How to Use Networking in an Employment Search
Traditional job hunting involves searching the want ads and knocking on employers' doors to present them with a resume. However, many short term jobs and long term careers are found through one's friends and connections. Networking with other people is one of the most innovative and effective means to conduct a job search.
- Keep your resume up to date. Update all information regarding your licenses, certifications, work history and references.
- Join a trade group or organization. If you are a computer expert, join a computer user's group or online forum and communicate with others. Join a social networking site to get to know even more people. Become part of a local chamber of commerce to directly interact with other businesses and gain exposure for yourself and your skills.
- Get involved with your community. There is an old saying, "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care". While volunteer work may not pay any money, it also allows you to apply your skills and knowledge in a way that benefits others. This has a great potential to earn you connections that might later land you a job.
- Keep in touch with the people that you meet. Call them, send them emails, go to events with them and generally socialize. This keeps you in the front of their thoughts if they find a job that they need to match someone with.
- Treat people like people, not resources. People who approach networking as something they can exploit for themselves, rarely succeed. Showing concern for other people's issues and the ability to help with those issues, will get you a lot further ahead, than constantly probing people for what they can do for you.