Partners: Networking and Job Searching

I always appreciate the candidates I speak with who know perfectly well that none of the job orders on my desk are going to be what they are currently searching for, but they still take a few minutes to speak with me personally. Why should they spend that time speaking with me, and vice-versa – why should I spend that time with them? Simple. Networking, connections, referrals.

Recently, this proved to be the case when our firm placed a COO for a high end technical start-up company. This candidate was not the typical talent we have in our database, outside of the manufacturing industries we work with, but we spoke for a few minutes. She was a talented combination of vision, operations management and technical expertise. Our few minute conversation proved to be well worth it when a few months later, her dream job was landed through an affiliate partner of ours.

Likewise, I occasionally receive emails from other recruiters I’ve networked and partnered with who will warn me of certain candidates they’ve had negative experiences with that are in the disciplines I work. Word of warning – treat all recruiters like they are your meal ticket to your next job! Recruiters are masters of networking, especially amongst us.

Networking in business has long been a requirement and natural part of our everyday work. What surprises me is how few candidates turn to networking and really know how to work and expand their networks when job searching. Brush up your networking skills and apply them to your job search! To help kick your search into high gear, I’d recommend you read Penelope Trunk’s post on her Yahoo Finance column from a few months ago, “Networking for people who hate it”.

Additional resources on networking:

To find the right jobs, candidates need to be Selectively Networked

Open Thread: What's Your Professional Networking Style?

How Strong Is Your Network?

Network Your Way to a New Job or Career

Effective Networking for Professional Success