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1. People's names. How many of us are terrible with names but great with faces? Well, since we can't follow up with faces, names are critical to document or remember. We have more than just phone numbers to contact people, and there's always Google and social media to use. If you're bad at remembering names and faces, look up Jerry Lucas on Amazon and his books on memory. I remember many years ago how he recognized everyone in the audience on the Johnny Carson show after meeting each person the first time. I read his book Lucas authored with Harry Lorayne (the link goes to Google Books, The Memory Book) many years ago and still use a couple of their principles in remembering phone numbers. It works, and I highly recommend them.
2. Losing phone numbers. What's worse is when people lose their phones and use their Facebook page to recoup misplaced phone numbers. If you don't use your Gmail contact list regularly, you should. It's a free cloud service used by millions. But if you want to "level-up" your contact game, use the app Evercontact to update contacts by contacting you via email. I'm still playing with it, but so far I find it useful in detecting a connection who has updated his or her information without notifying me.
3. You were supposed to call when? Yes, we forget, and scheduling is an issue, but when every phone has a calendar there is no excuse. Many of us use Evernote but don't use the alarm feature in the app. There are too many solutions tools to use already in your smartphone to employ right now. But little things such as forgetting to call a certain or time could mean everything to lose when you're trying to move forward.
4. How you treat everyone. Job seekers who are good networkers masterfully leverage kindness, courteousness, and helpfulness. They understand people associate how they remember you with how you made them feel the last time they met you. How can you expect referrals if they don't feel you're genuine. People refer others they feel good about and who treat them well.
5. A smile or lack thereof. Employers want to see enthusiasm, and if you're so enthusiastic, how is it supposed to be shown? It's not a signal you're desperate for the job, or you can't wait to accept. It's part of putting forth your best effort, and you're excited to engage in the discussion.
6. Preparation. You want to treat this on the same level as an interview. Some will say that this approach is over-the-top. It's necessary for the person referring you to demonstrate excitement as much as you will.
7. The right phone numbers. I find it easier to use my phone as the hub of organization these days. There are too many tools to ignore to keep you organized and on schedule. If you need help with maintaining business card info, the one app you should have on your phone is ABBY Business Card Reader. Although not perfect, it will read the information on the card and turn it into a contact file on your phone. One thing critical to keep up with is following up with people you meet, especially when there are many of them.
8. Not saying hello, good morning, and excuse me. More and more of us are taking for granted the polite and cordial pleasantries that ignite familiarity and at times, meaningful relationships. These are networking opportunities waiting to happen. They are also a catalyst for powerful experiences to energize our efforts at the moment such as interviews, presentations, and even casual conversations.
9. Hygiene. The hygiene debate has many twists and turns, even igniting a bias discussion. But you have to bring your best when a job is on the line. It's not a lack of mouthwash or deodorant issue. But if there is a consensus that an odor from you is offensive -- change your strategy.
10. Your phone has to be turned off at times. You want to be referred, liked, and hired. While you are networking and interviewing, your phone is a non-factor in impressing anyone. Give them 100% attention. There are many more to include on this list, and most of us had to learn the hard way. Also, if you have been unemployed for a long time, you may not be aware of the cultural differences of a team. That is why you shouldn't disengage if you're unemployed and if possible accept contract or temp work. In the meantime, you'll need to dot your I's.
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