First of all, it’s not possible to “get over” being an introvert, any more than it’s possible to “get over” being right-handed or left-handed.

But second, and most important, introversion isn’t an affliction or a disease that you need to get over.

Introversion is an innate preference, an indication of where you get your energy from, and it brings with it some strengths and advantages that introverts can be proud of and extroverts often admire and appreciate.

Reasons for Pride

In a job search, introverts are likely to be able to…

…form strong one-on-one relationships. This is a skill that goes a long way in the job search process, as you demonstrate your ability to connect with people in all of your networking encounters and job interviews.

…provide carefully-thought-out answers. You may need a little extra time to organize your thoughts, but you probably won’t put your foot in your mouth or provide a half-baked answer.

…perform appropriate background research about jobs and prospective employers. You can use that information to customize and target your communications to specific opportunities and find areas of common ground with interviewers.

…project a calm manner (even as the job search process raises your anxiety level!) and not appear overly excitable. Being cool in a crisis, or the perception that you can stay on an even keel, is a trait that inspires confidence in others.

…be productive in your search despite the relative isolation of the job search process. You don’t need the presence of other people to energize you and keep you focused, and you may actually be better able to concentrate.

And these same characteristics help introverts succeed in their jobs and careers, too.

Bottom Line:

Both introvert and extrovert personalities bring strengths and challenges to the job search process (the grass isn’t greener for extroverts). If you are an introvert, capitalize on your strengths, and be proud of the introvert qualities you have.

The post Proud to Be an Introvert appeared first on Job-Hunt.

Part of the challenge for introverts is stepping into the spotlight and becoming more visible in the face of increased competition. Here are seven tips for conducting a more effective search.

1. Focus Your Search:

It’s tempting to say, “I’ll take anything,” but a focused search works best.

Identify your skills and the kinds of jobs they relate to. It’s okay to pursue more than one kind of job, but you’ll need separate, targeted resumes and letters for each.

2. Develop a Target List of Employers:

Build on your introverted strengths by doing some research and developing a list of employers in the areas that you’re qualified for and interested in, and visit their web sites regularly.

One of the ways employers save money is by not advertising on the well-known Internet sites or in newspapers – they simply post openings on their own web sites. They figure that if you’re truly interested in working for them, you’ll come to them, rather than their reaching out to find you.

3. Identify What Distinguishes You:

Remember that hiring is a competitive process. Employers will want to know not only that you have a particular skill set, but also what sets you apart from others with similar skills.

Think about the hiring process from the employer’s perspective. If you can identify the value you offer and the achievements or attributes or skills that distinguish you from other candidates, you will make yourself more attractive to the employer and provide the justification for selecting you.

As you review your distinguishing accomplishments and qualities, remind yourself, too, about the many positive attributes that introverts are recognized for and their benefits to employers – for example, good listening skills, calm demeanor, well-thought-out ideas, just to name a few.

4. Articulate Your Value:

With companies tightening their belts, it’s more important than ever, when possible, to demonstrate in measurable terms the benefits you can bring or, for jobs that don’t lend themselves to numerical results, to speak to the positive impact you can make on the employer.

Practice your success stories so that you become more comfortable promoting yourself.

To avoid the appearance of boasting, a key concern of many introverts, focus on citing the opinions of others, bringing a portfolio of work samples, or simply reporting the facts.

5. Update Your Skills:

Make sure that your skills are current. Employers want added value for the dollars they spend – consider taking a course or workshop or even a short program to add a new skill set or perhaps a certification to the skills you already offer.

If you’re part of an industry that is in decline, it may make sense to acquire an entirely new set of skills in a growing field.

6. Look for the Unadvertised Jobs:

It sounds counter-intuitive, but your search will be more productive and effective if you spend less time scouring Internet job sites and newspaper classifieds and spend more time building and maintaining relationships in which you become a resource for others.

When money is tight, many employers choose not to pay to post job openings. More than ever, they fill jobs through word-of-mouth. You will learn about these unadvertised job opportunities by cultivating relationships. Here again, as an introvert, this can play to your strengths.

