“Resistance to using LinkedIn is still noted among some senior‐level professionals, older workers who are not tech-savvy, and some military clients.”
This was one of the findings in the Career Thought Leaders Consortium’s white paper published on March 18. While participants in the global career brainstorming day agreed that LinkedIn is “essential” in a job search, the job seekers who could benefit the most from this tool (executives, older workers, and veterans) are not using it.
Earlier this week, I was working with a veteran who has a LinkedIn profile but has less than 100 connections. This is a common scenario. If all of your coworkers and supervisors are in the military, and if military personnel don’t use LinkedIn, how do you build your network?
The first step is to identify who is in your network. It’s broader than you think. Your network can include: friends, relatives, parents of children’s friends, parents and relatives of your friends, club members, cousins, neighbors, current and previous co-workers and managers, suppliers, professional association contacts, your community contacts (civic leaders, clergy, etc.), and your doctor, financial advisor, or attorney. Your holiday card list, if you have one, can be a good starting point for identifying who is already in your network.
If you don’t already have a list, start one! Make a list of all of your contacts — past employers, vendors, customers, colleagues, competitors, bankers, and others. You never know who may have a great lead or know of an unadvertised opportunity.
Then, expand that list. Here are some ideas for other people to add to your network.
Personal Contacts:
• Friends
• Relatives
• Parents of children’s friends
• Parents of your friends
• Relatives of friends
• Club members (country club, swim club, sports club)
• Associations
• Military service personnel
• Sorority/fraternity
• Cousins
• Neighbors
• Sports team members
Business Contacts:
• Current co-workers
• Previous co-workers
• Previous managers
• Consultants
• Vendors and suppliers
• Retirees
• Seminar, conference, and workshop attendees
• Business owners
• Competitors
• Clients/customers
• Venture capitalists
• Members of industry associations
• Contacts you make at conventions and job fairs
Third-Party Contacts:
• Accountants
• Doctors
• Real estate brokers
• Financial advisors and bankers
• Attorneys
• Dentists
• Mortgage bankers/brokers
• Insurance agents
• Travel agents
Educational Contacts:
• Elementary, middle, and high school friends and teachers
• College classmates and friends
• Alumni association contacts
• Graduate school classmates
• Other alumni of your schools
• University career-placement office staff
• Former professors and advisors
Community Contacts:
• Civic and political leaders
• Librarians
• Clergy/ministers
• Chambers of Commerce
• Community groups (Kiwanis, Rotary, Scouts)
• People you meet while volunteering
• Health club members
Assemble the contact information for these individuals and add them to your list.
You can also brainstorm contacts you need to make. Write your desired job target at the top of a piece of paper. Then, make a list of possible employers on the left side of the page. On the right side of the page, make a list of people you know who can connect you with these companies.
Here are some more opportunities to develop your network:
• Attend networking events (for example, those hosted by your professional organization, Chamber of Commerce, and tips groups). Attend association meetings and take advantage of educational opportunities.
• Work as a volunteer. For example, in your industry association, the Membership Committee is a great place to start. The Program Committee (that plans events) or the Finance Committee (that helps line up sponsors) can also be good choices. Getting involved in any organization is beneficial. Volunteering is one of the best ways to network your way to new contacts.
• Participate in an online community. This can be a social networking site like Facebook or LinkedIn, an alumni site (like Classmates.com), or your trade association’s website (which might have an elist or message board to connect members).
• Contact your alumni groups. Your college or university should have an alumni association (often with a directory of members) that can be useful. You can mine the directory for contacts in your field, even if they didn’t graduate in the same year as you. Your alma mater connects you.
• Read your local business journal to find out about growing companies. Pay particular attention to the “People” section (the section that highlights promotions and new hires at companies) and see if there are any contacts you can make.
• Reference directories can also lead you to the right people. For example, the Manufacturers’ News (www.mnistore.com) sells databases and print directories of manufacturing businesses and contact information for the decision-makers at these companies.