24 Sep 09 Professional Networking For Shy People
Trying to network when you happen to be a shy person can be a very daunting task. The hardest thing to do sometimes in your professional life is stepping outside of your comfort zone. But in an economic downturn, it’s more important than ever to get your name out there. Maintaining a good score card at your current company just isn’t enough anymore, as that position is not as guaranteed as in the past. Only by making sure others are aware of your skills, and track record, can you ensure that you’re as hirable as possible, should anything happen.
Preparing for the worst is never a bad idea, and that’s especially true of your job. Try to keep that in mind as you brave the networking world, despite your shyness. It’s rough, but try going to professional networking events around you. Whether it be seminars in your field, or any other gathering of the like where other professionals are likely to be found. Or if it helps don’t think of this as just job related, but rather a chance for you to meet more people in the same area as you are. Developing professional relationships with others that know what you’re going through is always a good thing.
Now you just have to battle the route cause of your tendency to be shy in public gatherings. If you fear that you don’t have anything interesting to say, prepare for that beforehand. Because a professional atmosphere is much different than a regular social gathering, just being knowledgeable about your industry is a good start. If you’re good at your job, you’re already well prepared. Just make industry related insights, and you can make connections either with people that share those thoughts, or those that are intrigued by such thinking.
Finally, it’s always a good strategy to bring someone you know to an event, so that you have a partner. You may feel more at ease by bringing a colleague, or friend that you have in the same industry. Anything that helps you feel relaxed and casual. Stay courteous and positive, and you’ll find networking to be pretty easy. You just have to extend your hand so someone else can take hold.
Tags: Bad Idea, Colleague, Comfort Zone, Current Company, Daunting Task, Economic Downturn, Hardest Thing, Insights, Networking World, Professional Atmosphere, Professional Life, Professional Networking Events, Professional Relationships, Public Gatherings, Relationships With Others, Score Card, Seminars, Shy Person, Shyness, Tendency
17 Sep 09 Writing A Business Email
Knowing how to properly format a professional business email is very important. Not knowing how to do so could result in you appearing unprofessional, or under qualified, or unfortunately just unintelligent. The business email format follows a fairly strict set of rules, to stay professional, and to flow so that your point is made immediately. Oftentimes you have to write and answer dozens of these every day, so the importance of getting ideas across quickly is invaluable.
Start of by knowing your audience. The format of an email to a colleague, opposed to one directed at your boss, you’ll find are written a different way. Think about how well you know the person, as well as how they fit into the company ladder, as each point will affect your tone throughout the email. But no matter how well you think you know a person, never get too informal. Don’t compromise your professionalism for anything.
Know what you’re writing about, before you compose the email. If it’s an answer to a question, make sure that you know the answer forwards and backwards. The worst thing you can do is give an incorrect answer when someone has come to you for help. So do your research!
Keep the purpose of the email in mind, and stay on topic with that purpose. You want the email to just be a quick question or answer. Something that a person can read with ease, take what they need, and then move on to getting more work done afterward. You don’t want your email to serve as a distraction, not at work.
Address everyone formally, and never make the email about your personal issues. The last thing you want to do is drone on about something that’s making you angry at work. Just stay on topic, keep it short, and remain professional and courteous.
Tags: Boss, Business Email, Colleague, Company Ladder, Compromise, Distraction, Dozens, Drone, Email Format, Incorrect Answer, Knowing Your Audience, Personal Issues, Professional Business, Professionalism, Work Address, Writing Email
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