Networking

What?

Networking means contacting, talking to and keeping in touch with people who can help you in some way.

Why?

Networking is one way to get a job or get a better job. Employers only advertise about 25% of vacancies. They fill the other 75% through contacts or “word of mouth” – in other words, networking.

Where?

• Occasions to do with work: conferences, training sessions, work experience or work shadowing sessions, voluntary work days.
• Social occasions: parties, evening classes, club meetings, organised activities for yourself or your children.

Who?

Workmates, previous workmates, bosses, previous bosses, relatives, friends, neighbours, your doctor, your dentist, your hairdresser. All these people have friends and relations of their own. Contacts lead to further contacts. Some people cannot themselves help you, but know somebody else who can.

Good contacts can:

• tell you what a job is really like
• tell you about vacancies
• tell you the name of a contact in the company
• suggest your name to their boss when there is a vacancy
• tell you when somebody is leaving a job.

How?

You might worry about this bit. You might be shy, scared of embarrassment or of

owing a favour. You can avoid this if you network in the right way.

What to say?

This depends on the kind of contact and the situation.

• Close friend

“What I’d really like is to get into XXX (name of job or name of firm). Do you know anything about what they’re like? Do you know anybody that works there? Do you think they’ll be taking people on soon? I wonder if any other places like that are taking folk on just now.”

• Friend who works in firm

“You work at XXX, don’t you? What’s that like? What do you actually do? How did you get into that line of work? How did you hear about the job? If I wanted to get in, who would I contact? Do you know if any vacancies are coming up?”

• Contact you’ve just met

Start with small talk. “What is it you do? What’s that like?”

Go on with “I’m on the lookout for a new job myself just now. What about your firm? Are they looking for anybody new? Who would I get in touch with? What’s he or she like? Any hints how I could get a foot in the door?”

• Meeting one of the company bosses (in a social setting)

Again, start with small talk. “How’s business?” “What exactly is it your company does?”

Go on in this way, letting the other person lead the conversation. Show your interest by asking suitable questions. Get on the same wavelength – if the other person is an older, formal type, don’t use slang.

When your turn comes to talk about yourself, make one or two “neutral” points about, say, your family, your coming holidays, and finally, your work.

Then say something like (with pauses for the other to respond):

“Workwise, I’m thinking of moving on myself, soon. From what you say, XXX sound a good crowd to work for. You know, I’ve a bit of experience in (name your main area of work). Mostly I do (name your own specialism) but I would like to get more into (another specialism). Do you think XXX might have any vacancies coming up in that area?”

How to ask someone to “put a word in” for you

Don’t directly ask a friend to give you a job or to ask the boss to give you a job. This puts your friend on the spot. But you might say something like:

“Next time a vacancy happens, do you think you could mention to the boss that I’ve done this kind of work before and that I’m looking for a new job?”

or, if your friend is the boss,

“Next time you’ve got vacancies, could you keep me in mind?”

If your friend seems unwilling, or says anything negative, such as:

“I don’t have much pull with the boss”, or

“We don’t get many vacancies”,

then drop it. Don’t persist, if you want to keep your friend!

Golden rules

• Don’t ask a contact to directly fix you with a job – rather ask for “advice”.
• Don’t do all the talking - listen to what the other person is saying.
• Be honest – don’t tell lies.
• Keep a list of contacts and how they can help.
• If your contact, in turn, asks for your help, give it.
• Be positive – don’t slag off previous or current bosses or workmates.
• Thank all who help you. Say “thank you” at the time. If you get a job because of help, send a “thank you” note or card. 

Useful websites

http://www.seekingsuccess.com/articles/art149.php3

http://www.career.vt.edu/JOBSEARC/NetWk1a.htm