Empower Me! The Empowered Black Women’s Network

Each day the media loves to overwhelm us with the coverage of companies slashing jobs and laying off people.  You see stories of top executives going from six figure salaries to $12/hour jobs. People one paycheck away from getting evicted and receiving a pink slip.  I know it gets daunting each day with the media over covering the jobless claims and job losses. But I’m here to tell you there are jobs out there. They may or may not be in your area of expertise, but they are out there.

If you go to Google, for example, and set a News Alertfor yourself you’ll see what I mean. Companies announce that they are hiring, won new contracts, opened new locations or divisions, launch new products or services and changes in their organization.  You have to use this type of information for a Guerrilla type job search.  It is no longer viable to wait for job postings as they go up on job sites.  Find out where the jobs are BEFORE they hit the websites.  Go to Google and click on News. On the left hand side towards the middle, you’ll see a little envelope icon and the words “News Alert” Click on that and it’ll bring you to a screen where you can set your own criteria.  I personally use terms like “IT jobs”, “finance jobs”, “career fairs” etc. I would put the terms in quotations in order to give you a better return. I also use the word “hiring”. Set the Type field to Comprehensive. That way you’ll get news from blogs, news, videos, etc. You can set it to how often you want: as it happens (will drive you crazy but if you want minute to minute I suggest this), once per day, or once per week. Finally, enter your email address that you want these alerts to come.

I would encourage everyone to set these alerts just to get an idea of what’s out there. While this economy is forcing some people out of their jobs, it’s also creating new opportunities to change careers. Maybe you’ll decide that now is the time to get into a new line of work. Watch the trends and do your research. Don’t fall into distress over the numbers. Focus on yourself and create a search plan. Remember, you are your own business. You have to be proactive and take your professional destiny in your own hands.

Hope this helps.

Til next time.

Adrienne Graham

I know these days the media is reporting the gloom and doom of the market and sending people into a panic because of the break neck speed that the country is losing jobs. With more people entering the job market, opportunities are scarce and pay seems to be cut or stagnant. So what do you do? You’re facing a pink slip and you need to feed your family, right.

Well I recently read an article where they tell readers to accept whatever they can get because it’s only temporary. I disagree. I have only been a person who believed in getting what I’m worth. I have a set of skills and talent that have kept me in demand and that I have worked long and hard at refining over the years. I am not oblivious to the world around me and I realize that we need to do what needs to be done for ourselves and our families. But I also believe that I value myself as a professional and I will not taint that value by accepting lower than I’m worth. There was a time where I would take whatever the pay was just so I would have a contract or client. Those days are no more.  If you start discounting yourself it’ll be hard to recover. Employers will feel that you don’t value your own self so why should they.

I’m here to tell you that there are opportunities out there. Don’t be mislead by the media and the news reports. I did a little experiment the other day. I went into Google and set several alerts to come to my email on a daily basis. I set keywords “job fairs”, “hiring”, “IT jobs”, “executive search” and “finance jobs”. In the past week, I have gotten notices of companies doing some major hiring and job opportunities posted on the web. So there ARE opportunities to speak of. You just have to look for them. Don’t be duped into accepting just anything simply because you think it’s the only thing available. You have to believe in yourself, your value and your skills and understand you are a marketable commodity. Don’t sell yourself short. Don’t diminish your value ever. One you figure out what it is you’re worth, stick to that number. If you come across a job you absolutely want and the salary is lower, find out if there are other things that can be done to offset it. Will they pay for education or certifications? Will you have flex work schedules or be able to work from home? Will you be allowed to progress through the company at a rate you’re comfortable with? Of course money shouldn’t be the primary factor, but it should be a major factor.

At the end of the day, you have to decide what you’re comfortable with. Understand what you bring to the table and what you are worth. Don’t compromise your principals for the sake of a check. If you have a strong enough network and do your research (and due diligence) you will find the right opportunities. Hang in there. You are worth it. You just have to believe it.

Til next time.

Adrienne Graham

I am an avid Twitter user. I like to update on what I’m doing, ramble about whatever is going on in my head, or just shoot the breeze. But I never ever say things that would be detrimental or embarrassing to clients, colleagues or associates. Sometimes people forget that Social Media is SOCIAL. Just about ANYONE can see and read it. Before you go bare your soul to the world, please be mindful of what you say and that there is a potential of it getting back to people you may not want it to.

Read this blog post. http://bhc3.wordpress.com/2009/03/17/how-to-tweet-your-way-out-of-a-job/ Please, please PLEASE exercise caution when you Tweet or post in any social networking medium. It could cost you your job or a job offer. Remember, recruiters and hiring managers are using these tools as well for their research.

Til next time.

Adrienne

You know what? It IS all about “who you know”. Let’s face it, this economy is on shaky ground. As witnessed by the collapse of some of Wall Street’s powerhouse companies we never know when our job is in jeopardy. If your company collapsed tomorrow, what would you do? Do you have a solid network of key decision makers who could help you land your next job? Do you have a contingency plan like starting a business? Chances are if you haven’t taken the time to build a strong network, you don’t have many allies who can help you in a pinch.

Fearless Networking, based on the book written by Adrienne Graham, gives you the foundations of becoming a fearless networker. In this session, you will learn:

* Branding yourself
* Build, communicate with and tap into your network
* Networking with top executives and key decision makers
* Making a memorable impression on the people you meet
* Positioning yourself as a subject matter expert and an asset
* Being a fearless networker
* Navigating and tapping into traditional and social networking
* Using networking to advance your career or build your business
* Building a proper Inner Circle (aligning yourself with power brokers)
* Networking ‘Seasons’
* Networking strategies

Don’t miss this dynamic session that prepares you to become a powerful and empowered networker. Your real networking experience begins at this seminar. Adrienne Graham gives attendees a look into her own networking journey, shares her experiences and best advice on building your own network from a position of confidence and strength, and gets the audience involved in interactive networking exercises.

Date: April 4, 2009
Time: 11 AM- 2 PM EST
Location: Online Webcast- must have internet and phone access
Cost: $69 (refer 2 friends who register & get $10 off your registration! Limit 2 referrals per person.)

Space is limited and advanced registration is required. https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=4000183

Drawing will be conducted for a $25 American Express Gift Check, a copy of the book Go Ahead, Talk to Strangers, and 1 free networking coaching session with Adrienne Graham.