Everyone has been telling you to start networking in your job search, right? What exactly does that mean, though? How does talking to people about the fact you don’t have a job get you a job?
Related:18 Easy Conversation Starters For Networking Events
Here are five ways to make networking work for you:
1. Mix It Up
Don’t, I repeat, don’t go to the same places with the same people over and over again. It is very easy to seek a pattern or habit when you are in a new and potentially uncomfortable place. Few people like going into a room of strangers and walking up to someone and telling him you are out of work. It sucks enough to know it – you don’t like having to say it. But… get over the fear! Expand your list of contacts. Grow your circle. Increase your influence.
Network in groups of people who are looking for work.
Network with people who are active in your industry.
Network with people who already know you.
Network with professionals who have companies in the same city you want to work.
2. Know Your Message
You are the President, CEO, and Sales Manager for You, Inc. What are you selling? Who are you selling it to?
Let me fill you in on a little secret… the answers are not you are selling your resume (or a verbal version of it) to anyone who’s buying. I promise you the overly general, include everything you’ve ever done, just in case someone might want you to do the job you did 17 years ago approach doesn’t work in a networking context.
Be specific. You should be able to tell anyone who asks, without hesitation, what your strengths are, a few job titles that would be a good fit, and what value you bring to an organization. Also, you should be able to tell anyone who asks 5 – 10 organizations and/or people you would like to meet or get to know better.
3. Do What You Say You’ll Do
Everyone knows actions speak louder than words; when you are networking for a job, this is more important than ever. You are sending micro-messages to your network with each and every commitment you make and keep (or don’t). Tell them how great you are!
If you offer to make a connection for someone, do it. And do it in a timely manner.
Planning to meet someone for a quick cup of coffee before your job club? Be on time!
Has someone offered to introduce to you to their boss/friend/colleague as soon as you send your resume over? Take the time to tweak the resume for the job and get it over FAST!
Do you have a strategy for helping your network remember what you are looking for? This is your job while you are searching. Don’t assume they will remember exactly which friend is looking for a network administrator job and who is looking for an IT support position. Use tools like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and e-mail to remind your network of your search.
4. Stay Top Of Mind
NOTE: There is a really fine line here you must learn to walk. Don’t be “that guy” and send 14 messages a week to your full list of contacts. It's important to be aggressive, but not so much people stop reading your messages or taking your calls because they are tired of your constant requests for help. Find a comfortable pace at which you will run the race.
5. Be Real
Networking is work, don’t get me wrong. However, most networking meetings – whether one to one or in a group – are designed for people to connect. So put enough of yourself out there so others can connect to you. Smile. Laugh. Enjoy the opportunity to make some new contacts and potential friends. In sales, there is a saying people do business with those they know, like and trust. Be someone who others will seek to know and like. The trust will follow when you are authentic in your relationships.
ANOTHER NOTE: As with #4, there is a line here. Use discretion when meeting new people and do not tell everyone everything about your personal and private life. Being real and authentic does not equate with telling your deepest darkest secrets. Networking is about finding a point of connection.
This post was originally published at an earlier date.Photo Credit: Shutterstock
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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