Use Personal Strengths to Your Benefit
by Kip Parent, Keirsey.com
The vast majority of jobs are never advertised nor posted on the Web. How do you find them? Through your network of friends, acquaintances, coworkers, and former bosses. Networking is important for professional development, and it's really about connecting with others for fun and mutual assistance. It's also something all of us can do, even the shyest among us.
Basics of Networking
Conscious, purposeful networking helps to:
* Uncover opportunities and to keep options open
* Identify problems that people will pay you to solve
* Increase timeliness in achieving your objectives
What you might want from a network:
* Get an introduction to someone who may be able to help you
* Gather specific information that you want or need
* Gain visibility and increase your reputation
* Keep up to date in your field
* Learn a new skill
What you might have to offer your network:
* New ideas and critiques of others' ideas
* Specific knowledge or expertise
* Mentoring or teaching
* News of changes in the field
* Giving feedback and appreciation
* Increasing other's networks
Networking by Personality Type
Those of us who are more extroverted may find networking easy, while those who are more introverted may need to rely on friends who are good networkers.
Author and retired career coach Alice Fairhurst recommends people take a personality assessment such as the Keirsey Temperament Sorter (free at keirsey.com) or Myers-Briggs Type Indicator to become more aware of their skills and motivations. Says Fairhurst, "Even strongly introverted or shy people can use this information to overcome personal roadblocks to networking by using the particular strengths of their own personality."
She points out the strengths of the four basic personality types (also known by two-letter codes) identified by the assessments, and how to use them:
* Guardians (SJ's) tend to be the most aware of the structural and logistical aspects of businesses and organizations. They don't like to make changes unless there are proven benchmarks. "As a Guardian, your most successful contacts come from working to improve business operations or smooth people interactions. Your networks help provide stability to themselves and others," Fairhurst says.
* Artisans (SP's) live in the now and want excitement in their lives. They are pragmatic and want something that works. "As an Artisan, you are most successful when you make connections to deal with crisis and change and to energize others to action. Your networks help uncover opportunities."
* Idealists (NF's) want to improve the future for others. They are proponents of self-development. "As an Idealist, you are most successful when you network to help others succeed and to influence organizational change. Your networks provide inspiration for others."
* Rationals (NT's) are the least common of the different personality types. They drive themselves to be knowledgeable and competent, but often are less aware of the personal aspects of business relationships. "As a Rational, you are most successful when you network to enact strategies or to design new systems. Your networks bring new ideas," she says.
Networking may be the key to finding and landing your next job. It may feel awkward at first, but if you begin your efforts with the objective using your own personality strengths to help others, you'll find a comfort zone, and the reciprocal benefits will make the effort more than worthwhile.
by Kip Parent, Keirsey.com
The vast majority of jobs are never advertised nor posted on the Web. How do you find them? Through your network of friends, acquaintances, coworkers, and former bosses. Networking is important for professional development, and it's really about connecting with others for fun and mutual assistance. It's also something all of us can do, even the shyest among us.
Basics of Networking
Conscious, purposeful networking helps to:
* Uncover opportunities and to keep options open
* Identify problems that people will pay you to solve
* Increase timeliness in achieving your objectives
What you might want from a network:
* Get an introduction to someone who may be able to help you
* Gather specific information that you want or need
* Gain visibility and increase your reputation
* Keep up to date in your field
* Learn a new skill
What you might have to offer your network:
* New ideas and critiques of others' ideas
* Specific knowledge or expertise
* Mentoring or teaching
* News of changes in the field
* Giving feedback and appreciation
* Increasing other's networks
Networking by Personality Type
Those of us who are more extroverted may find networking easy, while those who are more introverted may need to rely on friends who are good networkers.
Author and retired career coach Alice Fairhurst recommends people take a personality assessment such as the Keirsey Temperament Sorter (free at keirsey.com) or Myers-Briggs Type Indicator to become more aware of their skills and motivations. Says Fairhurst, "Even strongly introverted or shy people can use this information to overcome personal roadblocks to networking by using the particular strengths of their own personality."
She points out the strengths of the four basic personality types (also known by two-letter codes) identified by the assessments, and how to use them:
* Guardians (SJ's) tend to be the most aware of the structural and logistical aspects of businesses and organizations. They don't like to make changes unless there are proven benchmarks. "As a Guardian, your most successful contacts come from working to improve business operations or smooth people interactions. Your networks help provide stability to themselves and others," Fairhurst says.
* Artisans (SP's) live in the now and want excitement in their lives. They are pragmatic and want something that works. "As an Artisan, you are most successful when you make connections to deal with crisis and change and to energize others to action. Your networks help uncover opportunities."
* Idealists (NF's) want to improve the future for others. They are proponents of self-development. "As an Idealist, you are most successful when you network to help others succeed and to influence organizational change. Your networks provide inspiration for others."
* Rationals (NT's) are the least common of the different personality types. They drive themselves to be knowledgeable and competent, but often are less aware of the personal aspects of business relationships. "As a Rational, you are most successful when you network to enact strategies or to design new systems. Your networks bring new ideas," she says.
Networking may be the key to finding and landing your next job. It may feel awkward at first, but if you begin your efforts with the objective using your own personality strengths to help others, you'll find a comfort zone, and the reciprocal benefits will make the effort more than worthwhile.
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