CH 07. Personal Networks and How To Use Them

Commentary: This chapter gets at the mechanics of the job search. Pierson offers scripts and ideas on advancing the network and locating opportunities. Not all are useful to your particular search. Use what works for you. Use this combined with the knowledge from the earlier posts to develop a strong plan and dig into the search. The following is a paraphrased summary of the chapter.

Pierson remarks that the single piece of advice in a job search is to talk to as many people as possible. If you are smart about who and what you talk about your search will go much faster. Pierson will present a series of ideas for job seekers to use and requests that the seeker takes what works for him and leave the rest. Remember the single most important activity in your job search is to talk to people.

Confidantes and the Broader Personal Network

You begin your search using those connections closest to you, the first degree. Then you will seek to move to the second and third degree. Cold calling, the outer fringe of the third degree, produces the lowest results whereas using your first degree connections to introduce you will produce much stronger results. 

Early in the job search it is about talking to people. Most of these conversations are positive. If you have concerns or issues these should be discussed in close relationships and in the appropriate smaller network where negatives will be closely held. Remember you want to get the word out about your availability and your ability to do the work well. Any negatives on the grapevine will slow you down. Therefore, conversations about former employers and jobs you dislike should be closely held and shared only with a few trusted relationships.

You have common interest with your personal contacts

This is a look at your personal relationships and community members you are connected with. There are three circles of personal contacts.

• Inner circle - strong relationships, community connections. These people are close friends, family, and acquaintances you have contact with regularly.
• Middle circle - casual relationships, community connections. You have contact with these people less frequent and the relationship while warm is not close.
• Outer circle - Dormant and passive connections, possible community connections. These are connections that are dormant or passive. They include old college or fraternity friends or former colleagues that have not been in contact with for years.

Networking with personal contacts

The networking goals are the same for all three circles. However, the approach is different.  The goals are:

• Make your network partners comfortable
• Get the word out
• Gather information to refine and expand your target list
• Get introductions to new personal and professional contacts
•  Attempt to structure all conversation to have these four goals in them.
• Make networking partners comfortable

 In order to make your networking partners comfortable you must tell the truth, express gratitude, tell them what you want and do not want, and most importantly clear up myths and misunderstandings.  

The reasons someone may feel uncomfortable are numerous. Some of the members in your network may have had bad experiences with others who networked poorly or come to the network with preconceived ideas such they may believe in the myths posted earlier. Other networkers may have read books or learned methods then implemented them incorrectly, too aggressive, or become offensive. Some people feel like they have been networked to death.  Sometimes people want to really help you but feel helpless. 

The best way to make people feel comfortable is to tell them the exact truth and express gratitude. Asking them to share their job hunting experiences opens up a rich conversation.  You will also want to keep everyone informed as a networking strategy and courtesy. 

Get your message out

Getting your message out is like planting seeds. So plant a lot of them. In doing so, tell everyone about your core message, target market, and professional objective. Tell your network the basics. You should be able to cover all three in 30 seconds. Network will get messages to decision makers about good candidates at no cost and thus a very appealing resource. 

NETWORKING WHILE EMPLOYED

Networking while employed is risky and should be held to close personal networks at first. When moving to professional networks the best approach is to name future goals it terms of "one day you would like..." You can reluctantly accept offers to interview. This demonstrates a sense of loyalty to your current employer while being willing to listen to alternatives. If confronted by the current employer, be honest but do not disclose every detail in a confession. Tell them that you are always keeping an open for new challenges then turn it into a positive asking if there are any potential challenges with your current employer. Do not complain what so ever.

Gather information to refine and expand 

Your goals are to get your list up to 40 or more target companies, prioritize the list, then explain what you are doing and why. 

If you are having difficulty achieving 40 companies then begin with your inner circle and ask people to help you review and develop it. Ask them questions like:

Are you familiar with any of these companies?

I'd be interested in hearing about these organizations?

The questions should be designed to open conversations that will refine your list. For a more complete list refer to the book. You'll also want to go in-depth at times with a specific target company asking question of the like:

What successes have they had?

How are they organized?

First hand information is far better than anything resource from the Internet. The higher you are in the food chain the more important these conversations become. When approached the right way, people in your network are most comfortable sharing information. This is the goal of networking and information is at the heart of the job search. The better the information the stronger your search.

