Your company just announced a reorganization,
or you've already been through one and are now one of the "people
in transition". You know you should get out
there and network. Yet, the thought of working
a room or bothering people to help you seems worse than having
a root canal. This negative thinking
is exactly what discourages many job seekers from ever starting
to develop a network. Yet, without networking
you very likely will miss out on multiple opportunities to enhance
your career for years to come. If conducted
properly, networking can be extremely productive, and, yes,
even enjoyable!
Here are some common misperceptions ...
Networking seems like I'm pestering people
If approached
properly, networking is really about contacting someone with
whom you establish a mutually beneficial relationship.
Contacts can supply valuable information, and, in turn,
you are also in a position to give information to your contact
as your relationship develops. This is quite
different than viewing a contact only as someone who can
pull strings or help you find a job - approaching it that way
will indeed make you feel like you're asking for a handout.
Start with people you know and ask them who they
know in your field of interest. Find out
who the leaders are in your industry. Successful
people in any profession are key contacts because they understand
the process of success and are willing to help others who share
that enthusiasm.
It's important
throughout your career to stay in touch with who are the movers
and shakers in your industry. Experience
proves that being in the right place at the right time is the
best way to advance your career. This happens through
networking.
No one's hiring
- why bother to network
If you focus
on the news, you can quickly get disillusioned from ever thinking
you can change jobs, let alone careers. The
secret is two-fold. First, be aware of negative
thinking. Not only will negativity keep you
from making contacts with new people, but it's transparent to
those you do meet. I had a client, Harry,
who'd tried networking and bemoaned it as a waste of
time. On further examination, it turns out
his approach was self-defeating. Yes, he'd
been talking to lots of people, but he let everyone know his
opinions about the dismal prospects in his current field and
why he was switching! No wonder it didn't
work - his negativity was contagious!
Prior to working together, my client spent months focusing
his job campaign strictly in the published job market,
a definite lose-lose proposition.
No matter what the
recent employment statistics state about the lack of new jobs,
managers are always seeking people to solve problems,
which are constantly popping up in organizations. Whether it's
replacing an under-performing employee, promoting an over-achieving
employee, or responding to new demands within their industry,
there are always potential positions. Statistics
bear out that 80% or more of these positions are never advertised.
Hiring managers are always open to meeting people who
can take problems off their plate. The key is getting
in front of these managers. Simply stated, most
hiring takes place through networking!
