WEINFIVE Job Search Tip: Networking With A Purpose

Job search statistics tell us that that the most effective way to find a job is through networking which accounts for 80% of all jobs found.  That's a given.  Therefore, it makes sense that we should be spending the larger part (upwards of 40%) of our job search time networking. It is said that networking will get you out of the house and from behind your computer; plus the change of pace feels great.  Getting out of our comfort zone can be a very rewarding experience. It certainly feels good to relieve the frustration and emotion of being in transition and surrounding yourself with those that will reinforce your efforts and provide encouragement.  It is reasonable to conclude that in job search, networking, networking and more networking is the answer, right?  We're doing exactly as we're supposed to do, that is network, right?  Well, maybe.  

Networking is the art of exchanging information continuously and graciously with members of your professional and social communities.  The word "networking" in job search has been over-used somewhat to the point of giving off mixed messages.  Aren't you a little tired of how often networking is touted as the cure for all our job search ills?  It appears that job search has invented the art of networking.  When has active networking not been important in your life and your career?  Shouldn't we be building a strong network our entire life? 

A good test of the strength of your network occurs shortly after job loss.  If you've been diligent and kept up with your network right along, reconnecting with this group should help significantly in your job search.  Unfortunately, quite often we let our network go and forget about the long list of people that have contributed to our successes in life and reconnecting can be a little uncomfortable.  When we only reach out to our network when we need something, you may not get an immediate response.  It's critical that we keep in touch on occasion with our network, even if it's providing updates on our career progress or just acknowledging the recent updates to our LinkedIn connections.  It will help keep your network alive and supports the "Never Stop Networking" rule of thumb.

When engaged in full job search mode, you find out very quickly that networking for the sake of networking can be a huge drain on your job search productivity.  Populating every square inch of your weekly calendar with local networking events can be very exhausting.  You think you are doing the right thing, but are you?  It's equivalent to spending a whole day searching online and then patting yourself on the back at the end of the day and feel a strong sense of accomplishment for working so hard. You may be working hard, but you certainly aren't working efficiently.  Even experienced networkers can easily get caught up in the cycle of going to new places, meeting new people, shaking hands with total strangers, elevator pitching, sharing intimate details about yourself and following up. 

Arriving home with a new handful of business cards and the thoughts of adding more LinkedIn connections can be very misleading and self-defeating in job search.   The art of networking is not about quantity, it's about the quality of your network meetings and connections.  What do we do with all the business cards we collect?   I attended a network meeting once and the facilitator announced that he had amassed in excess of 10,000 business cards over many years of attending network meetings.  Is there a race to see whomever has accumulated the most business cards upon death wins?  Is that networking?  I hope not.   Using a smart phone app which scans a quick request (QR) code available on most business cards, exchanging physical cards may be a thing of the past.  That's promising.

As you expand your network and join additional networking groups, you are invited to more networking meetings.  It's so enticing to try to get to them all and fall into that trap.  You will find that your time spent in networking is out of kilter.  Often we repeat this pattern to the point that it can fulfill Einstein's definition of insanity (you know, doing the same thing again and again and expecting different results).  You look forward to seeing your new group of friends at each event where you share laughter and job search stories.  If the meetings don't advance your job search in some way, they become just social in nature, a "happy hour" so to speak.  Since it takes a full time job to land a full time job, your job search efforts could be better served elsewhere in the process.  

So, before you head off to your next network meeting, consider the potential return on investment (ROI) in job search with the following:

• Will you receive some new learning from the topic presented that can help advance your job search?

• Is it a new meeting that may get you out of your comfort zone and meet new contacts to leverage?

• Do you have a common interest with the group and want to keep up with the knowledgebase?

• Do you want to meet the speaker who may be beneficial in your job search?

• Are there recruiters, hiring managers, and other key influencers attending with whom you would want to reconnect?

• Try to set a reasonable networking goal before you head out.  "I'm going to meet/converse with 4 new people and learn 2 new things.  After the meeting, I will follow-up and meet with 3 people over coffee to build the relationship".

After the meeting, think about what you accomplished.  If you found a key contact in a target company, helped others get key leads, secured an informational interview, got your resume into the hand of a recruiter or connected with a career expert, then you can claim the time was well worth the effort and reward yourself with a pat on the back.

Networking is certainly not new but it can be a very powerful job search tool.  Learn to be a savvy networker and be selective in where you focus your networking time. If you make the meeting about helping others without keep tabs on your goodwill efforts, you will find value in the golden rule "what you give, you certainly get."  Vow to only choose quality networking activities that help advance your job search efforts.  If you "network with a purpose" you'll be more productive, you will find the experience more rewarding and increase your opportunities to find just the right connections you need to help advance your job search and land that next dream job.

Bob Weingartner is a Career Coach and the owner of WEINFIVE Career Coaching, a niche business focused on assisting career and job seekers in attaining their career goals.  You can reach Bob at weinfive@aol.com or www.weinfivecoaching.com/