How to Be an Effective Manager

How to Be an Effective ManagerHow to Be an Effective ManagerBeing an effective manager is a complicated job Youre part strategist, part coach, part counselor and part tactician.Because your employees are your most important assets, its crucial to understand your staff and support them. While not everyone is a born manager, being aware of the qualities that separate the good ones from the great ones helps you bring out the best in your kollektiv.Are you the most effective manager you could be? Are there actions you can take to improve?Here are nine ways to demonstrate true leadership1. Value your employeesUnderestimating the effort put in by staff members and the value they add can lead to unhappy, demotivated and underperforming team members. It can also lead to a high staff turnover rate.Make sure you appreciate the role employees play on your team and the contributions they make daily to your firm.2. Express appreciationEffective managers show their gratitude to team members for a job well done. A simple thank-you can make a big difference to many employees. Its also important to provide positive feedback, whether its one on one, during a meeting or in a handwritten note. Expressing gratitude can help with retention, motivation and productivity within your team.3. Set a good exampleDemonstrate the behavior you expect of your team members. If youre kind, arrive to meetings on time and meet your deadlines, its a lot more likely your team will do the same.Similarly, managers who display qualities such as honesty, collaboration, creativity, innovation and dedication, to name a few, will likely inspire those qualities in those they supervise.GET OUR WORKPLACE HAPPINESS REPORT4. DelegateDelegating accomplishes a lot more than taking a task off your plate. Giving team members projects outside of their usual scope at work shows that you trust them to handle important tasks, giving them confidence in their abilities. It also builds skills throughout the team and keeps team members engaged by expanding their abilities. As an added bonus, skills development is an excellent retention strategy.Just remember that when you do delegate work, you need to trust that your team can handle important tasks. In other words, dont micromanage the process.5. Communicate clearlyIf employees dont understand whats expected of them, youre not an effective manager. Clearly communicate your expectations for each person in both their jobs and projects, and make sure everyone knows what success looks like to you.Its also important to be transparent in communications. If employees believe they are being misled or information is being withheld, it can lead to a breakdown of trust and undermine the employer/employee relationship.6. Know your teamGet to know your employees. What motivates them and what do they really value in their job? If you find out that an employee wants to move up in the organization, for example, you may be able to provide a mentor or training.Others may be looking for flexible hours, more challenging projects or improved software to be able to do their job more efficiently. Discovering what motivates each person on your team is a great way to improve the overall work environment and retain team members.7. Resolve issuesIf two members of the team have fallen out or just cannot see eye to eye, youll have to mediate the conflict. You might first ask them to try to find a way to fix their differences themselves. But if that doesnt work, you need to transsumpt yourself into the process. Encourage the two people to find common ground for the sake of the project or company, and make it clear that not resolving the issue isnt an option.For the sake of overall performance and productivity, it is important to address such situations quickly and effectively - before they spiral out of control.8. Listen closelyAs a manager, you need to be able to listen to what your employees have to say, whether its a work matter or something more person al. Either way, its important your team feels you are willing to listen and support them in any way you can.9. Never stop learning and networkingEveryone needs to constantly develop their skills and work contacts, and you should, as well, if you want to be an effective manager. Whether its understanding the latest software your team is using or maintaining key work relationships, dont become complacent. Youll make yourself more marketable and set a good example for your team by keeping your technical and networking skills current. Managing people takes a diverse range of skills, but aspiring leaders can acquire them - and behauptung efforts are often rewarded with increased employee performance, loyalty and retention.

