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I don't know what you're trying to say (big surprise) but I'm not trying to give anyone advice, just sharing my thoughts. If somebody wants to heed it, fine - if not, that's fine too. No skin off my nose.
GypsySoul was saying she is tired of networking advice from employed people and since you said that you have to network while you are employed, you supported the point she was making.
I am basic sick of ALL job advice from employed people...
That includes my husband who spent an hour 'lecturing' me on thinking out of the box and trying something new (which I have) in order to find a job.
If networking works for you, awesome. If not, well, I guess it's not a good tool. Some people have luck networking, others with other methods.
Hello everyone. I'm winding down after a horrible weather day in Georgia (massive flooding). If I never hear "networking" or "think outside the box" again it will be too soon! Show or share this to your husband, Gypsy. (LOL).
GypsySoul was saying she is tired of networking advice from employed people and since you said that you have to network while you are employed, you supported the point she was making.
Employed, unemployed, a student, a stay-at-home (by choice) mom, it doesn't matter. ALL of those people will benefit by networking. Networking isn't just to find a job, it's a way of life. Networking is calling your neighbor and asking if they know a good plumber when you toilet is stopped up.
Here's another example of netowrking. I guy I'm acquainted with has a friend who owns a retail store. Through my acquaintance I was invited to a private event at this store. At the event I met a guy who is an independent distributor for several small businesses that produce the type of product sold in this store. His company distributes to stores up and down the east coast. I have another acquaintance who owns a small start-up company on the west coast who needs east coast distribution for their product. The large distributors passed because they don't produce enough for mass market stores. So the day after I met this distributor, I e-mailed his info the my west coast based acquaintance, who promptly contacted him. They are currently working out the terms of a distribution contract.
That is networking. Reaching out to your circle of friends, family, and acquaintances both passively and actively to get leads to solve to your situations and gain new opportunities.
I agree with annerk that networking is a way of life. My husband is a self-employed accountant and does not advertise. Most of his business is from referrals from existing clients and from members of his network at BNI (Business Network Inc). I once called on a gentleman who has a lawnservice business (found him on the Charlotte forum) so I called him in. As we were discussing future plans for the lawn, we talked about how we always try to give business to small business owners because hubby is one himself, a small business owner. As soon as he found out my husband was an accountant, he brought up his wife who was looking to change her accountant. That started the conversation and he got her business.
My husband has a client who is married to a recruiter. Because my position will be eliminated by year-end, I have ramped up my search as early as July when about 30 of us were notified. Met with recruiter who was an IT recruiter. I'm not in IT but got referred to his partner who is the Finance recruiter. Tried to refer a candidate to IT guy but they already were working together. IT Candidate now refers me to former colleague where I had put in an application directly on the website for trying to refer him to IT recruiter. Finance recruiter while not having a position that fits finds that I have applied directly with a company where he has an established relationship. Even if Finance Recruiter will not be able to represent me, he called the hiring manager to follow up on my account. Hiring Manager informs him that they will pull up my resume from the database and take a look at it.
I think the above shows that networking helps. Sometimes, it is not just as direct as you may want it to be, but just like in the lottery, if you don't buy a ticket, you'll never win. If you don't put yourself out there, you diminish your chances for getting a job. Job hunting should be a combination of every possible avenue to rise above the multitude of people like yourself. You now have to be able to find that back door to get in, and the alleys are not advertised.
One other thing about networking--you have to be willing to "pay it forward" for it to work. It's not jsut about "you." Take my example with the distributor. I got nothing out of that, but it helped me to expand my network, and that will possibly help me down the road.
One other thing about networking--you have to be willing to "pay it forward" for it to work. It's not jsut about "you." Take my example with the distributor. I got nothing out of that, but it helped me to expand my network, and that will possibly help me down the road.
I couldn't agree more. In my example, I told the Finance Recruiter that I would be willing to refer candidates to him for positions that I may not be a good fit for. He may not make money off me, but if he makes money off someone I refered, then we both look as that as a win-win situation.
And may I also add that for those who think that all recruiters are a**holes, they are not. The recruitment industry is a small one. Local recruiters in your area know each other, have beers with each other after work. It is not advisable to get into a p**ssing match with them because you may just blacklist yourself with all of them. Remember that if they can't place an applicant, they make nothing. Many of them have been laid off at their own companies and have started their own businesses. However, they get into a non-compete agreement for a year and can't start inside that period. There are just as many of them unemployed or under-employed. Just a little food for thought.
Another example--just happened to me. I needed to submit a document to a vendor in a very specific electronic format, and did not have the software available to me here at work to create the document in that format. I was however, able to create the document in another format, and then call on someone in my network who I knew did have the software to create that specific format. I asked for a favor, if I could send my document to them, and have them convert and save the document, and send it back to me. Of course they were willing to do so.
My neighbor just called to let me know of a position opening in her company. She left a VM on my phone instructing me to look at the position at the company website. It seems to be a good fit so I called her back. She asked that I send her my resume in text format so she can forward it under her name to HR.
It may come to my entire neighborhood knowing I will soon lose my job, but there is no shame in letting people know you're out looking. How else can anyone guess if you don't let them know it. She had sent me an invite to a fundraiser she and two others organized to benefit the county Humane Society a month ago. Our original intent for buying the tickets was for her to be able to take my daughter's application to volunteer. As we chatted when I dropped the check along, the topic of job loss and home sales in the neighborhood came up. She knew I was looking so she asked for a hard copy of the resume. Just last week, this opening did not exist! Obviously, I would not pin my hopes on absolutely getting the job, but it's a big step to even get your foot in the door. Wish me luck!
I network, but I dont use just linked in.. I use myspace and facebook too and just plain old email.
Whenever I was looking, Id simply politely remind people to keep me in mind if they have an opening or hear of something. Sometimes it works, and when a friend knows Im looking, they usually pass along job openings I might not have otherwise ehard about.
I also cold email my resume to stations... and believe it or not, they'll tell me they dont have openigns now.. but later on, a few have actually contacted me
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