When you are in job-search mode, you become acutely aware of the fact that you need to start networking and making new connections as quickly as possible. You also become aware of the fact that your old network is valuable, but if you have not cultivated your old network you may feel something akin to panic. Dr. Ivan Misner of BNI (Business Network International) says “Networking is more about ‘farming’ than it is about ‘hunting.’ It’s about cultivating relationships.” So whether you are in job-search mode or not, cultivating your network of connections should always be a priority.
Related: Has Your Network Abandoned You? 10 Tips To Win Them Back
What if you haven’t been cultivating relationships with your old network of contacts and connections, however? How do you reconnect with members of your old network without coming across as disingenuous or overly needy? After all, people don’t like feeling that they are being used. They would like to think you value them for who they are, not for what they might be able to do for you.
Here are 5 suggestions for how to go about reconnecting with people from your old network:
1) Social media.
A great way for you to reconnect with members of your old network. LinkedIn is especially conducive to finding old work colleagues that you haven’t seen for a long time and simply reconnecting. Don’t assume, however, that everyone will be thrilled to hear from you out of the blue, especially if it has been a few decades since you last worked together. You may need to remind them of how you know each other, and you should not ask for anything other than to connect at first. The value of a connection anywhere, whether it is through LinkedIn or somewhere else, is that the people with whom you are connected are in a position to share their network of contacts with you. You are dealing with a potential gold mine, but you will blow it if you are presumptuous or if you don’t take care to approach people with respect for their personal and professional boundaries.
2) Association meetings, conferences, and professional conventions.
These are great places to go and reconnect with old colleagues and other people from your industry. Social media is great, but there is no replacement for meeting people face to face. Your presence at such a meeting indicates your interest in staying up to date with the trends in your industry or profession and puts you in place to meet with old colleagues and connections as well as to make new friends and connections. If there is a conference or convention coming up, plan to attend. Consider the cost of attendance as an investment in your professional future and a place to network, network, network.
3) Set up informational meetings or make coffee dates so you can catch up with people from your past.
When you are working full time, keeping up with people through coffee dates or just a quick meeting may feel like a burdensome intrusion on your day. In terms of keeping your network healthy and strong, however, there is no better way to do that than to be intentional about keeping up with people from your work past. Talk about personal things, too, like family and hobbies as well as what is going on at work. Be interested in them as a person rather than as someone who might do something for you
4) Don’t forget that you have something to offer. Networking is a two-way street.
Many job seekers who are intentionally networking using these various methods and tools may forget that they have a lot to offer, too. Be generous with your own network, and don’t forget that you may be able to help someone else as much as you feel like you need their help.
5) Don’t neglect the follow-up.
Once you have reconnected, don’t forget that farming metaphor from Dr. Misner. Every relationship requires continued care and nurturing. If you truly care about building your network and keeping it strong, you cannot consider your meetings or new connections as “one and done” affairs. Follow up if only through social media by staying in touch through LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook. You can stay top of mind by liking someone’s articles or posts, commenting on their status, sharing their articles or sending them links to articles of interest that they might find useful.
Just as you wouldn’t plant a garden and then leave it to chance to grow, you should consider that once you have created a connection that it will never flourish with no action on your part. Following up and staying connected is critical. Otherwise, you will always be in the position of feeling like you are falling behind in your networking efforts instead of feeling that you have a thriving and vibrant network that is full of possibilities.
Networking can feel challenging… especially for those who identify with the Introvert personality type. Networking events are often viewed through the lens of dread as opposed to anticipation. It doesn’t have to feel that way, however. Approach it as one who has much to offer and may be seen by your connections as a valuable asset to their network. Go to events prepared to listen more than to talk, and be generous in what you share and provide. You will soon build a reputation as a great asset and a wonderful contact to have.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by a Work It Daily-approved expert. You can learn more about expert posts here.Photo Credit: Bigstock
Is your job search turning into a grind with no end in sight? It may be time to take a step back and reevaluate your entire approach.
In cold weather climates, the beginning of spring is a time to clean the house and get organized—a practice known as spring cleaning. Through the years, spring cleaning has taken on a larger meaning with people using the time to organize and declutter things in their lives.
For professionals on the job hunt, a little spring cleaning (metaphorically speaking) could be a great way to reinvigorate your job search. Here are a few strategies your job search spring cleaning should include.
Reevaluate Your Job Search Approach
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Make a list of the last handful of jobs you applied for and see if you can identify any positive or negative trends. Consider things like:
How did I learn about this job?
