Methodology of Contacting

Importantly, the way you go about using your network can have an impact on its value to you. That's why this is devoted to the methodology of contacting both your primary network-your original list of acquaintances, family and friends, and your secondary network-the associates and acquaintances of those people whom you contact first. Let me start our methodology discussion by reviewing several approaches that don't work well-techniques that have frustrated many an individual who has tried and given up on networking.

Contacting your Primary Network

• Writing to Friends and Acquaintances rather than meeting them in person or phoning them
  

A lot of people are afraid to get on the phone to set up an appointment with casual friends, or to talk to them about the job search they are undertaking. So they take the easy way out, and instead, write a cover letter to their friends, enclosing a resume with it. Sad to say, those who write to acquaintances instead of talking to them in person or on the phone lose out on one of the great strengths of networking: the immediacy of a personal conversation with someone who could be your conduit to your next job. Experience has shown time-and-time again that writing to acquaintances yields fewer leads-a far smaller secondary network than in person and phone conversations. It's just too easy for the recipient of your letter and resume to toss both into a circular file. And even if someone in your primary network has the best of intentions, it's all too easy for the letter to get put aside. The result: you never hear from the friend you thought might have provided leads on jobs and people to contact.

• Letting a friend take over your job search for you
  

It's easy to let this happen. You call a friend and let him or her know you need help in finding a new position. Your friend says, "Sure, send me your resume, and I'll pass it around to my friends, see if there's any interest, and get back to you." Sounds good, doesn't it? The only problem is that your fate now rests in the hands of someone other than you. If your friend doesn't have any position for you personally, the most important thing your friend can do for you is to introduce you to people who do-so you can follow up yourself with these people. If your friend wants to make contacts for you, that's a kind gesture. But you don't know how many he'll make and how effective each of your friend's contacts will be. If your friend fails to sell you to his or her friends, you can't keep your network going.

If, on the other hand, you had asked your friend to give you an introduction to his or her friend, and he or she allowed you to sell yourself on your own, you would have at least had the opportunity to talk to the secondary source. And if this source knew of no openings, you could have used this secondary source to continue your network to a third level. Let's face it, it's hard to look a gift horse in the mouth-to say to a friend that you don't want him to send your resume around to his friends-but if you can find a way to get introductions instead, you are really ahead of the game.

• Contacting friends only once
  

Let me explain why this is not a good idea by putting the shoe on the other foot. Suppose I called you out of the blue, briefly renewed our acquaintance from some time in the past, and then asked you if you knew of any jobs that I was appropriate for, or some people I could contact. Would you know off hand of every possible opportunity in your company? Or among your friends and acquaintances? It's very unlikely. And when you received my resume a few days later, the odds are that you'd spend only a moment or two thinking about where I might fit in within your organization, or who you could send my resume to. But what if I had told you during my first phone call (or meeting) with you that I would get back to you in a week's time to see what situations you'd uncovered, or associates you'd thought of, don't you think you might give a little more time and effort in response to my request? Of course you would. That's why I encourage you to call everyone in your network at least twice. And if you have the opportunity, to call back a third time after a few weeks or a month, to see if your friend has heard of any more opportunities or thought of someone else who you should be introduced to.

Contacting your Secondary Network

Failure to contact associates who are conducting job searches at about the same time you are.

It's easy to understand your reluctance. After all, these people may be direct competitors for jobs you seek. But friends who have recently switched positions are an extremely good source of leads. Once they are installed in their new affiliations, they are very happy to review the positions that they weren't interested in and the professional recruiters who provided the most help.

People who are looking for new jobs along with you can also be good sources of information. Once they've been turned down by a particular company, there's no reason not to tell you of the job opening. And you might be right for it. In return, tell them of the jobs you're no longer interested in. Don't overlook your competition.

Failure to "guide" your networking contacts in their efforts to assist you

Again, if I turn the tables you'll appreciate what I mean about the importance of providing specific direction to everyone in your network. Supposing I called you and told you I was in the job market and needed introductions to some people who might hire me. Supposing, too, that I forwarded my resume for you to review; and you were kind enough to look it over. Would you know to whom to introduce me? Chances are you'd come up with a few names.

But, what if, instead, I gave you a list of some companies I was interested in, a brief description of the kinds of job titles that turned me on, and I told you I'd appreciate it if you'd let me know of anyone you knew who worked for the companies on my list,

1. Used to work for them,
   
2. Sold to these companies or bought from these companies,
   
3. Worked for companies similar to the ones on my list
   
4. Now hold (or previously held) positions similar to the ones I'm shooting for.
   

Wouldn't that make it easier for you to think of a name or two? You bet it would. In a nutshell, if you want to make the most effective use of networking in your job search, you'll contact your primary network, your friends, personally; you'll try as hard as possible not to lose control of the contacts your initial network makes with your secondary network; you won't rely on single contacts but instead will follow up your primary and secondary network regularly and frequently; and you'll provide your network with the most clear direction possible concerning the specific companies and jobs you are interested in pursuing.