2 Ways to Win

1. Attend the NYC Webgrrls The Art of Less Doing & Networking event on November 7.  We will randomly choose a winner at the event. Note: you must be present to win.
    
2. Enter to win online.  You must be a member to participate…so, if you are not a Webgrrls member or your membership is not current, please Join or Renew your membership now.  We will randomly determine who receives the ticket for the event and will email you if you are the winner. 

All Webgrrls receive 30% Discount to Attend!

All Webgrrls are eligible to receive a 30% discount to attend the event. Be sure to enter discount code: WEBGRRLS-30 when registering.

See you there!

Related posts:

1. Enter to Win Full Pass to BizTechDay in San Francisco
2. Enter to Win Full Pass to Blog World Expo 2009 in Las Vegas
3. Enter to Win Full Pass to Interop Las Vegas 2009 Conference

The 2011 Holiday Season is fast approaching and to kick it off we are organizing a dual-city Webgrrls International Holiday Celebration December 6th with the San Francisco Webgrrls and December 7th with the New York City Webgrrls, and when the Webgrrls Community gets together, it becomes an industry event, not only about revelry but also about the celebration of the achievements of women in technology and business.

December 6 – San Francisco

The San Francisco Webgrrls Holiday Celebration will be Tuesday, December 6th at the Techsoup space. 

We will toast to success and ring in the Holidays with a wine and cheese affair with some great wine, great raffle prizes, and a great San Francisco crowd. Get more information and RSVP!

December 7 – New York City

The NYC Webgrrls Holiday celebration will be Wednesday, December 7th at Wix Lounge, a co-working and event space for creative professionals (located steps from Union Square).

We will have a great menu and can share a toast with some great wine & beer,  and some amazing people. Get more information and RSVP!

Webgrrls International has a lot celebrate this year! A new site, new technology, our workshop line-up has grown offering new information and new skills to our members and community, our regular and small business membership continues to grow. San Francisco Webgrrls has a new chapter leader, Anne Ward, and is growing exponentially and the NYC Webgrrls is having its best year. The Webgrrls Blog, Webgrrls Wisdom, continues to influence as our subscriber base continues to grow. We have created some great momentum for 2012. It has been a very rewarding year for many of us.

Come and celebrate with us!

viagra

Related posts:

1. Happy Holidays from the Webgrrls Team
2. 2011 Global Marathon: For, By and About Women in Engineering and Technology (March 7-12)
3. Small Business and Social Media

When you are looking for a job, it’s important to remember that doing what you have always done is just not enough. Think it through, and then take action. After all, that’s what your employer will want you to do when you accept the job anyway.
~ Priscilla Claman, President of Career Strategies, Inc.,

OK I admit it, I don’t like looking for a job – does anybody really????

I thought getting an EMBA would be on of the most challenging things I would ever do, well it would take second place to the arduous labor involved in finding a full time job, while career slashing. In fact, my current job search involves some of the hardest work I have ever done.

People, if you know someone who is looking for a job – give them some applause, and a BIG hug …. really, they deserve it!!!

The topic of unemployment, jobs and the economy is inescapable, the subject predominates every news medium and permeates conversations – to tune it out is hopeless unless you really isolate yourself, and that’s the last thing you want to do….. add to that the plethora of job search advice, columns, articles and opinions – it’s really too much! 

Take a deep breath,

here are some tips and advice that have worked for me,

maybe they will work for you too.

Stay positive and focused – not so easy, but essential!

The MOST IMPORTANT thing you need to do is stay positive and focused. Job searching is difficult, and there are times when you will be discouraged. Sometimes …… I fantasize about being curled up on the coach eating cheettos in my PJs, watching a comforting Lifetime movie (cue music), instead of slugging away at finding a job, but instead opt for a focused and positive attitude, this is absolutely essential in order to get an interview and a job.

You must communicate:

• High energy
• Enthusiasm
• Positive attitude

No one is going to give a second look at someone who does not communicate all of these things. So really think about this in every communication that you put out there; writing, phone, personal interview, body language, make sure you…….do it!

