Networking Your Way into the Hidden Job Market

From a Professional Networker

From Networking and Career Transition Expert

Mary Kurek

1) Chamber of Commerce Connection. If you are in a small to medium-sized community, hand carry your resume to the Membership Director for the local Chamber of Commerce. This person knows a great many business owners and executives in the community. Brainstorm ideas on where to send you resume and leave a copy with him or her. Also, you'll probably find the Chamber's membership directory online ? giving the contact point and often phone, fax # and e-mail address for their members. Lastly, a lot of Chambers will allow you to put a small classified ad in their newsletter for a very reasonable price. Remember, the newsletter is sent to their entire membership ? business owners and decision-makers, government leaders, tourism and hospitality directors, industrial managers, and non profit directors. If you're relocating to a new area, placing a small classified ad in the Chamber's newsletter could be a good first action to take.

2) Professional Recruiter Connection. Professional recruiters not only service lawyers or IT professionals, but you could be a bar manager or a librarian and there's probably a company out there that provides job location services. You can search for them online, but a word of caution ? check references or testimonials if you can to make sure you are dealing with a good, professional company.

3) Your Network Connection. Making connections while you are job hunting is important. According to the US Dept. of Labor, 70% of all jobs are found through networking (personal contacts.) I always advise clients that the best job ? the one that more closely fits your ideal - is more likely to be found through utilizing the proper contacts in your network. So, how do you work the network? Let your friends know that you'd like to accompany them to events, festivals, meetings, hobby clubs, etc. If you can hook up with an active community volunteer or business owner who networks a lot, see if they'll let you velcro yourself to them for a few weeks. Be their guest at wine tastings, lectures, professional association functions, fundraising events, and assist them in their volunteer work. While attending these events, your aim is to collect business cards from people who interest you. You're not necessarily looking for a potential employer in these people. Let the natural process of attraction guide you here. Meet new people and converse about what they do ? listen more than talk. If there seems to be any connecting factors between you, such as similar career interests, hobbies, or mutual friends ? mention your job search and indicate that you'd like to send them your resume in the case that they come across a lead. You could also get their name and contact information and follow up later with a short note on nice personal letterhead or notecard. Tell them how great it was to meet them and address your job search request at that time. Include a memory-jog in your note so that they will recall where they met you. Include your contact information on the note, and make a copy for yourself. Thank them and offer to reciprocate whenever they should need a connection.

*A special note here about attending social events. You'll find it easy to strike up conversation with people who are standing in line at the bar. Total strangers will converse while waiting for a drink. I'm not saying that you should spend all evening there, but while you are there, make use of that time.

4. Event Connection. Should there be a Business Expo or Trade Fair in your area ? attend it. Obviously, you will have access to an entire room of businesses to explore. Instigate conversation with representatives from those businesses that interest you. Collect business cards and follow up in the same manner as in # 3.

5. The ''Inside'' Connection. One of the most effective ways to get your foot in the door of a preferred company is to have someone introduce you. If the company exists in your community, you probably know someone there or someone who knows someone there. Mine your network to find out who has contacts inside that company. When you find someone in your network that does have a connection, ask them if they'll make the introduction, or even better, if they are willing to hand your resume to their connection at the company on your behalf.

6. Party Connection. If you are outgoing and have a good-sized network, plan a party or event and do some strategic inviting. This is a quick way to get everyone who knows you and likes you in the same room at the same time?having a good time. You're the host, so get yourself a co-host or helper who knows that the mission of the party is to circulate and pick brains for upcoming vacancies, new hirings, and other useful information. This is a good opportunity to reconnect with people whom you've not seen in a while. Also, if you feel inclined, allow each guest to bring a guest. Gather information and follow-up as usual.

7. Club Connection. If there is a Business Network International (BNI) group, or an American Business Women's Association Chapter, Rotary Club, or any other business networking organization in your area that has a strong membership of ''decision-makers'' (HR types, CEOs, Business Owners, etc.), review your network for a member who will take you to a meeting as a guest. That member should know that you are looking for a particular type of job so that he/she can introduce you to the right people.

What To Do If You Need Confidential Help With Your Job Search

If you are in a situation where you need to conduct a confidential job search ? meaning, you would really not like it to get out that you are searching, there are a couple of ways to handle this type of search.

Hire A Professional Networker to Job Search on Your Behalf.

