Please note: On a somewhat infrequent basis, Quintessential Careers asks noted
career experts five questions related to their expertise and publishes the interview
in the current issue of QuintZine,
our biweekly newsletter. Here is one such interview.
Kathy Condon is a career facilitator, columnist, international speaker, and trainer.
Note: Read our review
of Condon's Connect with People: It's the Little Things tapes and CDs in
our Quintessential Listening section of Quintessential Careers.
Q:
On your list of 15 Networking Tips,
you note that "People will form an impression of you within the first five
seconds." What steps can one take to ensure that the impression formed
is positive and productive?
A:
There are two things that will help people make an "impression"
of you within the first five seconds.
One is the way you are groomed. Like it or not, you will be judged
by the way you are groomed. We are still living in an era where
appropriate dress for the occasion remains of great importance if you
want to be viewed in a positive way.
The other way to make a positive impression is by extending your
hand to everyone you meet. We are living in a time when people
are feeling the strong (often underlying) need to be recognized as
an individual. When you extend your hand and give them a firm
handshake, look them in the eye and smile you are communicating.
Don't believe me? Try it for a day ... you'll be pleased with the results.
Q:
What's the one job-hunting secret you share with clients but that may not be widely known?
A:
All people need "contact cards." Yes, I am talking about that little
card formerly referred to as a "business card." I discovered people
that looking for work had nothing beyond their resume that had their
name on it. They didn't have a business or work for anyone, so they
didn't have a card. So I changed the name to "contact card," and I
tell my clients that this card is an essential tool for job hunting. It
should include your name, address, phone number, and email address.
Focus. If you say you need a job, people do not know how to help you.
Let's face it, all of your friends, acquaintances, and former vendors you
work with know you. Yet, when you cannot tell them what industry or
what specifically you want to do, their brain cannot come up with the
appropriate response. Even identifying the industry will help.
One time I was working with a man who was getting his MBA in
human resources. I asked what industry he planned to work. He
said, "I don't know - manufacturing, retail, transportation." I
said "Oh, you are going to look at all of them at the same time.
I helped him focus, and he discovered that he loved the
transportation industry. Then I could open doors for him.
Q:
What do you feel is the most disturbing trend in job-hunting today?
A:
That's easy. People believing that they will find their "job"
on the Internet. When I was starting out in career-development
field, I wondered if I was missing something. People were
glued to their computers and were not leaving their homes.
Now I know the number of people who actually find jobs
using computers for their job search is down to 4 percent.
Kathy Condon is a Vancouver, WA-based career facilitator. She is a
columnist writing on "Career Communications," and an international
speaker and trainer. Condon recently received a three-year contract
with the State of California Department of Mental Health and Rehabilitation
for "Job Development and Retention" training through the State of
California. She is an expert on "Identifying Your Innate Talents"
and Business Networking. Contact Condon at 360-695-4313,
kathy@kathycondon.info and visit her
Website.
Kathy Condon is a Vancouver, WA-based career facilitator. She is a
columnist writing on "Career Communications," and an international
speaker and trainer. Condon recently received a three-year contract
with the State of California Department of Mental Health and Rehabilitation
for "Job Development and Retention" training through the State of
California. She is an expert on "Identifying Your Innate Talents"
and Business Networking. Contact Condon at 360-695-4313,
