Yaicha

Ted’s take on the world, one topic at a time.

Archive for the ‘Career’ Category

Show Your Professional Affiliations

Posted by Ted Hopton on January 12, 2008

LinkedIn There’s a nifty feature in LinkedIn that lets you join groups, and once you’ve joined then the group’s logo shows up on your LinkedIn profile. (Take a look at mine, for example.) Even better, as a member of the group, you can see the other group members on LinkedIn, even if they are not in your LinkedIn network. So, it’s another way to find people you have some affiliation with — in other words, to network.

I’ve set up two Professional Groups on LinkedIn, and if you’re part of them already (or want to join), I encourage you to add them to your LinkedIn profile and add another resource to your professional networking toolkit.

ICMI's QueueTips CommunityIf you’re a subscriber to ICMI’s QueueTips, you can join the LinkedIn ICMI’s QueueTips Community Group.

ICMI Membership CommunityIf you’re an ICMI Member, you can join the LinkedIn ICMI Membership Community Group.

In both cases, you may need to wait until you’re “approved” before the logo shows up and you are accepted into the group. Since parts of that process are not automated, please be patient if there’s a delay.

So, if you’re part of the call center community, show your affiliations and wear your badge with pride! You just may make some valuable professional connections, too.

Posted in Career, ICMI's QueueTips, Networking | Tagged: , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Who Do You Let In Your Professional Network?

Posted by Ted Hopton on January 11, 2008

I have long understood the importance of networking to career success. I landed my first job out of college in good part due to a couple of network connections. Not that I wasn’t qualified, mind you, but so were the other people applying. Having a recommendation from an industry “name” helped me get a second look, and having an alum from my college on the selection committee helped me get past the competition.

I’m far from a networking expert, however. I dabble at it and admire with awe colleagues I have met who have mastered this art. I try to learn from them, because I don’t think you have to be “born” a networker — although some people seem to be. I think you really can *learn* to do it well.

So I have the requisite profile on LinkedIn and every few months or so I go look at it and wonder if I will ever get it 100% complete so the website will quit nagging me (stuck at 80% as I recall, since I don’t feel like writing my biography). And I actually have about 100 connections now on LinkedIn.

But I’m still not sure what those connections really should be. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Career, Networking | Tagged: , | Leave a Comment »

What Questions Reveal About Call Centers — and People

Posted by Ted Hopton on January 28, 2007

I’ve been publishing ICMI’s QueueTips question and answer forum for many years now, and I have to tell you, it has given me a unique view into call centers all over the world. Not only that, it has led me to some insights about human beings and the Internet.

Many questions and answers are on exactly the kinds of topics that I would expect people in call centers to ask, reflecting both general management kinds of issues and problems that are unique to call centers. We have published hundreds and hundreds of valuable postings that represent a wealth of call center knowledge. But a fair number of questions simply astound me.

Questions That Reveal Profound Lack of Understanding
Is it just me, or would you expect people to be trained how to do their jobs? Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Call Center Management, Call Centers, Career, ICMI, ICMI's QueueTips | Tagged: , , , , | Leave a Comment »

 
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