It's All About Who You Know--Now How Do You Get to Know Them?

Where Do I Start?
The first step in proactive networking is to join organizations or clubs that relate to your industry or profession. Look for local chapters, state chapters and, of course, national organizations. There are various advantages to both sizes. The “locals” can fill you in on the local job market, while the nationwide organizations can help you keep a pulse on how the industry is doing as a whole and what you should be watching for in the future. Of course, the levels of professionals you meet also vary greatly from each group, but frankly you never know when the contacts you make in these forums could come in handy for future job hunts! 

Rule number 1: Never forget a face or a business card! Sound cliche? Look around you and think of the people working in their cubes. How did they get their positions? I would bet a healthy percentage of those people would begin their story with the fact that they knew someone who put them in touch with someone who called someone else…and so the story goes.

So, now that you are committed, you need a plan of action. How will you decide where to spend your time? Well, here are a few suggestions to narrow down your options and select the venues where you will have access to not only a high volume of professionals, but actual useful information! Let’s review some of the forums you can …