I hear this question a lot, “I can almost feel people cringe when I ask them if they know someone who can help me find a job. It seems that everyone has caught on to networking. With so many people looking for a job and everyone networking, how can you still network without annoying your contacts?
I hear this question a lot, “I can almost feel people cringe when I ask them if they know someone who can help me find a job. It seems that everyone has caught on to networking. With so many people looking for a job and everyone networking, how can you still network without annoying your contacts?
Don’t ask for a job or imply anything close when you network. It puts the person on the defensive. It’s intrusive. It’s annoying.
But absolutely keep networking. Networking is critical to the jobseeker. Most jobs are filled via referrals, not ads. Getting inside is especially important in this slow economy, when companies are cutting recruiting costs. Here are some tips to network without being annoying:
Make a reasonable case for why you are networking. I recruited for a firm that only placed senior strategy consultants. We received countless inquiries from people with no background or interest in consulting. Do your homework, and only ask for things that are relevant to the people you approach.
If you approach someone repeatedly, say something different each time. Your first approach might be an informational interview. Your second approach might be a personalized thank you for the interview. Your third approach might be an interesting insight about what you discussed. Each time, new information is shared.
Use the information you are collecting. In the above example, information gleaned from the first interview is useful at least two more times. It is also useful when networking with other people in the field. You appear knowledgeable about the industry when you share insights from one insider with others.
Remember to maintain the network. When your search is over, circle back to the people who helped you along the way. Get into the habit of not only calling people for help, but of building genuine relationships.
Is Your Job Search Flexible or Just Unfocused?
As a recruiter, I’ve seen lack of flexibility on the recruiting side with employers clinging to every last detail in their ideal spec while perfectly good candidates get overlooked. As a career coach, I see jobseekers prematurely dismissing possible targets waiting for that perfect job. It’s true that you want to be focused in your job search (otherwise you dilute your efforts and come across as scattered and possibly desperate).
5 Questions to Test If Your Resume Is Recruiter-Proof
After recruiting in search and in-house for over ten years, I have read thousands of resumes. Due to sheer volume of resumes received and all the other things that vie for the recruiter’s attention in the hiring process – scheduling, interviewing, networking, reference checks, client debriefs, and more – the resume review process is ruthlessly quick.
Why Conventional Wisdom On Work Flexibility Is Always Wrong
In a previous post, I wrote about why employment statistics are always wrong. In a similar way, conventional wisdom on work flexibility is always wrong. It is impossible to generalize something that is inherently case-by-individual case. Therefore, any boilerplate advice or conventional wisdom is bound to omit a key consideration, underweight or overemphasize other considerations, or take too long-term or short-term of a view.
