As Governor Schwarzenegger puts it, the “Good, Bad & the Ugly” of the California budget has been decided and it looks like massive layoffs can be expected here. The “trickle-down economics” of that means your networking events are going to see more jobseekers,“pink slip” mixers and career expos than ever (the latter assumes that there are still companies hiring). In conversations I’ve had with networking event hosts across the country, I’ve learned that they are all seeing a rise in the number of attendees who list themselves as “In Transition”. Many of these people have been out of the networking loop for a while. I thought I would roll out some quick networking Do’s & Don’ts for the networking Jobseeker:
Do: Start networking before you get that pink slip. In fact, the most successful people, any industry, are well-connected people who have built a strong network in three areas; 1) Their support network, those that love, honor & respect them no matter what; 2) Their Information Network- colleagues within their industry and relevant industries who keep them informed of current happenings. 3) Their referral network, if indicated in your industry. Often, people who are not in sales-focused positions don’t full appreciate the importance of a strong, varied business network until they need one!
LinkedIn is a perfect platform for staying in touch or to get back in touch with those you worked with or went to school with.
Do: Invest in Name Tags & Business Cards. Print business cards up with your name, contact info, including your LinkedIn page and 2-3 bullet points that best describes you and your qualifications. You should also have a website address where anyone can find your resume. I suggest investing $10 and getting your own URL. Http://JaneDoe.com - put your resume online. Blog platforms don’t need web design skills. Your own website gives you a very professional presentation. You can then have a custom email address jane@janedoe.com rather than a throwaway address from yahoo or gmail. Again…it goes to professionalism.
Name tags can be custom made for around $13 (nametag.com), AGAIN you want to look professional. Never use a hand-written paper nametag. Your name goes on the top line, and under it put your desired or job description. Are you a Technical Writer? Communications director? Benefits administrator? If that is applicable to you, go with it…you are just looking for a new Home.
Do: Get creative in selecting networking options. Many people overlook industry/professional associations and their monthly meetings.. Those meeting are often open to non-members in related industries and may attract people who normally do not attend chamber events.
Your purpose is to gather information about your new contacts… … info on the company… their position…. their target market or who they work with and how long they’ve been there. Meanwhile you are asking yourself. “Are there any connections I can make for them?” They will not know that you are “in Transition’ until they ask what you do.
Do: Come prepared with a concise summation of the benefit you bring to the type of company you would like to be associated with.
Do not: Hand out your resume to your new contact. In fact, unless the event is specifically listed as a job or career fair, leave the resumes at home…most people will accept it to be polite then quickly trash it.
Do not: Treat the person you are talking with like a stepping stone. If you find someone who is with a company they want to work for, don’t pump them for information about the hiring manager, salaries…Can you give me a name??? Can you get my resume into the right hands? Can I use your name? That’s just like the pesky sales person who corners someone and eagerly gives them a rundown of their whole product line.
Instead, in the initial informational gathering stage ask them, in a conversational way…”How’s your company weathering this economy? You may then learn if they are hiring or not. If you feel it might be useful to continue the conversation later, ask permission to give them a call in the morning to learn more about them and the company (Remember, there has to be a benefit to them so be prepared to share something useful to them…a resource perhaps.)
Do: Take this time, to follow your passion and get involved in activities you could not participate in before.
Take some classes…get involved in your kid’s school…Join a committee of your favorite charity…whatever that is for you. Taking time for yourself will recharge your batteries and will also put you in front of a whole new circle of people. You’ve heard the expression…when one door closes, other doors open. That’s true but you still should be out there and knocking around.
Do: Check our calendars for Jobfairs near you.
Comments are welcome…please tell us your job-hunting neworking tip…
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Thank you for your tips on networking – many people are out of practice or even worse, have never networked before and find it a strange thing to start. Here are a few additional suggestions:
1)To get over the awkwardness of meeting strangers, invite a colleague and develop a buddy system that will keep you on track or provide a boost when you get nervous. You can practice your introduction before hand to make sure it is smooth. (Caution: make sure you don’t hang out with your buddy all night – commit to meeting X number of people and check in with each other on the progress of meeting your goal). Debrief afterwards and learn what would make a difference for the next event.
2)Before attending, prepare ahead of time by researching the organization and looking for ways that you may be of service to those attending (i.e. are there books or articles you have read that may be of interest? Do you know of talent that may be desired by companies attending – offer to make an introduction, etc.). Whatever you commit to, remember to follow up on it – if they have a business card, make yourself a note on it of what your promised and by when.
3)Don’t monopolize one person’s time – remember they are there to network too and have individuals they would like to meet. Having your target of the number of contacts will help you remember to circulate the room.
4)It is easier to join a group of three or five individuals then it is an even numbered group. There is usually one person who is quiet and listening to the others, which is a perfect opportunity for you to enter into a conversation with them.
5)Always ask permission to connect via LinkedIn – this will keep you from being flagged “Do Not Know” and it is recommended to personalize your invitation with information from the event where you met or what you discussed.
There are many other tips that will make the experience worthwhile and less nerve wracking. In my coaching, I cover body language and the impact it has on communication in networking events, presentations and interviewing. Each one can be a nail-biter occasion!