ChickSpeak

No one said that landing your first job would be simple, let alone finding a job that’s meaningful and makes use of your degree.

We hear so often from ChickSpeak members that one of their greatest concerns is over how to find a job that’s above bottom-of-the barrel entry level without experience beyond the now presumed summer internships and part-time gigs.

Let’s face it: we’re a generation of highly-skilled go-getters who want to have leadership opportunities and forge ahead, make a difference and be respected right now.

It’s no wonder that the idea of cold calling, photocopying and faxing (do people still fax these days?) under a cube’s fluorescent lights may leave you with knots in your stomach when what you really want to be doing is creating an impact.

So, here’s the deal- it’s all about who you know.

I’m sure that you’ve heard this a bazillion times, but it’s true. If you know enough high-quality people and look for ways to genuinely support their work, they will in turn want to help you get a leg up in terms of your career. Consider it business karma.

You may be wondering, “Okay- that’s all good, but how do I meet these movers and shakers?”

Ah- glad you asked. Simple.

Look for opportunities to network with people in the field that you are most interested in. Start first with career resources through your school. Speak with a career councilor or see if your department is running any sort of networking events. Odds are good that your school can provide a bunch of strong ideas and avenues for you, so don’t be a stranger!

Outside of school ties…. You want to be a lawyer? Cool- check out local legal groups and see if they ever hold “open” meetings or events. Always wanted to get into public relations? Great- google national groups, look for a local chapter and see if you can come and check them out. Professionals will often be flattered that you care enough to show this kind of initiative and will be willing to introduce you to others in that arena.

Now- here’s the fun part: Networking at an event….

Hate to break it to you, but it is not enough to show up and stand by the drinks. You have to take the plunge and put yourself out there. I know you may not know anyone in the room, but that’s okay. Here are a few of my personal tips for breaking the ice and getting connected:

1. Make eye contact with people and smile. Odds are that there will be other people standing alone or just wrapping up casual conversations. Find someone who looks like they are open to chatting and introduce yourself.

2. Keep “your own personal dance space.” For those of you who haven’t memorized the 80’s classic, Dirty Dancing, I will explain: we each have an amount of space that is ours and that helps us feel at ease with others, a virtual buffer, if you will. When someone goes into your “dance space” they better have an invite from you or should back up. Ever met someone who got way to close to you when talking? Yeah? Okay- don’t be that person. Safe bet is to allow distance equal to your arm’s length.

3. Ask about the other person. All too often, I’ve seen people introduce themselves, ask my name, then tell me all about the amazingly cool things they have done, will do and know about. There are two words for this: boring and dangerous. Boring because for all you know, this person may not care at all that you won the 8th grade spelling bee or that you got an A in Poli Sci. People care about what they can relate to and what they know about. Ask questions about the other person and look for common threads between the two of you. It’s also dangerous to assume that you know your audience, as that Hillary comment was probably hillarious to you, but if you would have asked about the other person, you may have found that she’s an “Obama Mama” and shows no love to Hill, thus making you seem like an opponant rather than someone she’d want to get to know and help.

4. Ask for the person’s card.Best way to do this is to be sincere and tell the person that it was nice to meet them and that you would like to stay in touch, especially if you meet other people who may be of value to him or her and vice versa. Again- make it primarily about how you can help him or her, or work together, not just how they can do something for you.

5. Keep conversations brief. Refrain from monopolizing the person during the event. Keep your conversations to a max of 5 minutes, unless you really click. Never ever search for things to ask. If you find yourself digging for something to say or see the person get fidgety, start to look around the room or check the time, bow out gracefully.

6. Follow Up. No pomp and circumstance needed, just a quick email the next day letting that person know that it was nice to meet him or her and that you would like to be able to stay in touch as you move forward in your job search/ career path/ charity work… whatever it is, just fill in the blank as appropriate for you.

And there you have it! As you begin to become more and more comfortable with new people and networking events, you’ll find that it will naturally become easier to do. Just remember that for as self-conscious as you may feel, there is bound to be someone else in that room who doesn’t know anyone either. Find him or her and chat ‘em up, as you never know where your next boss, mentor or career advocate will be!