How to Use Networking To Power Your Job Search

Few people enjoy the act of networking. Unfortunately, building connections with other people is really the 'secret sauce' to a successful job search and career. The key is to rethink how we network. Try to network using your genuine curiosity and growth mindset Instead of just rushing into a hotel ballroom filled with strangers to collect business cards. Also, focus on getting information from people —?not jobs.

To learn more about networking best practices, LinkedIn News Editor Andrew Seaman sat down with Elise Powers, who is the founder of Eleview Consulting, for the latest episode of his #GetHired podcast. In addition to being a big proponent of networking, Elise has largely used it to propel her successful career and business forward.?

You can read a transcript of the conversation below. You can also listen to the episode above or wherever you like to listen to your podcasts, such as Apple Podcasts.

BONUS: Elise will also join LinkedIn News' Brandi Fowler live on Monday, March 20, at noon ET to answer your questions about the topic on #GetHired Live. You can RSVP for that conversation by clicking the image below or by clicking here.

TRANSCRIPT: How to Use Networking To Power Your Job Search

Andrew Seaman: I often like to think of our careers like a car ride. We're all in the driver's seat, steering the vehicle. Our skills are the wheels getting us from place to place. The companies are our destinations. And the gas, well, I think that's networking. Unfortunately, a lot of us are running low on gas because well, few people actually like networking. So we're talking all about how to network without feeling slimy or awkward on today's show. From LinkedIn News, this is Get Hired, a podcast for the ups and downs and the ever-changing landscape of our professional lives. I'm Andrew Seaman, LinkedIn's managing editor for Jobs and Career Development. Okay, I hate to start the show with an unfortunate truth, but there isn't a single magic bullet that will land you your next job, your skills, a good resume, a solid LinkedIn profile, they're all bits and pieces that increase your odds of a successful job search and career.

One of the biggest variables in that equation though, in my opinion, is networking. I know, if you're anything like most people I know, you hate networking. Seriously, you are not alone. However, our guest today is not one of those people. In fact, she's powered her entire career through networking. Her name is Elise Powers and she's the founder of Eleview Consulting and is an expert on building and strengthening bonds. In addition to joining me today on this podcast, Elise will join my LinkedIn news colleague Brandy Fowler, on Monday, March 20th at noon Eastern time on Get Hired Live. They'll go deeper into this topic and answer your questions. You can find the RSVP link for Get Hired live in the show notes. Now back to today's conversation with Elise. My first question, why do so many of us have a tough time wanting to network?

Elise Powers: So there's research that came out of Harvard that found that when people think about networking, they develop a sudden affinity for personal cleansing products like toothpaste and hand sanitizer. The reason for that is it makes us feel dirty and slimy because a lot of people perceive networking to be getting something from someone else, being a user of sorts. And it's actually the total opposite of that. It's a long-term relationship where trust is built over time and you're really focused on adding value to other people. So I think people recoil and feel this pit in their stomach when this topic comes up because they're thinking about it the wrong way.

Andrew: I think that's really fair because in high school and college networking was one of those things that you're right, it did seem slimy and just unsavory. Can you tell me a little bit about your background and how you've become a proponent of networking?

Elise: Absolutely. It actually goes back to my college days where I was in this prestigious business fraternity with all of these really remarkable, impressive students. I was a freshman and I was shocked when I learned that a lot of them were having trouble finding full-time jobs after graduation. And they said they fell into this trap where they couldn't land full-time jobs if they didn't have internships, but for all the internships, they required prior work experience. So how do you get your first work experience so that this doesn't create an issue down the line? I knew I had to go about it all through networking.

I couldn't apply on websites, I couldn't use the career fairs yet. I was too young and I tapped into my very small, very low stakes professional network, and I got an internship after freshman year, and then by my junior year, I was able to get an internship at Target's headquarters. So I really realized the power of reaching out to people, expressing curiosity, being someone they want to help. And I started my first company in college to teach other students how to network their way into internships and jobs.

Andrew: That's incredible. And can you tell us a little bit about what you do now?

Elise: Sure. So I run a firm called Eleview Consulting, we're based in Chicago. We work with organizations around the world to equip their teams to navigate a wide range of professional environments. All of our clients have come from referrals, my network, my team's network. And so it really is how I founded my firm is by reaching out to people. And it's been the absolute key to my firm's growth and ability to lead workshops at Fortune 500 companies and professional services firms globally.

Andrew: When it comes to job seekers, I think a lot of them discount the influence that networking can really have on their careers. So for job seekers out there who say, listen, I'm going about this the old-fashioned way where I'm going to apply and hope that my credentials speak for themselves. What is your message to them about networking? What is it that networking does to that equation?