3 Questions to Ask Yourself When Trying to Choose Your College Major

3 Questions to Ask Yourself When Trying to Choose Your College Major3 Questions to Ask Yourself When Trying to Choose Your College Major At this point in the academic year, college freshmen are largely settling into their routines. The initial flurry of activity that comes with living independently for the first time, establishing study routines and, lets be honest, partying, begins to slow down, and students start to think mora seriously about what they want to get out of their next four years. And the question at the top of many students minds is, What should I major in?Often, the best way to answer that question is with another question - or rather, a series of questions. If youre struggling to decide what you should study, ask yourself the followingCollege typically lasts only about four years - but your career will last you a lifetime. So when considering a particular field of study, its important to think about what kind of job opportunities it opens up after graduation.One Glassdoor study took a look at the most common jobs for college students, and the different majors associated with each. Here were the top fiveYou can also search keywords like entry-level or college graduate on Glassdoor to reveal tens of thousands of jobs, many of which list desired or required majors right in the description. For example, the listing for this Management Development Program position at Geico states that the company is looking for a Bachelors degree, preferably in Business or a related field. Youll likely find that certain majors like Computer Science will lead directly to specialized titles (such as Software Engineer , App Developer , Data Scientist , etc.) while more general majors like English or Psychology have less of a direct career path, and can lead to a variety of job opportunities (such as Sales Representative , Marketing Coordinator and Customer Service Manager ).Im a firm believer that salary shouldnt be the only thing you consider when deciding on a college major, but its certainly worth thinking about. After all, you need to be able to earn enough to cover your basic costs (and ideally, a little bit more).Hopefully, the exercise in the first section of this article helped you identify a few different job titles that correspond with the majors youre interested in. If so, you can search salaries for those jobs on Glassdoor. For example, a salary search for Public Relations Coordinator - a great career option for those studying Communications - reveals that the average base pay is $60,474.Glassdoor also conducted research into what different majors tend to pay - here were the five most lucrative we identifiedAs you can see, science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) majors dominated the list, but other majors such as Nursing, Economics, Architecture and Business also made the cut.Call it sappy, but as somebody who majored in more creative fields (English and Spanish for the win), I really believe that people should study what theyre interested in. If you find yourself particularly drawn to a certain field - be it photography, data science , anthropology or anything else - theres no better time than college to explore it. Even if you decide not to major in it, you can always pursue your passion as a minor, or just take a few classes in it. Otherwise, you might regret not learning more about what interests you while you had the chance. You dont necessarily stop learning once you enter the working world, but you usually dont have easy access to formal classes and expert professors on nearly every topic imaginable, like you do in college.Not quite sure what youre passionate about? Dont worry - theres nothing wrong with that Taking a wide variety of classes that satisfy your general education requirements can help you figure out what you like and what you dont. You can also meet with your academic advisor to brainstorm a few ideas.Choosing a major is a big deci sion - probably one of the biggest ones youll make in your first couple of years in college. But even though making big decisions can be stressful, you shouldnt worry too much. As long as you ask yourself the right questions and do your research, youll be able to find the college major thats right for you. Remember theres no one single path to success

