Job Search Networking Tips

If you're conducting a job search networking is typically the most effective way to find the best job opportunities. One great and often overlooked resource for job search networking is your local employment resource center.

Unfortunately, not everyone has free access to employment resource centers; it depends on where you live. If you do have access to a free (government funded), community employment resource center, use it.

I worked at a community employment resource center for almost five years, and it was amazing to me how frequently people hesitated to use the resources that were available. Some people hesitate to use community resources out of a false sense of pride, others feel like their situation is not so bad, and mistakenly think that by using community resources they're taking something away from someone who needs it more than they do, still others just fail to ask about available resources and don't realize they exist.

Community employment resource centers and the programs they run are often funded based on number of people who use the service, and staff at employment resource centers often work hard to market their programs. By using community resources you're not taking something away from someone else, you're helping to show funders that the programs are needed and ensure the programs will continue to be there for the next people who need them.

The bottom line is, if you've paid your taxes, you've paid for the service, so if you're eligible for any program that you think might help you with job search networking, changing careers or launching a business, use it.

When you visit your local employment resource center, ask about other job search and career management programs that are available in your community. Some communities have great programs that you may not be aware of and one of them may provide exactly the kind of information, support or resources you need. If you have a need just ask, the staff will be able to direct you to the appropriate place.

When I worked at a community employment resource center, we had plenty of clients who used the center as their job search office space. Although they may have had a computer at home, they'd come in to the center to get out of the house, create some structure in their daily routines, be around others who were also job searching, find opportunities to do some job search networking and avoid the sense of isolation that can creep up on a person who is out of work and job searching.

Make a point of getting to know the staff at your employment resource center. Don't just work away silently at your computer station, talk to the staff. They often know about local job leads and have good business connections. If they know you and have a sense of your goals, your skills and are confident you would be a good fit for a particular job, then they will think of you and let you now when they find good job leads. Some employment resource centers even have a job developer who is an expert at job search networking and finding unadvertised job. The job developer's primary role is to find job leads for his or her clients.

Employment resource centers are not just for people who don't have computer access at home. They can be a wonderful part of your job search tool kit where you can tap into many helpful community resources, find job leads, network, and find support to help with all of the challenges of job searching.