If you find yourself out of work or open to a new career opportunity - whether your in supply chain management or strategic sourcing or any business vertical for that matter one of the first things you will need to sharpen up on are your networking skills. Candidates and clients alike must think and be creative today to stand out when demand is high and supply is at an all time low. Your blackberry of contacts will never prove more useful! So, go ahead get people talkin' about you! Work your pond!
Headhunters / Recruitment specialists network every day out of pure necessity. They are often looking for today's needs along with the future needs and networking becomes a staple of survival. These professionals can not just have faith that the right candidate will fall into their lap - especially in changing marketplaces - its just not enough today to simply throw it out to the universe and hope that they stumble across the right candidate. They know what they want and they go get it! Job Seekers whether passive or active must share the same approach...they must take their respective searches beyond traditional job boards (which is a good gauge of the market-Nothing more) to get noticed . Ask your self-what is going to set you apart in the market? How can your past colleagues/mentors and professional relationships you've already built help you? Because the truth is-people generally like to help others and it is those very same people that can help you open doors to new opportunities, possibilities and contacts. Put yourself out there - make sure that you are associated and a member of sites like LinkedIn, Plaxo, Zoominfo .....they do a very good job of giving you the forum in which to connect and stay connected to people in business around the globe.
It just might be time to give those tenacious recruiters who kept leaving you message after unreturned message a call back. Perhaps touching base with a previous boss or colleague (who have all probably joined new companies since you last spoke to them) proving that the old saying still rings true - "its not about what you know but rather who you know." And more importantly - who you can possibly get to know"! People can now find jobs using powerful search tools on the Web and get jobs based on the strengths of existing relationships.
In the book "Work the Pond" by DARCY REZAC, a world renowned network expert that has build a career in helping connect and remain connected he trademarks a 7-step process -The Network Dance: N.E.T.W.O.R.K.® designed to help you network positively and enjoying doing it. In summary, networking is a life skill that should never stop. It is especially critical in our professional lives as the relationships built today influence and DO shape your tomorrow. Value your network and the people within them - each person represents an important piece of the puzzle. These contacts can influence positively or impact negatively your future. Happy Networking!
Connecting Your Supply Chain Pond of Contacts Through NETWORKING