Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

December Morning Cup of Java!

Click http://morningcupofjava12-09.eventbee.com to register. Thanks.

Career Mentorship Symposium - Save the Date!

Career Mentorship Symposium

The LinkedIn Downtown San Francisco Networking Group (LDSFNG) and Golden Gate University (GGU) are gearing up to bring you another installment of its successful "Career Mentorship Symposium" event. For and overview, more details, and photos regarding our previous event, please visit http://linkedindowntownsf.blogspot.com/search?q=career+mentorship

This event will be held Wednesday, January 27, 2010 on GGU's campus.

In order to make this event as good, if not better, than the last one, we will need our group members' support in a myriad of ways:

1.) We will need in-house recruiters and/or recruiters in outside search firms with expertise in resume writing, interviewing skills, and executive coaching to donate their time to other fellow members by leading small focus group discussions on a given topic.

2.) Volunteers on hand to make sure that the day runs smoothly.

3.) Complete this survey http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=Wk5E8rsE_2fa2wWz6TnGIUXg_3d_3d so that we may better serve your needs.

4.) Ideas on a new name/brand for this event.

Please email at kevin@klnpublishing.com if you have any ideas or are interested in participating in this much need event. Thanks.

KLN

The key to a new job: Karma

Courtesy of CNN Money.com Published November 11, 2009

One job seeker relied on his network to help him find a new job, and now he helps other job seekers do the same thing.
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By Jessica Dickler, CNNMoney.com staff writer
November 11, 2009: 6:10 AM ET

Hired!

* The key to a new job: Karma
* Less pay, more job security
* Lose a job, follow a dream
* Hollywood jobs come to Michigan
* The secret to a great job? A great résumé

* see Hired! on Facebook
Kevin Nichols took networking a step further by helping other job seekers in San Francisco.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Network, network, network. That's the conventional advice to the unemployed. But in the worst job market in 26 years, sometimes, it's the only method that works.

At least that was the case for Kevin Nichols. His aggressive networking led to a job with better hours and more money.

Nichols, 34, was a career paralegal who had worked in six firms in the last 11 years. But in July, he was forced to leave the legal world behind and make a fresh start.

After getting laid off from a large law firm, Nichols immediately began looking at other paralegal positions and went on several interviews. But he found that most of the jobs would require taking a huge paycut. "They offered 30%-40% less than what I had been paid," he explained.

With a wife and two children, Nichols was unwilling to make such a sacrifice. "I clearly wanted to find another job quickly, but at the end of the day it would not be wise to take something until something better came along," he said.

Meanwhile, Nichols devoted much of his time to networking, both in person and through sites like LinkedIn. He reached out to former colleagues and acquaintances and made new contacts. Though still out of work, he even started a San Francisco networking group near his home in Oakland to help others as well.
0:00 /6:05The biz of social networking

He encouraged fellow job seekers to employ the same skills and tools Nichols was using for his own job search, which ultimately paid off.

One contact through his former firm introduced him to the vice president of sales at iControlESI, a company that sells a software tool for litigators.

Although the new position was a stretch from his old career as a paralegal, Nichols' previous law experience translated well. "Because I consider myself a professional networker, I wasn't too afraid of sales," Nichols said.

Nichols was offered a position as a regional sales manager and gladly accepted.

Later he discovered some unanticipated perks to the new gig. First, Nichols has a flexible schedule that allows him to drop off and pick up his children from school. "I can be a lot more active in their lives," he said.

Another benefit is the potential to earn substantially more money on top of his base salary.

"Starting out I'm making what I had been making at my previous job. With the commission structure I could very well double my salary."

But one of the most unexpected benefits of his forced career change is that he discovered a passion helping other job seekers and through the Downtown San Francisco networking group, he can now preach what he practiced.

"My goal is to continue to empower people to go beyond the job boards to create opportunities," he said.

