I’m obsessed with networking.  Mostly because I know how valuable it is, but also because I just don’t like to do it.

It’s a total love/hate relationship.

Love because I’ve gotten so many opportunities from ALL forms of networking.  Hate because I wish networking wasn’t so important.

So I’m always on the look out for networking ideas that suit my introvert self but that work.  Which is how I came across Michelle Warner’s Networking System.  She developed it based off a networking course she took in her MBA program and uses it to build her businesses through the creation of a referral network.

I saw some amazing potential in this system immediately, the same night that I heard about it I told my clients about it.  They needed this in their lives.

But I also knew that it wasn’t perfect for job seekers, so I worked on tweaking it to make it more relevant.  I wanted it to be easy, push us a little out of our comfort zone and take almost no time at all.

Once I had it all figured out, I wanted to get it out to the world.  So I hosted the Networking Challenge over in the Career Networking Group on Facebook. I went Live each day to talk about the day’s challenge, I posted ideas and sample emails (come join the group to get them).

It all boiled down to this:

5 days. 5 minutes. Advocates Galore.

Monday: Be Thankful

On Monday, we sent out emails to say “thank you”.  We did this to old colleagues, managers or even someone we didn’t know.

We told them why we were thankful and how their advice/tool/resource had a positive impact on our careers.

Tuesday: Offer Help

This day was about generating good will and getting comfortable emailing.  One thing I’ve noticed in my years in recruitment and career coaching is that saying yes and offering help always yields positive results.

Plus, a common thought that prevents or scares us off from networking is the thought that the person on the other end will feel like we are asking too much or being a burden.  But by offering help, we take that fear away.

We offered help to new grads, other job seekers, sending information/articles and even connecting people.

Wednesday: Engage

LinkedIn networking is important.  It tells the algorithm that you are active (making it like you more) plus it increases your network and name familiarity. 

Now this day wasn’t about easy engagement, just hitting like or commenting on a friend’s post on LinkedIn. 

It was seeing a post, having something to say but feeling a little sick at the notion of it.  It’s about being scared to do it but doing it anyway.  That’s a great habit to develop with networking.

Thursday: Ask for Help

On day 4, we pushed ourselves a little bit more.  We chose someone we know (friend, colleague or old manager) and sent them an email asking for some of their time.  A chance to reconnect, gather some information and ask for advice.

Why this works? When we’ve lost touch with someone we are no longer in their “recency bias” for when new opportunities pass them by.  This is a time to remind them of who you are and tell them about what you want at this point in your career.

Friday: Be Bold

The last day of the week is about pushing ourselves even more, it's a culmination of the entire week.  It’s very similar to Thursday, except we are reaching out to people we DON’T know.  We looked at people who work where we want to work or in jobs that we want to work in. 

We crafted an email that asked for a few minutes of their time so that we can learn more about they do. Not asking for a job, just asking for information.  This helps us create a network of people who can support us find that RIGHT career for us.
 
Rinse and Repeat.

I recommend doing this every week.  Carve out 5 minutes in your calendar each day and commit to it.  It’s going to create SO MANY opportunities for you.  You’ll have a powerful network that gives you access to that Hidden Job Market.  You’ll have mentors and advocates that want to see you succeed.

Don’t forget, join the group to get support, the sample emails and more tips on how this will change your career success.

You are in the midst of a tough job search and doing what you thought you were supposed to do.  Doling things like applying to jobs, even doing some networking with some friends and family, but nothing is working.
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Well perhaps it is time to start taking your networking to the next level with one of these 5 innovative ideas.

1. Start Your Own Networking Group

That’s what I did.  I noticed that in Halton there wasn’t an online networking group, so I created one on Facebook.  An online one is great as it allows you to network with other job seekers and of course lots of employed people and it is a comfortable way to start building relationships.  Maybe you could even host some in person events to meet with the group “live”.

To start one, pick your platform – Facebook or LinkedIn are great for online.  LinkedIn is more professional but the groups aren’t always super active.  Facebook is great because it is more interactive, but some people may not think to look for a networking group on Facebook.

Another alternative is to start a MeetUp group which is more geared to in person but has an online component, the big draw back is cost as MeetUp doesn’t allow anyone to create a group for free.

Once you’ve created the group make sure you invite all of your friends and family, promoting it in relevant Facebook groups and post about it on all your social media channels.  Then begin to target individuals who are in careers, companies and industries that you want.  That way you can begin to build those key relationships for your future.

2. Post a Video Resume

Create a video (or series of videos) and post it on relevant social media channels (especially LinkedIn).  Don’t regurgitate your resume though, instead use this as an opportunity to help potential employers understand what you have achieved, how you made a difference and what you are capable of achieving in the future.

Make sure your personality is shining through, that is what this video resume is, a chance for a potential employer (or networking contact) to see YOU.  Keep is short and sweet, around 2 minutes and it goes without saying, be professional.

