Networking The most effective way to get a job is to network yourself into that position. Eighty-five percent of job vacancies are NEVER advertised or obtained through the newspaper. That means you are only exposed to 15% of the jobs that are available. Networking is successful because most employers would prefer to hire a person referred by a colleague, peer or friend, rather than rely on the internet, want ads, employment agencies, etc. Employers believe they will be exposed to a higher quality candidate if the person is referred by one of their personal contacts. Through networking, the amount of time it takes for you to find a job will be reduced. You can expect to spend one to three months on the job search process if you include networking as one of your strategies, as compared to three to six months. In the end, you may decide that networking is well worth your time and effort.   The Purpose   The Steps   Advantages of Networking   The Informational Interview   THE PURPOSE Networking basically serves two purposes: Helps you make contacts Teaches you enough about your field to make an intelligent decision about your career Networking involves a technique known as informational interviewing. When you conduct such an interview, you are seeking information from contacts about how to break into your field.  What you must remember is that networking is an information gathering process and that your motives for using it must be sincere. When conducted in an ethical manner, networking is the best technique for understanding and choosing an appropriate career, while also establishing contacts that will help your job search later. Back to Top   THE STEPS Prepare a list of all the professional people in your field of interest, as well as other people who may know someone in your field. The average person usually comes up with 50 or more names—set your goal even higher! Your list might include the following people: Friends Relatives Teachers Persons from gift or Christmas card lists Pharmacists Secretaries Dry cleaners Team coaches Hairdressers Clergy Salesmen Stock brokers Past employers Accountants Bankers Your goal at this stage is to interview experts to learn whether certain fields are really what you want. From your general contact list, develop a targeted list of contacts who work in the field that you are considering. Call everyone on your revised list of contacts and arrange a meeting time to get advice on breaking into your desired field. Investigating two or three career fields simultaneously is one of the best ways to discover which one is most appropriate for you. It is important to research all of your options before making a long-term commitment. Back to Top   ADVANTAGES OF NETWORKING You will be exposed to the hidden 85% of the unadvertised jobs in your field. You will be exposed to higher level positions. You encounter little competition for the “hidden” jobs. You go directly to the people who have influence in the hiring process. You are less likely to encounter rejection since you are not asking directly for a job. You are more likely to be invited to job interviews based on the referrals you receive. You will be considered when a contact hears of a job, and may be referred as a result. Remember, by genuinely asking advice about your career, you will make an impression on someone and be remembered. Once you have established a favorable contact, it is very likely that you will be considered for a job when it becomes available. Again, networking is the most effective job search strategy. Whatever job search method you choose, be sure to couple it with the networking strategies mentioned above. GOOD LUCK! Back to Top   THE INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEW The informational interview is a helpful tool that can help you focus on a particular career and enhance your personal job search. Informational interviews are NOT conducted for the purpose of asking for employment. This is a resource that allows you to develop networking contacts and research specific careers. The following is a step-by-step plan for conducting your own informational interview. Step 1 Place the call and identify yourself and the reason you are calling. Emphasize that you are conducting an Informational Interview. Ask the person if you could possibly meet with him/her. Step 2 Ask the following type questions and create some of your own: How did you get into this career? Would you describe what you like most about your job and your employer? What do you dislike or least enjoy? What does a typical day look like for you? (Probe for detail regarding time spent in various activities.) What sort of background does an employer look for when selecting someone for this job? What sort of background or experience would be advantageous? What specific educational experience or training is required or recommended for this position? What skills do you think a person needs to do this job well? Are there certain values that you think individuals in this job environment share? What do you see as possible career paths leading from this job? Do these opportunities seem to be growing in number? What is the salary range for someone entering this field? What are the typical working conditions of this job? (Probe for specifics about workload, expectations, dress codes, amount of supervision, pressures, and degree of cooperation or competition.) Could you recommend a specific volunteer experience or other activity I could do to test whether this type job is for me? Is there any other information you can give me to help me understand what it might be like to work in this type of job or for this type of employer? Could you suggest someone else in a similar career field that I could contact? Step 3 Thank the person and follow up with a thank you note within twenty-four hours. Step 4 Begin contacting the names the previous employer gave you to set up more informational interviews. Back to Top

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