Networking is something that most people do not particularly enjoy, and for the job-seeking veteran, it may seem borderline horrific. The word often brings to mind images of crowded rooms, countless handshakes, and people racing to see who can collect the most business cards–not the most pleasant of scenarios. So can you get away without networking? In short, no. Especially for the job seeker, many jobs are never posted online. They are instead listed internally within the company and require some sort of contact within the company to be discovered. Networking does not have to be gruesome activity, however. It can be a small get-together, or even an event or class that you previously had signed up for. Anytime you are meeting and sharing information with new people, you are networking. Creating a list of social contacts does not have to be difficult, though for veterans, it may involve stepping outside of some comfort zones. To help alleviate some of that pre-networking anxiety, here are four tips for successful networking during the job search: 1. Forget Your Agenda When looking for a new career, it can be easy to get obsessed with the job search. While networking can lead to fruitful connections, and even job interviews, it is important to not go into a social situation with the idea that you are there to land a job. Meeting with friends, and even socializing with strangers is very different from an interview setting, and as such, requires different behavioral etiquette. As […]