Here's what to do if there isn't a Pro in your area:

Look for someone in your network who is a direct-seller such as a Mary Kay Cosmetics Sales Person, Pampered Chef, etc. They are self-employed, have some flexibility with their hours, and may also be interested in a little side income. Because they are in direct sales, they do a good bit of networking and community involvement, which means they know people and aren't afraid of conversing over the phone with people they don't know. Hire them by the hour to do a little job-search networking for you. They will be your ''representative.'' , have their foot in the door already and can network their way easily into the hidden job market. Let them know that this is a week-to-week or (whenever you secure the job) arrangement. Here's what you'll want your representative to do:

• Review ''help wanted'' ads in the local paper and any online sources they can find depending on your location preferences.
• Call or e-mail the contacts for anything that seems interesting, indicating that they are representing a client who is conducting a job search. They'll be asking for additional information, such as salary range and a date for when the company is looking to fill the position, if that information isn't included in the job listing. Also, if the job listing isn't detailed enough with duties or qualifications, your representative will be asking for more information on that. If it seems that the job fits well with what you are looking for, and the contact point for the company is actually the hiring agent, your representative should begin the relationship process for you by mentioning that their client is well-qualified for this job because?'' This is where your representative can put you in the spotlight (without over-elaborating), whereby, it would feel uncomfortable and unprofessional for you to do so. The communication should, however, be brief. In conclusion, they should confirm the name of the person that the resume and cover letter should be sent to and inquire as to any deadlines.
• E-mail or call people in their own network to generate leads to job opportunities and then follow-up on those leads to check pertinent information.
• Report to you right away when they find something that merits your attention, and you will decide whether or not to follow up with your resume and cover letter.
• Keep track of contacts, whether or not they produce results, so that you'll know what activity is taking place. They should provide you with these records on a weekly basis.

Note: Depending on your trust with the person you hire ? you can allow them to have your resume on their computer and forward it to potential employers or people in their network as they see fit. But, remember, if you want this to be a confidential search, I'd advise waiting until you have a really good potential job before letting your resume out.

Conduct A Reverse Job Hunt.

Here's What to Do To Reverse the Process:

Instead of putting your resume out there and seeing who bites, you will now determine where you want to work, write your own job description, and sell yourself to that specific company.

I've done this three times successfully myself, so I know it can be done. To do this successfully, however, you need to know someone in the company that has some level of decision-making power. This can be a vice president or department head who has been at the company for a while. They should know the structure, budget, company culture, and so forth. Find that connection or have someone who loves you introduce you to that person and begin nurturing the relationship. Go to lunch ? spill your guts, make a compelling pitch, and brainstorm ideas of how you could fit into that company. Ask for their confidentiality. Go home, assemble your notes, and write your job description based on the very specific gap that you can fill for this company. Ask yourself: what do they need that you can offer? Have you been in sales for years and they need your leads? Do you have incredible community, government, or professional contacts that would be invaluable to this company? Do they need your ability to negotiate, liaison, lead, or train? Do they need your ability to solve a particular problem they are experiencing or your leadership in spearheading a new project they are planning? Consider your value and come up with a salary range that you can keep in mind.

Along with your job description, include your resume and a cover letter that speaks to this very specific gap that you can fill. Line up a couple of powerful people who will serve as references and could support your abilities to ''fill the gap.'' You'll send all of this to your contact inside the company and ask them to review and help you edit if needed. Ask your contact what he or she feels is the next step and follow that advice. You want to be as sure as possible that this is going to work before you commit to meeting the decision maker, so do everything your contact suggests. If this company has a board of directors, and the decision maker has to submit this ''new job'' to the board, then there could well be risk that you'll be found out at your current job. You may have to make a decision about informing your current employer. But, if you have the support of your contact and the decision maker inside this company, then you have a pretty good shot that things are going to work out in your favor.

Administrative Points For Smoother Job Hunting

Record-Keeping.

People who job search often forget that the process is a marketing project. You should keep good records of who you send your resume to, on what date, and by what means ? whether you fax it, e-mail it, hand deliver or overnight it. You may need to follow up on some submissions, so keep a running list as well as copies of any cover letters. If you change your objective on a resume to fit a particular job, make a copy of that resume and cover letter and attach it to the job listing. Keep it in a file for reference.

Follow-up on Online Submissions.

If you submit an application or resume directly to a company through their web site, follow up by phone within 24 hours to make sure they received your resume. I've found extremely poor online application processes with corporations of all sizes. One problem relates to incorrect e-mail addresses for the company's contact person. Most companies rely on outside web site management that often isn't informed when a hiring agent and the e-mail addresses change.