Studies show that 85% of people are using this tactic to find a job: Networking. Yup, you heard that right. Surveys show that nearly 85% of employees have found or obtained their job via networking. With the number of applicants per positions rising, it’s getting harder to obtain a position through blind applications, so people are turning to those they know when searching for a job.
How you can start networking now:
According to studies done by Glass Door, referrals are associated with a 2.6 to 6.6 percent higher chance of an accepted job offer. Reach out to recruiters, friends, and industry professionals to put the word out there that you’re looking for a position. Often people won’t know that you’re in the market for a new role, and if they don’t know, they can’t help you. It’s a very small world, and you never know who might have an industry connection or information on an upcoming availability.
Go out and get coffee with friends or family in your industry. Pick their brain and ask if they have any suggestions for how to brush up on your skills and get the job of your dreams. They may know of an opportunity which you can use to your advantage.
Similarly, reach out to recruiters. People seem to have this notion that it’s better to get a job on your own instead of working with a recruiter, however it is the complete opposite. Recruiters often have inside knowledge on positions that haven’t been posted to the public. They also have direct interaction with hiring managers and will be able to get your resume in front of someone immediately. How do you get in touch with a recruiter? Do a simple google search or look for recruiters on LinkedIn. Recruiters are always looking for strong candidates, so if you can reach out and highlight your motivation or skills, they will almost always be willing to help with your job search.
Use LinkedIn:
If you’re not on LinkedIn, you should be. End of story.
With more than two new people joining LinkedIn every second, LinkedIn operates the world’s largest professional network on the Internet, and currently has over 467 million members in over 200 countries and territories. To say this platform gives you a lot of opportunities to connect with industry professionals is an understatement. One of the keys to LinkedIn is to stay relevant and on the radar, and a great way to establish yourself in your field is to share content and post articles.
If you come across something related to your field that you find interesting, share it on LinkedIn! Also, if you ever have a few minutes, writing and sharing articles will also help you out. Sharing content, both that you’ve written and information from others helps to establish you as a knowledgeable industry professional on LinkedIn. The more valuable information you share, the more you will come up on news feeds and you’ll in turn be recognized as someone to look towards for information. This will help you network with others in your field, and can help you gain inside information on jobs and new opportunities.
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The bottom line is that if you’re in the market for a new job, you need to start networking. 85% of people are using this tactic to find a job for a reason; it works. Take inventory of your contacts, spread the word that you’re open to opportunities, and put in the work on LinkedIn. Work hard in your field, highlight your accomplishments, and take advantage of who you know. If you’re not networking, be aware that a lot of other people are, so you’ll inevitably be behind when searching for a job.
Good luck!