Who is in Your Network?

Networking is asking people for advice, information and referrals to others. It is an organized way to form links between the people you know and the people they know to form a “net” of personal contacts who can give you support and information about job opportunities.

Talk to everyone!

Your neighbour may know someone you should meet or your hair stylist’s brother may work in an industry that interests you. Anyone you know whose work involves contact with other people can be very helpful especially teachers, social workers, religious leaders or community leaders. Tell them about your work objective and the employment fields that interest you.

You can start networking by making a list of all the people you know, then decide who to contact first. Call or arrange to meet the people on your list and tell other people you meet during the day about your job search. You can then contact the people you have been referred to and introduce yourself.

When talking to people you know:

Tell them about your job search and describe the type of work you want.
Tell them how your skills and experience relates to the type of work you want.
Ask if they know of any suitable employment opportunities.
Ask if they would refer you to others who might know of potential job opportunities.
Ask if they would be willing to introduce you to these people, or ask for permission to mention their name when you call the people you have been referred to.
Give them your calling card.

Always thank your contacts for their help! A thank you note is a good idea.

When calling people you don’t know, be as brief and to the point as possible. Your goal is to set up a meeting with the person or at least get another referral.

Introduce yourself

Explain who referred you, if appropriate, and why you are calling. Remember you are looking for information not asking for a job. Ask for a short face to face meeting.

People may not always have the time to meet with you. Be gracious for the time they have given you. If time allows ask if they may be able to answer a few questions over the phone. Briefly describe your background and job objective, and ask if they know of any employers looking for someone with your skills and qualifications. In person or on the phone you should never put the employer on the spot by asking for work.

Who else should you talk to…

Club members
Classmates – past & present
Former co-workers and colleagues
Casual acquaintances
Church & community members
Teachers, professionals, instructors
People you see frequently
Children’s teachers, coaches, counsellors
Parent’s of children’s friends

Are you shy or uncomfortable in a room full of strangers?

You are not alone. Many people find it difficult to meet new people, strike up conversations with strangers and “network.” Here are some tips from Anne Boe author of ”Is Your Net‑Working? & Networking Success”.

Work on a friendly, accepting and helpful attitude. It will bring the same goodwill back to you.

Meet as many people as you can. Talk to them everywhere ‑ in stores, on elevators, on the bus. You have nothing to lose by being friendly.
Don't take rejection personally. People don't know you well enough to reject you for personal reasons. Trust yourself.
Ask questions. The easiest way to capture someone's attention is to get the person to talk about himself or herself. What do you like to do? What hobbies do you have? What associations do you belong to?
Act like a host or hostess, not like a guest. Introduce yourself. Make people feel comfortable.
Make notes for yourself. Always carry business cards, a small notebook and a pen. When you meet someone new, jot down their name and a special detail about the person (i.e. loves skiing, raises dogs, born in Yellowknife) and mention it next time you talk with them.
Keep in touch. Follow up introductions and referrals. Call to say how much you enjoyed meeting a person or wish them a "happy birthday" or congratulate them on an accomplishment.
Don't make friends and contacts solely for your own benefit. Never do anything that will cause hurt to you or anyone else. Think of what you can do for the other person to add value to their goals.
Make networking a lifestyle. Do it every day. Think about developing a long-term relationship with someone you meet rather than just getting the information you need now.
Be patient. Results aren't always immediate.

Ice Breakers - Networking Questions That Work Every Time

How did you get started in your business? People like to share their stories with people.
What do you enjoy most about your profession? A question that inspires a good, positive feeling.How did you get started in your business? People like to share their stories with people.
What advice would you give someone just starting in your business? Everyone likes to feel their answers matter.
What one thing would you do with your business if you knew you could not fail? This is this person's dream and it will give them a chance to fantasize. You will notice that people will always take a few minutes to really ponder their answer.
What makes your approach to the industry different? This is an opportunity to do a little bragging.
What significant changes have you seen take place in your industry through the years? This is a great question for the mature connection. They love to tell the story of change.
What do you see as the coming trends in your industry? This is a great speculator question. Everyone has some ideas that inspire additional comments.
Describe the strangest or funniest incident you've experienced in your business. This gives people the opportunity to share their war stories. It's fun and you can exchange with everyone!
What one sentence would you like people to use in describing the way you do business? Almost always a person will stop and think really hard before answering this question.

Once your job search has ended and you find a job, there are things you can do to make your working life successful.

Communication skills
Working well with others requires effective communication skills, which can be learned on the job. Listening well to what is being said and asking for clarification when necessary are two particularly important skills in the workplace.

People skills
Good people skills are essential in the workplace and take time to develop. Here are a few pointers to get you started:

Practise patience. In the workplace, you often have to depend on others to get the job done, just as others may have to rely on you. The modern workplace relies on teamwork, so you need to stay calm under pressure and respect your co-workers.

Learn to accept criticism. When your supervisor hands something back to you for corrections, or suggests a different way of doing something, don't get upset; constructive criticism is part of the learning process.

Give others space to do their jobs. Ask questions if you need to, but learn to trust in your own ability to make decisions. When first training for a job, everyone will understand if you have questions about how to do things. After you settle in, try to solve problems on your own before going to your boss. That will show the employer and the other employees that you have the resources and initiative to find things out for yourself.

Forgive the mistakes of others as well as your own. Everyone has days when things don't go the right way. Being able to forgive yourself and others when mistakes are made will make you a better team member.

Learning styles
When you start a new job, there is a lot to learn about the organization, your employer, other employees and your position. That’s why it’s important to know how you learn best. For example:

Are you more likely to turn a computer on and start playing with it, or would you read the manual first?
Do you learn best by hearing about tasks, reading about tasks or performing tasks?

Let your employer know how you learn best and ask for what you need if necessary. It’s also important to look at how you can add different techniques to your learning style, like slowing down before jumping into a task or asking someone to show you how best to perform a task.

The power of knowledge
Knowledge gives you more choices. The more you learn, the more valuable you become to employers. You may be able to apply for higher positions within your organization or to transfer into another job with more responsibility.

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