Keeping your hand in after graduation

I'm learning very quickly the importance of making and maintaining connections within the industry. After graduating in 2011 I was lucky enough to start my current job pretty much straight off, I managed a meagre four months of Job Seekers Allowance. Because of this, I made a fatal error and I let the connections I'd worked hard for in uni slide. I'm only just about recovering now. It's so important to get the feelers out there and interact with your peers, I can't stress it enough. We all need to stick together and share the love! And you never know when you'll be able to give someone a helping hand or get a boost yourself. 

My problem is that I find it hard to make the first move, I'm a fairly shy person so I struggle sometimes to put myself out there. With this in mind, I've put together a few pointers based on my own experiences. 

1//Pimp out your LinkedIn. 

I've only just properly hopped on the LinkedIn bandwagon, previously my half finished profile was just sitting there collecting dust. Big mistake. As soon as I made an effort, threw a half decent summary on there and added my experience, the connection started pouring in. I know it sounds obvious, but maybe just maybe the website built for making connections might actually help make connections. And I've learnt in the past few weeks that it's sup rising who the people you know, know. So to instantly get yourself out there, sort out your LinkedIn. Trust me. 

2//Keep your hand in, full-time job or not.

I'm not talking about Moonlighting at every hour of the day, but at least make an effort to keep involved with the scene. Go to exhibitions, go to lectures, go to events. Just go. You'll see the regular faces and they'll see you. Even if the only benefit you get from it is that you expand your mind, isn't that enough? Best case scenario is that you get chatting to someone who might just be looking for what you can give. 

3//Take a day off and go to a workshop.

I'm guilty of this one. All to often, there are events on that I would love to go to. The hitch? They're usually during the day when I'm at work, or in the evening when my only thought it "urgh, I have to get up early the next day". My advice? Just go already. Take a day off and go. A few hours less sleep won't do any harm for all the benefit you'll gain. This is one of my resolutions for this year. Join me, let's learn together!

Another one in this bracket is to attend a freelance event. Jelly Liverpool is an awesome event that is held once a month where Freelancers can come set their gear up and work all day around other creatives. It's a great chance to mix with people from other disciplines and to potentially make some new connections. What have you got to lose? Also, if you're in the North West, I'd definitely recommend getting to a Kin event. Great events, great networking!

So now I guess I need to follow my own advice! I'm really trying to be more involved in Liverpool's amazing creative community this year, I hope we can take this journey together. 

Svea xo