Rebuilding Your Network

Rebuilding Your NetworkRebuilding Your NetworkAs the economy warms up, more of your contacts are on the move - and going places that could be right for you. How do you tighten a network thats gone slack?People have a bad habit of letting their networks go stale when they land new positions. Theyll certainly stay in stich during the job search after all, networking is a great way of finding new opportunities. But once theyre back on the job, they drop the active networking that helped them land it in the first place.LinkedIn, Facebook and other business networks offer some ongoing connection, but they dont provide personal touch and top-of-mind awareness of an active career tribe. Thats why I coach all clients in transition elend only to build an effective tribe but to manage it actively - because you never know when the next shoe will drop or the next opportunity will arise.In the current recession, your network may have gone cold on its own. With more of your colleagues unemployed and fewer able to help their networks advance, many people stopped trying to network and lost touch. As the economy rebounds, job seekers will have to rekindle those relationships, too.Job seekers often tell me they feel awkward reconnecting with former colleagues, coworkers and mentors they havent contacted since their last job hunt. Of course, I can slap them on the hands and say, Naughty, naughty. You didnt keep yourself connected the way you should have but that doesnt solve their dilemma. Therefore, lets snuff out guilt - which, if kept alive, will ruin any efforts to reconnect anyway.Here are a few effective ways to re-ignite a group of friends and business relationships.1. Admit you lost touchIts weirder not to acknowledge the rhinoceros head in the room than to acknowledge it - so dont gloss over the fact that you havent reached out in ages. Chances are, the person on the other end of the line is just like you fruchtwein people dont keep their career tribes active and vib rant. Therefore, begin by stating the obvious but in an Everyman kind of wayGosh, its been ages. I dont know if youre like me, but I get so busy with all thats going on with work and family that staying in touch with people that matter to me takes a back burner. Its not right, and I intend to correct that moving forward because, as we both know, relationships are everything.2. Dont make it all about YOUYes, you are connecting with your contact now because youre looking for clients or a job. However, the worst thing you can do is immediately jump into what you want or need from him. Instead, you need to rebuild the relationship by demonstrating interest in him.So, is now a good time to talk, or could we grab a coffee? How are you? Whats been going on in your world? How are the kids/husband/pets/projects? Draw on your knowledge of your contact to get him talking about himself and what hes up to. Getting your contact to tell you stories about his life, career and exploits builds relati onship equity.3. Have a research projectAt some point, the point of your call will come up naturally. I would offer it up before youre asked. But my No. 1 rule in career transition is, The best way to get a job is not to look for oneSounds ironic, but youll always get further meeting more people faster when you connect based on reasons other than your need for a job. So create something worthwhile on which your contact could advise you other than your resume or job search. Are there new developments at the cutting edge of your industry about which she may have thoughts? Which players in your field do you want information about? Your inquiry doesnt need to be formal nevertheless, it does need to feel like youre researching a topic, not prospecting for jobs.I recently helped a social-network newbie set up her first profile on LinkedIn, which created a built-in opportunity to network in the name of research. The woman used her status as a LinkedIn newbie to reconnect with her contacts and ask them how they used the service. Once in touch and talking, she parlayed the connection into some greater research projects in her industry. For her, networking was the research project.4. Wait to be askedPeople arent stupid. You need never flat out say to them, Im looking for a job. If you have a solid reason to call for their opinions and advice, youre building relationship equity. After all, everyone wants to feel like the expert, and people love to give advice. If youve handled the first three steps gracefully, the person on the other end will probably ask, So, are you in the market? Thats what you want them asking you. This gives you the opening you need to reply, Oh, well, yes, one reason I have the space to reconnect with helpful folks like you is because I was recently downsized. But I want to make a smart move this time, which is why Im focused on researching these issues. Of course, if you know others you think I should speak to, Id be grateful if you can direct me to them.This more subtle approach will generally net you a more open and willing connection than if you tried to say hello after five years and immediately asked for job-search help. Re-establishing relationships based on warmth and mutual interest is far more comfortable and effective than requesting job leads. The power of relationships can truly amaze you if you use them wisely. And their benefit is never one sided. The advice, input and connections your contacts offer you today will always benefit them eventually. The universe reciprocates but you gotta get out there and make your contributions. Taking the first step to reconnect is a big contribution.

