by Daisy Wright, CDPC, BA, CPS
It is said that Bill Gates' rise to the top may have resulted from an act of networking. Apparently his mother sat on the same Board of Directors as an IBM president, and that contact led to IBM purchasing the MS DOS operating system from Bill. Think about that! As timeworn as the word networking is, it is through this process that approximately 65% to 80% of available jobs or opportunities are discovered. Networking opens the doors to the hidden job market, and if you've not learned this art, many opportunities may be passing you by. Here is my ABC list of networking tips that I have put together to help you move your career forward.
Attend as many networking events as often as you can. It's a number's game. The more events you attend, the more people you'll meet.
Business Cards. Have adequate supply on hand and give them out to new contacts before you end your conversation with them.
Contact or follow-up all leads. You never know which one will produce results.
Dress appropriately for the event. If you are unsure about the dress code that's in effect, call ahead to find out.
Explain who you are and what you do in 30 seconds or less. Give people enough interesting and relevant information that they will want to contact you for details.
Find opportunities. Always be on the lookout for new opportunities. They have a way of springing up when you least expect.
Go for it! Determine beforehand how many pe...
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