Networking For A Job
Did you know that 70% of all job listings get posted online and never even make it to newspaper ads? Even diehards who previously went out of their way to avoid using the Internet when finding a new job have given in and gone online for their latest job searching. Online job searching is getting really crowded. So what do you do?
Well . . . there are other options besides the straight-on job search. Right now everybody wants to know how to network to find a new job. Consequently, folks have been getting more serious about networking—both online and offline. Unfortunately, the week you get laid off is not the time to start networking. Spending time and cultivating a network of associates and contacts is the key to having a network safety net when you truly need it.
Keep in mind, we’re networking all the time. If you think about it you can probably identify several different networks in your life. A few of them might even overlap around the edges. This is a perfectly ordinary part of being a human being. Networks weren’t just invented on the Internet. What ordinary folks don’t normally have is a professional or business network. Cultivating business contact is a key to your career success. The problem is that while humans are social animals, we tend to focus on what is happening in the moment. As in just a single dimension. Real networking is multi-dimensional. The investment of time and energy in building and maintaining a network can’t be measured linearly. It may be a few years before any tangible results can be appreciated. And even then, the value may not be measurable on any scale. One thing is for certain, the older and more established your network is, the more intrinsically valuable it will become. To you.
Old fashioned offline networking is the safest way for begin professional networking. There are a myriad of groups designed to connect business people with each other.
Ambitious Networking
Up until the arrival of online social networking, small business owners and sales professionals had a lock on goal-driven networking. Everybody belongs to a variety of networks. However, on a day to day basis, most personal networking is geared toward the achievement of incidental, immediate goals. Think: getting your son to hockey practice when your minivan is in the shop for repairs. Or looking for contractor recommendations for a home remodeling project. Professional networking is a continuous process.
Chamber of Commerce/Networking Clubs
Networking used to be focused on local activity. When you begin to network, don’t be afraid to connect with local people who don’t share your exact interests. Networking isn’t always about connecting based on interests. Local networking is based on proximity. People connect to one another to locate specialties and resources beyond their own capabilities.
Professional Groups
Go to your library and look up the Gale’s Association Directory. If you didn’t already know they existed you’ll find all kinds of associations organized around single professions or interests. Don’t be dismayed by the national scope. Most of the largest organizations have local chapters and activities—particularly if you’re in or near a major metropolitan area. They all have a Web site that should provide you all the details you’ll need to decide if you want to join or not.
User Groups
Depending upon your profession, training and background, you may be able to find a User Group that caters to a particular technology that’s relevant to your career. The concept of User Groups began long before the Internet showed up. As a networking outlet, these are particularly suited to programmers and project managers. It’s a great way to connect with people and find out about projects in local companies. These groups also tend to form in areas where there is a critical mass of potential members.
The most important point about networking is to begin cultivating your network before you need to rely on your connections for something as important as a job.
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