14 ways youre accidentally mom-shaming your friends

14 ways youre accidentally mom-shaming yur friends14 ways youre accidentally mom-shaming your friendsAs parents living in a world where social media runs rampant, we all have felt like we were beingjudged by someone else. Weve all experienced the condescending, passive-aggressive comments to your Facebook post that screams youre doing it all wrong It feels awful.I would venture to say that *most* moms dont shame each other intentionally. We all know that it takes a village. And without our village, we would be totally lost some days. When I see moms shame each other, it hurts my heart. We are all in this crazy parenting thing together. We should be lifting each other up, empowering our fellow women, giving them support and sharing love. Ultimately, that is what we do with our friends. Let them know we have been there, and that we know its hard.Or so we think. But even with the best intentions at heart, there are times we shame our friends, and we dont even realize we are doing it. He re are 14 things you might actually be doing that shame your mom friends. Cut them out of your vocabulary or your social habits, and youll be better at lifting up the women around you.1. Saying I would never let my kid eat If youre having a meal with your friend and they order the mac n cheese for their toddler bite your tongue. What you choose tofeed your kidsis your choice. If they want to feed their kids pasta and chicken dinosaurs forlunch, thats THEIR choice. And they dont need you weighing in on it.2. Expressing that you couldnt ever leave your kids with a stranger.If your friend goes off to work every day and youre a stay at home mom, its best to keep any negative thoughts on babysitters or daycares to yourself. Its a hard job staying home with kids, but its also hard to leave them. And they likely dont do so without putting a lot of thought and consideration into their childs well-being. Dont make them feel any more guilt than they already do.3. Asking if they are done havi ng kids.This is one I have heard from a lot of friends. As if they didnt have enough faith in my ability to parent the kids I already had, it would be best if I stopped while I was ahead. And whether I had thought of having aelendher child or elend, it still stung.4. Commenting on the state of their home.Making a comment or joke about a toddler tornado or a kids food smeared on the table might be meant as light-hearted. But instead, you could be offending your friend by insinuating their neglect ofhousehold responsibilities. If they have a messy house, they know it. Comments (even light ones) arent necessary.5. Bad mouthing their spouse or partners parenting abilities.If you think their spouse should be stepping it up dont say it. Its not your place. Nor do they want to hear how amazing your supportive, helpful, and hands-on hubby is if theres isnt. Remember, thats their partner in life. And if push comes to shove, they will likely choose him or her every time.6. Acting like an expe rt because your kid had a similar vorfall or issue.Not all two kids are made the same, just like no two parenting issues come with the exact same solution. Even if your child had an identical experience to your friends child, leave it to the parents or the professionals to figure out their solution. Be a listening ear, and thats it.7. Giving a breast is best talk.Literally,everyoneknows thatbreastmilk has amazing health benefits. But that doesnt mean that breastfeeding is for everyone. Some moms cant breastfeed because of medications, illness, breast issues, or latch issues. Or, they simply just dont WANT to. Its their baby, and their choice.8. Downplaying theirmiscarriage.I never know the right thing to say in sad situations, so I tend to say less than I should in fear of saying too much and hurting someone. A loss is painful. No words ever make it better, but some words can make it worse. Be careful not to diminish yourfriends losswhen they need you most.9. Handing out unsolicited childsleep advice.If someone didnt ask you about sleep training, dont give them your fool-proof method on how to sleep train your kids in 5 simple steps. Tired moms just want their problem to be heard, not fixed. Listen and empathize. And offer to pick up the coffee next time.10. Pretending to be super mom.If your friend is expressing being overwhelmed, exhausted, or just not in love with motherhood at the moment, its best not to start proclaiming your undying love for all things that made you a mom. They dont want to feel alone in their feelings, and they definitely have enough guilt as it is.11. Claiming your kid is perfect in every way.When a friend shares a problem they are experiencing with their child, the last thing they want to hear is that other kids dont behave like this. Making them feel like their kid isnt normal (when most likely their kid is perfectly normal) is not only offensive, its hurtful. Moms have enoughanxietyabout their ability to parent. Lets not make them t hink they are missing some huge red flag when it comes to their childs behavior.12. Telling them what the experts say.We all know parenting doesnt come with a handbook. And every single child does not fit a mold (although either of those would be very nice indeed). Years ago, my childs pediatrician told me to have my baby sleep in a car seat when he had a stuffy nose and was having trouble sleeping through the night. Now, its highly advised NOT to do this because it can dangerously cut off their airway. So, just because the experts say so, doesnt mean its right for that individual child. Stop making your friends feel like they are doing something wrong or arent providing their kids with the best possible care because of something you read in a book.13. Judging other moms before you know what kind of mom they are.I have been guilty of this myself. I have a perpetual case of putting my foot in my mouth. Once I made a joke about the PTA moms during the first week of school drop off onl y to find out the mom I was talking to was the room mom for my childs class. Oops. Be careful.14. Claiming their child is behind according to the milestones they should have hit.All kids hit important milestones at different times. Telling your friend that their child is behind is going to cause some serious panic in them, and some serious concerns about their parenting. Unless you are genuinely concerned for your friends child, let the parents and the doctors handle their developmental progress.Its one thing to be shamed by a stranger in a mom group online. Its another realm of hurt to be shamed by your own friend. Luckily, you can keep an eye out for these actions and remember some things are better left unsaid.A version of this post previously appeared onFairygodboss, the largest career community that helps women get the inside scoop on pay, corporate culture, benefits, and work flexibility. Founded in 2015, Fairygodboss offers company ratings, job listings, discussion boards, an d career advice.

