SMART Job Seeker Cheat Sheet: Networking

By Mary Salvino, Career Management Coach

This easy-to-use cheat sheet pulls together the best tips, tricks, and advice from our archives.  It has been created to provide clear recommendations on how to address the most common areas for improvement related to networking:

• Know why you want to connect with people:
• Don’t collect contact information just for the sake of collecting contact information
• Identify and follow the names of the key people in your industry
• Build on-line and/or off-line rapport with people in your industry before you need it
• Never eat or drink coffee alone
• Attend industry and social events on a regular basis
• Be interesting:
• Maintain a list of socially acceptable ‘talking points’
• Ask good questions
• Offer/Introduce your contacts to other people they may be interested in meeting
• Support your local non-profit organizations
• Stay organized
• Follow-up on your word

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Copyright © 2013, Career Matters. All Rights Reserved. Show you care and share this article with your colleagues, coworkers and friends. Permission to Reprint: This article may be reprinted, provided it appears in its entirety with the following attribution: Copyright © 2013, Career Matters. Reprinted by permission of the author, Mary Salvino. “Career Matters” is a blog authored by Mary Salvino, the Senior Consultant for SMART Career Planning.com. It is dedicated to those who are seeking advice on managing their career and future career opportunities. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please send an e-mail to Mary.Salvino@shaw.ca.