Networking: Like a Boss!

Patty Rivas, a health/fitness blogger at Reach Your Peak, Social Media Strategist & Graduate Student at Rutgers University read the Social Media Week "Skip Your Career Fair" post and took the advice seriously. Now she's eager to tell you her experience, advice and how she networked like a boss while in NYC. This voicemail below is also a result of guidance, developing Patty's skills and finding her niche working with me. Enjoy the post! - Kevin O'Connell

Two weeks ago, I rode into New York City to attend some Social Media Week events. I had no idea what to expect, but I was really excited that a bunch of events were free. There are bigger events that do charge, or you need to purchase a pass for, but luckily, the events I attended were free of charge AND awesome!

I started my day at Likeable Media, which was my favorite event of the day. Their event was called “Social Media Strategy in 30 Minutes.” I actually got on the list for this event (it was full) because of one of The Niche Movement’s tips, which was if an event is closed out, simply email the creator of the event. I figured I wouldn’t get a response or if I did they would just say, “It’s full, sorry.” The Marketing Director of Likeable Media emailed me back within minutes saying she had put me on their list!

"I immediately thought of The Niche Movement, and what they preach: Go places other college students aren’t going."

Once I walked into their office, I immediately thought of The Niche Movement, and what they preach: Go places other college students aren’t going. This event was the perfect opportunity to network with Likeable Media employees (if you’re looking to get into marketing and social media marketing). Everyone was very friendly and open to questions. If I were a student looking for a job, I’d network, get some business cards, and follow-up for an informational interview.

The next session was a panel discussion with founders of companies like Tumblr and Buzzfeed. While this would have been a harder event to network at (since there were hundreds of attendees), the founders did stick around after the session to mingle with attendees. Also, think of who is going to these events…other like-minded people like you! Everyone is there to network and meet new people.

The last session was yet another great networking opportunity. While the session was based on building apps, there was great discussion revolving around social media as well. Two start-up founders led the event, which was capped at about 15 people for a smaller feel. This also meant you could mingle with the founders afterwards and ask them questions about apps, business, or how to create your own start-up company. I was able to get contact information for both people and have since followed up with them.

When you think of “job search” you may think of career fairs, or looking through Monster.com. Be creative with it! Find events like Social Media Week which often have free events or student discounts. Browse meetup.com to find business or entrepreneurial related Meetups in your area. People go to those events with the intention to network, so don’t be afraid to go and get your name out there! If you follow the tips The Niche Movement provides, such as ditching career fairs, you will find the job of your dreams…one in which you’re happy and fulfilled.

Patty Rivas, @pattyrivas13 a health/fitness blogger at Reach Your Peak, Social Media Strategist & Graduate Student - Rutgers University

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I'm a student leader graduating soon.

If you are reading this and are a college student or a recent graduate within the last two years think about the type of company culture you want to be a part of. Apply to be part of the first Niche Movement Cohort where we will work with your niche and discover employers that have jobs that you want. Applications due March 10th.  

I work with student leaders.

If you are reading this and work with student leaders that you want to help land a job they love then share The Niche Movement with them.

I already found my niche and want to tell my story.

And if you happen to stumble upon The Niche Movement and you already found your niche then share your story. Or we can help you recruit top, talented college who by helping you create appealing job description, screen candidates and host internships or jobs on our website.

Skip Your Career Fair - 30 Under 30 List

It’s the third post in the Skip Your Career Fair series and this week I want feature a list and some more tips to stand out rather than an event to attend. I’m excited to share the Fast Company “30 Under 30 - Class of 2012.” I came across this 2 weeks ago and I have been revisiting it just about everyday. Turning 30 myself in less than 3 months, I am a little bit jealous of this group’s success but it also inspires me to hustle and go all-in on this movement to be happy in your job.

