 Counsel from More Magazine
In a recent issue of MORE magazine, Kate Ashford outlined ten ways to get your skills into shape. Here's an excerpt highlighting two areas to focus on: Network, network, network "When my executives find themselves in career transition, the number-one regret is always, 'Why didn't I stay in touch with more people?'" says Cafasso. "We all need to think of our LinkedIn connections and professional network as possible customers, referral sources and valuable assets." Facebook, she says, is also a venue for networking, but not necessarily the most effective one. Here's how to stay in touch with your professional contacts: Divide your LinkedIn connections into three groups, perhaps A, B and C. Then decide on a level of correspondence for each. For instance, maybe the A's get a quarterly e-mail with a note, link or article. The C's may receive only a holiday greeting. "Staying in touch doesn't have to be involved or complicated," Cafasso says. "Even if you called one person per week, you'd have a fresher connection should you need it." Here's who should be in each group: A's / People who are influential in your industry or in a field that interests you. There will also be former colleagues who've moved to other companies or whom you left behind when you moved. If you got a pink slip tomorrow, could you see yourself dropping them an e-mail? If so, they belong on this list. B's / Coworkers you see regularly and not-so-close friends with whom you stay in touch. C's / "People you meet and they want to link to you, and you don't want to be rude, so you say yes, but you wouldn't lose sleep if you never saw them again," Cafasso says. Keep in mind: You don't have to develop lifelong friendships. Research has shown that weak ties can be richer sources of job help than close friends. Make friends with the higher-ups
Q: You say women need sponsors? Christine Silva, senior director of research at Catalyst: Yes. A sponsor is someone in your organization who is senior enough to advocate on your behalf, who sits at the table of decision makers and can speak up for you when it comes to promotions or chances at high-visibility development opportunities. Q: Isn't that what a mentor does? CS: Mentors provide career advice and guidance. They may act as role models. But they aren't necessarily senior enough to be a sponsor, and they may not be able to advocate for you. Q: How did you arrive at this distinction between mentors and sponsors? CS: We have been following the careers of MBA graduates from business schools around the world, and we have found that women lag behind men with respect to level and pay from their first job. But we have also found that women have more mentors than men do. It turns out it isn't having a mentor that predicts advancement and compensation growth; it's how senior that mentor is. When someone will put her reputation on the line and say, "I know she's ready for the next step"-that seems to be the game changer. Q: How do I get a sponsor? CS: By networking with influential people in your company and making sure they know what you've accomplished and what your aspirations are. They have to know what you'd like them to sponsor you for. Q: What mistakes do women make? CS: They think that if they put their heads down and work hard, they'll be noticed and get ahead. But you must also self-promote. Doing a good job doesn't seem to be enough if people don't know about it. Click here to read the rest of the article online. To make sure you don't miss other great articles like this, click here to subscribe to MORE magazine. By Kate Ashford. Used with permission from MORE® Magazine. © Meredith Corporation. All rights reserved.
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