Phoenix is the 5th largest city in the United States. So what are you doing to maximize the opportunity to network and leverage contacts that could lead you to your next career position? Sure, having an account on LinkedIn® is great, and every working professional should have one, but it’s also important to evaluate what other options you have to network. Even if you have 500+ Connections, 100K Friends on Facebook®, or 5K Twitter® Followers, it’s important you are taking the steps to communicate effectively and appropriately with them. Here are some tips:
- Facebook® - Who are you Friends with that may have contacts in companies you have on your hit list for your next job? You may not have family members as LinkedIn® Connections, but they could be possible supporters. Email them to ask how you can share your resume and cover letter to forward to people, or ask for the contacts’ information to send your own documents.
- LinkedIn® - Make sure you are effectively using the Get and Introduction feature. You don’t necessarily need to be best friends with someone in your network to ask for a formal introduction. Have a clear purpose such as ‘I am very interested in this company’s position in X industry and would like to contact Joe to see if I can meet with him. Would you mind making an Introduction via LinkedIn®?
- Twitter® - The odds of your Followers, or the people you are Following, getting you a job with only 140 characters is pretty slim. This may be a viable way to communicate your skills if the industry uses this social media as a standard for promotion such as entertainment, graphic arts, media, and advertising. Check out who your most influential close Followers are and then try to communicate outside the Twitter® world to establish a more extensive professional relationship.
Don’t forget the old fashioned way to build a network – get out of your house and office and meet people! It is very acceptable to ask someone for a business card or contact information once you have established a reason that you could want to communicate in the future.
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