The idea of networking with strangers carries the risk of rejection – which is enough to cause many job seekers to use other methods instead. The stories in this series illustrate what can happen when job seekers take that risk. The goals of this type of networking are to 1) expand the network of people you know, and 2) tobtain advice, information, and direction.
Whether you are working from home, or you are home because of a layoff or furlough, there are a lot of adjustments to make. One of these is how you manage and allocate your time. Let me suggest that you consider checking in with your professional network as a regular part of your activities during this time.
Larry Wilson, LSW | Social Worker, Career Counselor
If you are like many busy people, contacting folks in your network is a task that can easily drop off the list unless your job responsibilities require it.
Regardless, there are three good reasons to check in with your network contacts every few months or so:
Larry Wilson, LSW | Social Worker, Career Counselor
Recently, I struck up a conversation with a man who was in the middle of a job search. Specifically, that day, he was trying to locate the email address of the hiring manager so that he could forward some materials outside of the standard job application workflow. So far, he had not been successful. However, by pooling our knowledge, we were able to locate a professional registration page for the hiring manager. That page contained all the information he needed.
Larry Wilson, MSW, LSW • larry@wilson-consulting.net • 224-374-8443
