Networking: For Career Success!

Watch this 1:20 minute video from the University of Queensland in Australia on the essentials of networking.

Seizing employment opportunities can happen in many ways. For starters, social media sites such as LinkedIn provides enormous access to people from several industries, backgrounds, and diverse experiences from across the globe. Employers and employment agencies have jumped on the social media bandwagon in hopes of finding the next rock-star to recruit and possibly explore new opportunities. According to a 2015 article published by Kimberlee Morrison of Ad Week, LinkedIn is the new hiring tool with 92 percent of recruiters using it as part of their hiring process.

But even if you’re happy with your current employment and not looking for a new gig, networking on social media offers excellent career and business advantages. For example, with LinkedIn, you could join or create a group specific to your industry and interests and build a forum to share ideas, trends, reach your target audience, collaborate on innovative projects and expand your professional brand. Joining a group on LinkedIn has many benefits including increasing your engagement and expanding your visibility. LinkedIn specialist Sarah Santacose explains the benefits of joining a team on LinkedIn and steps to start the process. One last thing about LinkedIn, if you are following thought-leaders but want to market your expertise check out this 2017 Forbes article that tells 5 Ways to Position Your Self as a Thought-Leader on LinkedIn.

Alumni associations are a great way to network! Most alumni associations offer members access to private clubs with an opportunity to build community, connect, create, reinvent, celebrate, and even personalize an event to attract local professionals, civic leaders, and speakers.

Networking involves making contacts, introducing yourself, meeting new people, exchanging ideas, and a willingness to learn and offer value. Do not underestimate the power of being proactive. Begin with the end in mind (noted by author Stephen Covey in the highly favorite book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People) and remain focused on your specific goals.

You can email me at Evie2@comcast.net to share your ideas or send suggestions on articles you would find helpful.

You can do it!

Yvette