Network Your Way to a New Job!

Have you ever driven by that beautiful home in your neighborhood only to see a moving van parked in front? Perhaps you didn’t even know the home was for sale. The person moving into that home probably bought it through an informal system of making contacts to get what you want – Networking!

Networking is nothing more than making connections with any and all sources available to you and informing them of what you are looking for– easy to say and hard to do if you’re not sure what you want or where to find it. The person who bought that beautiful home probably knew exactly what he or she wanted like location and the ideal price range. Then contacts were made until he or she connected with the homeowner, researched the home and negotiated to close the deal. Networking for a job involves the same steps: Knowing what you want, targeting where you want it, making the contacts and negotiating to close the deal.

If you’re in search of the perfect job but don’t know what that is, get some professional help in matching your skills, interests and abilities with job titles. Contact your local Workforce Development Center for help. This first step is very important. If you don’t know what you want, it’s difficult to go out and get it!

Document your qualifications in a powerful resume that will make an employer want to know more about you. Make sure that everyone you are connected to has a copy of your resume and knows what type of job you are looking for. Next, think of all the companies in your area that might be interested in hiring someone with your unique combination of talents. This research can be accomplished through various sources, such as the internet, manufacturer’s and services guides, etc. Begin contacting people (friends, former colleagues, church members, neighbors, vendors, etc.) to see if there are any connections to these companies. Ask for permission to use their name when you contact the company to see if there are any openings that may be a good match with your qualifications. Be assertive, and be patient. Most job leads are the result of a third to fifth generation network contact.

Networking is a two-way street of volunteering and receiving information, so it’s important to keep the following in mind:

1. Know what you want. This is your responsibility – don’t ask others to do what you need to do for yourself.
2. If you are interested in a specific company, ask your contacts if they know anyone connected with that company and can help you identify the decision-maker in the department for which you want to work.
3. If you want to avoid voice-mail, send a cover letter mentioning the name of your contact, enclose a resume and ask for an interview. Usually the individual will at least respond to you out of respect for the connection to the referral source.
4. Always ask permission to use the name of the referral source when approaching a company.
5. Always thank everyone who has helped you with your networking efforts.
6. Share you network whenever you can, that way your network meshes with other networks and becomes even more broad and varied.
7. Join a networking group such as the Dislocated Worker Roundtable or Job Forum to expand your networking circles.

There are thousands of job seekers looking for a perfect match between their skills and experiences and the requirements of employers. Using all of the obvious resources, such as want ads, employment agencies and the Internet will be valuable in your job search. But research shows that networking, the age-old system of contacting everyone you know to make connections, is the most effective means of tapping into the “hidden job market”. This is where great jobs change hands through informal connections between individuals. Try it – it can work for you!