When you think of networking do you imagine an intimidating room of successful business people who are effortlessly mingling?  Not a particularly inviting picture, is it?   That’s maybe why so many people shy away from formal networking events.

Cutting to the chase…

1. Don’t shy away from networking.  Risk taking is an essential part of career development, and when it comes to open networking, the risk is minimal.
2. If you have been at the firm long enough and see your career long-term, you will eventually have to network or be involved in this aspect of business development to some degree.
3. Keep your finger on the pulse.  There are a lot of networking events out there, but the more you stay tuned in, the more meaningfully you can stay top of mind to relevant audiences.

Recently I attended a workshop for international business students looking to enter the workforce.  During the discussion period, I was surprised that none of the people I spoke with had ever attended a formal networking event.   The most common response I got was a blank stare or an innocent shrug.  It seemed as though they were aware of the world of formal networking and had never even considered the possibility of entertaining it.

Formal networking can be uncomfortable, recapturing the feeling of the first appearance at a high school prom– standing around awkwardly hoping someone will notice you, or even make eye contact with you.   Who would ever choose to feel like that?

You Are Not Alone

For anyone who can relate, let me put you at ease.  I recently networked at an event held by  the Greater Boston Chambers of Commerce and found myself among a rather large group of regular attendees.  Despite being slightly nervous in those first few moments on the playground, I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly I became acclimated.  About half the people at the event were attending were also new to the Chambers and several were quick to admit feeling a little nervous.  It put me at ease to know I wasn’t the only one.

Even more surprising was the degree to which people were actually supportive of one another.    Whether a small business owner, or an employee of an established corporation, the behavior of the attendees seemed to support an atmosphere of collegiality and collaboration. People were generally supportive, even the more sales-leaning folk.

Don’t Do Long Winded Sales Pitches

Much to my relief and preconceived notions, I personally did not have to impress everyone with a long-winded sales pitch.  On the contrary, I found myself on a few occasions in a group where one person dominated the conversation with long lists of facts about their business.  In each case, I noticed the listeners displayed visible strain, discomfort, or boredom at the engagement. By far the more valuable encounters were much more natural.

Be Yourself

I found the easiest way to make contacts was by just being myself.  I had my introductory statement prepared, about who I was and what I did.  However, once I made that statement, it was natural conversation that led to the exchange of business cards.  Sometimes the conversation moved to a topic unrelated to business, and then when it came back around, we felt we knew each other a little better and could talk more openly about our goals.  In one encounter I even made a contact that was mutually beneficial: I recommended her service to a colleague and she expressed an interest in mine.

In case you’re wondering, there’s no lack of good websites and blogs on the topic. Here are just a few:

Help on overcoming Networking Nerves:

http://www.wiredsussex.com (pdf)

Guidance on Networking Dos and Don’ts:

http://hilary.com/career/networking2.html

If you’re looking to get your feet wet, here are a few local (Boston) places where you can stay up-to-date with networking event calendars:

http://www.boston.com

http://boston.bizjournals.com/boston/calendar/

http://www.bostonchamber.com/

http://www.searchboston.com/biz-cal.html

So for anyone who has never considered attending networking events, or for those who have considered it but have never actually done anything about it, some food for thought:  the worst that can happen is you go home without any contacts, which is the same as if you stayed home.  Finally, when you do venture out, be yourself.  Don’t let preconceived notions of networking alter your behavior.

Questions? Comments? Gripes? Be part of the discussion.

Striving to be noticed can be one of the biggest challenges, and for an international job candidate in the U.S., this especially rings true.  A business owner once gave me the advice, “You can be the prettiest or you can be the ugliest, just don’t be in between.”  What he meant, of course, was that you need to stand out from the hundreds of people competing for the same opportunities.

So for all this talk about being standing out this surely raises a few questions: What differences count as being “competitive” or unique in what they can bring to an organization? How might an accent, of all things, give someone a unique edge to a career opportunity?

According to an article published in Human Resources Management Review[1] “bilingualism and biculturalism are indicative of cognitive flexibility and openness to experience.” And even more recently, those who participate in global mobility programs, versus those who don’t, are looked at more favorably. Even more than that, larger companies with a more global presence are beginning to prefer membership in a global mobility program as a key ingredient in promotion. Thus, you can look at your accent in English one way: as an outward symbol for bilingual and bicultural diversity.

So if you are not feeling at home with your accent, it’s time to consider the benefits of your uniqueness in an otherwise homogenous setting. An accent can give others around you a rich impression of your cultural experience.  People from different cultures often have different ways of thinking about the same situation, and being able to think outside the box is important for the more lateral and team-based communications dominating organizations today.

It takes flexibility and adaptability to adjust to a new culture, and these are also traits that businesses seek out in their employees.  Bilinguals often have the sensitivity and insight necessary for successful intercultural engagement, not to mention the language skills needed for a new market opportunity.  Bilingualism, then, should be looked at as a highly sought after skill in business. Learn to embrace your accent as free advertising.