My “Work”

I have devised a “work plan” much like a project plan, while it’s really nothing new or revolutionary, it is very helpful. When I started “the great job quest of 2011″, it was completely overwhelming – I had never had to pay much attention to a resume/CV or a job search, because during my career, most of my work had come from word of mouth referrals from my network. But I am now on a slightly different career track, and the job search has changed significantly in the last 24 months – and I acknowledge that it’s going to take all of my resources, intellect and energy to get my dream career opportunity - but it is one of the best investments I can make in myself.

Here are some ideas of how to go about the work of getting a job

• Everyday “go to work”…..because getting a job is your job for now. 
• Find a quiet comfortable space, like the local library – not a coffee shop.
• Break down the week into several “objectives” - search, network, connect, follow-up. 
• Search for job openings that are a good match, discard those that are not.
• Search LinkedIn and close personal network for connections to decision makers that can help with job openings.
• Research companies that are consistent with your core values and direction.
• Make calls to your network, persons in your industry and recruiters.
• Email recruiters with news, updates, send resume and follow up.
• Schedule 15 – 30 minute  “informational” or “scoping” calls.
• 30 minute with your career or life coach - keeps you track and accountable.

Ask for help – seek out advice from professionals

You would be amazed at how generous people are with their professional advice. Recently career coach Susan Goldberg, Susan Goldberg Executive Search Consulting, was kind enough to speak to me for 30 minutes and give me some amazing perspective regarding my own job search, here is some of her advice.

5 Tips to Follow (if you are truly serious about your job search).

1. Never waste your time sending an email or resume unless you have a specific individual to send it to, otherwise follow-up is next to impossible. 
2. Don’t bother sending a resume or an email unless you plan on following it up with a phone-call. Otherwise, it indicates that you are not interested. 
3. Be remembered after an informational interview, be gracious, offer to help the person who is meeting with you and make the offer as specific as possible.
4. Always leave an informational interview with other names to contact.  Ask at the end of a meeting, for specific people to contact so that you can further expand your network, be ready.
5. Never leave an interview without knowing what the next steps of the hiring process will be. It will keep some of the control of the hiring process in your hands and the asking itself will make you feel more confident and self-assured in leaving what can be an anxiety provoking experience.  (If you haven’t been told what next steps are to be taken, ask.  

Focus, re-evaluate, re-group = tweak, tweak, tweak 

Take jobseekers who send out hundreds, sometimes thousands of resumes, and never get any results. In any other context this would merit a change in approach, but they just keep sending out more resumes. This tough job market makes it even more important to stop the mindless application-mailing and analyze what isn’t working – because the problem might be devastatingly simple.
~ Priscilla Claman President of Career Strategies, Inc.

During the last 4 months I have redone my resume at least 6 times – and these tweaks involve heavy thinking and introspection on my part. I have been lucky to have had lot’s of help along the way, ask your friends and network for help – sometimes it’s hard to remember your accomplishments.  

Try using the STAR Key Achievements as a guideline.

• Situation, describe the situation
• Task or Target, what were the initial targets, goals or objectives
• Action, what you did to achieve that target
• Result, what were the results using specifics and measurements (if possible, otherwise rounds numbers or percentages)

And finally…..

• Be Assertive and Proactive
• Be clear
• Tell everyone in your network about your job search 
• Maintain a detailed record of all the jobs you have applied to, including communications, interviews, referrals, and follow-up actions. 
• Networking should be at the center of your job search strategy
• Get to go out there and make it happen.
• Be clear on what you want and need, you’re on your way to getting it.
• Be kind to yourself … it takes time and dedication to find the right fit.

Related posts:

1. Re-thinking your job search strategy – because of ageism
2. YOUR personal image is part of YOUR personal brand
3. Where are the opportunities in the “New Normal” economy

Entrepreneurs are arguably the most important actors in our economy—the creators of new wealth and new jobs, the inventors of new products and services, and the revolutionizers of society and the economy
~ Lesa Mitchell, VP of advancing innovation at the Kauffman Foundation.

