Networking... A Four Letter Word To Me

I really dislike the word “networking”. I use dislike because I’m not supposed to hate. I have such a hard time grasping the concept that having the necessary skills, experience and education can’t get you a job that you are qualified for. I got my current job through my “network”, but how likely is it that my dream job is going to include someone in my network? Not very likely. Even though I don’t like certain aspects of networking, I do understand that it is expected and can be helpful when searching for a job.

What I found particularly successful in terms of networking was reaching out to people already in my life. People tend to be more willing to help if they have a vested interest or existing relationship. It’s better to reach out to a former co-worker than your mom’s friend’s sister’s cousin who works in HR. Your former co-worker might actually care that you are unemployed and if nothing else might get your resume into the hands of hiring managers. That cousin however, may not be willing to stick his or her neck out for someone they don’t know. During my unemployment I didn’t let pride keep me from talking to people about my struggles and ultimately that is what lead to my former co-worker contacting me about a position he had just gotten hired for and they were looking for additional people.

Another success tactic is one that I stumbled upon, a job search group. Each week the group of unemployed professionals meets and usually has a presentation or speaker from a local business. The presentation topics ranged anywhere from personal branding, to updating your Linked In profile to the importance of having your elevator speech prepared. Members of this group also have access to a certified resume expert that reviews your resume and offers tips on how to make improvements. During these meetings members also have the opportunity to introduce themselves and give a little of their background information. This is important because I might have knowledge of job that I’m not qualified for, but someone in the group could be an ideal candidate. There are many of these groups all across the country and some have specific target groups. For example, the one I was in was for people who either had management experience or were college graduates. Another example is groups for older workers, they sometimes have unique challenges and those need to be addressed separately.

So if you are like myself and tend to be anti-social, networking in the traditional sense can be a horrific experience. The idea of walking up to complete strangers with the intent of pulling them into your “network” is just too much for me and makes me extremely nervous. Focus on who you already know and join a group that will ease you into the expansion of your network. When you start your next job, continue to meet new people and before you know it, you could be that connection someone else needs.