Risks, Opportunities in Accounting Technology

Risks, Opportunities in Accounting TechnologyRisks, Opportunities in Accounting TechnologyJeff Thomson, CMA, CAE, president and CEO of the IMA (Institute of Management Accountants), speaks often about the changing role of finance and accounting professionals, especially with regard to the impact of new and emerging accounting technology. He is an optimist who uses technology and enablement in the same breath. He describes how big data, robots, cognitive computing and other emerging technologies are changing everything from tax preparation to audits to MA activity.On one hand, there is great risk to ur profession with more and more jobs going away in the more routine auditing and transaction-processing functions, Thomson says. Who could oppose automation if it brings greater efficiency and lowered costs and at the same time gives us more time to spend on the higher-value human activities such as synthesis and relationship management?But risk can be accompanied by opportunity, he adds. There is no reason embracing automation and the new and exciting jobs it brings to ur profession cant coexist with creating greater productivity and value for our organizations and those we serve.Thomson doesnt go so far as to say management accountants need to be big data geeks or Ph.D. statisticians to take advantage of these opportunities. But he does insist they need to know more about the latest advancements in accounting technology and the high stakes they create.What does Thomson consider to be some of the emerging trends?1. Continuing escalation of the cloudWhile cloud-based accounting and Software as a Service (SaaS) arent new, theyre still a big part of the changing dynamics for the accounting profession.Adoption of cloud-based solutions in the finance function continues to rise, according to surveys conducted for the 2017 Benchmarking the Accounting and Financial Function report. Seventy-two percent of respondents said they are either already using cloud-based solutions or plan to move data to the cloud in the future, compared with 62 percent who said the same in the 2016 report.Financial executives interviewed for the survey said they look to gain new data insight from cloud solutions, and most arent concerned about moving sensitive financial or customer data to the cloud. They also report finding cost savings, simplified information sharing and better team collaboration using the cloud.2. Use of blockchain technologyBlockchain is a database or digital ledger that holds records in blocks and transactions in a decentralized system that exists between all permitted parties.Smart contracts, as an example, work with blockchain technology to automate processes, such as paying invoices after confirming that the goods and services have been received and that funds are available for payment.While blockchain may be one of the least-understood technologies, it seems to bring the most opportunity, Thomson says. Its all about greater efficiency, visibility an d lowering compliance costs without intermediaries.3. Convergence of big data and artificial intelligenceMore and more futurists are talking about how the next evolution of big data will involve automation, machine learning and artificial intelligence. Thomson points out that its been a few years since the supercomputer IBM Watson beat out Ken Jennings, who had a 10-year winning streak on Jeopardy.It used to be that the dumb computer would just process and organize data, he says. Now weve moved beyond that to whats called cognitive computing and machine learning, where machines are actually being programmed to think like humans. This is where we pferdegeschirr the perceptive capabilities of machines and artificial intelligence.Computers are able to move beyond simple data processing to interpret incredible volumes of data in an intelligent way. Whether its the companys enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, social media data or, if its a large company, all its subsidiary data, machine learning technology improves processes through real-world sensory observations, identifying trends and patterns, and making predictions based on data it analyzes.More advice from ThomsonHiring accountants with the CMA (Certified Management Accountant) or helping employees earn this certification offered by the IMA brings strategic thinking, sensitivity analysis, scenario planning and insight into the workplace, leading to more sound decisions.More data science, analytics and an understanding of the data life cycle needs to be infused into the curricula of undergraduate accounting and financial programs, and in professional accountancy firms. That includes overall data governance - who governs, who manages, who controls and is responsible for the acquisition of the data and its integrity.For organizations to deal with the risk of disruptive technology, they must take the lead in creating newer types of data analytics jobs, which could mean re-training accounting and finance professionals.If were going to keep pace with the rate of change and, in fact, be ready for the future as a profession, we need to fully understand and embrace all aspects of this transition, Thomson said. The world is changing quickly, the advancements have taken us to new levels, and the opportunities are endless. We can either become gradually obsolete, or we can continue to develop new kinds of jobs. I think we can - and should - take the lead.Subscribe to our newsletterWhen you subscribe to the Robert Half newsletter, youll get articles and resources to help you build your career and manage a winning accounting and finance team - all sent directly to your inbox. Click the button below to sign up todaySUBSCRIBE NOW Jeff Thomson Jeff Thomson, CMA, CAE, has been at the helm of the IMA since 2008, Before that, he was a finance director and strategic business unit CFO at ATT, where he worked for more than 20 years.

Why acting like a lion will help you win at work and why no one should want to be a goat

Why acting like a lion will help you win at work and why no one should want to be a goatWhy acting like a lion will help you win at work - and why no one should want to be a goatThe contextWhen tourists travel halfway around the world to go on safari, what do they want to see? Which animal is at the top of their list? Usually, its the lion. When they show pictures of their trip to friends back home, the first question they hear is, Did you see any lions?.bxc.bx-campaign-1012255 .bx-group-1012255-lyDBLV9 width 900pxheight 550px