And he takes pride in their successes. So far, three other members of the group Nichols started have also been hired.
50 Best Jobs in America

According to Paul Bernard, a veteran executive coach and career management adviser who runs his own firm, many job seekers make the mistake of relying too heavily on online job boards, particularly at the start of their search.

Bernard advises job seekers to begin to network immediately. Not only can networking expand your possibilities but it can also build and demonstrate skills, he said.

"Networking builds confidence and gets you into the hidden job market," he explained, referring to unadvertised job openings.

And when it comes to networking, nothing beats in-person contact. "[Nichols] used social networking tools effectively but he didn't allow that to substitute for face-to-face meetings," Bernard noted.

By setting up meetings and informal gatherings, job seekers can share experiences and pool their resources.

Bernard says job seekers should follow Nichols' lead and try to help others as well. "Don't view networking selfishly," he cautioned.

By helping others, you create "a very powerful feedback loop in terms of possibilities," he said.

Read updates on the people previously profiled in Hired! Join the Hired! group on Facebook.

Have you found a job recently? We want to hear from you. Send us an email and attach a photo. Tell us where you got hired and how you landed the job and you could be profiled in an upcoming story on CNNMoney.com. For the CNNMoney.com Comment Policy, click here. To top of page

LinkedIn Downtown SF Holiday Party

Dear Group Members:

Please visit our blog to view this message in its intended format http://linkedindowntownsf.blogspot.com. I have good news about our upcoming holiday party. Mike Mauer, of the Julia Morgan Ballroom, here in Downtown SF, has graciously volunteered to host us for our holiday party. It will be held on Wednesday, December 9, 2009 from noon to 1:30pm. Attached, please find some photographs of this wonderful location.

I have a couple of people who have contacted me regarding sponsorship for this event as well. Please contact me if you are interested in contributing $250, which places your company's logo on all of the marketing materials and allows a few moments to introduce your company at the beginning of the event. If we get enough sponsors, then the event will be free to all group members. If not, there will be a nominal $5 cover charge to cover lunch and any other incidentals, and their will be a no host bar.

Here are a few items that I need some assistance with that I would like to discuss at our next Morning Cup of Java:

1. Flyer - Please let me know if you have any connections that would be willing to donate their skills and time to design a professional holiday flyer/invitation for us in jpeg format;

2. Decorations - I would really like to make our holiday party somewhat festive yet modest this year given the state of the economy, etc. We may have a small budget for this but I need someone who can solicit in-kind donations to make this happen (please see previous blog postings of pictures of our holiday social last year;

3. Greeters and Registration - I need just a couple of volunteers to make sure that everyone has their name tag and that people feel welcome; and

4. Ideas for any activities - These are all welcome.

Please post comments to the discussion and add any feedback that you feel will make this a memorable event. I look forward to networking with you all.

Very truly yours,

Kevin L. Nichols
Moderator

www.linkedin.com/in/klnichols

November Morning Cup of Java

Welcome to our monthly business networking gathering. Please bring your ideas and business cards. We will be discussing our upcoming Holiday Social and the second installment of our Career Mentorship Symposium. I look forward to networking with you all.

Please RSVP by clicking here http://morningcupofjava11-09.eventbee.com.

Sincerely yours,

Kevin L. Nichols
Moderator
www.linkedin.com/in/klnichols

2nd Annual LinkedIn Downtown SF Outdoor Networking Event

2nd Annual LinkedIn Downtown SF Outdoor Networking Event

Please RSVP for our annual "brown bag" outdoor concert featuring the Dan Zemelman Quartet featuring Kenny Washington sponsored by SFJAZZ in Levi Plaza http://linkedinoutdoor.eventbrite.com.


Please also bring a blanket and perhaps some finger foods to share if you have time. I look forward to seeing you all on Wednesday, September 23, 2009 from 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM (PT).

