When you’re seeking work in Lakeland, Winter Haven, or elsewhere in Polk County, you probably know that you should include professional networking in your strategy. KB Staffing always encourages people to keep up with their networking, even when they are already employed. However, it is important to note that not all networking is equal and that if you aren’t doing it right, then it’s not likely to yield any benefits for you.
Connecting Correctly
So how do you know if you’re networking correctly? KB Staffing offers the following notes to check yourself against to make sure that you are socializing in a professionally favorable manner.
- Be honest. First of all, no one likes a liar. Don’t embellish your skills or experience to make yourself sound good. Represent yourself truthfully, but still positively.
- Be humble. Don’t be self-deprecating, but avoid coming off as pompous in your effort to seem confident.
- Be prepared. Know what your professional goals are, have a strategy in mind for how to achieve them, and if you use business cards, always carry some. Opportunity doesn’t always come back around if you aren’t ready for it the first time.
- Be considerate. Don’t expect anyone else to prioritize your needs if you aren’t willing to do the same for them. Also, respect other people’s time by being punctual.
- Be professional. Look at yourself as someone else would see you, including your online presence. Is your email address something appropriate to send to a potential employer? Is your social media persona someone that an employer would want to hire? When you go to networking events, do you dress as nicely as you would to go to an interview? If not, you should!
- Be bold. Don’t try to take over every room you enter, but being a shrinking violet won’t get you very far! Don’t be afraid to take part in the conversation, just make sure you do so with appropriate courtesy.
Ready? Now Practice with KB Staffing!
Once you’ve mastered the art of professional networking, send your resume and application to KB Staffing so we can start introducing you to some great Polk County employment opportunities!
