We are moving this along pretty well. This is the 3rd installment of 5 to help you get through the job search process. Remember, my job is to help guide you, engage you and most of all, challenge you. This is not an easy thing to do and it requires hard work – like anything else, it’s a commitment on your part.
NETWORK – CONTACTS.
Social media has added so many new layers to this. It is much easier today to find information about a company, an agency or an individual of interest with the use of many on line services.
Professionally, Linkedin is probably the most widely used. Whichever one you use, best to establish a good profile that tells your story. (Not unlike the resume we discussed last week)
Something that I advocate in my training is a Job Search Portfolio (JSP).
It is essential to enter all your contacts and any other information that plays a role in your search.
Dates, time, content of conversation, contact information, who referred you, referrals they provide, when to follow up, personal notes that you can refer to later, things you say etc. It becomes your personal/professional reference guide.
Networking begins with building relationships. The JSP is a valuable tool. The information is critical and helps personalize things. Before you have a relationship, you have to establish a comfort zone – trust. Once you have that in place – you have the beginning of a network.
Research the companies and the people of interest. Add them to the JSP. Although I believe you should talk to almost everyone that aligns with your search and specialty, I still recommend having a target in mind. Be specific. Have purpose in your search. Create a list of all relevant contacts. Then use job search engine sites, company web sites, networking sites, the ‘niche’ sites, blogs and of course, recruiters. The important thing is to expose yourself. Let the community know you are on the move.
How do you use the network effectively? This is a question I get often. Everyone is different and you need to know what works for you. Some people are timid, some not. For some, it is easy to reach out and ask for help. There is no shame in that. This is why we network. We need resources that can help and be helped. Networking goes 2 ways. Don’t take – remember to reciprocate. Help and be helped.
For those less inclined to just pick up a phone, you can always work on line. E-mails can work, but it’s less direct and it takes much longer to establish a partnership. Also be careful what you write and how you structure the content of your written dialogue. What you mean is not always how it is interpreted. Voice and face time always more effective. Whatever media you choose, be pro-active, be consistent, be patient and be smart.
The most difficult part of networking is to know when to back off. Crossing the line of persistence and being a pain in the ass is an intuitive thing. Everybody has a different threshold for where that line gets crossed.
Don’t forget – call me during these 5 weeks and I will give you a free phone consultation. 917-952-5868. [email protected]