St.Louis Business Journal
ARE YOU GETTING THE MOST FROM YOUR NETWORKING?

By Anna Navarro March 2011  

Examples in this column are fictionalized to protect privacy.



Many job hunters use networking meetings to ask for a job, or for information on openings. The problem with doing that is it can evoke the same kind of self-protective response we frequently have when a sales person wants us to buy something. It can lead to an interaction that is very guarded.

A much better approach is to use networking meetings to ask for real feedback on your candidacy, and to refrain from asking for job leads. This requires some courage on your part because it involves opening yourself up to evaluation. But it also encourages a genuine interaction.

When you do this kind of networking, it’s important to own at the outset that you are looking for work, but to make it clear immediately that you don’t intend to put the person you are meeting on the spot for a job. Explain (and mean it!) that what you want is the benefit of their input and advice. This seemingly subtle difference can make a huge impact on the quality of the relationship that develops.

Here are some examples of the kinds of questions you can pose:

What are employers looking for? The workplace changes constantly and so does what employers are looking for. If you know what’s on employers’ list of top wants, you can focus your self-presentation to maximize your assets.

Can you give me some feedback on my resume? Never, ever, walk into a networking interview and hand a person your resume. That’s the equivalent of asking for a job. But after you’ve taken the time to get to know them, and told them about yourself, ask if they could take a quick look at your resume and tell you how it could be improved.

How did I come across when I told you about myself? At the outset of your networking conversation, tell the person you are meeting about your background and skills. A little later, ask how you came across when you talked about yourself, and whether they could suggest any changes that would make you a more appealing candidate.

Could you please give me a frank assessment of my strengths and weaknesses as a candidate? After you’ve taken the time to tell the person you are networking with about yourself, and asked them to review your resume, ask if they could give you a frank assessment of your strengths and weaknesses as a candidate. Sometimes you’ll get an answer that will be disconcerting. Though that information can be hard to hear, knowing the answer is the first step in figuring out how to position yourself more effectively.

What’s the best way to handle difficult issues? Never disclose any negative information about yourself that isn’t obvious, but if there are any clearly apparent drawbacks to your candidacy (age, the length of time you’ve been out of the workforce, physical disabilities, etc), ask for advice about how to handle them. Don’t put the information out in a raw, undigested form, however. Instead, position it in the best light you can, then ask for feedback on how that comes across.

Be very careful to stick to asking for advice on issues that someone you are meeting for the first time could realistically answer. For example, it’s unreasonable to expect them to know what kind of job you’d be good at. That’s an inside job that requires a lot of self- analysis and research of alternative careers. But it is likely someone in the field can tell you whether your resume will appeal to employers.

Doing what I am suggesting is challenging for the job seeker. It requires that you take the risk of opening yourself up to feedback, some of which may not be entirely positive. But it also sets the tone for a genuine interaction, and encourages the development of a meaningful relationship with the people you meet through networking.

The beauty of this approach is that if you connect well with a person, and they know of openings, they are likely to volunteer that information. But even if they don’t know of openings, you will still get valuable advice as well as an opportunity to connect with them in a deeper way than if you merely put them on the spot for a job. And that deeper connection can sometimes lead to their alerting you to job opportunities they hear about later.

Anna Navarro is the founder of Work Transitions, a nationwide career consulting firm that works with clients on an individual basis to help them find more satisfaction and fulfillment in their work-lives. She can be reached by phone at (314) 367-0008 and her e-mail address is email@worktransitions.com. For more information visit the worktransitions.com website.

This column was originally published by the St. Louis Business Journal. The actual title of the column and date in which it appeared in the Business Journal may be slightly different from what appears on WorkTransitions.com.