If you aren't networking you should be. Networking connects you with useful or
like-minded people and can provide a rich source of information about the
industry or field you are attracted to. And with 32 percent of Australian jobs
being spread by word of network it opens the door to finding unadvertised job opportunities.
So what's the deal?
Oh my god, I don't know how to network, I don't know anybody. I'm so scre---
Don't panic. You have a network already. It's your family, your friends tential workmates from the past or
present a whole bunch of people promote other people who know other people.
Networking is as easy as leveraging these people to connect with new
contacts and new delicious opportunities. Step one: goals. You need to know what you
want. You need specific and clear goals, what's your dream job? What needs to
happen for that dream to be a reality? Do you want a specific mentor? Well who do
you need to know? What are you passionate about? What skills do you have? How do
these overlap? Who will find this useful? Remember if you know what you want,
you'll be significantly more effective when you engage with your network.
Because you'll know exactly what you need and people will know exactly what
they can provide. Step 2: be confident. The most important step
when networking is that you have to put yourself out there. For many the hardest
thing to do is to overcome the hurdle of going out of your comfort zone, finding
people and engaging in the dreaded small talk. Alas one-to-one relationship
building is the most effective way to build relationships and thus build a
strong network. So it's all about that social engagement baby. Before you jump
into events or work seminars or meetups or even some online connection, here are
some tips to up your social game. Be yourself. That's what's really cool, get
excited about the things you like. People like people who have interests and care
about things. Be generous with your time. If you can see a way to be helpful act
on it. Don't approach people with an attitude of expecting something,
go in with the desire to make a friend. Be positive. People respond positively
for positivity. Small talk. Small talk can really suck, but it's much easier if you
sincerely remain curious about the person you are talking to. Everyone has
at least one cool thing, try to find it by asking questions and actively
listening. Step 3: resources. Well where are we going? Over here? Hmm should
probably work that out. If you do your research and have a defined goal finding
resources will be easier. You want to go to the moon, look up other astronauts.
Maybe reach out to a couple, check the appropriate websites and find moon
meetups. The Internet also makes connection very easy. Websites like
LinkedIn, are all about professional networking. Social media will assist with
connecting via groups and messaging. And helpful meetup web sites will help you
find specific like-minded people. So get to a browser and have a look, you will
find something. Summery: set a goal. Put yourself out there. Be yourself,
be positive, don't engage new people with expectations and develop those small
talk skills. And take advantage of online resources.