Networking is a key element of the job search
process. It is also important when creating a positive chemistry within any
organization. What would you suggest to others to improve their networking
abilities?
Networking is a key element of the job search process. It is also important when creating a positive chemistry within any organization. What would you suggest to others to improve their networking abilities? I would say don’t be afraid to socialize. This day and age people are so technology driven that they forget how to do face-to-face networking. Keep in mind that networking does involve people seeing you .The more you make yourself known, the more people may start to recognize you. They more they recognize you, the more opportunities you have to promote yourself. In order to improve you have to be comfortable with yourself and know what works for you. I normally spark up a conversation as if I were meeting a new friend. Ask questions like: What do you like about the industry? What company do you work for? What inspires you? Anything that gets people talking is how you can network. Another way is to be prepared, know who your potential contacts may be. People that you know that work in the area that you want to be, who may be like you and that you could see yourself working with. Look for someone who may want new, fresh, and innovative ideas. Usually while you are in school is when you still get fresh information. That way you can keep up with events and plan to talk to people that you know will be there. Also find ways to make yourself memorable. People love new. If you know that you are going to an event that specializes in a particular area, study the area, that way you have conversational pieces. You never know what could happen. It may be an event where you can showcase your portfolio and possibly land a job. Be a great listener. People always seem to talk about issues (why I don’t know), but this can be used to the advantage of shy people. Great listeners are problem solvers. If you can solve a problem you just created yourself a great opportunity. Problems solvers get paid!!! I also try to find things that set me apart from other people. I can use these quickly and effectively so that I’m selling myself without sounding conceited or self-absorbed. Keep it short and sweet so that people can remember you. I also grab tons of business cards. People in the industry will see so many different people that they may forget about you. Email contacts or even offer to take them to lunch. Find creative ways to keep in contact with people. These were just a few things that I could think of Oh and practice. If you know that you want to work for a specific company, then you need to practice what you would say to them if you were granted the opportunity to sell yourself. Study the company; learn their concept statement, what are the company’s values. What are they looking for? Why would you be a great match for their company? Talk about things you have researched off of their website. Make yourself knowledgeable about the company. Ok now I’m done.
The world is a big place - 7,038,044,500 people on the planet to be exact. Seven billion people can prove to be an intimidating number at first, but we all know it’s a small world. It’s an interesting paradox, but size is relative regardless. Starting out in the professional world can be overwhelming. In the beginning, we all appear to be so small in relation with the rest of the world starting from ground zero. There are several, successful people who have begun at the bottom but all have one thing in common; they have mastered their networking skills. A wise man once told me, “Networking are the keys to the universe”, an exhilarating statement, but very true in an ideological sense. Networking properly is the most efficient, most productive and quickest way to find who or what you are looking for.
There are several advantages including exposure, opportunity, new ideas and cost benefits. The web has also made the process much simpler connecting people all over the world. The beautiful part of it all is that you can start at anytime with anybody. Networking can be used to find what you are looking for or a cheap way to market yourself and your services. Preparing for your networking is also just as important. It’s significant to have a sharp understanding of who/what you are looking for and what you have to offer. After starting to network with the right people the world starts to shrink and it becomes less intimidating.
Begin your networking process by designing a simplistic, clean business card with your name, contact information and any web based links you feel that are important such as your online portfolio. Don’t spend a lot of money on printing your business cards, as they can get expensive quickly if you’re not careful. Vistaprint, Print100 and Moo have all been respectable printing companies who don’t break your bank to print cards out. Try to have business cards on you as much as you can. You never know when people might ask for your information and you will want to be prepared. From personal experience, there have been times I have been unprepared and lost potential customers due to my lack of organization and not being able to give them my contact information.