I have been reading a great deal recently on how small business and entrepreneurship is the potential savior of our US economy. Economist will agree that older established companies DO NOT hold the promise of job creation or a renewed and revived economy, but instead the next bright new companies.

Venture capitalist will tell you that EVERYONE is on the lookout for the next “Gazelle” or fast growing start-up with the potential of becoming the next Google or Apple. But in between the “Giants” and the “Gazelles”, lies a whole territory of smaller companies that also help to fuel the economy not only by job creation but by private wealth creation, smaller companies from yoga studios to e-commerce web portals.

How important is entrepreneurship to the US economy?

This is where the jobs are, not at General Motors. It is about creating new companies, new industries, not propping up behemoths
~ John Harthorne, a co-founder of MassChallenge

The US Government has identified entrepreneurs as an important key to turning the economy around, and in January of this year The White House helped launch the Startup America Partnership. This is an independent, private-sector entity partnership between the US Government and private equity. The US Government is committed to matching funds in this venture to encourage the creation of new startups, with a principal focus on supporting existing firms who could become “Gazelles”.

How do Women entrepreneurs stack up?

As the chart above from the Kaufman Foundation indicates, not so great. In fact, American Express OPEN report for 2011 found that just 1.8 percent of women-owned firms had revenues of more than $1 million, while men-owned firms was 6.3 percent. 

In the new study by the Kaufman Foundation, OVERCOMING THE GENDER GAP: WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS AS ECONOMIC DRIVERS, has shown that although nearly half of the workforce and more than half of our college students are women, their lag in building high-growth firms has become a major economic deficit.

Facts about women startups:

• Average revenue of men’s firms was $120,000 versus about $60,000 for women. 
• Women owned firms account for 29% of all enterprises.
• Women-owned firms only employ 6% of the country’s workforce and contribute just under 4% of business revenues . 
• WOMEN ONLY account for 35 % of the people who start a businesses.

Estimated that there are over 8.1million women-owned businesses in the US, generating nearly $1 .3 trillion in revenues and employing nearly 7 .7 million people – IMAGINE THE UNTAPPED ECONOMIC POTENTIAL OF WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS!!! 

We must consider fostering women’s entrepreneurship as an economic issue, not a gender-equity based issue. Simply put – we are missing a BIG chunk of this country’s educated brainpower. 

OK great, but what kind of support is there out there?

Business incubators are service programs, not buildings,” “No building can grow companies, provide mentoring and handholding, and assist an emerging company in meeting the benchmarks necessary for growth.
~ Dinah Adkins, president and CEO of the National Business Incubation Association (NBIA). 

Besides the SBA and the Startup America Partnership, consider joining an incubator or accelerator program in your area, according to Bloomberg Businessweek there are about 50 accelerators altogether seeking more than 500 startups for their programs this year, and surprisingly not all of these are for the tech sector.  Studies show that start-up ventures that graduate from an incubation or accelerator program have a success rate of 87%, compared to 44% for all other firms. 

Here are 20 incubators and accelerator programs in the US. This list is in no particular order or ranking. In order to figure out the best fit, do your research and talk to to people about their experiences during the program and ask for success, funding figures for the overall program and finally what will their stake be in your company and how will they help you with management.

1. Astia, Astia offers programs for women run high-growth start-ups.
2. Women 2.0 – Pitch, not a traditional incubator.
3. West Enterprise Center, Albuquerque, N.M.
4. Mi Kitchen es su Kitchen,  New York, N.Y. focused on food businesses.
5. DreamIt Ventures, Philadelphia, PA
6. Georgia Tech’s Advanced Technology Development Center, Atlanta, GA
7. Launch Pad Ignition, New Orleans, LA
8. SENO – Social entrepreneurship, New Orleans, LA
9. TechStars, accelerators (Boston, Boulder, New York City, and Seattle )
10. MassChallenge, Boston, MA
11.  Y Combinator, Silicon Valley, CA
12. NYC SeedStart, New York, NY
13. Santa Fe Business Incubator, Santa Fe, NM
14. Accelerator Corp., Seattle, WA – biotech startups
15. Long Island High Technology Incubator, Stony Brook, NY
16. The Shoals Entrepreneurial Center - Florence, AL
17. Innovation Depot, Birmingham, AL
18. LaunchBox Digital, Washington, DC
19. Metro Tech, Oklahoma City, OK For Latino entrepreneurs.
20. Plug and Play Tech Center, Sunnyvale, CA 

