DG Employment Services Presents: The Do's and Don'ts of Professional Networking

[Muse]

· Do realize why networking is so important. Only 5 to 25 percent of jobs are advertised, so you can find out about all the unadvertised openings only through talking to as many people as possible and telling them you are looking for a job. Remember, the squeaky wheel gets the oil.

· Don’t have half-naked pictures of you smoking weed and drinking 40s on your Facebook or MySpace page. It’s just not a good look. If you must have risqué pics of yourself on a social networking site, set your profile to private.

·Do think creatively about where to find network contacts. You can find people to add to your network almost anywhere. People are resources. Use 'em.

· Don't go anywhere without copies of your resume and business cards or networking cards. When looking for a job, you can keep your resume in your car or briefcase, but be sure you can access it easily if you meet someone who could pass your resume along to a hiring manager. It's important to be prepared, but don't look desperate. It's a balancing act, really.

· Don't be afraid to ask for help. Most people are flattered to be asked for assistance and advice with your job search. It makes them feel useful and important.

· Do join a professional organization related to your field. Professional organizations are often the top venue for networking. Social organizations i.e. fraternaties and sorities also help.

· Do volunteer. Volunteer work is a good way to make network contacts. Besides, we all should be paying it forward anyway.

· Do find a mentor. A mentor -- that one person who can guide you, help you, take you under his or her wing and nurture your career quest -- can be the most valuable kind of network contact.


· Do come up with a system for organizing your network contacts, whether a spreadsheet on your computer a file box of index cards, a three-ring binder, Post-It Nites or whatever works for you.

· Do consider conducting informational interviews, the ultimate networking technique.


· Don't forget to thank everyone in your network who has been helpful to you, preferably with a nice thank-you note. It's just common courtesy to show your appreciation for peoples' time and assistance, and your contacts will remember your good manners. They'll remember poor manners, too.


· Do keep networking even after you've found a job. You never know when you might need your network contacts again.

[ρunonni_Ðonni]

· Do realize why networking is so important. Only 5 to 25 percent of jobs are advertised, so you can find out about all the unadvertised openings only through talking to as many people as possible and telling them you are looking for a job. Remember, the squeaky wheel gets the oil.

· Don’t have half-naked pictures of you smoking weed and drinking 40s on your Facebook or MySpace page. It’s just not a good look. If you must have risqué pics of yourself on a social networking site, set your profile to private.


·Do think creatively about where to find network contacts. You can find people to add to your network almost anywhere. People are resources. Use 'em.

· Don't go anywhere without copies of your resume and business cards or networking cards. When looking for a job, you can keep your resume in your car or briefcase, but be sure you can access it easily if you meet someone who could pass your resume along to a hiring manager. It's important to be prepared, but don't look desperate. It's a balancing act, really.

· Don't be afraid to ask for help. Most people are flattered to be asked for assistance and advice with your job search. It makes them feel useful and important.

· Do join a professional organization related to your field. Professional organizations are often the top venue for networking. Social organizations i.e. fraternaties and sorities also help.

· Do volunteer. Volunteer work is a good way to make network contacts. Besides, we all should be paying it forward anyway.

· Do find a mentor. A mentor -- that one person who can guide you, help you, take you under his or her wing and nurture your career quest -- can be the most valuable kind of network contact.


· Do come up with a system for organizing your network contacts, whether a spreadsheet on your computer a file box of index cards, a three-ring binder, Post-It Nites or whatever works for you.

· Do consider conducting informational interviews, the ultimate networking technique.


· Don't forget to thank everyone in your network who has been helpful to you, preferably with a nice thank-you note. It's just common courtesy to show your appreciation for peoples' time and assistance, and your contacts will remember your good manners. They'll remember poor manners, too.


· Do keep networking even after you've found a job. You never know when you might need your network contacts again.

YESSSSSS! OMG @ employers asking for myspace pages. The last job I had they asked for my myspace. I hear sometimes they just search your name without telling you. But I have a false name set in my basic info so no one can find me unless I give my url.

[Muse]

YESSSSSS! OMG @ employers asking for myspace pages. The last job I had they asked for my myspace. I hear sometimes they just search your name without telling you. But I have a false name set in my basic info so no one can find me unless I give my url.

You'd be surprised how important those things are. Anytime we hire interns for the summer, the FIRST thing we check is their Facebook page. I don't have a MySpace, so I never check their's, but I QUICKLY hit up their Facebook. I don't need any naked drunks or druggies looking a damn fool on my team.

[Il Primo Uomo]

This was kind of perfect timing for me, Musey. Im headed out to meet with a contact now. Thankx!

[ρunonni_Ðonni]

You'd be surprised how important those things are. Anytime we hire interns for the summer, the FIRST thing we check is their Facebook page. I don't have a MySpace, so I never check their's, but I QUICKLY hit up their Facebook. I don't need any naked drunks or druggies looking a damn fool on my team.

OH MY! But people who put pics like that up on somewhere like myspace are dumb. They always delete inappropriate pics in the photo section and most hosting sites do too, that u have to upload through for the html code. That's why you stay filthy, nasty, raunchy on sites like BGC, or just be nasty in person and don't let anyone online know how u are. The worse thing ever is to have nude pics that are affiliated with you, with your face being shown.

[Muse]

This was kind of perfect timing for me, Musey. Im headed out to meet with a contact now. Thankx!

[Maple]

Thanks Muse gerl, this is helpful. Didn't you have one about internships and stuff?

[Sex.Rated]

I HAD A JOB INTERVIEW TODAY LOL

YEA ITS OFFICIAL- I HATE WORKING!

[Maple]

I HAD A JOB INTERVIEW TODAY LOL

YEA ITS OFFICIAL- I HATE WORKING!

Congrats gerl. Is it something related to what you graduated from?

[Muse]

Thanks Muse gerl, this is helpful. Didn't you have one about internships and stuff?

You're welcome. Yes, I did. Click here.

I HAD A JOB INTERVIEW TODAY LOL

YEA ITS OFFICIAL- I HATE WORKING!

Congrats. I hate working, too.