In talking about job searches, MSNBC says the following about networking:
Just posting stuff on Facebook is not serious networking. Sorry. If you want to find a gig you have to put yourself out there and meet people face to face.
Stefanie Smith, an executive consultant-coach, suggested you commit to inviting five people out to lunch or dinner this year. “Seek out those who can mentor you, colleague with whom you can exchange ideas, and former subordinates who have now gone on to new and higher roles,” she said.
You have to find out about a job before it’s posted and the best way to do that is through networking, said Jobvite’s Finnigan. Most people get jobs via personal contacts so you have to put yourself out there, he said, and that means attending conferences and going to community events, for example.
The way to find the people you need to know is to research companies via their own sites or in the news if they’re big enough. You should also follow employers you’re interested in on Facebook, Twitter and any blogs about the company, Finnigan added.
“You want to be the first to hear about new jobs and new opportunities,” he stressed. “The early bird gets the worm.”
Lots to say on this one:
1. Your career is your most valuable financial asset. And one way to both grow it as well as protect it is through networking.
2. There are many ways you can develop contacts through a network. Some examples: network at your current company, network online (they are right about Facebook -- LinkedIn is better IMO and blogging can be good too), and network outside your company (by volunteering, joining social groups/clubs, attending conferences and going to community events -- as noted above, etc.)
3. I especially like the volunteering option. You get to do something you love, help a cause that you believe in, and make great contacts. What's not to love? Don't think this works? It did for me.
4. Networking doesn't just happen -- you need to plan time for it and make it happen (on purpose.) Here's my networking plan (though I have decreased the lunches to once per week.)
5. IMO, "inviting five people out to lunch or dinner this year" is way too little effort. It needs to be more like 20 or so. If nothing else, have lunch with work colleagues in the company cafeteria (or bring your own lunch and eat in a conference room.) Whatever. But five people a year isn't (probably) going to do much for you.
6. "Most people get jobs via personal contacts." Exactly the point...
7. I wouldn't classify following companies on Facebook, etc. as "networking" -- it's more "research." You're not networking by being informed (not saying being informed is bad, just that it's not networking.)
How about you? Do you have a specific networking plan for 2011? If not, are you planning to develop one? If not, why not?
I find that a lot of people are finding jobs through LinkedIn rather than FB. In fact, I've been contacted by two recruiters through that social networ in the past 6 months and I'm not even looking for a job. The company I work for recently hired someone into our group that they also found through LinkedIn and our HR dept actively uses it as a recruiting tool. HR will typically go thorugh their employees connection list to see if their is someone "in network" that might be a good hiring target. I've seen people that I'm connected to "network", if you call it that, by posting interesting projects they are working on and joining groups where they ask intelligent questions and prompt critical thinking. I think that goes a lot farther a Tweet or FB update.
Posted by: indio | January 25, 2011 at 09:33 AM