CAREERS and CV expert Graeme Jordan is back with another column for The Northern Echo – this time about how to use networking to your advantage.
WE all network one way or another. We all have a ‘network’.
Increasingly, we also have access to a digital global network across various platforms. We can use this for many purposes, one of which is career development.
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I’m not necessarily talking about old school chums here. Many of us did not go to school with very many of our ideal future employers or business partners.
Those of us with less privilege need to actively widen our net. I would never pretend that it’s a level playing field (it’s easy to demonstrate otherwise), but there are things we can all do to expand our opportunities.
There was a time in my career when I got four jobs in a row via networking, so I know how powerful this is. It is difficult to overstate the effect this had on my career (and life). Our jobs affect who we spend our days with and where.
The first example was a friend seeing an opportunity and saying: ‘I saw this and thought of you’. It was perfect for me, so I applied and got the job.
The second was when I attended a recruitment industry event the day after being made redundant. Naturally, it was full of people from recruitment agencies, including directors. But, no one that I spoke with was quite right for my interests.
So, I was on my way out of the event, thinking it had not been a success. But, a chance encounter in the corridor sparked a conversation with a business owner who became my next employer. It can happen as quickly as that. Of course, the process of applying and being interviewed comes next, but the initial opportunity can seemingly come from nowhere.
Another opportunity arose from a conversation with a client who was launching a new department to do exactly what I did. Without them being a client, I would not have known.
The final of my four ‘networking successes’ was online. A company I had never heard of sent me an email about something unrelated. I had a look at their website and liked what they did.
Even better, they were in my native north-east whilst I was elsewhere. So, after the usual process, I was appointed to a management role. Again, the initial opportunity came as if from nowhere.
The lesson is that you should build relevant relationships continuously and be ready to take opportunities that arise. If you can join communities and events that relate to your target industry or role, then, you should do so, online or offline.
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You should also use your online presence – particularly LinkedIn – to profile what you offer in the relevant field.
Of course, once we gain access to opportunities, we need to learn how to present ourselves effectively for them.
That’s where application forms, CV writing, and interview skills come in.
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