A few things all of us can learn from this 20-something group is they:

• recognized a problem in how things were done like Joe Coleman, Shane Snow & Dave Goldberg from Contently who now connect journalist and writers with Fortune 500 companies who are willing to pay for well written content and research.
• worked hard to turn an idea into a reality like Sarah Schupp who turned her business school idea into University Parent Media, a $1.8 million business that creates newsletters & guidebooks to inform parents about what’s happening on campus.
• wanted to shake things up and not be boring like Jesse Thomas & Leslie Bradshaw from Jess3 did. This couple worked hard to build relationships and help companies take boring data like Nielsen ratings and make them fun and engaging.

What can all of us learn from these few young entrepreneurs? They either left school or their career with their idea in hand and went for it. They took a risk, but their passion, hard work and ability to build relationships are paying off. They all found their niche.

So how does this relate to students looking for internships or their first full time job?

1. If you are looking for a job no matter the industry you need to build relationships. Tony Doody, a colleague of mine, tells students to “build your network before you need it.” So if I were 20 years old I would read the 30 under 30 list as much as I am and contact (or stalk) each company, owner or employee if you have any interest in working there. Do this by following them on twitter, facebook, reading articles or watching videos they are featured in because when they do announce they are hiring you need to be the first one to apply. If you aren’t sure how to initiate contact just email them and ask if you could have 5 or 10 minutes of their time to interview for a class project.
2. I’ve said it before, but it is 2013! If you have an idea go for it and implement it. If you need a kick in the ass read Crush It by Gary Vaynerchuck. The cost of entry or even the cost to fail is far less than 20 years ago.
3. Lastly, build yourself up by enhancing your resume by putting projects you may have worked on for a class or your volunteer opportunities in bullet items. If you are currently working decide how you are going to best communicate what you actually did in that job on an interview. Keep a weekly report of 3-4 items you worked on and things you learned. Once a month review it and then print it out when you go on an interview so when they ask you for specific examples you can reference it.

Kevin O’Connell, Founder – The Niche Movement

Bring the Niche Movement to Campus to meet with students, staff or host your next workshop, keynote or training.

Engage with the Niche Movement - Facebook - Twitter

I'm a student leader graduating soon.

If you are reading this and are a college student or a recent graduate within the last two years think about the type of company culture you want to be a part of. Apply to be part of the first Niche Movement Cohort where we will work with your niche and discover employers that have jobs that you want. Applications due March 3rd.  

I work with student leaders.

If you are reading this and work with student leaders that you want to help land a job they love then share The Niche Movement with them.

I already found my niche and want to tell my story.

And if you happen to stumble upon The Niche Movement and you already found your niche then share your story. Or we can help you recruit top, talented college who by helping you create appealing job description, screen candidates and host internships or jobs on our website.

Skip Your Career Fair (SMW edition)

Two weeks ago I wrote Why You Should Skip Your Career Fair and it picked up a lot of traction but I was frustrated because I wanted to fit more into the post other than one resource, Creative Mornings. So today I am announcing I will be releasing a “Skip Your Career Fair Series” over the next 3 weeks. Once a week I will blog about a resource, event, organization or concept on why you should skip your career fair and network somewhere else.

I am very excited to attend a few events next week as part of Social Media Week and just like Creative Mornings, Social Media Week is worldwide but is located in NYC, Miami, & DC on the east coast. So college students, here’s why you should be just as excited as I am to attend SMW:

1. It’s Social Media Week! If you are looking to work in the digital field or land a job that has anything to do with social media, the key players are going to be there. Also, industries from health to fashion and everything in between will be represented.
2. Workshops are either free, have a student fee under $50 to attend, or a small fee (< $10) to tune in virutually. To find out if they are free you will see “open” or “global pass required.” Once you click on attend it will tell you what you need to do to attend.
3. Each event has “contact event organizer” in case it is closed out, you’re not sure how to register or you want to learn more. Just like I suggested in my last post, this is at least a way to introduce yourself and tell them you are a college student trying to get your foot in the door.
4. My favorite event I can’t wait for and this could open doors for all of you is “Fast Company Presents: The Most Innovative Social Media Companines in 2013”
5. Last but not least there are ways to get invovled. Imagine if you volunteer for at one of these host sites or introduce a speaker. This is networking 101 and could be great for you to meet people in the industry you are trying to work in.