Very truly yours,

Kevin L. Nichols
Moderator

September Morning Cup of Java

Welcome new group members and seasoned members:

You are invited to our monthly "Morning Cup of Java" where we discuss business and professional networking opportunities. Please RSVP using the following link http://morningcupofjava09-09.eventbrite.com. I look forward to seeing you on Friday, September 18, 2009 at 8 AM.

Sincerely yours,

Kevin L. Nichols
Moderator

Career Mentorship Symposium Wrap Up

I wanted to thank all of the sponsors, mentors, and participants. Our first Career Mentorship Symposium was a success. Please see photos of the event below.

Very truly yours,

Kevin L. Nichols
Moderator

Career Mentorship Symposium

Thursday, August 13, 2009 from 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM (PT)

Golden Gate University, San Francisco, CA 94105

Please RSVP at http://career-symposium.eventbrite.com

Your Participation in Our "Career Mentorship Symposium"

Greetings Potential Discussion Group Leader:

A couple of months ago, my disheartenment with the continuous unemployment of numerous members of our LinkedIn Downtown San Francisco Networking Group finally got the best of me. So I decided to organize an employment symposium in order to discern whether or not our members were well equipped to meet the challenges presented in this economic debacle that we are all experiencing. You can read today's official LinkedIn Blog http://blog.linkedin.com/2009/07/16/kevin-nichols-organize-networking-events-for-free-using-your-linkedin-network/ for more information regarding how we came about securing the location, logistics, etc. for this event.

I am writing to you for a couple of reasons, either you have expressed interest in wanting to be a panelist, or based on what I know, you would be a good presenter. We have decided to retreat from an educational type seminar where panelists would be in front of a large audience, have 5 mins to present on a topic, and answer questions. Instead, we are going to have mentors/coaches (i.e. YOU) sit at a round table with about 8 job seekers and have an informal discussion on a particular subject matter. This initial symposium's attendance will be limited to 75 people total, however, Golden Gate University has asked us to host the symposium every quarter to allow others to attend and lead a group in the future.

The Roundtable Discussions will last for 20 minutes and then individuals will rotate to a different topic. The goal is for job seekers to have more face time with a recruiter and to really understand what they are doing right and wrong. Below, please find some of the topics that we accumulated:

• Attention to detail
• What are some of the most egregious resume faux paus, i.e. "references available upon request"
• Using social networking
• How to prepare for an interview?
• How to research employers?
• What impresses/annoys hiring managers?
• How to handle following up before/after interview?
• What are the differences with dealing with recruiters vs. in-house hiring managers?
• How do you adopt the attitude of providing something to the employer as opposed to the employer providing something to the applicant?
• How do you dress for an interview?
• Does a firm handshake, etc. really matter?

Here is the proposed agenda:

We are planning a two hour program. Here is the breakdown:

a.) 15 min for everyone to get their lunch and to find a seat;
b.) 10 min - Welcome, introduction of sponsors and panelists;
c.) 60 min (3 x 20 min sessions) - group lead discussions on resume writing, attire, interview tips, etc.)
d.) 10 min - Closing, disbursement of resource materials/goodie bags
e.) 25 min - Mini Career Fair

Please confirm by 5pm, Wednesday, July 22, 2009 whether or not you are available August 13, 2009 from 12pm-2pm, and can come to Golden Gate University in Downtown San Francisco. If so, please indicate your top 2 topics that you would like to lead. Please let me know if you have any questions. Thanks.

Very truly yours,

Kevin
Moderator
LinkedIn Downtown SF Networking Group
http://linkedindowntownsf.blogspot.com
www.linkedin.com/in/klnichols

Kevin L. Nichols
KLN Publishing, LLC
"Eclectic writing in its simplicity..."
Telephone (775) 255-4573
Telefacsimile (775) 258-1471
http://www.klnpublishing.com
kevin@klnpublishing.com

Follow us at http://www.twitter.com/klnpublishing

Toll Free (877) 225-5928 x 7752554573

How to organize networking events for free using your LinkedIn network

http://blog.linkedin.com/2009/07/16/kevin-nichols-organize-networking-events-for-free-using-your-linkedin-network/

Why social networking is an important tool for effective job hunting

Please read this article written by Kenya McCullum published by the Examiner.
http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-13521-SF-Workplace-Communication-Examiner~y2009m7d14-Why-social-networking-is-an-important-tool-for-effective-job-hunting

July Morning Cup of Java - 7/17/09 - 8am

Q&A With LinkedIn's Downtown San Francisco Networking Group leader, Kevin Nichols

Nichols: San Francisco leader, entrepreneur, and family man.

