Because the holiday season is a surprisingly
good time for networking, it's also a good time
for our annual NETWORKING ISSUE. While our two
main features are especially directed at college
students, they contain valuable information for
all job-seekers, as does our compilation of Informational
Interviewing Do's and Don'ts. Use this issue to
learn more about informational interviewing, an
awesome subset of networking.
This is the last regular issue of QuintZine
for 2001. Sometime during the week between
Dec. 24 and Dec. 31, we'll bring you our
bonus Year End Index in a special "New Year's
Career Resolution" format.
Look for our next regular issue on Jan. 7, 2002.
Editor's In-Box: QuintZine Letter to the Editor
I cannot begin to tell you how valuable your piece
on discovering the corporate culture of a potential
employer is to me. [Editor's note:
See the article here.]
Three years ago, I innocently left a terrific senior staff
position due to heavy recruiting efforts and promises.
(I was at the top of my game with personal and career
success.) To make a long story short, 15 months later
I was let go in no uncertain terms. It took me some
time to realize that the corporate culture was one
that was so toxic that it was impossible for me to
adapt. Interestingly, my former boss continued to
bad-mouth me for close to two years. Funny what some
individuals will do to justify their actions.
The good news is I returned to school and will
finish this April. Although it is never easy to
explain why you were fired, your article has
given me a professional, unemotional way to
explain the situation.
Thanks so much.
G.A.B.
Ad: Job-Seeker Holiday Gift Guide!
Looking for a unique gift for your
favorite job-seeker? (Or want to drop
a hint about a job-seeker gift for YOU?)
You're a college student embarking on a career path.
Talking to people in that field just makes sense.
Yet most students never do. You trust your professors,
textbooks, or romantic notions about professions
gleaned from TV or movies.
Consider supplementing
that secondhand knowledge with informational
interviewing -- the ultimate networking technique
for college students (in fact, for all job-seekers).
Domain Name Sanity
-- where else can job-seekers get a Website (with the domain name of your choice), enough space to publish
your Web-based resume and career portfolio (20 megabytes), up to 50 email addresses, and lots of publishing
and promotion resources -- for under $20 a year!!
This deal is amazing -- almost too good to be true. If you don't have a Website, but want to put your
resume and portfolio on the Web, take advantage of these services! Fee-based.
Dan Limbach's SchmoozeMonger site is
the ultimate Web portal for networking.
The site's design is attractively retro and
the content is written in an amusing, breezy style.
According to SchmoozeMonger, the site covers:
Meeting the right people
Attending events which will grease the wheels of your goals
Joining the appropriate groups for your passions
Finding the best resources available
Feeding your brain a healthy dose of knowledge whenever possible
The buzz flowing through the economy's nooks and crannies
A bit of humor to keep it all in perspective
Just to illustrate the site's irreverent style, here's
its characterization of what it does NOT cover:
News for news' sake
Venture capital deals
Mergers and acquisitions
Which company is taking a nosedive
Dating tips
How to lance a boil
What's going on in Survivor, the TV show
Whether "Less filling" beats "Tastes great"
The site offers the opportunity to subscribe
to the "Schmoozeletter." There's also a Resource Center for
"our favorite links", and the Learning Center "for ways to
chock your head full o' knowledge."
China Job Online
-- where job-seekers looking for employment in China
can post your resumes, store your cover letters,
and search for jobs (by job type, degree, required, salary level,
posting date, more). Also includes a nice collection of
career tips and resources. Free to job-seekers.
ExecSearches.com
-- a site for middle, executive, and director level job-seekers looking
for non-profit and public sector employment in higher education,
health, advocacy, philanthropy, government, social and human services, and
community and economic development. Search jobs by keyword, function, industry, and region.
You can also take advantage of a matching service and find career resources.
Free to job-seekers.
FreshJobs.com --
where all job postings are no older than one week. Job-seekers can search for jobs
by location, skills, benefits, job type, or company as well as post your resume. You
can also get a confidential mailbox and sign-up for a job matching service.
Free to job-seekers.
