All business is personal. That's why cultivating personal and professional contacts by networking may help you secure a job now or build your career over the long term.
"From having lunch with a friend to joining a professional association, networking should be viewed as an integral part of anyone's career path," says Michael Webster, senior vice president of staffing provider Kelly Services.
Webster shares the following tips on successful networking:
- Know your networks. Your professional network might include past and present co-workers, managers, peers, customers, vendors and professional associations. A personal network could include relatives, friends, classmates, teachers, church community or a social club.
- Always be prepared. The opportunity to network can arise at any time or place. Stay prepared to respond to opportunity.
- Have a plan of action. Respect the time of your professional and personal contacts. Appearing vague or uncertain about your goals won't motivate them to introduce you to a friend.
- Be genuine. Take a genuine interest in their backgrounds and what they have to tell you. Rushing through the conversation to just get what you're looking for leaves a bad taste.
- Ask for information-not a job. Have a 30-second sound bite prepared on your career objectives and your major strengths, and then transition into asking for input and advice. If someone mentions a job opportunity, great, but asking for a job is not the purpose of your conversation.
- Reciprocate. Recognize that networking is a mutually beneficial activity with those in your personal and professional orbit. Being a networking asset to others puts you in a position to receive help when you need it.
- Follow-up. The responsibility is always on you to follow-up on potential job leads, and don't forget to show your appreciation after a favor or assistance in landing a new job.
"We have watched employment and networking trends change over the years at Kelly Services, but one thing never goes out of style: the thank-you note," Webster says. "Sending a brief note of thanks is the classy final touch."
The opportunity to network can arise at any time or place. Stay prepared to respond to opportunity.
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All good points...Perhaps the most important aspect of Networking, the one thing that makes it doable, is People Want to Help. As a job search coach for executives, I find poor networking to be the biggest factor in why it takes some people so long to get job offers. If you remember that people want to help, that all you have to do is ask, it makes your most important job search activity easier. For more networking information, look at the blogs at
www.jobsearchdebugged.com