#HR #RRHH Making love and making personal #branding #leadership

You already know the basics of leaving a polished first impression, like dressing well, making eye contact, and having a firm handshake. That's great advice, but it's probably not enough. If you really want to be memorable (for the right reasons), you need to think about what you say and how you say it. Here are a few straightforward pointers that many people miss.

It’s helpful to be honest about why you’re reaching out (for example, you’re going through a job search or moving to a new city). It can combat nerves and help the process feel more genuine. In other words, it instantly solves two core issues many people stress about when told to network.

That said, as with anything else, you know there’s a difference between being straightforward and being overly blunt. For example, you know to write, "I was thinking of approaching the project from a different angle" over "I hate all of your ideas."

Aspiring to find this balance, many people begin networking emails with "Remember me?" or even, "You probably don’t remember me..." After all, why not begin with an honest admission so the other person knows you aren’t being fake? Well, unfortunately, this approach often backfires. While you’re coming from a sincere place, it’s pretty audacious to ask for something from someone whom you’re blatantly admitting you barely know.

Whether you are building your business, trying to land your dream job or climbing your way up the corporate ladder, it seems like everyone tells you to network. It is the key to achieving your goals. However, people rarely tell you exactly how to network effectively and build a community that will last.

Building a community takes a lot of dedication and has its challenges. I wasn't always the best at navigating social situations. In fact, I was and still am a bit of a geek. But, by applying my knowledge of science, I have formed stronger, longer-lasting relationships Here are three ways you can too:

If you’re a normal professional, you may just feel at least a smidge of apprehension or resentment when it comes time to drag yourself to (or get dragged to) a professional networking event. Sure, sure, the crab puffs might be killer, but there are so many things to not love about these shindigs that I’d be here for hours if I tried to highlight each one.

Because that doesn’t sound fun for either of us, let’s start with four common reasons why you don’t enjoy them—even when you know (or suspect) they’re important to attend. And then let’s find a better option for every stinking one of them.

I opened my Twitter account a few years ago, but for a while I didn't have much to show for it. As of April 27, 2014, I had never posted a single tweet and had a mere 85 followers.

From a professional standpoint, that was a problem. I'm the head of a sales training and consulting firm that specializes in applying behavioral science—the study of how the human brain makes choices—to business and sales. I knew I needed to communicate better with more prospective clients, and I wondered what would happen if I applied my science background to boosting my social media reach.

So I decided to set myself up as a guinea pig. But from the outset, I made one rule: I'd never spend more than 15 minutes a day on Twitter. Instead, I'd have to use some behavioral science–backed strategies to produce the greatest results in the shortest amount of time.