Anything but networking

Most of my clients think the best way to find work is by looking in places where jobs are advertised. These days that would be online. Literally hundreds of thousands of positions are posted on sites every day. Take your pick.

Or they might prefer recruitment agencies, hoping that someone there will be able to find them the perfect job.

Of course, jobs are advertised and filled online, and agencies or headhunters do place people for companies all the time. But it’s a fact that most jobs are found through some kind of personal contact.  A 2016 LinkedIn article states 85%. I’m not sure that there are any accurate figures available, but it’s well over half, that’s certain.

People, talking with people.

I don’t mean that someone you know will directly offer you work – although I’ve known that happen before. What those statistics refer to is the age-old notion of networking. Letting people know you’re looking – and being willing to explain to them what it is you are looking for. Then they put you in touch with someone else, or suggest something, or tell you something they know about what you’re interested in, so you know where to go and look next and who to talk to about that.

‘But I don’t like networking’ my clients tell me. ‘I don’t like selling myself or asking for favours. It doesn’t feel right. It’s pushy. And I’m too shy,’

I do know how that feels. So if you could see it as just chatting over a coffee with someone you know, trying to get a better picture of what’s out there and letting things flow from that, would that help?

If anyone can think up a new name for networking, please do let me know.