Accelerate Your Search™ Now

Are you wondering if a Networking Group is right for you? Or if spending your time networking will REALLY help you find a job?

Maybe you are thinking – I could spend the same time at home on the computer, telephone, or sending out resumes and get the same results or why would I want to go meet a bunch of other people many like me looking for work or peddling their wares.  Those thoughts may be your first problem.

There are hundreds of networking groups, professional or trade associations that meet weekly, bi-weekly, monthly or quarterly within the United States.  Most of these groups are designed to help you meet people, make connections, and contribute to others.

If you are new to networking you may question the benefits of connecting regularly with other open minded business people in the same room.  Getting hired and being successful in business is as much about “who knows you” as it is about “who and what you know”.

There is magic in the building relationships and obtaining referrals from “Your Network”.  Yes it does help your job search.  Network referrals are the most commonly reported way to find a job.

Employers report referrals make up 26.7% of all external new hires compared to 13.2% of hires attributed to Job Boards according to CareerXRoads 9^th Annual Sources of Hire Study (February 2010).  The numbers speak for themselves.

Networking is one of the fastest, easiest ways to develop business relationships, get referrals and tap into the 70% to 80% of available jobs that are not advertised.  Networking works!

In just a few days I will have been involved in a coordinating a weekly networking group for professionals for five years.  The results, career success stories and lasting relationships are amazing.

Do you want to learn how to make networking work for your job search?

Check back to celebrate five years of “NfP” success I will share the best of the best tips to help you find a group, be prepare to network and make networking work for you.

When it comes to using social media for business, yes your job search is business, it is important to periodically assess where you are, what you are doing and if your actions are achieving the results you want.

So often when I talk to top talent about social media they are in one of three camps.  Camp one views social media as threat, silly, and a waste of time. Camp two loves social media, uses tons of different social media sites and activities, they “poke”, “tweet”, “friend” hundreds a times a week without a care, thought, plan, or concern for the benefits or consequences to their brand or reputation.  Camp three views social media a big opportunity and realize the value of the tool.  This camp is looking for smart balanced approaches for using social media and managing its challenges.

Which camp are you in?

No matter which camp you are in you need to grow your social media literacy and realize it is a part of a fundamental shift in the way people interact and business gets done.  It is important for you to have a plan and regularly assess how you use (or don’t use) social media to do business, enhance or build relationships in all aspects of your life.

Here are a few tips smart “top talent” and  top organizations employee when using and planning to use social media:

1.    Listen before you talk.

2.    Invest in training and learn to use the technology.

3.    Know how to communicate and what you want to communicate before you engage in goofy social media schemes or online marketing.

4.    Create a plan and policies for using social media.

5.    Understand the appropriate tone, image and use for the various social media channels.

6.    Build real relationships and connections using authentic conversations.

7.    Use caution if you outsource you social media activities.

8.    Understand the benefits and the consequences of failing to have and follow a plan, current practices and policies for using social media.

9.     Routinely review what you do and the results you get from your using social media activities.

What else would you add to the list of tips?

How are you using social media now?

What are your results?

Last week Dan Schawbel captured the just of Google Buzz and provided four simple steps to begin to use Google Buzz, check out his post 4 Step Personal Branding With Google Buzz .  It is important to have a basic understanding of the many tools available to help you assemble your online presence and build relationships.

How are you communicating the value you add to the world and your future employer?

Being visible and helping those you want to reach find you is not only critical in a job search it is a requirement to accelerate your career.

What are the best tools for you to use?