It’s no secret that many good job opportunities are not posted openly. This presents an obvious challenge to job seekers. And so they are advised to network.
Their assignment: Use Social Media and attend events. Get known by and get to know appropriate contacts. Good advice but where to start?
Did you realize that you already have a “circle of influence?” – people you know and who know you.
Rob was working with a small company as a project manager. When he visited their client’s sites, he met people from other companies also working on the project. One day, the owner of one of the companies asked if he would consider joining that company. The significant salary increase and opportunity to learn new things enticed him to make the move and so he gave notice.
Five years later, the company hit by the recession, eliminated Rob’s position. His next opportunity came from his personal circle of influence. He let friends and associates know that he was in transition and described his specialty. The opportunity came from his original employer – the one he had left prior to taking his last position.
For Jane, it came from a chance meeting with someone at church. For Jeff, it came from a referral from a relative’s acquaintance. For David, it came from a LinkedIn referral.
The connection is often not where you would expect it to be. Your personal relationships and their relationships…family, friends of family, religious community, sports, book clubs, professional associations (where you are known) are far more powerful than you may realize. The only requirement is that you help them understand what you do, what problems it solves or needs it fills, and what value it contributes to an employer.
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