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Networking 101: Who Do You Want to Meet?

When I speak locally,  there are usually a few people who come up and ask to connect with me.  It may take a while but I try to meet everyone who asks me. I like meeting new people and it helps me reach my goal of meeting 5+ new people a week. Do you have a goal to meet a certain number of new people a week? Whether you are a business owner or a job seeker,  meeting new people is critical.

Most  job seekers don’t really have any idea of who they want to meet. Whether you call it your “marketing plan” or target list – please know who you want to meet, and not just oh the hiring manager after you have a particular job in your sights.  If you’re not sure, get a  job search buddy or join a networking group to help you and here are a few ideas.

Think about people in your current, related or desired fields who have a good reputation and are in:

— Academia or are Vendors/Suppliers or Sales People

Think about targeting people in companies where you might be interested in working.  Get introduced to people who are in leadership positions in non profits or on Boards of nonprofits and individuals who teach skills you are interested in learning. And last but not least, meet with people who know a lot of people (network with networkers!) Use Linked In to find the names of people you want to meet.

When I attend a networking event, I am usually there to meet someone I have identified as a potential contact. Someone I hope to help so that they will remember me when they need a consultant. Make that list, check it twice and go out and meet some new people. You’ll be glad you did.

Photo credit: http://www.kvcfi.com/team_careers.htm


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