NETWORKING
It is an accepted fact among employment professionals that the majority of jobs are filled through networking. The best source of job leads is the network of contacts a person has developed. That doesn’t mean that it’s a case of someone the job seeker knows giving him a job. More likely, it’s a situation where someone the job seeker knows hears about a job opening, and with their support and words of recommendation, the job seeker is given an opportunity to interview for the job. Once the person gets the interview, it’s up to them to make a favorable impression and land the job.
The reason networking is so effective is simple: people make hiring decisions based on a variety of factors related to the functions of the job, and how well each applicant’s skills and experience qualify them to perform those functions. A less tangible, but equally important factor is how well the applicant will fit in with the work environment. In every case, there is usually some degree of risk or uncertainty involved in the hiring process, and given the high cost of hiring and training new employees, the safest and most reliable approach is to hire an applicant referred by a person the interviewer knows.
All things being equal in terms of qualifications, edge goes to applicant who is referred by someone the interviewer knows.
Establishing a Network
The first challenge in establishing a network is to accept the fact that a person can’t do it all alone -- networking is essential. Then the person should make a list of everyone they know, beginning with people with whom the job seeker has the closest relationships, and continuing to include people who are known only casually. The list may include:
Networking Candidates
Contact Techniques
Once the list is made, contacts should begin with people with whom the job seeker has the closest relationships. When contacting each person, explain the job search goals and the persons’ qualifications, and ask them to keep their eyes open for any job opportunities that seem to be a good match with the person’s qualifications. It’s a good idea to give each contact a resume, which they can forward it to prospective employers.
Telephone Contacts – The telephone is perhaps the best means of contacting people on the networking list. Using the telephone to also one of the most difficult thing for many people to do, but it’s usually the most efficient means of generating job leads through networking.
Advantages of using the telephone versus face-to-face contacts:
- Saves time – you can make more phone calls in a day than person visits.
- Saves money for travel – avoid cost of gas, parking, and meals away from home.
- Saves face – they’ll help you when their schedule permits.
- Can use telephone calls to brush up on listening/communication skills.
- Get past the gatekeepers—call after hours and get voice mail or directory to obtain direct line/extension
FINDING A MENTOR
A very powerful tool in the job search arsenal is mentoring. A mentor who works in the job seeker’s preferred career field can offer insights, career advice, access to an established network of contacts, and is an ideal role model for how to succeed in a target industry. One-Stop staff should therefore place a high priority on the recruitment of mentors for their clients who have disabilities.
A person with a Job Search Mentor is much more likely to find employment.
Steps to Finding a Mentor:
One-Stop staff or the job seeker should contact people who they feel would be a good mentor; by order of priority, they should try to identify people who fit the following profiles:
First Priority: People with Similar Disabilities in a Similar Field
A mentor who has dealt with the same disability issues in the same work environment can offer the most meaningful guidance to someone in the same situation. If questions arise about a person’s ability to do a job, the mentor can be used as an example of how it can be done. The type of advice this mentor can offer will cover many aspects of career success: how the disability affected job performance, what accommodations worked, how to advance in the field, etc.
People With Similar Disabilities in a Different Field
Even if the mentor works in a different field, there will be many common challenges faced by a person with a similar disability. In many cases, the most important information needed is related to the disability, not to a specific field. There’s also an added value in hearing from a person who has a perspective on how a person’s disability may impact his or her work.
People Without Disabilities in a Similar Field
If a mentor cannot be found who has a similar disability, the next best thing is to find someone without a disability but who works in a similar field. That person can provide an inside at the day-to-day activities that occur in a particular field, and can also provide a valuable perspective of where opportunities may lie in future.
