The importance of career networking shouldn't be discounted when you are in the midst of a job search. In fact, career networking should become a part of your daily work and career-related endeavors. Your career network should be in place when you need it, both for job searching and for moving along the career ladder. Since it is impossible to predict when opportunities will arise, it makes sense to develop an active career network, even if you don't need it today.
Networking at its most basic is simply developing relationships and sharing information and resources for mutual benefit. You do that all the time outside of the context of job search and career -- you ask for the name of a good mechanic, give advice on restaurants, alert friends to a new movie that you know will interest them, and so on. Yet doing those things never strikes fear into you... you just do it. So think about networking in those terms. Networking is the art of building alliances. It's not contacting everyone you know when you are looking for a new job and asking if they know of any job openings. Networking starts long before a job search, and you probably don't even realize you are doing it. It’s not about making cold calls to people you don’t know.
There are three types of networking: informational interviews, targeted networking and personal/professional networking. Informational interviewing is just what it sounds like -- interviewing designed to produce information. What kind of information? The information you need to choose or refine a career path, learn how to break in and find out if you have what it takes to succeed. Informational interviewing is an expanded form of chatting with your network contacts. It's the process of spending time with one of your network contacts in a highly focused conversation that provides you with key information you need to launch or boost your career. Targeted networking is identifying companies or organizations you want to join and networking to create contacts within the organization who could recommend you. Personal/professional networking is creating relationships with other professionals that you work with or have association with so they will feel motivated to advocate for you in your job search.
Understanding your positioning and how you can network to create ‘win-win’ situations will help you network for job search success. Remember these key areas for networking: build relationships and share information with your network. Information is the currency of networking. Leverage your personal accomplishments and passion for your chosen career. Understand that online networking is only one component; face-to-face meetings are a key to success. Finally, make a commitment to always stay connected. Don’t just network when you need to; keep the relationships going.
Networking at its most basic is simply developing relationships and sharing information and resources for mutual benefit. You do that all the time outside of the context of job search and career -- you ask for the name of a good mechanic, give advice on restaurants, alert friends to a new movie that you know will interest them, and so on. Yet doing those things never strikes fear into you... you just do it. So think about networking in those terms. Networking is the art of building alliances. It's not contacting everyone you know when you are looking for a new job and asking if they know of any job openings. Networking starts long before a job search, and you probably don't even realize you are doing it. It’s not about making cold calls to people you don’t know.
There are three types of networking: informational interviews, targeted networking and personal/professional networking. Informational interviewing is just what it sounds like -- interviewing designed to produce information. What kind of information? The information you need to choose or refine a career path, learn how to break in and find out if you have what it takes to succeed. Informational interviewing is an expanded form of chatting with your network contacts. It's the process of spending time with one of your network contacts in a highly focused conversation that provides you with key information you need to launch or boost your career. Targeted networking is identifying companies or organizations you want to join and networking to create contacts within the organization who could recommend you. Personal/professional networking is creating relationships with other professionals that you work with or have association with so they will feel motivated to advocate for you in your job search.
Understanding your positioning and how you can network to create ‘win-win’ situations will help you network for job search success. Remember these key areas for networking: build relationships and share information with your network. Information is the currency of networking. Leverage your personal accomplishments and passion for your chosen career. Understand that online networking is only one component; face-to-face meetings are a key to success. Finally, make a commitment to always stay connected. Don’t just network when you need to; keep the relationships going.
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