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Whether you are currently employed and looking for a job, or are actively hunting for employment while out of work, you need to avoid certain networking mistakes that can kill your job search. The good news is that all of the networking mistakes discussed here are easily avoidable, which means that there is no reason you should commit them when at various events within your industry or career.

Having a Visible Lack of Confidence

One of the worst mistakes you can make is attending a networking event and having a visible lack of confidence. This will show potential employers that you are not confident in yourself, your experience, and your networking abilities. Should you not find someone to speak with in the first minute or so of the event, do not get yourself down. Instead, stand around and take in all the sights and sounds. This will make it seem like you are not worried. You will be surprised at how easy it will be to speak with attendees when you do this.

Talking with People You Already Know

A major networking mistake is when you only mingle with people whom you already know while at the event. This will only set you back as you try to meet new people and further your career. If you find yourself hanging around the people whom you already know, try to find someone else you know and introduce the two of them. This can help you get away from your comfort zone and force yourself to go speak with someone else at the event.

Only Wanting to Exchange Business Cards

There are some people who attend networking events for the sole purpose of collecting business cards of those in attendance. Even though you might think that collecting business cards is essential to furthering your career, it really is not. The exchange of business cards should only take place when you feel there is a mutual connection between yourself and the person with whom you are speaking. This will make it easier to follow up after the event.

Failing to Introduce Connections to Others

Believe it or not, there are people who attend networking events and love to be introduced to people as much as possible, but they fail to reciprocate. Make sure you are never this person. It will earn you a bad reputation among the networking crowds and could hurt your chances of being introduced to other people’s connections in the future.

Failing to Follow-Up After the Event

Another major mistake made is failing to follow up with those you meet after the networking event. You might have made a mutual connection with someone, exchanged business cards and then never followed up with that person after the event. Make sure this does not happen because it will cause you to get a bad reputation within the industry, and lose your chance at a potentially great business connection.

As you continue to attend networking events to further your career, or find a new job, make sure you do not commit any of the common mistakes outlined in this post or you will have trouble finding success. For more information on networking or any other aspect of job seeking, contact the experts at TempStaff today!


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