Imagery Analysis Specialist Marine Corps Job

Imagery Analysis Specialist Marine Corps JobImagery Analysis Specialist Marine Corps JobMOS 0241- the role of imagery analysis specialist- can be accessed by alateral move from any MOS. Applicants might also be recruited for and/or from SMCR entry-level training. Servicemen and servicewomen in this position process and analyze imagery gathered by various sensor platforms to derive intelligence. They use photogrammetric skills to assist their commanders inaccurate target acquisition, and they perform reconnaissance mission planning for multi-mission, multi-source imagery reconnaissance. Its been said that intelligence specialties are the best MOS opportunities within the Marine Corps. Youre expected to choose a MOS at your time of enlistment because the training you receive after basic will be geared to your selection. Its been suggested that you review your ASVAB scoring to pin down the areas in which you excel, then use this as a springboard for choosing a MOS. The Goal and Purpo se of the Position Intelligence derived from the imagery analyst is used in updating military intelligence databases at national, theater, and organic levels. Imagery analysis products include Battle Damage Assessment (BDA), Order of Battle (OOB), Lines of Communication (LOC) surveys, Helicopter Landing Zone (HLZ), coastal landing beaches, expeditionary airfields, Non-Combatant Evacuation Operation (NEO) studies, and target identification. The type of MOS for an imagery analysis specialist isPMOS. The rank range isMSgt to Sgt. Job Requirements Applicants must possess a GT score of 110 or higher, and they must complete the Imagery Analysis Apprentice Course at Goodfellow Air Force Base in Texas and/or the Tactical Imagery Analysis Course at Fort Belvoir in Virginia. They must additionally have 36 months of obligated service remaining when they complete training. This MOS can be recruited for and accessed from the SMCR entry-level training pipeline, or El-E4. All marines requesti ng a lateral move into the MOS 0241, USMC, and USMCR, must attend a berprfung interview conducted by a 0241 GySgt or higher. Interview waivers can be granted only by the OccFld 02 Manager or CMC (MM) Applicants must be eligible for a top-secret security clearance and be permitted to access to Sensitive Compartmented Information based upon a Single Scope Background Investigation. Application for the SSBI must be submitted prior to attendance at the Imagery Analysis Apprentice Course at Goodfellow Air Force Base in Texas. Interim Secret clearances are not accepted. You must typically be a corporal of any MOS, but sergeants might be considered if theyre exceptionally qualified and if they have less than one years time in grade. Some other position prerequisites include having a normal color vision and normal stereoscopic acuity, both of which must be certified by a Medical Officer. Applicants must be U.S. citizens. The MOS is assigned and voided only by the CMC (MM) Duties and Tasks You can refer to MCO 3500.32, Intelligence Training and Readiness Manual,for a complete listing of duties and tasks associated with this position. Related Department of Labor Occupation Codes Aerial-Photograph Interpreter 029.167-010Photogrammetrist 018.261-026 Related Marine Corps Jobs Geographic Intelligence Specialist, 0261

