The New Year has come and gone, resolutions have been made and forgotten, but that’s not an excuse to let your networking strategy go stale. Recharge your strategy for greater impact!
It’s time to take a harsh look at your job search methods to date and make some changes. In today’s tough job market, it’s important that you’re doing the right activities that will keep you moving forward and making progress, while at the same time keeping you top of mind and leaving a lasting, positive impression with those you meet.
Here are three ways you can freshen up your networking strategy for maximum results:
1. Engage With the Right People
Sometimes you may lose traction on a job search simply because you’re not meeting the right people. Here are some things to consider when you’re looking for ways to gain access to individuals who can help you make progress in your job search:
Don’t go to just any networking event; attend events where you’ll be meeting people who can provide you with information, advice and good introductions. Some great places to consider include alumni groups, industry association meetings and job search forums where people get together and exchange leads.
But to truly maximize the time you spend at these events, you need to interact and have some meaningful conversations. You don’t want to talk to everyone, just focus your time, have two to three really good discussions and start building some new relationships to expand your network.
Also, maximize your time on social media in places that compliment your job search efforts. For example, Facebook is a great place to socialize with friends and get the word out about your job search, but Facebook is more traditionally known for social engagement. The best place to interact from a business perspective is LinkedIn. Some ways to encourage interaction with your contacts on LinkedIn include:
- Update your profile picture. Your LinkedIn profile is your virtual handshake. People like to know who they’re interacting with virtually, and an updated picture will more accurately reflect your brand perception.
- Invest some time in building and updating a profile that showcases your skill set. Review your current information and add any new details and accomplishments for the past year.
- Join and interact in groups, and put yourself in front of people who may be interested in meeting you and having a discussion. Do a search for relevant groups in your industry. You may also want to consider alumni and special interest groups.
- Use LinkedIn regularly and consistently for the best results. Having a stagnant social media account won’t help you, and it really doesn’t look good for you if someone connects with you on social media and you aren’t contributing in a meaningful way.
2. Have More Productive Conversations
Effective networking involves meeting and having conversations with people who will help you reach your job search goals. When you’re networking with a contact, you should establish that this person can help you in one of the following ways:
- By providing you advice and insights on your resume and LinkedIn profile. It always helps to have someone review your resume and provide additional guidance. Perhaps you need to update some information, add additional details, or you even missed a misspelling or grammatical mistake.
- By evaluating your marketing message and providing feedback to help you shine and distinguish yourself from other people you may be competing with for job opportunities. Your marketing message is the essence of who you are, and it should describe what capabilities you have that will add value. It addition, it defines what makes you different from other candidates. You need to nail this so that you stand out from everyone else.
- By supplying you with relevant information about a company you’re interested in working at. What do they know about the culture and any potential job openings? What can they tell you about the people?
- By introducing you to someone. Is there anyone they know in their network who can provide you with information and/or advice in an area where you’re seeking more details? Do they know the hiring manager or someone in the department for a job you’re applying for?
3. Don’t Flop the Follow-Up
Many times, networking efforts fail because you don’t have an effective follow-up strategy in place. Some tips to think about as you’re contacting various people in your network include:
- Have a system in place to keep track of your interactions. This can be as simple as a spreadsheet and should include contact information, details of your correspondence and, most importantly, an established next step.
- Prioritize your contacts so you can place a level of importance on who you follow up with and when.
- Review your next steps daily to make sure you’re staying on top of when to follow up with someone.
- Every week, you should be reaching out to several contacts, either via phone or email.
- Create a daily follow-up to-do list and act on it.
- Remember that a handwritten thank you note is a powerful way to follow up with someone after an interview or meeting. You can certainly send an email right away, but mailing a personal note will leave a very lasting and memorable impression. Not many people take the time to do this, so you will most certainly stand out and stay top of mind.
Now’s the time to take a look at your networking strategy and make the changes you need to get ahead. By implementing these simple recommendations, you will keep your approach fresh, your motivation high and your job perspectives flowing.
How can you freshen up your networking strategy?
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