Networking may be the key to landing a job, but finding the ideal contacts for networking and incurring their interest will require a bit of finesse. Here are some of the top networking tips to ensure that your job hunt is successful:
- Research: General networking events can be a great place to establish new contacts. Before heading to an event, find out who will be present. Company representatives meet with hundreds of people and doing your research can really make you stand out. Whether you are desperate for any position, or are searching for a way into your ideal career, demonstrating a knowledge of a specific business can make a great impression. A bit of effort in researching potential company representatives could land you a conversation at least and, at best, a potential interview.
- Zero In On Your Goals: Whether you are going to an event or giving your information to a recruiter, you want to be clear about your job goals. For instance, if you are looking of financial recruiterswho specialize in accounting, be sure that you can find accounting recruiters in your given area. You may even be able to search representatives at a given event by area. For example, if you are looking for recruiters in Chicago who specialize in accounting, you may be able to search online for accounting recruiters Chicago. This will help you find the right people to approach for your specific goals even if you are attending a general event.
3 Dress to Impress: Looking “sharp” can require a bit of preparation- and a lot of effort if you are an experience job hunter. Unfortunately, some recruiters and employers will still judge you for something as insignificant as an ill pressed suit which can make or break a potential opportunity. While a bad suit does not demonstrate intelligence or even experience, it can demonstrate lack of commitment to potential recruiters.
Between endless resumes and applications, a networking event can be an added burden. However, demonstrating effort and doing a bit of research for any networking event may help you land the right job.