Proactive Career Networking

Guidelines to Improve Your Networking

Networking can be like an emotion.  You cannot see, taste or touch it but you know it is real.  For many networking, is very similar.  People keep telling you to “network” but you are not sure why or how.

Here are a couple of guidelines to aid understanding networking.

1. Networking is a combination of discipline and randomness.  You need to invest a consistent effort and search for opportunities.  Quality networking can happen when you least expect.
2. Never assume an individual cannot help you.  Since you do not know whom their neighbor, sister or fellow board members are you never know whom each person can introduce you to.
3. Never be critical of others.  People want to be associated with positive people.  If you bad-mouth others I will assume you will bad mouth me.
4. It’s not what you say but what you do that matters.  Your reputation is built on the value people place how you deliver what you say.
5. Ask open-ended questions about the people you meet.  The more interest you show in others the more interest they will have in you.
6. Be a giver not taker.  Do not keep score as it guarantees you will lose.

Invest, build and expand your network.  It is the infrastructure that will support your future success.

Need someone to help you in your job search?  Want to talk to someone who has the experience to provide valuable guidance? Visit the Career Networking Pro website, http://www.CareerNetworkingPro.com, to learn how to get hooked up with an experienced career coach.  Read about the job search process in the new book, People Hire People – Not Resumes, http://www.careernetworkingpro.com/book.

Proactive Career Advancement

It is easy to get caught up in your current job and forget the importance of managing your career.  It is critical to your success to balance time between the two as no one can afford not to run a PERMANENT, PROACTIVE JOB SEARCH.

Here a couple of suggestions to help you in your campaign.

Have a profile on an online business website such as LinkedIn.  Take the time to draft a great profile and make it easy for people to find you.  Think about how you would search for someone and then draft your profile with those thoughts in mind.

Create a web-related presence so that you can be found during an Internet search.  Many recruiters and HR professionals use the Internet extensively to start their search for potential candidates.  Make it easy for you to be found.

Organize your network contacts so that they are easy to find and keep track of.  You do not want to spend time searching for contact information when you need it now.

Keep your network fresh by regularly reaching out to people with an email, written note or phone call.  Track when the last time you contacted this person so you know how stale a contact is.  The more frequent the contact the strong the network.

Look for ways to help other people.  When you make it clear that you view the relationship as a two way street people will respond.  People want to help people that have helped them.  Start the process.

Need someone to help you in your job search?  Want to talk to someone who has the experience to provide valuable guidance? Visit the Career Networking Pro website, http://www.CareerNetworkingPro.com, to learn how to get hooked up with an experienced career coach.  Read about the job search process in the new book, People Hire People – Not Resumes, http://www.careernetworkingpro.com/book.

Proactive Career Advancement

It is easy to get caught up in your current job and forget the importance of managing your career.  It is critical to your success to balance time between the two as no one can afford not to run a PERMANENT, PROACTIVE JOB SEARCH.

Here a couple of suggestions to help you in your campaign.

Always have your resume updated.  Invest the time to make it perfect and do not overlook getting professional assistance.  You would not think of doing your own eye exam, so do not try to prepare your own marketing material.

Keep a working resume where you record all of your accomplishments.  Each time you complete a project document the results.  Write down what the challenge was, what you did to achieve the results and how you quantified the results.  By doing this when the information is fresh in your mind you won’t be wracking your brain in the future trying to reconstruct details.

Increase your professional profile.  Join and be active in your professional organization both locally and nationally.  Write articles for professional publications that come out in print and on-line.  Volunteer to speak at professional events and conferences or participate in the membership committee.

Keep your subscriptions to industry news, functional professional publications and career newsletters current.  They provide information on current trends, new job search techniques and job listings.

Make sure all recruiters have your current resume.  When you update your resume send them a new version and offer to be a source of referrals for their current searches.  The more helpful you are today the more likely they will remember you in the future.

Need someone to help you in your job search?  Want to talk to someone who has the experience to provide valuable guidance? Visit the Career Networking Pro website, http://www.CareerNetworkingPro.com, to learn how to get hooked up with an experienced career coach.  Read about the job search process in the new book, People Hire People – Not Resumes, http://www.careernetworkingpro.com/book.