When networking, I am meeting people who are willing and able to help find clients for my current boss AND/ OR find a new job for me, but my new contacts are not sure how to help me. What would be my next question or response? – Jaime
Kudos to Jaime for cultivating a robust network with plugged-in connections who are able to help and supportive connections who are willing to help. If you’re new to networking or have let your contacts languish, willingness and ability to help are two key criteria to focus on in deciding which connections to cultivate. If you already have people who have offered to help or seem ready to help, but have not actually done anything, then you’ll need to prompt them – politely and gracefully, but also explicitly enough that there is motivation to act.
1 — Be specific about the help you need
If you tell someone you’re starting a job search, and they say, “Great. Let me know how I can help”, then the onus is on you to tell them what “help” looks like to you. People are busy, and they are not mind-readers. That connection might have only meant help getting your resume to HR at their company. On the flip side, they might only be willing to help with introductions outside their company. Or they might not be willing to make introductions at all, but are willing to share information. This could be looking up a name for you (e.g., who runs the procurement function for the western region of their employer) or describing the org chart in more detail (e.g., who reports to whom in procurement). People’s ideas of what is helpful can vary tremendously. Don’t make the other person guess what would be helpful to you – tell them outright.
2 — Make it as easy as possible for your connection to follow through
Once you sync up with the other person about what they should do as the next step, do any of the work that you can do so what they have to do is as minimal as possible. If they agree to hand over your resume, give them your resume in whatever format they need. If they will email it to their HR contact, they should write a short email explaining what they’re sending and why HR should be interested —write that email introduction for them. If your connection offers to introduce you to one of their connections, write that email or at least a few lines about yourself and why you would be to connect with. If your connection just offers to provide information, tell them the companies or people or whatever it is you are researching so they share information that is relevant. Don’t leave them with a generic “if you think of companies or people I should target…”
3 — Set a deadline to create urgency
A deadline could be as simple as telling them you’ll circle back in a week or two to check in. Or, if you have asked for information related to an upcoming job interview, then tell them exactly when the interview is. If you have already asked for help without specifying a deadline, add one when you follow up. For example, your connection offers to introduce you to their procurement director so that the two of you can geek about all things supply chain and sourcing. Then, crickets are heard as no introduction is ever made. Check in with your connection with an offer to write the introduction (see point 2) and a deadline: Hi Jane, thanks again for offering to introduce me to Joe in Procurement. I have an interview next Friday to prep for, so this will really come in handy. Would it help if I wrote the email introduction for you, or should I just reach out to Joe directly and mention your name?
4 — Double-check that now is still a good time
One thing to add to that follow-up email above and to any follow-up you do with people who have previously offered to help is to ask them explicitly if their offer is still on the table. Even the friendliest connections sometimes renege on promises. That email follow-up to Jane should include (bolded so you don’t miss it): Hi Jane, thanks again for offering to introduce me to Joe in Procurement. Are you still able to make the introduction? I have an interview next Friday to prep for, so this will really come in handy. If you still can do this, would it help if I wrote the email introduction for you, or should I just reach out to Joe directly and mention your name?
5 - Allow your connection a graceful exit – and do the same
Double-checking your connection’s current availability is one way to give them a graceful exit, if they really don’t have the time or inclination to help. Sometimes people get too busy to help. Some people make promises because they don’t like to say No. Sometimes, they don’t think through what they really promised (in Jane’s case, maybe she doesn’t know Joe well enough to make an introduction or maybe she remembers that Joe isn’t very social). Or they made a promise that was bigger than they can deliver (Jane really doesn’t know Joe, and he might not take her e-introduction seriously). These offers to help were more like white lies, and the connection intends to drop the ball, hoping you’ll forget. You don’t want to force someone to follow through when they no longer can, but you also need to know where you stand so you can make other arrangements. Whenever you check in on help previously offered, include a way for them to decline – is now still a good time? Can you still connect us, look up that name or [whatever specific help you asked for]?
Always have multiple leads in your pipeline
The strongest network is built on genuine, long-term relationships, not an immediate give-or-take. So your first priority should be to preserve the relationship with your connection over getting whatever it is you need right now. That said, people like to be helpful (they would want that same courtesy returned to them!) so help them help you as much as they can. Just have additional ways to get that introduction, information or insight than one connection so you keep your job search, sale or whatever goal you have moving forward.
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October 21, 2022 at 03:14AM
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5 Ways To Encourage Your Network To Follow-Through On Career Help - Forbes
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