Get introductions to new personal and professional contacts

The main points are to always request and discuss introductions, with middle contacts be cautious but do ask, and with outer contacts introductions will be less likely. Do not be too pushy in your request. The request should flow naturally making the network members comfortable. Politely confirm the sources of information. If they got information. From people inside the company then that is the most desirable. Whenever a network member mentions a name ask if you can be introduced through him. Middle network may make an introduction but do not expect it. You need to also ask when to make the introduction with middle contacts. 

Networking with your outer circle of personal contacts

You cannot go as far with this group as you can with the other groups. You may be able to just get your message out. But if you have a conversation with an outer grow member, afterwards send them the appropriate portion of your target list. Then follow up with a second conversation but do not expect anything.

With dormant contacts you'll first want to catch up before dropping your byline and core message. You will have to see how they respond before go into any depth.  With passive contacts you will need to look for multiple connections before approaching.

Outer circle cold calls

This is a fuzzy boundary between outer circle contacts and cold calls. Cold calls are connection attempts with people you have no relationship whatsoever.  Cold calling is not networking. Although the dividing line is blurred. Walk in Verizon of folding is never recommended for professional level jobs. Telephone cold calls work but results are very rare. Success is usually because of some common interest with the stranger. Start with the strongest connections and then move towards cold calling. Usually you will be so busy with the strongest connections that you will never get to cold calling. Cold calling is the least productive.

Gather your courage and work in the cool zone

The movement in your job search is usually from the hot zone (closest contacts) to the warm zone then into the cool and finally to the cold zone. The cool zone is the zone where middle to dormant contacts are located. Experiences can be discouraging but if you don't push into this zone you may miss viable opportunities. You do not want to rush into this zone as the vast majority of your effort should be in hot to warm zones.  They are are best and worst case scenarios that Pierson gives in the book.

Getting started with people you just met: When introduced to new people you must contact them almost immediately for the best results. The sole common interest is often the person who introduced you.

Playful personal networking: sometimes the best way to find a job is not to look. Instead, just talk to people and have fun. Making e job hunt fun can actually land you the dream job since people love to be around people they like. Sometimes helping others can make the search more interesting too.

Always give them your resume afterwards: by sending the resume too soon can result in an incorrect focus on the resume and who to send it to. The resume refinement is done not with prospective employers or network contact but instead decision makers in the field from former employers. Resume distribution is good and must be properly timed in the contact engagement.

Moving to new contacts, personal and professional: you move from personal contacts to more professional contacts. Not everyone will provide innumerable leads. Take what you can and grow your network naturally. The central theme of this chapter is to talk to everyone, make them comfortable and to have fun.

Pierson offers scripts in this section of his book as examples of how the conversations should go. They include:

1. Get started with the inner of middle circle network

2. Asking for introductions from the inner and middle network circles

3. Getting started with dormant outer circle personal contacts worse case

4. Getting started with dormant outer circle personal contacts best case

5. Getting started with a new personal contact after an introduction

I will explore in the next several blogs Highly Effective Networking: Meet the Right People and Get a Great Job. Should you have any comments or questions please feel free to email me at james.bogden@gmail.com.

References:

Pierson, O. (2009) Highly effective networking: meet the right people and get a great job. Career Press. NJ.

CH 06. Plan Your Job Search and Your Networking

COMMENTARY: This post and the next are the crux of the Orville Pierson Method. It is an ongoing process even while you are employed and satisfied with your work you must maintain your network. I will discuss this is a later post. Please read this with care and take to heart. This is a paraphrased review of the chapter from “Highly effective networking: meet the right people and get a great job”.

Many job hunters do not plan their job search. When asked about their plan they look a little glassy eyed as they asked what do you mean, plan. They seem to think that the job search is something that happens to them, something they have to cope with rather than plan. The job seeker must organize, plan, and conduct their job search in the same manner as any other project. Networking can make your job hunting more effective.

Networking is a tool and a process that begins with planning the search.  Pierson believes this is so important that he wrote extensively on this topic in his other book, The Unwritten Rules of the Highly Effective Job Search. 

• The Highly Effective Project Plan includes:
• 1.       Professional objectives - the kind of work you desire to do
• 2.       Target market - where you want to work
• 3.       Core message - what you will say about yourself

The first step to be clear about is what you are hunting for. The clearer you are the easier your search becomes. Most people are not qualified for most jobs even though state they will take anything. If this occurs then they usually end up in a job that is just any ole job or worse, a nothing job. Thus, starting out requires a reasonable focus.

COMMENTARY: In careers such as the military and even in poorly scoped contracts it is not uncommon for the management to redirect members into jobs that do not support a career or even member’s interest. This always results in a job that is just any ole job or worse, a nothing job.  Most people would recognize this as extremely poor management which it is. The aforementioned “Most people are not qualified for most jobs even though state they will take anything” can lead to the same effect. Focus on your core message and skill sets. 

