Customer Reviews

Seven Days to Online Networking: Make Connections to Advance Your Career and Business Quickly (Help in a Hurry)

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Do you really get what you pay for? Sometimes you get more---which is what happens if you buy this slim, do-it-yourself guide. At ten dollars , you're not likely to find a better, one-source tutor to define and clarify the options available for building a beneficial presence on the Internet. The authors take an aggressive, persuasive approach to pointing out the advantages as well as some shortcomings inherent in the seven primary categories of making contact via cyberspace: "social" networks, identity management sites, blogs, webfolios (websites that act as resumes), discussion groups, online publishing, and online public speaking. Yes, these all make up the full package.
Sautter and Crompton both have a wealth of experience that becomes apparent after delving into any of the chapters. Granted that the "seven days" in the book's title is more a promotional premise than a promise, it does serve to caution the reader that more than a quick read is in order. The arrangement of topics is especially well organized and thorough, as evidenced by the details that fill a seven-page table of contents. Chapter sections are bluntly identified---textbook style rather than cute titles. All in all, the structure of this guide is exemplary.
Now for the specifics, beginning with the authors' first chapter. Don't skip it unless you are already well sold on the virtues and operating procedures of cyberspace inter-connections. The text lays out the groundwork for the overall grand plan of networking, pointing out its validity to job seekers, recruiters, and established workers looking for more business. From there on in, the plan unfolds in easy-to-read segments (no industry "in" language allowed), beginning with a very concise self-determination guide on the kind of identity you want for yourself online. What then follows is the overview of seven selected categories of networking mentioned earlier.
First on the list---and foremost in the hierarchy of importance---are the specialized "social" networking sites that cater to business, offering opportunities for online meeting and dealing. Going beyond naming several of them, Sautter and Crompton chose to hone in on LinkedIn as the pre-eminent choice for both beginners and experienced professionals. Devoting twenty pages to this monster-size medium (20 million members representing some 150 industries), they guide you through the initial stages of setting up a profile and then advise how to customize your account. While there are recent publications devoted solely to the LinkedIn experience, the sizable summary contained in this chapter will be more than adequate for initiating your participation.
Once past this recommendation, the authors then identify and comment on the remaining half-dozen tools that comprise their networking package. Blogs come next and, here again, there are specific guidelines for creating a blog and for responding to others. The point is well made that doing the latter is a valuable plus inasmuch as your name will become more visible more often on the Internet, possibly enhancing your own profile in terms of topic knowledge as well as gaining more contacts at no cost.
No longer the most important item in your Internet portfolio, the personal website dominated by your work resume nevertheless has retained value in performing as a permanent calling card. Now labeled "webfolios," these operations provide a reference point in your communications and don't demand the more urgent sense of timeliness inherent to networking sites or blogs. Some suggestions are presented before going on to discuss the remaining options for making contacts. More than a mention is given for discussion groups (finding them and participating), but only brief commentary is provided for electronic publishing--newsletters, articles, podcasts, and webinars (the Internet version of seminars).
Concluding this plainly-written guide is a worthy resource compilation. Not only does it identify a number of useful assessment (exercises and tests) websites that relate to the networking experience, but it lists current, as of 2008, blog sites, professional association directories, search engines, and sites relating to publishing. If you get the impression, by now, that Sautter and Crompton have produced a virtual partner to assist you in achieving an effective cyberspace presence, you are so right!

I am an executive recruiter and thought I had a pretty good working knowledge of Linked In. I have recommended this book to about 50 people since I finished reading it (the first time)- and know of several that have already gone out and purchased it. They are thrilled with it as well!

I could not do the one day at a time thing- I had to read it all and then go back and do each step : ) Rest assured this book includes many ideas on how to increase your effectiveness with on line networking- Linked In is just one of the great topics.

I like the way it is written- with the tips highlighted on the side of the page as well as the key points that are noted at the end of each chapter. They want to make sure that we "get it"!

7 DAYS TO ONLINE NETWORKING has information for everyone from the beginner to the very advanced user. Not only do you become familiar with the "where to begin" of particular sites, but also the "what to do and NOT to do's"- and more importantly the "WHY" behind it all.

The progression in the book brings us to the next step (blogging)as well as the different levels of involvement, what that does for you as a credible resource, and how it can impact your career. They include the "HOW" to do this as well! The Recommended Resources section at the end of the book is broken down into categories with associated websites that are the "Icing on the Cake".

Diane Crompton and Ellen Sautter did a tremendous job on the book-the information is invaluable and I can't believe this book costs less than $10!

In this book, you learn how to create your brand to market yourself in an online universe on such websites as LinkedIn and other social networking sites, blogs and other ways to connect with others.

