Networking and Asking for Online Recommendations

Networking and Asking for Online RecommendationsNetworking and Asking for Online RecommendationsIts a tried and true piece of advice from career counselors everywhere Network, network, network. Depending on who you ask, 70 to 80 percent of jobs are found through networking. And part of networking is the act of asking for recommendations to add to your professional portfolio. These days, professionals use zugreifbar recommendations through websites like LinkedIn, but its still important to go about getting those recommendations in the proper way. Thanks to a recent article on Mashable, we can brush up on How to Ask for an Online Recommendation.Asking for online recommendations is very similar to asking for a paper recommendation. Here are some of their tips along with our thoughts.Plan a recommendation strategy.Youll need to get your story straight Why do you want a recommendation? What are you hoping to achieve? Who might see this recommendation? By telling your would-be recommenders these details, youre giving them proof that you deserve a recommendation, and youre helping them figure out how to write your recommendations in ways that will help you achieve your goals.Selecting the person to ask.People tend to prefer a personal approach to asking for a recommendation, but it depends on each person. Consider your relationship with them, in terms of how well you know them and how close you are to them. Sometimes e-mail is the most convenient method for everyone, but dont neglect a nice phone call when its possible. If youre using a website like LinkedIn, theyll have a process you can use to get recommendationsBalance is the key.Most people instantly think of their boss or supervisor as a good source for a recommendation, and theyre correct. But you should also include peers, subordinates and customers or vendors to help create a full picture of you as a professional.Volunteerism demonstrates skills.As weve said time and time again, volunteering in an area related to your professional pursuits is a great way to beef up your resume, make connections, and gain experience. AND the people you volunteer with are great sources for recommendations.Here are a few more ideas from Be grateful and remember to thank EVERYONE that takes the time to write you a recommendation.Create a formal method to keep track of all recommendations. Save them as aber sicher documents in a folder on your computer. Or get permission from your recommenders to add them to LinkedIn or to your professional website/portfolio.Pick and choose which recommendations to use for each job application. Some will be more appropriate than others. Prospective employers do not want to read every nice thing anyone has ever said about you. Instead, give them two to three of your best and most relevant recommendations rather than inundating them with every one youve ever received.Ask for touch-ups. Over the years, your closest recommenders might want to change or add to your recommendations . For the folks with whom you are closest, every once and a while ask them if they want to check out your recommendation and add anything. This is especially important for recommenders who you work with on a regular basis, because hopefully you are doing more and more fabulous work for them