Do I just fire my network?
December 21, 2011 8:21 PM Subscribe
The canonical advice for finding work is "network". I have a network: people who ask me technical questions all the time. Yet none has sent me a single reference to (engineering) work. I've gotten fed up with answering their questions, when they know I am looking and yet they produce squat in the way of "so-and-so is looking for someone who can do what you do." So what do I do?
My network seemingly exists for the people in it to send me the technical questions they cannot answer. I have made it clear that I'm looking for work. While these folks seem to be fine with asking me quite detailed technical questions, I have seen - in a year - not a single lead from any of them.
Therefore it seems I have selected a useless network.
I realize the common element in this network is me; therefore I am selecting wrongly. How do I go about selecting a network more suited for mutual help than asking me for my expertise when it suits them? It is not as though I'm incapable of building interesting and helpful networks: my most useful and helpful source of leads has been my friends who live in a collective house and are about as un-connected with my field as they are with thirteenth-century church vestments. I got another technical question tonight and finally hit the roof.
Do I fire my network?
My network seemingly exists for the people in it to send me the technical questions they cannot answer. I have made it clear that I'm looking for work. While these folks seem to be fine with asking me quite detailed technical questions, I have seen - in a year - not a single lead from any of them.
Therefore it seems I have selected a useless network.
I realize the common element in this network is me; therefore I am selecting wrongly. How do I go about selecting a network more suited for mutual help than asking me for my expertise when it suits them? It is not as though I'm incapable of building interesting and helpful networks: my most useful and helpful source of leads has been my friends who live in a collective house and are about as un-connected with my field as they are with thirteenth-century church vestments. I got another technical question tonight and finally hit the roof.
Do I fire my network?
Why do you think these people are your entire network for the purposes of finding work? Ok, so there are these people who ask you questions about technical stuff. My mom asks me how to fix her computer but that doesn't mean she's going to find me a job doing that. Plus, if you answer their questions for free then what is the incentive for them to hire you or to tell their bosses to hire you?
Your network is everyone you know. It's not just the people you know who happen to do the exact same job as you.
posted by cabingirl at 8:37 PM on December 21, 2011 [2 favorites]
Your network is everyone you know. It's not just the people you know who happen to do the exact same job as you.
posted by cabingirl at 8:37 PM on December 21, 2011 [2 favorites]
Have you explicitly asked for their help? Networking is hard work and people don't necessarily seek it out on their own. Sometimes you need to be really clear, i.e. "Hi Bob, the left widgit in this scenario is really the key element in increasing efficiency and reducing drag, so do x, y, and z to improve the function of the thing. By the way, do you know of any positions in Widgit Field or at Widgit Company? As you may know, I am actively looking for my next opportunity in the field. Thanks for keeping me in mind if anything comes up. Best, jet_silver."
Obviously I know zero about engineering, but not-zero about recruiting and networking.
posted by charmcityblues at 8:39 PM on December 21, 2011 [2 favorites]
Obviously I know zero about engineering, but not-zero about recruiting and networking.
posted by charmcityblues at 8:39 PM on December 21, 2011 [2 favorites]
Maybe it isn't who is in your network so much as it is how you are using your network. Finding work through contacts is not just a matter of letting them know you are looking and then sitting back to wait for offers to roll in. There's a "work" part of networking that is quite separate from the favors you do for people. Those kind of contacts are how you create a network and keep it alive. Using it is a different kind of skill.
When I was looking for a job I made a point of buying lunch or coffee for one or two people a week, and emailing three or four others. Lunch or coffee would give me the opportunity to say I was still looking and specifically identify a couple of companies or contacts the other person has that could be helpful. Emails were the same. "Hi X. Just touching base again - how is that problem I helped you out with last week? Hope that the solution works fine and you haven't found the need to call in the professionals! As you may remember I am still looking for a role in [be specific] and I hope you will think of me if you hear of anything - particularly at X Inc. or Y Inc. I would be really interested to hear your thoughts on how I can go about finding a position like this - if you have time over the next couple of weeks may I buy you a coffee? Regards, Y."
YMMV but this approach helped me land my dream job.
posted by yogalemon at 8:41 PM on December 21, 2011 [5 favorites]
When I was looking for a job I made a point of buying lunch or coffee for one or two people a week, and emailing three or four others. Lunch or coffee would give me the opportunity to say I was still looking and specifically identify a couple of companies or contacts the other person has that could be helpful. Emails were the same. "Hi X. Just touching base again - how is that problem I helped you out with last week? Hope that the solution works fine and you haven't found the need to call in the professionals! As you may remember I am still looking for a role in [be specific] and I hope you will think of me if you hear of anything - particularly at X Inc. or Y Inc. I would be really interested to hear your thoughts on how I can go about finding a position like this - if you have time over the next couple of weeks may I buy you a coffee? Regards, Y."