Elise: It speeds up the timeline in a lot of instances for job seekers. So it's not that you can't apply online and use the traditional pathways, it's that we want a multi-prong approach. We want to invest in a few different ways that might land us a job. So I would say keep applying online and spend equally as much time, if not more, reaching out to your network. And the number one pushback I get to that statement is, but I don't have a network, and every single person does. Whether you think of them as in your network or not, your network is anyone who you have interacted with and have stayed in touch with in the last few years. I'm using really broad terms here. So think about people you went to college with, people who you grew up with, former colleagues, current colleagues, those who managed you when you were an intern 10 years ago, those are the people you want to get back in touch with.

And the biggest mistake people make when getting back in touch is they ask for a job right out of the gates. And that is a little bit off-putting, especially if you haven't talked to someone in a while. So rather than just say, hey, I'm on the job search, can you help me get a job at your company? A far more effective approach is, I'm interested in you, it looks like you've worked at Pepsi for three years now, it's an organization I've really been interested in. Do you have 15 minutes for me to get your thoughts on what it's been like to work there? What the culture is like, though you position it that way and it's a form of flattery because you realize everyone loves to talk about themselves. So you're giving them this forum to talk about themselves, which almost every human being loves.

And then you say, everything you've said has reinforced my interest in working at x, y, z company. What would be your advice for me? Any thoughts on how I may be able to position myself for an opportunity? So by asking it that way, you are signaling, I want a job here without making them feel really uncomfortable and you are encouraging them to think about how they might be able to help you get to that next step.

Andrew: And I think something that I always tell people in those situations too when they're reaching out or they're trying to reestablish connections, is to always lead with being genuine. Because I think so many people, and this happens to me quite a bit, where someone will send me a message or an email, and it's a very broad ask where they say, hey, can I just talk to you for a little while about what x, y, and z is? And then about 50 minutes after the conversation is done, or even before we're off the call, they'll say, hey, I think I would love to join your team. Do you have any positions or anything like that? And it just taints the whole conversation. So I always remind people to be genuine in your curiosity.

Elise: So you need to give a reason why you're reaching out to them specifically and what you hope to get out of the conversation.

Andrew: And those are really informational interviews that people hear about. It's really about going in and asking specific questions about something that you're genuinely curious about.

Elise: Yeah, definitely. And I think one of the most important things that it's not just how likable in a way you are in that conversation, it's also about expressing gratitude for their time, advice, and insight. I would say within 12 to 24 hours, you have to write a thank you note to that person and say thank you, and what you took from the conversation.

Andrew: Giving that thank you note and then maybe checking in six months later, even three months later. It just keeps those lines of communication a little bit more warm than maybe you did in the past. And obviously at the end of those conversations, you also want to ask, is there anyone else that I should talk to? Because you want to gain access to their network, not just at their company, but also maybe they know something that's even more perfect for you at another company, right?

Elise: Definitely, yeah. That is really where the true power of networking comes in, where you're now not just limited to the people, it's now the people they know, and that creates exponential opportunity.

Andrew: We're going to take a quick break. When we get back, Elise talks about how to build connections with strangers.

Andrew: And we're back talking about networking to propel your job search and career forward. We've talked about reigniting existing connections. Now here's Eleview Consulting's founder Elise Powers on reaching out to strangers who you want to add to your professional network.

Elise: The goal is for it to not feel like you are strangers. So what I would say is let's say someone's dying to talk to you, Andrew, follow Andrew on LinkedIn. He posts regularly. He has really interesting things to say, like his posts, comment on his posts, engage with him, and then you're investing time, let's say over the course of a month or two months or something like that, and then reach out to Andrew so that you don't seem completely random. So I would say invest a little bit of time upfront and it's going to really increase the likelihood that someone's going to be receptive to talking with you.

Andrew: Timing is important. You shouldn't ask for too much, right?

Elise: Definitely. And leave them wanting more. So schedule 15 minutes or 20 minutes and then make it such an engaging conversation that they say, why don't we continue this next week? Let's add another half hour to the calendar. It's not a one and done if you do it right. And then the other thing I would add is when suggesting times to me, one of my pet peeves is when I get a LinkedIn message from someone and they say, hi, Elise, can you speak with me at 9:00 AM central time tomorrow morning? And I go, excuse me. It comes off as very presumptuous and aggressive to say, I am asking for your time and I want it to be on my schedule immediately.

Andrew: I've had people who have sent me meeting calendar reserves as their first message, and rarely does that work out. The other part of this is how do you keep those connections warm and alive?

Elise: So part of this is we only have so much time and so much energy to invest in relationships. So you do have to evaluate, do I want to maintain a relationship with this person? For those who you do think it's worthwhile, you have to be methodical about staying in touch, and I recommend at least three touchpoints per year. I find that if you don't hold yourself accountable and come up with some sort of system to stay on top of your network, it just won't happen. And then it becomes a little uncomfortable to be reaching out just when you need something a couple of years after last speaking with them.

