To increase your job opportunities and improve your chances of landing the right one, you need to do more than just obtain an excellent broadcast media training. Networking can be the difference between landing the perfect job and not even knowing such an opening exists. Networking doesn’t come naturally to everyone, so knowing how to go about it may take some trial and error. If you follow these basic steps, you can improve your networking skills and improve your career.

Seek Out Information, Not a Job

This is an issue far too many beginners in the networking world face. They try to push themselves too far and instead of seeking out information about another company or just introducing themselves, they ask around for possible jobs. Asking about job openings should never really come up unless the other person offers this information. Instead, just asking about their company and exchanging contact information is the best course of action, initially.

Begin With People You Know

Jumping into the deep end of the pool before you know how to swim doesn’t usually work very well and the same is true with networking. It is best to start with people you know. You can meet new acquaintances through friends or relatives and then move outward from there. This isn’t to say you can’t start out on your own. If you move to a new city and you don’t know anyone there, seek out networking groups. Most medium-to-larger cities have these events, which can help open you up to possible connections. Just keep in mind it that it is easier to start with those you know and progress from there.

Good Days and Bad Days

As with anything else, you are going to have good days and bad days networking. Maybe you met some great contacts at an event, but now they are not returning your calls or emails. Perhaps they just gave you their business card out of politeness, but really were not interested, or maybe they just haven’t been able to check their email messages. Just make sure to not get down on yourself. Everyone has bad days. What makes the best of the best are those who continue on, despite their bad days.

Keep Up with Contacts

There will be times when one of your contacts refers you to one of their contacts. After you are referred to this new contact, you should not cut off your connection with the original one. Never burn bridges and sometimes just not talking with these contacts regularly is enough to do that. Make sure to thank them for the connection and, from time to time, touch base with them and see how things are going. Times change for everyone and they might eventually find they are in need of what you can offer their company.