Top 10 Smart Networking Tips
By Meg Montford |
Smart networking is critical to career success. Master it, and you master your
destiny. The following tips will help you become a pro:
1. If unemployed,
print your own business cards to use at networking events. Include your contact
information with your target market. Example: John Q. Smith, Sales
Management.
2. Put your resume on the Internet with its own web page.
Many Internet service providers give you a free page for personal use. Then, add
your resume page's URL to your business card.
3. When you collect
business cards, follow-up! Note on the back of each card where you met the
individual and something noteworthy to help you remember him. Schedule a time to
meet for coffee to continue building the relationship.
4. Make networking
a process to do for the life of your career, not just something to do between
jobs. Continue growing your career by building and maintaining your
relationships.
5. When at a networking event, offer first – take second.
Determine the value you have for others before asking for their help. This way
you will leave a memorable impression.
6. As an employee of "Brand Me,
Inc.," act like you're self-employed when you seek a new job. Market yourself as
your most important product.
7. For entrepreneurs, public speaking and
publishing are tantamount to building expertise in the public eye. For job
seekers, doing the same can attract attention to YOUR expertise, hopefully
leading to meetings with potential hiring authorities.
8. Remember that
everyone you meet has the potential to lead you to your target. Most people are
only three to six degrees removed from the person with whom they need to
connect.
9. Networking gurus have polished 30-second commercials.
Practice your "elevator speech" so it sounds natural and conveys the right
message in a succinct way.
10. As you network, be authentic. No one likes
a know-it-all any more than a wallflower. Be yourself and be real. Above all
else, remember your manners. Thank those who help you.
About the Author
Meg Montford, Master
Certified Career Coach and Career Management Fellow, partners with executives
and professionals to help them make friends with change to effectively manage
their careers. Contact her through: www.abilitiesenhanced.com
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