They say that “knowledge is power,” yet far too often, job seekers don’t provide their network with enough knowledge to enable their contacts to help them more effectively in their job search. At the most basic level, the more information we have as humans, the more we are empowered to act in an appropriate and timely manner. This rule applies to both our personal and professional lives. Six of the worst words you can hear either at home or at work are, “I wish you had told me...” -- add to that “sooner” or “more specifically.” Whenever those words have been spoken to me, I immediately felt a sense of regret around what could have been had I shared, more, specifically, or sooner. I don’t want you to feel that sense of regret when it comes to your job search, which is why I’m such a strong proponent of empowering your network → through detailed and timely information sharing.
When many job seekers reach out to their network for job search support, it often looks like this:
“Dear Kweku, I’m looking for a new job, do you happen to know of any openings or have any contacts I can speak to? Any help you can give me would be much appreciated. Thanks!”
After receiving a message like this from a friend, how would you feel? My guess is that you likely wouldn’t even know where to begin helping this friend -- even if you wanted to! Many of us might, in fact, feel power-LESS to help for the simple reason that we don’t have enough information to take any concrete action.
What’s the antidote to this? Empowering 💪🏿 your network.
Empower | verb: give (someone) the authority or power to do something
When your network has timely, specific, and detailed information about your needs and goals in a job search they will feel much more empowered to act and give you support. That can even come in the form of being able to provide you with a quick and clear, “No,” about their ability to respond to your ask. Vague requests like in the example above can leave your contact feeling unsure about if/how they can help, which leads to vague or no responses to your request.
As a job seeker, the onus is on you to make your requests as clear and easily actionable as possible to your network in order to generate the support you need to reach your goals.
3 Ways to Empower Your Network
1. Know what you want + the kind of help you need (from different people)
Everything in the job search starts with you. If you are unclear about your goals and destination, that lack of clarity will permeate everything in your job search, including who, what, & how you ask for help. Before you reach out, spend time solidifying the criteria for your next job & company.
Next, clarify what type of help you need and from whom. Remember, not everyone in your network can or should be asked for the same type of support. Some people in your network might be great resources to review your resume, but they might not have the right connections to help you advance in your current or target industry. Another person might be well-connected but may not give the best advice on how to position your candidacy.
Empowerment Tip: Be intentional with your outreach by asking your contacts to help you in their areas of strength. This makes your ask easy for them to execute and will motivate them to support you because they are doing something that they are already good at.
2. Reach out to contacts early in your process
When you have an itch, do you wait before you scratch it, or do you scratch right away? I would encourage you to employ similar logic when it comes to your job search. As soon as that itch arises that prompts you to think about starting a job search, start talking to your network as soon as you have completed step 1.
Empowerment Tip: A network works best when it’s been primed for action, ahead of time, rather than responding reactively to a time-sensitive request for their support. Your emergency is not their emergency -- but an early heads-up can enlist them as allies when the time comes.
3. Be detailed & specific with your request
Think about the last time you received a well-articulated request from a friend, loved one, or co-worker. How was it presented, how detailed/informative was it, and how did it make you feel after you read or heard it? Now, think about how you reacted and how well you were able to help.
Empowerment tip: Think about what you would want/need to know if someone was asking you for help in their job search, and then shape your outreach messaging accordingly. If you keep your end-user squarely in mind -- you will craft messages that are concise & informative, allowing them to easily take action.
In order to receive help, you must first ask -- and it’s ok to ask for help in your job search. However, an incomplete or poorly articulated request will lead to inadequate help or even none at all. Remember, the quality of the help you receive is often highly correlated with the quality of your request.
If you ask for help well, then you will empower your network to help you land a job.
So, how well are you asking?
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BONUS: Email Outreach Template
Here is a sample email outreach template that you can use/modify to your style:
Hi __,
I hope you are doing well! [Personalized intro + quick overview of the current situation and/or any relevant history.] I would really appreciate your support as I am actively looking for a new job. Here is my LinkedIn profile & some specifics that might be helpful:- Location(s): [List what cities etc. you are targeting]
- Target Roles/Industry: [Specify target title(s) + industry. Optional: describe what you are most skilled at and/or the nature of the work you are most interested in.]
- Target companies include: [List the target companies you aim to work for.]I’m wondering: Do you have any contacts at these companies? If so, could you introduce me via email? I'd appreciate that type of help or any job leads that fit the criteria above. (I’ve taken the liberty of including a sample email below that you can copy/paste in case that makes things easier!)
If no one comes to mind immediately, no worries! I appreciate you considering these requests and keeping me in mind. I’d also love to catch up on each other's lives sometime, so let me know if you’re up for a phone call or coffee -- your choice -- sometime soon!
I truly appreciate your support, and please let me know how I can help with your goals in 2020 too!
Thanks,
Your NameHere is a short email you can use to introduce me to your contacts:
[Write short bio, composed in 3rd person as if your contact wrote it to introduce you to someone else. Focus on your years of experience, key strengths, and a value offer that sets you apart. You can also attach a current resume for your contacts to forward.]
If you would like help crafting an empowering networking strategy, I’d love to support you!
Book Now for a free consultation.
NIIATO@AVENIRCAREERS.COM | CALL/TEXT 917-740-3048