WOMEN ADVANCING WOMEN OF CLEVELAND TO PRESENT “NETWORKING 101: THE MOST IMPORTANT CLASS THEY DON’T TEACH AT SCHOOL” SEMINAR.

Women Advancing Women of Cleveland is pleased to present a free seminar by top executive recruiter/networking expert Mary Stewart McGovern, president of Stewart McGovern Enterprises, entitled Networking 101: The Most Important Class They DON’T Teach at School.

This seminar will help women learn the “how’s” and “why’s” of professional networking, and how developing a solid network can boost your confidence and advance your career.

Ms. Stewart McGovern’s seminar is being presented January 30, 2008 at the offices of Smith Barney, 100 North Main Street, Suite 300, Chagrin Falls, OH 44022. Registration and networking starts at 5:30pm, and the seminar begins at 6:00pm.

In order to attend this free seminar, participants must register with the Women Advancing Women website (http://www.womenadvancingwomen.org).

Women Advancing Women is a Cleveland, OH-based organization that seeks to help professional women in the Cleveland community achieve success through education and relationship building.

For more information on Women Advancing Women, please contact Andrea Shea (andrea.m.shea@smithbarney.com.) For more information on Stewart McGovern Enterprises, please contact Mary Stewart McGovern (mary@stewartmcgovern.com.)

Happy New Year!

Hello, and Happy New Year! Now that the craziness that was 2007 is behind us, I am anxiously waiting to see what 2008 has in store.

Any New Year's Resolutions, folks? Mine is to write more - whether it's new articles and/or eBooks (in fact, as we speak, I'm writing my new one - Networking 101: The Most Important Class They DON'T Teach in School) or passing along some great tips (with my notes/comments) I've found. I plan on, at least, ONE NEW BLOG POSTING a week. And I plan on holding myself to that. I've been bombarded with so much new information, both original tips by me as well as ones from trusted sources, that I feel I must share.

Well, it's getting late so I'll write more tomorrow.

Here's to a Happy, Healthy 2008!

Best Regards,

Mary Stewart McGovern
President
Stewart McGovern Enterprises
www.stewartmcgovern.com

Never Eat Alone

We all know a Keith Ferrazzi in our lives. Keiths are people who are always "in the know", always a step ahead of everyone else. They seem to know everyone and, if they don't, they know someone who can introduce them to that elusive person.

Keith Ferrazzi is a master networker. He knows how to develop a good network and how to use that network to generate more business in a month than many other people do in a year.

For those who are unfamiliar with Keith, I highly suggest reading his book, Never Eat Alone. In it, he discusses his very humble beginnings (son of a steel mill worker and a housekeeper), how he learned from his father that *sometimes* just asking others will pay off major dividends (in Keith's case, just asking lead to a scholarship to one of the best prepatory schools in the country, which opened up the doors of Yale and Harvard Business School to him via scholarships earned because of who he met, which then lead to him being the youngest partner EVER in the history of Deloitte Consulting.)

Never Eat Alone lays out the steps needed to, as the old telephone company commerical used to say, "reach out and touch someone." And to be sincere about it, not to become that crude, "hey can I give ya my card?" jerk that everyone meets at every convention.

The book preaches Keith's personal form of networking. A form based on being generous, helping friends and colleagues connect, building genuine relationships along the way. It's not about keeping score (i.e. I did you a favor, now you owe me one...) It's about how to get what you want and making sure that the person giving it gets what they want/need, as well.

Keith recommends you "ping" your connections regularly. By "pinging", he means reach out and stay in touch. Find out who is looking for a new job or who needs to hire someone. See if you can make that introduction. Sure there isn't anything in it for you now but, down the road, when something that is in your realm of expertise becomes available, these people are more likely to remember you favorably and most likely will give you a call.

Never eat alone, especially at corporate and social events. Nothing says "failure" better than being "invisible" at these events. You should spend this time cultivating and nuturing your connections, building new ones, and making yourself seen and heard.

In the end, it's all about the relationships you have, the relationships you build, and the relationships you want to establish. Make it happen.

Mary Stewart McGovern
President
Stewart McGovern Enterprises
http://www.stewartmcgovern.com/

*****Check out Mary's new ebook, I've Graduated from College. Now What? Or, How to Go About Starting Your Career and Not Finding Just Another JOB. Now available for purchase on our website, http://www.stewartmcgovern.com/!