These incubator and accelerators are the promise of growing new businesses, as traditional Venture Capital is becoming scarcer. Consider that there were fewer initial public offerings of firms backed by venture capitalists than in any year since 1985, and that the proportion of IPOs worth less than $50m has plunged to 20% in the past decade. This matters, because according to the National Venture Capital Association over 90% of job creation by venture-backed firms occurs after they go public. 

With few answers on how to turn this economic mess around, we must consider how to foster the entrepreneurial sector, specifically the untapped economics of women entrepreneurs. 

Related posts:

1. Facts About Women-Owned Businesses
2. Listen and Learn from Women Entrepreneurs in IT
3. Where are the opportunities in the “New Normal” economy

“That we are responsible for our own fate, we reap what we sow, we get what we give, we pull in what we put out. I know these things for sure” Madonna

My favorite “mistresses” of reinvention is Madonna – SAY WHAT YOU WILL ABOUT HER – HATE HER OR LOVE HER, she has been through more “re-births” physically, creatively, personally and in business than any other public figure I can think of.  

When Madonna came on the scene in the 80’s, she was young, defiant and unconventional, she had fame, fortune and POWER.  She showed the world that she was going to achieve it all – on her own terms, making her own choices. I admired her then, and 3 decades later, I still do. She is a highly diversified business powerhouse and yet still takes risks – from acting, launching ‘Material Girl’ (a new line of clothing with her 14 year old daughter Lourdes), to dating men half her age without any care for public opinion.

She has had much success, a good deal of controversy and a fair amount of public failure too – but she keeps on going. At 53, she CONTINUES TO inspire, including a whole new generation of women. 

“I think that Madonna was a great inspiration for me…. If I had to examine her evolution through time, I think she reinvented her clothing style and music with success every single time. And at the same time remained a real force in entertainment in the whole world.” Rihanna

What can we learn from Madonna about reinvention?

Reinvention is at the core of who Madonna is professionally and personally, one could say it is part of her brand as much as her sexuality.

One of the most important things about reinvention is that your CHANGE should be CONSTANT and WITH PURPOSE. When I say CONSTANT, I mean both huge changes and the constant necessary refinements. And with PURPOSE, don’t make change for the sake of CHANGE – have a purpose in mind, how does the change fit within the final outcome you desire???

• Be accountable for your SUCCESS and FAILURE – TAKE CONTROL OF IT.
• CREATE something new from something old, OBSERVE opportunities, LISTEN, LEARN.
• Live your life with PASSION!!!!
• Take the lessons you LEARN FROM FAILURE and apply them towards success.
• NEVER APOLOGIZE FOR TRYING SOMETHING NEW, (not even to the recruiters who ask you why you deviated from your professional track).
• BE HONEST – WITH YOURSELF about who you are, and what you love to do.
• TAKE RISKS – when you can, and they make sense to you.
• LISTEN to your gut – follow your HEART.
• Know your CORE VALUES, PREFERENCES, INTERESTS – be true to those.
• ASK FOR HELP to make changes and become who YOU want to be.
• The ONLY PERSON YOU CAN COUNT ON TO MAKE CHANGE = YOU.
• BE BOLD AND BE BRAVE, (I’m not suggesting you wear the GAULTIER CONE BRA….. but it did work once)
• NO doesn’t necessarily mean NEVER.
• DO NOT listen to criticisms that are intended to knock you down.
• LISTEN to critiques that help you refine your REINVENTION.
• CREATE FULFILLMENT by FINDING the right fit for your dreams.
• BE FEARLESS

