By:  John Holmgren    TheExpertResumeWriter.com

The most important fact about job hunting:  nearly all “good” jobs come through word-of-mouth.  Networking.  That means finding a common link between you and the hiring manager.

Pretend you are the hiring manager.  You have a good job to fill.  In this economy there will be lots of applicants.  You, the manager, have   50+ resumes to consider.  Who will you interview?

If you, the candidate, have found that link you improve your interview chance enormously!  Before, you were only a resume in a stack of 50+.  Now you have a contact, an implied recommendation.  Whose resume will get read first?

Back to the beginning.  Two types?  Yes.  The networking objective is to tell everyone you are looking for a job.  More about that in another blog.

This is about equally important inbound networking.  It’s the process of finding your way into a Target Organization (one you really want to work for) and learning as much about  them as possible.

Ideally, you’ll find a link to the hiring manager of the position you want.

Networking is about “The Six Degrees of Separation”.  The idea is, I know someone who knows someone, who knows someone …..  It works.  A friend once linked me to the Pope.

Look for a contact that has a contact in your Target Company.  You call and say, “Ralph suggested I call you …”.  That’s how it works.

It’s the reason to keep records.  You know someone at XYZ!  Make the call.

Your outbound networking feeds the inbound side.

Getting within the organization you can learn their values, what they are looking for.

Tailor your resume to company values in skills and attitudes and objectives.

Easy?  No.  Tedious?  Yes.  Productive?  Yes!  Do it.

Cheers, John

Posted in Networking