One piece of advice that gets mentioned constantly to job seekers is to make sure to “network” and keep in touch with your contacts. We agree that this is sage advice that even the most timid job seeker should take. Find ways to make networking more palatable to you and start doing it. Regularly.
Here’s one extra suggestion that those well-meaning advice-providers may not tell you: make sure that you know what you want when contacting someone in your network. Have a purpose. Don’t just ask for “help” with your job search. Make sure that you are specific with your “ask”. Your contacts are not mind readers and may not know what “help” looks like to you. They may have their own ideas of what you need and provide what they think you need rather than what you really do need. There is more of a chance of setting yourself up for disappointment if you don’t clearly think through what you want help with and how your contacts can provide you with that help.
It is important to make it easy for your contact to support you. Do some of the legwork for him or her. Identify your needs and assess whether your contact will be able to meet those needs. If he or she will not be able to deliver, figure out if he or she knows someone else who might be able to help, or can direct you to a resource that will fulfill your needs.
Before getting in touch with any contact with a request, answer the following questions:
1. What do I specifically want from my contact? (ex: information about a company, an introduction to a hiring manager, interview help, etc)
2. Is it likely that my contact has the skills/ability, desire, resources, and/or time to provide this help?
3. What’s in it for him/her (How will I show my appreciation for his/her time and expertise)? Am I willing/able to provide that for him/her? If not, can I come up with a reasonable alternative?
If you are unable to identify a specific request that you would like to ask your contact, work the opposite way. Identify your current needs and then cull through your contact list to see who would be best suited to provide the assistance you require.
It is imperative to have a clear vision of your needs before taking up your contact’s time. This is a great skill to hone as it will be beneficial not just in your job search, but when you are back in the workforce at your next job. You want to be adept at identifying the needs of the organization/department in which you work and develop possible solutions for meeting those needs.
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