7. Be Patient and Persistent:

The hiring process never happens on your timetable.

In a tight economy, the process may drag on longer than usual as companies and departments sort out their budgets and proceed extra cautiously.

So prepare yourself emotionally for a drawn-out process and continue to pursue other opportunities.

At the same time, follow up with companies you’ve already applied to and demonstrate your continued interest in being considered. If possible, find out the status of the process. Introverts are sometimes uncomfortable that they will appear to be pushy, but hiring managers want to know that you are interested.

Bottom Line: A tough economy is tough on everyone, so plan, practice, and be patient. You will find that new job, sooner or later (although hardly ever soon enough).

About the author…

Wendy Gelberg is a Career Navigator at JVS CareerSolution in Boston and author of The Successful Introvert: How to Enhance Your Job Search and Advance Your Career. She is a certified career coach and resume writer whose expertise is in helping people who are uncomfortable “tooting their own horn.” Wendy writes resumes, gives workshops, coaches individuals, and writes articles and blogs on all aspects of the job search process. Samples of her resumes and career advice appear in over 20 books. Wendy has been a career coach and resume writer for over 15 years. She has been an introvert her whole life. Contact Wendy at wgelberg@careersolution.org.

The post Job Search for Introverts in a Tight Economy appeared first on Job-Hunt.

Use social networking to…

…become informed.   Find discussions pertaining to your industry, company, or occupation.

Stay up to date on the “3 Ts” – Trends, Technology, Top Leaders. What’s going on in your field, what’s changing, who are the thought leaders and what are they saying? Arrange for introductions to talk with people who can provide information about a particular company, individual, job, or industry that will be helpful for you to know about.

Use features such as Groups and Answers on LinkedIn; Company Pages on Facebook; Search and Find People on Twitter; and blogs. Learning about companies or individuals in depth will play to your strengths, if you’re an introvert.

You are a much more attractive candidate for employers if they recognize that your skills and knowledge are up to date and you can re-enter the game without missing a beat.

…become visible.  By participating in discussions (e.g., in LinkedIn Groups, Twitter, company pages on Facebook, blogs) and sharing your expertise, more people come to know about you. And you can do so in the careful, measured way that introverts prefer.

You can put yourself back on the radar screen of all of your contacts with a simple status update on LinkedIn or a Tweet on Twitter, and do so in a way that showcases your professional skills and knowledge, rather than focusing on your need for a job. This is a simple and efficient way for those who are introverted or shy to stay in touch with a lot of people with a minimum of effort.

In addition, you can maintain your relationships on a regular basis simply by responding to the status updates of others – in just a few minutes, you can send a note of congratulations or acknowledgement of the accomplishments of others and nurture your relationships.

…become connected.  As you reach out to more people, you increase the likelihood that you will know someone who will be in a position to help.

Social networking tools make the process much simpler for those who are introverted or shy. People are extending LinkedIn invitations almost as readily as they are exchanging business cards, and those who are on Twitter, by definition, welcome new followers.

Use these tools to expand your network and build relationships with new people who work in your industry, share your job title, or share your professional interests. Read what others are writing (e.g., LinkedIn status updates, Facebook sharing, Twitter tweets and links, blogs); share and/or comment on what you read.

Bottom Line

Social networking tools allow you to use your introverted preferences to build and maintain relationships that allow you to become known and trusted as a skilled and knowledgeable professional, ready to make a solid contribution to your next employer.

