Social networking has become a big part of networking in today's world - whether in a job or not. Social networking and networking in general are the foundation of building trust and building your creditability within various markets and disciplines. Think of all the opportunities to network – on-line, social networking groups, meeting face-to-face, or using technology such as SKYPE to meet or converse with an individual outside of your city. Social networking and business networking happen in specific networking groups, at professional associations, and even at the beginning of training classes. The opportunities abound!
Social networking is part of what you do each day. It is not a matter of asking yourself if you should continue to network. It is inherent in each day as you develop and build relationships. If you have a job, then maintain and deepen your networking relationships. They will be keys to helping you advance your career now and in the future. If you are looking for a job, then the networking relationships you have built will be invaluable. For details on the steps of job networking, click here to access my September newsletter.
Social networking includes strategic contacts that are not always going to have a job opening or know of one. Often times you have referral meetings in order to get clear about what targets really fit you and often receive the secrets of how to transition into a similar or even different career field. I am sure you have discovered people in your life that are in careers where their degree does not match the field they are in. So, the question is, how did they do it? It is interesting when you realize that they did it through NETWORKING!
By networking, you may simply be telling the contact how your experience and work style fits into the particular industry when there is no opening. However, as time moves forward your contact may hear about openings before they are posted at their company or other industry companies and will relay the information to you. Now, you have a “referral” into the opening. In my years as a Human Resource professional, when a current employee or a valued resource in my industry recommended someone for a job, we always took a closer look at the resume. Generally, we would place it on the top of the stack of resumes even if we requested that they apply online.
What most job seekers do when looking for a job is focus on and run after openings that are posted. It can be a daunting and an exhausting task when you are always trying to be noticed among the hundreds of resumes submitted. It can feel like you are standing at the roulette table and just hoping the ball lands on your lucky number! There are winners, but think of all the disappointed players that walked away with nothing.
So how can social networking help? Connections, connections, connections! What do they say now, six steps away from that contact? Someone you know will know someone who knows someone, etc. When you are aware of an industry or company you are interested in connecting with either for networking or to walk your resume into the hiring manager, ask your social and business network. Someone will have a contact at that company. With that introduction, your resume has a better chance of finding its way to the top of the stack and in front of the HR professional recruiting the position. As I have worked with clients, many have been surprised to find that an effective networking meeting turned into an interview. In addition, the best part was that I was able to help my clients draft their own job description! Why was this important? We became a part of the new “Reorganization” because we had effectively positioned ourselves as the aspirin to the business headache.
I cannot begin to tell you how many of my clients have created positions for themselves. The skill they mastered is assessing and finding out what problem the organization is trying to solve. The problem will not necessarily be an opening at that moment. Once you know, however, you can then communicate how you bring valuable solutions to that situation.
