The Networking Mistakes That Make You Look Unprofessional

The Networking Mistakes That Make You Look UnprofessionalThe Networking Mistakes That Make You Look Unprofessional10 Networking Mistakes That Make You Look UnprofessionalHave you committed any of these networking blunders?It seems that every networking auffhrung comes with a few cringe-worthy moments. From listening to a self-indulgent sales pitch to being asked out on a date, sweaty handshakes, and annoying anthroponym-dropping, being on the receiving end of networking mistakes isnt fun. The consequences are even worse if youre the offender. An unfortunate faux pas could spell the end of professional credibility, destroy goodwill, and eliminate the willingness to connect all key ingredients for successful networking.Here are 10 common networking mistakes that can derail your efforts to meet like-minded professionals and boost your career. Some are straightforward, yet worth pointing out because they are committed often. Others (such as staying in touch) may be well-intentioned but potentially damaging if done incorrectly.Being unpreparedSometimes, a networking event catches you off-guard. Perhaps you received a last-minute invitation to join your boss at a reception, or maybe you forgot about an event that you had committed to months ago. When you must get ready to go on a moments notlageice, there is no time to update that stale LinkedIn profile or order more business cards.The best advice for avoiding this mistake is to make a polished appearance an organic part of your daily routine.Keep your LinkedIn profile and resume up-to-date, carry your business cards with you at all times, and dress professionally daily. Follow these tips and you will never have to regret wasting an opportunity to make a good first impression.Using the event to peddle your resumePushing your resume on anyone with a pulse (or using the guerilla-marketing tactic of leaving your resume on every cocktail table in the reception area) can make you look like you are only there to advance y our own cause. Most people will discard an out-of-context resume thats been forced on them and forget theyve ever met you. Those that do remember will recall you as pushy and self-promoting. Do bring your resume but keep it to yourself, unless your new contact asks for it.Going on a business-card-collecting spreeA networking event is not a hunt, and there is no reward for collecting the most trophies Your goal should be to create meaningful connections, not to capture that business card and move on to the next target. Give yourself permission to slow down, pay attention to the conversation, and stop working the room. Your results will be betterTreating anyone as unimportantDismissing people who dont meet certain criteria in favor of big names and A-listers is a mistake. A single disparaging comment can embarrass and discredit you for years to come. Treat everyone you meet like they could make a real difference in your life. Be respectful and present, even if the connection is brief .Failing to ask for helpProfessionals often hold the mistaken belief that asking for introductions or advice makes them look weak and disadvantaged. In reality, making a request for an introduction is at the core of the networking process After all, networking only works when people make new connections. By being respectful, polite, and humble, you can reinforce the relationships you have and build new ones.Being glued to your cell phoneNetworking events can be uncomfortable. For those who want an escape, cell phones are an easy answer. Some professionals think that checking messages or scrolling through emails makes them look smart, busy, and important. However, the only thing this behavior accomplishes is making them look unapproachable, or worse, disrespectful. If you are expecting an important call, feel free to keep that phone nearby but turn off the ringer and resist the urge to hide behind the screen.Failing to follow upPost-event follow up is an opportunity to reinforce you r professional image. If you promised someone you would send an article, make an introduction, or schedule a meeting, get it done within 24 hours.If you are sending a simple great to meet you email, dont settle for using an efficient, but boring, template. Make your message personal add details about the conversation or shared interests. If you had asked someone for advice, make a point of letting them know you took it to heart and acted on it. A follow-up email is not permission to launch into self-promotion or an elevator pitch, however. Be courteous, gracious, and brief.Related3 Powerful Thank-You Notes You Can Write in Under 30 SecondsFollowing up just to stay in touchBeyond the first email or call after the event, resist the urge to follow up just to stay in touch.This advice may go against the common wisdom, but it makes sense. Todays successful professionals are busier than ever. They dont want to dig through an inbox full of emails that lack substance.The new rule of thumb i s to only follow up when you can add value. Found an interesting article thats relevant to your new connection? Met someone the other professional might enjoy