Monster,
Indeed, Craigslist or Zip Recruiter are great tools for anyone who seeks employment,
yet they are not the Holy Grail of all jobs. Getting out of the house is.
Even though
playing chatty Katy and having a good laugh with total strangers seems counterintuitive
when you are jobless, human resources specialists admit that the hiring process usually takes place anywherebut in their office.
Networking
is the only hiring strategy that will never go old, no matter how many SEO techniques of scanning a resume will appear in the next decade.
But if you are like me and feel comfortable having just a handful of really good friends, all this may
feel a little forced. Even so, networking doesn’t mean being a hypocrite. It
means seizing opportunities to say: “Hey, if you happen to know someone who
knows someone who is hiring, please let me know!”. Volunteering
is a great way to do this, while staying true to yourself, especially if you're poor.
I tried it myself
this past Sunday, when I went and help my church organize a picnic in a preserved
Chicago forest. I sold donuts, baked beans, polenta, sausages and cabbage salad,
and in the process I also got to spread the word about my job situation.
Did someone
offer me a job right then and there? Heck, no! In fact, this morning I had an
interview for a receptionist position that I applied through one of those job
searching websites. But it was a first step towards building a solid network.
At least a hundred people memorized my face and place it in one of their brain’s
compartment, with a label that says “looking for work”. Eventually,
one day out of the blue someone just might recommend me for a great position.
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