I conducted a completely unscientific experiment some time ago and I’m convinced my findings could be a networking game-changer for millions of Americans. Read on to see how you can increase your chances of being memorable...
Here’s What I Did...
It all started when I went in to my favorite salad and sub shop (that’s a hoagie or grinder for you folks in other parts of the country), to grab some takeout for my family. The man behind the counter was wearing a super cool hat. I don’t know why, but I blurted out, “That is an awesome hat, it really suits you.” A big grin crossed his face and a warm thank you gushed from him immediately. I paid for my food and was off.
A week later, I was back in for takeout, the same man was there working the counter. However, when I walked in this time, his face lit up and I got a warm, “Hello, nice to see you!”
We started chatting and I learned he was the owner. We talked about the business, how long he had been cooking, and so on. It was if we were old friends. This continued each time I went in for food. Around the sixth week (What can I say? My family loves the food!), my new friend and I exchanged pleasantries. As he handed me the food, he said, “I noticed you’ve never tried our roast beef. It’s the best in town. I put one in there for your family to try.”
I was stunned, what a kind gesture. And, yes, it was delicious!
As I sat thinking about this pleasant surprise, I realized it all went back to the day I decided to give an unsolicited compliment to a total stranger. And, it made me wonder, “Could this success be replicated?”
Experiment = Compliment 5 Strangers And Track The Results
I decided the only way to see if this was a fluke was to conduct a controlled test. (Someone please tell my dad I’m finally putting that Engineering Psychology degree to good use!) I selected a few places where I knew I would come in contact with strangers and decided to try to compliment each one. Here’s the breakdown. I told the:
Toll booth lady in the morning I loved her leopard-print eye glasses because they framed her face nicely and made her look hip.
Guy I've never met with an office down the hall from me that I liked his coffee cup.
Check-out girl at the grocery store I loved the pale purple nail color she had on.
Grocery bagger I liked the way he organized my food in the bags.
Toll booth gentleman on my way home I liked his leather gloves.
The next week, I followed the same route and purposely tried to run in to these five people again. It worked! They ALL had big smiles for me and asked me how my day was going. They definitely remembered me. Coincidence? I think not! Sadly, no more free stuff came my way – but that’s not the point. The point is my simple compliment made me memorable in a positive way.
When’s The Last Time You Complimented A Stranger?
For some reason, as adults, we are trained to avoid acting like a “brown-nose” or “kiss-&!@#” because it makes us look desperate or insincere. I think my test proves otherwise.
Yes, maybe if you are stalking someone and showering them with compliments as a way to grease the way for a favor, but that’s not what I’m talking about here. I’m talking about the simple act of noticing (a.k.a. listening with your eyes), and commenting on something about a person that’s intended to be nice. Sadly, I think we are all so self-absorbed and caught up in our own lives we forget how good it can feel to make someone else’s day. And, as this study shows, doing so can have great rewards.
Networking With Strangers – Find The Good And Tell Them
Where I think the results of this study have the greatest impact is when we look at networking. What is wrong with pointing out something we admire or respect in a person? And, what if in doing so we could be more memorable, making the ability to connect and build a relationship down the line with this person easier? This seems particularly true for people who are shy or feel they are bad networkers. If they applied this technique, they just may find it a lot easier to connect with fellow professionals.
My Challenge To You: Pay A Compliment And Share With Us
I invite all our readers to do their own experiment with this and then post the results in the comment section below. Let’s see if we can’t get enough quantifiable proof to make this a scientific fact! You just never know what can happen. Not to mention, I think spreading compliments during these tough economic times can have an even greater impact – I just need to find a way to scientifically prove it! Any suggestions?
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Is your job search turning into a grind with no end in sight? It may be time to take a step back and reevaluate your entire approach.
In cold weather climates, the beginning of spring is a time to clean the house and get organized—a practice known as spring cleaning. Through the years, spring cleaning has taken on a larger meaning with people using the time to organize and declutter things in their lives.
For professionals on the job hunt, a little spring cleaning (metaphorically speaking) could be a great way to reinvigorate your job search. Here are a few strategies your job search spring cleaning should include.
Reevaluate Your Job Search Approach
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Make a list of the last handful of jobs you applied for and see if you can identify any positive or negative trends. Consider things like:
How did I learn about this job?
How did I apply for the job?
Did I earn an interview?
What was the ultimate result?
