Northwest Staffing Blog

Most people who land a great job in Seattle, heard about it through networking, not through reading the classified ads or surfing the web. So when you’re looking for an opportunity to get ahead, don’t overlook the power of networking. Here are some tips to follow:

Stay connected.
Social media tools like Linked In and Facebook make it easy to stay in touch with everyone – colleagues, former co-workers, people you used to volunteer with, college classmates, etc. Someone from within this network of friends and colleagues may know of a great job opportunity in Seattle.

Talk to people.
Whether you’re at a business function, on a plane, or at a wedding, talk to people wherever you go. You may meet someone who can help you land your next job interview.

Ask questions.
When chatting it up, ask lots of questions. Most people love to talk about themselves and will gladly oblige. Be sure to ask what they do for a living.

Be a better listener.
Don’t ask someone a question and then start looking around the room for someone else to talk with. Listen to their answer with interest.

Practice your elevator speech.
When someone asks, “what do you do?,” you should have a quick and clear answer. So create and practice a little 30-60 second overview of who you are and what you do for a living.

Keep lots of business cards on hand.
In today’s digital age, sometimes we forget that traditional approaches – like business cards – still work. Always have a supply on hand and get comfortable with handing them out.

Get involved.
Hate networking events and public speaking? Then take a class where you can hone your speaking skills. Also, you may want to consider joining an industry association or business club.

Follow up on every lead.
Even if they seem minor, make sure you follow up on every job lead. You never know what may come of it.

If you’re looking for a new job opportunity in Seattle, please contact Northwest Staffing. As an employment agency serving Seattle and the surrounding area, we know many of the leading employers and can give you access to a variety of opportunities that you won’t read about on the classified pages.