I am always curious as to how people have found the jobs they are currently holding. With today’s vast expanse of knowledge and ways of communication available to us, the opportunities seem endless. Almost all of the stories I have heard involve some form of networking. I thought I would share a few stories and add some tips along the way to help others realize the value in networking. 

A colleague told one of my favorite stories to me; it is about one of her clients. Her client was reading an article in an industry magazine on a long flight. While the man behind her fiddled in his seat to get more comfortable he spotted the women in front of him reading from a magazine he too had picked up for the flight. Leaning forward, the man started a conversation with the women who was on her way to an interview. They talked for over more than two hours and before the plane touched the ground he had hired her for his own company. 

Another favorite success story is of one of my own clients. His contact was made after his mother mentioned, at her weekly bridge game, that her son was looking for a job with a specific company. Another women at the game said her brother-in-law worked at the same company in a high-ranking position. The two were put in contact with each other and my client eventually got the job. 

In my own case, I have had several potential clients say they got my name from a person I have never heard of. I usually do a quick check in case I just don’t remember an old client or a person I have done a critique for, but for a few references I can find no connection to the contact. Somewhere along the way, my name was passed along and landed in new clients hands. I have accepted those clients as gifts, and just count my blessings when it happens. 

Finally, success stories have been shared more than once, from clients who applied and interviewed for a specific position but were told they would fit better in another position that wasn’t even being offered yet. This type of hiring is directly related to the statistic which states that up to 60% of jobs available aren’t currently being advertised. So if you aren’t letting others know you are searching, you can miss your opportunity to find the perfect job. 

There are the many avenues to take in moving your job search forward including job boards, newspapers, and even recruiters. If however, many jobs are not being actively promoted, they will be difficult to find without networking. Some easy and effective routes to take for networking include; formal local networking groups; online forums, message boards and blogs; and social online networking groups such as LinkedIn and Facebook. 

You can simplify your networking even further by getting in touch with people you are already affiliated with through your church, school, volunteer, college alumni, sporting or hobby groups. It isn’t necessary to ask for a job directly; that usually can be a turn off for others making them feel a little uncomfortable and even responsible. A better choice would be to let others know you are interested in meeting contacts from certain companies or people in certain industries. In many cases that is all it takes. 

Be creative, join a few new groups, get involved with a volunteer program or activity you’ve always thought about joining. Ask those you meet – at the right time, if they know contacts in your targeted area. Your job search should be treated like a full-time job, as well as a fun way to meet new people.