How to find in-person networking events to attend -

How to find in-person networking events to attend - Youve probably heard that candidates referred by friends are much more likely to be hired. Statistics regarding how many employers fill jobs via their networks vary, but some toss around numbers as high as 80 percent. No matter the exact figures, no one doubts that networking helps job seekers. Job seekers should not forget in-person networking, even if they are active on social media. No matter how useful online networks are, candidates who use those tools as stepping stones to meet people in person will access opportunities and resources beyond those available online. A new tool can help people in many large cities find in-person networking opportunities. 99Events.com allows you to search for events using a keyword. For example, you could search for career in your big city. The site will search public events posted on a variety of tools like TicketLeap, Meetup, Facebook, Eventbrite, and Eventful. (And all of these databases are potentially useful tools to search individually if 99Events does not support your city or town.) Dont limit yourself to career events. Find groups who share your personal interests. If you havent searched tools such as MeetUp, you may be surprised by the depth and breadth of special interest groups meeting all around the country. How can you improve your chances to make the most of events you attend? Research who is coming. Its so easy to find out whos attending an event. Even personal events, such as birthday party invitations, often come via email with online RSVPs that make it easy to see whos attending. Introduce yourself well. Dont just show up at professional and casual events before considering what you want other people to know about you. Be able to say something about yourself that would interest the people you meet. Be sure to target what you say so it wont bore your talking companion. Follow up. Dont forget: Its your job to keep in touch with people you want to know. Do not expect to hear back from anyone you meet, even if they say theyll call. When you plan ahead and include all of these issues on your to do list, you will be ahead of most job seekers and that much closer to landing a job. Read the whole post on my U.S. News World Report column. photo by Aidan Jones