| Employers have done a good job at belt-tightening the | | | | listen some more to what they have to say and |
| past few years out of shear necessity (for survival). | | | | establish some common threads of interest and |
| This translated nationally to a 6.2% rise in productivity in | | | | people you know. Only when this rapport is established |
| the fourth quarter. A negative consequence of this is | | | | and you offer them advice or assistance, can you ask |
| that they - especially small businesses - are reluctant | | | | for the same. This is not likely to occur on this first |
| to start hiring again, for fear of a slow recovery. This is | | | | meeting, which is why follow-up is critical to the |
| leaving about 6 unemployed people vying for each job | | | | success of networking. This "meeting" can also take |
| opening, not the odds you are looking for if you are on | | | | place online but it's much tougher to "get to know" |
| the job hunt. | | | | someone and usually should only be done through |
| How we have to go after jobs has changed | | | | introductions by someone you know. |
| dramatically over the last decade, in the digital age. | | | | This brings us to effective networking - which is the |
| This presents some benefits and some challenges. | | | | best way to land your next job, sell your product, or |
| Many people have a misconception of Internet job | | | | complete complex tasks in your current job. The |
| search and social networking sites. A recently | | | | majority of middle to senior management jobs are not |
| published article on Yahoo! HotJobs, has a career | | | | posted outside the company or selectively given to |
| "expert" suggesting "use social networks to, well, | | | | recruiters to fill. The only way to find out about these |
| network." This is her complete advice on networking | | | | jobs is through the network you have established. (The |
| and use of social networks - which tells me she | | | | best advice I can give you is to always establish and |
| doesn't have a clue about how to effectively network. | | | | nurture your network before it is needed!) You will find |
| Social network sites are simply mediums to connect to | | | | you have greater reach with your network than you |
| others, just like the telephone, email, snail mail, or | | | | think when using (the positive benefits of) social |
| face-to-face meetings - and nothing more. They do | | | | networking that make it so easy to keep connected to |
| give you broad reach to a great many people (the | | | | former school mates, business associates, extended |
| positive benefit) but only if used for (effective) | | | | families, and other shared interest groups. When one |
| networking. And job search sites - they are just the | | | | of these "friends" is offered assistance and then |
| electronic equivalent of printed job posts in the | | | | asked for assistance, you open up their networks. |
| newspaper of yesteryear, only digitized. The benefit is | | | | When they know the position you are qualified for, |
| that you can search for jobs across a broader | | | | they can get the word out and "open doors" for you. |
| geographic region - easier - since it would be difficult to | | | | The best scenario is for your resume to be walked |
| pick up help wanted ads from neighboring newspaper | | | | into the hiring manager without ever having the job |
| markets. They also allow you to send a resume online | | | | advertised to the masses. Minimally it gets you on the |
| versus print and mail to each job post you are | | | | top of the stack for a guaranteed review. Networking |
| interested in. The downside is that thousands of others | | | | can similarly get you past the "gatekeeper" to the right |
| can do the same thing and your resume usually ends | | | | contact if you are selling a product or if you need |
| up in a digital "pile" on someone's desk - many times | | | | expert advice on a project you are tasked to |
| buried without so much as a cursory review. They | | | | complete - a whole new avenue of resources. |
| normally receive so many resumes because of the | | | | How you position yourself to a prospective employer |
| reach of the Internet that they almost always refuse | | | | is also critical to getting past the resume review and |
| follow-up phone calls and don't respond to emails. | | | | through the interview process. We have seen in the |
| Social network sites can connect you to complete | | | | economic downturn that companies have retained |
| strangers, who you would not (should not) recommend | | | | more "generalist" employees who could not only do |
| for anything - if they are more than two degrees of | | | | their own jobs, but also extend themselves and take |
| separation away. This is advice strongly espoused by | | | | on tasks previously handled by others who were laid |
| the networking guru of our time, Guy Kawasaki, author | | | | off. But it is interesting to note that employers now are |
| of Art of the Start and several other top-selling books. | | | | being extremely selective in who they hire. They will |
| This means if your immediate circle of contacts, good | | | | not even look at candidates who do not match |
| friends, former colleagues, and school mates (1 | | | | "perfectly" the job skills for the position they are filling. |
| degree) tell you they are good friends (1 degree) with | | | | So you must research the requirements of the job you |
| someone they introduce to you (physically or | | | | are applying for and lay your resume out to completely |
| electronically), and you have complete trust in their | | | | satisfy a HR screener that your "skills" meet those |
| judgment, you can also recommend that person. But | | | | requirements. Even if you can bring a great deal more |
| never a friend of a friend's friend - after all your | | | | to the position, do not go down that path until you get |
| reputation is on the line. Online social networking is the | | | | by the resume screeners and preliminary interviews. |
| equivalent of more traditional networking, such as at a | | | | Once you get the opportunity to sit with the hiring |
| chamber of commerce meeting or industry tradeshow, | | | | manager, you will want to convince him or her that you |
| where you meet someone you haven't met before. | | | | not only meet all of their requirements but you also |
| Here is where the Law of Reciprocity comes into play. | | | | bring so much more to the position. |
| It basically says, "if I do something good for you, you | | | | It's a new world with new challenges, but not too |
| will feel similarly obligated to do something good for | | | | complex to handle once you sort through the |
| me." But you have to give before you receive. You | | | | hyperbole and master the art of networking. |
| must get to know this person first. Listen, listen, and | | | | |