Career Network

Thursday's (March 8, 2012) class on career network was great. We as students need to start promotion ourselves and our strong points. We also need to be careful when we are making friends because you are known by the friends you keep.

We definitely need to know who to talk to, when to talk and how to talk in order to be successful in whatever we are doing in life.

The below document echoed what was taught in class on Thursday. Please take a look.

7 Quick Rules for Networking To Your Next Job

Network your way to your next job by following these rules.

This a guest post by Yvette Francino. If you’d also like to guest post here on JobMob, follow these guest post guidelines.

1) Become familiar with the social networking tools like LinkedIn, FaceBook, and Twitter

Networking has always been the most important strategy in finding a job.
Before we had social networking tools, we dug out our list of contacts and blindly went out trying to find people that might be able to help us with our job search. There are “leads meetings” where people exchange business cards and give their elevator pitches. These methods are still useful ways to network. However, by using tools such as LinkedIn, FaceBook, and Twitter we are able to be much more intelligent with how we network.
Social media tools allow us an easy way for keeping in touch and expanding our networks, finding mutually beneficial relationships. These tools, particularly LinkedIn, are absolutely essential in the modern day job search.
There are also many tips and tricks that are particularly geared towards helping job seekers.

2) Don’t wait until you need something

The best time to network is before you need anything.
Networks can help with a lot more than a job search. A community of people can help each other in many ways. Building up a strong network when you are happily employed can help you progress in your career and build lifelong professional friendships. Don’t wait until you’ve been laid off to connect with your colleagues in LinkedIn and Facebook.
However, if you’re new to the social networking scene and are in need of a job, it’s not too late. Go ahead and get start building your networks using social networking tools and by getting involved in communities of interest. Invite all the friends from your email address book (not just those that you think will help you with your job search) to join your networks.

3) Seek to help and support others

Participate in your networks, looking for ways to help others.
Join networks aimed at job search and pass along tips and tricks. Help your contacts find leads to companies they’re interested in by searching your own network. Pass along what you learn from others. By helping other people you are also helping yourself become established in the community as a resource.
But don’t limit your help and support only to job seekers.
Look for opportunities to help people in your area of expertise. Connecting with friends on Facebook or Twitter allows an easy way for you to stay up-to-date on what’s going on in your friends’ lives. Simply giving them a quick message of friendship can spread a feeling of happiness.

4) Be personal and genuine

I’ve heard advice from several people that when you’re networking you shouldn’t tell people directly that you’re looking for a job. You befriend them, find out more about them, help them with something, and then in the course of the conversation they will find out your in the job market. I understand that this should be the philosophy in sales.
Build the relationship first before you start selling.
However if you’re meeting someone specifically because of a job search, I think it’s important to be upfront. Let people know that you are looking for a job, but don’t “sell” yourself. Enjoy the friendship and support you receive and give it willingly and genuinely to others. And don’t limit yourself simply to email or social networking tools. Meet new people often – not with the sole purpose of finding a job, but with the purpose of meeting new friends and getting to know people with shared interests.

5) Have a confident attitude

One of the hardest things I ever had to do was fundraising for Leukemia and Lymphoma.
I had committed to raising $4000 which meant I had to ask a lot of people for money. I hated putting them on the spot until one man – someone I barely knew whose son was in remission– donated $500. The next time I was raising money, I asked him again, but told him I didn’t want him to think I was taking advantage of his generosity. He gave me another $500 and said, “I would be hurt if you DIDN’T ask me. Be proud of what you’re doing.”
Though not everyone has this generous attititude about giving, I realized that when we are asking people for help, our attitude makes a world of difference.
When we ask someone to meet so we can talk to them about a job opportunity, we shouldn’t be apologetic or feel that we’re imposing. Certainly we want to be grateful for the meeting, but we are not only learning from them, but sharing of ourselves. Initiating a new relationship, whether or not it results in a job, is something to feel good about. Don’t go about networking as though you’re a charity case.
Go in being proud of what you can offer to others.

6) Thank those who help you

An attitude of gratefulness is one that helps keeps your community strong.
When someone helps you in your job search, make sure they realize how grateful you are. Social networking tools can help you keep in touch and keep up with your friendships. Of course, for people that have gone out of their way to help you, personal contact is better than an email or Wall message.
Treat your biggest supporters to lunch or surprise them with a gift in thanks for their efforts. And certainly offer to return the favor of help in any way you can.

7) Pay it forward

When someone helps us, we know how good it feels and we naturally want to spread that feeling to others that might need it.
One of the best things about community is the contagious feelings of happiness it can bring to pass on to others the support that we’ve received. Social networking tools have made it simple by allowing us to easily share advice or information that we find useful. With Twitter, we simply have to “Retweet” to pass along information. With FaceBook and LinkedIn we can easily post links to our status pages of helpful information passing along to our own networks.


