Blog Post: Who Do You Know That Knows Somebody?

If you are a job seeker in the midst of this challenging employment market, I want to begin by telling you that you can and will find a job out there. There may not be as many jobs out there as there were a year ago, however I am convinced that there are jobs available. Companies are still hiring. You may not be able to find a job by sitting home and searching the job boards. That method of searching for employment is outdated. If you want to get employed, you must search the hidden job market.

The hidden job market are the job opportunities that never get filled through the help wanted ads, nor do they ever hit the job boards. It comes down to NETWORKING! Networking by my definition is connecting with people who you know - people in your net. People you have relationship with. Who do you know that knows somebody that you need to know that is looking for someone like you to solve a problem.

How do you tap into your network? You have to talk to the people you know. Especially the ones you think might not be able to help you. You never know who is connected to who. Talk to your network. Tell them what you are looking for and trust that at least one or two people in your network might actually know someone you need to know. Set up a lunch, dinner or just meet for coffee. Talk about who you are and what you will bring to the organization. Understand that your first conversation with those you are networking with may not net you a job, but if you work your network, if you continue to maintain contact with those who may be able to assist you in your job search you will find an access point into an organization.

Lastly, if you are not using social networking as a tool in your job search, you are seriously limiting your ability to be employed in this market. If you are a professional looking for a job, at a minimum you should develop a profile on Linkedin.com. Linkedin will open doors to you to meet recruiters, senior leaders in most major and mid size and some small organizations. If you have questions about LinkedIn, let me know. I would be happy to assist you as you develop your profile. Check out this series of post written about LinkedIn - LinkedIn Review. Happy job hunting!