<h2>Networking and The SG Group</h2

A while ago I found a recruitment website that I thought was the answer to my marketing dreams. You see, for the past few months I had become increasingly sure that marketing was what I wanted to do as a career. In my last job I did quite a lot of online and traditional marketing and I felt that I was well qualified as a creative and gregarious type of person to forge a good career in this industry.

Soon after I'd submitted online my CV and some supplementary information about myself, I received an email from one of the SG Group team. I was disappointed to read that whilst they thought that I had an interesting CV, they did not feel that they were able to help me. In my fury I sent a response to them asking for a further explanation of why; why they felt that my particular case was beyond them. I was disappointed, frustrated and was not far from exploding into a frenzy of self-pity...

Amazingly, within a couple of hours I received a phone call. The man on the other end of the phone was from SG. He was sympathetic but honest and gave me two invaluable pieces of advice, both of which have proved well worth the initial rejection.

Firstly, he mentioned how I simply was not qualified enough. Compared to many people on their books I did not have the requisite experience that employers were looking for. According to him, my CV suggested that I had had more transferrable experience and obvious success in sales and business development. He made the point that it's not worth trying to be a jack of all trades as that will put off most employers - they want to be able to quickly identify where your key strengths lie so that they can see where you will add value to their organisation. Bottom line: be honest with yourself.

And secondly he made the surprising point that in the current climate, perhaps more so than in the boom years, the highest percentage of new jobs are secured by networking. This is a phrase that used to make me cringe, but no longer. It is invaluable, because each meeting and phone conversation throws up new ideas, facts and suggestions, giving you more credibility come your next introduction. On top of this, you might just leave your new contact with a new set of eyes and ears helping you in your search.

Finally - and this is something that I have found out for myself - talking to as many people as possible (preferrably in person) helps you define what you're looking for. When you hear yourself speak out loud and witness people's reactions to your thoughts and opinions you quickly see what stands up and what does not. Such experiences help you ammend and develop your sales pitch so that next time you talk to someone you are that much more desirable as a commodity.

If this all sounds like it will take time then you're beginning to understand the process. It will take time, so start now because my God it's worth doing. Start with 4 or 5 names and give them a ring (always ring as emails can easily be forgotten/missed). Try to find people whose job titles you're interested in. Although you may want to go into film finance, it's unlikely that you'll know someone already in it. It's also just as unlikley that you'll be able to move straight into it. Instead find someone in finance with whom you can discuss what roles are out there, making you more conversant with the associated lingo. Then ask whether they know anyone in film finance or operating in that kind of area. The aim is to leave each meeting with one new name to add to your list of contacts and to leave each contact as you'd wish to find them should you need their help again.

But start networking now because slow but steady wins the race.