3 Reasons to not use your Job Title when Networking

Introvert Whisperer / 3 Reasons to not use your Job Title when Networking 3 Biggest Reasons to Not Use Your Job Title When Networking and What To Do Instead Networking- Hopefully, by this point, you realize that you need to be meeting and expanding your network all the time.   It doesn’t matter if you are doing a job search or happily enmeshed in your best job ever, your network requires your attention â€" all the time. Your network is a living organism and by it’s very nature, there will be people who will spin out of your orbit for a whole variety of reasons.   That means you need to be continuously meeting new people. It doesn’t matter if those new people you meet are at a neighborhood party or a professional association meeting, your self-introduction needs to be effective and memorable.   While the thing we all gravitate to is our job title, it doesn’t mean it’s the best way to meet a new person. I’d like to outline the reasons not to use your job title in support of what will work so much better: Incomprehensible â€" Most job titles mean almost nothing to people outside your place of work. Some job titles are so cryptic; they leave you wondering where the decoder ring is.   Don’t make others have to play “20 questions” just to figure out your work. It’s not good conversation â€" After hearing a job title, it’s often hard to take the conversation anywhere. It’s like hitting a road barrier, it’s abrupt and does nothing to help you both move the conversation forward. WIIFM (What’s In It For Me) â€" We are constantly in search of useful resources that can either help us or help others we know. Memory for something has to have an emotion tied to it. A job title doesn’t do that which means it won’t be memorable. Bonus reason â€" It’s boring and predictable. While it will take a bit of thought to substitute a way of introduction, once you’ve done it a few times, it will also become second nature to you. Instead, do this: Frame your results â€" While you do produce numerous results, pick out 1 or 2 results that you obtain. When you frame your introduction in results, people will understand and relate it to them. The thought is if you can get those results for your employer or customer, you can do it for others. It starts to appeal to the WIIFM part in all of us. It’s also more descriptive that a job title. Powerful verbs or actions â€" As part of how your phrase your introduction using your results, think about how you achieve those results. Do you teach? Sell? Manage? Coach?   If you’re kind of clueless on some good verbs, simply Google “powerful verbs”, you’ll get great lists to pick what works for you. Rinse, repeat practice â€" Because you have several results and verbs you can come up with multiple introductions and that works well. If one combination doesn’t really feel comfortable then use a different combination.   Once you have a few that work for you, practice them so you’ll remember them.   You will find that you’ll end up with a couple that will become your “go-to” introductions. Keep in mind you are building a new habit.   It may feel awkward at first just like riding a bike. It takes practice but will pay off with everyone you meet from now on. Bottom-line â€" I want to help you accelerate your career â€" to achieve what you want by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my 4 Building Blocks to Relationships eBookâ€" the backbone to your Networking success and fantastic work relationships.   Grab yours by visiting: CLICK HERE Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleash your professional potential.

Changes Likely For NCLB

Changes Likely For NCLB Earlier this year, the Obama administration discussed plans to change the No Child Left Behind act with the media. Journalists and education administrators alike thought Obama was bluffing, trying to create action in policy makers. It was no bluff. The Obama administration asked Congress to rewrite the No Child Left Behind law on Monday, March 14, in an effort to accelerate its public education overhaul, one of Obamas major goals, according to an article in the Washington Post. The Obama administration has been aggressively pursuing education reform and plans to have the new version of No Child Left Behind law implemented by the fall of 2012. I want every child in this country to head back to school in the fall knowing that their education is Americas priority, Obama said in a speech at Kenmore Middle School in Arlington, Virginia. Lets seize this education moment. Lets fix No Child Left Behind. Education Secretary Arne Duncans announcement that 82 % of public schools could be labeled failing in 2011 up 37% from 2010 sparked this action. But, some education experts believe that Duncans numbers are inflated. However, lawmakers may not have enough time to change this bill before next fall. Other debates such as merit-based teacher salaries, teacher tenure and public vouchers for students to attend private schools could further complicate the process. With his changes, Obama plans to take most of the federal oversight out of average- and well-performing public schools but then use aggressive measures and oversight to fix underachieving schools. The original bill was created in 2002 by former President George W. Bush to addresses school performance ratings, standardized testing, teacher quality, academic standards and equity for lower-income students. Currently, the No Child Left Behind law requires schools to test their students every year in reading and math, measuring their progress in closing achievement gaps. Schools that do not test well can face penalties as strict as a state takeover. Lawmakers have been meeting for over a year to reach a bipartisan agreement for this bill. Obama met with House and Senate education leaders in mid-March. Changing the original No Child Left Behind Law was first debated in 2007; however, Congress took no action then.