Networking organizations
One of the easiest ways to network is to find an organization that specializes in what you are interested in. Whether its a Meetup, the Bar Association, American Marketer Assocation, or a GreenDrinks group, connecting with like minded people in industries of interest to you is always good practice. If you are interested in Tech, whether to launch your career or your own company, check out Mixergy. There you can find loads of interviews of others who were once in your situation, and there is a great list of tech networking opportunities on the events page.
If you attend a networking event, be ready to be asked tough questions if you open the door to asking for knowledge about job openings. Have your tagline and elevator pitch ready to roll and be engaging at all times.
Tonight, though I almost didn’t go, I attended at meeting of the Product Development and Management Association’s LA Chapter. They had a speaker talking about Government Relations, which didn’t really interest me, but the opportunity to network with people in my field was worth showing up.
Not only did I meet the Director of Business Development at USC Marshall, who offered to help me get into their career services department, but I met many people who are well connected in the product management world. By being open with them about my job situation and my varied knowledge base, I was able to get a few leads for potential employers. The best moment happened when one attendee, after speaking with me for a few minutes, said, “My company might have an opening that would be good for you, let’s sit for a 10-minute mini-interview.” Boy was I happy I dressed professionally for the event. I guess it went well, because ten minutes later, he gave me his info and a competitor’s info to send my resume for openings. They were both medical device companies, which given my Physiology background, would be pretty cool. Though not as flashy as tech, probably more fulfilling and definitely more exciting than insurance.