Read more at: http://jobmob.co.il/blog/job-search-networking/#ixzz1ofx2fL2I

Women Entrepreneur in Jamaica

Women Business Owners Ja. Limited starts 2012 off with new executive team 02/23/2012 Our new President - Yaneek Page, Future Services International Ltd On December 5, 2011 Women Business Owners Ja. Ltd. voted in its new Executive. 2011 was a successful year for the organisation who launched its Inter-American Development Bank-funded Strengthening & Promoting Women Entrepreneurs project with 148 women trained under the project's first leg and another batch of women slated to begin training in January. The Women Business Owner team also hosted several networking and fundraising events in 2011, while increasing its membership and database of women in business in Jamaica.The following women entrepreneurs were selected for the WBO Executive: President - Yaneek Page, Future Services International Ltd Immediate Past President - Dorothea Gordon-Smith, Garbage Disposal & Sanitation Systems Ltd (GDSS) Vice-President - Andrea Cowan, Lillan Limited Treasurer - Dena Davis, Solid Life & General Insurance Brokers Ltd Recording Secretary - Ethnie Miller Simpson, Brandz Avenue Company Secretary - Mrs. Hyacinth Kerr, Company Consultants Ltd Other 2012 Board members are: - Lorna Green - Founding President, Digital Transtec Ltd Shirley Carby, Carlong Publishers Ltd Lana Francis of Frankmark Ltd Blossom O'Meally-Nelson of Aeromar Logistics Rita Humphries-Lewin of The Barita Group Sandra Bramwell of Versan Education Services Gale Peart of Caribbean Fortress Ltd & My Elite Grocer (MEG) and Marcia Woon-Choy of Action Coach Comments Your comment will be posted after it is approved. Leave a Reply

FROM BEHIND SHOP COUNTER... THE SUPER PLUS FOOD STORES STORY

Vincent and Gloria Chen have always been in the grocery business.

Vincent spent his childhood in the district of Snow Hill, Portland where his father operated a grocery shop. Gloria was born in Western Jamaica but grew up on Windward Road, Kingston where her adoptive mother operated a grocery. During the early 1950s they met while both working at Sang Hing Supermarket in Port Antonio, and later married.
They started their first business, Chen's, in Port Antonio in 1964. Gloria sold cloth, clothing and household goods at the store while Vincent worked as a Singer sewing machine salesman. They sold that business in 1967 when Vincent was promoted to regional manager by Singer, and the growing family moved first to St. Ann's Bay, then to Mandeville in 1968.

In Mandeville, they went into business again when they opened the Humpty Dumpty toy and baby store at the new Manchester Shopping Centre in 1968. The following year, Vincent left Singer and went into his business full-time. Business was good but the new import restrictions affected the toy imports and they sold the store and bought Ken Chin's Supermarket, Christiana in 1973. They operated that supermarket until 1978 when they sold it and retired for a year while they considered emigrating. They decided to stay in Jamaica and bought the L & M Supermarket at Park Crescent in Mandeville in 1979.

In 1981 their son Wayne and his then-wife, Antoinette came into the business after they graduated from the University of the West Indies with degrees in Law and Economics respectively. They bought their own businesses, A & P Superfair, Christiana in 1982 and Landem Discount Supermarket, Manchester Road, Mandeville in 1985.

In 1989, sons Charles and Richard, both computer programmers, returned from North America and bought J & D Supermarket, Main Street, May Pen. In 1992, Charles went off on his own and bought Daley's Supermarket, Main Street, Santa Cruz. Super Plus Food Stores was created on November 1, 1992 from the merger of the five supermarkets.

The thinking at the time was that the businesses were all doing very well individually but each its was doing its own advertising, marketing, and purchasing. By combining several functions to take advantage of economies of scale, they created the possibility of building a strong brand name. This made the consolidation inevitable.

The other important factor was the government's liberalisation of the retail trade. For many years, basic commodities such as flour, rice, cooking oil, and saltfish had been sold on quota at controlled prices. The freeing up of controls allowed Super Plus to grow at its own pace and set prices more aggressively.

This led to the rapid growth of the chain and soon branches were added at Midway Mall, Mandeville, Barnett Street, Montego Bay, and Portmore Pines. During that period the original directors were joined by siblings Jody, and his wife Debe, Robert, Lisa, Jeremy, and Colin, a Captain with Air Jamaica. (Source - http://www.superplusfoods.com/customer/help.php?section=superplusfoodhistory)

This shows that being focused, ambitious and team-oriented will ensure success in any business. Using family members who are also self-motivated, visionary and curious is also a plus for family businesses   .

Dr. Eduardo Cabantog - 10 Outstanding Entreprenuer of 2010