MyFuture.com
-- from the U.S. Department of Defense, a great resource for high school and college students,
with information and resources about careers and career assessment, job-hunting, finances, and, of course,
the benefits of a military career. Free to students.
Find even more career and job site additions to Quintessential Careers by visiting our
Latest
Additions section.
Darren Anthony writes: "I read that I should have
copies of my resume with me all the time. What do
you think about networking business cards. What
type of information would you put on a card?"
Stacey writes: "I am about to graduate in May
as a business administration major with a double
minor in finance and economics and a GPA of 3.2.
I am still undecided as to what I want to do upon
graduation; however, I would like to work for a
non-profit or sports-related organization.
I am still open to anything though.
"I do not wish to pursue an MBA anytime soon
but am still interested in pursuing further
training or schooling. Is it possible to go
to graduate school for something other than
business with a business degree? What types
of programs allow this? Teaching possibly?"
Deb Richards writes: "I am a registered nurse with
a bachelor's degree, currently working on my
master's
degree. I am interested in a career in pharmaceutical
sales. However, all the ads state that previous sales
experience is required. My question is whether my
RN degree would carry enough weight to offset the
previous sales requirement? Secondly, would it be
best to apply to the companies directly or to go
through a recruitment agency?"
Mike Sampont writes: "I am 30 years old and have a
concern about if indeed I am to old to be a doctor.
My current job is paramedic... and I have just
completed a 16-week police academy course to try
and be a police/medic. However, I still have would
like to full fill my ultimate goal of becoming a
doctor. I would have to take the required pre-med
classes and sit for the MCAT. I am looking at
approximately six to seven years. What do you think?"
Q TIPS: Quick and Quintessential Career & Job Tips
One of the best ways to network through the Internet is
to participate in online discussion groups. Writer Robin
Nobles offers a basic guide to how find online groups related to
your profession or area of interest. Her article,
"Participate in Online Discussion Forums," appears,
among other places, at:
WomensNet.Net.
Getting appointed to a board of directors or advisory
board is an excellent way to network and raise your
visibility. A company called BoardSeat has announced
the launch of its new online matching service for
companies looking for directors and advisory board members.
BoardSeat's online matching service is aimed at smaller
companies and organizations that do not have the resources
for retained searches. The matching service allows companies
to create detailed online profiles for director and advisor
positions using BoardSeat's online tool. Potential candidates
include executives, academics, and other professionals with
appropriate experience who are interested in serving on
the boards of companies or nonprofits. Use of the service
is currently offered at no charge to candidates. For information,
write to communications@boardseat.com or go to
thge company's Web site.
Company of Friends, one of the first sites on the
Internet to promote online networking, turned 4 years
old recently. Readers interested in online networking
who would like to learn more about the CoF -- or get
more involved can visit:
Be curious about what people have to say and
listen to gather information, advises networking guru Donna
Fisher. "Fine-tune your listening by giving people your
full attention. Show your interest and give them
encouragement by responding at the appropriate
moment with, 'Tell me more!'
See how often you can use the phrase,
'Tell me more about . . .' in your conversations
today to enhance the way you gather
information and connect with others."
WATCH FOR feature articles on these topics in upcoming
issues of QuintZine:
* How to conduct a long-distance job search
* Identifying your workplace values
* How to choose a headhunter/recruiter
* How to write a counteroffer letter
* Home-based careers
* Career strategies for women
* How to start a job club
* How to use keywords to enhance your resume's effectiveness
* Letters of recommendation and references
* Should you get an MBA?
* Networking timetable for college students
* The biggest myths in job-hunting
* How to resign from your job gracefully
* Quintessential Career Profiles of YOU, our readers
* Q&As with well-known career experts
* Book reviews
. . . and much, much more!
Don't ever want to miss another issue of QuintZine? Get a free subscription to
the email version of QuintZine by completing our
subscription form.
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We also can provide critiques and makeovers of
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Quintessential Careers also offers writing services
for those who have been asked to give a speech and
need assistance in researching and writing their
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