Ask a Career Coach ePropelr

Ask a Career Coach ePropelr Ask a Career Coach We are excited to begin a brand new blog series called, “Ask a Career Coach” where a member of our expert Coaching team will answer one of your most pressing job search and/or career related questions. Today’s question comes from Erica T. in Charleston, SC. Erica: I’m new to LinkedIn and I only have a few  connections. I’d like to eventually have a respectable network and was wondering about the best (and fastest) way to add connections. Also, is it a good idea to accept LinkedIn invites from people I don’t know if they look professional? What is the protocol for that? Are there any other tips or suggestions you can share with me? Pamela Owens: Hello Erica! These are great questions. The best way to grow your network is by adding quality people...a few at a time. A network that is built in a week is not strong. The goal with LinkedIn is to cast a broad net and this is hard to do quickly. The best way to begin is by connecting with professionals you already know. Then, loo k at THEIR connections to find people who are in careers or industries you’re interested in. You can reach out to connect to these people and reference your mutual acquaintance.  Be wary of accepting invites from people you don’t know. This can be a tempting strategy to get to the coveted 500+ spot quickly, but remember it’s more important to have a high-quality network than a large network. Think about people who have skills, qualifications, and experience that would be of value  to you. The primary goals of LinkedIn are to connect to other professionals, find talented people, and grow your career. Keep that in mind when debating on whether to accept an invite. Another great way to grow your network is to make a habit of getting the names of professionals you meet who impress you, or with whom you have a great conversation. You can also make your own connections at companies you admire by targeting people who are in similar careers. Send a LinkedIn networking message saying s omething like, “Hi Jane! I’ve been an admirer of your company for a while and I love how involved you are in the community. I’m a fellow graphic designer in Orlando and I thought it would be nice to have you in my network. All the best, Erica.” A flattering networking invite is almost always accepted if it’s professional and sincere. Good luck! *If you’d like to submit a question to one of our Career Coaches, send an email to coach@epropelr.com and we may publish your question in a future blog. Ask a Career Coach ePropelr Ask a Career Coach Welcome to another blog in our series called, “Ask a Career Coach” where a member of our Career Coaching team will answer one of your most pressing job search and/or career related questions. Today’s question comes from David Z. in Chicago, IL. David: I’ve been on two interviews recently and both asked me about weaknesses. I’ve never been sure how to respond to this question, but I know I’m not supposed to say anything that is going to be too “honest.” I know you’re supposed to turn your weakness into something that’s positive, but what kind of strategy do you recommend? Kim Stevenson: That’s a great question David! You might be thinking, “I don’t want to tell them I have any weaknesses or I might not get the job.” However, it’s a bad idea to dodge the question or list a weakness that’s really a strength. When a hiring manager asks this kind of question, they are looking for a certain degree of honesty, self-awareness, and a desire for self-improvement . Prepare ahead of time for this question by thinking about the job description and what you can say that is honest, but won’t be a red flag to the hiring manager. Maybe a past supervisor mentioned something you needed to work on that ended up being great advice, or maybe you have struggled with something in the past but you’ve been making strides to improve? Once you have a weakness in mind, think of how you can demonstrate that you are learning and growing in that area. Did you take a class, read a book, or receive help from someone? The idea is not to turn the weakness into a strength, but to turn it into a learning experience and an opportunity for personal growth. Here are a few examples and a couple of points to keep in mind as you think through how to answer this question: • Make sure the weakness is not something that is relevant to the job you’re seeking. For example, if you’re applying for a job as an accountant, you would not want to say, “I’m not that great with numbers.” However, you could get away with using this weakness if you were interviewing for a job as a copyeditor or a graphic designer. Maybe you struggle with public speaking (so do many other people), and most accountants wouldn’t be doing much (if any) of that. You could say, “I’m confident speaking with clients and smaller groups, but I still get nervous speaking in front of large groups. I took a public speaking workshop last year that has helped me improve, but I know that is an area that I need to work on.”• Avoid using weaknesses that are really strengths in disguise. For example, employers can see right through responses like, “Oh I tend to take on too much work” or, “I’m a bit of a workaholic and I stay late every night.” These are not the kinds of responses employers want to hear. • Don’t discuss weaknesses that are not work related. For example, you would not want to say, “I’m not very good at planning my weekends when I have free tim e” or, “I really need to do a better job at exercising regularly.” Talking about weakness is always a challenge, but the reality isâ€"everyone has something that they struggle with. Aim to show that you are of good character by being honest and aware of the fact that you are not perfect. Best of luck to you! Guest Blogger:  Kim StevensonBio:  Kim is a  Career Coach with ePropelr. She has a Bachelor's degree in Business with an emphasis on Human Resource Management and a Master's degree in Counseling Psychology. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and a National Certified Counselor (NCC). Kim is Myers Briggs (MBTI ®) Certified and enjoys helping people identify their strengths and determine their future career goals. *If you’d like to submit a question to one of our Career Coaches, send an email to  coach@epropelr.com  and we may publish your question in a future blog.