More Information About Job Networking

• Connecting with Your Network
• 5 Tips for Introverts to Keep Your Network Alive
• Introverts’ Guide to Large Networking Events
• Job-Hunt’s Guide to Job Search Networking
• Job-Hunt’s Guide to Social Media and Job Search
• Job-Hunt’s Guide to LinkedIn for Job Search
• Wendy Gelberg’s FREE Job-Hunt eBook, Guide to Job Search Networking for Introverts (new browser window)

About the author…

Wendy Gelberg is a Career Navigator at JVS CareerSolution in Boston and author of The Successful Introvert: How to Enhance Your Job Search and Advance Your Career. She is a certified career coach and resume writer whose expertise is in helping people who are uncomfortable “tooting their own horn.” Wendy writes resumes, gives workshops, coaches individuals, and writes articles and blogs on all aspects of the job search process. Samples of her resumes and career advice appear in over 20 books. Wendy has been a career coach and resume writer for over 15 years. She has been an introvert her whole life. Contact Wendy at wgelberg@careersolution.org.

The post Job Networking for Introverts: Using Social Networks appeared first on Job-Hunt.

One job seeker spoke for a lot of us when she said, “What are you supposed to do when you don’t want to sound like you think you’re the greatest thing since sliced bread?”

Here are three answers to that question.

1. Let Others Speak For You

It feels less boastful, and sounds more credible, when you can refer to the testimonials of others. These can come from several sources.

One obvious source is performance evaluations from your manager. If you’re asked in an interview about a strength or an accomplishment, you can say, something like this: 

“My manager always gave me high marks for my ability to resolve sensitive and complex customer problems with diplomacy and sensitivity. He commented in my performance evaluation on my contribution to our increase in customer retention.”

On your resume, you can use a phrase such as “Recognized for contribution to customer retention through diplomatic resolution of complex customer problems.”

Testimonials can come from many sources: clients, co-workers, even vendors. Whether the praise has been given in written form or not, you can reference the feedback you’ve gotten from others: 

“My co-workers tell me they can always count on me to troubleshoot computer problems. When the system goes down, I’m the one they turn to to get things up and running again.”

2. Bring a Portfolio

We all know that sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words – and sometimes having some visual aids can help you promote yourself.

Having a portfolio of work samples, news articles, certificates/licenses, letters of praise, or other documents you can display can allow you to promote yourself by putting the spotlight on the work itself.

When asked about your accomplishments, you can say, “May I show you an example of the new monitor that I helped to design?” and then show a photo, product announcement or press release, or product specifications and describe the unique features of your product.

However, just be sure to remember that a portfolio is a supplement to the conversation and not a substitute for it.

3. Report the Facts

Now let’s look at how you can speak on your own behalf, but without appearing boastful.

According to the dictionary, “to boast” means to speak in an arrogant manner. Simply reporting the facts isn’t boastful – what contributes to boasting or bragging is tone of voice, an exaggerated “I,” and exaggeration of the truth.

You won’t sound boastful if you present information in a straightforward manner, especially if you use the Problem-Action-Result (P-A-R) format to tell a brief story. Using this format, both in interviews and in resumes, you describe the problem you faced, the action you took, and the results you achieved. If you were part of a team or others contributed to the successful outcome, include them in your story.

Here’s an example of a P-A-R answer:

“It was my responsibility to prepare the handouts for the conference and assemble packets for the attendees. One speaker didn’t submit his materials until the day before the event [problem]. I quickly organized a team of three other support staff and, working past the close of business, together we collated and put together all of the materials. [action] We had 250 complete packets ready in time for the 8:30 start of the conference the next morning. [results]”

You’ll feel less boastful when you focus on telling the story of the larger event or circumstance, and at the same time you’ll provide useful information to an employer about how you solve problems. Note that there’s no exaggeration, and no arrogant tone of voice. Report the facts, just the facts.

Bottom Line

Using a combination of these three strategies – presenting the evaluations of others, samples of your work, or just the facts – you can successfully promote yourself without bragging or tooting your horn.

About the author…

Wendy Gelberg is a Career Navigator at JVS CareerSolution in Boston and author of The Successful Introvert: How to Enhance Your Job Search and Advance Your Career. She is a certified career coach and resume writer whose expertise is in helping people who are uncomfortable “tooting their own horn.” Wendy writes resumes, gives workshops, coaches individuals, and writes articles and blogs on all aspects of the job search process. Samples of her resumes and career advice appear in over 20 books. Wendy has been a career coach and resume writer for over 15 years. She has been an introvert her whole life. Contact Wendy at wgelberg@careersolution.org.