3. Give Back

This especially works if you are in an active job search (read: not working), instead of treating your job search like a full time job, get out of your head and give back.

Find a volunteer opportunity that allows you to keep your skill set active or even build new skills that will be useful for your future job.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again (and again…) that a positive mindset goes a LONG way in a career so keeping yourself productive while giving back to your community will keep your spirits high.  Plus, it will look good on your resume and LinkedIn profile!

4. Knock On Doors

In this world of technology, the personal touch gets lost.  We hide behind our computer screens and apply to jobs and hope for the best.

Sometimes we need to go old school, especially for a job we really want.  So if a dream job comes up at a dream company, apply through normal channels, do your research on the potential hiring manager and reach out through email.  Then print out your resume and show up in person.  At the front desk, simply state that you wanted to drop an application off to the hiring manager (providing their name).  You never know, the manager may be available and may pop down to see you.  Stranger things have happened! 

No matter what, it shows that you take initiative and that you aren’t afraid to go the extra mile for something you are passionate about.

5. Take Advantage of Everyday Moments
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Every day we are faced with potential networking opportunities – I’ve heard of jobs happening based off of conversations on the soccer field, in the dentist’s chair and running into old friends.

Since networking is about getting people invested in your success based off of building strong relationships it doesn’t have to happen in a traditional “professional setting”.  Start asking people questions while out and about and casually mention your next move.


Taking control and ownership of your future will not only help uncover those hard to find opportunities but it will also boost your confidence and set you up for success when they do come around.

Are you struggling in your job search?  Book a free consult, we'll talk it through, I'll give you some actionable advise so that you can (finally) land that right career.

You landed an interview for the job of your dreams.  You spent hours preparing and show up nice and early.

You are nervous, which is to be expected because this is the job you having been going after for ages.

The interviews start off great, you are nailing it. 

Then it happens.

They ask you a question.  And you don’t know how to answer it.  You panic and mumble, “um I don’t know” or ramble through some long winded story hoping that it distracts them or maybe just somehow answers the question.

The rest of the interview isn’t much better, you can’t stop thinking about how you’ve blown it and so the rest of your answers are just as bad.
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Has this ever happened to you?

I’m sure it has because most of us have an interview story of when we just couldn’t think of an answer.

Mine is really silly.  I was interviewing for a recruiter job right out of school and the question was actually a really easy one:

“If I were to call your references what would they say?”

It really caught me off guard and I wasn’t too sure what to say. 

So I immediately starting speaking and saying all the wrong things like “I’m friends with all my references so they’ll say good things” to “well I’m not sure what my father would say, it isn’t easy working for your dad, chuckle chuckle”. 

By the look on her face I knew I screwed up.  Which totally derailed the rest of the interview.

Needless to say, I didn’t get the job!

Prepare yourself for this to happen, that way if it does then you can handle it calmly and confidently, meaning you can leave the interview knowing you gave it your all and still in contention for the role.

So what should you do?

Remain Calm
Take a deep breath.  Remind yourself that you’ve got this.  Stay calm and confident. 

Be Open
Tough questions are a part of the game, so be open with the interviewer that you are having a tough time.  Maybe with a:

“Great question, let me think about that for a moment” Or if you are really struggling “would it be okay to come back to this question?”

Get Out of Your Head
Don’t be afraid to verbalize your thought processes as you try to come up with an answer.  This especially works for process oriented or technical questions.

“I don’t have experience with that exact {fill in blank}, but this is how I would approach it” and share your thoughts aloud.

Showcase Your Abilities
If you are asked a knowledge or technical question and you don’t know the answer or even how you would go about answering the question. Pivot and showcase your abilities.

“I don’t have experience with that exact {fill in blank}, but that hasn’t stopped me in the past” and share a story about a time at work where you were thrown into something new and how you quickly picked it up, maybe you even became the team expert!

Ask for Clarification
This is especially helpful with a behavioural based question.  The interviewer will repeat the question, maybe even ask it in a different way making it easier for you to come up with an answer.  And even if it doesn’t help, it will buy you more time to collect yourself and think of something!

Be Persistent
So you couldn’t answer it, or your answer wasn’t what you hoped it could be.  That doesn’t mean all is lost.

Once you come to the end of your lackluster story, go into how you would go about finding out the right answer.  Show them you are not the type who sits back and expects things to come to you, you will go out there and find the solution.

Maybe during the interview a better answer comes to you, before you ask your questions ask if it is okay to revisit that question and share your new stronger answer with them.

After the interview you’ll send your thank you email, talk them through what you now know.  If it was a technical question – tell them how you researched and discovered the answer.  If it was a behavioural question, go through a quick 3 sentence story about it.

Bad answers happen.  And people who give bad answers still get hired.  Because the perfect interview is rare, so what matters most is how you handle it.  Don't let it ruin the rest of the interview.  

Having trouble with interviews in general?  I can help with that!  I help clients figure out what has been going wrong and we turn things around.  Invest in your success.