ASME Launches Alliance of Advanced Biomedical Engineering Website

ASME Launches Alliance of Advanced Biomedical Engineering Website ASME Launches Alliance of Advanced Biomedical Engineering Website ASME Launches Alliance of Advanced Biomedical Engineering WebsiteMay 26, 2017 ASME recently unveiled a new website, the Alliance of Advanced Biomedical Engineering (AABME.org), to engage members of the multidisciplinary biomedical engineering arena across industry, research, academia and government and achieve the goals of collaboration and information sharing across disciplines.At AABME.org, engineers, scientists and physicians can keep up to date on topics ranging from cell therapy and thermal medicine to medical devices and 3D printing, as well as gain access to the Societys collection of bioengineering-related journals, standards, conferences and products. Plans to develop more collaborative and interactive tools for AABME.org are under way.Visitors can complete a free site registration to join the alliance and connect to a community of like-minded technical professionals seeking networking opportunities in this growing interdisciplinary field. Joining AABME includes additional benefits through free offers selected during registration(1) a subscription to a newsletter with exclusive content on data, analysis, technology and business insights in biomedical engineering and related markets(2) access to a curated topic search within ASMEs Digital Collection plus free access to 10 articles, journal papers or conference papers or(3) discounted access to select ASME biomedical events and conferences.The new website is the first of a variety of offerings ASME is developing for the biomedical and bioengineering community, which include a new biomedical journal, bioengineering e-courses, and other products and solutions.The Alliance of Advanced Biomedical Engineering represents ASMEs effort to bring together diverse sectors in the broad cross-disciplinary field of biomedical engineering to bridge the gemeinsame agrarpolitik between basi c research and applied research for the next generation of potentially life-saving medical technologies, said Jeff Patterson, chief operating officer of ASME. The need for collaboration in this arena is required to advance the field and ASME is championing the efforts to make this a reality.To take a tour of the new Alliance of Advanced Biomedical Engineering website, and to register for the free offers, visit https//aabme.org.