The post Alternatives to Self-Promotion for Job Hunters appeared first on Job-Hunt.

Specifically, try some of the following tips to manage your energy.

• If you know that an event will be very crowded and over-stimulating for you, spend some alone time beforehand to conserve your energy for when you need it.
• Recognize that a job interview (particularly one that involves a series of consecutive interviews) will be draining and, if possible, limit your activities prior to the interview to conserve your energy.
• Balance your energy conservation down time with a brief, non-energy-draining conversation with a friend or family member, just to make sure you don’t withdraw so deeply that it’s hard to come out and carry on a conversation with others.
• When you attend a group event, find out the names of participants ahead of time, if possible, so that you can identify people who are of particular interest to you and use your time – and energy – more efficiently.
• Prioritize the networking activities so that you are at your highest energy level for the most important activity.
• When you have a full schedule of networking activities, take breaks so that you can recharge your batteries.
• When a job interview lasts for several hours and consists of meeting several people, ask for a bathroom break (even if you don’t need one) just so that you can clear your head for 5 minutes and recharge briefly.

Remember that, while some activities are draining, others will help you recharge. Opportunities for reflection, for “digging deep” (e.g., doing research on a company or fine-tuning your LinkedIn profile), and one-on-one time with others typically serve that purpose for introverts.

Bottom line:

If you schedule a mixture of activities – some that may drain your energy reserves and others that re-energize you – you’ll be able to go the distance.

More Information About Job Networking

• Job-Hunt’s Guide to Job Search Networking
• Job-Hunt’s Guide to Social Media and Job Search
• Job-Hunt’s Guide to LinkedIn for Job Search

Additional advice from Wendy Gelberg to help introverts succeed with their networking, including (from the list on the right):

• 15-Minute Guide to Job Networking for Introverts – free ebook by Wendy Gelberg (new browser window)
• 5 Tips for Introverts to Keep Your Network Alive
• Introverts’ Guide to Large Networking Events
• The Real Goal of Networking
• The Art of Listening
• How to Meet New People
• Successful Follow-Up

About the author…

Wendy Gelberg is a Career Navigator at JVS CareerSolution in Boston and author of The Successful Introvert: How to Enhance Your Job Search and Advance Your Career. She is a certified career coach and resume writer whose expertise is in helping people who are uncomfortable “tooting their own horn.” Wendy writes resumes, gives workshops, coaches individuals, and writes articles and blogs on all aspects of the job search process. Samples of her resumes and career advice appear in over 20 books. Wendy has been a career coach and resume writer for over 15 years. She has been an introvert her whole life. Contact Wendy at wgelberg@careersolution.org.

The post Job Networking for Introverts: Pace Yourself appeared first on Job-Hunt.

If you are introverted or shy, you can consider making different choices with regard to your job search, as well – not choices that will fundamentally change who you are, but choices that will change how others perceive you and how effective you are in your efforts.

Here are some examples of possible New Year’s Job Hunt Resolutions:

• Resolve to deliberately make one additional networking contact per week (or, if you’re really ambitious, per day – or any other increment that represents an increase in your current level of activity). Learn to practice staying in touch – and concentrate on how you can be a resource for others. Adopt this strategy as part of your overall career management strategy and not just as a job search tactic.
• Resolve to practice extroverted behaviors so that those skills become better developed and are ready to use when you need them. Even if certain activities make you uncomfortable, do them anyway – you’ll most likely find that the discomfort decreases and the skill increases.
• Resolve to find ways to promote yourself at appropriate times, both in the job search and during your career (see Alternatives to Self-Promotion for suggesions). Capitalize on your introverted strengths to help you define your unique brand.
• Resolve to try new job search strategies. For example, if you’ve never worked with a recruiter before, or you’ve never used a social/professional networking site, add those into the mix.
• Resolve to improve your job search record keeping. Get in the habit of documenting your job search activities – pay particular attention to how much time you spend on different tasks to be sure you don’t focus too heavily on solitary activities. [See Job-Hunt’s Tracking Your Activities article for more information.]
• Resolve to keep your resume current once you land. Get in the habit of documenting your career accomplishments while the information is fresh in your mind, and always have a current and up-to-date version of your resume. In our ever-changing economy, it’s best always to be prepared for a transition.
• Resolve to keep your skills current. The best way to ensure your future marketability is to make sure your skills are up to date. Take workshops, join a professional association or discussion group, read about new trends – stay current.

