Networking for jobs

Outplacement services for those seeking jobs, whether provided by companies or sought out by individuals wanting to give themselves the best chance of securing employment with the minimum of delay, will be greatly in demand throughout 2009.

Networking and it's raft of competencies are as relevant to job seekers as they are to new business developers.

• How will you create a powerful first impression?
• How will you differentiate yourself from the many interviewing for the same job?
• How will you get the interviewer to like you?
• How will you prepare for interviews?
• What questions should you be asking and how should you ask them?

These and many more questions will need to be uppermost in developing effective interview strategies.

But how many jobs will actually be found through the normal agency route? Web research shows us that only 5 - 10% of jobs will be secured via agencies, around 20% will be secured through candidates applying to companies doing direct advertising or by those approaching them directly and a whopping 70% of new jobs will be secured through networking.

So the chances of being introduced to the right employer, who will tell you whether this is the right job for you, will be far greater than looking for a job through the newspaper or via recruitment agencies.

As an employer, you have more chance of being introduced to the right person, than taking someone on following a one-hour interview having used an advert or recruitment agency.

If you are employed in a bigger organisation, internal networking keeps you in the job, keeps your profile high, and increases your chances of promotion.

In looking for a job you should be organised. The first action is to draw up a list of everyone you know. It will surprise you how many there are.

• Make sure as many people as possible know you’re in the market.
• Do your utmost to communicate exactly what you are good at, what you like to do and what sort of a position you’re seeking.
• And, rather than just producing a CV in a chronological list, make sure your paperwork demonstrates and headlines your skills, accomplishments and how you can bring value to a new employer.
• Whether you are looking for a new position or new clients, references and testimonials are a must.
• When friends, family and contacts help you, don’t leave any meeting, formal or informal, without asking for names of two or three further contacts of theirs.

It’s a numbers game, whether looking for business or a new job.

Take your job label off (I’m an engineer, I’m an accountant) and replace it with “I am a person who can…” I read this in a brilliant book for job hunters called What Color (it’s American hence the spelling) is my parachute by Richard Nelson Bolles. It must be good, it’s been around over 30 years and sold over 6,000,000 copies.

The more specific you are, the more people can help you.

If you don’t know what you want to do, how can you expect others to help?

Extract mentors from all the people you know, let’s say five, and ask them to be your Board of Advisors. You need people who are willing to give of their time and make calls or send emails on your behalf. These should be people of influence or people who’ve been around a bit, with nextensive experience and developed networks of their own.

Keep asking the question “Who do you know who…?” and keep asking it again until you find what you’re looking for.

Ask for nagging rights. If you are given them, keep asking if they've been active on your behalf, but do regularly check it’s OK for you to remind them.

So many young people say: “I’m going to do this career stuff on my own, don’t need parental intervention. I’m independent, don’t want to use the old boys’ network or be accused of nepotism.”

Rubbish, I say. No employer is going to employ you just because your dad is her bridge partner or it’s your mum’s friend’s next-door neighbour.

All that’s happening by using all your contacts, and family, is that you’re going to increase your chance of an interview, a much greater chance than responding to an advert or via the agency.

By the way, this sentiment is aimed at everyone, not just young people.

In What Color…., the author starts by saying the five worst ways to try to find a job are:

1. Internet
   
2. Mailing cold at random
   
3. Answering ads in journals
   
4. Answering newspaper ads
   
5. Going to agencies
   

The top two best ways are:

1. Asking for job leads from friends, family etc
   
2. Knocking on doors of businesses where you know vacancies exist.
   

The above are ideas as a result of long-term research and surveys by Mr Bolles. It must be right, I agree!

So if you're looking for a new job or better job security or you need to reduce your risk of long term unemployment as jobs become scarcer, then get networking.

If you need to see what networking events are going on in your area and across your region, so that you can take finding your next job firmly under your control then pop across to my website

If you need some training or a keynoter speaker to mentor you on a one-on-one basis or to motivate your people into action by making use of the fast growing social media that can help, please contact me and lets see how I can help

My advice to you is to get out there, be visible and get networking !

Mark Perl is a leading expert on the subject of Business Networking. He specialises in SME’s, business networking for solicitors, along with CPD training for the legal profession