By: Christine Cruzm Young Professionals, San Francisco Examiner

If you are a young professional in San Francisco who attends networking events regularly, you probably have spotted Kevin Nichols, president and CEO of KLN Publishing on more than one occasion. It could have been at the Embarcadero Chevy's LinkedIn Cinco De Mayo mixer while you balanced that margarita in one hand and passed out your business cards with the other. Or it could have been at the downtown MR The Barbershop social where you scarfed down the pita at the front while greeting other attendees.

Whether you attend these events in the city to network for new clients, meet new people, or to simply get free food, get to know Kevin because he is THE go-to-person and moderator for LinkedIn's Downtown San Francisco Networking Group. The UC Berkeley graduate organizes symposiums, monthly mixers, and coffee sessions around the city that provides opportunities for San Francisco's young professionals to network in the local business community.

Kevin opens up to Examiner readers about the power of social networking and why you should be using these sites to strengthen your career. In addition, he talks about his guest appearance as a leadership expert on upcoming radio shows this month, and the group's plans to organize an Employment Symposium for job seekers and employers to connect in the city.

Q: What is KLN Publishing, LLC?

A: KLN Publishing, LLC is a small independent publishing company located in Northern California that specializes in writing and publishing various forms of media since its conception in 2004. We specialize in providing expertise in the following areas to our clients: public relations, media relations, social networking, marketing, communications, and event planning.

In addition to serving our clients, KLN Publishing publishes material on food, wine, travel, entertainment, politics, community involvement, business, career guidance, and self-help topics in various mediums such as magazines, newspapers, radio, television, and the like.

Q: Why should San Francisco's young professionals use online social networking for their careers?

A: Social networking has become one of the most profitable industries in the world over the last 3-4 years. Billions of people have created profiles on various networking sites and are allowed to express themselves as well as meet individuals that would normally be outside of their reach. For example, in the past, a young writer would have to query a literary agent in order to pitch a book idea, but now that same individual could theoretically submit his / her resume query directly to the CEO of that publishing company via email. That's powerful.

Q: What specific social networking sites do you recommend for professional networking?

A: LinkedIn is hands down the best for professional networking. It automatically provides legitimacy to your purpose. Facebook, I use primarily for friends and family but have created numerous business opportunities from there as well. Twitter, I am still learning how to maximize this but who needs a press release these days when you have this? And MySpace, depending on your industry and value.

Q: Online social networking can cause problems. Some professionals have lost their jobs, gotten sued, or not been hired due to their online reputation. Where and how do you draw the line between separating social networking for professional and personal purposes?

A: Unfortunately, there is no line between the two. You have to be responsible on these sites no matter what. How you represent yourself has to be consistent on all of your sites. There are ways to make your accounts private but still overall, these sites can provide business opportunities. One might be concerned with doing business with someone who brags about his/her marijuana usage on the weekends or is cruel to animals. I am more laid back on my Facebook and Twitter but still have to be (conscious) of my audiences whenever I "publish" something, because that is what in fact we are all doing. Rarely can you "take something back" so you have to make wise decisions about what you post and where.

Q: Describe a personal professional success story that resulted from you using social networking in San Francisco

A: A friend of mine from high school is starting a new venture called Live Your Dreams Production and saw my profile on LinkedIn. Since I was "living my dream" per se, he asked me if I would be willing to be interviewed on camera for his company. I agreed. His director / producer handed me his business card and I saw the company's name and logo. Ironically, I had just published an article that day to raise funds for his non-profit media company. Now is this world small or what?

