Why Networking is Difficult?

80% of your time should be spent on Networking. 20% in the Actual Application Process.

If it’s the other way around, you know damn well, why you are not getting any response to job applications.

By the time, you see a job posting, internal employee referral candidates are lined-up for interviews. 

There are two components networking:

  1. Creating your contact list
  2. Working that list.

Finding Contacts:

Your goal is to get the name of a “action person,” someone who can meet you in person or e-meet you via cold call or video chat, and then offer you a job.

Meeting in person is more effective. But, your mobility is limited as a student. So, plan to attend Meetups in your city.

Looking to contact HR or Recruiter is a waste of time to build your network. It’s ok, if you have them in your LinkedIn contacts, but don’t spend too much time with them. HR is not the “action person” who can offer you that job. It’s the actual Hiring Manager who posted the job in a specific team.

Anyone who can handover your resume to the Hiring Manager or His/Her Boss or Above them is an “Action Person“.

Calling contacts for job leads and interviews makes most people wet their pants (sorry for the language here, but it’s true right?)

It’s easy for you to pick up the phone and talk to a friend or a relative asking for a job is easy!.

A “cold call” to a stranger is difficult for those who would rather deal with people they know. Although these fears are normal, you need to overcome them to find a job. Unless you make calls steadily, you will never get to interview. The more potential employers you can contact, the better your chances of winning a new job.

Repeat: Your first day in the USA is the first day of your job search. Here’s why.

Almost everyone you meet during your stay in the USA can be a resource for getting you the right job: family, friends, former colleagues, classmates, professors, friends’ friend you meet at a party, people you meet at the free pizza night, individuals employed in your area of interest or related areas, even human resource managers.

Anyone you meet for the first time goes to your contact list. And that’s not the end of it. You have to build relationships.

Ask friends and family to give you names and phone numbers of people they know who can help you, along with suggestions on how to approach those individuals. Your goal is to get on the phone with them and get a Name! Until you find the person who has the power to hire you (aka future manager manager’s boss or his boss).

Everyone working in your field has a boss who hired them!

Do not limit your efforts to the handful of people you know best. You need to see everybody you know. Include fellow members of professional groups; old schoolmates; neighbors; and the people you know from every Meetups and parties.

If your Meetups revolve only around the campus, then you are not helping yourself.

Get out and meet people in person beyond the campus. Try Meetup.com

As you collect names, aim for the top. You should always try to see the highest-ranking person you can who makes the hiring decisions for your job function. Ask for the name of the manager or executive in charge of the department where you want to work.

Create contacts in your area! Looking for jobs a software engineer, don’t look for Mechanical Engineering Contacts.

By assembling the list saves time. This is the time consuming part of the job search. Folks who don’t want to get over the comfort zone, take the easy route – apply online via portals.

Now you the reasons why job search requires time and effort and ability to get out of your room, college and meet contacts.

Refer to This blog Post About 8 Layers of Contacts >>

5 Reasons You are Not Landing a Job on CPT or OPT >>

Action Items : None for this.