Networking to find a job: Ask the Expert
A: You may be surprised to learn that the top way for people to find new jobs in the UK is through networking, or informal channels as you call them. As a job hunting-hunting method it is tremendously effective.
To network effectively you need to be quite systematic, making lists of whom you know and thinking carefully about how to approach them. Vague statements like, 'I¹m open to all kinds of things,' or 'Let me know if you hear of anything,' are generally not as useful as more specific information about your skills and what you are after. Also, networking means speaking to people who are contacts as well as friends and using them to gather information, not necessarily to ask for a job.
Our recruitment expert Tony Tucker has a favourite story about networking: "I had a client who found a job by chatting to the security guard on her way out of the office on her last day, after being made redundant. She was saying her goodbyes to him, when he mentioned that a friend of his who worked in security at another bank had just told him their HR director was leaving," says Tucker. "My client approached the other bank and got the job which she wouldn¹t even have known about, if she hadn¹t chatted to the security guard on her way out."
As for contacting recruitment agencies, yes, do. Don't wait until they call you or you¹ll be waiting a very long time. You need to get in touch with several to cover the market as agencies have noncompete clauses that prevent them from working for rival employers. The best way to find agencies is by word of mouth and by looking at job ads. These two methods should give you a good idea of who the good operators are in your field.
The way to stop your employer finding out you are looking is by using, say, two to five reputable agencies and making sure they do not send your details out to anyone without asking you first. In any case, if your employer does find out you are looking around, don¹t panic. There is nothing wrong with keeping an eye on the market and it may even have a positive impact on their view of you.
I hope we have answered your question. We¹d love to know if job-hunting is the same or different in your country.
Next week's question: Part of the financial services company I work for is being taken over by another company in August. Fifteen of us were told verbally in Q1 that we would be made redundant when the new company started and that I was at risk. I was then told in June that I wouldn't have a job in the new company from October but I wouldn't get my redundancy notice (six months) until then. I am currently on redeployment but have been told that I could get offered my "old" job back right up until my last day in February next year. I have nothing in writing yet. Can the company mess me about like this?
What would you advise? Send your answer to: expertadmin@efinancialcareers.com
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