Todays Networking Prospect Tomorrows Employer
Since research shows that 75 percent of all available jobs are not publicly advertised, word of mouth is becoming more popular in tapping into the hidden job market. Networking to find a job is one of the most successful ways to find employment. Experts agree that networking is an effective way to receive career guidance, hear of available jobs and, keep up with developments within the market. This means that the efforts you make to network today can lead to employment opportunities in the future.
There are several types of approaches to take when attempting to use networking to find employment. The most common form of networking is the informal type. This includes developing contacts through friends, family, members of organizations, school alumni, neighbors, or church members. When networking informally you can directly ask for assistance with you job search or hint around it in a less obvious manner.
You can put your networking skills to use during normal, everyday conversations. Next time you are making small talk with your neighbor, let him know that you are looking for new employment opportunities and would appreciate any assistance he can offer. You can also send emails or brief notes to contacts that you feel may be able to help. Or make phone calls to set up a lunch or meeting with an acquaintance you havent spoken to in awhile.
You can also take a more formal approach to job search networking. This usually includes going to an association meeting, business event or social gathering. At these locations youll find most people in attendance are there for the same reason you are. Since networking is a reciprocal venture you will find attendees that are there to develop meaningful relationships. Make sure you bring plenty of business cards to hand out. Also, each time you give out a card ask for one in return. Bring a pen so you can jot notes about the contact on the back of their business card to make it more useful to you.
If you choose this method of networking, keep in mind it is important to arrive prepared. This means you need to do research on what events will be beneficial to you. Once you decide which gatherings to be a part of you should do some fact finding on the organization or people that will be there. By knowing what to expect, and by being knowledgeable about potential contacts you will stand out from the rest.
With formal networking, it is also important to have an effective 15 to 30 second pitch ready. You should be prepared to introduce yourself and make your contact aware of what you can do for them in 30 seconds or less, because that may be all the time you have. You should be passionate, energetic and personable. Have a few introductions prepared that way you can use the appropriate one for any given situation.
Besides traditional methods for networking it is becoming increasingly popular to use the Internet to socialize online. Using the Internet to network will allow you to connect to thousands of people with similar interests in seconds, and has proven to be an effective job finding tool. You can join socializing network services dedicated to providing an atmosphere conducive to socializing, or you can you message forums, bulletin boards, or blogs to meet new people.
No matter what method of networking you choose it is important to be persistent, energetic and positive. Consider every new contact an important one. You never know which new acquaintance can lead to a job opportunity, or which networking prospect can be a future employer.
