Military Officer - January 2007 - (Page 69)

S For your career uccessful job searches begin while you still have a job. So the best career-building resolution is to make an effort each week to strengthen your network of professional contacts — folks who could be helpful if you’re suddenly or unexpectedly in the job hunt. Nationwide, 80 percent of all jobs are gained through network- ing. Simply put, networking is the process of building alliances that can lead to everything from new ideas and strategies to a new job or a seat on a board of directors. However, successful networking requires self-conﬁdence and the ability to stretch your thinking to ﬁnd common ground with people you initally might not know well. Begin the year by making a list of the 50 most important people in your extended professional and personal network. This list should include people who can help identify potential job opportunities or industry trends. Resolve to reach out to one of these individuals each week. Don’t worry about networking during vacations and holidays, but for each of the remaining weeks of the year, make a connection to strengthen your rapport and exchange ideas with one member of your extended professional network. Sharing information is a good way to reach out. When you meet someone new who potentially could join your professional and personal network, offer ideas, resources, and contacts that might be helpful. One way to make a connection is to e-mail news stories to interested contacts — something easily done via Web sites of most national periodicals. The best approach is to treat networking as a two-way street: The more you give, the more you will receive. If you’re lucky enough to have a job you love, open yourself to the idea of helping others who are less fortunate in their current professional situation. Be supportive, return phone calls, answer e-mails, and offer to help them network. MO — Capt. Jim Carman, USN-Ret., is a graduate of the MIT Sloan School of Management. He writes and lectures about career-transition issues. For the Troops Send care packages. For our troops Mail thank-you letters to deployed troops. Donate cell phones, chargers, batteries, and accessories for distribution to servicemembers. Help the children of servicemembers who have died on active duty during the holidays by donating an unopened toy. Meet with military personnel and their civilian employers as a volunteer with the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve to help ensure unconditional support for both parties during peacetime or war. Donate a pre-owned computer to the family of a currently serving or soon-to-be-deployed servicemember. Sponsor educational programs in base child development centers, youth programs, and library reading programs. Make a pledge to the charities supporting servicemembers through the Combined Federal Campaign or other workplace fund drives like the United Way and state and corporate campaigns. Volunteer with the Red Cross to help send communications to servicemembers around the world on behalf of family members who are facing emergencies or other important events. ILLUSTRATION: ELWOOD SMITH ON THE WEB ■ For more information about these and other ways to help America’s servicemembers, visit www.americasupportsyou.mil and click on Make a Difference, or go to www.uso.org/howtohelp. 69 JANUARY 2007 MILITARY OFFICER http://www.americasupportsyou.mil http://www.uso.org/howtohelp

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Military Officer - January 2007

Military Officer - January 2007 Contents From the Editor From the Chairman Your Views MOAA Directory Rapid Fire Washington Scene Financial Forum Ask the Doctor Chapter Activities Cover Story: Osprey Rising? Battlefields of the Great War I Resolve ... New Mission Pages of History Information Exchange Advertising Index MOAA Scholarship Donors MOAA Member Services MOAA Calendar Sounding Taps Member Books Encore

Military Officer - January 2007

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.