Do take note, however. While the range of acceptable pronunciation is broadening as English becomes a Lingua Franca, an accent can either work in your favor or be a disastrous roadblock to communication.  Comprehensibility is the key.   If an accent masks the message or requires great concentration on the part of the listener, that’s a certain sign of trouble. Here are a few questions you can ask yourself or have a trusted (fluent English speaking) colleague use when evaluating your accent:

• Are the words clear, and easy to understand?
• Do the words flow together?
• Is there proper intonation?
• Does it match your intended meaning?

A true acid test—can your colleagues understand one of your voicemails sent under “ordinary” circumstances? If you’re in the clear, embrace the moment. Bilingual ability and multicultural experience are must-have professional skills for today’s knowledge industry organizations. We would not recommend accent training unless you were conscious of it to the point of being distracted in your interactions.

If you’re not in the clear, we recommend you get there fast. You don’t want people second guessing your abilities or identifying communication challenges on this account. We like Paul of Paul Meier Dialect Services. He’s fast and effective and has the convenience of phone based coaching. Whatever you decide, be sure you do what’s needed to stay in the race.

And as always, there’s so much to cover on any given topic. If we left you out, or we didn’t address your area of particular need, SAY SOMETHING. We want to hear from you, so please post your comments and questions.

Until the next chapter…

Sandra

It has always felt to me a presumptuous task to narrow down a list of “the best of this” and “the most common of that.” But the question of “What are the most common writing mistakes of English as a Second Language (ESL) speakers?” is still a popular one and, as a search term, continues to yield 100k+ returns on a Google search no matter which way you phrase it. On top of that, many of you have been specifically requesting this list for some time now.

So before elaborating on “the list,” allow me to explain my hesitation and procrastination in not having done this sooner.

1. ESL speakers come from a variety of linguistic backgrounds and do not make the same grammatical mistakes.
2. There are more than 10 kinds of errors spread across several category types: grammar, cross cultural nuances, business communication protocol, and audience-centered writing principles among others. It’s hard to pick the “top.”
3. The more they are called “mistakes” the more our culture will be based on learning from “failures” rather than “successes.” I’m an advocate of the latter. http://discussionleader.hbsp.com

But since so many of you longsuffering- ESL speakers, colleagues of ESL speakers, and communications experts alike – have asked for a breakdown, here we go.

The first five mistakes we will look at fall into the “grammar” category.

1. SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT

Incorrect Sentence: We had a kick-off meeting with Mr. Schmidt from Big Medical Devices Company yesterday; I’m not sure he agree to our current proposal.

Correct Sentence: We had a kick-off meeting with Mr. Schmidt from Big Medical Devices Company yesterday; I’m not sure he agrees to our current proposal.

2. COUNT NOUNS vs. NON-COUNT NOUNS
Incorrect Sentence: She offered me a variety of inputs on the manuscript.
Correct Sentence: She offered me a variety of input on the manuscript.

3. PARALLEL STRUCTURE

Incorrect Sentence: We are looking at several options from reducing hours, get a contract seasonal worker, offer voluntary resignation packages, and the removal of some benefits.

Correct Sentence: We are looking at several options from reducing hours, getting a contract seasonal worker, offering voluntary resignation packages, and removing some benefits.

4. GERUND, INFINITIVE, or BOTH?

Incorrect Sentence: Please remind me of adding the meeting to my calendar; I anticipate to see many of the new hires there.

Correct Sentence: Please remind me to add the meeting to my calendar; I anticipate seeing many of the new hires there.

5. ARTICLES: A, AN, THE or NOTHING?

Incorrect Sentence: The patients receiving new UI drug experienced side effects of nausea, dizziness, and insomnia versus other group of patients who took competitor drug and experienced only mild side effect of taste loss.

Correct Sentence: Patients receiving the new UI drug experienced the side effects of nausea, dizziness, and insomnia versus the other group of patients who took the competitor drug and experienced only the mild side effect of taste loss.

These grammar mistakes are a tell-tale sign to the reader that the e-mail is not from a native speaker, which may unfairly add to a list of stereotypes or biased decisions about the writer’s credibility. ESL writers fear this, and with good reason.

One partial remedy would be to write e-mails first in Microsoft Word then transplant them into the e-mail body. This will catch most grammar and spelling mistakes. However, this doesn’t cover all of them and some errors are very habit-forming and difficult to break.

Some recommendations would be to take a short-term grammar class (online or one-on-one) that focuses specifically on the target grammar errors. There are so many choices available for this and more often than not, executives are too busy for self study. So, it is highly advised that one have accountability and structure in this area.

Other problem areas in ESL writing deserve equal attention. The following 6-10 areas represent a combination of business communication and writing technique mistakes common among both native and non-native speakers. The major differences are that they are more prevalent with the latter group and tend to be worsened and more implicating when coupled with some of the grammar mistakes mentioned in 1-5 above.

1. Informal language in formal correspondence
2. Emotive language
3. Tone: mechanical-sounding or non-conversational
4. No call-to-action or clear navigation
5. Lack of flow from one sentence to the next

If you would like to see examples of these, stay tuned for our next post. In fact, we are taking submissions via open enrollment, so take the liberty of slipping your own e-mails in there if you would like a complimentary proofing and analysis of your work. We promise to keep you anonymous!

Send submissions here: info@springboardsconsulting.com

Thank you for reading. And remember, we want to make this blog yours, so send us your submissions, questions and comments.