A mantra to start the day, on the road to reinvention 

Nora Roberts – Novelist

Related posts:

1. What roads lead to career and life reinvention?
2. Listen and Learn from Women Entrepreneurs in IT
3. Learn About the Chinese Market Through Cultural Immersion

We’ve come a long way. Power dressing now is designed to let the woman inside us come through.
Donna Karan

Recently I was at a business meeting with professional women, all at the top of their respective fields. We where working on some reinvention ideas, everyone was excited to be there. Many of us did not know each other, but we where all equally committed to accomplish our goal for the meeting. I always enjoy these situations and hope to learn from my peers. At the very beginning of the meeting, however, there was one woman, who was really throwing me off…. so I stepped back in order to figure it out, WHY was I tuning her out ????

I’m sorry but the old adage doesn’t work – people still “judge a book by it’s cover”

Then….. I had THE AHA moment….. The woman in question looked liked she had been rolling around in dirt and her clothes where ill fitting (so we got a good view of her undergarments (if you are gonna show them – make sure they look good… and by all means CLEAN!). She was a mess! The reality was, I couldn’t get past her appearance to hear what she had to contribute – shame on me, I know.

The way you see people is the way you treat them.
Zig Ziglar

I know we are not supposed to judge people based on looks, upon further analysis I noted; her messiness to me meant she didn’t bring her “A” game, if she couldn’t bother to brush her hair and put on a decent outfit – she didn’t care to be there – and BTW, all the other ladies looked fabulous (with varying degrees of style from polished designer to funky vintage, etc… you get the idea)……..I am by no means suggesting that anyone should go and spend their monthly mortgage money to dress in couture like a Kardashian. It would be nice, but not necessary. During Grad School I learned the fine art of budget shopping and have acquired a very stylish wardrobe, for a very modest price.

Your personal image is part of your personal brand – do you reflect your brand?

This got me thinking….YOUR Personal public image is critical, because it is a part of your Personal Branding. This is so important, but yet we underestimated the impact it has on how WE/OUR BRAND is perceived.

I asked Dan Schawbel, Author of Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success and “Personal Branding Guru” to answer a few questions regarding Personal Branding.

• How important is having a polished Personal public image to your personal brand? It’s mandatory in an age where your Google search results are your new resume. If you don’t have an online brand that communicate who you are, what you do, and who you do it for, then you will get lost in a sea of clutter.

• You always say that “Consistency is key”, is this also true on how we dress and present ourselves in professional settings? You should be consistent in everything you do from selecting a single headshot of yourself for all of your online channels to your clothing and even the colors you use on your business card and website. The more consistent you are, the more you will be remembered and be able to create a brand promise to your audience.

• What do you think about the old saying “always leave the house dressed for success”, and how does what you wear matter to your brand? We are all judged based on the perception of what we wear, how we behave, and who we associate ourselves with. If you don’t take care of yourself, people will notice, and it will create a negative brand perception that wont go away.

I don’t know about you, when I look good, I am confident

People tend to respond in a more positive way, to someone who is dressed well, one would think that the idea of making a positive impression is common sense, but I see disheveled looking people everywhere. The airport is my favorite place to spot these….you should always look good because you never know when you might make an important connection – for business or personally. Last year I got an upgrade because the ticket agent really liked my dress – true story!!!!

Erin Kennedy, CPRW, CERW, has put together some solid guidelines in “If you want to be successful, dress the part”

I do differ with Ms Kennedy and many other recruiters on the suit issue – in a creative businesses, you would run the risk of being judged as stodgy or a “suit” if you wore a “suit”. Wear what is appropriate in your field.  In the creative field there is rarely a taboo on tattoos or piercing, but you would be immediately discarded as a serious candidate if you showed either of these during an interview in a financial or legal field. Again, assess what is appropriate, ask others if you have doubts.

