Network, Network, Network

I am sure you have heard this numerous times and here comes one more, success in the job search is all about networking.  Many people tell me they are networking and do not understand why they are not getting any results.  The reason is they are not networking EFFECTIVELY.

So what is effective networking?  To have a successful and effective job search you need to employ a variety of different types of networking, each with their own focus.  Certain things may work great for others and not as well for you and vice versa.  Find the things that are producing results for you and focus on them.

From a broad perspective you want to allocate your time among networking events based on the return they provide in the form of jobs leads.  For example, you are not likely to get more than 10-15% of your job leads from networking groups so devote no more than 15% of your time to them.  As I wrote in ‘Finding the Hidden Job Market’, direct calls to your target companies is the most effective use of your time and should take up the largest portion of your week.

Finding the Hidden Job Market

By now you have worked on your resume and elevator speech based on the suggestions in ‘How to Make Your Resume Jump Off the Page’ and ‘Perfecting Your 30 Second Elevator Speech’.

Now it is time to put all of that effort into action so you can tap into the hidden job market.  Research shows the hidden job market accounts for anywhere from 60%-80% of all jobs filled.  Clearly it is extremely important for all job seekers to be prepared to tap into something this significant.

Start out by developing a continuously updated list of 50 companies for whom you would like to work.  Try to keep the total around 50.  Anything larger becomes too difficult to manage and track.  You can now provide your network with a focused profile to see who they may know within each of your target companies.  Providing that detailed and focused direction is one of the keys to networking success!

Perfecting Your 30 Second Elevator Speech

When I talk to people about the Elevator Speech, I often hear many of the same comments;

• Why do I need it?
• What do I say?
• Who do I say it to?
• Doesn’t it make me seem self-important?

Networking is the most important part of the process of looking for a new career, and the Elevator Speech is your number one tool to utilize.  You can have many variations based on your audience.  For the purposes of this article, we are going to assume your audience is someone in your profession who ideally has the authority to hire.   The Elevator Speech however is not about asking for a job, it is about making connections with the right people!

As the title implies, the Elevator Speech should be no longer than 30 seconds.   The  reason for this is simple.  The average person will give you a ‘free pass’ to talk for 30 seconds before they either lose interest or have to get back to what they were previously doing.  Take advantage of the window of time that you are given to convey your message in a compelling manner.  Make sure to not abuse the time you are given, by adhering to the 30 second rule.