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Opportunities to Network can be viewed much like the half full or half empty glass. While results do vary widely, the approach taken can have a huge impact on whether or not the take away is a success. There is a lot of confusion about what networking really is all about. There are a few professions that may not emphasize soft skills, but it’s a shrinking group. Networking is about soft skills.

Add to the mix that there are now four generations of people still in the workforce and number five is entering now. Soft skills are needed to network well within a like generation to yourself, but when you mix it up a little, it becomes imperative that you are very aware. That won’t change as you move to most working environments, so consider networking with various generations to be time well spent. Here are some dos and don’ts that come to my mind.

Do remember that first impressions matter. If you are unsure, ask your friends to practice networking with you and invite them tell it like it is with the way you look, the expression on your face, and how you act.

Don’t get fake with it. Let your self improvement from your networking practice be a help, but don’t get so stressed about it that you come off like you are unsure of why you are there.

Do some research on multiple generations in the work place. There’s lots of deep information available but you really only need to Google a few charts of the different values of various generations. It’s for your awareness, not to share at the event!

Don’t evangelize on your generation compared to others! Under no circumstances let words come out of your mouth like, “I bet you are one of those Millennials that doesn’t want to work…” or “You are probably one of those Baby Boomers with a flip phone…”  Just Don’t.

Do be genuinely interested in others’ accomplishments. Listen for the way they think.

Don’t be desperate, even if you are. This goes back to your practice sessions with friends. I think this is the hardest part for the job seeker who has been at it for a while… and has bills.

Do spend some time assembling a shortlist of ways you might be able to contribute to the concerns of other people in other generations. This is for your mind only. It can help you engage in conversations.

Don’t read the list when networking. Don’t get the list out of your pocket. Don’t view it as a checklist. It’s a resource for your mind only.

Do keep your business cards with you. After meaningful conversation, ask if you can connect with them on LinkedIn and share a card with them. It’s ok to ask if you can have their card… but be reasonable. And yes, business cards are still in – the app is great, but keep business cards with you.

Don’t shove cards in peoples face like a speed date! It’s obnoxious!  Don’t bring your resume to pass out, unless specifically asked to do so. Have those in car, just in case someone asks – but they probably will not. That’s for later, maybe.

Do be a learner and look for opportunities to ask questions. Look to learn more about other people and interact like you would over a cup of coffee.

Don’t become pressuring in the conversation. Don’t bring the 45 lb planner, leave that in the car or at home. And don’t ask the main speaker what he or she does for a living… speaking from experience – just avoid that. Pay attention to what’s going on.

This isn’t an exhaustive list but just some of the things I’ve learned in my networking experiences. If I view networking as a necessary evil, I will in some way communicate that message and it won’t end well. However, I must say that I have come to really enjoy networking opportunities.

Never pass up the opportunity to network even if the opportunity isn’t about what you want to do. There’s a lot to say about being seen. There are a host of professional networking groups to take advantage of.  As my friend Chris Waymire has taught many times, don’t miss an opportunity to network, take a friend with you, and ditch them. You will both be glad you did.

I welcome your thoughts!

Is technology a barrier for seasoned professionals?

YES! The answer is yes.

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I don’t want it to be so, because I am a seasoned professional. I want to be able to say that tech isn’t a problem – just get trained on it. But that’s the trouble… no one’s going to train you any more… you have to do that for yourself. No one owes you that anymore. “Come on board and we’ll train you” doesn’t exist anymore. Get over it!

If I’m interviewing someone, I’m looking for aptitude. I don’t need to build a program to train someone, I need to walk them through a few screens and have them producing. I don’t really like this position because the tables are easily turned on me. But it’s where I find myself.

So, how does this happen – the turning of the tables? It’s when I find myself across the table from an interviewer… and the skin crawls on my neck when I sense they will take one look at me and assume I can’t deal with tech. They are incorrect, but that doesn’t matter. It’s on me to cleverly prove otherwise. Is it right? I don’t think so. But do a few interviews or talk to a few recruiters when in midlife and you’ll figure it out quickly. Get ready for those canned automated rejection letters.

There are solutions for this issue, but they are not easy. It takes a continual openness to redefining what work looks like. Need a shortcut? Good luck. Need a quick list so you can get back to the way things “used to be?” I don’t think you’ll find it.  Want to know the best tech to get educated on?  As long you are buying, you can learn a lot of different tech packages. Everyone and their uncles and aunts have websites, books, and seminars on such for purchase. But which one? You won’t know till you apply for a Job! And then it’s too late. Oh by the way, the best tech list changes all the time.

Aspiring professionals were reared with technology at their fingertips – it’s woven into who they are. Will they someday become seasoned professionals about whom these types of conversations are had? Most likely – so if you find yourself with the upper hand in quickly integrating tech into your life, be KIND, you will probably reach a point in your life when the tables will get turned on you.

Does that mean seasoned professionals can’t be in the tech game? Absolutely NOT!  Here are a few suggestions I think are helpful.

Change your mindset. Dump the criticizing of other generations. Dump the dream of having “earned the right” not to be in learning mode. Be open minded. Be in learner mode. The best teachers are those who continue to also be a student.

