Dallas, Find Jobs through Relationships - CareerEnlightenment.com

And when asked “tell me about yourself” you will tell them in simple clear terms what you do and what you are looking for.There will be an exchange of business cards. (So if you don’t have any, you should print some up today.)Let’s face it, job seeking is a skill in and of itself. And as with most skills, to become more competent, you should practice the skill as well as learn more through books and trainings. So why not grab a book about networking?Online NetworkingSince there really is a limit to how many $1 beers and cheese plates you can tolerate in a week, you can supplement your networking with social media.From a tactical point of view, this might mean having a professional-looking LinkedIn profile, and then adding the new people you meet to your LinkedIn network.From a strategic point of view, this could mean researching the companies you really want to work for, and then using social media to reach out directly to info-interview sources.Whatever you do with social m edia, keep in mind that it supplements, not replaces, networking. It’s about relationships.Keep Your Skills SharpMany hiring managers will agree that most of the skills needed to do the job they are hiring for come from on-the-job training. Did you know you can enter the State Department’s foreign service with just a high school diploma?The skills you think are important might not really be important to your next position. Don’t just grab classes at the community college because you think that’s what an employer wants. You need to really know.For example, the largest employment segment in Dallas is health care. The Obama administration has a goal of completely eliminating paperwork from health care. So hospitals and clinics are buying very elaborate and sophisticated software. Do you know what software your target company is using? If not, you should â€" and you should learn how to use it.If you live in or near Dallas and want to learn more about how to use social media to s horten your job search, meet the right hiring managers, and find the right job, I’m coming to Dallas between Jan 21-28, 2012! So be on the lookout for opportunities at your local job networking events to swing by and say HI.