YMMV but this approach helped me land my dream job.
posted by yogalemon at 8:41 PM on December 21, 2011 [5 favorites]
I don't know that I've ever had a decent lead on an engineering job, and if I did, I probably wouldn't understand what the skillset is, so if I was part of your network, I'd be no good either. Most of your friends asking for technical assistance are probably in a similar situation. You should be focused on your *professional* network, as those people are hundreds of times more likely than your high school buddies to be able to find a job opening for you. Former co-workers, supervisors with whom you are on good terms with, clients who who were pleased with your work, that sort of thing.
But if your broader point is that "Just network, bro!" is an overused bromide that fails much, much more often than it succeeds and feels like a way to subtly blames job-seekers for their own unemployment? I'm right there with you.
posted by skewed at 8:53 PM on December 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
But if your broader point is that "Just network, bro!" is an overused bromide that fails much, much more often than it succeeds and feels like a way to subtly blames job-seekers for their own unemployment? I'm right there with you.
posted by skewed at 8:53 PM on December 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
Why would anyone give you a lead if you're not charging them for your time? You don't mention if you are giving away your help for free, but if you are, then these people see you just as a freebie.
Return all future inquiries with, "Would love to help, but need to focus on my job search. My going rate is $XXX. Cheers!"
posted by These Birds of a Feather at 8:55 PM on December 21, 2011 [3 favorites]
Return all future inquiries with, "Would love to help, but need to focus on my job search. My going rate is $XXX. Cheers!"
posted by These Birds of a Feather at 8:55 PM on December 21, 2011 [3 favorites]
Start charging them? "Why yes, since I have been so long unemployed I have started a consulting business. My minimum charge is $X."
Haha ... These Birds ... jinx!
posted by Rube R. Nekker at 8:55 PM on December 21, 2011
Haha ... These Birds ... jinx!
posted by Rube R. Nekker at 8:55 PM on December 21, 2011
You need to be proactive and specific about looking for work. Make a list of anyone you have helped over the past six months, and write them an email saying "Hey, you may recall connecting with me to solve "problem xyz". I'm looking for work as an engineer. Do you know anyone I should talk to? They don't necessarily need to be hiring at the moment. I'm just trying to widen my network and do a little research."
posted by KokuRyu at 9:01 PM on December 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by KokuRyu at 9:01 PM on December 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
Also, develop a persona as a consultant. This means create a basic website or blog with a company name that describes what you do. Ask the people you've helped over the past year for recommendations you can put on your website. Get a domain, and answer questions via email using that domain. Include an email sig that has a one-line slogan of some sort, and that also point back to your "company" website.
posted by KokuRyu at 9:03 PM on December 21, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by KokuRyu at 9:03 PM on December 21, 2011 [2 favorites]
A lot depends on the sorts of people sending you these technical questions. Are they other employed engineers seeking out your specialized knowledge? If so, you definitely need to cut them off from the free benefit. On the other hand, if they are folks who wouldn't necessarily know your field, or who is hiring within it, then it is more an issue that you haven't yet gotten the right connections into your network.
You really need to be building relationships with folks who are in and around your field of interest. Other consultants or employees of the places you want to work. Clients of the sorts of places you want to work. Principals you'd like to work for. Professional associations related to your field. If you are already doing this and have gotten only the opportunity to give away knowledge, but no offers, then indeed something is up.
I strongly recommend selecting some folks in your network who understand what you do and see if they'll join you for a coffee. Ask them point blank how the industry is doing, if they know of any places that are hiring, and if there is anything you are doing that is limiting your opportunities.
A couple months ago I ended up having coffee with a young woman trying to make her way into my field who was very frustrated by the job market and networking. It was a sort of out of the blue thing as the connection was through a cousin of mine who had worked with her at a temp position. Still, I was able to identify a few things for her, both in terms of her own background credentials that may be holding her back, and the general state of the industry which is essentially that no one in architecture is doing very well and the younger generation is particularly challenged finding work.
If you don't have the people in your network who can give you this honest feedback and inside industry assessment, that needs to be your first priority. Anything they can tell you will be much more relevant than a group of folks from the internet.
posted by meinvt at 9:14 PM on December 21, 2011 [2 favorites]
You really need to be building relationships with folks who are in and around your field of interest. Other consultants or employees of the places you want to work. Clients of the sorts of places you want to work. Principals you'd like to work for. Professional associations related to your field. If you are already doing this and have gotten only the opportunity to give away knowledge, but no offers, then indeed something is up.
