Networked NGO - Me To We, a photo by cambodia4kidsorg on Flickr.
While
it is true that the largest percentage of job offers are landed through
connections we’ve made, networking can be a struggle whether you’re a
shrinking violet or the life of the party.
Networking,
for many of us, conjures up an image of a bunch of suits meandering around a
conference room with plastic nametags pinned to their lapel, exchanging
business cards and drumming up insincere banter with other suits. Networking also
includes amassing hundreds of LinkedIn and Facebook connections each year, the
majority of which you will never get to know.
For
those who would rather chew off their own arm than drum up conversations with
strangers about their job search, a change in your perspective about what
networking really is can be a great start.
Don’t
worry about building new relationships yet—build on existing ones. Yes, certainly turn to relatives, acquaintances, your
college alumni group, sororities and fraternities to let them know you are
looking for a job. After all, these contacts are well within your comfort zone;
they get you. But instead of asking
them for something—a job lead, an interview request—offer something valuable to
them, instead. Offer to put them in touch with people they may want to know.
Send them an article you found about some obscure thing you know they love, but
no one else usually cares about.
When you mention
that you have a sincere interest in marketing, tell them that you’ve taken online SEO courses lately, or if you are
pursuing an actuarial career, tell them you’ve passed a couple of exams on you
own dime. The shift in perspective is that you are showing how you would actually add
value if you worked for their company. You aren’t asking for a handout.
Now you’ve demonstrated how they would benefit from a deeper discussion about
bringing you in to meet their boss. Introducing you to their team suddenly is a
feather in their cap—not a favor done for you.
Have
others network for you. Now a few of your
contacts are your champions; becuase you've shown your value, they are ready to vouch for you as if they are your agent. Odds are a few of them are probably bonafide schmoozers—those blessed folks who actually
get a thrill out of networking. Let these social butterflies make some introductions
for you, since they enjoy these exchanges anyway. It’s what they live for.
Internships
and volunteerism are valuable gigs. A lot
of introverted job hunters have had the benefit of some great summer work or
voluntary stint at companies. This is an easy group of people to approach for future
opportunities because they’ve seen the great work you’ve done. Heck—you even
did it for peanuts or no salary at all! If you’re volunteering right now,
prepare the groundwork to plant seeds later, by doing a great job and
making yourself memorable. You wont have to worry about dredging up their names
online in a year if you stay in touch on a regular basis.
Try
to develop an area of expertise where you become the “go to” person. The job will hopefully be a rewarding experience, regardless of future returns. It may pay nothing now, but it could pay off in the long run.
Be
an expert at anything. The best way to get your
name out there is by becoming a SME—a subject matter expert related to your
career of choice. There might be ten entry-level graphic artists at your
company, but no one knows Flash like you do. Even if you don’t want to work
with Flash forever, being the Flash guru in the office makes you memorable. Be sure
you are cheerful to work with, and flexible, too. Make sure your online profile (on
LinkedIn, Facebook or wherever else you expect to pop up) mirrors what you are
famous for.
Most
importantly, it doesn’t matter what you are known for, as long as you’re known
for something positive. That’s when networking suddenly becomes a light, breezy
conversation—not one of ten elevator pitches a hiring manager hears in a
week.
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