With the holidays, there is plenty of opportunity to networ. In the advice circles, there is no shortage of people who strongly encourage networking. As a career coach and recruiter, I have followed many careers and have seen firsthand many examples of networking success.
With the holidays, there is plenty of opportunity to networ. In the advice circles, there is no shortage of people who strongly encourage networking. As a career coach and recruiter, I have followed many careers and have seen firsthand many examples of networking success. Here are some of my favorites:
A PhD in molecular biology makes key venture capital contacts (and eventually lands a VC job) after tracking down a fellow PhD in molecular biology who is now a senior banker;
An art assistant lands an art director position at a national magazine, after regular contact with her former boss (now editor of this magazine) puts her in the right place at the right time;
A management consultant makes a career change into recruiting after a former colleague hires her into her new company – a retained search firm;
A little league basketball coach gets a job interview at one of his dream firms because it turns out he is coaching the son of a top executive there.
Many people make introductions, get promoted, or jumpstart career transitions because of networking – having the courage to meet new people and having the discipline to maintain familiar contacts. In most examples, however, the payoff is in the future. You can’t expect your first phone call to lead to a job. Often, networking leads to more and more networking, which eventually yields a success story. It takes persistence, commitment, and an upbeat attitude.
But it does work. So, keep in mind that wherever you are, you are surrounded by a potential network. Your classmates, your colleagues, your friends’ friends at that party could be your next employer, funder, client, mentor, or best friend. Keep yourself open to the possibilities of networking success.
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.
