Lil Miss P continues her Knowing How series by checking out the things you need to do to get you in the right position to find a job.

One of the most important things you can do when trying to accomplish a goal or make a change is support. The right kind of mentors, guidance, etc. — and even the right employees and vendors when you own your own company or creating a project — can make all the difference. Not only can good people around you help you find your way, but they can also potentially benefit you in other areas. One of my biggest mentors helped me land some of my early positions that ended up opening up the right doors for my future career. Another made introductions and shared insight that helped catapult my work from there. Whether you’re job hunting to make ends meet or working on building the career of your dreams, the company you keep is important. Here’s how to find the right type of people to help move your goals and ideas.

1. Read. One of the most valuable tools during my entire career has been reading. I read the industry trades in the market I do work in, blogs, etc. Knowing what’s going on in the business you do, recent trends, news, and other happenings can help you edge out competition. There is nobody who is more successful than someone who knows their stuff. But also, reading can create the opportunity to find the right people to reach out to about jobs, doing business, etc. For example, I read Business Week cover to cover every year for years and often would contact those who were in the articles about doing business. It works!

2. Reach out. Once you’ve found a mentor or someone you’d like to connect with, the next step is to reach out to him or her and see if they’ll take a meeting or call with you. Even an exchange of emails where you’re able to get insight or develop a bond with a person can speak volumes in helping you get ahead. As you do, be quick and concise, stating who you are and what you’re up to in just a few short sentences. Get right to the point of what you’d like to connect with the person on. If its for mentorship, ask. If it’s just to gain information, see if he/she will do an informational interview over email, or answer a few questions.

3. Ready yourself. The key to effectively networking is to not just make it about what you want to accomplish, but what you have to bring to the table too. As I reach out to mentors, people I want to do business with, etc. I do make clear what I might be looking for but I also make very clear what kind of knowledge, insight and information I have that may benefit someone else — if you are a great writer and articulate speaker, say so. If you can give insight into a specific market, or have a special skill, let it be known. By stating your value and what you offer in quick, short form can make you valuable to whoever works with you and also enables them to understand where you may have skills or knowledge that may be able to help someone else.

4. Research. When it comes to mentors and advisors, or vendors and other support you might bring in, always make sure you’re researching who you are working with to ensure they’re the right fit for the job. A friend of mine constantly wants to have a certain business associate we know to advise on his company, but time and time again, I tell him that person is not really the right fit for what they need. When you’re looking into vendors, agencies, etc. to hire, always ask for client references and check out their work. Sometimes really great firms just aren’t a fit for something you may need to accomplish.

As you plan out what you want to do with your job/career, think about the kind of people that might help you along the way. It goes beyond just those who donate their time to mentorship — sometimes, reaching out to a TV exec, an author, etc. can put you under someone’s wing in other ways. Most of all, don’t be afraid to ask, and don’t be discouraged when someone takes time to respond (or doesn’t respond at all). It can take some of my advisors, mentors, etc. a long time to respond due to being busy. I try to remember that those who are helping me free of charge are doing so when they can. Just keep moving forward, reaching out to others, working towards your goals!

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