If you do not know by now that it is not what you know but who you know, then you just might not be ready to find a better job than what you have already. Networking is absolutely essential these days to find a better job and it is extended beyond the business card swapping. You must go out of your way to cultivate a relationship, however innocuous, so that person will think of you first when a job opening or other opportunity presents itself.
1. Utilize the Internet – There have been a number of people who have created their own websites to highlight their skill set as well as provide a little biographical information to create a pleasing profile that looks attractive to potential prospects. Taking this idea, you can than email your website with a clever email introduction to the people in your email address book and ask them to forward it to other people. Personal recommendations via this type of networking can work for you.
2. Use Chamber of Commerce connections – Most Chamber of Commerce entities around the country have many networking nights and there are always many people in the community who attend. Volunteer your services for setting up the event or manning the check-in counter where name badges are handed out. You can meet quite a few people and match faces to names.
3. Create a date – Once you have met a few networking contacts and you want to further the relationship, make a date for coffee, drinks, or even a sports venue like playing tennis or taking a tai chi class together. There is nothing like sweating together to forge stronger bonds!
4. Send notes or thoughtful tokens – Establishing new ties with contacts is great but you have to stay in their thoughts periodically so they think of you later. Send them a note of thanks or a magazine article you think they might be interested in and is pertinent to their field of interest. This shows that you are attentive and interested and worth expending a little more effort on.
In this day and age of technology, it is great to utilize these advances but you should never forget that the old fashioned, personal touch is a great choice too in networking. Just a few minutes out of your day to maintain networking ties can translate into a great job down the road.
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I practive both Tai-Chi and meditation on my spare time. It is really good for general health.*~:
i would also like to learn Tai-Chi but there seems to be no practitioner in our area’*: