Want to promote yourself at networking events? Then follow our tips!
Although current job market trends seem to indicate otherwise, such as the “First in, first out” recruitment strategy, networking remains the best method to learn about current events in your field, increase your visibility, and strengthen your social skills. Additionally, networking events allow you to meet key people in your industry to advance your career faster, for example, by being offered hidden jobs that are not posted in job banks. So, to help you prepare for your next networking event, we’ve put together some tips to boost your presence at these events.
Good events
Step one: Find the right events for your networking! For engineering professionals, there are many professional organizations to help you find interesting events, such as the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec (OIQ) . Also, stay on top of events in your industry by checking the programming of chambers of commerce in your sector and Facebook or LinkedIn groups associated with your specialty.
The right tools
It seems obvious, but to be well prepared for a networking event, you have to be ready to show your credentials and make sure they’re remembered! So, to kick-start your relationship with the other professionals you meet, bring business cards with you. It’s an effective way to make a good impression and make it easier to contact you after the event. If you want to be more up-to-date, you can add a QR code to the same business card that links to your resume, examples of your past projects, letters of reference, and positive testimonials about you. You can also create a personal micro-website containing all this information.
Good visibility
Networking activities are a great excuse to boost your social media presence and maximize your visibility. First, update your pages, including your photos, and regularly post or share news related to your industry. Be careful not to mix your personal and professional lives too much on these interfaces, which your new contacts will discover after meeting you at an event. At the event itself, activate your geolocation and post snapshots taken at the time with other interesting professionals. Don’t forget to use the right hashtags and tag the event itself, its organizers, as well as the people and companies you met. This way, your posts will be picked up, giving you more exposure during the events.
First come, first served?
In Ontario, companies have recently adopted the “first-in, first-out” recruitment strategy to address the labor shortage. However, this recruitment technique has many drawbacks, such as a lack of qualifications, employee volatility, the difficulty of building a cohesive and reliable team, and more. In contrast, people who network have more control over the composition of their workforce, resulting in better team cohesion, reduced conflict, and higher productivity.