Find a Mentor – swallow your pride and get one younger than yourself – maybe considerably younger. You can help them gain Training Experience by allowing them to train YOU. It’s a win-win. Is it going to work for everyone? No, but look for opportunities… you’ll find them.

Use LinkedIn Jobs whether or not you are looking for a job. Set searches for Jobs you might be interested in and note the technology that is noted in most of the descriptions. Make a to-do list accordingly.

Subscribe to a Course Offering. Turn off the news – it’s not hard to catch up on and you probably won’t really miss anything you can do anything about anyway. Spend that time auditing online course offerings. I maintain a subscription to CareerAcademy.com.  Very reasonable in cost and rich in content.

Network. This is not just talking with people like yourself, but connect with people of all ages. You’ll learn stuff and you may encounter your next opportunity.

I’m a strong believer in connecting generations to create value. I’d love to have your thoughts.

In my work as a Project Manger for cfd Investments, Inc. and also with InterGenLink, I get to work with some of the neatest people in the world! CFD has entrusted me to supervise our Interns this Summer as they have for some time. I enjoy this part of my job a lot. We are currently working on a effort that is right up my ally: connecting the generations. We were inspired at a workshop we attended with the presentation because it was an interactive game. (No powerpoints read to us!) It was a fantastic experience that I highly recommend to any organization.

The workshop was provided by Shafer Leadership Academy in connect with IndianaINTERN.net  guided by Mitch Isaacs.  I believe that overcoming generational differences in the workplace is the key for a company or organization to succeed. You can bring Shafer to your establishment with confidence.

Shafer’s activity lasted 5 hours for us. Sound like a long time? Nope! It went by too fast. I and my team learned a great deal. We developed our own much lighter version of a similar game to help our staff consider why generations have a different view of the workplace, and to work on ways to bridge the differences to create value for our company.

The old saying that the things that bind us together are stronger than the things that separate us is so true. If we can peel back the layers of 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, politicized news coverage and 24 hours a day of social media and marketing, we can discover the things that bind us together – and they are many. It can change the way you see the world.

Kiersten Huey, Nolan Stout and Bailey Owens (2019 Interns) Cassy Malson (Compliance Analyst)

Our team of Interns along with one of our Compliance Analysts and our HR Director worked tirelessly on this project. It was really neat seeing it come together… and it was a bit different than the normal financial services business landscape!

We have been spending an hour with each department in our company playing the game which incites discussion and provides some background to why people may think they way they do. While this transcends the workplace, it is very impactful there. The more we play the game, the more we realize that a little understanding really helps see the best in the people we work with. Skill levels are different. Technology is way different. Goals and

focus vary. Being human… doesn’t. Does this fix every problem… nope! But it does help lay the groundwork for people from different generations to reach across to someone of another generation to solve very real present day problems.

In my mind, organizations that find a way to make this possible are the ones that will succeed in the rapidly changing environment we find ourselves in. As for those who don’t, a very unsure path lies ahead.

If you are a CEO or Manager, consider giving Mitch Isaacs a call! It’s very worthwhile.

Being kind to someone is valuable and lives on, even past your memory of it. I was reminded of this on a recent trip to see my mom in Arkansas. As I enjoyed my KFC I heard my mom say my name (she was having a conversation at the table behind us, which she always does, because she knows everyone). “Well, he’s right there…” and I entered a conversation with a lady I didn’t know.

Her name is Sherry and she was telling my mom I had given her

a Bible many years ago (way too many). I had no memory and still have no idea. More than all of that, she still has it! “Oh, I’ve got in the car” as she scooted out the door. Upon return she produced the Bible.

Let me tell you that 1981 was a long time ago. At the risk of locking myself in the wrong algorithm for any future job prospects in the ever popular Applicant Tracking Systems — I was a high school junior. We spent a few minutes catching up on life and went on our way. It’s such a big small world!

That gift obviously meant more to Sherry than it did to me. My brain doesn’t hold that kind of info. Want to bridge time and make a difference? Be kind and give people important stuff – like eternal words. Be encouraging – it will probably come back to visit.

Taking an interest in the success of others, especially those who are younger, is one of the greatest gifts you can give. It’s the ultimate mentorship program and it’s timeless.

I was blessed to have several adults pour into my life when I was young, and I think it’s why it’s a high priority to me to do for others. Though they have passed away now, the efforts of a retired couple for me will always keep Earl and Bertine alive in me. They often hired me in my early teens to mow and do other upkeep on their rather large property in Arkansas.

Too many memories to write here but I’ll mention one of the strongest. Earl spent his working life building carburetors and was very mechanical however age had taken his eyesight. He channeled his impediment to telling me what to do with my 11 year old hands. It wasn’t easy for either if us but with patience he guided me to repair countless pieces of equipment. It was mostly with words but sometimes I guided his hands to show me by feeling how to take complex machines apart and out them back together again.

Always be ready to give patient guidance and to receive the same. Don’t let the spreadsheets and performance metrics of projects and programs rob you of the opportunity. You’ll be glad.