By Christiane Soto

Connecting with others is a key component of the job search.  It is also the most productive.  Applying online, blindly submitting resumes or attending job fairs will simply not yield the same results as networking.

For many people, networking is a scary proposition; however, if managed correctly, it can be very productive.  There are numerous opportunities to network every single day– at sporting events, at weddings, standing in line at the DMV.  All networking is (really) is talking, sharing information and finding commonalities.

There are also networking groups to join to make the process easier.  Many hold monthly structured meetings designed to make networking easier or to teach new skills.

Whereas job seekers should embrace every public outing as a networking opportunity, the question always arises as to how many networking groups a person should join.  How do you decide which events to attend and how to allocate your time to the different events?    

It is a simple analysis of

• Objectives
• Membership
• Cost

Objectives

Analyze your reasons for joining a specific group.  Are you an active job seeker?  Happily employed but looking for opportunities?  Have taken the advice of this blog and realized that you need to network more?

After analyzing, conduct some research to see which networking groups and functions most closely align with your own personal objectives.   Many have websites or (at bare minimum) their own Facebook page, on which their purpose and objectives are clearly stated.

Membership

People attend networking events for different reasons, including:

• Learning and education
• Lead generation
• Launch a new business
• Emotional support
• Personal connections
• Job searching

Take a close look at the make-up of the particular group you are interested in.  For example, if the overwhelming majority of attendees are job seekers looking for similar jobs, there may not be enough opportunity with that particular group.  Unfortunately, there is really no good way to find out this information except to attend one meeting/function.

Cost

Does it cost anything to join the group?  Can you afford it?  Many job seekers are on a very tight budget, and paying money to join a multitude of networking groups is simply not possible.

In addition, you need to analyze your time and the opportunity cost of your time.  It is not necessary to attend every networking function.  Many job seekers think that going to one event will land them an interview at a great company.  This is not the case.  Networking is about building relationships, and relationships take time.  Ask yourself what you are NOT able to do because you are spending three hours of your day at a networking function?  Could those hours be put to better use through some other means?

Snelling is here to help.  Networking is not something that you should do once you are laid off or have lost your job.  It should become an integral part of your life.  Every meeting should be viewed as a chance to network.  So begin building your network, and as it develops consider temporary work assignments with Snelling.  Temporary employment is a great way to build your network (think of all the people you will meet), test out new careers and earn a paycheck at the same time.  Want to hear more.  Register on our website or locate your local office today!