The Savvy Gal Blog

Online Networking Tip: Think of web-searching as a treasure hunt

Savvy Gal Networking Tip:  Think of web-searching as a treasure hunt.  Start with search engines where you can use a few different combinations of names, including nicknames, or by using “quotation marks” to limit your search to relevant queries.  You can also combine the person’s name with her company, or even the town where she lives or works.  Try the different functions on search engines, such as “news,” “images,” “blogs,” and “groups.”  Other good sites for finding information about people include www.LinkedIn.com, www.DWCFaces.com, and www.ZoomInfo.com.   Then there are also blog searches like www.Technorati.com and www.Bloglines.com.

This tip courtesy of The Savvy Gal's Guide to Online Networking (or What Would Jane Austen Do?) available don Amazon or free with a Downtown Women's Club membership.

Reading Jane Austen on a BlackBerry

I still can't seem to catch onto this e-book craze.  Just found this article from the Chicago Tribune about reading Pride & Prejudice on a BlackBerry.  Don't I look at mine enough?  Anyhow.  I caught this on my way back from Chicago today (yes, I had to fly back on a Sat. because of flight delays), and was only in Chi-town because my boss sent me to go cover for him.  But this time I'm learning.  I'm documenting everything, so he can't accuse me of stealing his clients. 

But back to Jane on BlackBerry's.  The guy across the aisle had an ebook reader thingamajiggy so I asked to look at it.  And, the printing did look like a real page.  I think it was made by Sony.  I still couldn't feel comfortable with it.  I wasn't sure why, until I went back to reading my paperback and spilled my yogurt on it, and then a few minutes later dripped some coffee on my lap while rummaging through my purse for my iPod and realized that the nice thing about a paperback is that I can spill on it and not worry about losing it.  Not sure I'll be getting an ebook gadget real soon.

Living in the twilight zone

Have you ever had a conversation with your boss and honestly think they might be medicated or seriously in need of medication?  Now, I know that my boss has a history of taking credit for everyone's work, and occasionally tossing an unsuspecting soul or two under the bus.  But, I'm starting to wonder if there may be something more to it besides his being a no-holds barred career climber. 

Today was the second time in as many weeks that he's lied right to my face.  Last week, he had me cover a meeting for him because he had to go to his kid's concert.  Not a big deal.  But, when I asked about the concert when I gave him an update, he admonished me for insinuating that he would put his kid's concert before work.  O.k.  So, he's having an affair.  Not my business.  But then this week, when I handed him a progress report on all the business development contacts he wanted me to follow up with, he reprimanded me for poaching his clients.  Yet, I have the email from last week specifically asking me to contact them.  I mentioned the email and he told me that I was lying.  Better print out that email. 

Not sure what to do right now.  Although, maybe he's looking for another job - that might explain the paranoia.   

Online Networking Tip: Use your own judgment as a filter

Savvy Gal Networking Tip: Think about all the networking emails you get and make note of which ones you answer and why (and which ones you let slip through the crack either consciously or subconsciously).  Use this as a reference point for your own email writing.

This tip courtesy of The Savvy Gal's Guide to Online Networking (or What Would Jane Austen Do?), available on Amazon or free with a Downtown Women's Club membership.

How this blog marketing thing works

Now this is really cool.  First I start this blog due to my fascination with social media (and an attempt to keep all my close friends up to date on my so-called life), then my pals Lindsey and Diane figure out how to use part of it in their book, The Savvy Gal's Guide to Online Networking (Or What Would Jane Austen Do?).  Now they're getting reviews on the web, and the reviews are really interesting because they focus on different aspects of the book.  Here are a few new ones:

