By Patricia Weber
Various polling methods report 60% to 70% of jobs are found through networking. Thank goodness it doesn’t necessarily mean going to a networking event; but it does mean to tap into your already established network.
I LOVED interviews when I was an employee. It may be the arrogance that an INTJ, that’s a type in Meyers Briggs talk, can often unconsciously portray that would get me every job I really wanted.
Introvert, shy or reluctant extrovert, use your networks effectively for anything you need including a job. Introverts may find this approach more suitable since it’s from an introvert perspective. Leverage your innate strengths and you’ll boost that confidence for your job search.
Plan methodically. Lay out for the week what you will do to find that job. Use Mondays to plan out the rest of the week. Possibly Tuesdays are interview days and some live networking, Wednesdays are company and job research and another consideration for live networking, Thursdays are the “second interviews,” Fridays are your Thank You notes and catch up. Then the weekends you can continue to research if you need or want to. Do use some of the weekend for recharging yourself. The job search is a full time job.
Study the company. Use any resource you can to find out about the company, their products, and their competitors. Talk with people who know the company. Go to the library or use the Internet. This part of preparation is just what an introvert likes so while you want to schedule the time and do it, don’t get caught with paralysis through analysis. You want to be prepared not memorized.
Plan who you will talk with. First take time to identify, by writing down or thinking it through, people in various contact spheres. It could be at church, a book reading club, your current job, your family or even places you volunteer. The people who you hopefully are comfortable to contact are people who you already know since they know, like and trust (KLT) you. The truth is that finding a job is selling yourself and the KLT factor is intact with people who you know.
Improve your elevator speech for that inevitable question: “Tell me a little bit about yourself.” Focus the benefit of your experience to the job you are interviewing for. Make it MORE about the company and less about you. If you did your research about the job and the company, you know what they want. If you listened to the questions in the interview, you know what they want. So when the inevitable question comes up, you 1) lead with, a “do you know how you…” (and now it’s something about what they said, or something they need or something they want) and follow it with 2) “In the past, I’ve been able to (how you’ve solved that problem or match those needed skills) and 3) “I know this job will require that kind of skill as well.”
Get clear on the work you want. Just as with many people who are in sales or in business for themselves, you want to get specific on the type of work you want before you set your networking to a job plan into action. Take time to identify specific industries, companies or a role that you are best suited for and would love to work.
See who you can help. As an introvert in sales for 30 years I usually find best results when leading with value first. By finding out how you can help other people first, you may find it easier to then be more direct in asking others, of another contact sphere, for help with your job search. It’s like taking a break from the energy you are putting out to find a job. Clarify who you think might just need some help from you in some way now. Then, go back to your own job search.
Try social networking if you haven’t already. I’ve been using Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn for just over a year as of this writing. There are many recruiters online who have jobs they must fill and they want to connect with you. One of my Twitter and LinkedIn connections is a CEO of an IT recruiting organization with a highly regarded reputation. The point is, social networking is a perfect environment for introverts to network.
Follow-up. This is an important step to continue to deepen your relationships. If someone refers you to a person or company for a job they know is open, you must follow-up! First, to make contact where the possible job opening is. Second to thank the person or give an update of progress to who gave you the lead or referral. Remember, the reason the people who you know find it easy to give you a lead to a possible job is because they know, like and trust you. You want to continue to enhance those kinds of relationships.
Networking to find a job – a plan, a clear goal, researching, preparing, recharging by helping someone else, social networking and strengthen already solid relationships. Certainly there can be more steps but these are the basics.
The jobs are out there, really. The crux of it: plan, study and prepare. Doesn’t that sound like something an introvert can do?
About Patricia Weber
Patricia Weber is America’s #1 Business Coach For Introverts and the Shy, debunking negative introvert myths so they can stand up and be recognized for who they are, as they are, without any disguise. Her internationally recognized expertise, on radio and in print, is sales and marketing, in particular networking.
If you are interested in a five part process to overcome your networking reluctance then grab the free audios for Networking Secrets for Sales Reluctance: How I Overcame Unsuccessful Networking as an Introverts.
