Build Your Network…and Your Knowledge

You may feel tossed on the street after a layoff, but getting on your feet quickly after you dust yourself off is a good idea. Instead of concentrating on the painful aspects of your new condition, start making connections, and update your knowledge while you’re at it. Here are a few ways to get started:

LEVERAGE YOUR PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS: In the Washington, D.C. area there are myriads of professional organizations, local and national, that offer networking happy hours, brown bag lunches and other low-cost events. Attend every free or low-cost business networking event you can. Also, almost every group has a job board, so check them out. If you do not have any memberships now, it’s a good time to establish at least one. Some groups are free or low-cost to join, especially those that are D.C. based rather than national. One active networking resource I recommend is the Washington Network Group. The dues are $90, but they offer a lot for it.

CHECK OUT LINKEDIN GROUPS: For instance, Washington DC Connections is a business networking group started just this spring by an enterprising local financial advisor, Andrew Meringoff. It already has almost 6,000 members from a wide range of professional fields and now has subgroups for more focused networking. After launching with three very successful breakfast networking events at La Madeleine restaurants in Maryland and Virginia, plans are underway for much more, including happy hours and educational events. So far, the only cost has been for the food you buy.

BUILD YOUR SKILLS: Learn and meet people at the same time. Sheila, a reader of this blog suggested Toastmasters as a way to mingle with people who are still employed. Great idea. Also, check out MeetUp groups that focus on areas that will expand your professional knowledge. Take a course or start work on a certification that will enhance your resume.

BUDDY UP: Find a job hunt buddy, preferably someone in a field related to yours who is not a direct competitor for the same jobs. Review each other’s resumes and check in with each other regularly. Send each other occasional leads or ideas. Stay connected.

For some tips on how to network, see this short video by Patricia A. Frame, management consultant, speaker and author, of Strategies for Human Resources.