or benefit from by being introduced? Finished a great book you want to recommend? By all means, reach out. If you make every touch point valuable and pleasant for the other professional, you wont ever have to resort to frequent, empty email blasts. Lying or stretching the truthFrom name-dropping when you barely know the important individual to inflating your current position, lying is the quickest way to demolish trust and credibility. It wont impress anyone, and even if it does, the truth will come out eventually. So be honest and trust that you are interesting and qualified without embellishment. If you are feeling self-conscious about your credentials, use that as motivation for learning and professional development not as a reason to lie.Forgetting to be gratefulThrough every interaction, professionals should remember tha t no one owes them anything not a meeting, not an introduction, not a recommendation. Set reasonable expectations and dont ask for favors that are reserved for trusted friends and long-time colleagues. If you have just met someone, dont insist that they introduce you to the CEO of the company or give you intel on the business needs of their department.On that note, be grateful for any help or advice that you do receive. A hand-written thank-you note, a personal email, or a quick phone call to acknowledge the other persons effort will go a long way towards reinforcing the relationship. Dont make the mistake of thinking that personal thank-you messages are outdated Courtesy counts today more than ever before.Mistakes are a side-effect of being human, and most professionals will certainly forgive you for an occasional and unintentional faux pas. Having said that, an awareness of common networking mistakes can help you avoid them. From being mindful of your professional appearance to p aying attention to small details (such as spelling someones name correctly in the follow-up email), remember that your new professional acquaintances dont have any baseline knowledge of you. There is no goodwill reserve to tap into when you make a mistake, so work on creating positive interactions and adding value. Treat every person you meet as if they have the power to boost your career. By using this advice, you will find yourself in the middle of a life-changing professional network in no timeClick on the following link for more networking advice.You dont need to give out your resume at networking events, but its still smart to have an updated one on you. Try a free resume critique to ensure your resume is up to dateRecommended ReadingNetwork Like an Expert Networking Tips from the Industrys FinestHow to Turn Holiday Parties into Networking GoldminesNetworking Tips to Help You Thrive at Your Next Event

Some people are on the 10-year plan to early retirement

Some people are on the 10-year plan to early retirementSome people are on the 10-year plan to early retirementRaise your hand if youve ever slammed yourself in the forehead with your hand after realizing that something your parents told you years ago welches, strangely enough, right? Or, full of wisdom?Ive seemed to do that quite a bit as Ive gotten older.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreI welches fortunate enough to have been raised in a stable and loving family. Ivewritten about this beforeand dont hide this fact, nor do I apologize for its effect on myability to retire early.The one thing that Ive always remembered was something my dad told me off the cuff. At the time, of course, I didnt truly understand its significance.His words went something like thisSome people are on the 10-year planThinking back, I remember listening to those words. I mean, I knew what they meant, and while I might have harbored an inkling of interest,they made no real impact on my outlook.After all, this was shortly after I graduated from college. After all those years of working shit jobs loading peoples cars with groceries, I was finally making money.You know, real money. Professional money in thecorporate world.And at that time, I wanted to damn well spend it. I was on the crest of going from earning just enough to fund my legit expensesand nothing moreto earning way more than I actually needed. I had an excess of cash.And, it was kinda cool. I could splurge when I wanted to. If I saw something I liked, I bought it (to include a pair of $220 Oakley sunglasses that I inadvertently donated to the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico while slamming around the waves on a jet ski) years later.Who wanted to stop having all that fun and instead save cash? Sure, I could retire in 10 years if I did nothing but save money, but man, that didnt sound like fun.After all, I was finally in the position to have some of that fun.Finally.What is the 10-year plan?The 10-year plan isnt built for everyone. If youre working a low-income job, then 10 years is probably fairly ambitious (but, Ive heard of people who live extremely frugal on a low salary). Dont count yourself out if you arent working ininformation technologyor any other high-income field.The tenants of the 10-year plan are fairly straightforwardYouve prioritizedsaving moneyover spending