Before I was a photographer, I worked as a career counsellor and coach. Day after day, I would meet people who had been looking for work for six, eight, ten months and couldn’t find a job. They were disheartened and stressed, and couldn’t understand why with all their skills, and sometimes decades of experience, no one would hire them.

When I asked them questions about how they were conducting their job search, it always turned out that they were sitting behind a computer all day, searching for job postings and sending off resumes.

People think that because of the Internet that the way to look for a job has changed. But the statistics show that if all you do is apply to job postings, you have only a 4% chance of being hired.

The way to look for a job has not changed. The way to find a job is to get out there and meet people. Pick up the phone, introduce yourself. Ask for in-person meetings or informational interviews. Network. 

The same goes for the photography industry. Or any other industry for that matter. Jobs, gigs, money … it all comes through people. If you want to get hired, you need to talk to them. Establish and maintaining relationships with clients is crucial, and the best way to do that is to get out from behind the computer.

A quick email or phone call is great for an initial connection, but after that it should be Old School all the way.

When I first started out in food writing–back when most people had never heard of a blog–I made a couple of my best contacts on this newfangled thing called Twitter. After a few friendly tweets back and forth, I suggested meeting for coffee. They took me up on it and became great sources of information and support for me, and I’m in touch with these people to this day. The best thing about social media is that it can actually give you the opportunity for real live interaction if you use it correctly. Whether it starts online or off, networking is the key to business.

So how can you get started with this and make this concept work for you in photography?

First of all, make sure you know your target market. If you’re serious about becoming a working photographer, I would even suggest writing a business plan. A lot of people will tell you writing a business plan for a creative enterprise is lame, but I found it to be a worthwhile exercise. It can give you a lot of information about how to proceed, particularly when it comes to going after your target market. When I started out in food photography, I thought everyone was my target market. I figured I’d chosen the perfect genre. I could go after chefs and restaurants, food packagers, artisan food producers, marketing and ad agencies–the world was my oyster.

The truth is, not ot everyone can be your client. Casting too wide of a net will actually result in fewer fish. The trick is to narrow down exactly who it is you want to work with and go after those people. Want to shoot cookbooks? Research the book publishers in your area. Want to shoot images for food packaging? Connect with marketing agencies and get an appointment with the creative director to show them your work. Not on an iPad but in a printed portfolio. Show them how your work looks in print. People still love what they can see and touch. Give them something tangible to hold on to, rather clogging their spam folder with mailers.

Make a list of your top twenty dream clients and start courting them. If the doors don’t open for you right away, don’t give up. Don’t be a stalker, just be persistent. Taking initiative makes it easier on them.

And ask for referrals. People generally like to help other people. It makes them feel good about themselves. If you ask, most people will try to come up with someone who can help you. In my first year of business, I got most of my work from one marketing agency that someone introduced me to. I’m not saying that you should put all your eggs in one basket, but one such connection can end up being a big source for repeat business down the line and will help you build up your body of work so that you can approach even bigger clients.

The thing about all of this is that it’s easier said than done. Deep down, my job hunting clients knew what they needed to be doing, but they made excuses out of fear. It takes courage to put you and your art out there for scrutiny and rejection. I know this from personal experience.

But I also know that everything you want in life–everything worth having–is on the other side of fear.