Networking 101 – Getting that Job

Networking 101 – Getting that Job

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd -

Everybody is looking for ‘that job’!

Irrespective of whether you are working for a boss or self employed or in your own business, we are all looking for ‘that job’!  You know the one that I mean – that elusive cushie job that has the money all flowing in, be it money or because it’s easy, or full of challenges or even just because it is something that you really love doing and you’re in a constant state of euphoria.  Doesn’t really matter what the reason behind it is, the reality is that we all want it.

Do we ever get it?  Well I’m not too sure about you guys, but I certainly do, quite often in fact and even when I was in the Corporate world, there were moments when I got ‘that job’, so I am pretty sure that it must be the same for most folk.

Thing is though, the more often I get it, the more I want it!  Now that’s the beauty of Networking – the more I Network, the more often I get to get ‘that job’.  How cool is that?

Let’s take the Corporate world for a moment.  The Corporate world and the so called global economic meltdown (nope, I still haven’t bought into it and the results of this can be clearly seen in the growth spurt in my financials) are not really a good mix.  Millions of people worldwide have been retrenched, major projects have been stopped midway or abandoned altogether and even, what was considered the most secure position in the Corporate world, could very well be non existent tomorrow (fear will do that to you every time).  Now think about it for a minute, could you imagine the thoughts going through the head of a Corporate somebody, who has been retrenched and who is desperate for work and who has never done Networking of any kind?  That’s got to be a really scary place to be.

Yet here we are as small business owners and entrepreneurs, with the world at our feet, with opportunities that abound and the majority of us don’t Network properly either.  What a shame!

Successful Networkers, ensure that the networking never stops.  It doesn’t stop because you’ve landed the perfect job/project/client (insert what you would like here), it’s in your blood and when you are not Networking, you are thinking about Networking – well at least it’s like that for me.  I am constantly out and about, meeting new people, building relationships, connecting people, referring people. 

Is it not logical then, that I get to meet and engage with people who need a specific service that I can provide?  Is it not logical then, that I get to land ‘that job’ on a far more frequent basis than someone who doesn’t Network?

Is it not logical then, that we should all be out there Networking, engaging with others and connecting others in order for us also to be connected to others and referred to others and in so doing growing our businesses and landing ‘that job’? 

It is to me!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za  or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za