itYou are prepared to live a decade of your life during theaccumulation phase saving virtually every penny (within reason, of course)Saying No to weekly happy hours with coworkers will become the norm season tickets to a sporting event probably wont happenAfter 10 years, youll quit your damn job and live the rest of your life in pure freedom buy those season tickets nowMore or less, you are sacrificing 10 years of your life by living frugally so you can plow through the rest of your life without having to worry about commutes or performance reviews (except for maybe yourearly retirement performance review).This is like delayed gratification to the max. But, the payoff is better than anything imaginableif you dont like working a traditional job, that is.In a round-about way, I joined the 10-year planbut lateIt took about 14 years, total, for me to retire early. I met my wife and we got married in 2014, and the combined salaries definitely helped. I wouldnt be retired right now if we werent married.I took several key steps to making the 10-year plan work for me.Step 1 I acknowledged my awesome lifeIf you havent had to struggle much in your life, dont be a jerk and ignore it. Ive found that it helps to normalize our expectations when we acknowledge to ourselves (as well as to others) how fortunate we are to have been born into a warm and loving family with a solid support structure and active/involved parents.But, dont think I chalk all this up to privilege. Idont play that game.Still, it hel ps us to realize the world isnt always as rosy for others as it has been for us. Though weve worked hard for our success,other people have worked harder for the same success. Much harder.Step 2 I didnt confuse income with wealthYou make a lot of money. Good for you. Its definitely awesome bringing home a lot of cash, but all that cash also has a way of lulling us privileged folks into a false sense of security if we dont use it right.High-income debt, anyone?Vacation homes, expensive dinners, big homes and shopping for designer veggies in costly grocery stores all help to diminish our ability to build serious wealth.When wethinkwere rich, schwimmbad things start to happen.And, make no mistake about itA high income does not magically set us up for early retirement. However A high income,when used in a smart way, can.Step 3 I didnt just save money I investedThe 10-year plan doesnt work if all were doing is keeping our money in a checking or savings account.Here is the thing about savi ng money Saving money haslittle to do with getting rich. Its such a small component of the larger picture of building wealth that its just one of those assumed techniques that everybody uses to build wealth.Hardly even worth mentioning.Of course, spending money is a one-way street to becoming poor (aside from smart investments, of course). If you arent spending money, you might be saving. Okay, good. Saving is good, but saving money doesnt buildseriouswealth.The act of saving money wont, in and of itself, make anyone rich.Ordering water instead of soda or beer at restaurants might save you a few hundred over the course of a year. But lets face it A few hundred isnt life-changing money. Those extra benjamins (alone) have no business convincing you to hang up your hat in corporate America.Wealth comes from a very different sourceInvestments. Here, take a look at apretty graphthat puts in chart form what little effect saving money has over your household wealth. I warn you, however, th at there are a bunch of sleep-inducing financial buzzwords that permeate that post. You know, things like market revaluation and consumer durable investments.Its not about how much money we have. Wealth is a direct byproduct ofwhat we do with that money. ItsTHISthat enables early retirement.Step 4 I understand my purpose in lifeWhether you work a traditional job or not, are retired, self-employed or justvagabondaround the world in search of enlightenment, we all have a purpose.Truly, we do. Each and every one of us has a purpose. I believe that.But,heres the kicker Though each of us has a purpose, I also believe that most of us dont have any idea what that purpose is. Or, at least a clear understanding of that purpose. We might have one of those inklings. But short of that, the majority of the population probably couldnt recite their lifes purpose if we gave them 10 minutes to think it over.This isnt meant to criticize. Instead, Im encouraging you to reflect. To think about what giv es your life meaning and understand your purpose as deeply and clearly as possible. This shouldnt take any research on your part. This isnt a science project or book report. This is life. You.If you couldnt tell me your lifes purpose in, say, under a minute, spend five minutes and figure out how to make that happen. Jot down notes if you need. Do whatever it takes toUnderstand what your purpose is, andUnderstand it well enough to recite it quickly and clearlyBuzzwords need not apply.Step 5 I was persistent and didnt give upThe previous four steps wont do much good if you lose your motivation and quitbuilding wealthsix months after you start because things just got too boring.If you revert