A lot can be learned about your job search approach just by answering these questions and identifying patterns. For example:
Negative Trends
You discovered five jobs through job boards, applied to all of them via the job boards, and never heard back from any of them.
The common pattern here is applying through job boards. This isn't to say that job boards don't serve a purpose in the job search process, but they have their limitations, and you can't run your job search entirely off of them. When you apply through a job board, there's a good chance that your materials will never get past the applicant tracking system (ATS) and never be seen by an actual person.
One simple fix is to research who the hiring manager or recruiter is that posted the position and email your materials to them directly.
The more efficient fix would be to take a proactive approach by putting together a bucket list of companies that you want to work for and start making connections on LinkedIn with people who work at those companies. You may already know some people who work there or have connections that can refer you to some individuals.
This is a great way to network your way onto a company's radar.
Positive Trends
You applied to three jobs via referral, were invited to two job interviews, and made it through multiple rounds of interviews for one of the jobs before being passed over for someone with a little more experience.
The pattern here is that getting referred to a job by a professional acquaintance is a great way to land a job interview. This indicates that you're leveraging your network well and you should continue to focus on your networking efforts.
The next step is to review the interview process and determine what went well and what needs to be improved. Sometimes the interviewer will provide feedback, and that feedback can be valuable. However, not everyone is comfortable with giving feedback.
Chances are you probably have a good idea about areas of improvement and the skills you need to gain. Put together a plan for addressing those shortfalls.
The good news in making it deep into any interview process is that it indicates that the company likes you as a potential employee (even if the timing just wasn't right) and the experience could be a roadmap to a job with that company at a later date, or another similar opportunity elsewhere.
Give Your Resume & Cover Letter Some Much-Needed Attention
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Are you continuously sending similar resumes and cover letters to each job opening with only minor adjustments? If so, your strategy needs some serious spring cleaning.
The reason why it's so important to tailor your resume is that throughout your career, you acquire numerous skills, but the job you're applying for may only be focusing on 6-8 of those skills. In that case, those skills must rise to the top of the resume with quantifiable examples of how you successfully used those skills at previous jobs.
Remember, recruiters go through hundreds of resumes. They need to be able to tell from a quick glance whether or not you're a potential candidate for the position.
While updating your resume, you could also spruce up your LinkedIn profile by highlighting the skill sets that you want to be noticed for by recruiters.
As for writing a good cover letter, the key to success is writing a disruptive cover letter. When you write a disruptive cover letter, you're basically telling a story. The story should focus on how you connect with the particular company and job position. The story could also focus on your personal journey, and how you got to where you currently are in your career.
If your resumes and cover letters aren't unique, now is the time to clean things up and get on track.
Build Your Personal Brand
Just because you're looking for work doesn't mean that you don't have anything to offer. Use previous career experiences and passions to build your personal brand.
Ask yourself, "How do I want other professionals to view me?"
Pick an area of expertise and start sharing your knowledge and experience with your professional network by pushing out content on your LinkedIn and social media accounts. Good content can include blogs, social media posts, and videos.
By sharing content about your experiences and passions, you slowly build your personal brand, and others will start to notice. The content could lead to good discussions with others in your network. It could also lead to reconnecting with connections that you haven't spoken to in years, or making new connections.
You never know when one of these connections could turn into a job lead or referral. The trick is to get on people's radars. So, when you're cleaning up your job search, be sure to build a plan for personal branding.
Maintain Healthy Habits During Your Job Search
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Your job search is important, but it's even more important to know when to pull back and focus on personal health and spending time with family and friends.
There are actually things that you can do for your own enjoyment that could help your job search in the long run, such as:
Grab coffee with a friend - It's good to engage in light conversation with friends during challenging times. And if your job search does come up, remember that most people have been through it themselves and you never know when a friend may provide you with a good idea or lead on a job.
Volunteer - Volunteering is a great way to get involved in the community and help others. In addition, if you develop a little bit of a career gap while looking for a job, you can always talk about how you filled that time volunteering, if you're asked about it during a job interview.
Continue to focus on other passions - Are you a fitness nut? Blogger? Crafter? Continue to do the things that bring you happiness. And if you're in a position to profit from your passion through a freelance job or side hustle, even better!
Spring is the perfect time to clean up and improve your job search so you can land the job you want. If you're struggling to find a job, follow the tips above to reinvigorate your job search—and watch your career blossom!
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This article was originally published at an earlier date.