Making sure you look professional online too

Make sure that the photos that are associated with your professional and public profiles are consistent with your image and branding. Your LinkedIn profile should not be accompanied by an embarrassing photo of you at your bacholorete party.

Make a choice and Decide HOW you want to be viewed

This has been very important to me during my own reinvention. It’s something that is an ongoing process. How can I show intelligence, leadership and confidence while being feminine.

During my years of working as a Producer I had the advantage of working with top fashion stylists and designers who taught me a thing or two – one of the most important is to create your unique “look” by cluing in to current fashion trends AND your personal style ICONS, and always make sure that the look suits you. And if you can’t manage to do it yourself enroll the help of people who know you well or finally get an image consultant – it is well worth the money!

There is a lesson here, no matter where you are, if you are in a professional setting or even meeting someone for coffee, and you want to be taken seriously, try to have some put together style, (men and women) – and this can mean many things – from great t-shirt and jeans to stylish high end designer clothing -  it doesn’t mean everyone should wear a suit.  Whatever your style “own it and make it part of your personal brand!”

Related posts:

1. Online and offline trends to help you increase your brand equity
2. Brainstorming Worksheet to Help You Name Your Brand
3. Dressing for Yourself At Work

From birth to age 18, a girl needs good parents. From 18 to 35, she needs good looks. From 35 to 55, she needs a good personality. From 55 on, she needs good cash.
~ Sophie Tucker

How do you handle ageism during career reinvention? I say NO!

As part of my career reinvention I went to Grad school and am now, like many other grads, on the job hunt. 

Recently, I was told by a respected recruiter that I was too “experienced” to present to her clients. While she was very clever and PC, I know that meant code for “too old”. Generally, I would say hey I AM NOT OLD, AND I only need one great opportunity – there is one out there just for me. But I have to admit this time it got to me …….and I am re-thinking….

Ageism is making me re-think my job strategy

At first this really pissed me off – but in retrospect this recruiter did me a favor;

• This new reality made me re-think my job strategy.
• Re-evaluate the kind of organization I might join. 
• Re-adjust some expectations. 
• Think of alternatives – like starting my own company if I cannot find the right fit.
• Ask recruiters about their views on age…..and their clients.

Undeniably, ageism is a serious issue facing job seekers today, and although the practice is still illegal, it is nearly impossible to prove in the hiring process, (honestly who has time to file a complaint when you are looking for a job) and it is rampant. In fact complaints of age discrimination with the EEOC have risen dramatically this last quarter, and currently one of BNET’s most popular posts complaints are about age discrimination in hiring practices. This used to be an issue that only affected the 55+ crowd but with the tough job market younger workers 40+ are now equally impacted. In fact, Men typically suffer age discrimination in their mid-50s, while this happens to women almost 10 years before in their 40′s. 

Does this makes sense?

Corporate ageism really doesn’t make sense in the light of:

• The median age in the US is 35.
• We are an aging population with most of us right in the middle
• Most people are much better leaders as we age – no doubt there are a few “Alexander the Greats” out there – but overall we learn and grow and get better.
• You get more bang for the buck with older employees who have cred, experience and maturity.
• Why does chronological age matter in the hiring practice? It’s not like I need special equipment or help getting around, in fact I am in good physical shape.

Re-thinking how I look……

Nature gives you the face you have at twenty, but it’s up to you to merit the face you have at 50.
~ Coco Chanel

Ageism is an unfortunate bi-product of the US culture, which venerates the young, while showing disdain for the more “experienced” types like myself.  

People do not generally guess my age, and when they do it’s usually younger – I do not act, look, speak, dress or feel “my age”. I keep current, and with a recent MBA in Global Management from Thunderbrid – my education and leadership skills are top notch and very relevant.  

OK I WILL ADMIT IT, even though I look fine, this has made me reconsider how I look to others, and I am considering cosmetic procedures that will make me look younger (not 20) and fresher (as a single woman this brings up all kinds of insecurities beyond the job search)….I guess the comforting news is that I am not alone, today women account for 91% of ALL cosmetic procedures in the US.