Step 1: Your Professional Objective

Your objective defines the kind of work you are seeking. It clusters job titles and informs perspective employers what you are willing to do for them. Few job titles such as accountant as universal. Therefore, the job seeker must cluster job titles and target a profession. The term profession applies to a clearly defined body of knowledge and is not limited to doctors, lawyers, engineers, or the like. Defining the professional objective is important because it focuses the search activities.

Step 2: The target market is defined by location, industry, and size

Identify and target employers who will most likely hire someone with a professional objective like yours. Typically these employers already have people in positions like the ones you desire. You are looking to make contact before a position opens. This increases the the chances of working for someone you really like.

The first action is to determine the geographic area you desire to work. Define it in a way that can be used by databases. Pick only a few places that also include relocation if necessary. Do not look in places that are not in your chosen geographic locations. 

The second action is to determine the type of organization you desire to work for. This means you must define the genre and the industry. The genre indicates the organizations sector; government, private, public, or non-profit. The industry points to the organizations focus; manufacturing, healthcare, financial, etc... The industry is often designated by an Standard Subject Industry Code, SSIC. Another defining characteristic is the size of the organization. 

Step 3: The target list is just as important as your resume

Once you complete step 2 you can now build a list of target companies. Both the target list and resume are important and effective tools to your search. There are a lot of resources to help you define your target list; libraries, online databases, etc...

Step 4: Your core message describes your qualifications in the language of your target market

The core message tells potential employers your usefulness. You get the message to them through a variety of networking methods to include email signatures, resume submittals, business cards, online presence, etc... During your job search you will be discussing yourself a lot therefore refining your core message and other messages is important to an effective job search. You will need to be able to deliver your verbal message in less than two minutes. 

Your proactive job search is based on your project plan. 

Once you have the basics in place you are ready to begin your proactive and highly effective search. In fact, you have begun networking before this was completed as you’ll gain critical information that will adjust your project plan. Networking is an important part of building and refining your target list. Networking most helps in defining the professional objective and developing a target list. 

Using your network:

•  Create and refine your professional objective: Developing the professional objective may require three or four additional steps. First, read books on career choices. Second, conduct research on work that is attractive to you. Third, you'll need to network to learn about the jobs. Fourth, you may need to do information interviewing to gain stronger perspectives and strengthen network connections.

• Create and refine your target list: The target list is an excellent tool in networking. You should show your list to friends and acquaintances. Discuss the list and be clear you do not expect to locate immediate job openings. Discuss the organizations with them and if these organizations are viable prospects. With people you do not know well do not show the list but instead verbally discuss a few of the organizations.  This list is continuous improvement.

• Get your message out: Networks are a good way to spread information as well as collect it. The more people who are of you the more likely the information hit a decision maker. The primary core message you want everyone to hear is that you are available. 

• Gather information: Knowledge is power. Research individual target companies. The list size may vary. Research reputations, culture, compensation, and other details. Prioritize the list and work through it each week. Talk to people who work there.  Also survey the profession and industry. 

• Meet insiders at target organizations: As you network gather information about those inside a company. Network in to those who best fit your career path. The goal is to become a known entity for when a job arises.

• Get in touch with decision maker: Once you've made the insider contacts you will want to move up the chain to the decision makers. A highly effective job seeker meets decision makers long before the job becomes open. There is less pressure and conversations are more natural than when in an interview. Thus, the decision maker becomes more comfortable with you.

Commentary: The Pierson method is an effective and continuous method that requires time to build and maintain. Professionals should dedicate a minimum of a half hour in addition to a regular day to maintaining the network. Whenever possible integrate into all professional interactions. When unemployed the work day becomes the Pierson method. Along the way there will be mistakes and disagreements. How one manages these is important. Dale Carnegie offers strong solutions. 

I will explore in the next several blogs Highly Effective Networking: Meet the Right People and Get a Great Job. Should you have any comments or questions please feel free to email me at james.bogden@gmail.com.

References:

Pierson, O. (2009) Highly effective networking: meet the right people and get a great job. Career Press. NJ.

CH 05. Your Total Network is Bigger than You Think

Pierson queries, "How big is your total network?"

Most people underestimate the size of their network. Pierson comments that it is not uncommon for a job hunt to stall because the job seeker feels they have run out of contacts. It is important to map out your total network. This is the first step in preparing the job hunt discussed in chapter two. You must consider everyone in your network in order to discover useful connections that are unknown, forgotten, or new.

