Networking

The art of networking is to find and talk to anyone who is in business that may be looking to recruit or may know someone who is looking to recruit. Many management and executive positions will not have been advertised or placed with a recruitment organisation.

Today though networking also embraces the social and professional networking websites and you will have to build your on-line profile carefully to ensure that search firms and employers can find you.

Networking is not just a room full of 'sales people' giving leads to each other, and nor is it doing deals on the golf course. It is about building relationships on which business is founded - don't forget this can be face to face and it can also be on the telephone or by email. It is said that as much as 70% of new jobs are found via networking so it is important that you engage in networking and prepare thoroughly for it. More people are hired by being at the right place at the right time and by speaking to the right people.

If you are going to events then develop a system for getting round the room with the least pain to you, particularly if you are not comfortable dealing with strangers. Most people are not natural networkers and can't walk up to any person in a room and strike up an interesting conversation. Don't just talk to people you know but set yourself a goal of speaking to say 2-3 new people, which will help you develop new contacts. When you are asked what you do, have your 30-second commercial ready, and give them a business card.

To become a good networker you should listen more than talk - as Dale Carnegie wrote in his bestseller "you can close more business in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years of trying to get people interested in you”. It does take time to network and successfully build relationships so you cannot expect instant results from your efforts, however if you network correctly you will find that opportunities will start to come to you.