Outreach

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    Many career consulting experts state the average individual has 250 networking contacts. It is now time to connect with these people in order to jump start your job search. Organize your list by listing the person’s name, contact information, and your relation to that individual. You need to organize this information or you will miss potential contacts.

    When networking, it is important to secure meetings if geographically possible. Many people will be willing to say “send me your resume and I will pass it around.”, but you need more from your networking contact. Think about it – if your contact does not know about your career interests, how can he/she make sure to get your resume in front of the right people? For career changers, if you do not have a discussion about your new intended career field, many networking contacts will assume you want your old job – just with a new company.

    Networking meetings, also called informational interviewing, is the most powerful job search strategy. By meeting with people, you can research companies, industries, generate contacts for job leads, learn about openings and jobs you did not know existed, obtain feedback on your personal marketing materials and your presence, and create a powerful referral system. It is important to prepare before any networking meeting – know the company/industry/person as much as possible and create a list of questions you wish to cover. Preparation will create a positive image and keep the meeting targeted.

    If time permits, it is encouraged to ask additional questions that are just as important as the career related questions. During a face-to-face meeting, you can ask your contact for some additional, very frank feedback:

    • What does my resume convey to you?
    • I am interested in careers in ___, does my resume, cover letter, and experience support my interests?
    • What do you feel my strengths are? Areas needing improvement?
    • How do I come across to you in a professional setting?

    Be ready to encourage your contacts for honesty and then prepare for some surprising answers, as this is the way potential employers are PERCEIVING you. If the image is not the one you wish to portray, continue the conversation asking for ways you can improve your image.