6 Ways to Seriously Improve Your Networking Skills

When you have been job hunting, you may depend on networking with people you know to help you get the type of position you want. However, by improving your networking skills, you can use untapped resources and be more proactive in your job search. Being proactive can help you reach your goal of a job more quickly.

1. Send a Message

Over the years, you may have met a number of people you can include in your networking search and now, in addition to searching job sites, you are networking through friends, business contacts and others that you know. However, those people may not know what type of job you are looking for and what you do. By sending these people a short email or calling to ask if they will keep an eye out for job opportunities in your niche, you can widen your job hunt.

2. Join Groups in Your Field

Joining groups related to your field and alumni associations and their hosted events give you an added opportunity to network. Former classmates who are in the same field can provide potential leads on jobs. Groups with hosted events let you widen your range of acquaintances, and that may give you new leads on jobs. You might even consider doing a volunteer speaking stint to get your name and expertise more widely known.

3. Check Social Media

Checking Facebook, LinkedIn and other social media sites is a good way to reconnect. In addition, you can look at friends of these colleagues to find possible new connections and ask them for an introduction to expand your job search base. You probably have a number of friends on Facebook. Tell them you are job searching, and enlist their aid to put the word out. Engage in sites such as LinkedIn Events and Eventful to find helpful events to aid your job search.

4. Add to Your Networking Strategy

Although you can't go around flinging your business card at everyone you meet, it is a good idea to take some along. When you've had what you consider a helpful conversation with an individual, handing over one of your business cards and expressing interest in working for his or her company can be helpful.

5.Don't Make It All About You

When you are helpful to others, they are more likely to be helpful to you. Don't make it all about you, but listen well and show an interest in what others are saying. Contacts will be more likely to think of you if you have a friendly relationship that has been built on trust.

6. Practice Your Speech

Just as you would practice a speech for a hiring manager, practice asking job contacts to help or recommend you for a job. You don't want to take up too much of someone's time because that can make you look desperate, and keeping your speech short and appealing but to the point can be a good idea. Keep an eye on the other individual's body language before asking for help. An open individual with positive body language is more likely to assist you. Good networking is one way that you can conduct a job search. Another good way to job search is to have it done for you. TheJobNetwork does exactly that by searching around the clock to find job listings and sending them to you by email. After you fill out your qualifications and job interests, you can start receiving job matches to find the perfect job for you. To get started, sign up for job match alert.