Successful Job-Networking Tips

Hi My name is..........and you are?

Many a job applicant believe the best way to get a good job is by applying to several positions available at once whether or not they qualify for that position. So you find HR professionals receiving resumes from applicants with their email address appearing in BCC: while the applicant’s name appears in the TO: section. This shows the resume was sent as a mass mail. I had once received a resume from a graduate with less than 3 years working experience applying for the role of a CEO of a relatively known organization(well, you have to admire his courage and tenacity however misplaced). Some even go the extreme extent of stalking several contacts holding an HR position in their dream organisation, spamming their mail boxes with “don’t forget me o” mails.

These are unacceptable ways to successfully network for a reliable job either in physical social functions or on professional networking sites. Below are some key tips on how to make the most of job networking and the acceptable ways to search for jobs.

What's your niche?

FIND YOUR NICHE- Having done my fair share of recruitment and job profiling in the past, I discovered that many experienced professionals do not know their skill set even after several years of work experience, nor can they mention their professional areas of expertise where they can excel the most or focus their career path in the long run. I have received tons of resumes and cover letters and what many of the messages these resumes convey is that “I am ready to work anywhere, just employ me and I will be a jack of all trades”. Only an HR professional or an MBA holder is allowed to be a “generalist” in the technical sense and both professional degree holders still have their specialized aspects as an HR Generalist can only function within HR as a generalist while an MBA holder can only concentrate in managing the crucial arms of a business. The first step towards successful networking is for you to have a niche and have vested career interest in one particular field. There may be other areas of interest you have, however, there has to be a primary niche that lights up your eyes and voice with enthusiasm whenever you describe where your career passion lies, especially when you meet an advantageous network partner that can assist in connecting you to your dream job. The last thing a reliable network with good referral wants to hear from a job seeker is “I can work in sales, good in project management, adept in finance, customer service expert, marketing & admin. I also have experience in research”. So before rolling out the speech, identify your core strength(s) and why your job search is tailored towards that aspect. This is where you can refer to the importance of passion and enthusiasm & research in a job search as I discussed in my last post here.

Hmmm, what do I do?

WHAT DO YOU DO –As a job seeker whether experienced or a recent graduate, being able to clearly explain exactly what you do will automatically lift you from a wide pool of other job seekers either to the front row or relegate you to the farthest background. The question “what do you do” is not an avenue for you to say “I am a director of finance operations or I am a regional manager or I am the senior vice president of seriously,who gives a hoot”. The other party will probably just smile artificially or boldly yawn and move on to the next network partner who is well equipped to answer the simple question that was just posed at you. When asked “what do you do”, this is your opportunity to propel yourself to the limelight of your listener(s) so it is very important that you mention and include in your speech what you are really passionate about, something that lights the fire in your eyes when you talk and put the lilt in your voice when describing what you do. This question does not even have to be singularly related to the position you currently hold if you happen to be employed. However, if your current job function is your main area of interest, then consider expanding your job description rather than simply providing only your job title. So when asked the famously misquoted question “what do you do” consider responding like this:

“I currently provide lasting e-solutions for business partners who experience difficulties getting huge customer base to market their products and provide the platform for them to showcase their products/catalogs and also provide marketing solutions for clients who are looking to gain competitive advantage within this marketplace. And doing that has given me an opportunity to build my knowledge regarding business forecasting and sales projection. And in my spare time, I provide online training video tutorials for a specific skill set of entrepreneurs and also give occasional motivational speeches to budding entrepreneurs”

With the above opening, not only will you impress your listeners but you will create a lasting & memorable opening that will lead to further curious “how”, “what”, “where” and other questions that you will invariably get bombarded with. This means your listeners will be able to deduce that outside your job role, you also have other passions and interest which you are putting to good use. So, ensure to brush up on how to answer convincingly and confidently “what do you do”. And guess who they might be contacting should they be needing the services of a public motivational speaker either at a physical location or online?

GET THE EXPERIENCE & THE CASH WILL FOLLOW- Usually, most job seekers either searching for fresh jobs or seeking to change jobs are seeking new positions for only one reason- higher pay. There is nothing wrong with wanting to earn enough money to commensurate with what you are bringing to the table(emphasis on being able to offer exactly what you are asking for as many graduates have an over inflated idea of what they are worth based on their past school fees or the cars they ride & the distance between the company and their residential location.). However, when seeking new positions, it is important that you do not come across as someone seeking a job based on the salary on offer. Because this will suggest to your contact that once another job offer comes with a higher pay, it’s “zoom baby” for you.

And as a rule, however harsh it may seem, I do not process resumes from contacts nor refer contacts for jobs who ask before finding out the job description that “how much is the pay”? This is a turn off question and only very experienced professionals who have an extreme lot to offer in areas of job experience and specialized expertise are allowed to consider the “benjamins” and the perks before signing the contract of employment. For other mid-level or fresh job seekers, it is usually unappealing to ask for the salary band a company is offering before asking what the job actually entails. When networking and you meet a contact who mentions an available position, ask intelligent questions that will suggest you are looking to grow your experience and career path first in that organization. So during the interview, you can now negotiate and explain passionately why you feel you are worth more than what is being offered to you. And based on your level and areas of expertise, many organizations may actually be willing to negotiate higher once they are convinced you are well qualified for the position you are being interviewed for.

And really, wouldn't you rather start on a considerably average level with a company and prove your competency level towards a salary upgrade than start big and be told after some complicated key performance metrics that you are actually being paid much more than what you are giving in return to the company and "the management has reviewed your net pay and have agreed to initiate a cut pay but if however you choose to resign, management will understand"? 

If you fall in the latter, you may refer to the above networking tips once again to prepare you for the job search ahead.

In my next post, I will be sharing tips on email etiquette & effective communication skills in the work place.