It's Not Just What You Know - It's Who You Know

Debra Feldman

Today’s job market is extremely complex. From the candidate’s perspective, the competition is fiercer than ever and employers are moving very slowly through the recruitment process. From the employers’ perspective, they are being deluged with online resume submissions and a massive volume of responses to their advertisements. Under these conditions, it is not just what you know – it’s who you know.

Senior level professionals need to promote their talent through strategic relationships. This ensures that influential decision makers and hiring authorities are aware of their potential contribution through reliable sources. Put yourself on the hiring manager’s radar. Think along the theme, "If a tree falls in the forest and there’s no one to hear it, does it make a sound?" Don’t be silent and get forgotten.

Savvy executives proactively manage their careers to ensure they find out about desirable, prospective new positions through their networking contacts before these jobs are advertised. They establish and maintain trusting relationships throughout their careers which afford them the inside track ahead of their competition. It’s through these connections that they exchange information, ideas and leads. This helps to increase their industry knowledge, document their abilities, enrich their experiences and engender feelings of trust. In other words, being talented is not enough to attract an employer and secure a new opportunity. Strategic contacts promote top candidates to hiring decision managers and are often the key to becoming the first choice.

With over 70% of new hires stemming from personal recommendations, having effective connections is just as critical as being smart, trustworthy, personable, qualified and available. It’s like career insurance – being matched up to great positions because you know when a decision maker is looking for talent and those "in the know" reach out to you to see if you are interested in an opportunity with them.

Outclass your competition! If you network purposefully, you’ll be among the first to access early leads to plum positions through your connections to company insiders. Give yourself a distinct advantage in today’s highly selective executive job market.

Here’s a few ways to Network Purposefully™:

1. Design and build a network tailored to your career objectives. Establish connections to hiring decision makers, thought leaders, consultants, respected academics and other authorities in your field who are asked to recommend candidates for openings in your field. How? Request specific introductions, three–way meetings, or a telephone introduction from a mutual contact to individuals who are likely to be aware of inside leads to the jobs you want. Your friends and colleagues are not mind readers; it’s okay to courteously and respectfully seek their assistance connecting, especially if you offer the same help to others, directly or indirectly through your relationships. Targeting a specific company? The best way to access potential openings is through an employee of that organization who can introduce you to the appropriate hiring decision maker and also personally recommend you. This increases your credibility over resumes submitted by unknown applicants.



2. Reach out to key industry figures, authors, speakers, academics, etc. who are relied on for talent recommendations. Most authors, speakers, or leaders are not overwhelmed with praise for their achievements. The rare person who does reach out with a compliment is intriguing and valued. A great way to start a new relationship is beginning a dialogue about an online posting, letter to the editor, presentation, or webinar. Writers and speakers are often sought out for advice and if you know them and they know you, chances are your name will be passed along and you’ll establish additional new relationships through their introductions.



3. Nurture the relationship and emphasize two–way communication once you are connected. Networking is not a transaction–based experience but a long term investment developing meaningful and credible relationships. Maintain networking contacts regularly through written correspondence, telephone communication, sharing books, sending gifts and in person meetings. Don’t be dropped from lack of follow up; be the one to keep up the connection. Of course, it’s awkward to reach out when you are needy. That’s why it is so important to stay in touch by exchanging ideas, information, and leads outside of job searching mode. It’s been shown that those who are best connected are least likely to be looking for work, because their relationships provide leads to new opportunities on a continuous basis.