Network Your Way to a New Job
Some of the best job leads you may get come from the people closest to you – anyone with whom you’ve had some personal association. Contact these people to ask for current job openings, opportunities, and tips. Sometimes just by telling them you are looking for work can generate a flood of new ideas.
Your warm contacts are usually willing to help you in your job search or business venture. They can provide you with valuable information. You can trust them and they will refer you with confidence to people they know can help you. They are also able to provide an honest evaluation about your character and work ethic eliminating much of the need for reference checking.
Take a few minutes to create a warm contact list. Write down everyone you think of and make a point to contact everyone on your list to tell them about your job search. They may not have any information for you right away, but you’ll be the first one to come to mind when they hear something.
Who belongs on your warm contact list?
Here are some ideas about who to include:
� Family and relatives
� Friends
� Neighbors
� Former classmates
� Fraternity or sorority members
� Former teachers
� Co-workers
� Church members
� Members of a social club or fraternal organization
� Members of a political party
� Former clients and customers
� Former business partners
� Business owners
� Members of the Chamber of Commerce
� Former employers
� Members of your professional organization
These are the most important people that you should include when creating a list of your warm contacts. It is better if you contact them all so you can have as many options in your job search. When you talk to them, tell them that you are actively seeking a job. Ask if they know of any job openings or if they would mind introducing you to anyone who may have some information.
Make sure you can use your contact’s name when you call for information. It’s a lot more effective to introduce yourself in the following way:
“Bob Jones? This is Andrew Williams. Tom Cassidy from church suggested I give you a call and talk to you about a position you have open in your company.”
Your contact may not want you to use their name for whatever reason, so respect their wishes.
Don’t forget to offer your sincere thanks to someone who has helped you out. At the least, a thank-you card is appropriate for someone who has helped you make an important contact or provided you with a solid lead. You may even want to give a small gift to someone who goes out of their way to help you out. These kinds of tokens will be appreciated and remembered the next time you approach your warm contacts for advice.
