Why Job Seekers Should Attend Art Shows

People have all kinds of reactions when it comes to the thought of attending an art show. To some, it holds the promise of a fabulous evening out, gazing at art, sipping wine, people-watching. However, people who don't necessarily enjoy looking at paintings or being around the types of people who do may see hours of dry, brittle torture ahead of them. But to job seekers, it represents the knock of opportunity.

This is because art can be very expensive -- at least the art in certain types of art shows, the types job seekers should be attending. How do you know if you are in the right place? Make sure it is in a professional art gallery, one operated as a business for the purpose of selling art to patrons for its clients. You can actually compile a list of such places by looking in the events calendar of your local entertainment newspaper.

Potential buyers will be people who can afford to drop $500 or $1,500 on a single painting. They will be successful business owners. These successful business owners may just be in the market for a new employee. And even if they aren't, or aren't involved in your industry, they may know someone who is. In other words, gallery shows are an ideal place to network.

If you become familiar with the local art circuit, you will discover that gallery openings aren't the only types of art openings that may be useful for the job seeker. Movers and shakers attend shows at museums and off-the-beaten path places as well, but those may be unique to a given arts community. Openings at coffee houses, bars and universities may or may not attract the types of people with whom you want to network.

The next time someone threatens to drag you to an art show, don't feel as though you'll be wasting an evening in a place that holds nothing for you. Use the opportunity to network, even if you are not in the market for a job. You simply never know who you may meet. A doctor who wants to purchase an antique car just like the one that has been sitting in your garage for the past year? A real estate broker whose wife adores doilies like the ones your wife sells? Jump in with both feet and see just what you come away with.