1. Ms. Place, a reknown Jane Austen blogger at Dishin' Dat actually didn't take Diane and Lindsey to task for referencing Jane in the book (Phew! See, Jane fans have a sense of humor!). Instead, she has an interesting discourse on how to promote a blog. 
2. Lena West reviewed the book over at www.Lipsticking.com (a blog I read to help my company market to women ... the men here tend to soooo miss the point, and there's just not enough women high enough up the corporate ranks to help them).  She thought I added some comic relief to a "how to" technology book.  You know, if that's my footnote in history - getting people to laugh at my life along with me - I'm proud of it!  Thanks Lena.
3. Marci Alboher over at the Shifting Careers blog at the NYTimes gives the book a plug for anyone wanting to dip their toe into social networking.  This is an interesting blog on people having "portfolio careers."   I just ordered her book, One Person/Multiple Careers: A New Model for Work/Life Success because I want a slash career (as she calls it -- it's some kind of new "actor/waiter" syndrome for the masses).  And, as she so correctly points out, I seriously have to get around to doing that Facebook thing.  The way my boss has been acting lately, it might be time to get a bit more focus about finding a new place or mode of employment. 

For information about how to get your own copy of the book, see the sidebar or click the link below to read this full post.

Online Networking Tip: Don't forget the signature line

Savvy Gal Networking Tip:  Always include a signature line or attach a virtual card (vCard—a function available in Microsoft Outlook and other email services) at the bottom of your email messages.  Make sure no one has to go digging through their RolodexTM (if they still have one) to find your phone number.  This is also a great way to drive people to your website or other web content you’d like to promote.

Technical note:  If you use a picture or logo in your signature line, it may get blocked by certain spam filters.  This could mean that (1) your graphic does not go through; or (2) your entire message will not be delivered.  Sometimes it’s best to leave off the image part of the signature line when writing to a new contact for the first time.

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This tip courtesy of The Savvy Gal's Guide to Online Networking (or What Would Jane Austen Do?) available through Amazon or free with a Downtown Women's Club membership.

I slept with a Republican

I'm still processing the fact that BD guy confessed to being a Republican.  I had sworn never to stray to the dark side again.  But, who would've thought?  He seemed so normal.  But, he did admit that he really disliked Bush and thought he was the worst thing to happen to our country and his party.  And, that he voted for Bush because he wasn't a fan of the Clinton administration - although he's willing to consider whether the whole Lewinsky affair and both Clintons' reaction to their foibles clouded his judgment as to the benefits of his leadership.  (Had to admit I understood where he was coming from on that one.)

So, I was willing to overlook the Republican thing (provided that when we got back to his apartment it wasn't covered with pictures of Bush.  I already had the unpleasant experience of once going back to a guy's apartment only to find pictures of him shaking hands with Charlton Heston at an NRA rally as well as random photos of Bush and Reagan on his fridge.  Fortunately, the sight of those pictures made me so sick that I was convincing as I claimed food poisoning and bolted for the door ....). 

Besides, BD guy has a great gift of persuasion.  He told me that if Democrats were the true party of tolerance, then I should tolerate different viewpoints.  Sounded good to me... and if that's toleration, I plan on tolerating him a whole lot more in the future.

And, I liked the fact that this morning we could both find Maureen Dowd's/Stephen Colbert's column in the NY Times hilarious.  There's nothing sexier than a great sense of humor about one's self and one's politics.

So what happens on date #4?

O.k., technically Saturday will be date number four with BD guy (Blind Date) guy.  So, the question is whether he's boyfriend material enough to invite him in or perhaps go back to his place?  But, wait.  Do I really care if he's boyfriend material? It's really been rather a dry spell lately and a girl does have needs.  Yikes, when was the last time?  Oh my god, that horribly embarrassing New Year's Eve one-night stand with the ex (He, whose name shall not be spoken).  What have I been doing that I haven't noticed that.  Oh yeah.  Working.  May have to do something about that one of these days.

Actually, it doesn't seem like it's only been four dates since he's so good about keeping the flow of emails going.  Especially when I keep getting sent to cover for my boss whenever he has meetings in a city where he can't arrange a boondoggle with some of his puerile friends.  Besides, the last guy who wanted me to do the horizontal mambo was that vile Chris Martin (my high school crush who dropped into town and propositioned me last month despite the glowing tan line on his ring finger).  Ick. Ick. Ick.

