How to Effectively Network in your Job Search

Did you know that at least 60% of all jobs are found through word of mouth?
Using contacts as references in your job search is called networking, and right now there is no better time to expand your pool of contacts.

• Let People Know You are Looking for Employment
• Take an Organized Approach
• Join Online Professional Networking Sites

Let People Know You are Looking for Employment

• Expand your contact base. Talk to everyone you know: family, friends, former colleagues or bosses, teachers, neighbors, etc.
• Make your skills known. Let people know what kind of position you are looking for, what your past work experience is, and what skills you possess.

Take an Organized Approach

• Carry a copy of your resume. You never know who you are going to run into, so carrying around a copy of your resume everywhere you go is very important. And yes, this even means you should have access to a saved computer file of your resume.
• Think about investing in a thumb drive. This is a type of portable system for your computer files that fits into the USB port of any computer; it is more reliable than floppy disks and can be used on any computer. Shop around and you can find a nice one for around $10-15 (maybe even less).
• Make sure you have copies of your resume saved in different formats on your computer. If you e-mail your resume out to people, expect that some may respond that they are unable to open your file. Because of system upgrades, some computers are not always capable of opening Word Documents. Try saving your Word Documents as Word 97-2003 Documents under the Save As function in Microsoft Word.
• If you have business cards, use them. People are more inclined to remember you if they have something tangible of yours to hang on to.
• Set a contact quota. Some experts suggest setting a quota, or a certain amount of people to contact per day; you can either make phone calls, write e-mails, or search for contacts on online networking sites. Tip: a typical quota may be 3-5 people a day
• Follow up with your contacts. If you contact someone for a job reference, it is a good idea to follow up with an e-mail or phone call. This will not only let people know you are still serious about your
• Send thank you letters or e-mails to contacts who help you out. This is not only a good thing to do professionally, but it also will help to ensure that you remain contacts in the future
• And remember: networking is reciprocal! If a contact helps you out, make sure you give them the same courtesy if they come to you in the future

Join Online Professional Networking Sites

Online networking sites, such as LinkedIn, have been sprouting up very quickly in the past few years because there is a rapidly growing demand for them.

Because of their expansiveness, there is really no limit to the amount of contacts you can make on a professional networking site, and who or what your network of contacts can introduce you to.

Here is a list of some of the largest online professional networking sites you can join for FREE:

• LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com
• Xing - www.xing.com
• Ryze - www.ryze.com
• Ecademy - www.ecademy.com
• Yorz - www.yorz.com

On these sites you can expect to create a professional profile where you can present information about yourself, such as your current and past work experiences, your educational background, and any projects you may be working on. You can search for contacts you know already by name, company, e-mail address, or city.

And remember: keep your online appearance professional

• Limit the number of photos you make available on your profile, and always make sure you wear professional attire if you do choose to show a photo
• Make sure your spelling and grammar are error-free
• Remember to communicate in a formal, professional manner with your contacts