TheJobBored » Networking

The Facebook Job Search – Or How To Find A Job Using Facebook

Brian — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:18:40 +0000

I’ve posted several times about how the idea of job search networking can seem nebulous and confusing to people. “Ok, I understand that I send in my resume and hopefully they call me for an interview. But how exactly do I network?”

Hopefully you can see several practical strategies on how to network by reading this blog. And keep in mind the old saw of job search: Networking is BY FAR the most effective way to find a new job.

For years we’ve told our clients, “Tell everyone you know… everyone… every friend you have, every person you meet on the street… about your job search.” We even sold networking cards for a while (little snippets of your resume on a business card).

So, let’s touch on something that should be obvious to anyone in the modern world: social networking sites like Facebook can help you with your job search. I actually hadn’t explored this too much in a hands on, practical level, but I decided to test out some strategies.

And, just by dipping my toe in the water, I’ve gotten some immediate results. I think I’ve hit on a really, REALLY basic strategy for using Facebook to help in your job search. It’s something anyone with a Facebook account can start doing immediately.

And it might seem obvious to the point of stupidity, but hear me out:

Basically, the strategy is really simple.

Diary your job search in your Facebook status update.

I just took three recent clients we were working with and had them each keep posting about their job search on their Facebook status updates.

Applied to 3 positions today? Ok, put that on your update.

Interview with a company today? Ok, put that on your update.

It seems really simple and maybe a little obvious, but it worked. And right away. 2 of the 3 clients have already found new positions and the 3rd got at least one good interview out of it.

The key seems to be to include details. Don’t just say, “Brian is looking for a job.” Say: “Brian is looking for an accounting job in the Toledo area.” Don’t just say you applied to 3 jobs today, say: “Brian just sent resumes to Proctor and Gamble, Dell and Monsanto.”

That’s the beauty of networking… you never know what little nugget of information will lead to a connection.

Specific case in point (names changed for privacy reasons): One of our clients started doing regular status updates on his job search. For 2 weeks he kept at it. At this point most of his friends probably got the message: OK. Dave is looking for a job. And yet, still nothing turned up… aside from some encouraging words and a tip here or there. But nothing solid.

But then one day last week he mentioned on his status update that he had applied to a local university. And he mentioned that university by name.

It turned out some Facebook Friend was married to a woman who worked at the university. It further turned out she could expedite his application by making a personal recommendation (and earn a referral bounty to boot). The client said to me in an email:

It’s not like everyone didn’t already know I was looking for a job. It’s just that Kevin didn’t think far ahead enough to help me out. His first thought was “Well, there’s no job I know of that I can turn him on to.” It didn’t occur to him I might apply for work at the U and so it didn’t occur to him to tell me his wife who I’ve never actually met worked at the U and might be able to get me an in. It was the status update that sort of put the lightbulb up over his head.

I’ve experienced this sort of thing before myself. Once, when we were having a technical server issue, I posted randomly on my Facebook status update: “Brian is confused by PCI compliance.” Turns out, one of my good friends from college (who I knew was in IT… vaguely) was someone who SPECIFICALLY did PCI compliance for a living. And so he helped me out. It hadn’t occurred to me to ask him for help. He hadn’t know I NEEDED help. But the randomness of the network made the connection anyway.

So, my advice is basically that: immediately start posting every boring detail of your job search. Do it every day.

Because the other key part of this strategy seems to be persistence. Drill it into people’s heads. You can’t know what little nugget of information might provide a lead, so you just gotta keep putting nuggets out there.

Won’t your friends get tired of hearing about you and your lonely job search?

Sure. But they’re probably already tired of hearing about how your daughter is sick again or about the coffee you spilled on yourself during the drive in to work today.

So, even if it seems a little obvious and simple (You mean social networking might lend itself to networking in general? Gee, Brian, you’re a genius!) if you haven’t started sharing your job search with your friends and family on Facebook, maybe you should start doing so.

Now.

And, as always, if you need the best resume writing help in the business, you know where to go.

A Radical Job Search Strategy – Offering Bounties

Brian — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 19:02:54 +0000

We all know that networking is the best job search method. At least, readers of this blog should know that by now.

But this weekend, I saw an article on CNN/Money that reminded me of a novel strategy:

Jacob Share, 33, started an email chain by sending his resume and job search objective to his family and friends. He asked them to send it on to others and offered a monetary prize in the amount of $150 to the person who led him to a job as a Web development manager.

“The process went quickly after I sent my initial mailing to almost everyone I knew,” he said. “It only took one friend’s forward beyond that initial mailing to get a referral that lead to the ultimate job offer.”

Now, I’m not saying I thought of this idea of offering a bounty to people in your network to help you find jobs. But during my startup days in 2004-2005, I did play around very seriously with the idea of starting a website that would help people offer a bounty to everyone in their network to help them land a job. My idea was even to slice and dice the bounty so that while the person finally giving you the job lead got the majority of the bounty, everyone down the “chain” of referrals would get a piece as well.