May the New Year bring you gainful employment and prosperity.

About the author…

Wendy Gelberg is a Career Navigator at JVS CareerSolution in Boston and author of The Successful Introvert: How to Enhance Your Job Search and Advance Your Career. She is a certified career coach and resume writer whose expertise is in helping people who are uncomfortable “tooting their own horn.” Wendy writes resumes, gives workshops, coaches individuals, and writes articles and blogs on all aspects of the job search process. Samples of her resumes and career advice appear in over 20 books. Wendy has been a career coach and resume writer for over 15 years. She has been an introvert her whole life. Contact Wendy at wgelberg@careersolution.org.

The post New Year’s Job Hunt Resolutions appeared first on Job-Hunt.

How can introverts turn their preference for thinking into an advantage in networking? By allowing ourselves the time to anticipate the networking encounter or event and plan for it. Here are three simple steps that can reduce the discomfort and increase the effectiveness of your networking activities.

1. Prepare conversation starters and transitions. Most introverts don’t like small talk, but those superficial-seeming topics enable people to make an initial connection, and they’re very handy in a large group event of any sort.The topics can be facts about the event itself (the location, the occasion, the speaker, whether your conversation partner is a first-timer or frequent attendee, an unusual name or item of clothing), non-controversial news events, or even the weather, just to get the ball rolling.Once you’ve exchanged information with someone for a few minutes, be ready with a transition to enable you to move along to meet someone else. Using the rest room or refreshing your drink are two standard transitions people use.
2. Prepare your homework.Do some research about the person or people you expect to encounter, whether you’re attending a large event or meeting someone one-on-one.Get a list of attendees if it’s a professional event or find out what you can about other guests, if it’s more of a social event. This information can help the flow of conversation and become the basis for more meaningful exchanges.
3. Prepare questions or topics.Use the information you’ve gathered from your research to focus on specifics that you’d like to know more about. By having a few specific questions or themes you’d like to discuss, you’ll fuel the conversation and enrich the relationship.

Bottom Line:

By preparing for networking conversations, you’ll minimize the awkward moments (not knowing what to say) and maximize your effectiveness (having productive conversations).

More Information About Job Networking

• Job-Hunt’s Guide to Job Search Networking
• Job-Hunt’s Guide to Social Media and Job Search
• Job-Hunt’s Guide to LinkedIn for Job Search

Additional advice from Wendy Gelberg to help introverts succeed with their networking, including (from the list on the right):

• 15-Minute Guide to Job Networking for Introverts – free ebook by Wendy Gelberg (new browser window)
• 5 Tips for Introverts to Keep Your Network Alive
• Introverts’ Guide to Large Networking Events
• The Real Goal of Networking
• The Art of Listening
• How to Meet New People
• Successful Follow-Up

About the author…

Wendy Gelberg is a Career Navigator at JVS CareerSolution in Boston and author of The Successful Introvert: How to Enhance Your Job Search and Advance Your Career. She is a certified career coach and resume writer whose expertise is in helping people who are uncomfortable “tooting their own horn.” Wendy writes resumes, gives workshops, coaches individuals, and writes articles and blogs on all aspects of the job search process. Samples of her resumes and career advice appear in over 20 books. Wendy has been a career coach and resume writer for over 15 years. She has been an introvert her whole life. Contact Wendy at wgelberg@careersolution.org.

The post Job Networking for Introverts: Preparation Paves the Way appeared first on Job-Hunt.