Some ideas…… re-thinking the job search…..

1. I am going to look for companies that can be “a good fit” for me both in culture, and age attitudes.
2. Look at companies that currently lack real “senior” management, due to transition as a potential opportunity.
3. Pitch my expertise and experience, and offer consulting services to younger entrepreneurs/companies who may lack depth in their management team.
4. Look at companies that service the baby boomer market.
5. Simplyhired has a great tool Search Jobs at Age 50+ Friendly Companies.
6. Revise the words on my resume – I had no idea but I was using some outdated phrases like “team player,” “trustworthy,” “problem solver”, “proven”, “relevant” “innovative”, Extensive experience”, these really didn’t work anymore. Focus on actual career accomplishments and milestones.
7.  Listen to people – recruiters, hiring managers and friends ask for feedback to tweak.
8. Paper resume, no way! I have one that I use for recruiters who insist, but I created a visual resume – and that has given me an edge Visual Resume http://bit.ly/nCvxJR
9. Leverage your social media networks – communicate your job search on LinkedIn, Google+, Facebook, and Twitter, Webgrrls, and don’t forget to brag about your Klout!
10. Don’t lie or mislead about your age by omitting information – I had taken out my undergraduate graduation date – a recruiter strongly advised me to add it back.
11. Keep at it everyday – I set a goal to research, find, and send out my credentials to at least 10 potential employers.
12.  Network – there can’t be enough said about this.  Today I had a casual conversation with a friend, whom I had forgotten is related to a very powerful guy in the advertising biz – immediately she offered to get my information into his hands directly.
13. Pay it forward – I often hear of other opportunities that are not a good fit for me, but if I know of someone, I always hook them up.

To stay positive and inspired, here are some fun facts I have found about “older women”.

• Right before she turned 50, Katie Couric became the first female solo anchor of a US national evening news show.
• Julia Child published “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” after the age of 50.
• At 57, Diane Keaton produced “Something’s Gotta Give” where she played the love interest to 39-year-old Keanu Reeves.
• At 61, actress Susan Sarandon is still the American prototype for the sexy older woman, a title she claimed in her 40s.
• Bethenny Frankel 40+ sold Skinnygirl drink line for a reported $100 m.
• Arianna Huffington 60 created and sold the Huffington Post for $315m.

Related posts:

1. Following Your Instincts On the Job Hunt: Listening to your heart instead of your mind
2. 5 Tips to Getting Hired in a Recession
3. Job Interview Preparation – What not to say

Research and discovery are pretty good on their own, but funding supports more than just research. The science and technology work that goes on in grad schools and labs across the country helps to create jobs. Without the NSF, there would be no Google (responsible for 24,000 jobs). Without DARPA, there would be no Internet (responsible for countless jobs). These jobs are no slouches, either, with the average high-tech worker in Silicon Valley earning over $100,000 in 2008.

Federal funding has been important for me, personally, as well. I would never have gone to grad school without federal funding. After accumulating a pile of loans during my undergrad years, further education was an option only if it was paid for. The NSF and DARPA supported my grad school research and the bevy of high-tech jobs in Silicon Valley drew me to California when I graduated.

There. Was that convincing? I hope so, because that’s what I pitched to Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s legislative aide when I was in Washington last week.

I was in D.C. as part of IEEE-USA, which partnered with other professional organizations to bring nearly 300 scientists and engineers to the nation’s capital for Science, Engineering, and Technology Congressional Visit Day.

CVD is a chance not only to advocate for science funding, but to do so with the support of IEEE, the world’s largest professional organization of engineers and technologists. Going into a meeting with the backing and support of 300,000 engineers (including 40,000 in my home state of California) gives you a lot more confidence—and gets more attention from congressional staffers—than doing it alone.

As it happened, we took these meetings the day before the government almost shut down. As strongly as I feel about science issues, they seemed a little less important that day, and I even felt a little sheepish advocating for money. The shutdown possibility loomed larged and seemed more important than the NSF and DoD research budgets.

