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Networking is about
building relationships to allow you to enlist the
support of your contacts and feel confident in asking
for their advice, ideas and referrals.
One way to network is to schedule
informational interviews. Following are some tips
you may want to keep in mind:
- When asking to meet, give
some background about yourself and state the purpose
for the meeting. Ask for the meeting to last
no more than half an hour.
- Never be late.
- Arrange everything to go as
smoothly as possible.
- You can either choose to meet
the other person at his office or outside, over
coffee or lunch. Meeting the other person at his
office will allow you to have a look at the work
environment. On the other hand, meeting outside the
office may create a more informal and relaxed
atmosphere for the conversation.
- Dress professionally.
- Be familiar with the position of the
other person.
- Be sure to jot down all of the questions that
you want to ask.
- Thank the other person for
his time.
- Smile and try to make the
conversation interesting.
- Don't forget to follow-up
after the meeting.
Advantages of an Informational
Interview
If you want to network effectively,
you should leverage all the aspects of networking.
Informational interviewing is one of them. An
informational interview can
help you:
- Reach an informed decision about your career
goals and interests.
- Provide a sense of
direction to your
job search.
- Put you in contact with
insiders and give you the opportunity to ask
questions in an informal setting.
- Uncover the hidden job
market.
What is meant by the "hidden job
market"? It refers to job openings that are not
advertised. For instance, although a company is busy, it
is hesitant to hire someone new. You informally meet
with a manager in the company through a referral. The
manager likes you and creates a position for you. The
opening was never posted.
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