Tip #4 DON’T EXPECT LEADS OVERNIGHT If you are fresh to job market, don’t expect to get a lead from everyone you talk to. It just doesn’t work that way and not that easily. For some contacts, it's important to build and nurture relationship before asking about job leads. Don’t be too aggressive as that is usually a turnoff.

Tip #5 NETWORK FOR THE LONG RUN Think of this as a long term career strategy. The contacts you make will only get stronger and people you meet make now will move into higher positions. Once you find a job, don’t let network collapse, it's important that you meet that old contact for lunch once a month or play raquetball with that old co-worker. This network that you form now will be extremely helpful for many, many years to come.

=========================================== QUICK NETWORKING HINTS =========================================== 1. Make an impression quickly when you first meet someone and try and get your story across before conversation ends. 2. Don’t be aggressive and ask about job openings first time you meet someone. Be subtle in your approach. 3. Try to get a business card, phone number, setup a future lunch date, etc., Basically, some method of future contact or follow-up so that you can develop this further.

=========================================== SOURCES TO START YOUR NETWORK =========================================== 1. College alumni association 2. Churches, parties, weddings, almost any social gathering 3. Your family (uncles, cousins, distant family) 4. Former co-workers (as they migrate into other companies) 5. Your professors, career counselors, faculty and advisors 6. Your own friends and your friends’ parents or key contacts

So now you have fundamentals, start networking! Make new contacts, find more job leads, and make some great friends along way.

Sincerely, Nathan Newberger Managing Editor http://www.WorkTree.com "Helping You Find More Jobs Faster"

==================================================== Latest WorkTree Member Testimonial: ==================================================== "This job search portal is best, i'm finding more jobs in in half time, I love your recruiter contact database and ability to link directly to their sites to explore for more jobs." Kernen, Salt Lake City, Utah

Go hi-tech. More and more mystery shopping companies are requiring shoppers to have access to Internet, email and a fax machine. Some shops even require use of a digital camera to capture product placement, signage, cleanliness or other focus points.

Complete all assignments on time. If you absolutely cannot complete an assignment, contact mystery shopping company immediately so they can reschedule assignment. Dependable shoppers get best assignments!

Assignments can be as basic as sitting in parking lot of a fast food restaurant for 20 minutes to document drive-thru service times to taking an all-expense-paid trip to a resort for 2 weeks to document your daily service experiences.

Now that you understand mystery shopping industry a little more clearly, next step is to locate a few top mystery shopping providers and register, remembering that even if a firm doesn’t have a client in your area today, they may next month. Once registered with a company, it would not hurt to call or send an email to express your willingness to shop and to confirm your professionalism and attention to detail. Just make sure that you do not send an email full of typos and grammatical errors – definitely not type of first impression that you want to leave.

Another method for finding potential shopping opportunities and to gather further industry knowledge is by monitoring online mystery shopping message boards and forums. To locate a few, type words like “mystery shopping message board” or “mystery shopping forum” into your favorite browser.

Mystery shopping may not become your next career, but it will provide you with some extra income, free goods, and maybe even a few adventures along way!