In this economic climate, it’s never a bad idea to brush up on one’s networking skills. Here are some simple things you can do to position yourself for your next career move.
It’s About Who You Know, and Who They Know, and So On, and So On…
Make a list of everyone you know – professional colleagues, friends, neighbors, family. That’s a great place to start, but now you have to get your first level of contacts to share their own contacts with you. Studies show that job leads often come from second, third and even fourth degrees of separation from one’s original contact.
Is Your Dossier Up to Snuff?
Make sure you have an up-to-date resumé and business cards, that you’ve organized relevant work samples and you are ready to discuss past demonstrable success, current skill sets, and career goals.
Be Specific About the Role You Seek or Help You Need From Your Networking Contact.
Need an “in” into a company? Are you looking for career advice? Make it super simple for the networking contact to understand how they can help. For example: “I am interested in a Design Manager position at an advertising agency. Do you know anyone in the Advertising field, or at Agency X? Can I say you referred me?” Or “Please advise what skills will help me break into Company X?”
What’s Your Story?
The last thing you want to happen is connecting with the ideal professional contact and not knowing what to say about yourself! Spend some time preparing 15 and 30 second versions of a statement that outlines who you are, what you do/have done and where you want your career to go. Then create a longer version that details your skill sets and personal characteristics. Practice delivering each version, so you can convey your self-promotional pitch flawlessly on a moment’s notice.
Better Your Odds With Professional Enhancement & Social Networking.
Make sure you ask contacts what skills or training you should pursue to make yourself more marketable. Join professional organizations and take advantage of events and training opportunities they sponsor. Work those fantastic career-minded Social Media tools liked LinkedIn, Plaxo and Meetup. Beyond connecting with contacts, each of these is an excellent source of professionally relevant groups you can join and events you can attend.
Live and Die By Follow-Up.
Many job seekers forget that following up is as important as reaching out to contacts initially. Follow up to thank contacts for taking time out of their schedule to help you, to keep them abreast of your continuing search and inform them when you’ve landed a role. Having good manners was never more important and goes a long way in building good will!
Building Mutually Beneficial Relationships.
Networking should never be a one way street that only benefits the job seeker. When interacting with a contact, always ask if there’s something you can do for them. Further, don’t just reach out to your contacts when you need something. Keep an eye and ear out for information, business leads, or media articles that may be of interest to them. Sending these items along is a sign that you’re thinking about your contact’s professional goals as well!