back to spending the majority of what you earn, nobodys retiring early.Starting is great. We cant get to the finish line if we never start. But, we also arent getting to the finish line if we stop midway through, either. Keep yourself motivated by breaking down your goals intosmaller components tha t are relatively easy to achieve.Then, achieve each smaller goal and move to the next.And, reward yourself along the way. These rewards shouldnt cost a lot of money, of course. A $10,000 vacation to Fiji isnt the best reward if your goal is to retire early. But, picking up tickets for opening day at the ballpark might be.So, Im curious What wisdom did your folks impart upon you that, although you promptly ignored it at the time, you now understand was spot-on accurate?This article first appeared on Thinksaveretire.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

Flying to Space on Butterfly Wings

Flying to Space on Butterfly Wings Flying to Space on Butterfly Wings Flying to Space on Butterfly WingsYouve heard of the butterfly effect the flap of a butterflys wings in republik ecuador could result in a tornado in Kansas. Two mathematicians will use the phenomenon to explore something that seemingly has little to do with butterfly wings cutting the cost of space travel.Those decreased costs could, in turn, open up the final frontier to greater exploration.If we could harness the dynamics behind the butterfly effect we could move spacecraft with very little fuel, extend the life of satellites, or send robots to the moon inexpensively, says Rafael de la Llave, a Georgia Tech mathematics professor.He has teamed with a mathematician at Yeshiva University and designers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory to apply those dynamics to space mission design. Dr. Marian Gidea (left) is researching more efficient routes for space travel with doctoral students Wai-Ting Lam (cente r) and Maxwell Musser. Image Yeshiva UniversityThe butterfly effectalso known as the Arnold diffusion mechanismstates that small amounts of force, applied at the right moments, can produce large effects over time. It offers a way to understand and mathematically describe what happens when a simple physical system is modified slightly, de la Llave says.To visually depict the dynamics induced by the butterfly effect, de la Llave attaches two one-inch-diameter hex nuts to strings of the same length, which he then hangs them from a clothesline.With the hex nuts at rest he taps one and it begins to swing softly. Within seconds the other nut also begins to move. Eventually the two hex nuts begin oscillating as they transfer energy from one to the other. Where more hex nuts are called into play, theyd soon begin to exhibit more complicated geometric patterns as they oscillated. And it all started from that first, small tap.If we could harness the dynamics behind the butterfly effect, we co uld move spacecraft with very little fuel, extend the life of satellites, or send robots to the moon inexpensively. Prof. Rafael de la Llave, Georgia TechFor another example, think of a person who pushes a child on a playground swing. Even though the person gives only a tiny push each time the swing comes back, the amplitude of the swing keeps increasing, says Marian Gidea, professor in Yeshiva Universitys graduate programs in mathematical sciences who is part of the project.Now the goal is to make those oscillations mathematically explicit, in the words of de la Llave, in a way that can be applied to space flight.Spacecraft typically follow conical routes that have been found to use the least fuel. But those routes still require long detours to get to the final destination. Those detours, of course, burn fuel.The dynamics behind the butterfly effect can be used to find the small forces that result from the intertwining of the natural gravity of the moon, sun, and planets. Those for ces open up space superhighways that spacecraft can glide along without burning any fuel at all, Gidea says.Adding small maneuvers at precise times and locations along the pathways could save even more fuel, he adds.For space missions, rather than a parent pushing a swing, the tiny first flutter is the combining of the gravitational tides from stars, planets, and moons that eventually opens a space superhighway, Gidea says. Because celestial bodies are moving all the time, the formula is needed to continually find the superhighways, de la Llave adds.The first flutter could also be that of a rocket engine firing at just the right place in its flight when a boost is needed to accelerate orbit, Gidea says. For the project, mathematicians Gidea and de la Llave are charged with applying the Arnold diffusion mechanism to find those first pushes and follow them as theyre amplified over time.In timeand with advancing technologytheir method might even allow spacecraft to visit the moons of J upiter systematically, de la Llave says.If we want to go around jumping from moon to moon, applying these new advances in mathematics can help us get there at much, much lower cost, making such a mission so much more doable, he says.Jean Thilmany is an independent writer. For Further Discussion