Networking

Build a Network on Social Media

Linked-in, Facebook, Tumbler. Dribble, Instagram, Behance, etc. This is where you can make friends with other professionals by commenting on each other's work, sharing news and opinions and doing micro-press-releases (announcing comlpeted projects)

LinkedIn

You can have Linkedin send you, via e-mail, a list of jobs that you might be interested in. But more importantly, it can send you a list of jobs that are at companies where people you are connected with are working or are connected with through someone else. The more connections you make, the more of these kinds of job opportunities are pushed at you. And you may be able to leverage your connections to get special attention. To leverage this feature, simply click on the "jobs" link when you are logged in.

• Kendall Alumni Linkedin Group

• Linked-up Grand Rapids

• Ani-Jobs

• Animation, Media & Entertainment

• Creative Heads (Digital Entertainment Career Network)

• Designers Talk

• Freelance Motion Graphics Designers and Animators

• The Games Industry

Facebook

• Digital Media Group

• KCAD Group

Contact 10 Companies You Want to Work for

Be realistic... make sure you are a good fit. Contact their HR department asking for an 'informational interview'. In this interview, they will give you feedback on your portfolio and tell you about their business. It is not a job interview. Ask if you can show them new portfolio work occasionally. This can be done online, on the phone, or in person.

• Find companies you fit with by finding the production companies that are creating the media for which you would be a good fit. The internet is an exceptional resource for this.

Execute a Postcard Campaign

Send them to 20 companies you want to work for... twice a week for 3 weeks. Put your portfolio site URL, a list of services or skills, and your contact information on the cards. On the glossy, cover side put a single piece of great work from your portfolio.

• Find companies you fit with by finding the production companies that are creating the media for which you would be a good fit. The internet is an exceptional resource for this.

Join Your Professional Organization

• Attend their events. Find your's at KCADDLC > Organizations

• Participate in your profession's on-line community. Find your's at KCADDLC > Communities

Find a Mentor

When you meet a professional in your field, see if they will mentor you. That means looking at your work on an ongoing basis and giving you feedback... once every couple of weeks at the most. Eventually they may start referring you.

Conversational Networking

When beginning a conversation in a networking opportunity, make the conversation about the other person. Ask them about their work, what they do for fun. Prove that you are listening by asking questions that will prompt them to elaborate. If you bring yourself into the conversation, keep it on-topic. Ask for advice but don't ask for work. If they find you trustworthy and likable, they will ask about your story and if there is a connection there, you may get asked to take the professional relationship to the next step. This may be an informational interview, mentoring, an internship or a request to quote a contract project.

This scenario may seem contrived, but if you partake in this activity you will learn something valuable from every conversation and you will become connected to people in your industry in very genuine way.

ABN

'Always be networking'. Anyone and everyone you meet can be a referral... here's how it works:

You're at your 6 year old nephews birthday party. You're sitting in a cheap folding chair, eating cake, sandwiched between your grandmother and a distant relative from your sister-in-laws side of the family.

• You say "hi" to grandma

• Then turn to the mystery person and say "hi I'm me, my nephew's uncle. I just graduated from Kendall college. So... what do you do for work?"

• He says, "I'm a plumber. What did you study in college?"

• You say "website design".

• He says "That's great, my brother owns a small business and they are looking for a website designer."

• You say, cool! Can I get your phone number so I can call you about that?" He says "Sure".