Marketing You, Pt. 3: Natural Networking

Classic networking advice that makes me want to die: "Talk to everybody!" This works sometimes, but I can show you a better way. I want you to talk to an expert: someone who has experience doing what you want to do.  This can mean: 

• They have / had your Dream Job 

• They work / worked at your Dream Company

• They're some kind of authority in your industry

Do you know any of these people? Chances are you do, and if not, you can easily find them.

LINKEDIN SEARCH TIP

For those looking to work at a company located far away, do a LinkedIn people search for the company name, then filter by your current location. You'll find people who have previously worked there but now live in your area. May only be a few, but you'll have some potential in-person contacts!

Once you find your experts...

• Reach out and ask for 15 minutes of their time. (You can find word for word scripts in the additional readings.)

  • • Be specific and don't be chatty. At first, use 5 sentences max if possible. Be enthusiastic! It makes a difference.

• Meeting in person is ideal, but a phone call is fine too. 

• Send the email Monday or Tuesday and ask to meet later in the week. 

• • Give any excuse to meet: "I'll be in town Friday" is a social trigger.

There are paid options and free options that will allow you to schedule email for sending later, google your platform of choice (gmail, outlook, apple mail) etc. to find your best choice. Or just use a paper calendar to plan this out.

If you use Gmail you can try Yesware, an app that let's you schedule emails and create email templates. You can send 100 emails a month for free: http://www.yesware.com/plans-and-pricing

Informal meetings are for you to test your ideas and gain new insights. They are NOT to get hooked up with a job. Never ask for one here. They're also not to talk about yourself, so kindly shut up and listen. Right now you're just gathering information. 

You have a lot of questions, but they all really boil down to two:

1. Would I like this job?

2. Can I get this job? If so, you can move forward. If not, you need to stop, step back and adjust either your target job role or your target companies. 

Planning Your Questions Before You Arrive

Try to answer each question yourself before you actually ask it. This weeds out dumb or useless questions that you can easily answer on your own. Plus, it's just considerate. Don't make the busy person do more work than you! (That doesn't make them want to keep in touch.)

Good Questions: For "Would I like this job?" 

• "As someone who's been in the fundraising industry for 2 years, what has been the the biggest surprise to you?" 

• "It seems like consultants either get promoted quickly, or leave to work for one of your industry clients. Is that usually the case or are there other common paths?" 

Good Questions: For "Can I get this job (and how can I maximize my chances)?" 

• "It looks like this job requires some ad software experience. Can I learn that on my own, or not at all?" 

• "You've worked with a lot of game designers in your career. Besides raw talent, what's the #1 thing you look for in a designer?"

At this point, you've already networked far more effectively than most people. Even if others are able to get this far, here's where they drop the ball: They never follow up. Most people just take advice and disappear forever. And of course, the expert soon forgets about them. 

You are going to build a real, long-term relationship with the people you contact. How? By closing the loop and adding value back to them.

💠 Closing The Loop 💠 

Before you even have the meeting, plan 3 separate follow-ups that are specific, like you should know you always need to be by now:

• 1. Thank You (same day): "Hi Dory, Just wanted to thank you again for meeting with me earlier. I'm definitely going to get in touch with Marlin like you recommended. I'll keep you in the loop, and of course, please let me know if there's anything I can do to repay the favor! - Nemo"

  2. Add Value (2 weeks later): "Hey Dory, Saw this article in the Wall Street Journal and it reminded me of what you said about productivity tests! No response needed, just thought you might find it interesting. -Nemo"

  3. Close the Loop (2-3 weeks later): "Hi Dory, Wanted to give you an update: I did end up talking to Marlin, and you were right — Acme is definitely a fit for me. I'm reaching out to a friend there to learn all I can about Acme before I apply. If there's anyone else you think I should speak to, please let me know. Thanks again! I'll let you know how it goes. -Nemo"

Why this works: Experts are used to giving advice to losers that never do anything. When you 1. actually take their advice and 2. keep them informed, they automatically peg you as a winner and you move to the top of their mind. 

1. Find five experts to reach out to using the LinkedIn method shown earlier. [30 minutes] 

2. Draft a clear, concise email and reach out to them for a coffee meeting or phone call. [30 minutes]

3. Do your homework ahead of time. When you show up, ask your 5 most important questions, then shut up and listen. [1 hour per expert]

4. Follow up every 3-4 weeks using the Closing the Loop technique. 

Networking as part of the Bigger Picture

This is all part of the idea-testing process. Remember that! If after talking to experts you decide that YES, you love your target job role and companies, then great! Continue to the next step. If you discover that you don't, no problem: If it's not the right role for you, go back to Part 1. If it's not the right employer, refer back to Part 2. 

Remember: You're not just doing this for the short-term. You're building real relationships. That's one of the smartest things you can do for your career, and also one of the most fulfilling. 

Coming up in Part 4, you will:

🢡 Refine your marketing tools for optimized self-representation and communication with potential employers

You will...

🢡 Analyze your skillsets, experience, and motivations

🢡 Evaluate their relevance to your dream job and what employers are looking for

🢡 Synthesize this information into a narrative-based resume and story-based cover letter

Onward we go!