Tips On Networking

In today’s society, you need to do more than receive a degree from a university to get a job or an opportunity. You need to know how to network in order to increase your chances of receiving a job or position

Networking is the action or process of interacting with others to exchange information and develop professional or social contacts. It is an important skill to have so I will be giving five tips on networking to help you.

You can end up working for a very well-known company or even receive the opportunity to work out the country! The possibility is endless when it comes to networking with others.

Let’s start with the first tip!

1. Meeting people through other people

One of the best ways of meeting other people is through referrals of others. Being with the people you already know and who know the people you are looking to meet is a good step through the door of networking.

Getting introduced through others and joining in the conversations you will very likely receive a warm welcome and introduction to the person you wanted an introduction to. Also, like Linkedin in real life, you’re expanding your network through other contacts.

2. Using social media

Social media is one of the ultimate ways of getting to know important contacts. It saves you the pressure of face-to-face contact that you could not be prepared for. Look out for like-minded or important contacts you would like to know better within your LinkedIn profile, Google Plus, Twitter, and more.

Commenting on a link to a person’s post or responding to a comment can go a long way. Start the conversation with them and offer them the same courtesy in return. Once you have the opportunity to meet them in person it will be best to reference previous communications.

3. Don’t ask for a job!

Whatever you don’t ask a person for a job, that’s not how networking works. You can ask people for information that will assist you in your job search, but not a job. Your main goal should be to build a relationship and establish contact with this person so when a potential opportunity comes, your contact may be willing to refer you.

This is one of the main strategies that make networking work, you need to be humble and try not to look desprate. It is the worse thing you can do for yourself in this situation. So remember to be a real person with a real interest in the person you’re trying to connect with.

4. Use Your Resume as a Tool for Advice

Another great tip for networking with people you already have a relationship with is to review your resume with them. They can give you feedback on how to improve it and when reviewing your resume they will discover your work history.

They can even learn more about you through your resume than you may realize. Then they might think of a company that you may be suited for. Bringing you a job that you never would have gotten without your contact.

5. Don’t Take Up Too Much Time

For our last tip for this blog, it’s probably the most important beginner tip for networking. Don’t take up too much time of the person you’re trying to connect with. Make sure to bring an agenda and keep the meeting on track.

No one is happy when someone takes up too much of their time, planning your meeting ahead of time shows professionalism. You also gain credibility and cover all the topics you want to cover.

I hope you like these tips from Kangan institute! It goes without saying these tips are universal for anyone trying to develop their career or expand their network. Using these tips will be a great skill set to have.

Link: https://www.kangan.edu.au/students/blog/successful-networking-tips