Networking is one of the most important parts of a professional’s career. Sometimes, it is not your resume full of internships or ivy league education that will get you a job, it is actually about who you know. A personal recommendation that you are a good person and hard worker can give you an “in” with a company that you would otherwise not have a chance at landing a job with. It depends on your career, but especially for jobs in the creative world, networking is key to employment.

From my own personal experiences, breaking into industries such as fashion and film, since I want to be a costume designer, is nearly impossible. It pays to go out and meet as many people in this field as you can and get their contact information. Whether it is a boss at an internship or someone in the same career field as you that you met through an internship, keeping in contact with them is important. Keep the relationship professional and casual. Meeting for dinner or a drink is okay, as is sending them a Christmas Card. Don’t invite them to an event where you plan to really party with your friends, of course, as this is not a good impression of you. Treat every time you meet like it is an interview of sorts, even if your connection is around the same age as you. You want to give off the best impression possible in case they will suggest you for a job someday or want to work with you themselves in the future  

If you are new to the city or just don’t have a lot of business contacts, volunteer for events in your field, like a film, art, or music festival. This type of thing is great for freelancers looking to meet more people in their field who can recommend them for work, and vice versa. Even at a gig where you’re not getting paid, treat it like any other job and try your hardest. You never know what could land you paid work in the future!

Bars are a questionable place to network, but it really depends on the type of place. At a high-class bar such as a hotel rooftop it would be acceptable to network, especially if there is a special event going on for creative professionals like during fashion week. If it is getting really late at night, though, it’s probably not even worth trying. Especially on a weekend night past 10 pm, no one wants to think about work.

My top three networking tips are as follows:

1)Always carry business cards with you. If you are in the creative field, keep your most recent work updated, such as your photography or writing on your website and put that web address on your card.

2) Utilize Linked-In.com, a place for business professionals to upload their resume, apply for jobs, and most of all network with one another. Don’t be afraid to message people you don’t know asking for advice, or seeing if they know of career openings. Craigslist is good, but I personally feel like Linked-In is better and more professional. You can check up on who you are dealing with because everyone has a profile.

3) Be proud of who you are, and your experiences even though others may have way more on their resume. You are your own person, at your own point in your career, with your own strengths and weaknesses. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else, and don’t let others’ accomplishments scare you. It is a very competitive world, and we must