I strongly recommend selecting some folks in your network who understand what you do and see if they'll join you for a coffee. Ask them point blank how the industry is doing, if they know of any places that are hiring, and if there is anything you are doing that is limiting your opportunities.
A couple months ago I ended up having coffee with a young woman trying to make her way into my field who was very frustrated by the job market and networking. It was a sort of out of the blue thing as the connection was through a cousin of mine who had worked with her at a temp position. Still, I was able to identify a few things for her, both in terms of her own background credentials that may be holding her back, and the general state of the industry which is essentially that no one in architecture is doing very well and the younger generation is particularly challenged finding work.
If you don't have the people in your network who can give you this honest feedback and inside industry assessment, that needs to be your first priority. Anything they can tell you will be much more relevant than a group of folks from the internet.
posted by meinvt at 9:14 PM on December 21, 2011 [2 favorites]
The canonical advice for finding work is "network". I have a network: people who ask me technical questions all the time.
Therefore it seems I have selected a useless network.
That may be a network of yours, but are these people in a position to make the kind of introductions that will get you ahead in your job search? If so, you need to make specific requests. Ask for introductions, ask if they can bring you do an industry event, etc. Your network, no matter how enviously-well-connected, is only as good as what you make of it.
posted by desuetude at 10:18 PM on December 21, 2011
Therefore it seems I have selected a useless network.
That may be a network of yours, but are these people in a position to make the kind of introductions that will get you ahead in your job search? If so, you need to make specific requests. Ask for introductions, ask if they can bring you do an industry event, etc. Your network, no matter how enviously-well-connected, is only as good as what you make of it.
posted by desuetude at 10:18 PM on December 21, 2011
Send them a nice, pleasant email and say, hey, I'm looking for these specific kinds of jobs, ( IT professional, Network Engineer, etc), please keep an eye out for me or forward my resume, I ould really appreciate it, etc.
posted by gt2 at 10:52 PM on December 21, 2011
posted by gt2 at 10:52 PM on December 21, 2011
Seek out more of your peers, the other people who can answer the difficult tech questions. These are the people in your network who will be most helpful sending you job leads, once you have mutual respect.
I doubt the others in your network, who ask you for help, are holding back on referring you for the plethora of jobs they just happen to hear about; they probably don't have reason to stumble upon openings above their paygrade. Heck, you don't even mention whether these people you're resentful of are engineers themselves.
Ultimately, though, I think the best thing you can do is be specific about your targets. If you can identify companies you want to interview at, then you can ask everyone in your network for introductions into those companies.
"Networking" isn't the same as "having your friends do the job hunt work for you." If you're hoping for a quid pro quo, it's not realistic.
If you're as bitter as you sound about being put into a position where you're continuously answering people's questions, start "consulting" -- charging an hourly rate.
posted by nadise at 10:56 PM on December 21, 2011
I doubt the others in your network, who ask you for help, are holding back on referring you for the plethora of jobs they just happen to hear about; they probably don't have reason to stumble upon openings above their paygrade. Heck, you don't even mention whether these people you're resentful of are engineers themselves.
Ultimately, though, I think the best thing you can do is be specific about your targets. If you can identify companies you want to interview at, then you can ask everyone in your network for introductions into those companies.
"Networking" isn't the same as "having your friends do the job hunt work for you." If you're hoping for a quid pro quo, it's not realistic.
If you're as bitter as you sound about being put into a position where you're continuously answering people's questions, start "consulting" -- charging an hourly rate.
posted by nadise at 10:56 PM on December 21, 2011
The most important question in networking is "who else should I talk to?", not "can I have a job please?" You want to ask the people in your network if they know anyone who shares your interest in X, Y, and Z.
And, as nadise said, be specific with your networking needs. "Can you connect me to your pal Dave at Microsoft?" You need to do more targeted research about the companies that you want to talk to. This is where LinkedIn and alumni networks come in handy.
posted by emkelley at 3:55 AM on December 22, 2011 [2 favorites]
And, as nadise said, be specific with your networking needs. "Can you connect me to your pal Dave at Microsoft?" You need to do more targeted research about the companies that you want to talk to. This is where LinkedIn and alumni networks come in handy.
posted by emkelley at 3:55 AM on December 22, 2011 [2 favorites]
I just got great networking advice yesterday.
