Networking your way into a new career

Roger Gilpin of Lee Hecht Harrison (LHH) in Northern Ireland offers advice on how networking can help build your brand post-redundancy.

If you have recently been made redundant or perhaps are working in a company for which redundancy could be on the horizon, you may want to consider a change in your career, which may involve getting back on the job market or else setting up you own business.

Regardless of what choice you make, you will now have to introduce your personality and your own brand, rather than that of your previous company, to potential employers

Networking is a fantastic way to get your points across and market yourself which in turn can lead to new job opportunities. However many people find the idea intimidating. If that is the case, consider the following as a starter point:

1. Self-Assessment

Before throwing yourself into networking, make sure you are fully aware of what your strengths are and how these make you an asset to a company.

2. Place yourself on all platforms

Traditionally, we tend to network mainly at events in a face to face manner, however now you have the opportunity to promote yourself on a number of platforms including social media such as LinkedIn. Why not set yourself a personal goal of attending one networking event a month, keeping your LinkedIn up to date and connecting with all new faces.

3. Do your homework

If you want a new career with a certain company or want to start a business in a new industry, it is always important to know who and what is important. For instance, if you are attending an event you can do your research to see who will be attending, who you would like to talk to and what key points you would like to cover. By doing this you can set yourself a clear goal for the event and make the process a little easier.

Remember, your skills and experience will always be vital, however, combining this with great connections may open many doors for a new career!

For more information on how you can avail of our outplacement services, please contact us on: 0845 456 2269