Leveraging Your Network to Enhance Your Job Search

In today’s employer-led market, applying to jobs can at times feel like applying to a black hole. Sometimes you’ll hear back a response, but typically you’re receiving very few. A great way to get more interviews is by utilizing your network. Leveraging your existing network can significantly enhance your job search and help you connect with the right people. Some suggestions are:

1. Identify Your Network

First, make a list of all your contacts, including:

• Former colleagues and managers

• Friends and family

• Alumni from your school or university

• Professional associations and groups

• Social media connections (LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.)

• Industry contacts and acquaintances

Take a good look at this list and ask yourself the following questions - what is my relationship with this person? How well do I know this person? Can they speak to my character either on a personal or professional level? While you want to use as much of your network as possible during a job search, you’ll find the best outcomes if you’re able to successfully leverage someone who you’ve previously worked with in some capacity and with whom you’ve had a positive experience.

2. Be Specific About Your Goals

When talking to your network, be clear about the type of job you’re looking for as well as the industry. This specificity helps your contacts think of relevant opportunities and connections. 

Candidates will often run into issues because they aren’t able to fully articulate what they’re looking for in a new position. For example, let’s say that you’re interested in a marketing job in the music industry. Marketing in music takes on many forms - brand marketing, international marketing, digital marketing, etc. Therefore, a better way to explain your goals would be to say something along the lines of “I’m looking for a new position in social media marketing at a major record label based in the New York City area that allows for me to leverage my expertise in content creation.” 

However, it’s important to note that people in your network may not always be the right point of contact for opportunities you’re interested in. If this happens to be the case (and you feel comfortable asking), ask your contacts for referrals to people at their companies who operate in leadership positions in that space. Most people are willing to help if they know exactly what you need. 

3. Update Your LinkedIn Profile

Ensure your LinkedIn profile is up-to-date and reflects your current skills, experiences, and career goals. This makes it easier for recruiters and connections to understand your background and expertise.

A quick and easy way to do this is to make sure that under each experience you have many relevant skills highlighted. This will allow for recruiters or other folks looking at your profile an immediate way to see the types of skills you excel in, and also will help you optimize your presence using the LinkedIn algorithm. 

Don’t hesitate to ask your contacts for referrals to recruiters or introductions to people who might be hiring. Many people are willing to help if they know exactly what you need.

4. Crafting Messages for Future Connections 

Not everyone you’re going to be speaking with is someone you’ll know very well. This can be remedied by asking for common connections for “warm” introductions - having this entry point will lead to a more natural conversation.

When reaching out to people outside of your immediate network, it’s important to specify why you want to speak to them. A common mistake many prospective candidates make is writing a message focused on their accomplishments, and not of the person they’re reaching out to. This person likely does not know you - aside from the goodness of their heart, why should they be inspired to talk to you?

Instead, it’s important to craft a message tailored to their accomplishments and why you want to talk to them specifically. Highlight projects they’ve worked on, initiatives they’ve pioneered, or other things about them you find intriguing. 

After you’ve written about why you want to chat with them, create a specific call to action. Ask for advice on a topic with a timeframe to speak (15 to 30 minutes is usually best because you can still get a lot out of the conversation, but you’re not asking someone for a lot of their day). If the person is overly busy, offer to connect asynchronously through a message. You’ll still be able to get what you need, and show the person you’re connecting with that you’re being conscientious of their time. 

5. Join Professional Groups and Associations

Become active in professional groups and associations related to your industry. These platforms often have job boards, and you can meet recruiters and hiring managers through these associations.

When searching for these groups, try to focus on ones that do not specifically focus on job searching. While this may seem counterintuitive, these job searching groups are often filled with people in a similar place to where you are. It’s great to join these groups to find people who understand what you’re going through, but it may not necessarily pay off in the short term. Instead, try to focus on areas that you hold interest in or that you have some expertise in. This switch will allow for you to network with the appropriate people, and develop long-standing relationships.

6. Provide Value to Your Network

Remember to reciprocate support. Offer your help, share useful information, and support others in their professional endeavors. Networking is a two-way street, and building mutually beneficial relationships is key.

Similarly, set alerts for yourself two to three weeks out from your conversation with your network if they’re not as close of a contact. These messages should be short, sweet, and personalized to the person you’re speaking to. In doing so, you’re not just creating a temporary contact for now to help with your job search - you’re creating a contact for life. 

Networking is a great way to find a new job, but be aware that it involves a bit of a longer play. However, in doing so, you’re creating real relationships with people and setting future you for greater success. 

Sample Message for Reaching Out

E-mail: 

Subject: Conversation about [Topic] at [Insert Company Name/ Industry]

Hi [Name],

Hope you’re doing well. [If possible here, mention any contacts you have in common with this person]. I was looking at opportunities in [insert field/ industry] and came across your profile. I wanted to reach out to you because [be really specific here - what sort of projects have they worked on? Why are you interested in speaking to them and not other people?].

I’d love to chat with you about [list a topic here] and get your expertise. Do you happen to have 15 to 30 minutes in the upcoming weeks to speak? I’m happy to be flexible with your schedule. 

Thank you so much, and I’m looking forward to hearing back from you. 

Best regards, [Your Name]

LinkedIn:

Hi [Name],

Hope you’re well. I wanted to message you today after seeing your work on [insert project, initiative, etc.] Are you available to chat in the upcoming weeks for 15-30 minutes about your involvement, and how someone like me might make an impact in that space? Happy to be flexible with your schedule, or to chat asynchronously. 

Best regards, [Your Name]

By following these steps and actively engaging with your network, you can effectively leverage your connections to find job opportunities.