The disconnect comes from a fundamental paradox intrinsic to networking. The purpose of networking actually isn’t “to get a job” – the purpose is to build relationships.

The reason career experts associate networking with getting a job is that people hire and do business with people they know and trust. Thus, expanding your networking contacts and deepening your relationships puts you in a position to become known and trusted by more people.

Introvert’s Advantage

The advantage if you are an introvert is that your good listening skills and preference for deeper understanding will help build relationships. Even if you’re shy, you can shift the spotlight to the other person through questions that will draw them out. As you learn about the circumstances and needs of others, you can position yourself as a resource for them.

Networking is a lot more comfortable for those who are introverted or shy if you don’t have to focus on what sometimes feels like shameless self-promotion but instead can focus on the other person.

This is where you can really shine if you’re an introvert, because you can pay attention to deeper one-on-one relationships (which are less of an energy drain for introverts than group encounters) and get to know more about an individual.

Do some research on the other person to build a stronger foundation – as you contemplate about what you discover, you’ll be capitalizing on an introverted strength while also recharging your batteries. Think strategically about how you can apply this knowledge to be of help to your networking contact.

Focus on Giving

No matter how badly you need a job, concentrate on making networking connections in which you can give to others. Share information that they may need, introduce them to contacts that may be valuable in their professional pursuits.

Bottom Line

Find the common ground for a solid professional relationship, and nurture it over time – eventually one of those relationships is likely to bear fruit. “Give” in order to “get.”

More Information About Job Networking

• Connecting with Your Network
• 5 Tips for Introverts to Keep Your Network Alive
• Introverts’ Guide to Large Networking Events
• Job-Hunt’s Guide to Job Search Networking
• Job-Hunt’s Guide to Social Media and Job Search
• Job-Hunt’s Guide to LinkedIn for Job Search
• Wendy Gelberg’s FREE Job-Hunt eBook, Guide to Job Search Networking for Introverts (new browser window)

About the author…

Wendy Gelberg is a Career Navigator at JVS CareerSolution in Boston and author of The Successful Introvert: How to Enhance Your Job Search and Advance Your Career. She is a certified career coach and resume writer whose expertise is in helping people who are uncomfortable “tooting their own horn.” Wendy writes resumes, gives workshops, coaches individuals, and writes articles and blogs on all aspects of the job search process. Samples of her resumes and career advice appear in over 20 books. Wendy has been a career coach and resume writer for over 15 years. She has been an introvert her whole life. Contact Wendy at wgelberg@careersolution.org.

The post Job Networking for Introverts: The Real Goal of Networking appeared first on Job-Hunt.

If you cringe at the thought of networking, as many introverts do, consider the words of Eleanor Roosevelt, whose name appears on most lists of famous introverts and who is described by biographers as shy.

As a job seeker, you are called upon to engage in many activities that are outside your comfort zone (such as networking), and the natural tendency is to pull back from things that make us uncomfortable. If, instead, you push through the fear, you’ll find the activities become easier and both your confidence and your success will grow.

Here are five low-effort, low-energy networking activities to get you started, Note that each suggestion starts with “one” just to make the list less daunting – as soon as you’re comfortable, increase that number and continue to accelerate the process.

• Every day make one networking phone call or reply to one LinkedIn network update from one of your contacts.
• Send out one new LinkedIn invitation each week.
• Find one professionally relevant event – a workshop, professional conference, jobseeker networking group, etc. – to attend per month.
• Participate in one activity per week that isn’t focused on job search but rather on a cause or hobby or interest that you enjoy or care about.
• Post one professionally relevant LinkedIn status update every two weeks to stay on the radar screen of your contacts.

Remember that networking is about building relationships, and relationships take nurturing.

Stay in touch with your circle of contacts, with responses to their news and with news of your own, and concentrate on how you can be a resource for others. Reach out to establish relationships with new people.

Bottom line

Even an activity like networking, which is daunting to so many job seekers, can become less overwhelming with practice and repetition – and facing the fear makes us stronger.