Understanding How Long Should Resume Be

Understanding How Long Should Resume Be Whispered How Long Should Resume Be Secrets Employers want to learn what you could do for them, instead of the other way around. Your resume needs to make them obvious. Theres a possibility all the content which you put in your resume may bedrngnis be read in any respect. Read below for more comprehensive info on the length of time your resume should be, and strategies for making your resume the ideal length. The procedure for building your resume and applying online might take several hours. A longer resume enables you to craft far better content for each important section. Once that work is completed, youre finally in a position to choose what length is appropriate given the story you must tell. Men and women appear to believe that the length of a resume plays a vital aspect in whether the resume gets read. The duration of your resume should depend on your experience and the kind of job that youre seeking. The duration of an exec utive summary is dependent upon the duration of the document. Avoid listing all the several things you were accountable for. If youve had a lengthy career, or have a good deal of additional information which you want to include like presentations, grants, and professional development courses, you might need three pages to list everything. A good deal of recruiters will just scan through resumes searching for keywords. When you want to earn a one-page resume, but your information overflows onto another page, there are many methods to shorten your resume. The How Long Should Resume Be Cover Up When composing your resume, always remember the relevance of the information which you are sharing. If youre asking for work in the financial industry for instance, its not a superior idea to find funky with your resume just adhere to the fundamentals. Choosing your words to spell out your worthiness and choosing the suitable examples becomes more important. Knowing the fundamental ste ps of writing a good resume does not signify you have to write alone. Regardless of whether you take advantage of a CV or resume, you should thoroughly edit your document. As youre formatting text, focus on the style, also referred to as the font, of the text. Resume templates are the simplest means of producing top-quality resumes which maximize your probability of reaching the very first interview stage. The Basic Facts of How Long Should Resume Be You will probably have a better probability of being noticed if you try to apply for newly posted jobs opportunities. Resumizer free resume creator allows you to preview your resume at any moment in the creation approach. You dont have to do a complete overhaul of your resume for each job application you send. You dont need to return to the start of your career. The target of your resume is to demonstrate that youre the greatest fit candidate for the job. A resume doesnt will need to extend a recruiter with every facet of your w orkplace career. A recruiter would like to find the results that youve achieved in previous positions, as it speaks to the potential you need to do well in the role for which theyre attempting to fill. Resume objectives are outdated just an excellent idea when asking friends to forward it people who might not understand what type of job that youre searching for. In spite of popular advice, the reply isnt always clear, and as a new grad, it can be difficult to understand just what it is possible to change in a resume to reflect a particular job. It isnt so simple. If a work ad was posted for a couple weeks, odds are theyve already gotten a slew of resumes, and yours will get lost in the pile. In the end, youre choosing a dangler-free resume. Federal jobs often need you to have experience in a particular kind of work for some period of time. Things You Wont Like About How Long Should Resume Be and Things You Will Sign up for my newsletter and youre going to acquire totally fr ee accessto my toolbox of private branding resources for students. A functional resume format might be better for you. Then think about a few basic questions to enable you to clarify which format would be ideal for you. As with other creative resumes, it isnt meant for the majority of employers, so you might want to get a traditionally formatted resume on hand to complement it. Job seekers can choose whether to send the complete document or only the first two pages to a prospective employer, dependent on the work opportunity requirements. Resumes are supposed to be an overview of all of the experiences and skills which you have.

Dealing with the Fallout of a Fired Boss

Dealing with the Fallout of a Fired Boss To some extent, we all come to depend on our baboes for direction, problem solving, and inspiration. And while some bosses are inevitably better than others, it can be a jolting experience when the big man or woman of the office is laid off or fired. Plus, there is no question that the power vacuum left behind can mean major disruption and performance hits for days or weeks after the fact as everyone struggles to adapt to the new environment. However, amongst the turmoil there are a few steps that can help you keep calm and carry on. The very first step is to follow the timeless advice offered up by Douglas Adams The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy Dont Panic. The first reaction by many people when they find out their long-time boss has been let go is to panic. This is probably due to the fear that if the boss has been fired, it could also happen to anyone else. Panic due to fear of potential job loss can lead to work mess-ups and general anxiety. But the reality of the situation is that, more than likely, the reason your boss got fired had nothing to do with you. And even if your company is on a firing spree, the worst thing you can do for your job performance and professional reputation is to panic under pressure.Even if you cant completely quiet your nerves internally, try to appear calm and collected as you work to make yourself visible to the remaining management. With your boss gone, it is likely that members of senior management without a real understanding of what you do will be observing how you work and what you accomplish. But since you and your team are being watched so carefully, take the opportunity to show the high-ranking officers your value to the company. In other words, reintroduce yourself show up early, stay later, remain positive, and work hard. Additionally, you can volunteer for projects, take the initiative an d introduce your own ideas, or at least take some time to clear out your cluttered inbox. Anything you can do to show your dedication is worth the effort.If the day your boss was escorted off the grounds was cause for celebration among the rank-and-file, try to resist the temptation to gossip and spread your personal negative feelings around the office. Rumors travel fast and with the extra attention being received by the higher-ups, going on a boss-bashing tirade is a very bad idea. Instead, use your time more wisely and show off your professionalism by focusing on your job and remaining positive. Your behavior during a time of management shake-up will either negatively or positively affect your reputation as a dedicated and professional employee deserving of a spot in your companys workforce.