Once you feel happy with your business card, start the networking process by talking to someone; preferably in your local group of people you know to start practicing your speaking skills. Talk to your friends, family, neighbors, professors and fellow students. If they don’t know you, introduce yourself and explain in a very short way who you are and what you have to offer. Ask for their contact information and exchange a couple laughs. People tend to remember folks they like and can relate with. For the people who you exchange information with, it’s critical to follow up with an email or even better a hand written letter. Tell them thank you for the time and jot down something you learned during the conversation. Repeat the process and eventually it will filter itself towards the exact person or thing you are looking for. Practice makes perfect.
After networking for a decent amount of time you will have collected a vast assortment of business cards and contact personnel. Keep track of the people in circles so you know where they are and know to keep in touch with them. Touching base with people you haven’t talked to in awhile can keep the relationship alive and thriving.
Networking is a living breathing process so there really is no end to it. Continue to network to continue your roadmap to success. Keep practicing your speaking skill, social dexterity, and be sure to help other beginning networkers out as well. Start as soon as you can and have fun with it.
Networking is a great way to get your name in the industry field that you are going into. I haven't done much networking but I know it can be very helpful and help you collect a decent size circle in your career field. You're setting the tone for yourself in your industry through networking. It's how you get yourself to where you want to be.
Depending on what kind of art you do I recommend behance.net its a professional website to put your work. I would suggest looking for professional mentors in your field. Making contact with these professionals will not only help you get a job but help you improve your work. Often people end up getting jobs because of the people they know. I would suggest to start networking as soon as possible and meet as many professionals as you can. also remember to listen to their feedback don't just use them to get a job but to improve your work as well. Networking is a great way to get your name out their and learn from professionals and gaining as much experience as possible.
Suggestions I would give someone about their networking when attending this Institute is to make as many friends as possible in different majors. You never know whom your classmates will be working for in the future and it might come in handy when looking for a job after graduating at the school. One great example I have was meeting a photography student in one of my general education classes that has willingly shot multiple styling projects for me. This worked out great because a lot of other students were hiring other photography students or just receiving a few select pictures from others. But Taylor has willingly shot hundreds of pictures for me and has just let me have complete access to whatever I wanted. Besides networking at school, I would suggest making a Linked in profile and also making sure your other social networking sites are appropriate. They shouldn’t necessary be professional but you shouldn’t be posting about your drunken nights and boyfriend/girlfriend issues, which leads to the plus that there will be less annoying posts on Facebook if everyone could follow this rule.
Networking is so important on so many levels it's not even funny. Ever see a friend who knows everyone and you feel awkward because you don't? Ummm duh!! That person has been networking!! If you want people to know who you are you have to get out there and meet the professionals-remember they were in your shoes once and they remember how hard it can be. Most I have met are really nice and willing to help you out and point you in the right direction. What I like about meeting different companies is that it gives me a good sense of where I want to work-or don't want too and what area in my field I want to work in. The more people who know you the more job opportunities and experiences you will get, so don't sit in the corner and wait for that perfect job-it'll never come.
There are several things I’ve learned about networking. The first major thing is to stop being afraid to interact with a complete stranger. More often than not that stranger, if they’re in the same field as you will probably share the same passion and interests as you do. It gets easier every time you network with someone. One key thing to establishing a great contact is to show your passion, skill, and technique, but not come off as stuck up, prideful, or self-centered. People want to work with someone who is a team player and has a good personality. Secondly build a strong internet presence, people from anywhere can see your work at any time. Combined with the viral nature of the internet, if one person finds your work to be awesome or interesting, they’ll let their friends know. Then they’ll show their friends and so on and so forth. Also the internet makes it easy for someone to find and contact you. If you have a profile on Facebook, LinkedIn, and other sites like that including you own web site it will make you easy to find. Especially if they all are linked to one another, so viewers are sent from one to the other. One other thing to keep in mind is that anyone is a potential contact; you never know who someone knows or what position they hold. Also doing extra work for the contacts you’ve made really helps sell you as well.
Networking is a big deal. It's a way to get your name out there and letting people know what you do. I say try to get as many freelance jobs as you can. This lets people know that you are wanting to work and it also lets you have a bigger selection to your portfolio. I have a portfolio online, that can be a start to your networking. Also you can put your projects on facebook, this can also help you get out there. It's all about who you know. Knowing people can really help you get a job.