I never went anywhere with it ultimately, and startups to this day are playing with the idea of paying bounties for job search.

But this article reminded me of the idea of creating a human job search referral chain, and it made me think, hey, these are desperate times; there are crazier things I could be suggesting!

After all, number one, I’ve told you before, if you’re in a job search, you should be telling anyone and everyone you know about it. You should be shameless and not at all embarassed. Everyone you meet or talk to in the course of every day should be aware you’re looking for a new job. There’s no telling who will end up helping you out.

So maybe greasing the wheels a bit with the promise of a monetary reward will get people’s attention.

And number two, there’s nothing stopping you from emulating exactly what the guy in this article did. It just might work. Just do a mass emailing to your address book. Doing so is a bit forward, but it’s less aggressive than the annoying people who send mass Obama joke emails. And I’m willing to bet that in these times, most people would understand.

And in this era of Facebook, it’s probably easier to do than ever. Update your status ever day to let people know you’re offering… I dunno… $200 to the person who can refer you to a new job. Suggest they let their friends know about this too. Pass the word along. Maybe do something like up the bounty by $10 every day or every week or so.

Crazier things have been done.

The Office Holiday Party In This Economy

Brian — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 19:57:27 +0000

Last year, we had a post about surviving the year-end holiday office party without embarrassing yourself too much or putting your career in jeopardy.

Ah… the good old days!

Now I guess you’re just lucky if you’ve survived to witness the year end party with your job intact!

And that leaves aside the fact that a lot of places are cancelling the holiday office party to save money!

It’s been a crazy year.

But if you are lucky enough to have an office party, by golly this is the year to attend and make the most of it. By that I don’t mean double down on your alcohol intake. I mean, take advantage of what the holiday party really is: one of the best networking opportunities of the year!

When I write posts about networking, often times people will say, “Networking sounds useful, but how do I do it?”

Well, as I’ve said before, networking is simply about getting out there and mixing with folks. And what better opportunity will you have than the office party?

You can trade gossip about whose job is save and whose is not. You can exchange leads and ideas and get some idea of how other people are planning to survive.

But most importantly, you can get the skinny on getting a new job. Find out where your co-workers are jumping ship to. Find out what opportunities might be out there for you. What better place to get job search tips, personal referrals or just some advice than a room full of dozens of professionals in your industry?

If you’re work is having a year-end party, take full advantage to it. If you don’t have access to an office party, see if you can go with someone who does. Attend your spouse’s work party or go as someone’s date.

Bottom line: walk, don’t run, to the nearest office party and this year, try networking instead of flirting. You won’t have a better venue this calendar year.

First Place To Look For Your New Job: Your Current Job (Repost)

Brian — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 20:12:41 +0000

You of course know the phrase about the grass being greener on the other side of the fence.

Sometimes, though, the grass is plenty green on THIS side.

I thought of that this weekend when perusing some job search survey data. I’ve posted before about playing the odds in your job search. And you have to figure that a good percentage of job openings are filled internally.

According to the data I saw from the folks who used to do the Hudson Employment Index:

73% of managers say their company typically looks at the current employee base first when conducting a job search before considering any other candidates.

This of course makes sense. Searching for new employees can be time consuming and expensive for an employer. They stand to save themselves a lot of hassle if they can just promote from within.

Internal hires also have the obvious benefit of being a known quantity. If you’ve already proven yourself as a good worker, then you’re a safer bet than a stranger.

So the very first thing you should do when beginning a job search is to look around your current company or organization. If your current employer has openings (and if you can stand to stay with the same employer) you have to figure a lateral move is a pretty safe bet.

After all, you’re more likely to be considered and the process won’t be a long or complicated.

Especially in a tight job market like this, the safe bet is to consider the options on your side of the fence before jumping out into the wilds of a job search.

Networking Is Not JUST About Who You Know. It’s ALSO About Who You Don’t Know… Yet.

Brian — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 18:47:45 +0000

The above title came to mind this weekend when I was talking to a friend who was looking for a new job.

I gave him the advice that we career pros are always repeating: The quickest way to find a new job is through networking.

His response was instructive:

“If I knew someone who would hire me,” he said, “I wouldn’t be looking for a job, would I?”

There seems to be a lot of confusion out there about what “networking” in the job search sense actually means. Sure, a lot of it is who you know. Your friends can open doors for you. But I would venture that a large part of it is who you don’t know… but could reach out to if you just play your cards right.

So, a simple analogy is to compare job search networking to dating.
If you’ve just suffered a breakup, the easiest path to a new relationship is to hook up with some other friend. If you’ve got someone who’s been sitting on a back burner waiting for you to get single, then your search for a new relationship is over.