If you are looking to work in a major city at a “Facebook-type” company then I highly recommend immersing yourself in social media week and even if you can’t physically be there follow the twitter convo. I know the Big East Career Fair is coming up in March, but guess what, none of the companies on the list include the companies or figure-heads involved at Social Media Week.

College students and recent graduates: If you are in the middle of networking and preparing to interview Kevin will personally start critiquing your resume for free and give you feedback. Just send it to thenichemovement@gmail.com, quickly introduce yourself and let Kevin know what field you are trying to get into. Remember, you want to tell everyone you are job searching and it can never hurt to get too many eyes looking at your resume.

So over the next 3 weeks I will be releasing a “Why You Should Skip Your Career Fair” series by the middle of each week.

Kevin O’Connell, Founder – The Niche Movement

Bring the Niche Movement to Campus to meet with students, staff or host your next workshop, keynote or training.

Engage with the Niche Movement - Facebook - Twitter

I'm a student leader graduating soon.

If you are reading this and are a college student or a recent graduate within the last two years think about the type of company culture you want to be a part of. Apply to be part of the first Niche Movement Cohort where we will work with your niche and discover employers that have jobs that you want. Applications due March 3rd.  

I work with student leaders.

If you are reading this and work with student leaders that you want to help land a job they love then share The Niche Movement with them.

I already found my niche and want to tell my story.

And if you happen to stumble upon The Niche Movement and you already found your niche then share your story. Or we can help you recruit top, talented college who by helping you create appealing job description, screen candidates and host internships or jobs on our website.

Why you should skip your career fair

 

That's right, save your time and energy and put your efforts toward a strategy that will actually work for you. The Niche Movement is going to share some tactics and things you can do to avoid a crowded gym or student center with a hundred of employers who are probably there for the free lunch and day out of the office.

Let's face it, companies are at career fairs because their competitors are. They are also set up a table because no one ever told them to seek talent elsewhere. But let's be real: resume, after resume, after resume get piled on their table and put into their car when they leave...and its a shame because companies pay sometimes more than $500-$600 just for a table and to talk to hundreds, if not thousands of college students so desperately looking for a job.

But student leaders, you shouldn’t be desperate. You worked hard while in college, you got involved, you built your leadership skills and are crossing off some pretty amazing things on your “before I grow up list.” What I want to tell you is don’t be one of the hundreds or thousands at your next career fair. Depending on what you want to do here is our first suggestion:

You want to look for intimate settings that aren’t crowded with other college students. Here is one:

Creative Mornings take place once a month in over 40 cities worldwide (listen up to all of you studying abroad). Even if you live within a 90 minute commute to one of these cities it is worth it. Every month they have a theme anywhere from design to marketing to money. Then, their chapter organizes and finds a well known or up and coming figurehead that has found their niche.

The best part, is they provided breakfast, its free and they host them at some unique places. When I went in July to NYC I heard Kellie Anderson

talk about design and I got to network with more than 100 artists, graphic designers, programmers and even the founder SwissMiss. Oh yeah and it was held in one of the most creative offices I've ever seen called the X/O group who started theknot, thebump and thenest.

The only thing I observed though is I saw no college students. If I am a college student interested in getting into design, photography, videography, web design, marketing, event planning, etc I would be DROOLING. Here’s the thing, unless you are digging deep, trolling twitter (not for #mantisGF) and networking like crazy, you will never hear about opportunities like this.

Now, getting a ticket for a Creative Morning meet ups is not easy because they are free and go quick on the Monday they are released, so you need to be quick. However, most hosts are very accessible and when I emailed them to try and get 2 more tickets they at least gave me a response (from a live human).

Tip: Here’s our advice if you get shut out - hunt down the organizer and contact them. If you have a skill such as videography or photography they are always looking for help to document their events. If you have your own blog or doing an assignment for a course, use that as an excuse to get in- depending on the person you contact they may have a soft spot to let you in. Last, (and we don’t suggest this) just show up and explain you are a student. Worst case you don't get in and you go explore the town or stumble upon some other company. 