I think networking is a big deal!! How else are you going to have others knowing your name? One website that is great for getting your name out there is Linkedin.com . This is a great website that I was introduced to right out of high school. The website helps manage your professional identity. I also help people build and engage with there professional network. This website is great to have!!
Most definitely networking is important. Among a lot of other qualifications that can make or break a hire, networking can either get you a job or prevent you from getting one. For example; if I apply for a job at a visual effects studio, and there is another candidate who has the exact same qualifications that I do. We have the same level of education, the same work ethic, the same level of skill shown on our demo reel.. the only area where that person and I may differ, is that I personally know the person who is hiring. I may have worked with them before or we might have chatted once at a seminar or something, and because of these things, he might realize that I'm a person he would be willing to hang out with for 8 hours a day. Or he might know that I'm a total douche and he wants to go with the other guy because I'm a pain in the ass.
Also, if you network well, you might not even have to go in for an interview- if you put yourself out there, let people know who you are, what you care about in your industry and give them access to your work, they might just seek you out outright and give you a job simply because they already know what you're capable of. Either way- networking is not only smart, it's becoming essential for artists in this day and age if they want to make money.
I would suggest that people attend local meetups and events geared towards their intended field of study. In doing so they will have the opportunity to meet people in the field and build relationships which could ultimately lead them places. I'd also say joining organizations and reaching out to local people to help in their industry in free time is another way to establish connections.
For good networking, people need to share their passions. That is why we are all here. They need to have something in common, and a good start is their respective passions. They could share new projects.
For someone that need to increase their network they should be able to talk to strangers. Get out of your comfort bubble and talk to new people. Practice is how you get good at talking to large audiece, or even someone that you think highly of, because that can seem just as scary.
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ReplyDeleteNetworking is a key element of the job search process. It is also important when creating a positive chemistry within any organization. What would you suggest to others to improve their networking abilities?
ReplyDeleteI would say don’t be afraid to socialize. This day and age people are so technology driven that they forget how to do face-to-face networking. Keep in mind that networking does involve people seeing you .The more you make yourself known, the more people may start to recognize you. They more they recognize you, the more opportunities you have to promote yourself. In order to improve you have to be comfortable with yourself and know what works for you. I normally spark up a conversation as if I were meeting a new friend. Ask questions like: What do you like about the industry? What company do you work for? What inspires you? Anything that gets people talking is how you can network. Another way is to be prepared, know who your potential contacts may be. People that you know that work in the area that you want to be, who may be like you and that you could see yourself working with. Look for someone who may want new, fresh, and innovative ideas. Usually while you are in school is when you still get fresh information. That way you can keep up with events and plan to talk to people that you know will be there. Also find ways to make yourself memorable. People love new. If you know that you are going to an event that specializes in a particular area, study the area, that way you have conversational pieces. You never know what could happen. It may be an event where you can showcase your portfolio and possibly land a job.
Be a great listener. People always seem to talk about issues (why I don’t know), but this can be used to the advantage of shy people. Great listeners are problem solvers. If you can solve a problem you just created yourself a great opportunity. Problems solvers get paid!!! I also try to find things that set me apart from other people. I can use these quickly and effectively so that I’m selling myself without sounding conceited or self-absorbed. Keep it short and sweet so that people can remember you. I also grab tons of business cards. People in the industry will see so many different people that they may forget about you. Email contacts or even offer to take them to lunch. Find creative ways to keep in contact with people.
These were just a few things that I could think of Oh and practice. If you know that you want to work for a specific company, then you need to practice what you would say to them if you were granted the opportunity to sell yourself. Study the company; learn their concept statement, what are the company’s values. What are they looking for? Why would you be a great match for their company? Talk about things you have researched off of their website. Make yourself knowledgeable about the company. Ok now I’m done.