Q: Tell us about your upcoming radio shows.

I will be a guest on Leadership Lessons with life coach and consultant, Dr. Milondra Coleman on www.blogtalkradio/leadershiplessons on Wednesday, June 10, 2009 at 3 p.m. PST discussing how I define leadership and manage a full-time job; entrepreneurial endeavors; and family. On Saturday, June 20, 2009, from 9-10 a.m., I will be a guest on Nurse Rona's Community Forum on Green 960 AM discussing fatherhood on Father's Day. People should tune in because there is always something that can be learned from other people's experiences to make life's challenges a little less complicated.

Q: Tell us about your Employment Symposium. How can San Francisco's young professionals get involved?

A: I am the moderator of the Downtown San Francisco Networking Group on LinkedIn. Back in March we had a "Wealth Management Symposium" and it went well. We have decided to continue doing symposiums on various topics and industries periodically. I have been saddened by the state of the economy, and many of our group members have been unemployed for 8-10 months. So we decided to organize a symposium where job seekers can improve their marketability, fine tune their resumes, and learn any tips while providing employers the opportunity to interact with cream of the crop talent. It is currently in the planning stages so if anyone is interested in being a panelist, is an employer looking to hire, or a job seeker looking for your next opportunity, please visit http://linkedindowntownsf.blogspot.com for more information.

Q: What are 3 restaurants or venues you like meeting with clients for business in San Francisco?

A: I love coffee. I enjoy meeting at Peet's and Starbucks because they are close, fast, and cheap. However, when I do dine, I like Kokkari, the Waterfront, Osha, Unicorn, and Aqua.

For more information: LinkedIn's Downtown San Francisco Networking Group and the Employment Symposium, go to http://linkedindowntownsf.blogspot.com

For the original article, please visit http://www.examiner.com/x-10916-SF-Young-Professionals-Examiner~y2009m6d8-QA-With-LinkedIns-Downtown-San-Francisco-Networking-Group-leader-Kevin-Nichols

June Morning Cup of Java

Please visit http://morningcupofjava0609.eventbrite.com to RSVP by 5:00pm, June 18, 2009. Thanks.

Employment Symposium

Stream of Consciousness

Introduction

The U.S. economy is in disarray. Some members of our group have been unemployed for 6-9 months. Unlike many people of our society who abuse the unemployment system, these individuals are vice presidents, marketing managers, human resource managers, lawyers, accountants, etc. who have immense secondary education, belong to other professional and civic organizations, and were excelling in their previous positions. They are now hitting the pavement daily and trying to utilize their networks and resources to create employment opportunities. Earlier this month, I wrote an article titled "Using Social Networking to Find A Job" in order to assist these individuals in increasing their hiring advantage in their current job opportunities, but unfortunately, this is not enough. Thus, at our last "Morning Cup of Java", we discussed organizing an Employment Symposium that will interactively provide these job seekers the tools that they need to distinguish their resumes and interviewing style from the other hundreds of applicants and allow employers to see the best talent the Bay Area has to offer.

What is needed?

1. Sponsors – Although we do not think that this event will be very expensive to execute, we will need seed money in case we need to rent a space and provide food for the participants.

2. Location – We need to secure a venue that holds at least 100 people. Some facilities will allow us to use their space if we guarantee a minimum beverage purchase for example. Some members of the group may have adequate conference room space or an auditorium or have a connection that does. Please let me know if you can assist with obtaining a free location.

3. Employers – We need companies and organizations that are hiring to contact me so that that we can facilitate introductions and possible interviews at the event.

4. Panelists – I have a few recruiters from Fortune 500 Companies and that are interested in being panelists. I could use some ideas with the format and what would be most helpful to employers and potential employees. Ideally, we will cover resume writing, proper dress attire, and other tools that employers are doing to decrease the applicant pool.

