Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Networking among sustainability fans

Here is the inforamtion on "Green Drinks" as forwarded by a client:

I'm sure you've attended Margaret Lydecker's Manhattan Green Drinks but if not, the event takes place once a month in cities all over the planet. It's a simple opportunity for eco-minded people across every industry to get together, talk, toast a cocktail or two and walk away richer for new conversation and connections by the end of the night.

Margaret launched Green Drinks in the US in 2002. Now there are 100+ chapters across the country. The Manhattan group now draws appx. 400-800 people per month from a mailing list of 6000.

Green Drinks Manhattan- 2nd Tuesday of each month
Green Drinks Brooklyn - 3rd Wednesday of each month
Win

Career Tip: Getting ready for fall

Hello,
I hope you are enjoying this wonderful weather. As we approach September, the second biggest hiring month (after January), it is a great time to begin to make a career and job search plans. Having a marketing plan will help you eliminate a lot of wasted time and provide some support when things start getting busy and distractions crop up. The big question is what should that plan look like? The answer is: not that complicated. There are just three basic questions that you will want to answer.

1. Where are you heading?
What jobs, professions or fields might be interesting to you? These are your targets. You don’t need definitive targets right away, but you ought at least to have some ideas about what might interest you. If you are looking for a good culture to work in, for instance, talk to people about what you like. You never know who has ideas. If you have no idea at all, just ask people what their work is like or how they spend their days. If you already know where you are heading, start with step two!

2. Who to talk to?
First, pick those targets from your list that are of greatest interest to you. Also see which, because of prior experience or friends in the business, are easiest to pursue. Look for industry groups, alumni and other social groups for people who will be happy to hear from you. Starting with people who want to talk to you and those in whom you are interested may not seem efficient, but in the end it is a lot easier and can turn out to be unexpectedly productive.

3. Why are you talking to them?
Naturally, you will not want to alienate or intimidate any of your contacts by asking them for a job, as it is unlikely that anyone of them will have the right job for you at that moment (assuming you know what that ideal job is). But, if you can get them talking about their field or their company, and you share why you are interested, including something about your relevant experience, they may have ideas of other people for you to talk to.

To get started on that, list questions you have. These will change over time as you become more informed. Start by turning any assumptions you have into questions. E.g., My understanding is that Marketing departments are increasingly integrating their efforts across new and old media, what is your experience? Other questions may range from ‘What do managers get paid here?’ to ‘Where does your area fit within the organization?’

If you can answer any or all of the three basic questions above, put the results down on paper. It will make it easier to execute. Set aside a little time each week (or even each day) to do this. Just a little time begins to accumulate if you keep at it. See what you can do in 2 hours or less working on it. That way you can have a plan to begin to move ahead in the fall.

If you are currently working, that is not a reason for skipping this exercise. It is never a bad time to be spending a little time on your career!

Win