When looking for a job, the search is brutal and tedious. Networking and leveraging on your connections can help you find placement in a great working environment. So it is time to dust yourself off, get up and network your way into a great job. Here are some of the ways one can improve their networking skills.
Show Up
Be present. Showing up and participating allows you to interact with various individuals. It is important to note that networking is a great way to get a job, but it can also be a positive way to interact with individuals in the same field. Do not let yourself be pigeon-holed into one way of thinking when you attend a networking event. Be open and you will be surprised with the contacts you gain.
Form relationships
Relationships, relationships. Finding common points of interest makes a conversation easy and memorable. To standing out and making an impression just ask questions. People will always like having someone share in their interests, however it is a thin line between expressing your interest and being intrusive. Have an interesting question ready to spice up the conversation. Apart from the usual small talk conversation points on the weather, you can change it up. A question like “What was the turnaround point that determined your career path?” could lead to an interesting conversation.
Follow up
Developing networks is all about the work put in after the initial encounter. Follow up the conversation with an email or a set up a meeting. This shows your dedication and expresses how serious you are about an opportunity. Since you may not be fully aware of the opportunities available, setting up a meeting to discuss how you could of use to an organization and fulfill some needs that they may have could work in your favor. With a meeting you could very easily transition from the job hunting phase to full employment.
In conclusion, sticking to this easy 3 step plan could help you open yourself up to many opportunities. Increase your knowledge, widen your scope of social groups and use them to influence your career.
