Help your network help you

Awhile back I had lunch with some alumni from a local job search support group. As is usual we each shared where we were currently and in some cases, that we were still looking for something better. One participant lamented that although she had a job, she was finding it very challenging to find the "right" job at a company she had targeted. Others in the group asked if she had any contacts who could help her network into the company. Yes, she did, but she admitted that she was very hesitant to contact them and ask for help.

Your reaction might be that this hesitation is not very smart on her part. Actually I find that many job seekers are uncomfortable asking for help from their network because they feel they are imposing. There are better and worse ways to ask for help. Here are some suggestions that I provided to this job seeker:

• Explain clearly how someone can help you. If you just ask "Can you help me find a job at Acme Corp?" they may feel they can't and thus the conversation ends immediately. A more productive strategy would be "I would really love to work at Acme and I'm looking for contacts there that I could do an informational interview with. Who would you recommend I speak with?"
• When you get a referral through a network contact, follow up. In your initial contact with the referral, always mention the name of the person from whom you received their information. A sample script might be "Hello Jane, this is Mary Smith. I got your information from John Green who I believe is a former colleague of yours. "
• Again, the initial objective is to gather information so avoid any direct mention of jobs. You could continue your message to Jane with something like this: "John indicated that you would be a good resource for me as I'm exploring whether Acme might be a company that would be a fit for my skills and interests."
• Always report the results of the referral back to your initial contact. If your attempts to connect were not successful, they may be able to intercede on your behalf or refer you to someone else. And, if you were able to connect, they will want to hear how it went.

If you approach these network building activities focused on obtaining advice and information, it becomes much less uncomfortable. Think about it - when someone asks you for advice, do you feel flattered? Do you want to help? Most people do. And if you are the one asking for advice and information, remember that in the future, you will be able to help someone out with your knowledge. That's a win-win situation!