remember to dress appropriately for your age. That short but yet cute Abercrombie & Fitch dress you wore in college just won’t look the same on someone in their late twenties as it did their freshman year. Focus on completing your wardrobe with more classic lines such as Ralph Lauren, Banana Republic, J.Crew and similar brands.

Don’t Be Afraid to Smile and Make Eye Contact With Strangers.
If you smile and make eye contact with someone you don’t know, and they don’t smile back, I am pretty sure that an abyss will not open up in the floor that you would then fall in to. Smiling and making eye contact is the first way of telling someone, whether man or woman, “Hey, you look interesting. I’d like to know more about you.” Whether someone is unemployed or a CEO of a Fortune 500, most would be complimented that you were interested enough to smile. Everyone wants to be perceived as being interesting. Smiling and making eye contact is one way to show it.

Read the headlines.
If you find yourself at a party running out of things to say to someone you just met, you can talk about the weather. However, that gets old after a while and usually that’s where the conversation comes to a halt. One of the best ways to continue to the conversation is to know a couple news stories off the top of your head to keep the conversation fresh. I suggest staying away from politics and religion, unless you are 100% certain that the person you are speaking with is like minded. Have news feeds saved on your phone for easy access, so if you find yourself alone for a moment, you can do a quick brush up on the headlines before your conversation begins. News is an easy topic for conversation, and it also shows that you know what is going on in the world.

Know Your Elevator Pitch, but Don’t Sound Like a Used Car Salesman.
“What do you do?” is an awful way to start a conversation, but people continue to use it as a bold conversation starter. Make sure you have a hip and interesting answer to give them, and when you ask them this question in return, make sure you listen. You never know who you might meet. Think about the answer to this question in advance. Do you know a funny or interesting way to put your career? Also, think about who you are talking to. Are you a lawyer who loves to paint in your free time and just met an Artistic Director of a museum? Don’t just say, “Oh, I’m a lawyer.” Come up with something more creative such as, “By day I’m a lawyer, but by night I am surprisingly one killer plein air painter. You should stop by my studio some time. See, I’m working on this project...” At the same time, this would be an inappropriate pitch if that same lawyer were meeting the head of a law firm. In that case, it would be best for the lawyer to say, “I’ve been a real estate lawyer for the past 10 years and have been working with X. Right now I’m working on...etc.” You get the idea. Keep your pitch appropriate to the situation. Keep it short, keep it sweet. And always, always ask them in return.

Listen.
If you ask a question, remember to listen to their answer. What fun is a one way conversation, and what type of an impression would you leave if you paid no attention to them? Many times, people are so distracted with how they are being perceived that they themselves forget to listen to the answers to the questions they are giving the other person they are in conversation with. Additionally, as mentioned earlier, people want to be interesting. What fun do you think it is if that other person answers your question, but you were too distracted to listen to it? Do you think they’ll stick around for much longer? One of the keys to being able to network is making the other person feel interesting and important. Probably the best way to go about this to to listen. With both ears. If for some reason you do get distracted, don’t feel like you have to pretend you were paying attention, stop them and apologize saying, “I’m sorry, can you repeat that? That clown was dancing around in the oddest manner and it completely distracted me from our conversation.” Or however you would put it.

Don’t Swear.
One of the biggest mistakes with networking is individuals getting too comfortable, and using salty language to make up for their lack of knowledge of the English language. Even if you are at a sporting event, or a crazy bar, learn to use other words in place of the other inappropriate words. Using salted language can easily make you appear ignorant and disrespectful to the receiving party, even if the other person is in the same age range as you. Salted language is crossing a fine line, and although it is commonly used today, many people remain unaware of the impression it leaves to others.

Of course, there are plenty more tips for networking, but these are the the most important skills to have in order to meet new important people. Not only could these help you professionally, but also socially as well. And, the more people you know in the world, the better a chance you have at success. Meet folks that are like-minded, and also those that are different. Get to know those from different walks of life. Your life will not only be richer through networking with them, but you will also be closer to reaching your own goals.

