WorkBloom Blog

I’ve been seeing a lot more lemonade stands than usual in my midwestern town, probably due to a combination of the economic and meteorological climate.

At first I thought this flurry of business activity among the pint-sized set might mark the emergence of a new and particularly entrepreneurial generation.

But then I realized I wasn’t really understanding what it means to be an entrepreneur.

It’s no surprise that with the economy in turmoil and layoffs or cutbacks affecting so many American families, many stay-at-home-moms have decided it may be time to re-enter the workforce. Some have little to no outside work experience and some are finding themselves ready to re-enter the mainstream work environment after several years at home raising their children.

It can be overwhelming, if not frightening, to think about preparing a resume, conducting a job search and interviewing for a job when you do not have any “traditional” work experience or the experience you obtained several years ago seems “irrelevant” now.

This week I’m re-running three of the best networking tips I’ve found recently to help you find a job faster.

These proven networking tactics get results in good times and in bad.

Which can you try today?

1) Network with the Recently Departed

David Perry, author of “Guerrilla Marketing For Job Hunters 2.0,” shares a unique way to find and connect with employers using Google.

Back in a less politically correct day, over-stressed workers of both genders would sometimes throw up their hands in despair and wail, “I need a wife!”

Of course, that won’t quite fly these days, but the challenge of pursuing a career and trying to have some kind of life persists.

What about cloning?  Just imagine what a clone could do for you at work:

Filing – Your clone could keep your desk clear and your papers in order;

“No problem.”   Huge problem.

“Sure.  I’ll get right on that.”  Not if I can find any way to avoid it, delegate it, or get away with not doing it at all.

“Oh no, I thought you sounded fine in the meeting.” Fine if you compare it to the awkward American Idol audition interview I saw last night on TV.

“You just had a rough month.  I’m sure you’ll turn it around.”  But probably not before you’re fired for underperforming.

You can tell it’s that time of year – the signs are everywhere.

I’m not talking about baseball season or even gardening.  I’m talking yard sales.

Yard sales might well be one of America’s favorite pastimes.  Buyers and sellers alike love ‘em.  Some are drawn by the thrill of the hunt and the search for lost treasures.  Others are captivated by oddities.

Personally, I love the idea of getting rid of things I don’t use anymore.

Don’t you wish you could do the same for your career?

This week I had a realization.  One hour is just too long for a conference call.

Yet, as a virtual telecommuting employee, my calendar is filled with neat, little one hour conference call time slots from sun up to sun down.

As I look at my schedule, I can tell you exactly which calls are the focused ones where I know I’ll have to pay 100% attention and be fully engaged.  I can also tell you which ones will be spent randomly chatting for half of the hour, allowing me ample multi-tasking time.

Obviously, our time is one of the most important, investible resources we have as employees, and I’ve grown to recognize way too many conference calls as huge company time sucks.

I broke my Blackberry holster last week.  As a result, I tried to look for the default pocket (that comes with all new Blackberries) to use as a replacement until I buy a new holster.  For two days I tried to search for it without results.  That left me exasperated and somewhat frustrated as I had to carry my ‘new’ Blackberry in my pocket without protection!  On my third attempt, I found it…  it was in the drawer near my bed, the same drawer that I open every morning when I get up and every evening when I come home from work.  So why did I miss it??  Well, somehow, I made up my mind that it was in a brown box while in fact it was in a black box with a white cover.  In retrospect, I don’t even think I noticed the box during my first two search attempts.  I looked right through it.  No… not like Superman!

In recent weeks I have been absolutely overwhelmed by friends and associates telling me I need to be involved in Twitter and Facebook and countless other internet sites that supposedly contribute to marketing success. They reportedly present boundless benefits for those who master the subtle strategies related to those sites. I know I am going against the popular trend here, but I have given the issue of social media a lot of thought and am convinced it is a huge distraction machine that most people should avoid! Personally, and professionally I have decided to opt out of “Twitting” and the other “cutting edge” social networking sites! I just don’t have the time or the interest to Twit.

Louise wrote:

“I’ve been a stay-at-home mom for 10 years.  I don’t really have real work experience.  How can I approach this at an interview?”

Hi Louise.  In one sense, your question is similar to one that a student might have coming out of college with regard to having little to no “real work” experience.  We coach students to draw stories from school projects, summer employment / internships, and volunteer work in their communities.  All experience can be relevant to the opportunity if the candidate can succinctly and effectively communicate it to the hiring manager.  The key is to tell stories that highlight the goals you set, the actions you took, and the results you achieved.