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Common Networking Mistakes Job Seekers Make
Common Networking Mistakes Job Seekers Make
In today's day and age, networking and having both in person and online connections is extremely important for fresh ideas, and to build relationships of your own. Using social media sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter now allow for a much easier way to find people in your industry and to share opinions, access information and build confidence. This being said, there are some common networking mistakes which should be avoided by job seekers.
Assuming that making a connection means asking someone for something.
Many people think that networking means gaining something immediately from the person. This is not the case at all, networking is with the aim of building relationships and growing your circle. It’s a bonus if you happen to bump into a hiring manager for the perfect job for you, but this by no means should be the reason you’re networking.
Old profiles online
It is likely that after meeting or speaking to someone for the first time, they’ll most likely check you out on Linkedin to see what you’re about. This is why it’s vital not only that you have social media profiles, but also that they are uptodate and represent the skills and experience you have.
Not reciprocating
As with any other other type of relationship in life they all take a certain amount of effort and commitment. Any effort people put in with you, make sure you reciprocate it to ensure you maintain and grow a healthy working relationship with this person.
Not making a note of who you connected with and how
Not making a note will generally mean you forget to get back to people and to further that connection. Having a simple list is a great way to just stay on top of who you met and their industry and job.
Expecting immediate results from connections
Not everyone you meet you’ll click with straight away. So, don’t expect results from networking the first event you go to. Throughout your working life, you’ll continue to network and meet people, this is normal and how it should be. Additionally, if you’re networking simply to gain something from your connections, then you’re doing it for the wrong reasons. Networking is about building strong working connections with people, and yes if you meet a hiring manager who happens to have to job for you, then that’s a perk but it’s not the reason networking is so important.
Networking doesn’t have hard and fast rules about how it should be done. But, these simple mistakes above are some to avoid, as they simply hinder the chances of you making successful, worthwhile and long-term connections with people.
Stay Safe,
Team Affecto.