Tips for Networking
Happy New Year from all of us at Peak Performers employment agency!
It’s the start of another rotation around the sun, and many people are full of resolutions — to eat healthier, to exercise more, and maybe even to make the world a slightly better place.
My guess is that most of you haven’t thought much about networking.
Schmoozing can seem intimidating for some, but we’ve got a few unconventional tips to help you excel in your job search and perhaps be a better person in the process.
Get to know your neighbors.
According to a report last year from City Observatory, about one in three Americans say they have never interacted with the people right next door. When you’re buried deep in the throes of the job hunt, it’s important not to isolate yourself. Why not start with sharing a meal with the folks across the street? They might even know a few hiring managers.
It’s tough looking for work, and it’s even more uncomfortable asking other people for help. But you never know when the right connection can lead to your perfect job. Surrounding yourself with a small community of close friends, neighbors and family can go a long way for your emotional and mental support.
Be a good person.
Muhammad Ali once said that service to others is “the rent you pay for your room here on earth.” Volunteering can be an excellent way to make new connections in your field while keeping your skills fresh and filling any gaps in your resume. It’s also the right thing to do.
Check out volunteermatch.org for a searchable list of opportunities with organizations in Austin, or catchafire.org for a list of projects and skills-based opportunities across the country. Additionally, it’s important to treat everyone you meet like a potential hiring manager. A stranger today could eventually become your boss or client down the road. More importantly, we should treat everyone we meet with respect, whether or not they can useful to us (#NoteToSelf).
Keep an open mind.
Networking is a lifelong process, and it can take some time before you see any practical benefits. But if you’ve been attending the same job club for ten months, and it hasn’t led to anything constructive, we might suggest that you try something else. If you’ve been tweeting and posting online with few results, you might consider a new strategy.
If it’s not working, do something different. Set up informational interviews. Join a new trade association, alumni group, job seeker network, or job club program. Keeping an open mind, even if networking isn’t your thing, can go a long way towards finding the right connections.
As you march onward into the New Year, we wish you a lifetime of new connections, fresh job leads, and renewed inspiration. Our vision remains the same: to help professionals with disabilities get jobs.