Social networking is an age-old art. Its roots can be traced long through history and the bloodlines of royalty where cousins would marry cousins, sometimes sight unseen, for a lofty title and healthy dose of world power.
Lucky for you and me, it is no longer necessary to marry a relative in order to land a dream job. Today, it simply takes a dash of self-promotion and investment in the people you meet for a world of opportunity to be laid out before you.
For those of you like me, who still question Linked In etiquette and are not as comfortable with the “who you know” game, here are five pieces of advice for the networking amateur, brought to you by The Business Insider (with some additional narration).
So pull out your business card – it’s time for a how-to in social networking.
Be visible. For the natural born extroverts, this is a piece of cake. For the wallflowers such as myself, this can be a grueling task. But take heart, you don’t have to spontaneously explode into an extrovert — you just have to get out there. Attend a conference in your community, strike up a conversation with some professionals and make an impression.
Build solid relationships. Being the quality person you are, this should be a no brainer. Remember first and foremost to be a good friend. Show the people you meet you are interested in more than how they can benefit your career. Ask questions, invest time. This will build your credibility as a person and a potential co-worker/employee.
Diversity. As a Harding student, you know by now the perks of having friends with friends (i.e. beach houses and employee discounts). Build a broad web of contacts. Just because someone doesn’t work in your field doesn’t mean they don’t have a friend who does.
Maintain. Keep in contact with the people you meet. Remember birthdays and send celebratory cards for their milestones. Remember, these contacts are as much your friends as your ticket to job-dom, so treat them the same way you treat your roommates, coworkers etc.
Give back. Don’t be a mooch. Help others out by putting in a good word for them every once in a while and passing along news of job openings. Networking is about give and take, so always be a good connection yourself.
