Networking: The Ultimate "Foot in the Door"

This week’s blog is about networking. Ah networking – that word that meant something totally different 10 years ago. We have so many vehicles to network with today. There’s the traditional – who do I know who needs to know I am looking for a job. That’s a great place to start. But go to the next level. Who do these people know that I don’t who I’d like to know I’m in the job market. Those individuals can be priceless in your job search.

How do you use social media as a networking tool? Are you on Facebook – make a post for all of your ‘friends’ to see. Are you on linked in? If not, why not? Linked in is a valuable networking tool used by most professionals. Make a post on your personal linked in page that you are in the job market. Use what you learned in the marketing your brand and elevator speech blogs - be short, to the point and make a name for yourself in your post. With linked in, you can see who your connections are connected to. Is there a connection you’d like to make? Ask for a connection from your connection or simply send that individual an invitation to connect. What about Twitter? What can you say in 140 characters or less? Be a Twitter genius. Did you know there are more than 300 million Twitter users today? That’s a huge audience to invite into your job search. A Twitter tip – drop the vowels. Twitter has its own language. Learn it. Know it. Use it to your advantage.

As said in an earlier post, 70% of the jobs that are filled are never posted. They are filled primarily via networking. Someone knows someone who is looking for a job and refers them. Be that someone. Enlarge your circle of connections. The door is wide open!