5. Marketing – Publicizing the event using your social networks, professional organizations, and circles.

How you can get involved?

Add a comment to the group's discussion or email kevin@klnpublishing.com with "Employment Symposium" in the subject line and let me know which area you would like to assist with. Items #1 and #2 need to be secured before we are able to proceed. Thanks and good luck.

Using social networking to find a job

By Kevin L. Nichols

Often times, when people hear the term “social networking” or the names of such Web sites like MySpace, Facebook or Twitter, various stereotypes and propaganda begin to regurgitate in their minds of all the horror stories that they have heard or read about in the news, from the media, from family/friends and other places.

In some circles, these sites have been equated to the devil reincarnated. However, in others, they are quintessential and indispensable tools used to weather our present global economic crisis.

Imagine that the nation’s unemployment rate is nearly the highest that it has ever been, California’s is even worst and that thousands of resumes are being sent to numerous employers for a handful of positions available. Keep in mind that in this pool of applicants, many of them have been laid off for several months and some with executive-level experience are looking to just put food on their tables. How does one distinguish him/herself from these applicants, especially given the fact that they most likely have the equivalent level or greater experience than he/she does? At least for now, gone are the days where what you knew got you where you needed to go. Now, it’s who you know that opens doors — thus, social networking comes into play.

I define social networking merely as facilitating the opportunity to connect with others on a multitude of levels, including intellectual, political, spiritual, social, environmental or economic levels. Meeting people and obtaining their contact information is only the first step in building a rapport with your contacts that may eventually lead to a business opportunity or job. Utilizing social networking sites can greatly increase your ability to get to know your contacts in various arenas without having to actually physically work beside them or even work directly with them at all.

Although there are different demographics that I use different sites for — MySpace for public relations development, Facebook for friends and family — for the purposes of this article, I will limit the discussion to LinkedIn, www.linkedin.com, which I encourage everyone to join. I have been using LinkedIn since at least 2006 and with it have had the most success at generating business leads and networking for career opportunities.

Essentially, LinkedIn shows that there really is about six degrees of separation from you and everyone else in the world. Millions of people add “connections” or contacts/colleagues from either school, current/previous employments or people who they have met in some other professional capacity. Members post an online resume of what school(s) they attended, where they work(ed) and what they do/did. People with whom you have worked or done business also can recommend you on your work for others to see. This is very useful if you have had the pleasure of working with/for extraordinary individuals with a lot of contacts and a great reputation. The most unique and advantageous part of this site is its ability to see other people’s connections that are either two or three degrees away from you. Here is how this works in the context of trying to find a job:

Five steps in using social networking to find a job

1. Create a LinkedIn profile at www.linkedin.com and add your contacts to your network.

2. Request recommendations from people you have worked for/with that you are certain will speak highly of you.

3. Find a job opening — visit www.indeed.com (which pulls from most of the job posting Web sites), www.craigslist.org or any other job posting website.

4. Once you have identified the appropriate opportunity for which you are qualified, type the company’s name in the “Search” field in LinkedIn to see who you know that either currently works or previously worked at that company to create an inroad or facilitate an introduction for you to the hiring manager for that position.

5. Request an introduction. Say that your friend Tim knows Jay, the communications director at XYZ, and you are applying for the communications manager opening at XYZ that reports to the director. Ask Tim to introduce you to Jay, and in your introduction, ask Jay if he is available to meet over coffee one day.

There is no foolproof way to get a job these days, but using your network to build relationships with people who you would not normally get the opportunity to meet is pretty exciting. These opportunities are increasing exponentially and it takes someone with enough drive, initiative and sometimes creativity to make the right connection that can one day change your life. Do not let what you have heard about social networking derail you from the possibility to make your professional aspirations become reality.

Kevin L. Nichols is an author and the president/CEO of KLN Publishing, located in San Francisco. For more information, visit http://klnpublishingllc.blogspot.com.

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