Looking for a Job? Start Honing Your Networking Skills

Given the fact that there are a large number of people who are out there looking for a job, landing a job you love, or any job for that matter, can really be a great challenge. You need to overcome a lot of obstacles and stand out against the crowd to increase your chances of getting hired for a position.

It may be too easy to feel discouraged when you are in such a situation but rather than complaining or feeling sorry for yourself, you need to step up to the challenge and do everything you can to achieve your goals. For starters, you may want to brush up on your networking skills and expand your network.

You need to build, expand and nurture your relationship with your contacts since most jobs come from personal connections. By having the right contacts, you can hear about an unadvertised position, get some inside information to help you write your resume in a way that fits what the company wants or have someone put in a good word or two about you to the hiring manager.

Proper networking opens doors to new opportunities that you may never even have thought possible. It can also provide you with all the advice and support that you need throughout your career.

• Solidify your pitch. Consider perfecting your elevator pitch before you make your move. Make sure you can tell someone who you are and what you are good at in 15 seconds or less. Practice your pitch so that you will be ready to professionally introduce yourself whenever such an opportunity arises.
• Go out and be proactive. Networking doesn’t happen by chance. You need to find upcoming events in your industry by doing an online search or by scouring the daily newspaper. You need to go out and meet new people. That’s the only way to do it right.
• Be a good listener. Take the time to listen and you will be surprised with the results. People appreciate those who listen to what they say so you will definitely make a good first impression by practicing this skill.
• Take advantage of social media. While in-person events work better in solidifying relationships, you can also use social media to meet new people and/or to keep up with the people you meet during in-person events.
• Give as much as you get. Instead of thinking how a person can help you achieve your goals, learn how to think the other way around. Learn how you can be of help and be generous with your time and expertise. Do this and you will get more support than you will probably need in the near future.
• Follow up. Don’t be afraid to request for a follow-up meeting. Better yet, get into the habit of having an in-depth conversation with your new contacts and learn everything you can about them. Ask about their hobbies and interests so you will have a good reason to keep in touch. 

Perfecting your networking skills can be your key to landing a job you love so just follow these tips, have a little patience and you will eventually see some very good results from all your efforts.