Kevin O’Connell, Founder - The Niche Movement

Bring the Niche Movement to Campus to meet with students, staff or host your next workshop, keynote or training.

Engage with the Niche Movement - Facebook - Twitter

I'm a student leader graduating soon.

If you are reading this and are a college student or a recent graduate within the last two years think about the type of company culture you want to be a part of. Apply to be part of the first Niche Movement Cohort where we will work with your niche and discover employers that have jobs that you want. Applications due March 3rd.  

I work with student leaders.

If you are reading this and work with student leaders that you want to help land a job they love then share The Niche Movement with them.

I already found my niche and want to tell my story.

And if you happen to stumble upon The Niche Movement and you already found your niche then share your story. Or we can help you recruit top, talented college who by helping you create appealing job description, screen candidates and host internships or jobs on our website.

Leadership Lessons from Jay-Z

I got 99 problems, finding a job I love is one.

You’re probably thinking “how could I learn anything about leadership from J-Hova?” Well after watching his Life and Times video documenting the opening of the new Barclays Center there are several parallels to his approach on entertainment and modern leadership styles. In our opinion, you should look for these three (3) qualities when looking for your first job.

1. Engaging - Throughout the entire documentary, Jay-Z is engaging with his band, the workers of the Barclays Center, his fans, and even Ellen, the old lady, on the subway - all while being down to earth and personable. In one particular scene around minute 3, he is walking around (not the “manage by walking around” style) but he is watching, listening and asking questions and sharing his vision. Whoever is leading you and your organization better be engaging like this and have a vision.

2. Vision -  Half way through the video around minute 9, Jay-Z is evaluating the set design and lighting. However, he has a very specific, detailed vision of what footage should be shown, when it should cut to the next and when the lights should drop. Because he is opening up with 8 shows at the Barclays Center he wants to make sure everything is just right. Oh, and by the way, look where he is sitting. He isn’t on stage, in the front row or in some luxury box. He is where his fans are going to be and wants to make sure they will experience the best show.  Because Jay-Z is sitting in the seats sharing his vision and giving direction, he obviously cares about each performance.

Here’s our favorite thing we noticed about his leadership style.

3. Challenges the status quo - He challenges the status quo by 1) coming up with a completely different stage design and having a place for each of his band members. 2) Omar, one of his band members, says around 4 ½ minutes in, that every time each experience is better and better and says “Jay never let’s us get comfortable, he wants to know what can we do next.” His band completely respects him as he continues to push them and demand the next best performance. He has built a cohesive team that is on the same page and believes what he believes.

So as you interview and look for jobs you will be happy in, think of some of Jay-Z’s leadership characteristics and ask yourself or the interviewee:

1. How does this organization and it’s leadership engage with employees, outside clients and the public?
2. What vision do you have for the upcoming year, next project or for the team you could be working in. If they don’t have a clear vision you may want to continue looking.
3. If you are on-site for an interview look around you - does the office look innovative, are they working on projects that are new and different and do they want YOU to challenge the status quo?

Kevin O’Connell, Founder - The Niche Movement

Bring the Niche Movement to Campus to meet with students, staff or host your next workshop, keynote or training.

Engage with the Niche Movement - Facebook - Twitter

I'm a student leader graduating soon.

If you are reading this and are a college student or a recent graduate within the last two years think about the type of company culture you want to be a part of. Apply to be part of the first Niche Movement Cohort where we will work with your niche and discover employers that have jobs that you want. Applications due March 3rd.  

I work with student leaders.

If you are reading this and work with student leaders that you want to help land a job they love then share The Niche Movement with them.

I already found my niche and want to tell my story.

And if you happen to stumble upon The Niche Movement and you already found your niche then share your story. Or we can help you recruit top, talented college who by helping you create appealing job description, screen candidates and host internships or jobs on our website.