If you are searching for a new job, you are marketing a product called YOU.
I received many inquiries from people asking my advice about job searches. Friends and acquaintances recognize that when they are searching for a job, they need to improve how they market themselves.
One useful piece of advice I like to give is an overlooked approach that can help your network help you. Instead of being too generic like saying I’m searching for an engineering job, I always recommend that the person seeking put together a document to allow your network to help you help them.
If you want me to give you a hand, make it easy for me to understand what your search requirements. Think of this like creating talking points for marketing yourself.
What exactly is a strategic networking document?
It is information that can help someone help you, like creating a complete picture of the help you are seeking. This document has nine key sections that make it different than a resume.
Strategic Networking Document
You probably know more than one-hundred people through networks like LinkedIn. Instead of sending them a resume and asking for help, why not create a document that makes your search clear? A resume is a look back – where a strategic networking document is about the future.
Here are the key components:
PROFILE STATEMENT: Describe your skill set in a simple, clear sentence that does a great job of positioning who you are and how you are different. Keep it to one sentence. For example, “I can lead cross-functional global marketing teams that succeed by squeezing value out of every nickel spent in marketing.” Be descriptive and demonstrate that you have something of great value. Or, I’m like the swiss army knife of engineering– I can do it all. A profile statement paints a picture of what makes you special. Or, I’m that rare candidate who has an MBA and a degree in chemistry. Position yourself in a concise way that is easy to remember, differentiates you from others and is easy to share.
ACHIEVEMENTS: List 3-5 successes that will help me tell your story. These examples should help illustrate how you have already been successful in similar positions but focus on what you can do for someone else. If you are looking for a national account management job, give three examples of how you found and closed several outstanding national accounts for a previous employer demonstrating your record of success — details matter. Your achievements should illustrate how you can help a new employer.
GEOGRAPHY: This section lists the geographic range of your search. Is it national or local? Are you willing to relocate or are you only looking to work within 100 miles of your home? This information is helpful information since it allows your contacts to know if you want to speak to people within a state, region, nation or globally.
TITLES: This document provides a range of titles that you believe you are qualified for so that it helps those you reach out to understand what type of job you could hold. Don’t put VP of Engineering if you don’t feel qualified to do that job but do put Director of Engineering, Sr. Director of Engineering, Manager of Engineering, Quality Assurance Manager, etc. The better I understand what role you can fit into the better your chance that I can help you.
TARGETS: What are the target companies in your search? If you are specific with ten companies, then it is easy in LinkedIn or other networking sites to see who works there and to try and network into those companies. If I know you are interested in a job at ConAgra Foods, I may be able to help because I did work for them for several years. Within my network are colleagues who still work at the company and who also know people within the organization. If you tell me you are interested in the food business, it leaves me hungry for more information — details help. Tell me that you want to work for companies like up and coming Impossible Foods versus an old school food company like Campbell’s Soup.
INDUSTRIES: It is useful to know that you are focused on specific vertical or horizontal markets. A vertical market is a particular industry (like soft drinks or wood decking) where a horizontal market could be all distributors or all IT departments in any industry. If your networking helper knows this, it is another way for them to search through their network to assist you. Also, tell me industries you don’t want to work in like tobacco or military suppliers if that’s important to you.
PROFESSIONAL STRENGTHS: This is useful wherein a few phrases or keywords, I can learn what you are good at doing. Are you a great storyteller or do you have deep competencies in six sigma lean management training? Are you a business analyst who can digest reams of data and turn it into insights? Or, are you a consummate business development professional capable of networking your way into new clients? A few key buzz words go a long way to help me understand who you are and what your core competencies are. Keep this short and sweet too. I recently helped a former agency executive who had specific expertise in animal welfare marketing. When I learned about an opening in a division of an agency specializing in that area, she was the first person who came to mind, and I shared the job details. (she got the job!).
ORGANIZATIONAL GOALS: Are you looking to work for a firm that values market insights or that needs a hyper-creative thinker? Do you want to work for a manager who values your extraordinary work ethic or that appreciates your interpersonal skills? Help me understand what your dream company looks like as I search through my contacts for people to connect to you. Your goals add another shade to the picture you are painting and helps me help you. Learn about a giant leap that my son-in-law took when he was searching for a company with meaning and purpose.
USEFUL CONTACTS: Who can help you? Do you want to speak to people who are General Managers or Project Managers? Do you need to get in front of owners of architectural firms or software coders? If you only want to talk to IT Directors, I can search for those contacts through my LinkedIn database. Help me help you by giving me an idea who could move your search forward? HR folks are typically not the right people to network with if you are looking for a job – find the hiring manager.
Help Your Network Help You
The best way to get help from me or anyone else you are networking with is to give them the tools to assist you. A strategic networking document is a powerful tool that works to allow you to get the help you need.
When I receive a document like this, I became another listening node for my friend. If I hear someone tell me they are searching for someone with specific skills, if I know your abilities and desire to fit this need, I can make a connection.
Hint: One more tip- can you put this into a chart, well-designed PDF or infographic so that it can fit in the body of an email. Make it easy for the person you are networking with to read your strategic document easily.
Make it easy for me to help you. Finding a new job means you are marketing yourself through your network.
Network strategically.
You can set up a time to chat with me about your marketing challenges using my calendar. Email me jeffslater@themarketingsage.com Call me. 919 720 0995. The conversation is free, and we can explore if working together makes sense. Try my new chat feature on my site if you have a quick question.
Photo by Perry Grone on Unsplash