The first step in doing this is to define what is meant by the total network. This begins with the ways to make contact. 

1.       Talk to people in your network.

2.       Talk to people you a introduced to.

3.       Talk to total strangers.

An effective job search requires you to talk to a lot of people. You talk first people in the network, then to people you are introduced, and finally to people who do not know or who do not know you. Talking to total strangers is not networking but instead cold calling. Cold calling is marginally effective. 

Commentary: I have found that about 3 to 5% of my connections are from cold calls but not in the traditional manner. These contacts were made in a casual manner at lunch or in familiar stranger situations where the ice had been broken over a common interest and concluded with the exchange of business cards. To date, only one was useful in making an introduction.

In networking your contacts accept calls warmly, even though sometimes with a little hesitation. There are no cold calls according to Pierson.

The total network includes all the people who accept a call from you right now. Some connections are strong and others are weak. There is no need for an introduction. However, you may need to refresh them on the connection. There are three kinds of connections.

1.       Active: contacts you talk to regularly at least once a year.

2.       Dormant: contacts that you used talk to regularly but have not in more than a year.

3.       Passive: connection that have to be activated

Dormant connections can be reactivated by getting back in touch. Catching up is a good  starter conversation unless there have been something that should remain dormant. Passive connections should be activated based on a common interest. Reaching out has some risks. The other person may see the connection or may be little chemistry between the two of you. On the flip side the conversation may take off. Passive connections work best when there are multiple common connections. 

Mapping your networks is next after developing the network list. The total network is composed of numerous small networks.  You will find that numerous people belong to several subnetworks. This can be a nuisance but knowing these connections opens a pathway between subnetworks. Also you should name your subnetworks.

Mapping networks helps people who believe their networks are small. Typical subnetworks include college networks, employer networks, organizational networks, personal business networks, vocational networks, and family and friend networks.

Systematic use of your networks involves mapping other people’s networks, building speed dial lists, and treating each personal or professional contact differently. People in your connection list are first the degree and have connection lists of their own. This is where your connections grow to the second degree. So you’ll want to map these connections lists as well. Remember your job opportunity is going to come from the second or third degree.  Begin with you target company list and map the connections into the companies first. Pierson’s process involves multiple diagrams of the subnetworks and decision makers. 

Commentary:  This process of mapping connection trees in known as Link Analysis. This can be done by hand or by computer. Free software is available to assist you in building the social networks. I suggest a single diagram grouped by company highlighting the decision makers in the linked trees. Figure 1 shows a network diagram built in PowerPoint and color coded for quicker assessments. Pierson suggests building multiple diagrams for each subnet or even type of network such as decision makers. However, using color coding, symbol shapes, and parsed regions at least five dimensions can be shown. Figure 1 shows company, node type, node name, degrees of removal, connection strength, connection status, and hiring manager. 

Pierson closes by remarking that once the network is known, the next phase is to begin actual networking activities in order to complete missing areas of the diagram and activate the nodes in your search in order to access information.  

I will explore in the next several blogs Highly Effective Networking: Meet the Right People and Get a Great Job. Should you have any comments or questions please feel free to email me at james.bogden@gmail.com.

References:

Pierson, O. (2009) Highly effective networking: meet the right people and get a great job. Career Press. NJ.

CH 04. Real Networking and How It Works

Orville writes that everyone uses networking to solve practical problems and live happier lives. The networking process involves comfortable and natural conversation. It is part of all cultures and part of normal social conversations. Thus, real networking involves authentic conversation based on common interests and results in an information exchange.

Authentic conversation means no hidden agendas or attempts to manipulate. It may seem obvious but so many people seem to miss this point.

The conversation is always based on a shared common interest. In this case, the common interest is the job hunt. In the ideal case it is a job opportunity.

The third element of real networking is the information exchange. Anyone can do this. It may begin with a common interest then shift to other shared interest.

Networking experts say that anyone one the planet can be reach within six degrees of separation. The job hunter is focused on the second and third degree. While the first degree is the strongest, the second and third degree are a little weaker but where the job is usually located.

Orville offers a clear definition for networking. He states that networking is a web of free- standing participants cohering through shared values and interests. He furthers that networking is people connecting with people, linking ids and resources.

Orville presents an idea called clustering.  This concept involves the second and third degrees of your network. In the first degree you may know 10 people. Each of those ten people know another ten increasing the size of your network to 110 people. Each of the new 100 members also knows 10 people increasing the network to over 1000 people. Each of these connection groupings is known as a cluster. In your job search it become necessary to reach outside of your immediate network.

