Q TIPS:
Quick and Quintessential Career & Job Tips
Job-hunting tips from the July 8, 2002 issue of
QuintZine.
We bandy the word "networking" about, but what does it really
mean, and what does networking involve. Writing in a recent Career
Masters Connection, the newsletter of Career Masters Institute,
resume writer Beverly Harvey notes that networking involves:
meeting with a person for the sake of gathering
information, asking for advice, asking for the names
of publications, organizations, books, or pertinent
events (conferences, seminars, workshops) and asking
for the name of two to three others (professionals,
vendors, suppliers, recruiters, competitors, sales
people);
following up on the referrals and leads and repeating
the same process with each referral to perpetuate development
of an increasingly larger network;
following up with each contact to keep them abreast of
the outcomes;
announcing acceptance of a position and thanking each
person involved in the process;
continuing the networking relationship on a regular
basis (once every three to four months).
Harvey notes that job-seekers also should "be sure to
ask if there is anything they can do in return -- or
offer their assistance in some way. Networking is a
two-way street and the most successful networkers are
those who take the initiative to contribute to someone
else's success."
The outplacement firm Challenger, Gray, & Christmas
reported that, despite the sluggish economy, out-of-work
executives found jobs surprisingly quickly last year.
The firm attributes the fast turnaround, in part, to a
new awareness of the importance of networking to find a job.
Networking is inextricably tied to the hidden job
market. That means that you will never know about
the 75 to 95 percent of jobs that are never advertised
unless you network. Case in point: Sophia Chen, manager
at Marston Mills, Inc., notes that "most opportunities
are known within a company anywhere between two and
10 weeks before they are reported to human resources, and
approximately 85 percent of those openings are filled internally."
Why are they mostly filled internally? Because the people inside the
company are the only ones who know about the openings. Let's
say you're looking for a job. Your friend, Sally, works at a company
you'd like to work for, XYZ Widgets. Let's say Sally has learned about
an opening at XYZ during that two-to-10-week window before the
position is reported to human resources and subsequently advertised.
Let's say you happen to take Sally out to lunch and mention that
you're looking for a job. There's a decent chance Sally will say,
"Oh! I just heard about an opening at my company that you'd be
perfect for! If you give me your resume, I'll pass it on to
the hiring manager." Bingo. Behold the power of networking.
Some workers in the Central Florida area recently weighed in
with some thoughts on networking, as reported in the Orlando
Sentinel:
The best way to develop long-term contacts is face-to-face.
Your next job could come from a colleague of someone you're
currently working with, so it pays to cultivate effective relationships on the job.
The more you network, the easier it gets.
Always be ready to network someone by performing a random act of kindness.
Even if you're shy, plenty of networking opportunities exist, such as getting involved in volunteer work.
Networking sins include focusing only on what's in it for you, making a sales pitch too soon, and talking too much instead of
listening and asking questions.
We bandy the word "networking" about, but what does it really
mean, and what does networking involve. Writing in a recent Career
Masters Connection, the newsletter of Career Masters Institute,
resume writer Beverly Harvey notes that networking involves:
