Boston Career Counselor Blog

Welcome to my new career newsletter, designed to help you advance in your career, change jobs or find a new one! I look forward to sharing my insights and would be happy to answer any of YOUR questions along the way. Please email me with questions or topics you’d like to see covered.

You’ve probably heard from friends, colleagues and the media that networking is hot and the best way to find a job, but what exactly does that mean? What do you do, and how do you get started?

This was actually the topic of one of my Effortless Networking for Job Seekers meetings. We discussed the following words of wisdom.

Say Hello.

Have you ever entered a room full of people you don’t know and had no idea how to break into a conversation? We all have. The easiest way to break in is:

Talk to Solo Individuals. Think of how grateful you would be if someone came up and introduced him/herself. Instead of waiting, do it yourself. Locate a solo networker and jump in!

Groups of three. The next easiest way to join a conversation is a group of three. Why? Because there’s a good chance that one of the group is not as engaged in the conversation as the other two. Look for this person! And then…

Use Strategic Body Language.

When joining a group of three or trying to make contact with anyone, make eye contact from a few feet away and wait for a gesture of acknowledgement (usually non-verbal). This gets you “invited” to the conversation.

Don’t Pitch.

While most people attend networking events for a specific purpose (ie. find a job, get a client), don’t start the conversation with a five minute sales pitch or by asking if the person knows of any job opportunities! Instead, focus on listening and asking thoughtful questions. Offer to help if you can, by suggesting connections to people you know, good articles or books, or useful websites. Of course, since you’re there for a purpose, have your elevator speech ready when your conversation partner asks YOU questions!

With a strong background in education and enthusiastic teaching, I am a career counselor and coach. I’ve worked in an eclectic range of careers and I understand career frustration all too well. I’ve worked as a college and high school teacher, a manager in client services and even became an expert at customer service (and coffee) at Starbucks. I’ve spent time working with university students in a career counseling office. What has been consistent through and through is my dedication to making people happier, to cheering them on and making their lives better.

On a personal level, I’m a backpacker, yoga lover, runner and snowboarder. I love living in downtown Boston, enjoying a fabulous dinner out, and walk pretty much everywhere. I enjoy a good fantasy novel and have lately been enjoying watching old seasons of: How I Met your Mother, Modern Family and Supernatural. I’m always happy to take recommendations for good books, tv shows, movies, restaurants or hikes!