Would the staffers we talked to even be at work the next week? Would they be too busy and distracted to even talk to us? Turns out, they were more focused than I could ever be in their shoes, and they gave us their full attention in every meeting. Now that is some professionalism. I was in awe.

Have you ever visited your representatives’ offices in Washington? What would you talk about if you had the chance?

Related posts:

1. Congressional Visit Day 2010 – opportunity for scientists & engineers to impact science policy issues
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3. Don’t blame the men? OK, I’ll just blame the arrogant windbags.

Among us techie types, I find that the socially inept comes in two flavors: those who withdraw from the crowd and conversation completely, and those who turn into total spazzes. I myself fall into the second category. In fact, I’m currently living under a pallor of shame from having devolved into a shrieking fangirl upon meeting the Go-Go’s drummer at a recent work-related event.

So I clearly haven’t conquered my awkwardness, but I have developed some mitigation strategies over the years that help me through some of these situations:

• Just go. For us maladroits, it can be easy to simply pass up networking events and work-related social activities. You know they’re important, though, so commit yourself to going. I volunteer with sfAWIS, a gig I could do entirely from behind my computer. As a volunteer, though, it’s important for me to attend the monthly events, so I do (usually).
• Help out. Maybe the organizer needs help setting up, taking care of the refreshments, sharing the hashtag. Volunteer to lend a hand. Being busy makes you less self-conscious and it invites conversation from those new to the event. Plus, making a connection with the organizer is itself networking.
• Ask questions. If you ask people about themselves, they’ll think you’re incredibly fascinating. And it saves you from having to talk too much. Win-win!
• Prep your elevator pitch. People will ask about you, too. Prep and (if you need to; I do) practice your 30-second job description. Have a 2-minute version handy, too, for the folks who are especially interested.
• Embrace the awkward. In addition to being awkward, I am also bubbly and exciteable (see above, re. Go-Go’s drummer). I can’t pretend to be smooth and cool no matter how much networking practice I get. So when I meet new people, I don’t fight my instinct to bound up and go “Hi! I’m Laney!” It gets the ball rolling and lets them know how spazzy I am. Hey, just being myself.
• Follow up. This can be the hardest part. When you come home from a conference or event and have a stack of business cards in your hand, you need to send emails to the folks you met. God, what do I say? Am I wasting this person’s time? Do they even remember me? My advice here is to keep it short, sweet, and personal. Four sentences, tops. I try to reference a particular conversation I had with that person. If I really want a response, I ask a question. Then, I cringe when I press “send” and try not to think about it again. That’s just me.

Do you struggle with awkwardness at networking events? How do you deal with it?

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1. Can Speed Networking Really Work?
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3. Tips for following up with contacts after a meeting or conference

There are public science festivals all over the country, but the longest-running annual event is in my neighborhood: Bay Area Wonderfest. Founder Tucker Hiatt was inspired by the great science popularizer Carl Sagan, and Sagan is featured prominently in the literature and throughout the website, including my favorite quote of his: “I hold that the popularization of science is successful if, at first, it does no more than spark a sense of wonder.”

This year was my first visit to Wonderfest, and I’m so glad I went! I attended lectures on astronomy and human behavior, topics about which I am thoroughly ignorant, and even got to browse science-related art and projects.

By far my favorite part of the afternoon, though, was Bay area physics teacher Zeke Kossover, who put on the kind of demonstration that makes you wonder why you didn’t major in physics. After taking onlookers for rides on his homemade hovercraft, he blew smokerings across the room with a huge fan, a garbage can, and covering plastic. His 2-inch PVC-pipe blowgun was kind of cool, but it was overshadowed by the 6-inch version that blew a ping pong ball straight through a Coke can. Zeke ended with every physics nerd’s favorite science demonstration: he laid on a bed of nails while someone smashed a cinderblock on his chest. Don’t worry, he wasn’t hurt! Physics!

Have you even been to a science festival? What did you like best about it?

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1. The White House Science Fair: Wish you were young again?
2. Computer Science Education Act of 2010
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