FastTrack: 55 Ways to Get a Great Job Fast
by Angela Brown © 2007 Continued

Memberships & Meetings

• Join Associations and Organizations that support your goals and ambitions. Though costly, some may be worth joining, while some may offer scholarships to participate. Some are free or of minimal charge – though you’ll only get out of it what you put into it.
  


• Attend meetings regularly.
  


• Volunteer to help.
  


• Become a board member.
  


• Get to know all the members.

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Barter Professional Memberships

• If you don’t have the resources to join a professional membership in the industry in which you want to work, barter your membership in exchange for volunteer work to help promote the club.
  




• Once in the organization or association, use all of your selling skills to promote yourself and find yourself a job.

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Networking Etiquette

If you are at a party or social setting and you meet someone who works for a company you want to work for, is it appropriate for you to say something?

• Yes, your job is to ask about the company, learn as much as you can about the person with whom you are speaking, and then when it is your turn to talk, share your enthusiasm about your desire to find a job there. You will have built some rapport and they might be willing to make the introduction or recommendation for you.
  


• Remember not to dominate the conversation.
  


• Be sure you give them a business card to stay in touch with you, and one to pass along to their boss.

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Find a Mentor

At any stage in life you should have a mentor, someone who has paved the road before you and who can keep you from reinventing the wheel. Finding a job is no different. There are many professionals willing to spend time to answer questions, help you create a game plan or introduce you to powerful people.

Success keys to having a mentor:

• Respect their time. If you get an appointment, be punctual.
  


• If you meet somewhere for coffee, be prepared to pay for yours and theirs – often these people will charge large sums for consulting time and will consult you for free, so it’s a nice gesture to pick up the tab.
  


• If they give you advice that is proven and tested, follow it as closely as possible, it is a compliment to your mentor when you use the information they give you.
  


• Keep them posted on your progress. It does you no good and wastes huge amounts of everybody’s time if you find a mentor willing to disperse valuable information and then you do nothing with it.
  


• Be sure you thank them either by phone, email or thank you note after they have spent time with you.

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Work from a Calendar

Get a calendar and start blocking out your time. Time to study, time to do company research, time for job interviews, time to attend community meetings to network. There is nothing worse than being out of a job and sitting in front of an empty calendar.

• Get out of your house.
  


• Go to meetings to exchange positive energy with other professionals.
  


• Practice dressing for success.
  


• Practice smiling and acting confident before of strangers.
  


• Practice your confident handshake.
  


• Practice your personal commercial that says what you do and how you can help others.

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Angela Oberer © 2008, Oberer is the author of the "Be Well Series".  You can send your questions and comments to her at: Angela@WordsofWellness.com