Some of the latest studies seem to indicate that networking is out of fashion.
(The current order for success appears to be:
1. Marketed/Direct Mail
2. Recruiters
3. Networking
The usual explanation is that we tend to network amongst our peers. When are peers are employed it works great, when our peers are unemployed it won't. And right now many of our peers are unemployed.
My opinion is that most of us use lazy man's networking. I network with the people I meet, therefore if they aren't working ... In fact, we should be networking at 2/3/4 degrees of seperation.
The problem, of course, is that doing so takes work - work by yourself, but also work by your channel. And generally speaking people don't want to work. As the network moves outward this becomes more and more obvious.
The obvious solution of course is to find out where your target market hangs out and hang out there. That way you are never dealing more than one or two degrees.
Glen Ford
Can Da Software
IS Project Management
Business Systems Improvement
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I disagree with your list.
Direct Mail is only as good as the effort behind it. First, mass mailings by "career support firms" is a waste of money unless you are willing to take a job anywhere in the country or world. Your time and cash are better spent doing the mailing yourself to companies you have reasearched. Then you need to followup with calling, and more researching to discover the opportunities within. (sounds like networking to me).
Recruiters are OK, but their allegience is to the employer (paying the fee), not to you. You are an item in the transaction. If the employer has multiple opening, then the Recruiter will satisfy that account by getting them the most for the least. It's a volume thing. You need to keep your communications with the recruiter very active to stay on their mind 5 days/week. Else, they will give the next opening to whomever just walked in the door. (sounds like networking?)
Many people confuse Networking Group Meetings with Networking. The group meetings are to gain the skills needed, and to practice, for the other 6 days. Networking is done at church, the grocery store, your son's karate class and soccer game, etc. And as you elude to Glen, Professional Associations are the best place to network. The local Novell/MS/Cisco chapter. THe local PMI group. Don't forget bulletin boards.
Years ago, the first time I ever lost a job, my Dad told me "Well, now your job is to go get a job". I cant wait to get a job so I can get some rest!
For those of us that have worked 1) for someone else and 2) as engineers (aka: non-salesperson) finding a job in this market can be daunting. It takes sales skills, and selling yourself is the absolute toughest thing to do.
Stay focused and realize the skills you will have coming out of this experience are worth gold. Being able to network is serious work. Even the IT salespeople of the last ten years had it pretty easy. When things tightened up, those that were not good at networking and building relationships were the first to go. And the smartest ones will keep it up after they are employed. Continue to build your channels, retain business cards and call/email all of them every few months. Calling someone four years later only looks desperate.
Glen, you are right. Many people in your channel do not want to do work for you. I have one "friend" that wants me to list his name as the employee referral so he can get a $3000 finders fee, but he wont bother to find the name of a hiring manager for numerous positions with his employer. I say, "You do one favor for me and I'll do 3000 for you." I tried using his name applying a few times to no avail.
The other lazy friend mentality is "Sure, I'll drop your resume off at HR". Well, I can do that myself!
Bottom line, it takes LOTS of effort to get a job today. You can't rely on anyone but yourself. After all, whose problem is it that your out of work? Not theirs.
Keep your spirit up. Keep networking. The more directions your name and resume come into a company the better. It shows them that you are persistent and well connected. But don't wait around for HR to decide on you based on your resume sitting in a pile. ;>)
Richard
Direct Mail is only as good as the effort behind it. First, mass mailings by "career support firms" is a waste of money unless you are willing to take a job anywhere in the country or world. Your time and cash are better spent doing the mailing yourself to companies you have reasearched. Then you need to followup with calling, and more researching to discover the opportunities within. (sounds like networking to me).
Recruiters are OK, but their allegience is to the employer (paying the fee), not to you. You are an item in the transaction. If the employer has multiple opening, then the Recruiter will satisfy that account by getting them the most for the least. It's a volume thing. You need to keep your communications with the recruiter very active to stay on their mind 5 days/week. Else, they will give the next opening to whomever just walked in the door. (sounds like networking?)
Many people confuse Networking Group Meetings with Networking. The group meetings are to gain the skills needed, and to practice, for the other 6 days. Networking is done at church, the grocery store, your son's karate class and soccer game, etc. And as you elude to Glen, Professional Associations are the best place to network. The local Novell/MS/Cisco chapter. THe local PMI group. Don't forget bulletin boards.
Years ago, the first time I ever lost a job, my Dad told me "Well, now your job is to go get a job". I cant wait to get a job so I can get some rest!
For those of us that have worked 1) for someone else and 2) as engineers (aka: non-salesperson) finding a job in this market can be daunting. It takes sales skills, and selling yourself is the absolute toughest thing to do.
Stay focused and realize the skills you will have coming out of this experience are worth gold. Being able to network is serious work. Even the IT salespeople of the last ten years had it pretty easy. When things tightened up, those that were not good at networking and building relationships were the first to go. And the smartest ones will keep it up after they are employed. Continue to build your channels, retain business cards and call/email all of them every few months. Calling someone four years later only looks desperate.
Glen, you are right. Many people in your channel do not want to do work for you. I have one "friend" that wants me to list his name as the employee referral so he can get a $3000 finders fee, but he wont bother to find the name of a hiring manager for numerous positions with his employer. I say, "You do one favor for me and I'll do 3000 for you." I tried using his name applying a few times to no avail.
