The First Rule Of Networking



Posted: Saturday, April 09, 2011

by Trevor Wilson
http://www.gradversity.com

Networking, especially in this economy, is one of the best things that you can do for your career. There is no better way to get ahead when it comes to your job hunt.

Unfortunately, I have never been a great networker. I’ve often been shy in social situations and I’ve never been very good at making small talk.

One of the things that I have always struggled with is how to “start” networking. When you are looking for a job and you don’t have a network to rely on, it can be a very daunting task. Things only seem worse when all of the career experts tell you that you need to network in order to find a job.

So how to do you actually start networking? Simple. You only have to follow:

Gradversity’s First Rule Of Networking:

Meet People.

That’s it. That’s all I want you to do. Get out and meet people. Just go out and have real conversations with real people. The strongest networks are made between people that have a connection on a personal level. And there is no better way to establish this type of connection than to just talk to someone.

So how can you meet people? Here are a few ideas to get you started:


There are a million different ways you can meet people. But if you don’t meet and talk to them, you will never be able to really develop your network, no matter how many contacts you have on LinkedIn.

So go out and put Gradversity’s First Rule Of Networking to work. What are you waiting for?
Trevor Wilson is an author and consultant who works with new graduates preparing to enter the work force. His site, Gradversity.com, provides daily advice on job hunting, networking, and resume writing tailored to the Entry Level Job seeker. His first book, Overcoming Gradversity: How to Break Into the Entry Level Job Market, was published in 2008.
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