Networking out of a job into a career

So you have finished college and walked across the stage with all of the camera lights flashing and now what? Time to get a job! So as you start out on your way you may feel that you have had plenty of planning in the works over these last few years in school. You did write that killer resume that captured the A for your English class and you were forced to sit through hours of boring lectures that show you have the endurance to wait out just about anyone. The thing that they don’t tell you in college is that many of the people with jobs in the world today did not just go out door to door and find one. They put countless hours of thought into the works over many more years then just college. Their key to finding the perfect job was not mind games and holding out for the highest dollar. It was networking in its finest, meeting and greeting those who already worked in their industry of choice.

You do not have to take the first thing that lands on your plate is a little known fact that some would do kindly to know. Taking the time to really research what it is that you want to do in your life can and will be an ongoing process for the rest of your life. Many people have started successful careers only to learn in the end that they are more miserable then all of the late night cram sessions combined. The key to a career is finding something that you like and building on that foundation. Just because something starts as one thing does not mean that it could not grow into endless possibilities. So once you have a common ground to work with you need to draw on your strengths. Be sure about the things that you do know and thrive on that. Seek further training and opportunities to lengthen your list of knowledge in the field. The best internship I ever had did not pay a single dime.

Once you have the basics worked out then network. Meet everyone that you can and not with the timid hello as you pass in a building. Show people that you do care and are excited to meet them. Asking questions is the best way to learn more about others and possibly a little more about you. Networking of people can be hard at first when you are the lone man/woman out. Just remember that everyone had to start somewhere and you are not alone. You have so many chances to meet a new person each day that the potential is limitless. Idle small talk is not the name of the game but a conversation that builds into something more. They do not need to know your inner most thoughts or embarrassing details, stick to the facts Jack and you will win them over in the long run. Talk to all indiscriminately because everyone came from some where and their mother could be the CEO of a major corporation, really you can not judge the book by the cover.

These people will be your sounding board to grow as an individual and in time you too will cross the path of people who you are meeting for the first time who you have an instant bond with because they are the friend of someone else’s wife. It does not take the likes of rich bankers and stuffy suits to set the wheels of fate turning just a little time spent with friendly conversation. Ask around sometime and see how many people at your work place got their job from the association of a person rather than an ad or a job board. It will surprise you I guarantee.

Key tips to finding a hot job:

• Don’t take the first offer
• Don’t hold out for the final bell
• Do seek additional training even when it is not paid
• Do talk to everyone you can about as much as you can and not just yourself
• Do what you know and like and most of all enjoy your new career