By Micah Levin, Business2Community.com
Special to Online Career Tips
There are many ways to get a job, but these days it feels like there aren’t many available positions that suit you. Often times career counselors or representatives at the job fairs will tell you that a lot of it has to do with networking, and on some level they right. Networking is how many people land a job, but not everyone, so don’t feel bad that your internship or summer job didn’t guarantee you a box full of business cards and a smartphone full of contacts.
The reason for this is because these same counselors and representatives can’t really explain to you the one golden way of just going out and “networking”. This is because there isn’t just one way of networking, and you should be open to a few different strategies that will force you to be a little more… let’s say, adventurous! Here are three ways of approaching the game:
- Volunteer work. Some of you might be somewhat skeptical of using your free job hunting hours to take calls at a non-profit three days a week, or helping a team of like-minded students to organize of food drive for two months, but there is more to volunteering that can lead to a broader network. First of all, when you engage yourself fully at an independent non-profit or a registered city-run program, you meet all sorts of people who get to see you working hard and learning new skills. There is a great article I read online that turned me onto this options, 7 Reasons Volunteering Can Lead to a Job by Julie Shifman, that I really recommend you read as it has makes some great points about doing this. And besides, what’s better than helping people and bettering your job prospects at the same time? Break free from your comfort zone!
- Who do YOU know? Okay, so you don’t have time to volunteer at the soup kitchen, you already have two jobs to keep you afloat while you are looking for your dream job or maybe it really isn’t your thing. Try looking inwards instead. Sometimes it’s the more simple answers that we overlook or don’t consider that could help us out the most. Start with your immediate family and branch outwards, asking family friends, parents of friends, helpful acquaintances and former intern/work employees if they know someone who might need your skills and unpaid services. Don’t be ashamed to work for your parents if it means meeting the right people for a passion you never knew you had. Be proud of the connections made for you and be aggressive in calling them up or asking for business cards. It helped me get my first freelance work and eventually a full time job.
- Just go out and meet people. Believe it or not, this also works. You’ll only make new friends if you go out- not unlike love in a way- and seek them out. Everyone is different and so naturally not every guy in a suit with a briefcase is going to engage you without some reservations, but if you dress properly, bring copies of your resume and some business cards, you’d be surprised at some of the responses you’ll get from people. I tried this and it helped me get interviews for jobs in NYC at places like Goldstein & Lee P.C. for a paralegal position and a talent agent assistant position at Innovative Artists. The point is to flexible, open to scary, brave new experiences and just being friendly. People will pick up on this and see ambition and drive; don’t sit inside all day on a computer applying for jobs like I tried. Get out and about!
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