Networking as a Way of Life
Most job-search systems are built around resumes. But anyone who knows the job market well understands that the primary driver of success is networking—meeting people and collecting information and news.
No single activity is more important to your career than building and enhancing your professional network.
Whether you are an executive looking for a job or an entrepreneur building a business, networking is the most effective way to get the word out. But just what kind of networking will work best for your particular situation? There are different types of network groups that serve different needs.
General networking groups -- such as Chamber of Commerce, Trade Association, or Professional Organization events -- give you an opportunity to meet with a variety of industry professionals. They are generally unstructured and it's up to you to mix and mingle.
Referral networking groups -- such as BNI (Business Network International) -- meet on a regular basis with the express purpose of having members share leads with one another.
Recently online networking groups have developed -- such as LinkedIn -- that offer individuals a way to make electronic introductions through an online database. These offer a much wider reach but executives may be wary of opening themselves up to too much unsolicited e-mail. For this reason many of these groups have requirements for membership that regulate how people communicate.
Networking is about expanding your Rolodex. Think of it this way. You meet someone. You each have 250 business contacts in your Rolodex. You are willing to be generous with referrals. You now have 500 contacts between you.
Whatever networking approach you take, networking only works if you "work" it -- i.e. show up on a regular basis, follow up, and build trusted relationships.
And it's not just business networks -- it's social networks as well. You never know when a "friend-of-a-friend" might be the person who will lead you to a job assignment.
The Ashton Tweed Associate Program harnesses the networking efforts of all candidates in the Ashton Tweed family. Ashton Tweed sharpens their networking skills with advanced networking and search techniques.
As they ply their existing network and meet new people looking for opportunities for themselves, they are trained to uncover openings and new candidates to refer back to Ashton Tweed.
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