It’s not what you know; it’s who you know.
Networking is a vital component of job search success for career-minded professionals. From social media to job fairs to word-of-mouth, making and leveraging business contacts opens doors to referrals, and ultimately, job opportunities.
Whether you’re still a student, relatively new to the workforce, or a seasoned professional, you can use these tips from A.R. Mazzotta to network your way to a great job in Connecticut:
Focus your efforts.
While you may be tempted to attend every job fair, send out bulk emails or plaster your résumé all over the internet, resist the urge. You will be much more effective if you establish connections with carefully targeted individuals. Select the best organizations, social media sites, and events for your particular career goals. Then, identify the people who are most likely to benefit your job search and focus your attention on those individuals.
Put yourself out there.
Get involved in at least one high-profile professional or community organization. Look for groups with whom you share a common background, trait or career goal. Commit to attending regular meetings and participating fully.
Maximize the value of your social networking sites.
Beyond posting pictures, profiles, and links on your social media profiles, these sites can be used to:
- Establish and keep in touch with valuable business contacts. A contact may not have a position available immediately. But if you keep the dialog going, you’ll be top-of-mind when something opens up.
- Garner recommendations. As your online professional network grows, you may find opportunities to obtain referrals or recommendations from business associates.
- Strengthen ties to colleagues by posting referrals for them. Nothing will endear you to someone more than helping him in his career.
Leverage your alumni network.
Alumni love to find ways to give back to the college that helped them succeed, and therefore have a vested interest in helping you succeed. Maximize the potential of your alumni network by:
- Attending recruiting and networking events. If you’re still a student, attend your college’s career week and on-campus recruiting events.
- Leverage the career center. Meet with a counselor to discuss your career goals and be put in touch with alumni who can provide both advice and job search assistance.
- Use LinkedIn’s Classmates feature. This tool allows you to see where your contemporaries are working, track alumni career trends and join alumni groups, so you can connect with classmates who share your career interests.
Look your best.
Everyone knows to dress for success for an actual interview, but the same rule holds true for any in-person networking opportunity. First impressions are critical at business mixers, job fairs and college recruiting events – so make sure your appearance always sends the right message.
Register with A.R. Mazzotta. Temporary work provides unique opportunities to work and network at the same time. While you’re on assignment, you can get your foot in the door, demonstrate your job skills and work ethic, and establish valuable professional contacts in a wide variety of companies. Ultimately, a temporary assignment with A.R. Mazzotta may lead to the career opportunity you’ve always wanted. To learn more about temporary jobs in Connecticut, contact us today.