Читать книгу Careers with Dogs - Kim Campbell Thornton - Страница 34

It’s essential to develop networking skills and overcome the fear of approaching people you don’t know well. Networking doesn’t mean being pushy. It’s a means of keeping in touch with people, sharing information, and simply reaching out. Networking is communicating with everyone you meet in your day-to-day life, from your dog’s groomer to the people in your dog’s play group to the other parents in your child’s carpool. The people you know can introduce you to people they know or provide you with helpful information or leads, and you can do the same for them.

Informally, tell everyone you talk to that you’re looking for a job and what kind of job you want. Once you have a few leads, begin by researching the companies of the people you’ll be talking to. Check out their Web sites to learn as much as you can. Look at the job postings; there may be a specific position you will want to apply to. You need to sound like you’ve done your research before you call anyone, even someone you know.

Then start working the phone. Before you make that first call, though, write down key points you want to cover. Don’t make it a word-for-word script; you’ll end up sounding artificial. These notes keep the conversation relevant and concise. You don’t want to waste anyone’s time or have to make a second call because you left out an important detail.

Using Social Media

If you don’t have any social media experience, get it! Many communications jobs require it these days, and most companies have a Twitter or Facebook account. There’s a good chance that any job you get will involve managing or contributing to your company’s presence on social media Web sites.

Sign up for Twitter and tweet at least once a day. Remember that unless you are some kind of guru in your field, you have to follow people to get followers. Volunteer to create a Facebook page for your local dog club or other organization, and create a LinkedIn page for yourself. Update them both regularly.

KEEP CURRENT

Keep up with news and trends in the pet industry, as this information can often provide leads to potential job opportunities. For instance, if you see that a company in which you’re interested has been in the news for successfully launching a new product, send off a congratulatory note or e-mail to the hiring manager or to any contacts you have there and ask if they’ll be hiring anyone for that division. You may well get a reply regarding upcoming job openings.

If you’re calling someone you don’t know well or “a friend of a friend” whom you’ve never met, start by telling the person who you are and how or by whom you were referred, then explain that you are looking for a job in his or her field. Offer the most pertinent details about your education or experience. Mention that you’ve researched the company and are interested in the work it does. If there were no job openings on the Web site, say you didn’t see any jobs posted but would appreciate being kept in mind if something comes up. You may also ask if there is anyone else in the field to whom he or she can refer you.