Developing personal rapport with other job seekers requires building and maintaining relationships with other people who are searching for jobs and who may be competing with you for job opportunities.
Instead of isolating yourself or refusing to network with the competition, take a proactive role by making the connections you need to advance your own job search.
Here are some questions to answer to get you started on developing personal rapport with other job seekers.
- How have you built connections in the past? What has worked for you?
- What is your preferred relationship-building or networking style?
- Does this style still work or do you need to use an alternative style or develop new skills?
- What relationship-building skills do you possess?
- What efforts do you make to meet informally with former colleagues on a regular basis?
- Who has approached you to develop a stronger relationship? How have you reacted to their overtures?
- How do you express disagreement, disapproval or deal with difficult people?
Sooner or later you will come across someone who is vying for the same job you are seeking. Answering these questions in advance will help you avoid unnecessary emotional turmoil when deciding to establish a connection.