How did I apply for the job?
Did I earn an interview?
What was the ultimate result?
A lot can be learned about your job search approach just by answering these questions and identifying patterns. For example:
Negative Trends
You discovered five jobs through job boards, applied to all of them via the job boards, and never heard back from any of them.
The common pattern here is applying through job boards. This isn't to say that job boards don't serve a purpose in the job search process, but they have their limitations, and you can't run your job search entirely off of them. When you apply through a job board, there's a good chance that your materials will never get past the applicant tracking system (ATS) and never be seen by an actual person.
One simple fix is to research who the hiring manager or recruiter is that posted the position and email your materials to them directly.
The more efficient fix would be to take a proactive approach by putting together a bucket list of companies that you want to work for and start making connections on LinkedIn with people who work at those companies. You may already know some people who work there or have connections that can refer you to some individuals.
This is a great way to network your way onto a company's radar.
Positive Trends
You applied to three jobs via referral, were invited to two job interviews, and made it through multiple rounds of interviews for one of the jobs before being passed over for someone with a little more experience.
The pattern here is that getting referred to a job by a professional acquaintance is a great way to land a job interview. This indicates that you're leveraging your network well and you should continue to focus on your networking efforts.
The next step is to review the interview process and determine what went well and what needs to be improved. Sometimes the interviewer will provide feedback, and that feedback can be valuable. However, not everyone is comfortable with giving feedback.
Chances are you probably have a good idea about areas of improvement and the skills you need to gain. Put together a plan for addressing those shortfalls.
The good news in making it deep into any interview process is that it indicates that the company likes you as a potential employee (even if the timing just wasn't right) and the experience could be a roadmap to a job with that company at a later date, or another similar opportunity elsewhere.
Give Your Resume & Cover Letter Some Much-Needed Attention
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Are you continuously sending similar resumes and cover letters to each job opening with only minor adjustments? If so, your strategy needs some serious spring cleaning.
The reason why it's so important to tailor your resume is that throughout your career, you acquire numerous skills, but the job you're applying for may only be focusing on 6-8 of those skills. In that case, those skills must rise to the top of the resume with quantifiable examples of how you successfully used those skills at previous jobs.
Remember, recruiters go through hundreds of resumes. They need to be able to tell from a quick glance whether or not you're a potential candidate for the position.
While updating your resume, you could also spruce up your LinkedIn profile by highlighting the skill sets that you want to be noticed for by recruiters.
As for writing a good cover letter, the key to success is writing a disruptive cover letter. When you write a disruptive cover letter, you're basically telling a story. The story should focus on how you connect with the particular company and job position. The story could also focus on your personal journey, and how you got to where you currently are in your career.
If your resumes and cover letters aren't unique, now is the time to clean things up and get on track.
Build Your Personal Brand
Just because you're looking for work doesn't mean that you don't have anything to offer. Use previous career experiences and passions to build your personal brand.
Ask yourself, "How do I want other professionals to view me?"
Pick an area of expertise and start sharing your knowledge and experience with your professional network by pushing out content on your LinkedIn and social media accounts. Good content can include blogs, social media posts, and videos.
By sharing content about your experiences and passions, you slowly build your personal brand, and others will start to notice. The content could lead to good discussions with others in your network. It could also lead to reconnecting with connections that you haven't spoken to in years, or making new connections.
You never know when one of these connections could turn into a job lead or referral. The trick is to get on people's radars. So, when you're cleaning up your job search, be sure to build a plan for personal branding.
Maintain Healthy Habits During Your Job Search
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Your job search is important, but it's even more important to know when to pull back and focus on personal health and spending time with family and friends.
There are actually things that you can do for your own enjoyment that could help your job search in the long run, such as:
Grab coffee with a friend - It's good to engage in light conversation with friends during challenging times. And if your job search does come up, remember that most people have been through it themselves and you never know when a friend may provide you with a good idea or lead on a job.
Volunteer - Volunteering is a great way to get involved in the community and help others. In addition, if you develop a little bit of a career gap while looking for a job, you can always talk about how you filled that time volunteering, if you're asked about it during a job interview.
Continue to focus on other passions - Are you a fitness nut? Blogger? Crafter? Continue to do the things that bring you happiness. And if you're in a position to profit from your passion through a freelance job or side hustle, even better!
Spring is the perfect time to clean up and improve your job search so you can land the job you want. If you're struggling to find a job, follow the tips above to reinvigorate your job search—and watch your career blossom!
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This article was originally published at an earlier date.
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