Networking - Cleveland, OH

So, am I the only one bemoaning the fact that August begins next week? To me, August always used to mean the "end of summer." Of course, as a parent, I am now look at August as being the "beginning of the new school year."

Either way, I noticed that August is almost here and there hasn't been a decent local networking event that isn't "career specific." I mean, I attend lots of great networking luncheons and cocktail hours, but most focus on either Accounting and Finance (my primary recruiting areas) or professional development.

Why not have a great networking cocktail hour at one of the fabulous bars in Cleveland? And why not have it be just so all of us can *finally* get a chance to meet in person?

Here's what I'm thinking... I want to set up a networking event somewhere in Cleveland toward the end of August. It would be a cash bar (sorry, folks) and the sole purpose would be for everyone who knows each other online (either by MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.) to finally meet in person. Or, even if we know each other already, it's a great way to say "hi" in a way that doesn't involve email!

Post your suggestions for days during the 3rd or 4th week in August, as well as possible locations. Based on the most agreed upon day and location, I'll set up "Mary's End of Summer Networking Cocktail Party" (yeah, I'm gonna need to come up with a better name than that!)

Comments -

Mary Stewart McGovern
President
Stewart McGovern Enterprises
http://www.stewartmcgovern.com/

*****Check out Mary's new ebook, I've Graduated from College. Now What? Or, How to Go About Starting Your Career and Not Finding Just Another JOB. Now available for purchase on our website, http://www.stewartmcgovern.com/!

ClevelandWomen.com

I have a multi-part article of mine posted on ClevelandWomen.com, on the subject of starting your career when you first out of college.

Be sure to check it out!

http://www.clevelandwomen.com/

- Comment welcome.

Mary Stewart McGovern
President
Stewart McGovern Enterprises
http://www.stewartmcgovern.com/

*****Check out Mary's new ebook, I've Graduated from College. Now What? Or, How to Go About Starting Your Career and Not Finding Just Another JOB. Now available for purchase on our website, http://www.stewartmcgovern.com/!

MySpace - It isn't just for kids anymore...

In a study just released by Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp), 65% of all business professionals are using personal and professional online social networking sites.

"We expected to see a number of respondents utilizing social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook for personal reasons, but we were intrigued at the high percentage of business professionals that use social networking for professional purposes," says Jay Jamrog, i4cp's SVP of Research. "In an age where more and more employees work remotely and people frequently change companies, it makes sense that the business community would turn to the Web to stay connected."

So, you may be wondering, what sites are the most popular with these respondents? For "professional" networking, it's LinkedIn (my personal favorite), Yahoo 360, and MySpace (yes, people are using MySpace for work-related networking.) For "personal" networking, it's primarily MySpace (again) and Facebook.

Also, a lot (more than 50%) of companies are now using these same sites to connect with their employees (both on-site and the ones working off-site/remotely) and allow them to stay up-to-date on company information. And, almost half of these same companies are using these sites to connect with potential clients.

AND, something that I've known for a LONG time... many are using LinkedIn and MySpace to help with finding their next job. These connections can provide tips, leads, and in-roads with the company of your dreams!

Personally, I use LinkedIn to connect "professionally" and I use MySpace for more informal connecting (although, I also post work-related info/updates on MySpace - I utilize their blog function with links to this blog and my website.) In fact, if you want to connect with me on LinkedIn, please email me an invite! I'm what is known as a LION (LinkedIn Open Networker) and, as such, I accept any and all invites.

Incredible. MySpace - it's not just for kids anymore!

- Comments welcome

Mary Stewart McGovern
President
Stewart McGovern Enterprises
http://www.stewartmcgovern.com/
mary@stewartmcgovern.com

*****To order Mary's new eBook, go to http://www.stewartmcgovern.com/!

Do You Have an Elevator Speech?

Do you even know what an "elevator speech" is?

An "elevator speech" is a sound bite that tells people about you. The ideal one will tell who you are, what you do, what you are looking for, is upbeat, and does all this in 30 seconds or less. Bascially, it's a 30 second commercial, selling YOU.

So, what's your "elevator speech"?

If you need help in preparing one, or would like a professional critique, email us at info@stewartmcgovern.com.

- Comments welcome.

Mary Stewart McGovern

President

Stewart McGovern Enterprises

www.stewartmcgovern.com

mary@stewartmcgovern.com