Whether you’re looking now or have plans to look for a payroll or HR position… someday… networking is the best way to be considered as HR positions come open. Ever hear the phrase “It’s not what you know. It’s who you know.”? Of course, you still need the skills to land your next HR position, but being a known commodity is often a differentiator between hired and not.
Networking can also help you meet people that can mentor you and maybe even acquire new skills! But how do you even get started – the advice to “network more” is a bit hollow without knowing the questions to ask yourself as well as where to find the answers.
SHRM, APA and other industry events are important, but look to expand your attendance beyond these organizations. Alumni events, meetups for people with other interests, and gatherings you find on places like LinkedIn can all be the key to advancing your career. They can even help land your next payroll or HR opportunity.
Before you go to a networking event, make sure you have reachable goals to make meaningful connections. You may choose to do some research to find out who will be at an event to pre-select who you’d like to meet. Taking this one step further, find out whether an existing contact can make an introduction either ahead of time or at the event. Here’s our quick list of some other do’s (and don’ts) of networking…
