Networking… ugh… Does the word itself make you cringe? Does it make you want to go hide under your blankie (yes I said blankie – I have one too!), bust out your favorite video game and just forget you even heard the word?
What’s a job seeker to do though?
You hear all these job gurus and career strategists saying…
“You’ve got to network”
“You have to put yourself out there”
“Networking is the fastest and most effective way to get hired”
While most of these statements are true, fear NOT. You can find AND land a job without having to push your introverted self to go the extra mile (from your blankie).
NOTE: Networking is still the most effective way to get a job. It’s 40% effective in a job search compared to the 10-20% effectiveness of online searching. However, having you sweat and stammer nervously will not get you anywhere if this is one of your weak points. But, if you can go an extra mile, why not?
Juicy Job Searching Without Networking Tips
#1 – Check your job market
If you’re in a job market with rich and abundant online openings, amen! This is your path to salvation. This is especially true for the IT industry. With enough relevant job leads, you won’t be running out of openings to submit resumes to or to get phone calls from recruiters.
However if you’re searching in a job market where online is still not the best way to get interviews, it’s best you pass up on giving this a go without your network. One of my dietician clients had more success asking friends for leads than searching on the internet.
#2 – A Jaw-dropping Resume
Your resume represents you. This piece of paper must convey to the reader why or why not he or she should call you.
This document does the networking for you. The tone of my resume says something to the effect of…
“Hi, I’m Meema Esguerra. I’m a software engineer with 13 years C++ experience…”
“Oh… You need someone like me? Call me!”
“You’re looking for something else? That’s cool.”
If your resume fails to relate how brilliant you are, that is lost opportunity in a network-less hunt.
#3 – Scouring the Job Boards
Being networkless, you must diligently look for leads in job boards and other sites such as LinkedIn and Craigslist. However, with job boards, there are also many people like you submitting their applications for these openings. The secret is to combine quality and quantity, while also carefully reading the descriptions and customizing your cover letters to go with the applications. You don’t want to be marked as a job spammer. If you spam, the hiring team will remember you and they won’t take you seriously when you apply for a legitimate opening.
#4 – Track. Track. Track
With so many job leads from so many job boards with so many companies, it’s impossible to remember all the job openings you’ve applied for. It’s vitally important to be able to track the details, such as what you mentioned in your cover letter, who your first point of contact was, when you were invited to a screening and with whom. Hiring managers like to feel special and having these details on hand will help you “remember” them when they call you out of the blue (even if you’ve applied for several hundred jobs).
#5 – Say Thank You
A thank you note goes a long way. Send a thank you note to anyone you spoke to (whether it was a referral, an interview or another point of contact). This helps them remember you more than the other job seekers they have been in contact with.
#6 – Follow Up
For every open lead, it is your job to follow up. I know of someone who designated Wednesdays as his follow-up day to call all recruiters that he’s been in contact with. He got a job that way. Remember to also follow up with direct leads if they haven’t responded yet. Given them ample time; 1 week should be long enough to wait before you follow up.
Job searching is all about communicating your worth and what you can bring to the table.
With networking, you aim to be remembered; to stand out and make an impression to a viable hiring decision maker. With networkless job searching, you still aim to make an impression by having a great resume and connecting with quality recruiters and hiring managers you come in contact with.
What’s your take? To network or not to network? That is the question! Leave your thoughts in the comments section below!
xoxo,
Meema
Let's get you hired,
