How to spread the word you are looking for a job

The best network techniques are the methods ignored by most people. The following network techniques can be used to enlarge your contact circle, to get interviews, and to build a name in your career field.

Referral systems ? do the calculation

If you have ten persons in your contact base and each of them only have ten other people in their contact base, it means that there are already more than a hundred potential contacts. Each of those contacts knows ten people and they each know ten people etc. The number of potential contacts becomes infinite. The average person however knows at least 200 persons and if you take the 200 persons who each know an additional 200 persons, the numbers get staggering. It is for this reason that you must focus on getting and keeping as many contacts as possible.

The ties for networking decrease with the level, meaning that you have a better chance to get a job when you use a second level contact rather than a fourth level contact.

Get new contacts daily
If you only work at building contacts just before you start applying for jobs, you will not be very effective. People who use regular contact network techniques get more benefits from networking. Set a target for every month. Call or contact at least one new person a day, follow-up on one other contact and work on one existing relationship a day. It is not that hard. You can for example send an email card to brighten the day of a long lost friend, phone one of the leads that you received from your neighbor, and call the Alumni person that you spoke to earlier in the week. All of it can be done in one hour a day.

Reach for the highest contact
When you get a referral and realize that the person that you really need to speak to with regards to the job has a lower position than the one that you were referred to, you should still speak to the highest ranking person. The reason for this is that once you spoke to the senior manager, you can ask him for the correct person to contact. When you contact the relevant person, you can say that the CEO or Mr. X referred you. You don't get a better referral than this!

Networking techniques: follow-up!
One call or contact with a person doesn't imply effective networking. You need to follow-up. Repetition works. People remember you better when you are in regular contact with them. You should thus keep all your network contacts up to date with your job hunt and provide them with regular feedbacks. Stay in their minds all the time. Make contact at least once a month.

Build on referrals
One video store expanded its market threefold within a month by asking every new patron three references that can be contacted to receive a free video. This is also one of the best networking techniques. You simply ask every contact to provide you with three leads and you provide feedback on how it went. Apart from this you offer your contacts three leads and build a huge and effective network in a short period. You can as an alternative to the method request that each person just pass your information to at least two other persons. They will do the most work and you reap the benefits.

Using personal or third level network contacts to do the work
Some of your contacts cannot directly assist in getting a job, but can be useful in other ways. They can for instance collect job ads, or conduct a weekly job search on the Internet. Save time by using the skills and resources of your contacts. Be sure to show your appreciation with flowers, lunch, a card, or by returning a favor.

Networking techniques: get connected on lecturer level
If you are still studying, you can use your lecturer to get a job referral. The secret of this method is to get in the good books of the senior year lecturer or departmental head. Another lecturer to target is the one who act as consultant to large firms.

Get connected to networkers

It is true; there are people who cannot survive in the business world without an extensive contact base. Your estate agent, insurance broker, business broker, hairdresser or investment consultant fall in this class. Make sure they know that you are job hunting and what your skills are. The business broker may know a recruitment agency that may assist or your rental agent just heard that her client is looking for a maintenance officer or property consultant etc.

Professional Membership
Join a professional organization in your career field. Besides the prestige associated with it, you gain valuable contacts and receive newsletters with job offerings.

Network techniques: high-level contacts
Get in touch with a local political representative or even higher at minister or senator level. Call him and mention that you are looking for recommendations for potential employers and thought that since he has such an extensive knowledge of what is happening in his voter's area, he might give advice on which employers to contact. Once he gave you a lead, you can contact the employer and state that Mr. X referred you.