The world is a big place - 7,038,044,500 people on the planet to be exact. Seven billion people can prove to be an intimidating number at first, but we all know it’s a small world. It’s an interesting paradox, but size is relative regardless. Starting out in the professional world can be overwhelming. In the beginning, we all appear to be so small in relation with the rest of the world starting from ground zero. There are several, successful people who have begun at the bottom but all have one thing in common; they have mastered their networking skills. A wise man once told me, “Networking are the keys to the universe”, an exhilarating statement, but very true in an ideological sense. Networking properly is the most efficient, most productive and quickest way to find who or what you are looking for.
ReplyDeleteThere are several advantages including exposure, opportunity, new ideas and cost benefits. The web has also made the process much simpler connecting people all over the world. The beautiful part of it all is that you can start at anytime with anybody. Networking can be used to find what you are looking for or a cheap way to market yourself and your services. Preparing for your networking is also just as important. It’s significant to have a sharp understanding of who/what you are looking for and what you have to offer. After starting to network with the right people the world starts to shrink and it becomes less intimidating.
Begin your networking process by designing a simplistic, clean business card with your name, contact information and any web based links you feel that are important such as your online portfolio. Don’t spend a lot of money on printing your business cards, as they can get expensive quickly if you’re not careful. Vistaprint, Print100 and Moo have all been respectable printing companies who don’t break your bank to print cards out. Try to have business cards on you as much as you can. You never know when people might ask for your information and you will want to be prepared. From personal experience, there have been times I have been unprepared and lost potential customers due to my lack of organization and not being able to give them my contact information.
Once you feel happy with your business card, start the networking process by talking to someone; preferably in your local group of people you know to start practicing your speaking skills. Talk to your friends, family, neighbors, professors and fellow students. If they don’t know you, introduce yourself and explain in a very short way who you are and what you have to offer. Ask for their contact information and exchange a couple laughs. People tend to remember folks they like and can relate with. For the people who you exchange information with, it’s critical to follow up with an email or even better a hand written letter. Tell them thank you for the time and jot down something you learned during the conversation. Repeat the process and eventually it will filter itself towards the exact person or thing you are looking for. Practice makes perfect.
After networking for a decent amount of time you will have collected a vast assortment of business cards and contact personnel. Keep track of the people in circles so you know where they are and know to keep in touch with them. Touching base with people you haven’t talked to in awhile can keep the relationship alive and thriving.
Networking is a living breathing process so there really is no end to it. Continue to network to continue your roadmap to success. Keep practicing your speaking skill, social dexterity, and be sure to help other beginning networkers out as well. Start as soon as you can and have fun with it.
Networking is a great way to get your name in the industry field that you are going into. I haven't done much networking but I know it can be very helpful and help you collect a decent size circle in your career field. You're setting the tone for yourself in your industry through networking. It's how you get yourself to where you want to be.
ReplyDeleteDepending on what kind of art you do I recommend behance.net its a professional website to put your work. I would suggest looking for professional mentors in your field. Making contact with these professionals will not only help you get a job but help you improve your work. Often people end up getting jobs because of the people they know. I would suggest to start networking as soon as possible and meet as many professionals as you can. also remember to listen to their feedback don't just use them to get a job but to improve your work as well. Networking is a great way to get your name out their and learn from professionals and gaining as much experience as possible.
ReplyDeleteSuggestions I would give someone about their networking when attending this Institute is to make as many friends as possible in different majors. You never know whom your classmates will be working for in the future and it might come in handy when looking for a job after graduating at the school. One great example I have was meeting a photography student in one of my general education classes that has willingly shot multiple styling projects for me. This worked out great because a lot of other students were hiring other photography students or just receiving a few select pictures from others. But Taylor has willingly shot hundreds of pictures for me and has just let me have complete access to whatever I wanted.
ReplyDeleteBesides networking at school, I would suggest making a Linked in profile and also making sure your other social networking sites are appropriate. They shouldn’t necessary be professional but you shouldn’t be posting about your drunken nights and boyfriend/girlfriend issues, which leads to the plus that there will be less annoying posts on Facebook if everyone could follow this rule.
