If you’re looking for a job, you’ve got to look in as many places and in as many ways as possible. It might have been acceptable at one time to simply look at the ads in your local paper or jobcentre, however these days it’s essential to do so much more. With fewer jobs around and more people applying for those that are, doing everything that you can is an absolute must. Networking can be one of the best ways of boosting your job search yet it’s often one of the things that people dread most. However, it needn’t be like that, as long as you get to grips with the basics. With that in mind, here are some basic Networking Tips for your Job Search that we hope will help.

Use Existing Contacts

Networking isn’t necessarily about meeting and interacting with new people – it’s just as much about engaging with the people that you already know. Make sure that you utilize your existing contacts sufficiently. Let friends and relatives know that you are on the lookout for a job. Reconnect with former colleagues or college or university classmates. It’s important to spread the word as it were that you are jobseeking as you never know who could help. After all, each of the people in your network of contacts will have their own networks too, so why not look on that as an opportunity.

Attend Events

There are all sorts of events that you could potentially attend which could help with your job search. From Job Fairs through to Meetups – they all have a part to play for a proactive job-seeker. Check your local press for details of upcoming events in your area that are likely to be attended by employers. Contact your local Chamber of Commerce to find out about any relevant events that members of the public can attend. Employers themselves may hold information or open evenings so keep an eye out on company websites and social media accounts. Get along to as many events as you can – the more people you meet, the better.

Join Relevant Groups

Check out if there are any local groups that you could join which might be relevant for your job search. Many professions have local groups affiliated to their national governing body – whether it’s RIBA for architects or BCS for IT professionals. Look at the main organisation’s website and see if you can find any local or regional groups. Attending these groups may not immediately provide you with job opportunities, however it will provide you with useful connections and will also help you keep up to speed with industry or sector news – something which future employers will no doubt be impressed by.

Use Social Networks

It’s not all about the real life networking – social networks matter too. Each Social Network has its part to play. For example, LinkedIn is viewed by many as the professional social network since it tends to be focused on careers so it would be certainly advantageous to create a LinkedIn account and use it to engage with people who you have work or professional connections with. If you already have a LinkedIn account, make sure that your profile is up to date and indicates that you are on the lookout for new opportunities. Twitter too can be used to directly interact with employers and recruiters in your career or profession of choice. You can use Twitter to raise your profile and in a sense let employers know that you are there! Engage with the right people and you could come under a potential employer’s radar quite easily. Make sure it’s for all the right reasons though!

We hope that these Networking Tips for your Job Search can help. Got any others that you’d like to share? Why not let us know via the comments section below.