270 words. 3 minute read.
People in your network can help.
Your personal and professional networks are crucial to helping you find your next job opportunity. Beyond being able to point you towards the right people, connections may be able to offer you a referral, which can dramatically improve your chances of getting hired. In fact, referred candidates are 3 to 4 times more likely to be hired than their non-referral counterparts.
Who should I be contacting?
- Family and friends
- It is tempting to hide your job hunt from the people in your life, but you shouldn’t. You might be surprised by some of their connections.
- We can help you craft perfectly toned Emails, that vary based on your relationship to the recipient, in our Email Builder tool. A tutorial on this feature is available here.
- It is tempting to hide your job hunt from the people in your life, but you shouldn’t. You might be surprised by some of their connections.
- Professional network
- This can vary from former clients and co-workers to people you’ve met at conferences or events.
- Generally speaking, people want to help others. Something as simple as reconnecting over Email or getting coffee could be enough to get you started.
- This can vary from former clients and co-workers to people you’ve met at conferences or events.
- Places you are interested in working
- Sending “cold emails” can be intimidating but also very rewarding
- Use this opportunity to learn more about what employers in your field are looking for in a candidate.
- Are there certifications you could get that would set you apart?
- Are there professional organizations whose events you could attend?
- “How to ask for an informational interview by email”
- Use this opportunity to learn more about what employers in your field are looking for in a candidate.
- Sending “cold emails” can be intimidating but also very rewarding
How we can help
Reaching out to old contacts can be intimidating and it’s sometimes tricky to pick the right tone in your message. Luckily, the CareerJSM platform has an Email Builder that will help you write an appropriate Email based on your relationship to the recipient, as well as the topic of conversation you’d like to discuss. A tutorial video on this feature is available here.
Bottom Line
Using your connections is key to finding a job. While people in your network might not know of an opportunity directly, they might be able to put you in contact with someone who does.