20 Networking Points for finding a job!
Here are 20 quick points, hopefully they will help you now or in the future.
1. Know that your best contacts may not be able to help you, so make it easy for them by your, keeping up on trends they do not have the time to stay up on, and giving them a reason why they should talk to you.
2. Make a list of 100 contacts or associates that may remotely help you in any way.
3. Read at least 20 minutes a day on your field, use varied sources.
4. Find out what associations exist in your field and join one or two. If their fees are expensive, see if they will waive them if you are out of work or can barter your time for the fees.
5. Write down 20 ideas that would benefit the industry you would like to be in, and repeat that this until you are comfortable with 20 great ones and then to keep fresh.
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6. Tie at least 5 things you have done in the past, to how you could enact some of these great ideas. Note in all of this trust your gut instinct on who you are giving ideas to, you may get burned, but you have to trust there is some good people out there.
7. Utilize Blogs to find out what is going on in your field. Not sure where to go? www.alltop.com and see the www.vault.com posting on this subject.
8. Show the World how smart you are -Write and publish your own blog article. There are several good services to post and publish your blog for free, but it is worthwhile to read the differences. A google search will reveal these services.
9. Study what the experts in your field are saying through sites like www.ted.com and note how the great speakers engage their audiences.
10. Go to Hoovers, Manta or any other public source to get the names of the executives that you might want to call review your ideas or blog and buy a quick cup of coffee.
11. Stay away from the blame game and only speak positively about past employers.
12. Stay in touch with other people that are job searching, but only those taking positive steps and actions. Avoid those that want to drag you into their depression.
13. Set daily and weekly goals to see how you are doing with research calls, ideas and so on. Track yourself.
14. Talk to people that have survived tough times –if nothing else we are all from ancestors who survived the Great Depression.
15. Get positive constructive criticism from a trusted friend.
16. If you are weak at something see how you can improve. Tim Ferris on ted.com has a great clip on breaking things into simple units. If it is something like speaking in front of people, places like Toastmasters offer a great free service to help, and there are others for other issues.
17. Listen to books on tape from the library. You can certainly read, but the people reading have great voices and will help you with your voice and inflection. There are numerous good ones, a favorite for me is Jim Collins, “Good to Great”, where he not only identifies firms that have been great for prolonged periods, have great corporate cultures and leaders, but identifies the kind of people you want to be around.
18. Any book by Stephen Covey is terrific; in looking for work “The Speed of Trust” is certainly relevant as you need to make quick impressions with potential employers.
19. Another great one is Malcom Gladwell’s “Blink”, which is a wonderful study of our instant decisions, and in this case how we are instantly viewed. Again for much of this also look for them on u-tube.
20. When the opportunity presents itself do not be afraid to offer a consulting opportunity to the employers so you can get you foot in the door and prove yourself.
