Networking vs. Cyber-Networking

Networking, they say, is the best way to find your next job. By nature, I'm not a networker. I feel uncomfortable in crowds, especially when I don't know anyone. In that situation, I don't present myself well, either. There are ways to network on-line, through sites such as linkedin.com as well as finding listserves dealing with your profession.

Linkedin has been very successful for me. With the number of companies I've worked with (I specialize in moving startups to the next level - usually to buyout or merger), I've found many people I haven't heard from in years. The opportunities I've received from that site alone have been very lucrative.

Another way to network is to set up a blog and write about your profession. The content, if well written, can position you as an expert in your field. This isn't a short-term solution - this may take a while to work, but keep up a conversation with anyone who responds to your blog. Even if they are in the same situation you are in, they may know someone who is looking for someone exactly like you!

If you like the hands-on approach, join any marketing associations in your locale. Do you have access to chambers of commerce, rotary clubs, etc. for potential speaking engagements? Have you considered volunteering your marketing services to a worthy cause with a board of directors packed with influential people in your industry? The last two may not pay anything, but it gets you in front of the right people who just might need your services in the “real world”. Plus it keeps you from sitting in your jammies all day in front of the TV waiting for the phone to ring… :-)