Your career network can provide a powerful boost in your job search. Solid connections are essential when it comes to learning about new opportunities and seeking references and recommendations. Many professionals struggle, however, when it comes to cultivating that network.
Networking events can be painfully awkward when forced to introduce yourself to a group of other professionals. Perfecting a 30- or 60-second “elevator pitch” when speaking to a VIP is stressful. And many professionals feel like the entire process of networking is sort of sleazy because the only reason they’re attempting to network is to further their own careers.
So how exactly does one choose the right people to network with?
The Foundations Of Your Career Network
The most obvious connections in your career network are people you have worked with in the past, including former managers and bosses. When you leave a job, make sure to ask for personal email addresses to stay in contact and always follow up with a connection on LinkedIn, if you aren’t connected already. A true network doesn’t stop there, however. In order to build a vibrant, multi-tiered network you also want to build and maintain relationships with past clients, vendors, colleagues in other departments and talented people you supervised.
Branching Out Beyond Work
Your career network should also include people outside of work. Think about the clubs you belong to, the organizations you volunteer with, college classmates and professors, parents of the children your kids play with, people from church, etc. The bigger your network, the better chance you have of leveraging your connections to grow your career. Remember, it’s not always about who you know. Instead, it’s about who they know. The people in your network can introduce you to opportunities and people you wouldn’t otherwise be privy to.
Don’t be afraid to chat people up wherever you go. Sitting at your daughter’s soccer game, waiting for an appointment at the barber shop, or working in a coffee shop. You never know when a connection will pay dividends.
The Key To Success
As you build your network remember that you must give, as well as receive. In fact, giving is far more important so that people will be more willing to help you out in return. Any time you can connect someone with another person from your network who can help them on their own career path, take that opportunity. It only takes a minute to make an introduction, and that one minute could end up being extremely rewarding down the line.
An effective way to instantly grow your network and get someone on your “team” who can connect you with unique opportunities to grow your career is to partner with an expert recruiter. A recruiter has an inside line on unique opportunities, and they can match you with petitions that align with your values and career goals.
If you are a professional in the Boca Raton area seeking out new career challenges, the expert recruiters at CERS are interested in hearing from you. Contact us today to start the conversation.
