WHY NETWORK?
Talking to or contacting people you know to find job leads is the most effective way to find a job. Because most of us find a job through personal contacts - people we already know such as our friends and family, our doctor, dentist, and people we meet when we go shopping and during our normal everyday lives. Personal contacts are also the people that our friends and family know.

Did you know that only a small percentage of jobs are advertised in local newspapers?

Did you know that only a small percentage of people who find a job get one from answering an advertisement in a local newspaper?

Did you know that most people who look for work go after advertised openings? Therefore, you increase your chances to be hired by networking with personal contacts to find unadvertised job leads.

Did you know that approximately 60% of job hunters find their new job with the help of friends, family members and acquaintances?

Percentage of Total Job Seekers Using the Method

Method

Effect Rate*

66.0% 50.8% 41.8% 28.4% 27.3% 45.9% 21.0% 12.5% 15.3% 10.4% 1.6% 6.0%

Applied directly to employer Asked friends about jobs where they work** Asked friends about jobs elsewhere** Asked relatives about jobs where they work** Answered local newspaper ads Private employment agency School employment agency School placement office Civil Service test Asked teacher or professor** Placed ad in local newspaper

47.7 22.1 11.9 19.3 7.4 23.9 24.2 21.4 12.5 12.1 12.9 22.2

Knocking on the Right Doors

A good contact is anyone who is able to:

• Offer you a job;
• Tell you of a job opening;
• Refer you to somebody who can arrange an interview or read your resume;
• Give you the name of somebody who can do any of the above;
• Give you the name of somebody who can give you the name of someone else who can do any of the above.

This is an area in which the highest level of originality and creativity is demanded in seeking a job. It can really be a challenge for you in seeing how innovative and productive you can be in seeking out new resources. You should leave no stone unturned.

Consider the categories listed. Then, on the Networking Worksheet, write the names of at least two people from each category who may be able to help you in your job search. Again, these are not necessarily the names of people in your occupation or people you know well, just people you've met who may be willing to give you some helpful information.

People List 100 people you know - each one of them knows 100. Kinds of people to include:

• professional colleagues
• classmates
• ex-employers
• ex-co-workers
• doctors
• dentists
• clergymen
• salesmen, customers
• druggist
• barber
• banker
• parties
• PTA
• bartenders
• policemen
• insurance agents
• hairdressers
• faculty
• secretaries
• golf-tennis-skiing pros
• relatives and neighbors
• postman
• creditors
• fraternity-sorority members
• sub-contractors
• building inspectors
• small food store owner
• interviewer in a company where you were refused a job

Other people I know
Include here your landlord, bank president, store managers and just about every one you know. People who interact with many people each day, serving the public are sources of good job leads.

Places and Organizations

• yellow pages
• consultants in country clubs
• local-state-federal gov't
• trade shows
• volunteer groups
• business calendars
• women's club
• alumni directory
• Kiwanis club
• synagogue-church
• health spa
• veterans groups
• conventions
• temporary employment agencies
• authors in professional journals
• obituaries
• neighborhood employment center
• Chamber of Commerce
• Rotary Club, Lions Club
• YMCA/YWCA
• annual conventions
• professional associations
• alumni groups
• local newspaper of town where you live or want to work
• announcements in newspapers of new positions in a company
• trade journals
• State Dept. of Education- Community College Division
• Sunday & Wednesday editions of your local newspaper
• College bulletin boards
• College placement office
• closest bar to a company you are interested in
• bars at the airport

Don't Prejudge!
Anyone, no matter what their status, may be a source of a referral or leads that results in your next job.

Building Your Referral Network
You will notice that you know many people and some of them work or have worked before. They know about job possibilities. In addition, they have ideas about lots of different kinds of jobs and companies, and you might be interested in learning more about some of them. They may also be able to refer you to their acquaintances who know about job possibilities.

Because all of the people on your chart can help you look for work, make sure you put down everyone! Don't worry about the chart being too big. There is no such thing as too much help.

Create a worksheet with your present network. Use Relatives, Former co-workers, Employers, Classmates, Roomates, from parties, Neighbors, Holiday cards to, Clergy, Land Lords, Store Managers etc...

MONSTER.COM
You've heard of this one! The importance of networking all laid in in monster.com style. One of the best sites.

Careerkey.com Networking Do's and Don'ts list is worth reading.

Wetfeet.com Networking - good, informative tips on networking.

Quintessential Careers listing of networking resources on the web.