More Information About Job Networking

• Job-Hunt’s Guide to Job Search Networking
• Job-Hunt’s Guide to Social Media and Job Search
• Job-Hunt’s Guide to LinkedIn for Job Search
• More advice on job networking for introverts

Additional advice from Wendy Gelberg to help introverts succeed with their networking, including (from the list on the right):

• 15-Minute Guide to Job Networking for Introverts – free ebook by Wendy Gelberg (new browser window)
• 5 Tips for Introverts to Keep Your Network Alive
• Introverts’ Guide to Large Networking Events
• The Real Goal of Networking
• The Art of Listening
• How to Meet New People
• Successful Follow-Up

About the author…

Wendy Gelberg is a Career Navigator at JVS CareerSolution in Boston and author of The Successful Introvert: How to Enhance Your Job Search and Advance Your Career. She is a certified career coach and resume writer whose expertise is in helping people who are uncomfortable “tooting their own horn.” Wendy writes resumes, gives workshops, coaches individuals, and writes articles and blogs on all aspects of the job search process. Samples of her resumes and career advice appear in over 20 books. Wendy has been a career coach and resume writer for over 15 years. She has been an introvert her whole life. Contact Wendy at wgelberg@careersolution.org.

The post Job Networking for Introverts: Face Your Fears appeared first on Job-Hunt.

Sophia Dembling surveyed introverts for her blog in Psychology Today (The Introvert’s Corner) to find out their favorite ways to meet people. She wasn’t talking about job search, but the strategies apply.

1. Introductions by friends and family.

These are the people who know you best and who are generally easiest to approach. Make sure your inner circle understands the kinds of opportunities you are looking for so they can help with introductions.

2. At work or school.

This is a little trickier if you’re no longer in a job or in school, but you can still reach out to former colleagues and classmates. Or, seek out opportunities for ongoing professional development, which upgrades your skills and gives you an opportunity to meet others who share your interests. (Side note – if your job search has been an extended one, “professional development” is a great answer when employers ask you what you’ve been doing for the past many months.)

3. Volunteering.

If you volunteer on a regular and recurring basis, you create the opportunity to become known and trusted by a new group of people, while you simultaneously get to know and trust them. At the same time, you’re making a helpful contribution to a cause or organization you care about and, in some cases, continuing to use your professional skills. (Side note – this is another great answer for employers if you’ve been in an extended search.)

Dembling concluded from her survey that “introverts prefer meeting people in situations where they can warm up and where there’s a natural subject for discussion (i.e. a club or class).”

Bottom Line:

You can meet new people in a low-key and natural manner that doesn’t have to take you too far out of your comfort zone. And meeting new people expands your job search network.

More Information About Job Networking

• Job-Hunt’s Guide to Job Search Networking
• Job-Hunt’s Guide to Social Media and Job Search
• Job-Hunt’s Guide to LinkedIn for Job Search

Additional advice from Wendy Gelberg to help introverts succeed with their networking, including (from the list on the right):

• 15-Minute Guide to Job Networking for Introverts – free ebook by Wendy Gelberg (new browser window)
• 5 Tips for Introverts to Keep Your Network Alive
• Introverts’ Guide to Large Networking Events
• The Real Goal of Networking
• The Art of Listening
• How to Meet New People
• Successful Follow-Up

About the author…

Wendy Gelberg is a Career Navigator at JVS CareerSolution in Boston and author of The Successful Introvert: How to Enhance Your Job Search and Advance Your Career. She is a certified career coach and resume writer whose expertise is in helping people who are uncomfortable “tooting their own horn.” Wendy writes resumes, gives workshops, coaches individuals, and writes articles and blogs on all aspects of the job search process. Samples of her resumes and career advice appear in over 20 books. Wendy has been a career coach and resume writer for over 15 years. She has been an introvert her whole life. Contact Wendy at wgelberg@careersolution.org.

The post Job Networking for Introverts: How to Meet New People appeared first on Job-Hunt.