Networking is an activity that takes place every day of our lives, whether job-related or not. Networking is already far more than active in your life than you might have originally thought. The key to making it successful in your job search is to provide clear focus and direction. Following are several objectives to keep in mind when speaking with others about your job search:
To make others aware of your job search and your career focus.
To open up supplementary lines of communication in the job market
To augment your knowledge about a particular career field or industry
To find out more about potential employers
To realize hidden job opportunities
To open the possibility of creating a job where none currently exists
You will come in contact with other people each and every day. How you integrate that contact into your job search network will greatly determine your potential for overall success in your job search.
Establish you’re networking journey with people you know
Ask people to meet you because you would like their help.
Look for opportunities to help the people you meet. It might not be this time, but at some point in the future.
At each networking meeting ask the person you are meeting if they can suggest someone else that it may be worth talking to.
Wherever possible make sure you meet people.
Keep your meetings under 45 minutes over a coffee.
You will discover opportunities and people will consider you in the future when an opportunity arises with them or somewhere else where they know someone.
You are meeting people who are happy to meet you.
You will build long term mutually beneficial relationships.
Don't abandon your needs as it will affect every other facet of your life. By having a clear vision of where you're going you'll have a lot more confidence. When you believe in yourself and in your goals this will be conveyed to the people that you meet. Networking is all about opinion of others first and if you aren't well, you won't be able to help others.