Keep two lists:
1. People you know. Keep in touch with them no more than once a month. Send them a cat video if they like cats, etc. Ask how things are going for them professionally. Don't ask for a job, ask if "they know anyone who needs help with X" X being things they should know you are capable of.
2. People you don't know. You can cold email these people or ask for introductions through people you already know. Give them a short bio, and ask for a informal meeting 15-30 min for coffee of something. If you are looking for a change, ask advice - or repeat above. "let me know if anyone you know needs help with something I can offer." Then you can keep in touch with these people.
Good luck!
posted by Gor-ella at 5:06 AM on December 22, 2011
Keep two lists:
1. People you know. Keep in touch with them no more than once a month. Send them a cat video if they like cats, etc. Ask how things are going for them professionally. Don't ask for a job, ask if "they know anyone who needs help with X" X being things they should know you are capable of.
2. People you don't know. You can cold email these people or ask for introductions through people you already know. Give them a short bio, and ask for a informal meeting 15-30 min for coffee of something. If you are looking for a change, ask advice - or repeat above. "let me know if anyone you know needs help with something I can offer." Then you can keep in touch with these people.
Good luck!
posted by Gor-ella at 5:06 AM on December 22, 2011
First, I echo the comments that you're not build the right network if you're just reaching out to friends and schoolmates, etc. You need to be networking with peers, customers, other professionals, etc. Since it sounds like the people coming to you aren't engineers (they need help with basic things), why would you assume they'd know about engineering jobs?
Second, you need to actively engage your network. The people in your network aren't being passive - they have a problem, they see someone who can help them solve it, and they engage with you. You're being passive - you let people know you're looking for work, and then leave it at that. You can't. If you know of a company you want to work at, and someone in your network can make an introduction, you have to reach out to them and ask them to do so. Don't just sit back and wait for your ship to come in.
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 5:30 AM on December 22, 2011
Second, you need to actively engage your network. The people in your network aren't being passive - they have a problem, they see someone who can help them solve it, and they engage with you. You're being passive - you let people know you're looking for work, and then leave it at that. You can't. If you know of a company you want to work at, and someone in your network can make an introduction, you have to reach out to them and ask them to do so. Don't just sit back and wait for your ship to come in.
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 5:30 AM on December 22, 2011
Don't let people take your professional advice for free and walk all over you when you're hurting for income. Offer to work as a consultant, while still maintaining good relations and continuing to network.
posted by deathpanels at 5:52 AM on December 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by deathpanels at 5:52 AM on December 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
Don't let people take your professional advice for free and walk all over you when you're hurting for income. Offer to work as a consultant, while still maintaining good relations and continuing to network.
I disagree with this (and with the similar comments earlier). You're not getting walked all over - you're helping people out. Those people might not be able to help you with today's problem, but there's a good chance they'll be able to help you with something in the future. Cutting off support to them would be very short sighted, and likely leave you in a bad spot later on down the line. After all, if you stop helping them today, why would they bother to help you tomorrow? Consider it a small investment in the future.
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 7:01 AM on December 22, 2011
I disagree with this (and with the similar comments earlier). You're not getting walked all over - you're helping people out. Those people might not be able to help you with today's problem, but there's a good chance they'll be able to help you with something in the future. Cutting off support to them would be very short sighted, and likely leave you in a bad spot later on down the line. After all, if you stop helping them today, why would they bother to help you tomorrow? Consider it a small investment in the future.
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 7:01 AM on December 22, 2011
Cast your net very wide. A year or so ago, a grade school friend of mine who is a connection on FB posted a message, "hey I've got a bright friend looking for a job in X field. Let me know if you have any leads." It happens that my mom was a manager in X field at a very good company, and I forwarded the woman's information along and they talked, and voilà, a few months later that woman was employed at my mom's company. I don't know her, I don't really know the FB friend, I know nothing about X field, but it worked as networking. The thing was, the woman was a great candidate and just needed the lead that FB provided. So don't limit yourself to what you may view as your professional network. Facebook, social circles, church, clubs, distant acquaintances, friends of friends, are all potentially useful.
posted by jayder at 7:12 AM on December 22, 2011
posted by jayder at 7:12 AM on December 22, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
That said, you also need to consider how you market yourself and your availability. You say that you've informed people in your network that you're looking for work, but work doesn't just fall into your lap because you've told people that you're looking for it. You need to take charge of your search for work and seek out opportunities, market yourself, attend industry events, etc. In short you have to demonstrate why potential employers want to hire you over the other guy. The people in your network can get you only so far; the onus is on you to make your network work to your benefit.
posted by dfriedman at 8:35 PM on December 21, 2011