"People Skills Beget Success” "

--The Meridian, December 2008

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Informational Interviews

Quick Tip...

If you're not sure where to locate the best people to reach out to, a good place to start is industry specific trade magazines. Pay close attention to the, "people on the move" section. You will not only find a great person to contact, but a little background info as well. Most of these publications are on file at the library. Have fun!

Informational Interviews

One of the more underutilized methods of networking is the informational interview. People love talking about themselves and sharing information about their job and industry. Take advantage of this to gain valuable insight and build your database. It may not lead to instant gratification, but if you plant enough seeds and water them properly, opportunities will present themselves when you least expect it.

Begin by targeting a specific company you would like to work for and the relevant department. Obtain the contact information of the department head - ie: VP, Marketing. Obtaining their contact info and getting them on the phone or via e-mail is all about being creative. See a future post if needed.

You simply want 15 minutes of their time (which will lead to an hour if you're truly personable and passionate about this field) to gain a better understanding of their job/industry and any advice they may have. Before you meet or speak, do whatever you can to obtain information about them and/or their company to assist with your "small talk".

Your goal - Keep the focus on them. Ask open ended questions to keep them talking. Take lots of notes. Send a hand written thank you. E-mail them asking if they don't mind hanging onto your resume should they know of any career opportunities. Stay in contact.

Articulation

You have a 3.8 GPA. You have tons of extracurricular activities. You are qualified for the position in question. But, you don't get the job.

Do you think the person interviewing you had a very clear picture of what you bring to the table? Maybe you pointed out that you had a good sense of humor, had a great work ethic, or were extremely hungry to learn. Frankly, responses like these are way too vague. They must be expanded upon so the interviewer has a clear picture of what type of asset you will be to the organization. It's not about you!!!!

I want you to write down the 2 things that make you special. These two things should be memorable and give the interviewer a big reason to hire you. What's in it for them?

The 2 examples below should give you an idea of where I am hoping you go with this. Your responses should obviously be tailored to the position at hand.

Examples:

1) "I am very friendly, thus I'm comfortable working with people. It doesn't take me long to warm up and I really believe that more can be accomplished working together. I also have no problem asking for help or giving assistance."

2) "I've really developed some great multi-tasking skills here at school. Thus, juggling a few projects at once and meeting deadlines will not overwhelm me. Frankly, I welcome it. I feel more productive in a faster paced environment."

Any Questions? Send me an e-mail at eric@ericbarronlive.com.

"I’m not your typical…trainer. This is entertaining and relevant” "

--Brokers Weekly, October 2008

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Dress for success: Do's for women

"It is much more important to wear things that fit versus the brand name,” said Eric Barron, president of Eric Barron Live. “Baggy is great for a sweatshirt on the weekend, but not for professional attire. "

--Entry Level Examiner

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"Barron, a well-known sales coach, took the stage at the Gotham Comedy Club to teach brokers how to be effective communicators by first understanding their own communication style and then adapting this when dealing with clients and co-workers."

--Broker's Weekly October 2008

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