So you can go as low tech as an Excel spreadsheet where you write down the people you've met, you want to stay in touch with, maybe even proactively set a date. You can go high-tech and use a system like HubSpot or Asana. They're free, they're great and really a touchpoint every four months or so. It doesn't have to be going out to lunch for two hours, it can be sending them a note, an interesting article that you read, try to find ways to add value like that. Maybe it's even an introduction to someone you've met recently. You think they have something in common, but you just want to stay top of mind.

Andrew: I think that is such a smart idea. I remember an internship that I had many years ago, and the one person who was a manager there, we used to joke about this internship manager that I had that was quite well known, and I saw they popped up in the news. So it gave me that excuse to send them an email and say, hey, I was thinking about you the other day because I saw on the news this person popped up and I realized that we hadn't chatted in a while, so I just wanted to say hi. And we had a great back and forth. It was just enough to sort of say like, hey, I'm thinking of you and I'm not asking anything of you, but I hope you're well.

Elise: Absolutely. And when you really just make an effort to get to know someone, to understand what's important to them, to build trust and rapport, it becomes a lot more appealing to go out and network because you really hopefully will end up building genuine friendships and relationships that can last decades.

Andrew: Yeah, there's this weird phenomenon where I think people just think that the larger number of connections they have on LinkedIn is the secret sauce, but what I always tell people is, are they meaningful connections? I get a lot of connection requests, but a lot of times it's people that I've never heard of, people that I clearly have no one in common with, and there's no note, there's no nothing like that. And I always tell people, even if you're just reaching out for the first time and say like, hey, listen, I saw we're in the same industry and hopefully one day we run into each other. Things like that matter as setting a foundation for really a good healthy connection and relationship.

Elise: And I also think part of the value in writing a personalized note is it provides context. So in the future, let's say a few months from now, you want to reach out to Andrew and say something a little bit more intentional or have a conversation with him. The introductory message gets saved in your message history. So it's just a helpful reminder down the line if you do end up connecting in a more substantial way.

Andrew: The other thing I really want to touch on with this is sometimes people won't respond to you. I often hear from people who say, ugh, no one's responding to me, no one wants to do informational interviews with me. What would your message be to them?

Elise: So I think of networking as a numbers game, very similar to dating. I don't think anyone expects to get on a dating app, swipe once, make a match, and then that is your soulmate for life. So you have to play the numbers game. You've got to reach out to a lot of people. If you consistently are getting, say, less than a 20 to 40% response, that tells me that maybe there's an opportunity to tweak the approach. So again, people are more likely to talk to you and respond if you have something and someone in common. So it's twofold. If you're not getting responses, join the club. Not everyone will respond, and that's okay. But if it's significant non-response, then maybe it's time to reevaluate the approach and think about how you may be perceived by others and just try playing around with it.

Andrew: And also just ask your friends for feedback. You can run notes past them, and then sometimes it's just about not taking the rejection or the implied rejection personally because you don't know what that other person's going through. They may have a huge project due at work, they may have a family emergency, they may be out of the office. So it's also about just keeping yourself in check.

Elise: Yeah, don't get discouraged. I think in the job search is a very vulnerable period. You're putting yourself out there. You might feel insecure about what types of jobs should I be applying to? What am I doing with my life or my career? Rejection is part of the game, and so I know that I often take things quite personal when I'm in a mindset of insecurity or vulnerability. So I think hopefully it's helpful to normalize that feeling and to say it's something that you got to go through because eventually all of this effort you're putting out there is going to pay off.

Andrew: Is there anything else that you think is important for people to know about networking that we didn't cover or that maybe I forgot to ask about?

Elise: I think the most important thing is just to remember that people will think you are fascinating the more that they do the talking. So if you're asking for someone's time, don't spend 80% of it talking about yourself. Your goal, or hopefully how you positioned it, is to learn about them. So come prepared with thoughtful questions, do your research. I would absolutely be in a place where there's no distractions around you. So really be intentional with how you spend that networking call asking great questions, and then be sure to follow up afterward.

Andrew: Well, thank you so much for joining us, Elise.

Elise: Thanks, Andrew. Always a pleasure.

Andrew: That was Elise Powers, founder of Eleview Consulting. Remember, it's up to you to put our advice into practice still. You always have a community backing you up and cheering you on. Connect with me and the Get Hired community on LinkedIn to continue the conversation. In fact, join Elise and my colleague Brandy Fowler on Monday, March 20th at noon Eastern time on Get Hired Live. You can find the RSVP link in today's show notes. Also, if you liked this episode, please leave us a rating on Apple Podcast. It helps people like you find the show. And of course, we'll continue this conversation next week right here, wherever you like to listen. Get Hired is a production of LinkedIn News. This episode was produced by Alexis Ramaou. Lolia Briggs, is our associate producer, Assoff Gidron engineered our show, Joe Digiorgi mixed our show. Dave Pond is head of news production. Enrique Montalvo is our executive producer. Courtney Coupe is head of original programming. Dan Roth is the editor-in-chief of LinkedIn. And I'm Andrew Seaman. Until next time, stay well and best of luck.