How to Start Networking to Propel Your Job Search Forward

No single action will guarantee you a job offer or even an interview. Instead, a lot of big and little steps add up to success during a job search. One of the most powerful items in that constellation of actions is networking, which can propel your job search forward and support you throughout your career.

The caveat to the above statement is that you need to focus on healthy networking habits. Otherwise, you can end up offending professional connections and undoing a lot of your hard work.

For example, asking for a job at the end of an initial informational interview rarely works and can leave the other person feel used.?

I sat down with Cassandra Thompson , who is known as The Career Conversationalist, on a LinkedIn Career Talks to discuss the ins and outs of effective networking. You can watch a replay of that conversation below. I also highlighted some main points toward the end.

Some learnings from the conversation:

• Think about these two things before jumping too deep into networking conversations:- What do you want to do?- Who do you know that is closest to getting you there?
• Start building your network by telling people what you want out of your career. You should also reach out to your existing connections on LinkedIn and ask for appropriate introductions. Finally, don't forget groups and associations related to your goals.
• Don't view networking conversations — or networking in general — as transactional.
• Networking is not a one-and-done activity. You need to have regular touch points with your connections.

An unfortunate reality of a shifting economy is that businesses don't always have a clear picture of how their fiscal realities will unfold. In some cases, they may end up eliminating jobs after they've already offered them to people. Additionally, an increasing number of employers are relying on background and credit checks as part of the hiring process. If those come back with issues, it can also cause a job offer to be rescinded by an employer. I sat down with Lori Shreve Blake , who is senior director of career engagement at the University of Southen California, on the latest episode of my Get Hired podcast to discuss how people can handle those situations. You can listen to and read a transcript of our conversation by clicking here . You can also listen to it on Apple Podcasts by clicking here .

Coming up…

The economy and labor market is constantly changing. You've probably seen the latest headlines, but what does it mean for you? Well, I'm sitting down with LinkedIn Chief Economist Karin Kimbrough on a special bonus episode of the Get Hired podcast to talk all about it. It'll be out Monday. Be sure to subscribe to Get Hired with Andrew Seaman on Apple Podcasts by clicking here .

• Do you still need a degree to get hired? (By Todd Dybas ) New LinkedIn data show a 5% increase from 2021 to 2022 in U.S. job listings that don't require a degree but instead focus on skills. Insider notes the share of job ads in the U.K. that did not list a degree among qualifications lept 90% year-over-year. State governments are leaders in the movement. Places like Pennsylvania and Maryland eliminated degree requirements for thousands of state jobs. Click here to learn more .
• Has AI really eliminated a bunch of jobs? (By Todd Dybas ) Artificial intelligence's impact on jobs is yet to reach the cataclysmic level often predicted, leading Alex Kantrowitz to argue in his Big Technology newsletter that "fallout" from AI has been "muted." He says companies realized AI tools are often better suited to helping humans get things done instead of doing the work themselves. Time will provide a more-informed picture of AI's influence on work. For now, an economics professor puts it to Kantrowitz this way: "Humans are underrated." Click here to see what people are saying about it .