Tap Smartly
Leveraging your professional network is a smart job search strategy that can boost your career prospects manifold when you are wondering how to find a job. It is indeed a cost effective way to look for great openings, It is not just job seekers who take advantage of tapping into professional networks for key openings.
Read our previous blog => Navigating the Social Media Landscape
Talking of startups, they have far fewer resources then larger organizations, but are smart enough to add fillip to their recruitment efforts by spreading the word as far and as wide as possible by utilizing all of their networks to unearth talent with minimal expenses thereby boosting recruiting efforts. Networking is a cost effective way for seeking employment as well. People in your network are more likely to have similar backgrounds or interests. They are more vested in your success and there is all likelihood of their making quality referrals to further your case.
Networks Look for Passive Candidates
Networks effortlessly source inactive candidates. The biggest advantage of professional networks is their ability to be able to identify passive candidates, who are not actively searching for jobs. As a recruitment strategy networking positively enables you to get your message out there, about your company, its culture, and the opportunities beyond the routine posting process. Essentially what it does is helps cultivate interest and substantially increase the candidate pool. Invest the requisite time to keep all of your connections alive and to expand them. Lots of aspirants actively seek help me find a job, and you can easily tap into them.
Person to Person
Take advantage of person to person conversations. Identify and leverage key connectors in your network. Regularly sharing of information on professional groups, posing questions, inviting contribution and feedback, in short engaging your network helps establish relationships, while isolating and identifying potential influencers and partners that are going to fill your current and future positions. Take some time out each week to participate and leave comments in virtual communities, this will go a long way in cultivating your network. When the time comes for seeking an opening, consider privately messaging key individuals with whom you have build rapport and established trusted relationships. This resolves the vexed issue of where to find a job.
Employee Networks as a Recruitment Strategy
Tap into the network of your current employees as only great talent knows great talent. Employee referral programs with cash / goods incentive are really effective in case of highly specialized positions that may be difficult to fill in through conventional channels. People tend to associate with others in their profession and this gives them access to colleagues with specialized or rare skills. A job seeker would do well to dwell on the above and incorporate these tips while looking for a job.
