Seven Steps to Better Networking

If published statistics are accurate, employment agencies and search firms fill about 20% of all jobs in the US. Job boards fill anywhere between 2% and 8%. So how do the others get filled?

Networking consistently fills more jobs than any other method. Yet people often don't know how to network well or only act in crisis (I need a job now!) Networking when you don't need a job will help you cultivate relationships that will help you find work.

Here's what to do.

1. Develop an elevator speech. If you're not familiar with the term, an elevator speech is a 30 second synopsis of you experience that you want people to remember about you. It needs to be delivered with enthusiasm, as an actor or actress might. Every single time.

2. Cultivate your network of relationships. Tap into your existing relationships-friends, family, former colleagues, people you know. Just let them know you're looking for work and ask them if they might know someone in your field who might be able to give you advice. Ask each person you are referred to for at least 3 referrals. Create a snowball effect.

3. Participate in trade groups. The "mega-functions" are harder to be successful in than smaller ones. The more targeted the group, often the better. Get involved. Join committees. Let people get to know you through your contributions. Ask for support.

4. Help others. I'm sure you've the phrase, "give more, get more." Help others and things will come back to you. Contribute to others and their successful search. This can also occur when you genuinely listen to others and their professional needs and offer assistance. There is advice that you will receive by supporting others, ideas that will emerge from helping others work through their problems and opportunities that will be afforded to you through listening.

5. Focus on creating a great impression and asking for support. If all you do is ask for a job, a lot of doors will be slammed in your face. If you focus on creating a great impression, rest assured that when you are in front of someone who needs you, they will be smart enough to see the fit.

6. Cultivate your relationships. Like dating and good marriages, relationships take time to develop and blossom. Don't expect instant results. Send thank you notes (www.hallmark.com and other online greeting card sites will help you keep the cost low or free), a quick email or a periodic phone call to stay in contact.

7. Follow through. Act on all the leads you receive. If you promise to do something, do it when you say you will do it. Imagine what it is like for the other person who is trying to help you, who may have even alerted the other person to a phone call and then not have it acted upon.

Take the time to network, ideally when you are working and don't necessarily need a job. The investment will be worth your time.

Jeff Altman
Concepts in Staffing
jeffaltman@cisny.com

© 2005 all rights reserved.

For more articles by Jeff Altman, go to www.newyorkmetrotechnologyjobs.com

Jeff Altman has successfully assisted many corporations identify management leaders and staff in technology, accounting, finance, sales, marketing and other disciplines since 1971. He is also co-founder of Your Next Job, a networking group focused on assisting technology professionals with their job search, a certified leader of the ManKind Project, a not for profit organization that assists men with life issues, and a practicing psychotherapist. For additional job hunting or hiring tips, go to http://www.newyorkmetrotechnologyjobs.com

If you would like Jeff and his firm to assist you with hiring staff, or if you would like help with a strategic job change, send an email to him at jeffaltman@cisny.com (If you're looking for a new position, include your resume).

---

Should You Join a Modeling School for Petite Modeling?

If you are thinking of breaking into the petite modeling... Read More

Can You Actually Fail A Personality Quiz?

Q. I didn't get a job that I interviewed for.... Read More

What is Contract Programming? An Alternative to the Conformity of Everyday Employment

What is contract programming, you ask? Well, when companies need... Read More

8 Steps to Getting On-Track When You Start a New Job

Starting a new job can feel like moving to a... Read More

Fuzzy Headed Job Goals Lead to a Fuzzy Headed Life!

May I clarify in this article what I believe to... Read More

Seriously Impress at Your Interview With These 7 Hot Tips

So you've managed to secure a job interview for a... Read More

Resume Writing - Importance of a Professional Summary

The Summary is the preview of your entire resume. This... Read More

What A Former Stay At Home Mom Knows About Creating A Stunning Resume That You Dont

Recently I was asked to touch up a friend's resume.... Read More

Ten Great Careers That Don?t Require A Four Year Degree

One of the great myths associated with the "American Dream"... Read More

A Look At Some Out of the Ordinary Jobs

What do you want to be when you grow up?... Read More

Make The Right Career Move

It is not realistic for HR Managers to believe that... Read More

Multiple Skills for the 21st Century

(excerpted from The Weekend Seminar - Skills for the 21st... Read More

Consulting: A Different World

I won't say I have a vast array of knowledge... Read More

Resume 101

Whether you've been downsized, are looking for a career change... Read More

How To Find A Job Writing Grant Applications

Do you have what it takes to land a job... Read More

The Career Athlete: What It Takes to Manage Your Career

Managing your career, just like managing your life, requires preparation... Read More

How to Transform a Boring Note Into A Killer Cover Letter - Part II

In Part I, we covered how to grab the reader's... Read More

10 Warning Signs That You?re Ready for a Career Transition

1. You dread getting out of bed and going to... Read More

Minding Your Own Business

Think you have gone as far as you can in... Read More

Wanted: A Diva for the Job of a Lifetime!

"When I was a child, I always thought the world... Read More

So Youre Thinking of Changing Careers

"You don't have to take life the way it comes... Read More

Your Resume is Just One of the Tools in Your Job Search

A resume is a tool. It allows employers to see... Read More

Free Resume Examples: Untold Wealth In 10 Minutes!

Doesn't every job search start with Google?Way back in another... Read More

Mid-Life Crisis: Its Not Just for Men Anymore!

A recent story in Career Journal begins:"The "midlife crisis" has... Read More

How to Overcome a Bad First Impression

Have any of these situations happened to you? Forgetting your... Read More

Job Trap; Relationships with Co-workers

Most of us interact with our co-workers on a daily... Read More

You Never Get A Second Chance To Make A First Impression

There is no easy way to define exactly what editors,... Read More

Why Do You Want This Job?

Why Do You Want This Job? Is it because any... Read More

We Rejected Your Résumé Today

Hi, I am Mr. Employer.Even though you think I can... Read More

Job Interview Preparation - What Employers Are Looking For

When an employer decides to conduct an interview with you,... Read More

Listening for Interview Success

Yes I know that we usually think of interviews as... Read More

So, Your Made A Mistake

Of course, mistakes are important. Two facts put those you... Read More

Job Offers and Pay Negotiations

When you first get the job offer it will often... Read More