You'll also pick up some vital tidbits that you didn't know about LinkedIn that will help you maximize the value and return that you receive out of using it whether it is keeping all of your contacts in one go to place, finding a job or customers for your business.

Since the advent of the internet era, the world has truly become a small place and this book will help you to get started on creating that unique brand message and letting others know quickly in order to advance your career or business.

I field a lot of questions about online networking because of my work training people on how to network in the "real world". Because online networking is such a new phenomena (the huge web site LinkedIn for example, is only 5 years old), I'm not always as much help as I would like to be. Even though I know that there are some similarities between online and offline networking, there are some differences that hold the key to effectiveness.

I was pretty jazzed, therefore, to find Seven Days to Online Networking on the new arrivals shelf at the library. It was a good primer on some of the forms of online networking - especially the social networks like the aforementioned LinkedIn, but there wasn't a lot of revolutionary new information. I have been pretty involved in online networking the past few years, so it was mostly just review of what I already knew. Also it was written by two career coaches which means that it has a definite job seeker and recruiter emphasis.

Ellen and Diane touch on it briefly in the book, but one of the critical keys to effective online networking is being a competent writer. Just like people develop opinions of you based on your appearance at a networking event, so too is your ability to write your "first impression" in the online world. You don't have to be Shakespeare or Whitman, just make sure that you can spell and use correct grammar (I know you're going to peruse this article and find all my mistakes now). If your writing skills aren't up to snuff, don't rule out online networking, but start working to improve them, because the online world isn't going away anytime soon.

That being said, online networking can be a huge opportunity if you feel you are better behind the keyboard than in person. If you aren't as confident with your interpersonal skills, developing an Internet presence can be a very effective tool.

LinkedIn is a useful site, although I haven't found it as useful for small businesses as it might be for those in a more corporate setting. No matter what your role, it's definitely worth investing time creating a fully fleshed out profile and at least a basic network. One great aspect of a LinkedIn profile is that you can use it as an online resume/bio if you don't have a web site. Send it to your potential clients (that's my own idea that I would add to the book).

Ellen and Diane mention this, and I want to emphasize it - you have to spend time maintaining your online networking presence. It can be as little as 30 minutes a week, depending on what you are doing. Take a specific part of your day or week to update your profiles, send emails, write on your blog, or comment on other people's blogs.

A useful tip I pulled out was to make my online name more distinct (because in my case there are a lot of David Fishers online). That's why I use my initials in everything online - David J.P. Fisher. Do a Google search on your name, see what comes up. How can you be on the first page of Google?

They devote a chapter to using blogs to develop your online presence. If you just want to blog about your thoughts or what happened in your day, go for it - but don't think of that as online networking. For your blog to be effective as a networking tool, you have to ask yourself a few questions first. 1)Do you have something that people want to read about (really, don't let your ego take over)? 2)Are you willing to put in the effort to promote the blog and get people to read it (there are an astronomical number of blogs written - but how many are read)? 3)Can you put forth the consistent effort to maintain the blog and keep it updated with fresh material?

Should you read this book?

Maybe. It is a good overview of the online networking scene as it exists right now (it keeps changing and evolving). If you are a newbie and you don't know where to start, I recommend this book to give you a grasp of the landscape. If you have some experience already, you probably aren't going to come out with much more than you already have - you could spend 20 minutes surfing blog posts and come up with the same tips.

The job search market has changed dramatically in just the last year and this book helps you quickly navigate the maze of new tools and technologies that will get you noticed. Anyone looking for a job should read it.

Don Goodman
About Jobs
www.GotTheJob.com

Seven Days to Online Networking is a valuable resource for both the tech-savvy and the tech-impaired. In a straightforward and conversational tone, authors Ellen Sautter and Diane Crompton introduce readers to the varied landscape of online networking, covering everything from social networks and blogs to lesser-known avenues such as wiki's, webfolios, and online public speaking. In 150 pages, Sautter and Crompton explain what online networking is, why it is so important, how to get started, how to tailor your networking strategy to your specific goals, and where to look for further resources. Particularly useful are the chapters on LinkedIn and blogging, which demystify these two widely known and powerful networking tools. Whether a job seeker, business owner, a leader in your field or a new graduate, this book shows you how to use the whole spectrum of online networking tools to make new contacts and advance your career, in seven days and beyond!

What a fantastic little book! A wonderful how-to guide on starting a blog, staying connected on social networks, and/or learning how to maximize your digital footprint. Lots of information in a light-weight, easy-to-use book, that tucks neatly away in your handbag for quick reference!

Jessica Levy, J.D.
www.lracsite.org