While the aging demographic of professionals might disagree, networking has slowly become a crucial part of an applicant’s efforts to land that dream position or that coveted scholarship. While in the past all it took to get a good job was formally presenting yourself at your desired workplace, leaving your resume, and crossing your fingers in hopes that they’ll call you back, this process is much more complex today, which is partially due to the internet and globalization.

Hiring someone in the past was always a bit of a gamble; while their resume might suggest that it is a spotless individual, with many positive character traits, as well as ample experience in the field, the truth would always remain to be seen once the person arrived at their first day of work. By that point, a significant amount of time and money would have already been invested in that person, only to lose it if they underperformed or were fostering a toxic workplace environment. Luckily, we live in the information era where, for either good or bad, not much outside of our private lives is hidden.

Virtual networking

With the advent of social media sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn, the process of scouting for prospective employees or potential employers, has changed drastically. These social platforms allow both job recruiters and seekers to learn all they can about each other before engaging in any business relationship. In this sense, both parties can learn about crucial factors that would determine their level of comfort with each other.

For instance, the recruiter, by analyzing the candidate’s LinkedIn profile, can learn about their interests, education, and past experiences, with only a few clicks. Likewise, the candidate can access the company’s website and learn about their mission, vision, standards of practice, and many other relevant factors. Furthermore, they can also connect with other employees via Facebook, or join the company’s page on the social media platform, to share stories about what it’s like to work there, the perks, and other relevant info.

However, one of the most important aspects of networking when it comes to job seeking is the connections that these virtual interactions afford. By signing up to social media, you can gain access to all sorts of information, and even to some events that would provide ample opportunities to get in touch with exactly the right kind of people, which could increase your chances of landing that dream job.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, around 70% of jobs nowadays are found through professional networking. This means that Facebook has become an essential tool for both recruiters looking to hire viable candidates, as well as job seekers looking to land their big break.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that traditional networking is no longer an option for job seeking. Professionals recommend attending conferences and other events as a means to supplement the job seeking effort. It’s more likely that you’ll be able to build meaningful relationships with peers and authority figures, as well as show your commitment to the cause in these events, than by contact through social networks. Simply put, when it comes to job hunting, physical networking is just as important as virtual networking.

Getting started

We all have to start somewhere, and networking isn’t an exception.

Once you have finished your studies, it’s up to you to put your knowledge to good use. Phyllis Kupsick, MSN, BSN, RN, FNP-BC, CWOCN, president of the Wound Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society states that the beginning is always the easiest part when it comes to networking.

The very first thing you’ll want to do, according to Kupsick, is to join your state association. “New grads should definitely join their state organization and go to the meetings,” Kupsick says. “You make contacts, and the organization will keep you up-to-date on legislation and education practices.”

You can visit the website American Nurses Association to look for local events and opportunities to branch out your network. Furthermore, you can also find other activities where you can get personally involved as a volunteer, which is usually an excellent opportunity to meet talented people in the field.

Other opportunities present themselves if you join local committees within your hospital, which can open a lot of doors for promotions as well as for seeking better work conditions within the same hospital. Furthermore, your valuable opinion might be what the hospital needs to solve the logistical problems it might be facing. Kupsick was part of her hospital’s product review and standardization committee when she helped develop essential solutions to the wound care problems that the facility was facing at the time.

We all have to start somewhere. By reaching out to new people, and going to events, your network of work relationships will increase and your odds of securing bigger and better positions with it.