How to Use Networking to Find Your Dream Job

Networking is one of the best avenues to finding dream job success.

"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." Lao-tzu, Tao-te Ching

I know... I know... you've probably heard that quote a thousand or a million times. But it's one of my favorites of all time, because it's just so apt. It speaks to what I tell you over and over in my dream jobs success system... you must TAKE ACTION if you hope to achieve your dreams!

Another way of saying pretty much the same thing is, " Nothing ventured nothing gained..." If you don't put youself out there, then it's just not going to happen.

So, bite the bullet and learn how to use networking to your advantage when seeking your next dream job...

What you are about to discover will benefit you greatly.

As a rule when you are looking for a dream job, you might start out by asking for help from family and close friends. You would contact these people to ask if they know of any current dream job openings, business opportunities or tips.

Your family and friends are the foundation of your networking list. But you'll definitely need to add many more names to your networking list. What is it exactly? Well, this list is a compilation of people with whom you have or had some personal alliance in the past. A prior classmate, co-worker, or neighbor may be a part of your networking list.

Who else might be included in your networking list? Well, it's really just a little of this, a little of that. A good rule of thumb is to contact everyone you can think of... from your present life and your past. Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Almost anyone can help you here.

Here are some specific possbilities to consider when building your networking list.

Relatives and Friends

Say what you will.... family and friends are still your best source of information in the very beginning. These are usually the people most willing to help you in your dream job search or business venture, partly because they truly know you, and partly because they care about you. They are generally more than happy to provide you any information they may have, or refer you to trustworthy people who will be able to help you. When they give you such leads, they are also willing to provide honest facts to you pertaining to the person you are going to connect with.

Members of Your Church, Political Party, Civic Association, Alumni Club, Social Club or Fraternity or Sorority

You may not have thought much about this, but people who share the same faith, culture or hobbies may also help you with finding a dream job. You may have a separate career from theirs, but they might know somebody who is in the same field or will be able to help you in your career.

Did you ever see the movie, Legally Blonde? (Actually, I think it was the sequel I'm thinking of...) In that movie, the main character forms a strong connection with a former enemy... solely because they belonged to the same sorority while in college! This may have been played for comic relief in the movie, but these kinds of connections with total strangers can be very real and can truly bear fruit in your job search.

However, depending on how well you know these people, they may not always be willing to share their perception of or contact information for their contacts. But if they are willing to share, their knowledge of the contact person can sometimes help you in making a plan on how to approach and ask for help from them.

Remember... a man—or woman!—can fail many times, but you aren't a failure until you give up.

Vendors That You Deal With

You may think that your relationship with these people is only based on the exchange of goods and services. However, people who sell you things can also be sources of intelligence when networking.

Since these people sell their goods to a wide variety of people, they may have connected with somebody who belongs to the same field as you do, or have heard information about your target dream job area from one of their customers.

These people will also be happy to help you, considering they know that maintaining a pleasant relationship with you means a stable business. After all, one good turn deserves another, right? Also, if you get that dream job, they know that it could mean you will have improved your purchasing power, and that may mean that you will buy more from them.

Previous Employers, Colleagues or Co-workers

Maintaining a good relationship with past employers and colleagues has more advantage than you can imagine. This is the best reason I know not to burn your bridges when you leave a job... if at all possible. You never know when you might need one of those people again, like it or not. If you've left on good terms (or repaired the relationships after the fact), then you're not only more likely to get a positive reference if a potential employer contacts them. You're also going to be able to tap the former colleagues and supervisors for information related to that field. You sure don't want to be spinning your wheels when networking, so be careful not to neglect this issue.

"A ship in harbor is safe, but that's not why ships are built." This quote by John Shedd tells us that by not stepping outside of our comfort zone we may stay safe and protected. But that's not how you will get your dream job. The only way to do that is to fulfill your destiny...

In the words of the great John F Kennedy, "Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction." So don't just strike off blindly in your networking efforts. Make a plan, and then carry it out systematically.

When you ask for help from family and friends, there is the possibility that the information that they can give to you is secondhand. They may not be able to give you first-hand information or precise information unless they also work in the same field that you came from or would like to go into. But, you know, you win some, you lose some in any venture. That's life.

But this tends to be acutely different when you consult with former employers and colleagues from the same sphere. They will usually be able to provide you with truly worthwhile networking leads and may be able to clarify facts and answer your questions to boot.

Members of Your Professional or Trade Organization

There are many reasons to belong to a professional organization related to the field in which you are looking for a dream job—among them to increase your knowledge. But when you belong to such organizations, you can also consult them for leads.

Many professional organizations maintain lists or online forums with listings of job openings from its member companies. The organization can also give you details on a company's profile and even on current market and career trends. So, there's no time like the present to get involved in your professional organization. The benefits are there for the taking.

"For true success, ask yourself these four questions: Why? Why not? Why not me? Why not now?" Jimmy Dean

So, that's just the tip of the iceberg for using your networking list to find out about possible dream jobs. The people I've mentioned are the most significant ones that you should include. The more you contact, the better... so you can have as many options in your dream job search as possible. There's no time like the present to start taking action, so get going! And remember, when shooting for the moon, you might be scared stiff, but practice makes perfect...

"A person with some doubt but taking action is better than one with no doubt taking no action." Michael E. Angier

If you play your cards right, you'll have that dream job in no time.

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