Most candidates see the job market as a huge, overhanging mountain. They stand at the foothills, unable to see over, around or into the mountain. But they know that somewhere in that mountain are nuggets of gold, first-rate opportunities or sensational job openings. But where are those openings? No map of the mountain is available, and there's no way to fly over it or x-ray it to find its treasures.
The job-seeker grabs a trusty pick and shovel and begins to dig a mineshaft into the mountain. When he's under way, say at point A, his brother-in-law, who's a nice guy and eager to help, sends in a message. He knows of no positive pathways to the treasures, but he suggests that the job seeker try to intersect the path of his friend, who is much more informative than him. For sake of convenience we will call her Becky. The job-seeker thanks his brother-in law and directs his mineshaft over to Becky. She proves friendly, she used to date the brother-in-law, and says she'll call ahead to introduce him to her boss, who has several connecting mineshafts. He thanks her, bids her adieu, and hacks out a tunnel that brings him to her boss who refers him to another, who starts a chain of referrals.
The job-seeker is doing his part. He's digging and shoveling like crazy, tracking down the leads each referral provides, and initiating contact with lots of people. Eventually, the last referral looks at his resume and exclaims: "What a happy coincidence. We're looking for someone exactly like you." The job-seeker throws away his pick and shovel; he does not need them anymore, and prepares to get on with his work life.
In this mining metaphor, the job-seeker is doing all the work. He's the only one gathering information, and the scope of his networking is limited only by how much time he has to dig tunnels and mineshafts, and how many people he can reach in that amount of time.
This model assumes that, in the meetings with him, each person contacted has provided all the help he or she is ever going to be able to give. After they refer him to someone else, his networking contacts might as well be dead for all he cares, but he keeps shoveling frantically forward toward the next contact. He never looks back, revisits an earlier dig, or checks to be sure he hasn't dug a huge circle.
Done this way—and only this way—networking uses up a lot of time and energy, yet it still produces its share of hits. Dig long and hard enough with the mining-the-market mechanism and you'll eventually reach some gold. This is the restricted image most job seekers have of networking: a sweaty, tiring activity that has a sizable risk of missing gold altogether.
Now compare the mining mechanism to the antenna mechanism, and assume that the job-seeker mends some of his ways. After he meets with his brother-in-law, the latter doesn't just vanish or die. He goes on living, attending lunches, crossing paths with colleagues, overhearing and spreading gossip. If the job-seeker has made a positive impression on him by painting a succinct and attractive picture of his skills and abilities, his image is now etched indelibly in his mind, whether he likes it or not.
In networking terminology, the job-seeker has "programmed" his brother-in-law who has become an antenna tuned to receive signals on the job-seeker's "channel." When he hears a bit of information that "twangs" that channel, he will attend to it in a way he never did before his meeting with the job-seeker. In the course of all his networking, the job-seeker has created a whole bunch of antennas, all tuned to his wavelength. Instead of relying solely on his own ears, he now has the potential benefit of scores, even hundreds of listeners.
To correct his earlier mistake, the job-seeker has to go back to retrieve the information. If the brother-in-law hears of a job opening that's a perfect fit for him, he may take the time to give him a call. He knows that if he's responsible for his brother-in-law's landing well, he will never forget the favor and will be beholden to him forever. Less earth-shaking information may get remarked on and filed for a while by the job-seekers other contacts, but if they don't hear from him, then he may never get the information. Opportunities may have been missed before by not checking in periodically with other referrals and all the other "antennae." He knows better now. He keeps his channel active and stays in touch with all his contacts.
Taken together, your networks form a rich tapestry. Until you list all the personal relationships you can tap into for your job search, you cannot know their breadth and depth. Most job seekers tend to underestimate the enormous potential of their networks, particularly their personal or family networks. "My cousin Myron? Hah! That idiot doesn't know anything! There's no point in wasting my time on him. I need to get in front of the people with clout, the people who can make things happen."
You're right in wanting to network with the movers and shakers, particularly after you've used earlier networking efforts to clarify your focus and hone your self-presentation. But don't forget that Myron has eyes and ears; he may not be a great antenna, but he's still an extension of your information-gathering resources. Include him! He sees a lot of people you don't see and he goes to a lot of places you don't go.
Every member of your personal, professional, organizational, and opportunistic networks is a possible antenna. Accept one of the great frustrations of the networking game: you don't know when it's going to work. Hundreds of contacts, meetings, and conversations may appear to have produced little. Then Myron may call unexpectedly to tell you about an interesting conversation he overheard in the order line at Burger King. Skillful networkers know they can't push the process; they can only do the process. They work their prime contacts as adroitly as they can, but they keep in mind a key principle in maximizing job market exposure: There can be enormous strength in weak ties.
