The book Smart Is the New Rich: If You Cant Afford It, Put It Down gives some suggestions for how to get a job when you don't have one. One of the tips is to "network". But this isn't the traditional "call up your business contacts" sort of advice. Here's what it suggests:
Sometimes, just a random connection is what sets you apart from all the other resumes. That person you were painting the neighborhood school gym with on a volunteer program might well hear of a job opening that would suit you. Whether it's the mommy group, the alumni club, where you worship or where you work out, these are all valuable connections when you've lost a job. Staying home and surfing job boards will not, I repeat, will not get you any closer to a job. Your best connections are the people you already know, not a random human resource email address.
The book Cracking The Hidden Job Market: How to Find Opportunity in Any Economy has a similar line of thinking in saying the following:
Once you get to the point where you talk to strangers about your job search, you'll be close to getting a job. People in line to buy coffee. Cab drivers. Someone with a cute dog in the park. They're the key. Social scientists have discovered that your first ring of contacts is actually not that useful to you. You have the same knowledge as all your close friends. It's those peripheral people who can connect you to the information that can break open your job search.
I include these two pieces together because IMO they give an expanded view of networking. Most of us think that networking is contacting the people we know from (mostly) work relationships. But these two books suggest we look at an expanded definition that includes people we don't know so well from non-work relationships. In other words, it includes everyone we run into for any reason in any situation (within reason, of course.) It's an interesting (and mostly undiscussed) concept.
I have a few thoughts on this line of thinking as follows:
1. I don't think that traditional networking is dead. Even if your first ring of contacts knows the same things you do (which I don't believe is true), these people know people who know people. Your closest friends may not be able to find you a job directly, but they can give you warm, personal, recommendations/introductions to others who may have jobs to offer (or who know of jobs). So I don't think we ignore our closest contacts when looking for a job.
2. The expanded view of networking is a different paradigm than what most people operate under. When most people are looking for a job, even if they are unemployed, they tend to not tell "strangers" about it. While there are certainly good reasons not to do this if you already have a job (like your current boss finding out), why do people who have no job keep it quiet? Because they are embarrassed? This advice says you need to get over it and tell EVERYONE you meet that you're looking for a job (in a non-obnoxious manner, of course) because this is where you have a great chance of finding something.
3. Just think how this expands the view of networking. For me, here are people I have contact with on a regular basis that I may not have thought of as being in my job network (but now I do):
- Neighbors
- The people who work at the pool I belong to
- Church friends/acquaintances
- People I volunteer with to referee soccer
- Parents of kids on my son's basketball team (and coaches on other teams I've become friends with)
- My mailman and the person who delivers our paper
And this doesn't even include many others I would run into while shopping, seeing a movie, getting gas, having my oil changed, and so on.
I'm sure the list would expand greatly if I thought about it a bit more.
4. Yes, I agree that some of these seem like dead ends, and you'd certainly need to prioritize your contact list. But what's the harm in talking to everyone you know? After all, most of the job openings are NOT advertised and most positions are obtained through networking, so doesn't it make sense to talk to as many people as possible?
What's your take on this issue?
A friend of mine got an interview as a result of asking a telemarketer if there were any openings at the bank the telemarketer was calling for. She didn't get the job, but after that I agree that the concept of network should be expanded.
Posted by: Chicago Rose | March 21, 2011 at 04:34 PM
There is a book on this, Superconnect: Harnessing the Power of Networks and the Strength of Weak Links.
The concept of weak (and strong) links originated in a Harvard doctoral student's paper called The Strength of Weak Ties.
One anecdote in Superconnect shows concisely the power of networking through weak links.
Elon and Kimbal Musk, two brothers who co-founded PayPal, were struggling to raise capital for an earlier venture. About to give up, their landlady sensed something was wrong and inquired.
Short version: the venture was fully funded from two highly unlikely sources.
The book then gives the takeaway quote from Kimbal Musk:
'Some of the people you think will not be able to help you in any way know people who can help you in ways you cannot imagine.'
Posted by: RB Boren | March 22, 2011 at 08:34 AM
Networking is the only way to find a job. I've spent the past two months contacting people I know, getting names from them and making connections with those complete strangers. It's hard work, but it has paid off. I am one of three finalists for a great position that received more than 100 applications. If I had simply submitted my resume and cover letter online, I would have never been considered because I'm new to the profession. Also, two other companies, both of which I would love to work for, have also given me a heads up on jobs they are about to post -- all because of the connections I have made.
Put yourself out there and put a face with the resume. Employers will notice.
Posted by: Charlie | March 22, 2011 at 11:05 AM
When my husband was job hunting, he actually posted a prayer request on our church prayer list (which is visible to everyone as they come in the narthex). He welcomed the prayers, and also commented "I want everyone to know I'm looking". While it didn't lead directly to a job, it expanded his overall network and let him work with a few people who could help him brush up and tighten his resume.
He also tapped his networks of people from prior jobs, classes, Linked in, softball, kids activities .... We had a lot of people keeping their eyes open for a good fit, and he got some temporary work while looking for a full-time position. Friends of friends (of friends, etc.) are a great resource.
Posted by: KMI | March 22, 2011 at 12:56 PM