re - Energising your job search or career move - Part 2 Networking

In the second part of this series of posts on re-energising your job search or career move, I want to look at the area networking. For some people the words networking can bring about an incredible compulsion to pull the duvet up and stay at home. This is not for a second in anyway irrational our fear of people or social situations (sociophobia) ranks second behind arachnophobia (fear of spiders), amazingly our fear of death ranks tenth!!! 

So why is networking such an important part of a new and energised approach to job search or changing careers? Research from career development company Harmonics has shown that an incredible 84% of positions are recruited through networks or speculative approaches, this is what they consider to be the proactive approach to job hunting. On the other hand the reactive approach includes the Internet, advertising and recruiters. One of the key learning's in our network has been the power of sharing contacts and leads with one and another, it has helped in interview preparation, job search, generating business ideas and even getting a venue for our meetings. 

I would like to share with you five things to help with getting started or improving your ability to meet new and valuable contacts - more importantly being proactive about your career move or job search. 

So when considering who you want to meet or who could best help you five things to keep in mind. 

1) Be courageous - as Mary Oliver asked in her poem "tell me what it is you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" or as Delboy puts it "he who dares, wins" ( you have to flick your wrists as you say that one) If you need some courage to get started come along and join us on a Friday

2) Be Natural - you have to be yourself, there are few things in this world others will reciprocate without hesitation..... a smile is one of them

3) Be authentic - Seth Godin has a point of view on this one!!! http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2009/02/authenticity.html   

4) Be interested..... not trying to be interesting...............

5) LISTEN....... in order to LISTEN you must be SILENT

I have also included an excellent article from Miriam Ahearn, the network manager for Dublin City Enterprise Board's Link Network http://www.dceb.ie/networking/link!

BE PROACTIVE