Well, back to a more pleasant subject:  BD guy. Good points:  Most important - great sense of humor.  Impeccable manners (they really are such a turn-on). Rarely talks about himself.  (In fact, I tend to have to pry the info out of him.)  Actually seems interested in my career (although he has taken on a great dislike for my boss, and been encouraging me to explore other options - wonder if he knows something I don't know).  Appears to like being around smart women (has a sister who is a partner at a law firm) and shows no interest in the "Beck and Call" girls - i.e. the women who troll the bars in search of rich guys to buy them drinks, designer duds, botox and boob jobs (but as he says, in our city, even if he were interested, he could only afford the drinks).  And, he likes independent movies and reads books.  Hmmmm. I wonder what's on his nightstand.  Maybe tomorrow I could find out?! 

Guess I'm a bit more interested than I thought.  Maybe I'll check my love horoscope for tomorrow just to be sure.

Online Networking Tip: Don't be a networking bully

Savvy Gal Networking Tip:  Don’t be a networking bully.  We know that your product, service, or dynamic personality would brighten anyone’s day, and if they can’t figure out how, then you would love to explain it to them.  However, you can’t assume that at the particular moment you sent your email, the other person really wants his or her day brightened by you.  This is where networking differs from sales.  Your earnest persistence may come off as bullying if you don’t leave some “wiggle room” for your contact to politely decline.

This tip courtesy of The Savvy Gal's Guide to Online Networking (or What Would Jane Austen Do?) available through Amazon or free with a Downtown Women's Club membership

Hey Chris Matthews, Machiavelli called - he wants his book back

Chris Matthews was on The Daily Show this week shilling his new book "Life's a Campaign."  And I loved Jon Stewart's comment -- definitely destined to be a classic, "I'm not trashing your book, I'm trashing your philosophy of life."  (I have a few people I'd like to use that on starting with Ann Coulter and working my way down to my boss.  "I'm not trashing your business plan ... ")

But, here's the thing.  Chris Matthews represents the type of person who, like my boss, not only elected Bush, but actually thinks we should continue to follow his lead unquestionably, in order for his kind (white, male, over-privileged, huge chip on shoulder), to stay in power.

Unfortunately, Matthews is writing for that crowd, and his book is described as follows:

The big payoff in Life's a Campaign is what you'll learn about human nature:

• People would rather be listened to than listen.
• People don't mind being used; what they mind is being discarded.
• People are more loyal to the people they've helped than the people they've helped are loyal to them.
• Not everyone's going to like you.
• No matter what anybody says, nobody wants a level playing field.

Yep. That describes my boss and his friends.  But, doesn't that book premise reek of something familiar?  Hmmmm.  I think someone already wrote that book - his name was Machiavelli.  Here's an excerpt from the Wikipedia summary of The Prince (emphasis mine):

All a hereditary prince needs to do is carefully maintain the institutions that the people are used to; a new prince has a much more difficult task since he must stabilize his newfound power and build a structure that will endure. This task requires the Prince to be publicly above reproach but privately may require him to do things of an evil nature in order to achieve the greater good.

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A wise prince is one who properly exercises this proper balance. Pragmatism is a guiding thread through which Machiavelli bases his philosophy. The Prince should be read strictly as a guidebook on getting to and preserving power. In contrast with Plato and Aristotle, the ideal society is not the aim. In fact, Machiavelli emphasizes the need for the exercise of brute power where necessary and rewards, patron-clientalism etc. to preserve the status quo. Machiavelli's assumption, that human nature is fundamentally flawed, is also reflected in the need for brute force to attain practical ends.

Can Machiavelli sue posthumously for plagiarism?

Online Networking Tip: Choose your subject line carefully

Savvy Gal Networking Tip:  Choose your subject line carefully.  Just as you can’t win a point in tennis if you can’t even get the ball into play; you can’t network effectively if your emails don’t get past spam filters and the receiver’s delete button.  Put succinct details about some connection (however slight) you might have or clearly state your specific request.

This tip courtesy of The Savvy Gal's Guide to Online Networking (or What Would Jane Austen Do?) available on Amazon or free with a Downtown Women's Club membership.