When you venture out into the jobs market with a view to progressing your career, you soon find there are a number of cogs that grind together in the great job-search machine. There are the employers’ own HR departments, the appointments pages in the press, the internet and, of course, employment agencies and their upmarket cousins, the recruitment consultancies.
The shrewd job-hunter exploits every part of the machine, but the wheels can sometimes grind slowly, creating friction and generating more heat than light. To overcome this, a job-search strategy needs to be carefully thought out; making the most of what each component of the machine has to offer. Getting the job-search machine to purr sweetly to your advantage requires another ingredient – lubrication.
Networking the best lubricant
There is no doubt that networking can be effective in smoothing the way to workplace advancement. Successful networking can help the machinery in many ways, from the way you present your CV to finding yourself that ideal job.
If you are seeking your first position, it is unlikely that you will have a network of business contacts in place. However, unless you are a hermit, you will be part of many networks, formal and informal, that can help you in your search. Old school friends, sports teams, interest clubs, charities that you support – the list is almost endless.
Start at home
A good place to start is with your own family. They may not work in the mortgage industry or even have a financial services background, but they will probably be happy to give a second opinion on your CV, help you prepare for interview or introduce you to friends and colleagues who can help. They will also have your interests at heart, so they are going to offer whatever help they can – which may not happen with more casual acquaintances.
Knowing the right people can also be helpful as you progress in your career. It is possible, even for big corporations, to sidestep a formal selection procedure if the right person is put before them at the right time. That ‘right person’ could be you, but only if you make it known, to all your connections, that you are seeking a job move.
Talk the talk
If it is possible to join a professional organisation, then it is advisable to do so. It will generate a further networking opportunity, a chance to learn what is going on in the industry and learn about best practice, so you can ‘talk the talk’ when you need to.
Networking is a two-way street. For all the information, tips and introductions you receive you will have to give back just as much. In fact, you may find you can’t ‘take’ until you have ‘given’. Being naturally articulate, sociable and outgoing will doubtless make you a successful networker. It is these qualities that will make you a successful interviewee as well. But if you are the quieter, introspective type, then what better way to practise your social skills and interview chat than by attending a networking event?
The super-highway
The anonymity of the web also makes networking easier. It is much easier to ‘cast your net’ in the water than face-to-face at a social gathering. The worst anyone can do is ignore you and it is, of course, much easier to handle the rejection of a non-existent return e-mail, than a truncated phone call.
Make your computer work for you. There is no shortage of online networks to sign up to. Never forget to think outside the box. For example, network online with people who share your interests. Joining a forum about fly-fishing may not find you your ideal job today, but it will be a chance to practise your networking skills.
Networking on its own may not get you a job any more than a can of 20-50 motor oil will get you from London to Birmingham. But without that all-important lubricant, your car wouldn’t even make the Scratchwood Services.