Networking is so important on so many levels it's not even funny. Ever see a friend who knows everyone and you feel awkward because you don't? Ummm duh!! That person has been networking!! If you want people to know who you are you have to get out there and meet the professionals-remember they were in your shoes once and they remember how hard it can be. Most I have met are really nice and willing to help you out and point you in the right direction. What I like about meeting different companies is that it gives me a good sense of where I want to work-or don't want too and what area in my field I want to work in. The more people who know you the more job opportunities and experiences you will get, so don't sit in the corner and wait for that perfect job-it'll never come.
ReplyDeleteThere are several things I’ve learned about networking. The first major thing is to stop being afraid to interact with a complete stranger. More often than not that stranger, if they’re in the same field as you will probably share the same passion and interests as you do. It gets easier every time you network with someone. One key thing to establishing a great contact is to show your passion, skill, and technique, but not come off as stuck up, prideful, or self-centered. People want to work with someone who is a team player and has a good personality.
ReplyDeleteSecondly build a strong internet presence, people from anywhere can see your work at any time. Combined with the viral nature of the internet, if one person finds your work to be awesome or interesting, they’ll let their friends know. Then they’ll show their friends and so on and so forth. Also the internet makes it easy for someone to find and contact you. If you have a profile on Facebook, LinkedIn, and other sites like that including you own web site it will make you easy to find. Especially if they all are linked to one another, so viewers are sent from one to the other.
One other thing to keep in mind is that anyone is a potential contact; you never know who someone knows or what position they hold. Also doing extra work for the contacts you’ve made really helps sell you as well.
Networking is a big deal. It's a way to get your name out there and letting people know what you do. I say try to get as many freelance jobs as you can. This lets people know that you are wanting to work and it also lets you have a bigger selection to your portfolio. I have a portfolio online, that can be a start to your networking. Also you can put your projects on facebook, this can also help you get out there. It's all about who you know. Knowing people can really help you get a job.
ReplyDeleteThis is Haley! (On Fiancé account)
ReplyDeleteI think networking is a big deal!! How else are you going to have others knowing your name? One website that is great for getting your name out there is Linkedin.com . This is a great website that I was introduced to right out of high school. The website helps manage your professional identity. I also help people build and engage with there professional network. This website is great to have!!
Most definitely networking is important. Among a lot of other qualifications that can make or break a hire, networking can either get you a job or prevent you from getting one. For example; if I apply for a job at a visual effects studio, and there is another candidate who has the exact same qualifications that I do. We have the same level of education, the same work ethic, the same level of skill shown on our demo reel.. the only area where that person and I may differ, is that I personally know the person who is hiring. I may have worked with them before or we might have chatted once at a seminar or something, and because of these things, he might realize that I'm a person he would be willing to hang out with for 8 hours a day. Or he might know that I'm a total douche and he wants to go with the other guy because I'm a pain in the ass.
ReplyDeleteAlso, if you network well, you might not even have to go in for an interview- if you put yourself out there, let people know who you are, what you care about in your industry and give them access to your work, they might just seek you out outright and give you a job simply because they already know what you're capable of. Either way- networking is not only smart, it's becoming essential for artists in this day and age if they want to make money.
I would suggest that people attend local meetups and events geared towards their intended field of study. In doing so they will have the opportunity to meet people in the field and build relationships which could ultimately lead them places. I'd also say joining organizations and reaching out to local people to help in their industry in free time is another way to establish connections.
ReplyDeleteFor good networking, people need to share their passions. That is why we are all here. They need to have something in common, and a good start is their respective passions. They could share new projects.
ReplyDeleteFor someone that need to increase their network they should be able to talk to strangers. Get out of your comfort bubble and talk to new people. Practice is how you get good at talking to large audiece, or even someone that you think highly of, because that can seem just as scary.