As a recruiter for 20 years, I have posted my fair share of jobs, so job postings are a routine part of hiring. However, most of the candidates I would ultimately hire came from referrals or my own active search methods. Therefore, applications to job postings are just one source for recruiters. As a job seeker, you want to stay updated on job postings. (They’re great for giving ideas for companies or to have something to specifically ask your network about.) But job postings should not be your only source for job leads. You want to be referred for opportunities. You want or be found by recruiters actively searching. You want to hear about opportunities you can pursue. In other words, you need to be actively networking and staying front of mind with a wide group of people. Job leads come from networking regularly and exhaustively. Don’t just rely on your memory to identify people to network with. Here are 10 places to network for job leads:
Contact Database
Your cell phone holds more than just your favorite numbers. There will be people there you haven’t gotten in touch with for months, if not years, so you probably forgot about them. Page through your contact database from start-to-finish. Just because you haven’t spoken to someone recently doesn’t mean you can’t reconnect and recover that dormant relationship. You may already know people in your target companies.
LinkedIn Profile
Your LinkedIn connections probably grew haphazardly, and unless you review them person-by-person you will not remember everyone in there. Pay attention to people at your target companies, in and about your target industry, or involved in hiring more broadly (e.g., recruiters and HR).
Resume
Your resume lists your schools, past work experience and activities. Use it to jog your memory of additional people you are connected to that you might have fallen out of touch with. Don’t just gloss over each company – think about the individual roles and projects you held and who you were working with or supporting.
Target Company List
In addition to exploring your existing contacts, you can make new contacts. Review your target company list, and identify the senior management as well as leaders in your target area. Check your social media connections to see if you can get a warm introduction. Look at the bios – you may have a shared alma mater or similar background that will warm up a cold contact.
Competitors Of Existing Job Leads
If you get an interview with one company, you should be doing research into their competitors. If you’re doing this research anyway, pitch the competitors! The best time to get additional interviews is when you are already interviewing – people want what other people want. When companies hear you’re talking to their competitor, they’re more inclined to take a meeting.
Previous Job Leads
Even job leads that have closed without an offer are a potential source of new leads. Companies change. Business needs change. If it’s been a few months since you checked in with a previous lead, do so again. Maybe their new hire didn’t work out, or even if s/he did, they may need additional people. Maybe they have a new role entirely. Maybe your contact at a former lead moved on and can use you at the new company.
Member Associations (Professional And Personal)
Another great source for warm leads is member associations. Professional associations are a logical place to focus, but don’t forget your hobbies and community activities. I’ve seen leads shared among exercise buddies, PTA volunteers, and other non-work groups.
Market Experts
Journalists, research analysts, business consultants, professors – who in your network is a subject matter expert or has a job relating to information? These knowledge workers are excellent resources for what’s happening in a specific market or cutting edge trends. Also include hobbyists and avid readers as you think of people in the know. Even if it’s not their job, some people get expert in a field out of sheer curiosity. Identify the experts in your network and check in with them regularly.
Recruiters And HR
Identify the recruiters and HR people in your network, even when they’re not affiliated with your target companies or industry. They can fill you in on hiring trends. They probably hear from colleagues outside their immediate specialty. They have access to salary surveys and other hiring data. If there’s a category of people who are going to hear about openings on a regular basis, it is this group.
Friends And Family
Finally, don’t discount non-professional, social connections like friends and family. Make sure you keep them updated on the companies and roles you’re going for. Mentioning a company may spark a connection – i.e., your friend does know someone who can be helpful. As you review your contact database, LinkedIn profile, and other warm connections, don’t discount people you think you know well who are unrelated to your search. You don’t know everyone or everything that even your good friends and immediate family know.
For all of your networking contacts, focus on reconnecting first before you talk shop about your job search. The longer it’s been since you’ve reconnected, the more time you should take to follow up and rebuild the relationship before asking for any help. If you’re happily employed where you are and 100% not actively looking, use this list anyway as a reminder for how to maintain and grow your network. The best time to network is when you don’t need anything, and you may just hear about the next big thing.
This post was inspired by a reader who asked about how to build up her job leads pipeline. Do you have a career question? Share it in the Comments – I save all questions to answer in future blogs.
