After weeks of blasting out applications and hearing crickets, my clients realize this job search thing is going to take longer than expected. When I ask about their networking efforts… there’s a LOONNNGGG pause.
Here’s the thing – Opportunities are connected to people.
The fastest way to land a new job is to be referred for it.
Stop spending hours on job boards.
Start connecting with PEOPLE who can actually help you get a job at the company you want to work for – not whatever’s available.
Before I launch into my 3 strategies to boost your networking game, I want to share my free checklist to help you speed up your job search, my Speedy Job Search Checklist will show you 4 things to do daily to speed up your job search.
Networking: How Your Friends and Family Can Help You Get a Job
It sounds WWAAAYY too obvious, but starting your networking with people who know you is the most fruitful way to connect to jobs that are a good fit.
Because they know you.
And they can reach out to their networks on your behalf.
So instead of you searching in isolation, you’ll have a battalion of job searchers hitting the bricks on your behalf.
Let’s say you tell 5-10 people who know really well that you’re looking for a job, and you ask if they know of anyone at your top companies.
That could lead to each of those people connecting to 5-10 more people.
Suddenly you have 50-100 people helping you look for a job!
That’s a massive improvement and fast way to 10x your efforts by simply asking for help from the people who love you most.
Easy peasy.
Networking Online: How to Get a Job in Your Pjs
Strategy #2 is equally easy.
Let’s talk about getting a job in your pajamas!
From the comfort of your home, safely behind the computer (which is ideal for introverts.)
LinkedIn is not just for job searches. It’s an epi-center of professional connections.
Get in there. Set a goal to connect with 5 new people every week. In 2 months, you’ll have nearly 50 new connections.
Then start having conversations.
No pressure. It doesn’t have to be earth shattering – just thoughtful and genuine.
Ask about their work, how they got started, what they think it takes to be good at the job.
Then join LinkedIn groups – your alumni group, groups around your industry, groups who support causes you back – like sustainability or women in leadership.
For more on what to do in LinkedIn groups, grab the Speedy Job Search Checklist
Networking: Face to Face with Local Networking Groups
Old fashion, IRL networking is our 3rd strategy.
I know this might be intimidating for some. But it’s a great way to meet other job searchers and connect to people in your industry face to face – which you probably already know builds trust WAAAY faster than online.
Start by using sites like meetup and Eventbrite to find face to face local networking groups.
You’re also likely to hear about these events in your LinkedIn groups – so there’s another reason to join groups!
For your face to face networking, make business cards.
Include the essentials – your name, email address and LinkedIn URL.
That gives people a way to check you out first and reach that conclusion you’re not an internet weirdo, so be sure to update your LinkedIn profile.
I love moo.com for business cards. They make fancy business cards, and they’re not cheap but they make an impression.
Also, practice your elevator pitch. Your 60 second statement about what you can do for your new employer.
And finally, follow-up. It’s essential! Send a brief ‘nice to meet ya’ email the day after the event, reminding them where you met and what you discussed.
It may seem tedious at first, but it’s a great way to standout from others!
There ya have it — three strategies to speed up your job search: (1) network with your friends and family (2) use everything LinkedIn has to offer and (3) go to local networking events to meet people IRL.
If you want access to the best jobs at the best companies, before they even hit Indeed or LinkedIn, bulk up your networking efforts using these strategies!