I have learned in my many years of employment and unemployment that the best thing you can possibly do in and out of work is NETWORK. Many potential employers rely more on references and recommendations than on actual work experience. Of course, they still rely on a resume for the basic information. A resume will get you in the door, but if you have excellent recommendations from colleagues and past employers, that will work to your benefit like nothing else.
I recently browsed some employment websites that offer job seeker tips and suggestions, and I found networking was a popular theme in some forums. A recommendation can make or break your chances of getting that job offer. So before you begin performing an online job search, you might want to make sure you have people on your side.
There are even some popular business networking websites that are actually quite reputable. If you haven’t yet created a profile on LinkedIn, you might want to do that and get in touch with past colleagues. So when you apply for jobs on employment websites, you can refer the potential employers to your profile. There they will be able to view your past work experience, your interests and your network. Colleagues are also able to write recommendations about your work.
I recently performed an online job search for an acquaintance of mine who needed some assistance, and one of the employers that responded actually asked if she had a LinkedIn profile. Thankfully, she did and he was impressed with her work experience and recommendations. She got the job!
Of course, you’ll want to network off the web as well. If you’re still employed, meet people in your industry. Get to know them and build a relationship. It’ll pay off later.
Posted under business
This post was written by admin on October 7, 2009
