If you’ve been looking for a job for a while, you might start feeling a bit disillusioned with the whole process and are looking for ways you can boost your chances of landing that dream job.
This is where networking can come in and help. Sometimes, it’s not what you know, but who you know, and networking is a great way of discovering positions that might have not been advertised publicly.
But how can you make networking really work for your job hunt? Well, these tips should help you make the most of your contacts and build some new ones!
1) Existing Contacts
When you’re job hunting, you should view everyone you know as a potential lead or someone that could help.
Family members, friends, neighbours, or even old school/university classmates could know people that hold the key to your next career move, and all you need to do is pick up the phone and call them!
Arrange to meet up with the contact if you haven’t spoken for a while, and drop into conversation that you’re job hunting. You never know, they could be able to recommend you to a business that’s looking for a candidate just like you.
2) Attending Networking Events
It’s not just existing contacts that can help you in your job search – it’s also worth building some new relationships with people active within your industry.
Sites like MeetUp.com are great to discover events related to your chosen career and in your local area, and you can contact the organisers directly if you’re nervous about attending.
Even if there are no job prospects at these meet-ups, they’re still a great way of getting advice from and chatting to fellow professionals.
3) Networking Online
For more instant networking and relationship building, it’s a good idea to seek people out who are employed at companies you’d like to work for on professional social media sites such as LinkedIn.
Be sure to personalise your connection requests and don’t be afraid to be upfront with your reason for connecting.
Asking for help or advice from someone who’s followed a career path you want to take is absolutely fine as long as you’re being polite and honest in your approach – just be sure not to pester them!
Top Tip: As well as contacting people directly, take part in discussions in relevant LinkedIn groups to build up your presence on the network as well as putting your profile in front of potential decision makers.
4) Networking Anywhere And Everywhere
Sometimes you might come across a potential networking opportunity without even knowing it – so it’s vital that you’re always prepared to maximise on any connection you make.
Whether you strike up conversation with a fellow commuter on the train, someone in your gym class or even a stranger at the supermarket, don’t be afraid to drop in that you’re looking for a new position.
Be sure to have business cards on hand at all times so you can hand them out should this situation arise – this will look a lot more professional than scribbling your name and number down on a piece of paper!
So there we go, some ways that networking can really help you in your job search! Do you agree with these tips or have any of your own?
Let me know in the comments below!