10 Tips for Overcoming Writers Block

10 Tips for Overcoming Writers Block10 Tips for Overcoming Writers BlockMost writers will have trouble with writers block at some point in their lives. The possible reasons for writers block are myriad fear, anxiety, a life change, the end of a project, the beginning of a project... almost anything, it seems, can cause that debilitating feeling of fear and frustration. Fortunately, there are as many ways to deal with writers block as there are causes. The items below are only suggestions, but trying something new is the first step toward writing again. 01Implement a Writing Schedule Hero Images/Getty ImagesLook at what youre writing and why. Are you writing what you love, or what you think you should be writing? The writing that feels most like play will end up delighting you the most, and this is the writing your readers will instinctively connect with. At the end of the day, writing is too hard to do it for anything other than love. If you continue to winzigkeit base with the joy y ou first felt in writing, it will sustain you, not only through your current block but through whatever the future holds.

It took a decade to become an overnight success, says 13 Reasons Why star Christian Lee Navarro

It took a decade to become an overnight success, says 13 Reasons Why star Christian Lee NavarroIt took a decade to become an overnight success, says 13 Reasons Why star Christian Lee NavarroActor Christian Lee Navarro, who plays the role of Tony Padilla on Netflixs popularseries 13 Reasons Why, has become the kind of overnight success that Hollywood actors dream about - except, of course, took a full decade for the 25-year-old to really make it. The show focuses on the character of Hannah Baker aftershe has committed suicide. In the show, her friend Clay Jensen is trying to understand Bakers decision after he receives 13 tapes that she recorded prior to killing herself. Navarro plays Jensens friend Tony, the kind of strong supporter we all want to be able to lean on during times of crisis.Navarro welches strategic about his career he chose the role to move out of the typecast Latino roles that had limited scope. He wanted to stretch, and 13 Reasons Why was his mglichkeit to break fr ee of labels. Navarro shares success tips andtells Ladders abouthis unorthodox path to acting andwhy simply being nice can be a huge career boost.Ladders Whats the one word you would use to describe your reaction to the success of this show?Navarro Humbling. I was part of another project called Vinyl, which I was incredibly proud of, but it doesnt have the weight or the relevance that something like this has. I think when you get a letter from a groupie who says, A week ago, I was being bullied and the students in my class saw the show and decided not to bully me anymore,thats so gratifying. When you are working on it, you arent too aya of the outcome, you just hope its good. Receiving letters and emails similar to that is for sure a humbling experience.What inspired you to get into acting?Both my parents are cops my dad has been retired for 20 years and my mother still has six more years on the job. They would tell me not to do something, and the quickest way for a kid to do someth ing is to tell them not to do something. I was always pushing the envelope, and spent a lot of time punished, so I was in my room only with books. I only had those to read incessantly, and then act them out, so I started entertaining myself and found that it was easier to be these other people and tell their stories, and I wanted to explore that. I wanted to see if I could figure out who I was by taking a little bit of a character that I played or read or came across from a movie.Then, I spent my later years in Catholic High Schools and dealt with the restriction of that, and when I was a sophomore I did a play and made the decision to pull myself out of the one that I was going to in the Bronx. I didnt tell my dad, and when September came around he was like You have to go buy some new shirts and ties,and I was like I dont think so. I then auditioned for a big-time show, got into it, and it was the best decision I ever had. For the first time, I was around people who were like-minde d in their creativeness and just as rambunctious and rebellious as I was, and we felt each others souls and I knew that I wanted to be part of that family. There is always a part of us that feels like we arent enough and trying to seek that out, thats where it started. I fell in love with the art of it, and the realization that I could help a wide range of people just for doing what I love is such a gift. I believe it was Confucius who said, If you do something you love, youll never have to work another day in your life. would cut, not sure Confuciussaid this??-MTell me about the biggest hurdle in your career and how did you overcome that?I think the hurdle for me was having the industry start to realize that with this role, that I am not the Latino Gangster/Drug Dealer that they want me to be. There is only so many roles for an eloquent, intelligent Latino. You really have to grab that. At first, I thought I wasnt right for this role because Im a little bit older, but it was an opp ortunity to put a Latino character who wasnt defined by his sexuality, his race, his classthis guy is multifaceted. And there arenot a lot of roles written like that, so I feel like having played this role and doing my best at ithas given me the chance to break that stereotype. I started my career at 15 and Im 25 now, so it has taken over tenyears in order to get over this hurdle, and Im happy to have gotten to this point.What would you say is the biggest piece of advice who are trying to become successful in their own career?There are a million people who are going to tell you,You cant do it.I love my family, and it comes from a place of love, but they would always say,You should get a job, this is a pipe dream.And then, of course, when you do something miraculous like thisthe doubt turns into congratulationsSo keep your head down, believe in yourself to a point where it seems like yourecrazy - you know, that blind determination. And work harder than everybody else, and if you do t hose two things, good things happen. Above all be kind, because there are no successful a- holes. There are people that might not be nice, but you have to be a good person and look out for other people.

Top 8 Career Networking Tips for Introverts

Top 8 Career Networking Tips for IntrovertsTop 8 Career Networking Tips for IntrovertsFor introverts, loners, and the shy, networking can feel firmly outside of their comfort zone. Still, networking is an important career and job search move its through contacts and connections that many interviews are scheduled, and jobs earned. If the idea of a networking auffhrung makes you shudder, here are some tips that will help it go smoother. Who knows you might even discover that some networking events are not so bad. Top 8 Career Networking Tips for Introverts 1. Take Networking OnlineFor many, its the in-person quality of networking events that can be particularly challenging. The idea of having to go up to strangers can be enough to make hands sweat and stomachs roll. Fortunately, we live in a digital age. Take your networking to the web establish an active Twitter presence and interact with people in your field. Bulk up your LinkedIn profile and activity. 2. Network One-on-OneNot al l networking needs to be done at a big event or meet-up. While group conversations can be a struggle for introverts, a one-on-one conversation can give them an opportunity to show off keen listening skills, and make a solid connection. Suggest coffee dates and other one-on-one interactions, and ask friends and colleagues to set you up on chats with people outside of your immediate network. 3. Bring a FriendHeaded to a big gathering of strangers? See if you can bring a friend, co-worker, or even an acquaintance along. Theres just something about knowing at least one person at an event that can make it less nerve-wracking. Bonus points if the person you know isnt shy, and feels comfortable starting conversations with strangers. 4. Dont Forget Old Contacts in a Quest for New OnesWhen youre in networking mode, it can be easy to focus on expanding your network, tracking your growing number of LinkedIn contacts obsessively. Dont forget, as you make new connections, to keep in contact with the old ones. Drop old co-workers an email to catch them up on your situation (and of course, dont forget to ask after their career, too). Schedule coffee dates, and keep in regular touch with the important people in your network as with friendship, you dont want to only be in touch when you need a favor. 5. Follow Up After IntroductionsCollect business cards and send emails the next day make them personalized and targeted to increase your chances of success. Add people on LinkedIn most people will accept invitations from people theyve met in person. Find examples of networking letters to send after your initial connection is made. 6. Be PreparedAs you prepare for a networking event, think of it as if youre going into battle your weapons are small talk and chitchat. If there is a list of the people at the networking event available beforehand, make a list of the ones youd really like to chat with. Look them up online to find out a bit of their work history to make starting and main taining a conversation easier. Review these conversation starters, so its easy to connect with other participants. 7. SmileIts one thing to be the quiet person at an event, or even to be off in the corner answering emails on your phone. Its another to look glum, uncomfortable, or so unsmiling that you seem angry. Try to look engaged with the event. Present yourself outwardly as being open and eager to meet new people, even if you feel differently inside. 8. Be YourselfNot the center of attention? Thats OK Dont pretend to be that would ring false. You can be reserved, and take advantage of your listening skills. You dont have to be the center of attention if thats not a role that youre comfortable with. After all, all the extroverts need an audience for their stories and wisecracks. Perhaps the most important tip of them all is to remember that youre not the only shy person in any situation its estimated that half of all people in the US are introverts. In fact, one additional way to succeed at networking events may be to locate a fellow introvert.