This is the 2nd in a 3-part series of addressing various job search networking challenges. See Part 1 that was issued last week (networking challenge 1-2-3)

These challenges and solutions came out of a keynote presentation I gave to the JETS/Schmoozers job group in West Hartford, Connecticut.  I hope they are useful and instructive to you and those in your network who are currently in job search.

Please share them. Let me know if you have other solutions to these challenges by posting your insights on our Facebook Page for Networking Ahead for Business.

Challenge #4:

Q: You keep hearing about new jobs going to younger professionals who are perceived as being faster/better/cheaper at their craft. Your friends keep mentioning age discrimination as a barrier. You are not sure if this really exists or not, but it is starting to chip away at your confidence and motivation. What should you do?

A: Value and invest in yourself with positive thinking, skill enhancement and working hard to maintain your vitality, energy and professional appearance.

• Manage your thoughts. Focus your thoughts on positive things rather than being suspicious of possible discrimination, which can send you down a very negative path and drain your energy. Don’t let your mind ‘go there.’
• Stay vital and current. Keep yourself vital by making time for exercise, education, skills updating and personal appearance. Stay up to date on your fashions and if you need to dye your hair to make your professional appearance better, then do it.
• Be selective yourself. Apply to companies that value diversity; those companies that know that a blend of cultures, ages and experience levels brings greater value to the organization than just hiring all the same type of people.
• Watch your language. If you are over 40 years old, don’t refer to yourself as an older worker, rather talk about yourself as a “seasoned professional” or a “mature professional.”

To read up more on the federal laws prohibiting job discrimination, check out: http://www.eeoc.gov/facts/qanda.html

Challenge #5:

Q: You have a trusted networking friend who keeps telling you about the many new connections she is making on Linkedin, Facebook and Twitter. You have not had the same kind of success with social media. She thinks you need to know more and do more with it. How can you remedy this situation? What options do you have?

A: Continuous learning is a career survival strategy. Make learning a key competency and a way to strengthen your career legs. Hiring managers and bosses expect that you are always sharpening your saw.

• Keep up with the times. From a personal marketing point of view, that means you must master social media.
• Maintain balance. Strategic use of social networking sites such as Linkedin, Facebook and Twitter should be balanced with effective use of face to face and telephone communication. Networking relationship thrive best when there is a combination of ways in which you connect and relate to each other.
• Stay relevant. Don’t allow yourself to give dinosaur excuses. Technology is moving forward and so much you.  A safe and affordable place to learn about social media skills is at your local public library. Call them and enroll in a class today.
• Don’t be a resister. Demonstrate your change management skills by learning how to adapt, learn and grow with the times; and that includes modern marketing and communication tools like social media.
• Learning is life. As my husband is fond of saying “Once you stop learning, you’re dead.”

Challenge #6:

Q: There are several networking events that are coming up next week, some which are free, others that cost money to attend. How do you decide which ones to attend, if any? How can you best prepare for them?

A: Pick and prepare. You  have many choices about where to spend your networking time, money and energy. I’m a firm believer that wherever people gather, there is the potential for opportunity. However you will accelerate your success if you are selective and well prepared to meet that opportunity.

• Be strategic. After a quick bit of research, figure out which networking event(s) is consistent with your job campaign strategy. Which events will result in meeting the kind of people who can help you advance your job search goals. Find out who will be at the networking event. Ask to see or hear a list of the confirmed attendees.
• Create a plan. Create a plan on what you want to accomplish at this networking meeting (e.g., who you want to meet and why). Schedule adequate time to prepare for the networking event that you’ve committed to. Let others in your network know that you’ll be attending (e.g., announce your upcoming attendance on Linkedin).  Do your basic research on the networking group, the leaders, the members,and even the speaker.
• Present your best self. Dress for success. Don’t allow financial constraints or unemployment to get in your way of a professional appearnce. Practice your elevator speech and be able to quickly articulate the value that you bring to the table and what you are looking for. Give yourself a pep talk. Lastly, remember to bring plenty of business cards as you will want to exchange cards with key people that you meet.
• Arrive early and follow-up promptly. There are opportunities to meet people before, during and after a networking event. Maximize your return-on-investment by showing up early and practicing effective follow-up after the networking event. Send a linkedin invitation immediately after the event to the people that you connected with. (be sure to secure their business cards and/or their email address so that you can invite them to link in with you.)

How would you solve these networking/job-search challenges? Share your ideas with us on Facebook

Your Networking Goal for this Week

Overcoming networking challenges starts first in your own head. How you view the problem and think about them has a huge impact on whether or not you are successful in overcoming them. After all, you can really only control yourself, no one else. This week, focus on mastering your mind for a change, a positive change at that. See obstacles as nothing more than problem-solving opportunities. Stay positive in your thinking and actions. Take action to better yourself this week. Why not go to the public library and see what’s going on there? Immerse yourself in environments that allow you to learn new things, expand your curiosity and connect with good people.

About the writer: Kathy McAfee is known as America’s Marketing Motivator and is author of the book Networking Ahead for Business (Kiwi Publishing 2010). In her role as Executive Presentation Coach and Professional Speaker, Kathy helps her clients to become the recognized leaders in their fields by mastering the art of high engagement presentations and more effective networking and connecting. To learn more about Kathy, visit her web site MarketingMotivator.net.  To receive free weekly networking tips, sign up at NetworkingAhead.com