I was asked today if it's smart to network in a bad economy.
First thing's first: There are two types of networking, when I'm speaking to this audience. There are those of you that are networking to get a job and those of you who that have jobs and want to network to boost your career. Either way, though, networking is essential.
And it shouldn't be done online only. Nothing compares to a handshake and a personal memory you'll make of someone--or what they'll remember you for.
See, networking costs nearly next to nothing if you play your cards right. While some groups have hefty membership fees, there are others that welcome anyone. Some groups let you benefit from the group at a reduced per-event rate. Some groups are completely free. So there's really no excuse not to network--you can always find a group that pertains to you.
I'd certainly say that if you're looking for a job, you may want to stick with industry-specific groups. If you've got a job and are looking to expand your roster of clients, an all-industries group may open up even more doors.
The possibilities are endless--regardless of the economy.
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2 comments:
If you add a few frozen veggies toi ramen, its like a whole new ballgame. For those that are looking for jobs, About.com just added 3 new employment sites to their top 10 job site list:
www.linkedin.com (networking)
www.indeed.com (aggregated lists)
www.realmatch.com (matches you to jobs)
Whole Top 10 list here:
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/joblistings/tp/jobbanks.htm
I truly think that networking is a mindset... it's almost like a way of life. You either choose to proactively do it all the time... Or you choose to do it only when you need something. (Which doesn't work so well.) Just my thoughts.
Nice blog!
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