Proof Of The Power Of Networking

I’m sure you have all been advised at some time that the best way to land a job is by networking. But how many of you really understand just how powerful networking is and put the necessary time and effort into it? I’d like to share 2 recent experiences that exemplify how networking really does pay off that should motivate you to make it an integral part of your everyday lives.

An employee referral is the #1 way to get the position – how are these for impressive statistics?

At a recent Career Thought Leaders Conference, several speakers from various facets of the career industry emphasized that networking your way into a referral was the #1 way to secure the job. Gerry Crispin, a lifelong student of staffing, presented these stats regarding the hiring process:

–       On average, 75 – 150 candidates apply for each job posting.

–       Only 4 of those candidates bother to get an employee referral.

–       50% of candidates are eliminated because they are not qualified for the job.

–       Of the qualified candidates, most employers narrow down the

list to approximately 5 – 10 to invite to an interview.

–       Out of 5 interviewed, 2 are likely to have been referred by an employee of the company.

–       If you have an employee referral and you are qualified for the job, you stand a 1 in 5 chance of landing the job – much better odds than 1 in 150!

You never know where a referral might come from – the improbable story of how my manicure helped Susan to land her dream job.

While some of us introverts would rather stick pins in our eyes than do traditional “Networking,” such as attending meet and greet events or even making connections on LinkedIn, it is actually fairly painless to incorporate networking into your daily life. It’s really about the mindset – let everyone and anyone you encounter know that you are open to a new job – sometimes your referrals come from the most unlikely sources.

I have been going to my manicurist, Betsy, for quite some time – we know each other well, as we’ve spent endless hours chatting about our lives over pink nail polish. Since I am very involved in a nonprofit adoption center for rescued cats and Betsy and I are both “cat people,” we naturally talk about the latest doings at the shelter. Several weeks ago I was despairing about our inability to find an assistant manager after several months of placing ads and coming up empty. Suddenly, Betsy remembered that another one of her clients had mentioned that her daughter was looking for a new job – she’d recently worked in a veterinary clinic and was seeking another position working with animals. Betsy gave my card to her other client, who passed it on to her daughter, Susan, who sent me her resume, which I passed on to the shelter manager, and soon thereafter Susan interviewed for the position. After a brief trial period our manager proclaimed that Susan was a perfect fit, and just like that we finally had our new assistant manager and Susan had her dream job!

I know there are many similar stories out there – share yours…