You have most likely heard the motto for real estate is location, location, location. I believe the motto for job seekers should be network, network, network. Networking is the number one tactic of job searching techniques. A study by Drake Beam Morin revealed that a whopping 71% of jobs are filled through networking. A job seeker simply can’t afford not to network.
What is the goal of networking? Of course, the ultimate goal of networking is to land an awesome job working in a great organization with a wonderful boss; however, to get to that point, there are some things to consider. First, you need to do some networking to see what organizations have a good reputation in which to work. Once you have identified some target companies, you can network to discover what opportunities are available, what issues they are facing and how you can be a problem solver. You must also use networking to lead you to actual hiring decision makers within your target company. This step is probably the most time consuming but also the most rewarding. Hiring managers will almost always be partial to job candidates that have an affiliation to some one they know.
Who should I be networking with? Some may think that networking just involves talking with friends and family. Although that may be one source, there are many more that should be explored. Some examples of effective networking sources are industry meetings, professional associations, industry writers, community leaders, and career fairs. Other sources may include employees, vendors, customers, and competitors of your target organization. Social networking sites such as LinkedIn may also be great resources.
What questions should I ask when networking? Job search guru, Susan Whitcomb, has developed a great acronym to remember. It is R.E.A.P. which stands for Reading, Events, Advice, and People. Ask your networking contacts what Material you should be reading, what Events you should be attending, what Advice they would give you, and what People they know who would be helpful.
Although networking may be time consuming and tedious at times, it is absolutely essential to the success of any job seeker. So get out there and network, network, network!
Stacy Harshman brings her experience as a recruiter for a Fortune 500 corporation to her work as a career management coach. In addition to helping people discover their passions, she also provides clients with insight into the mind of a recruiter, unlocking the secrets of what employers look for in potential employees. Stacy offers individual and group coaching in person and by phone to those seeking positive change in their professional and personal lives.
