I have yet to meet someone who really likes, let alone loves, to network. At the end of the day, it seems most people would rather take off the name badge and spare themselves the 'small talk' or 'chit chat' that many associate with networking. I once met with a career counselor before heading to a multi-day conference, on some tips for networking. During the conversation I basically equate networking to dating. You talk with someone in hopes of getting to know them and discover whether or not you are compatible. Sometimes, networking is like the bar scene, you may be able to tell pretty quickly if it is worth talking to someone or not. Their interests and your goals may not be aligned. Quick! Pretend you see someone you actually know and vacate the premises (or flag down a friend and have him/her pull you out of the situation). Other times, it is not so easy. You might have to go on a whole first or second date before knowing if the person is really worth your time (and precious time it is!). Likewise with networking, you may need to spend 20 minutes at that conference talking to someone before realizing they really don't have what you need. But wait, you say, I'd love to spend 20 minutes talking to a professional in my field who might be able to help me get my dream job. Trouble is, I don't know what to say or do. I hate networking?!
Yeah, yeah. I hate it to. Not surprisingly, I also hate dating. I loathe first-dates and second-dates are sometimes even worse if the person really isn't that cool. That attitude, however, gets one nowhere.
Here's the deal: something like only 20% (or less) of all available jobs, internships and general opportunities are available online. And before you start getting all bitter about how 'the man' is against you and is trying to 'keep you down', just remember that you can either spend your energy bitching about how unfair the job market is (ha! you call THIS an economic crisis? Just wait!) or you can figure out how to use this system to your advantage. I'll get to that in a second, but let's first explore why only 20% of the available jobs are posted online.
TRUST
I trust my friends, family, and colleagues, which means I probably trust their friends, family, and colleagues a bit, too. If I need to hire someone capable, I can a) post a job online and go through the (often) horrific procress of weeding through resumes and cover letters, or, b)I can ask around and see if I can pull someone in that way. If a friend passes me her friend's resume, odds are pretty high that I might enjoy working with that person (remember the 'a friend of yours in a friend of mine' phrase?). So, therefore, if the person is also qualified, I, as an employer, may have just minimized my risk of hiring.
But let's get back to how to use this to your advantage. I've already told you that I hate networking. So I decided I could take one of two approaches. 1) Hate networking and therefore abstain from it or 2) realize that I also hated memorizing Russian grammar, but did it anyway to gain a skill, and therefore view networking as a skill.
Yes, view it as a skill. Albiet a hard one to learn. And like most skills, networking will take time to master and yet it can be done. The key is to practice. No need to run out of that lunch seminar right away, just talk to someone. Exchange cards, and send the follow-up email. You really never know how these encounters may turn out in the future.
Kinda like dating, you never know.
Yeah, yeah. I hate it to. Not surprisingly, I also hate dating. I loathe first-dates and second-dates are sometimes even worse if the person really isn't that cool. That attitude, however, gets one nowhere.
Here's the deal: something like only 20% (or less) of all available jobs, internships and general opportunities are available online. And before you start getting all bitter about how 'the man' is against you and is trying to 'keep you down', just remember that you can either spend your energy bitching about how unfair the job market is (ha! you call THIS an economic crisis? Just wait!) or you can figure out how to use this system to your advantage. I'll get to that in a second, but let's first explore why only 20% of the available jobs are posted online.
TRUST
I trust my friends, family, and colleagues, which means I probably trust their friends, family, and colleagues a bit, too. If I need to hire someone capable, I can a) post a job online and go through the (often) horrific procress of weeding through resumes and cover letters, or, b)I can ask around and see if I can pull someone in that way. If a friend passes me her friend's resume, odds are pretty high that I might enjoy working with that person (remember the 'a friend of yours in a friend of mine' phrase?). So, therefore, if the person is also qualified, I, as an employer, may have just minimized my risk of hiring.
But let's get back to how to use this to your advantage. I've already told you that I hate networking. So I decided I could take one of two approaches. 1) Hate networking and therefore abstain from it or 2) realize that I also hated memorizing Russian grammar, but did it anyway to gain a skill, and therefore view networking as a skill.
Yes, view it as a skill. Albiet a hard one to learn. And like most skills, networking will take time to master and yet it can be done. The key is to practice. No need to run out of that lunch seminar right away, just talk to someone. Exchange cards, and send the follow-up email. You really never know how these encounters may turn out in the future.
Kinda like dating, you never know.