But it doesn’t work that way. When you’re newly single, you’ve got to “get yourself out there” as people always say. Go to bars. Go out with friends. Meet some of their friends. Have them hook you up with people they know, but you don’t know… yet.

Everyone understands that that is part of dating.

The same thing goes for job search networking. Sure, if you have a friend that can hire you, or get you an introduction, then yeah, your job search is over. That’s the easiest and simplest form of networking.

But the larger part is the getting yourself out there part. Meeting people you don’t know. Having friends make introductions to some of their connections that you’ve never met before.

It’s just like dating. Maybe you have to doing things you hadn’t done… getting active in clubs or the community… or via volunteering. That sort of thing. True job search networking is about getting you and your job search out there to as many new people as possible.

The six degrees of separation concept has become such a hoary cliché of late, but it’s still true. Chances are very good that a friend of a friend of a friend can help you get a job at your dream company. But it’s up to you to explore that chain of connections.

Your existing pool of friends and colleagues can help start you down the path, but in the end, the biggest part of “networking” in the job search sense is meeting new people and approaching people you don’t know… yet.

The Quickest Job Search- Find Your Next Job When You’re Not Looking For One

Brian — Thu, 08 May 2008 17:33:19 +0000

You’ve heard the phrase about falling in love, “It happens when you’re not looking for it.”

An important thing to understand about job search networking is, you don’t just network when you need a job.

A lot of you who read this blog are in the middle of the job search, or are at least thinking about a job search in the near future. But if you’re reading this blog and you’re not exactly looking for a job this very moment, I’ve got news for you:

NOW is the time that you should have your antenna up.

The reason being is this: the quickest job search you’ll ever have is when you’ve already got birds in hand… opportunities lined up for the day to come when you need to explore other options. And those opportunities present themselves every day. If you’re not remembering them, keeping track of them and cultivating them, then you’re letting your best job leads pass you by.

When you’re actively in the workforce is when you have the greatest access to contacts within your industry and without. Keeping up relationships now with anyone and everyone could pay dividends down the road. That vendor you’ve taken out to lunch and shmoozed to land a sale from, she’s the one you might be able to approach if layoffs are on the horizon.

When you’re talking to colleagues or co-workers or even competitors and you hear about hirings and firings, job openings and layoffs, new expansions or openings… the tendency is to let those roll off you because you’re not looking for a job at the moment.

In reality, you should be filling those details away in your mind. You might not need anything now, but someday you might, and those are at least fresh leads and solid contacts to pursue down the road.

So, like learning, networking is a lifelong process. Don’t concentrate on networking only when you have a need.

It’s when you’re not actively looking for a job that the best opportunities might present themselves. Keep your eyes and ears open.

Networking By Volunteering

Brian — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 17:54:02 +0000

“Networking” is sort of a nebulous word for some people. What does networking mean, exactly? What does it entail? How does one go about doing it?

Of course, networking is just knowing people. And more importantly, it’s about knowing more people… and hopefully knowing more people that might be able to help you in a professional way. After all, if your current friends could help you find a job, well… why haven’t you asked them already? You want to meet new people from all over. You never know who might be able to open a door for you.

Here’s a quick way to network effectively: start volunteering.

Volunteering is a great way to interact with people from all walks of life in an interactive and pseudo-professional environment. You’re working together to get something done, and you’re demonstrating a certain level of the skill sets you possess as a professional.

The best part is, the people you meet getting out there and volunteering might be from entirely new backgrounds and industries you haven’t brushed shoulders with before. This is key. The lawyer you meet tomorrow might be married to an accountant who knows of an opening in her office that would be a perfect fit for you.

I used the picture of the youth soccer coach for a reason. It’s a great example of a volunteering activity that helps you meet lots of other working age adults. You’ve already proven yourself to be an upstanding and likable person… after all, their kids like you. And you’re in a sort-of authority position: you’re their kids’ coach. So the networking is easier and more balanced: you’re coming into things with a defined role and a certain track record.

I can tell you from my years of experience with youth soccer, there are always dozens of adults sitting around on the sidelines, commiserating about their kids and their lives and whatnot. It’s not very long before the conversation turns to, “And what do you do?… Oh yeah?… My brother’s in the same field… Oh, for a company on the other side of town, XYZ… ever heard of them… you should give him a call…”

Networking is where you take the conversation from there.

Internships Are About The Connections- With Other Interns

Brian — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 18:00:13 +0000

I was contacted this morning by an old client of mine. About 5 years back, I helped this guy write 4 resumes in about 18 months for 4 different internships.

The internships were in all sorts of different industries. The guy didn’t quite know what career he wanted to end up in and thus figured he should sample as much as he could.

This guy is in PR in Washington DC now, and doing quite well. I’m not surprised to hear from him… he always was a master networker, and he always keeps in touch with you. I’m actually gonna meet him for drinks when I’m in DC a week from now.

