Networking strategies
Job search networking is all about making connections with
people. The people you want to contact are those who can
either let you know about potential job openings or connect
you with others who can tell you.
Networking means talking to everyone you know. This
includes family, friends, neighbours, acquaintances,
previous employers and colleagues, people you play sport
with, local business people, the family solicitor or
accountant—everyone. It doesn’t matter if you don't know
very many people. The people you do know might in turn
know other people who have heard about a job opening.
Job search networking can be done at different levels. It
can be a matter of having casual conversations with
people you meet. Or you can make it an active and
strategic campaign to contact people for ideas,
suggestions and information.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. People are usually
flattered to be asked, and happy to help if they can. You
have nothing to lose by phoning or meeting with your
contacts. If you don't make the connection, you won't be
able to tell if the person has good information or knows
about an upcoming job. If you do speak with them, you
might just land that job, or hear about another that
suits you better.
At worst you might feel a bit uncomfortable. But being
prepared will make the discussions easier.
Make a list of all the people
you know
They don’t need to be friends, or even acquaintances; you
just need to have enough of a common link with them to
initiate a conversation. If you can pick up the phone and
call them, for any reason, they are potential networking
contacts.
Prepare what you’re
going to say
You don’t want to just ring people up and say, ‘I work in
HR. Do you know of any jobs going?’ Before you phone
anyone, note down the specific details of what you're
looking for and exactly the kind of help you think they
might be able to give you. For example, say:
‘I’m looking for a role in training and development
within the public sector or a not-for-profit
organisation. [Government department] or
[organisation name] would be the kind of place I’d like
to work in. Would you know of any places, maybe smaller and
more local, that might be looking for trainers?’
Contact the people on
your list in a systematic way
Set yourself a goal—maybe you’re happy to spend all
afternoon on the phone to people, and cross twenty off your
list. Or maybe you just want to work through the list
steadily, making three calls a day. If you find yourself
losing enthusiasm, being less conversational and speaking
more mechanically, it might be time to take a break.
Ask them for job leads
To make it easy for people to help you, ask them if they
have any tips, leads or suggestions. Ask them if they know
of any vacancies at all for a person with your skills.
If they don't, ask them to keep you in mind in case
anything comes up. Most importantly, ask them if they can
suggest anyone else you contact. Do they know someone else
who might know about the kinds of jobs that you’re after?
Do they know anyone who works for this or that company that
you’re interested in joining?
If they can refer you to others, contact those other people
and ask them the same questions.
Follow up contacts
Often people will tell you, ‘I’ll ask around and see what I
can find out for you.’ Sometimes they do ask around;
sometimes they forget almost immediately, or a crisis
happens at work and they haven’t the time. If you don’t
hear from them within a week or so, call them back to see
if they’ve managed to find anything out.
Sometimes it seems as if no one will do anything for you or
ask around on your behalf. It can be frustrating, but you
should stay very polite and pleasant in your dealings with
your contacts. After all, you’re asking them for a favour.
Follow up leads
After your initial networking efforts and research, you’ll
probably have a long list of new people to try and make
connections with. A phone call may be enough, or you might
want to arrange a meeting with them to introduce yourself and
ask them more specific questions about their company or
industry.
Tip!
- Be prepared. You never know when you’ll meet
someone who knows about an available job. Always
project a positive attitude and have pen, paper or
business cards on hand.
- Whenever you meet someone new, exchange business
cards with them (or at least get one from your new
contact, so you can send them your details).
- Show your appreciation for the help you receive by
sending a thank-you note, or by telling your contact
how their information helped you, even if it only led
indirectly to a job prospect.
- Think laterally about where to find network
contacts. You can find people to add to your network
almost anywhere.
- Get involved in a civic, social, religious or
sporting organisation that interests you. As you meet
new people in the organisation, they can become new
network contacts.
- Join a professional organisation related to your
field. The meetings or related events are good
opportunities for you to network with people in your
field.
- Think about online networking, in forums and in
chat rooms.
- Record and organise all your network contacts—for
example, on a spreadsheet or index cards. Write down
what you found out from them, and any follow-up you
should do. This will help you organise your time and
monitor your progress.
Keep networking
Even after you’ve found a job, keep networking. Networking
isn’t just for getting a job; it can help you do your job
better, and it’s a way of being part of your community and
society.
Also, life is full of surprises. You never know when you
might need your network contacts’ help in another job search.