Computer Memory Upgrade

Acer TravelMate 4335 Memory Upgrade Info
Here is some important info regarding an Acer TravelMate 4335 memory upgrade. Sometimes upgrading your system memory works wonders and sometimes it makes no difference at all. There are several factors involved in determining whether it is going to make a difference in system performance for you. You should weigh these factors according to how you use your computer.

The first important factor in determining whether or not to get an Acer TravelMate 4335 memory upgrade is the operating system that is installed on your computer. Microsoft recommends having 128MB of RAM while running Windows XP. The recommendation for Vista and Windows 7 is 1GB of memory installed. Any other older system is probably not worth spending the money on new RAM.

Another important factor involved in deciding to get an Acer TravelMate 4335 memory upgrade is what you primarily use your computer for. If you simply use your computer to check email, create documents and browse the web then the recommended memory for your operating system is just fine. Although getting the Acer TravelMate 4335 memory upgrade would speed up the system, it wouldn’t matter much because of the simplicity of the tasks you perform on a daily basis. You would probably be better off cleaning and defragging the Memory to get more speed from your system. On the other hand, if you like to play graphic intensive games and edit pictures or movies with your computer then it is probably definitely worth getting the extra memory in order to speed those task up a bit. (NOTE: Games such as those on Facebook or Pogo will NOT be affected by an increase in RAM as those games rely on Flash, and therefore are CPU intensive NOT RAM intensive. Get a CPU upgrade to speed up those games!)

One more important factor in your decision on an Acer TravelMate 4335 memory upgrade should be the age of the computer and whether or not you may be getting a new one soon. Some RAM, or Acer TravelMate 4335 memory is expensive and should be weighed against the age your current computer and cost of a new one. The price of new computers are continually going down so it may be in your best interest to do some research in order to determine if it is financially wise to invest in new RAM or wait until you buy a new computer.

Take this Acer TravelMate 4335 memory upgrade information as you will. It is ultimately your choice on whether or not to upgrade RAM in your computer or spend your hard earned money elsewhere. If you spend a lot of time on the computer and you believe that an upgrade in memory is worth it, then by all means do so.

Computer Memory Upgrade

Acer TravelMate 4335 Memory Upgrade Info
Here is some important info regarding an Acer TravelMate 4335 memory upgrade. Sometimes upgrading your system memory works wonders and sometimes it makes no difference at all. There are several factors involved in determining whether it is going to make a difference in system performance for you. You should weigh these factors according to how you use your computer.

The first important factor in determining whether or not to get an Acer TravelMate 4335 memory upgrade is the operating system that is installed on your computer. Microsoft recommends having 128MB of RAM while running Windows XP. The recommendation for Vista and Windows 7 is 1GB of memory installed. Any other older system is probably not worth spending the money on new RAM.

Another important factor involved in deciding to get an Acer TravelMate 4335 memory upgrade is what you primarily use your computer for. If you simply use your computer to check email, create documents and browse the web then the recommended memory for your operating system is just fine. Although getting the Acer TravelMate 4335 memory upgrade would speed up the system, it wouldn’t matter much because of the simplicity of the tasks you perform on a daily basis. You would probably be better off cleaning and defragging the Memory to get more speed from your system. On the other hand, if you like to play graphic intensive games and edit pictures or movies with your computer then it is probably definitely worth getting the extra memory in order to speed those task up a bit. (NOTE: Games such as those on Facebook or Pogo will NOT be affected by an increase in RAM as those games rely on Flash, and therefore are CPU intensive NOT RAM intensive. Get a CPU upgrade to speed up those games!)

One more important factor in your decision on an Acer TravelMate 4335 memory upgrade should be the age of the computer and whether or not you may be getting a new one soon. Some RAM, or Acer TravelMate 4335 memory is expensive and should be weighed against the age your current computer and cost of a new one. The price of new computers are continually going down so it may be in your best interest to do some research in order to determine if it is financially wise to invest in new RAM or wait until you buy a new computer.

Take this Acer TravelMate 4335 memory upgrade information as you will. It is ultimately your choice on whether or not to upgrade RAM in your computer or spend your hard earned money elsewhere. If you spend a lot of time on the computer and you believe that an upgrade in memory is worth it, then by all means do so.