How To Use Your Network, And The Network Effect, To Get Your Next Job!

What exactly is your personal and professional network, and how can you use it to get your next job?
 
From the experts at LinkedIn
 
The average person knows, connects with, and/or affiliates with about 600 people. Each of them knows, connects with, and affiliates with 600 people. While your immediate network may not have a job waiting for you, they may know someone who does. Exposing yourself to 600 people may seem insignificant. But if those 600 can spread the news to their 600, that is 360,000 possibilities.
 
Those numbers are significant and impressive for sure. But what do they really mean?
 
In this post, you’ll learn about these critical aspects of using your network to advance your career:
  • What is your professional network, and how can you use it in a job search?
  • How important is using, maintaining, and continuously building your network?
2022 is going to be an excellent year for business and IT pros. So let’s make sure you’re ready.
 
There are actually three (maybe four!) networks you should take advantage of in a job search or potential career change:
  • Your Personal And Professional Network
  • The Networks Of Your Friends And Colleagues
  • Hiring Company Networks
  • Bonus Network!
But what is your network? Keep this definition simple. Your network is simply your circle of friends, professional peers, colleagues, and co-workers.
 
People in your network can change in their relationships, and your communication channels with your network can also vary, but your network should always remain firmly in place. For example, former coworkers can become friends, peers, and colleagues, but the overall network remains essentially unchanged.
 
You can communicate through social channels like LinkedIn, face-to-face at events, by phone, etc. But make sure you always maintain some level of communication with your entire network. You just never know when you might need them, or vice-versa, for a reference or news about a potential new job opportunity, etc.
 
Your network will inevitably intertwine with those of your peers in unique, unexpected ways from time to time. And those amazing moments will spring from years of simply staying in touch.
 
It’s also important to note that hiring managers and employers also extensively use their internal employee networks in job searches.
 
An extensive, well-maintained personal and professional network will inevitably intersect with other networks, like hiring managers involved in active job searches. Always be networking! If you take that advice, it will pay off.
 
So what’s the bonus network?
 
Engage with a professional recruiter that understands your career goals in the context of the current job market.
 
This relationship will give you access to the most critical network—hiring managers currently looking for candidates with your skills and experience.
 
Are you a candidate looking for a business operations, analyst, or IT job?
 
At mCubed Staffing, we help clients just like you find that perfect job every day! We might just have a great employer looking for a great candidate like you right now.
 
Call us today at (248) 817-2243, or get in touch online. Our expert recruiters are waiting for your call.