The other lazy friend mentality is "Sure, I'll drop your resume off at HR". Well, I can do that myself!
Bottom line, it takes LOTS of effort to get a job today. You can't rely on anyone but yourself. After all, whose problem is it that your out of work? Not theirs.
Keep your spirit up. Keep networking. The more directions your name and resume come into a company the better. It shows them that you are persistent and well connected. But don't wait around for HR to decide on you based on your resume sitting in a pile. ;>)
Richard
I am a member of this site, not financial, just use it to help my friends is all.
OK, now that is out of the way, check out this link for a great idea.
http://jobs.realcontacts.com/home.asp
Cheers
Just registered but did not know of anyone who use this site. You can add me to your network.
My email address is tandel@computer.org
My email address is tandel@computer.org
Disclaimer 1: I work for RealContacts
Disclaimer 2: my last coding was ten years ago in C++, so have mercy
I'll try to talk about the issues rather than make a shameless plug. Thanks to Abbi for this good article and to the readers for bringing up our service.
In terms of usage, we have users in 17 countries and over 400 employers using the service.
But Tandel's point is right - if you come to the site having not been invited by an existing member, you have to build your network out. That's easy for employers and recruiters, who post a job and send it out to their contacts and employees, who forward it outwards. For job seekers or people helping their friends, the idea and hope and gamble is that someone in your network will eventually connect to or become a source of jobs. Stanley Milgram's Small World and Mark Granovetter's Strength of Weak Ties ideas support this, and our experience to date does also. You can read about the background science here:
http://jobs.realcontacts.com/science.asp
To protect privacy, your identity is only know to your direct contacts, but your opportunities, searches, and notification preferences reach out in a codified way to your extended network.
We'd welcome feedback and ideas, whether directly via our site or through this forum.
Gary Franklin
info@realcontacts.com
Disclaimer 2: my last coding was ten years ago in C++, so have mercy
I'll try to talk about the issues rather than make a shameless plug. Thanks to Abbi for this good article and to the readers for bringing up our service.
In terms of usage, we have users in 17 countries and over 400 employers using the service.
But Tandel's point is right - if you come to the site having not been invited by an existing member, you have to build your network out. That's easy for employers and recruiters, who post a job and send it out to their contacts and employees, who forward it outwards. For job seekers or people helping their friends, the idea and hope and gamble is that someone in your network will eventually connect to or become a source of jobs. Stanley Milgram's Small World and Mark Granovetter's Strength of Weak Ties ideas support this, and our experience to date does also. You can read about the background science here:
http://jobs.realcontacts.com/science.asp
To protect privacy, your identity is only know to your direct contacts, but your opportunities, searches, and notification preferences reach out in a codified way to your extended network.
We'd welcome feedback and ideas, whether directly via our site or through this forum.
Gary Franklin
info@realcontacts.com
I am a member of this site and no it hasn't gotten me a job yet,
This site is well organized and it helps you in drilling its existing
member database for additional contacts:
http://www.linkedin.com
The tip is to be quick!
This is a tip I got from my career coach, that helped me get an interview. I recommend it, because it concentrates on getting to the point, cutting the waffle that stops a recruiter from offering you a job.
State aloud why you are the right person for the job, in the time it takes an elevator to travel 5 floors. If it takes more time than that, you will lose the listener. If you can not get all the important facts about you into the speech, then there is too much dross in there - thin it out. Don't worry about the detail, they will find that out at the interview.
When you can do it, get a friend to listen and give constructive critisizm. Be careful to choose a friend who will be honest, rather than one who will say what you want to hear.
Next stage, say it to a complete stranger. If you can't say it to a bartender, or the woman who sits next to you on the bus, how will you say it to the stranger with the job?
The point of this? When you ring your cousin's dentist's brother-in-law, (because your cousin told his dentist that you were looking for a job, of course) you will get 90 seconds to say your piece, maybe a bit more if you start off well. If you can't do it then, look forward to a career where data aquisition means asking "do you want fries with that?"
This is a tip I got from my career coach, that helped me get an interview. I recommend it, because it concentrates on getting to the point, cutting the waffle that stops a recruiter from offering you a job.
State aloud why you are the right person for the job, in the time it takes an elevator to travel 5 floors. If it takes more time than that, you will lose the listener. If you can not get all the important facts about you into the speech, then there is too much dross in there - thin it out. Don't worry about the detail, they will find that out at the interview.
When you can do it, get a friend to listen and give constructive critisizm. Be careful to choose a friend who will be honest, rather than one who will say what you want to hear.
Next stage, say it to a complete stranger. If you can't say it to a bartender, or the woman who sits next to you on the bus, how will you say it to the stranger with the job?
The point of this? When you ring your cousin's dentist's brother-in-law, (because your cousin told his dentist that you were looking for a job, of course) you will get 90 seconds to say your piece, maybe a bit more if you start off well. If you can't do it then, look forward to a career where data aquisition means asking "do you want fries with that?"
I am very lucky to be at the right place at the right time. The positions I've held over the past 10 years have been through networking. Keep close ties to your management team, vendors and consultants. Always show your best and be friendly but (but not too friendly). Always discuss strategy to streamline work for your team or the organization. When they move on they will think of you if there is a need for your skills. I've moved up from a "technologist" to the Director of IT from moving jobs through contacts.
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