How to overcome the financial challenge of professional networking
On any given day, it seems I could attend an event and meet the individual who will be key to landing my next job. This is because my email inbox is constantly loaded with invitations and announcements for upcoming professional networking events.
My challenge isn’t a lack of time, interest or need to attend these networking functions, it is lack of money.
Pre-layoff I thought little of registration fees for such activities but post-layoff is another matter. Their expense has been an unanticipated cost of unemployment. As a result, I too often find myself foregoing events that I would prefer to attend. The longer I am unemployed, the more often I expect this to happen.
Inevitably, I find myself torn between feeling as though I can’t afford to go to an event but that I also can’t afford not to go.
What makes matters worse is that career service industry experts agree networking is one of the most critical components of a job search. They say that especially in weaker economies you are more likely to find your career opportunity through networking and not on job boards.
This is where online social media tools such as LinkedIn, and Meetup.com help. They allow me to extend my reach and meet people for low or no cost. When you consider typical networking expenses can easily exceed $400 per month, leveraging these resources is a no-brainer.
One of the ways I use LinkedIn to extend my networking budget through the “Groups and Associations”. I look for local chapters of organizations as well as groups in the functions and industries where I desire to work.
I join groups and then contact members on an individual basis. If they are located near me I’ll request to physically meet, otherwise my goal is a phone call. The shared group connection makes it easy to connect and increases the likelihood they will make time to talk. Long-term, I retain connections to organizations and peers that can continue to contribute to my professional growth.