subject: You Are A Master At Networking - 10 Tips For Using Those Skills To Find Employment [print this page] Parents have developed networking skills simply by necessity. Arranging a family's schedule requires the ability to gather information from all sorts of sources; whether at your child's school, the dentist office, the grocery store, ballet, or just out washing the car. Parents know how to get the latest information about everything from where to go for the freshest fish to how to get Junior into a better morning routine.
If you have not been in the job market lately, and find yourself out looking for work for the first time in a long time, you may feel a bit out of place. However, you already have a very highly developed job search tool at your disposal. Your networking skills are a talent that will serve you well in your search for employment. You connect well with people when you need to get information, so use that ability now when you're trying to get information about employment. Internet job searches, bulletin boards, and classified ads are not your best approach. Do what you do best... network!
However, before you set out, there are a few networking concepts that you'll need to understand in your job search. Minnesota's Department of Employment and Economic Development has developed the following checklist of things to know before you start networking to find employment.
1) Be Ready For Anything - Don't be caught without a current resume in your hand and a professional business card in your wallet or purse. You never know when you might meet up with a prospective contact.
2) Keep In Touch - Your professional contacts are your lifeline to the job market. Stay in contact with them by calling or writing them a short note to let them know where your networking is leading you. If you have common interests, like sporting events, for instance, be sure to get to a game or two in order to stay visible. An email is impersonal and should only be used if your contact specifically requests that you email them. However, always follow up with a personal note, especially a thank you note if your contact actually took time to interview you.
3) Talk To People You Know First - Ask your family, friends, and others that you trust if you can practice selling your talents to them. Work out a script of what you would say to a potential employer or contact to get them interested in what you have to offer. Then, ask these friends if they would have any names of people you should get to know.
4) Contact People You Don't Know - Your friends and acquaintances will refer you to people you don't know. Here's where you start to reach deep within your networking talents. Begin each conversation with information about how you received their name. This will set up a common ground. Ask about them, who they are, and listen to what they have to say. You are initially establishing rapport, not asking for a job. You want a professional relationship with your new contact.
5) It's All About Information - When you started networking to gain employment, you were in a hurry to get a job. However, the more information you gather from your contacts, the more likely it will be that you end up in the right job. When you meet new contacts, listen intently to what they have to say. Listen with an interested, open, and inquisitive mind, and you are apt to hear things that you hadn't heard before. Your career path may take a new turn, or you may find yourself open to a new approach that you hadn't considered.
6) Keep Conversations Focused - The conversation with your new contact should be all about getting information about them and their company or service. When asked, give your contact a brief summary of your job search objective. Be specific with your questions so you receive more insight into your contact's mission.
7) Reciprocate When You Can - New people we meet networking are usually anxious to share information. When a new contact offers you information or services, be ready to give something back. Prepare yourself with some information to share. If you offer a service, perhaps you are a seamstress, offer your new contact a sampling of your work. Be creative and find out what hobbies your contact is interested in and offer to help with a particular project. Get involved by giving back and your new contact will not forget you. You now have established goodwill as well as credibility.
8) When You Make Promises, Keep Them - If you promise to give a new contact a call, be sure to follow through. It may not be easy to reach a busy person like your contact, so keep trying. It is your responsibility to stay in contact with your new colleague.
9) Join Professional Associations Or Organizations - If you are pursuing employment in a certain trade, join a professional association in that industry. You'll find a whole new group of contacts. Members of trade associations are normally eager to help job seekers, and often know employers with open positions.
10) Find a Mentor - People who have experience in the areas you're pursuing can give you much needed advice. They are also invaluable as a sounding board to discuss your thoughts and ideas with someone who's been in your shoes. If you have an opportunity to shadow your mentor, do so. Getting a picture of what to expect in a given line of work is essential as you continue planning for your future employment. You will also run into even more new contacts, so, back to item 1, be prepared!
Because you are a parent, you are a networking master. Don't sell yourself short! It doesn't matter if you have never been in the job market before; your networking skills will get you right on top of your game in no time. Take those finely-tuned skills and hit the pavement running!
