5 Keys to Finding Jobs Through Networking
1. Don’t focus on open jobs
We have all seen the numbers showing that 75% (or more) of jobs are accessed through the hidden job market. But there is much more to this than hoping your network will be aware of a job that is recently open but not yet advertised. Leveraging a connection to gain access to such a tiny window is not a robust use of a prime resource.
Asking a contact if they are aware of a job will almost always be met by: “I’m not aware of anything at the moment, but I will absolutely keep you in mind if something pops up.” Ten minutes later, the recollection will fade as their nose winds its way back to the grindstone. Both parties tend to feel awkward at this point, making ongoing engagement less comfortable. This is one of the quickest ways to burn out a network.
2. Think more in terms of what creates the need to hire than the job itself
Remember that the first step in job creation is when a company needs more people than it currently has. This usually happens with they:
Have lost someone and now need a replacement.
Are heading in a direction that will require more talent to achieve.
Targeting the need to hire vs. the job itself enables job seekers to get in front of an opportunity before competition is generated or qualifications are defined. This timing is particularly important for career changers who MUST get their foot in the door before a posted job attracts hundreds of candidates who would be seen as better fits for having done the exact same work somewhere else most recently.
3. Connect with your competitors
Connecting through LinkedIn with professionals who are in the positions closely related to those you covet make excellent contacts because people movement and activity are often indicators of “hidden” employer need:
One of the first things most people do when they get a new job or promotion is to update their LinkedIn profile. Simply monitoring LinkedIn notifications will keep you aware of backfill opportunities or suggest welling demand in the companies your connections are moving to.
Those in your network doing similar work may be approached with job leads that could be passed on to you.
Adding connections with others at or near your level provides a secondary passive benefit of being easily findable by their extended networks, which are likely to be relevant to you.
4. Appeal to your networking partners’ benefit
Other than your mom or spouse, it is unlikely that most people in your network will become infatuated with the idea of hitting up their network so that you find a job. People will be infinitely more excited about introducing you because you can help their boss, client, partner, colleague, or friend to address a problem or opportunity.
Think of how you feel when a friend complains of a leaking sink and you know the perfect plumber.
The key is to network with people who are committed to helping hiring managers in your target market succeed and to educate those people on how you help their treasured contacts succeed. Let their energy to help their close connection be the driving force behind the introduction. Two general groups that serve best for this are:
Professions who service your target departments and companies (think vendors, consultants, industry analysts, financing sources, strategic partners, etc.). All of these professions benefit by helping their counterparts do well.
Contacts within your target company market who may be impacted by your next hiring manager’s pain but are not even in the same department. For example, a sales executive will be highly motivated to ensure that their marketing department is running on all cylinders to produce new leads. Legal execs similarly value good execution from the compliance team.
5. Maintain top of mind and remind your network of your expertise
A major driver of success with networking is to be top of mind when a connection hears of an opportunity. As we established, doing this by repeatedly asking for a job can have the opposite effect. The best way to do this depends a bit on how you are wired.
Malcom Gladwell’s book The Tipping Point suggests that each of us fits into three archetypes: salesmen, mavens, and connectors. Knowing which type we are, and leveraging that type in our engagement, is the key to maintaining awareness of how our value connects to our target market.
Salesmen are “persuaders” charismatic people with powerful negotiation skills. They tend to have an indefinable trait that goes beyond what they say, which makes others want to agree with them.
Mavens are “information specialists” or people we rely upon to connect us with new information. They accumulate knowledge, especially about the marketplace, and know how to share it with others.
Connectors are the people in a community who know large numbers of people and who are in the habit of making introductions.
Depending on your type and comfort zone, you can therefore build and maintain a following using three approaches:
Generating enthusiasm among your network to take an action that can benefit you that they may not otherwise take. Most of us aren’t comfortable in sales mode, but for those with the gift…go for it!
Sharing information with your network that will be of interest to them and exhibit your expertise (this is what my blog is intended to do!).
Connecting your network partners with each other to generate goodwill and earn a reputation as a generous insider. This approach is easiest for beginners who don’t yet have tons of expertise or sales skills.
The reality is that most of us a mix of these three styles depending on the situation. As long as you are consistent in reminding well-placed people about who you can help and how, it is all good.
Be like the plumber who gets business because people who have heard of their work are all jazzed up to be a hero by sharing their solution with everyone they encounter who may need it.