Orville stresses that he is teaching job hunters to be systematic in order to be effective. He points to a concept of "strength in week ties" that means the job hunter will connect more likely with a job through someone who he knows less than someone he knows well.

Networking inside a community is easier than from outside the community. These connections are stronger and can accelerate the process. People are predisposed to assist you in your search when in a community. A community is a network which is held together by not only shared interest but the relationships and shared values. Communities are not merely about information sharing. They are about fellowship and a sense of belonging that pulls everyone together with a desire to help one another.  Thus, people are more apt to help you if even though they do not know you well.

Networking is all about natural relationships. You do not need to have strong connections or even share information extensively. The key point is about caring and trust. You do not have to ask for time if the relationship is right, you will get all the time you need which could be an hour or more. If there is no relationship you could damage your reputation.

Sometimes people have difficulty discerning the situation. Confusing the relationship wit those inside and outside a community or between communities that they are a member and ones they are not can create awkward situations and not be very productive. It is also not appropriate to go beyond an information exchange. The other person may go beyond the information exchange voluntarily. That is okay if they offer to help or assist in the search on a deeper level such as hand carrying a resume or vetting a situation for you. It should never be expected. If it is a community then the relationship is stronger and those kinds of activities occur more willingly.

In real networking the focus is information. Authentic networkers strengthen their reputation while networking. Job hunters go wrong when they ignore the principles. They behave in ways that are not authentic and sometimes in ways not consistent with their own values. They ask for favors or discuss things that are inappropriate.

I will explore in the next several blogs Highly Effective Networking: Meet the Right People and Get a Great Job. Should you have any comments or questions please feel free to email me at james.bogden@gmail.com.

References:

Pierson, O. (2009) Highly effective networking: meet the right people and get a great job. Career Press. NJ.

CH 03. Networking Myths Misunderstanding and Dumb Ideas

Orville Pierson decides to address the myth of networking before discussing the details of networking. These are repeated so frequently that people begin to believe them as truths. This interferes with effective job hunting.

Myth #1: You have to know a lot of people. Huge networks of thousands are typical of salesman, politicians, recruiters and the like. Most people are not like this. Sources for building a moderate size network at is effective for the vast majority of people are friends, professional organizations, and a host of other occasions. Pierson remarks the network becomes effective at about 160 people.

Myth #2: It’s about meeting Mr. Big shot or Madam President. Pierson points to the "six degrees of separation" in which anyone can reach out to anyone on the planet with only a maximum of 6 networking connections. The point here is that the connection closest to you is not a big shot. Going higher is not necessary when you need to talk to decision makers that can higher you. In your job hunt, two to three degrees is all you need to be effective not all six degrees. Do not waste time.

Myth #3:  Power networking. Job search networking is not about bigger and more powerful networks or networks of people who owe favors. Job search networking is more or less about community and social interactions. People in your network help each without necessarily expecting returned favors. Although there is nothing wrong with rewarding those in your network in various ethical ways.

Myth #4:  You have to be a used car salesman. Sales people often confuse sales with networking and often use networking in the sales process. Networking is not sales. It’s about sharing information and interest, it's friendly, it's not being pushy but making people in the network feel comfortable. Networking is an information exchange.

Myth #5: Networking is information interviewing. Networking is not information interviewing. Information interviewing is appropriate for recent college grads and people making a career change. Otherwise, it is not appropriate. The information interview is designed to give guidance and reveal contacts not otherwise available to people unless they are in the industry or field. Informal conversations in halls, at water coolers, and at professional association meetings are less structured and not the more formal information interview.

Myth #6: Networking groups are the only place to network. Not true. While networking group have increased more recently, networking activities are not limited to just the groups. These groups provide valuable support but networking is a person-to-person activity. It works the best when you know the people!

Myth #7: It's about making lots of new friends. This could be a side effect of networking. However, the purpose of networking is to get the word out that you are looking for work, share information, and make connections.

There are many more than seven myths. Pierson feels these are some of the more common myths he wanted to dispel. Job seekers need to take away the need to maintain focus on gaining information, making connections, and getting the word out that they are looking for work.

I will explore in the next several blogs Highly Effective Networking: Meet the Right People and Get a Great Job. Should you have any comments or questions please feel free to email me at james.bogden@gmail.com.

References:

Pierson, O. (2009) Highly effective networking: meet the right people and get a great job. Career Press. NJ.