On Smarter Networking For the Fall

I've made it a goal for myself to read at least two books a month over the past five years, and this past August, I returned to exploring the genre of non-fiction with Simon Sinek's "Leaders Eat Last".

For anyone interested in reading material on leadership and organizational development, I highly recommend adding this book to your Fall 2020 list. The chapter that inspired me to write this is based on the study of a Silicon Valley tech company that attempted to encourage cross-functional interaction between teams through the construction of a communal workspace, only to have this plan backfire as the company continued its rapid expansion.

Lucky them for still being able to meet people in person.

I had to think about how the increasing difficulty of building connections across my social platforms during this period of remote work is becoming more relevant than ever with such limited opportunities for social interactions. Not to mention the strain that has been placed on our mental capacity for outreach with the additional pressures that we have been challenged with.

After speaking to a few peers in my own network about their questions regarding their job searches, I wanted to share a few insights about maximizing soft skills from my recruitment experience to help my Linkedin community members who are in limbo between making their next move or trying to gain value out of the virtual relationships that they are establishing with professionals across their industries.

1. On Connecting With People For Jobs

How do I get my resume in front of recruiters at a time when there are so many candidates for a few coveted spots?

This is a tough question that I've been asked multiple times. You may have heard that using buzzwords on your resume is an efficient way of gaming the algorithm on Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) that are used to manage candidate information. This can backfire easily if you inflate your experience and don't have the skills to match what's on paper, so I would advise against copy-and-pasting words from job descriptions into your resumes without considering if you've actually accomplished what the role is looking for.

Here's where the importance of the right contacts comes into play.

If you're not a seasoned networker, this is the best time for you to brush up on your communication skills and step out of your comfort zone. As a friend of mine mentioned, socializing is like a muscle that you need to flex often so that your skills don't atrophy.

Map out a list of the networks that you have from work, school, home, even your extended family. Ask yourself the following questions.

• Have you run a Linkedin search on specific people from the companies that you have applied to?
• Are you connected to them in any way?
• Do I have a positive relationship with this person?
• If so, how can you get in touch with them?

There's a likelihood that someone you know or have interacted with currently holds a position at a company where they may have contacts with key stakeholders in hiring decision processes. This is not to assume that you should be reaching out to just people who hold high-ranking titles - if anything, titles do not necessarily represent the amount of influence or experience that someone has, so cast your net wide when sending your messages or asking to schedule a virtual coffee chat.

2. On Crafting An Outreach Message

After using overenthusiastic one-liners in my work emails during the first few months of the year, I realized I just wasn't reading the room properly.

In what we're calling these "unprecedented times", the professional formalities of the previous years are less applicable than they used to be. This includes the overused line of "I hope this message finds you well" - probably not as relatable as it was in 2019 for obvious reasons.

“There’s a lot of research that shows that people will read into your email a lot more, and they will perceive your email as more negative than it is if they don’t know you well” - Liz Fosslien, as seen in The New York Times article by Tim Herrera

Run your draft by someone if you want to get feedback on the tone of the message. Does it sound pretentious, or plain?

There's a chance that thousands of other candidates are sending the same messages as you are to recruiters and other company employees, expressing their interest in a position that they applied for or want to learn more about. The truth is, one message isn't going to do the trick, unless you actually know the person you're contacting directly (and even so, they may not necessarily respond).

The keywords to take note of here: know the person.

I've mapped out a series of questions that you can ask yourself before deciding on who to contact.

• What connections do you have to the company that you are applying for?
• Have you worked closely with someone from one of the teams before?
• Have you met the person you're about to contact in person/virtually before?
• Can that team member send a note testifying that you should be considered for the role?
• What connections do you have with the person that you're reaching out to?
• Did my contact who connected me to the person I'm reaching out to refer my name over to them?

Think about how you can include these details into your message before sending them out. You never know what relationship the reader might have to the information that you're sharing with them - the more relevant and personable your pitch sounds, the better your chances at receiving a response.

More often than not, traditional notes will include a line about wanting to be considered for a position, with no strong objective about why, or what they can bring to the table. That doesn't stand out very much amidst hundreds of similar InMails, does it?

The takeaway here is - be polite, but direct. Also, be original.

3. On Following Up - Giving Back is Key

The best lesson that I've learned from a colleague of mine is to always follow up. It's not easy, but it makes a huge difference in the long term.

There's two types of follow ups - the regular "thank you" note, and then there's the follow up that provides a value-add.

From a relationship perspective, givers build deeper and broader connections. When a salesperson truly cares about you, trust forms, and you’re more likely to buy, come back for repeat business, and refer new customers." - Adam Grant, author of 'Give and Take', The Atlantic

An example of this - I met a fellow recruiter at a networking event whom I connected with on Linkedin immediately. Right after we departed, I received a message from her mentioning that it was a pleasure to meet me, and that she had noticed that my company was recruiting for sales candidates. She offered to refer her own candidates over to me if I needed any assistance with my search.

Not only did she leave a positive impression after our first meeting, but she extended an offer to help my company - which I absolutely appreciated.

Reciprocity is a binding factor in most relationships, and it doesn't have to come in the form of a tangible benefit such as a candidate referral or paying for someone's coffee after a coffee chat. By offering to stay in touch, you're letting people know that there's a two-way street in place so that you can reconnect down the line.

Keep in mind that there's a timeline to follow up with your contacts, and a limit to doing so as well.

As much as social media has received negative attention for its effects on its users' self-confidence recently, using it wisely (and sparingly) can prove to be useful in maintaining your ties to the people whom you've met previously.

If At First You Don't Succeed...

You know the rest.

Networking is a routine, so you'll need to stay active in order to keep up with everyone else. There are people out there who are willing to help - you just need to put the effort into finding them.

Good luck, and if I can be of any help, you're always welcome to reach out to me.

AAA