When Networking Works
Giving yourself time to heal from a difficult layoff is very important. It allows you to get your emotions in check and to collect your thoughts on where you may want to take your career. Once healed, it's important to share your story of transition in order to engage fully in a productive job search campaign.
Below are a few quick tips to ensure you are getting the most out of your network.
Quick Tip #1: Create a transition statement. When responding to questions that refer to your job transition, a statement such as "my position was eliminated along with others due to a company reorg" keeps your response brief, detached from emotional baggage, and more often than not, reflects the reality of most layoffs. When you communicate in this matter- of- fact manner there is a sense you are ready to move forward. The listener can then focus on the logistics of your job search versus the pain of transition.
Quick Tip #2: Create an elevator pitch. An elevator pitch is a two minute overview on who you are as a professional, along with the addition of a few names of target companies you are interested in attaining contacts for.
Quick Tip #3: Develop your audience. Make a list of everyone you know and begin to share your elevator pitch with those within your immediate circle. This includes friends, neighbors, relatives, co-workers, professional and social acquaintances. When reaching out to this initial list of contacts, always remember that real networkers never ask for a job, they ask for information, advice, suggestions and/or ideas from their contacts. This approach invites a conversation and this type of conversation is called an Exploratory Conversation or an Informational Interview.
The Exploratory Conversation can be conducted in person, on the phone or virtually, is scheduled to last no more than 20 minutes and follows a structure to ensure the conversation is productive. See insert below.
Quick Tip #4: Share your story with everyone, and keep your enthusiasm up. When in job search casual networking can be as powerful as attending official networking events or through social media platforms such as LinkedIn. Be mindful when you begin to pick and choose to whom you tell your story to. It is often the person you least suspect who has the one contact that becomes most valuable.
Structure of the Exploratory Conversation
First: Prepare open questions to ask your contact in advance of your meeting.
Second: Listen to the information being shared and insert when appropriate accomplishments and work experiences throughout your career that align with what is being shared.
Third: Ask for referrals. Once the conversation is nearing the end, ask who else your contact may know that they can refer you to for an Exploratory Conversation. Provide your contact with a a target list of organizations so that they may be able to come up with helpful contacts. Once a name or two is given, ask if they would provide an introduction on your behalf to the referral.
Fourth: Ask how you might be able to help them knowing that your help may be help you can provide to them in the present, or in the near future. Remember, networking goes both ways!
Fifth: Follow up. Send a thank you note for their time. Reach out and let them know the status of any outreach made to referrals.
Sixth: Periodically stay in touch with your contact. An ideal way is through LinkedIn.