Networking tips
The art of job search networking

These networking tips provide you with a complete "how to guide" for professionally accessing the hidden job market by doing some job search networking.

To put job search networking into its proper perspective, and to highlight the importance of networking, consider how many formal, written applications might be received for a single advertised position.

Estimates vary about a typical response rate that employers will get from an ad, and it probably depends on the type of job.

But.....it's safe to say most job ads would result in several hundred resumes being sent to the employer for consideration.

An article I read somewhere puts the numbers of applications somewhere around 1500-2000. And.....there will be just one person's resume out of all these that will result in a job offer.

Therefore, your odds of getting a job by responding to a job ad could be somewhere in the vicinity of 1500-2000 to one. You probably wouldn't be betting your house on having a successful application at those sorts of odds!

In the same article it was suggested that the odds of getting a job through the process of job networking were about one in 12.

In a recent discussion with colleagues about an experiment into how many networking contacts it takes to get a job the figure suggested was that it takes 3.6 networking contacts to get a job offer.

This puts the importance of networking as a part of your overall job search strategy into its proper perspective - you just have to have a strategy for job search networking.

Networking tips
What job search networking IS

In my experience there is a right and a wrong way in which people go about networking.

I think this is partially because people misunderstand what networking means, and what the process of job networking actually involves.

So let's look at what job search networking is in relation to finding a job or making a career change:

• It's a referral based process - this means you start with people you know, and these existing contacts will in turn refer you to people in their network.
• Therefore you should never make assumptions about what people know, or who your contacts might know.
• It involves information interviews - the reason you're meeting with people is to gain access to their information and advice.
• You're taking advantage of the fact that the people you know have contacts with people that you don't know, who may be in a position to help you in your job search.
• It's a process which involves asking people for things which they can freely give - that is, information and their advice and guidance.
• The information that you gain typically moves from being general in nature to quite specific with successive contacts.
• It's a process which can ultimately put you in touch with decision makers - that is, the people who do the hiring.
• It's a process that works best when you meet with people face to face rather than over the phone, or through email etc.

Networking tips - What job search networking ISN'T

• Asking friends, colleagues or acquaintances for a job, or to assist you to change your career.
• Attending conferences, seminars, workshops, professional association meetings etc in the hope starting conversations with people where you get to ask questions like "I'm looking to change my career, or I'm looking for work at present - do you know of any openings?" Or, "Is there any work going at present in your organisation?"

Ready to get started on career networking?

The following links to these networking tips will help you learn, step by step, the strategies for going to your next career move via the hidden job market:

• Developing your list for job search networking
• How to set up a meeting when job networking
• What questions to prepare for your informational interviews
• How to conduct informational interviews
• Follow up informational interviews