Editor's note: The following is a republication of an article that appears in the September 2010 edition of Northern News, of the Northern California Chapter of the American Planning Association. Courtesy of Northern News.
By Steve Piazzale, Ph.D.
“It’s who you know.” You’ve heard that one before, right?
Research tells us that 80 percent of jobs are obtained through
personal contacts, yet most job hunters spend 80 percent of their time
answering computer job board ads. So what can you do to get that job
you want and deserve?
All job seekers or changers need to get out and meet people. Start
by making a list of everybody you know who might even remotely
help you find out about a job or career in which you’re interested.
This includes former co-workers, employers, family members, friends,
customers, suppliers, vendors, professionals (such as your doctor,
lawyer, or accountant), members of your church and alumni—the list
is almost infinite.
Once you’ve made this list and are clear about the kind of work
you’re pursuing, start contacting these folks and clearly and succinctly
tell them what you’re looking for. Ask them if they have some time to
chat about what they do and your search strategy. It’s best not to
directly ask for a job because most likely they’ll just say they have no
openings. Instead ask for information—how to improve your résumé,
any additional training you need, specifics about current industry
trends, other people you could contact, what meetings you should
attend, and what you should be keeping up to date with.
Not everyone will give you new contacts, but slowly and surely
you’ll build a large network of folks with whom you can stay in touch.
The beauty of this is that none of your calls will be cold calls—you’re
always contacting people using the name of someone they know.
This network then becomes your eyes to the “hidden” or emerging
job market. By staying in touch with these new contacts, you’ll hear
about opportunities as they emerge and before they’re listed on job
boards, giving you first crack at them! Plus your contacts are now
beginning to know you and can speak to your qualifications, in
essence serving as a reference.
Bottom-line: get out and interact with people, attend professional
association and alumni functions as well as other get-togethers. This
might be a bit outside your comfort zone, but give it a try even if it’s
a bit at a time. I think you’ll find it’s well worth the effort. And
remember as Woody Allen once said: “80 percent of success is just
showing up.”
“Being able to do the job well will not necessarily get you hired; the
person who gets hired is often the one who knows the most about how
to get hired.” —Richard Lathrop, author of “Who’s Hiring Who?”
(1989, Ten Speed Press)
Steve Piazzale has a Stanford University Ph.D. in sociology with extensive
training in psychology, and is a career/life coach. His website is www.BayAreaCareerCoach.com
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