Once
Thanksgiving Day has passed, it seems like the entire world bursts into a
frenzy of activities preparing for the holiday season. Over the next few weeks,
your calendar will most likely be filled with invitations to personal and
professional networking events and parties.
This is a great time to network with hard-to-reach individuals and maximize opportunities to attend open company events and special programs.
Before you start running around to every party and event you can find:
-- Create a preferred list of high-profile individuals or top industry professionals you would really like to meet; prioritize your party attendance accordingly.
-- Interact and connect directly (in non intrusive manner) with strong contacts who can play a vital role in your
career development.
-- Make sure to collect a variety of business cards from attendees and follow-up
with them after each event.
In
addition to the normal exchange of business cards, distinguish yourself from
the crowd this year by sending out a networking resume. A networking resume is
an innovative one-page document that provides readers with a quick snapshot of
your career milestones, personal qualifications and job targets. Overall, the networking resume is not intended to
replace your executive resume—which should be two to three pages long depending
on your experience—however, it can be effectively used as part of a structured
networking plan. Key components of a Networking Resume include: Title Header: A branded title header
prominently placed a top of resume (below your personal information) lets your
contacts know who you are and the value you bring to any organization. Executive Summary: A well-written executive summary
will give readers an overview of your career path, years of experience and
touch upon your career-defining achievements. For professional and personal
contacts who are reviewing your resume for the first time, this section
provides them with talking points they can use when referring you to someone
else. Core Competencies: Incorporating a section for core
competencies and areas of expertise allows readers to evaluate at first glance
your industry strengths and management capabilities. Using either a two or
three-column table or simply listing keywords in a neat format allows this section
to stand out in the resume.
When an initial request about your career goals and job
history comes about, introduce yourself to Tier 1 and Tier 2 contacts with a
networking resume. If your experience and qualifications spark a deeper
interest, you can follow-up with a more comprehensive resume and cover letter.