Anyhoo… I told him about this blog and that got us into a discussion of internships and networking in general. I asked him what was the most valuable thing about his internshiping experience, and his answer surprised me. So, I asked him if I could share what he emailed me. Here ’tis (some details change to protect privacy):

The networking part of internships that has been the most interesting to me has been the connections I made with other interns. See, most people think the connections you want to make in an internship are amongst established people already in the industry. Certainly, that’s true to a certain extent. There’s a lot of people looking to learn and looking for mentors.

But my internship experiences were very much like college. We were all young. We were all fearless. We worked hard and partied hard. We became roommates with one another. Yes, some of us slept with others of us. But we’ve all stayed in touch. I guess it’s like that college dorm experience. You always stay friends with your buds across the hall from you. We were all young and “in the wars” together, so there was this sort of internship brotherhood that developed.

And those have been my longest lasting connections. Because, think about it, we’re all coming up in the professional world together. Today’s intern, thirty years later, is the CEO. As my friends rise, we all rise together and we help each other out. And we don’t have any stigma of being low man on the totem pole. We were all low together. Whereas, my “mentors” will always see me in something of a lower role, a young whippersnapper. And hey, those guys above me, those “mentors” are literally dying off. Meanwhile, the Brotherhood of Interns is sticking together to inherit the world.

Even if we’re not exactly in the same line of work, you never know when a connection will pay off. One girl I know is now a mid-level reporter with (NEWSPAPER NAME). Another guy is a deputy chief of staff for (CONGRESS PERSON NAME). Maybe one day it will be Editor and Congressman in their own right. And they’ll remember me as an equal and a friend. Of course by that time, I hope to be (EXECUTIVE TITLE)!

Anyway, if my experience is any indication, I’d tell your reads to kiss up to the established people and learn as much as they can from their mentors. Absolutely. But don’t forget to make strong connections with your fellow interns! And don’t lose track of those connections!

First Place To Look For Your New Job: Your Current Job

Brian — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 17:41:48 +0000

You of course know the phrase about the grass being greener on the other side of the fence.

Sometimes, though, the grass is plenty green on THIS side.

According to the data I saw from the folks who used to do the Hudson Employment Index:

73% of managers say their company typically looks at the current employee base first when conducting a job search before considering any other candidates.

This of course makes sense. Searching for new employees can be time consuming and expensive for an employer. They stand to save themselves a lot of hassle if they can just promote from within.

Internal hires also have the obvious benefit of being a known quantity. If you’ve already proven yourself as a good worker, then you’re a safer bet than a stranger.

After all, you’re more likely to be considered and the process won’t be a long or complicated.

Especially in a tight job market like this, the safe bet is to consider the options on your side of the fence before jumping out into the wilds of a job search.

Networking Is Not ONLY About Job Referrals…

Brian — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 12:35:45 +0000

… It’s also about job intelligence.

I mean intelligence in the sense of military intelligence. Let me explain.

A while back, we had one of the readers of this blog share her job search success story. The purpose of this was not to say, “Gee, what a great blog are we! We helped someone find a job!” The purpose was to have her share what strategies and techniques worked for her.

When some people pursue job search networking, it’s all about the personal referral: someone on the inside who knows someone, getting your foot in the door or your resume to the top of the pile.

But this is not the only thing job search networking can do for you. Especially now, as the economy is clearly in a downturn, not everyone in your network is going to be able to give you a referral. In fact, maybe no one can.

But job search networking is about something else as well: the inside scroop.

Your network of friends can also provide you with valuable intelligence about what’s working out there in the real world and what isn’t.

Networking isn’t just about what someone else can do for you, it’s also about what someone else can tell you about their experience.

Here are some examples of job search intelligence your network might be able to provide you:

“Yeah, that company was hiring last month, but they just filled their quota. Don’t waste your time.”
“You know what I heard? They can’t hire accountants fast enough.”
“I totally screwed up that interview. If I had known better, I would have played up my security credentials. If you interview with them, play up your military background.”

So when you’re out there canvassing for job leads, don’t be afraid to ask everyone in your network what the reality is out there on the ground.

Even if they’re not looking for a job themselves, ask anyone and everyone about their company or industry and the health of the job market therein.

Heck, if you’re really banging your head against the wall, just ask people what worked for them in the past. Any experience that led to success is something to mull over (as our reader shared with us last week).

The New York Times had similar advice this past Sunday.

Rather than asking for a job, ask for advice, said Kevin Donlin, creator of the Instant Job Search System, a guide for job seekers that uses marketing techniques. “Pick the five most successful people you know in your industry and ask them how they found their last three jobs.

“Take notes, and at the end of the conversation, tell them how and when you’ll use at least one of the things they told you,” he said.