This topic encompasses all three areas of management which is Human Resource Management, International Management, Contemporary Topics in Marketing and last but not least, Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management that may be essential at every point of your life.
It is never too early to learn the art of networking.
Networking
is an essential tool for job seekers. It may be the single most
effective way to getting the job of your dreams. Networking is not just a
good way to secure jobs; it is a tool that can help you in various
aspects of your life, from moving up the corporate ladder to meeting
your future life partner.
You
may think you have plenty of time to pick up this all-important skill
before you step into the working world. However, cultivating this habit
as early as possible can help you make the most out of your connections
in college and beyond. Here are a few things you could get started on
the network to success.
Build a contact list
Networking
is an active, ongoing process in which you identify people who can
provide information, advice, and best of all – more contacts! Ways to
identify and make new contacts include:
Extra-curricular activities.
These are great opportunities to make friends from other colleges. You
common interest is a good conversation starter, and you can then
progress to other topics like study tips and career choices.
Social networking siteslike
Facebook, Twitter, Blogger and online forums which enable you to join
common interest groups and make new friends. This is one good way to
extend your circle of contacts even if you have not personally met them.
Talking to parents of friends. Working
adults are one of the best ways to learn about the various career
choices you can make. Finding out first-hand information on a career
that you are interested in is better than reading about it in books and
websites.
Planning is everything
Once
you have identified the various avenues that can present you with
opportunities to network, the next step is to target specific
individuals for a relationship establishment that can benefit in the
long run. To build your self-confidence, you can start with people who
are more approachable.
Preparing to make contact
Once
you have made the necessary arrangements, and if they are working in an
industry you are interested to join, you should first research that
industry, in order to be a potential candidate. Find out more about
career challenges, professional development, overall work environment
and sources of job satisfaction but avoid asking about the salary range
of the jobs on offer.
Follow up
Keep
in touch with your contact, occasionally following up with thank-you
notes and updates on your career choices. By building long-lasting
relationships with your contacts, you would have created a pool of
individuals you can later use as referrals to get internships and even
jobs. However, ensure you obtain permission from them first.
Ask about vacancies
You
may ask your contacts if you are allowed to visit their workplaces, or
if you can work part-time there during your semester break to gain some
first-hand experience of the industry they work in. If they are still in
the company after you have graduated from university, you could even
send them a copy of your curriculum vitae to pass on to the hiring
manager should there be any suitable openings.
It
is never too early to start cultivating the habit of networking, so
that it becomes second nature to you by the time you graduate from
university. It is a vital skill to have as it may help you land a good
job even without sending out a single formal job application.
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