Marta Lavandier/Associated Press
In a tough market, applying to jobs can bring an instant sense of relief.
The problem is, it often doesn't bring much else.
Rather than applying to job after job, you'd be better off having five conversations a week with people at companies where you might want to work. That's the advice of Alan Stein, CEO of Kadima Careers, which offers job seekers coaching on how to get six-figure roles.
Following his "five chats" rule doesn't mean asking each person for a job, he told Business Insider.
"Go in there with an intent to learn about them," he said.
The conversations a week are a way of "leveraging your relationships" and building others, Stein said.
The 3% ROI
Maintaining and adding to your network is important because it can be hard to stand out in a sluggish labor market. Someone on the inside might be able to put in a good word for you with a recruiter or hiring manager — or even just let you know when a posting might be about to open up.
That matters because it's often better to make contact with key players before a job gets posted. And when a role does appear, applying early can sometimes give you a better shot at landing an interview.
Any edge can help in a market where it's hard to draw notice simply by applying.
Aaron Cleavinger, a managing partner at Murdoch Mason Executive Search Group, said that job seekers he speaks to often devote 80% to 90% of their time to applying for jobs. Yet, he estimates that those efforts only result in an interview about 3% of the time.
That's why he encourages people to rejigger how they divvy up their days.
"If your return is 3%, then spend 3% of your time applying to jobs," Cleavinger said.
Start when you don't need something
Having conversations each week isn't just important when you're in the job market. If you're still employed — maybe you're hugging your job — there's less pressure, and building ties can be a lighter lift.
"The time to start networking is when you don't need something from someone else," Cleavinger said.
If you have a job, having one or two conversations a week with people about their work can be invaluable in cultivating relationships, he told Business Insider.
Cleavinger said it's best when networking is rooted in "genuine curiosity" about people with whom you have real relationships. It might be people you've worked with, though it's not limited solely to former coworkers. Your network might include vendors or consultants you've worked with. It can also just be people you know, but who are willing to give you the time.
"You talk to the people who are your champions and who love you, and then ask them who else they'd recommend," Cleavinger said.
Don't make it awkward
If you're reaching out to someone you know, set something up by saying something like, "I'd love to just catch up," he said.
Viewing the conversation this way, Cleavinger said, can also prevent you from feeling like you need to slip in a ham-handed job ask at the end of a call. There's also no need to request that the person let you know if they hear anything about a role.
"If they have a positive view of you after the conversation, they're going to think of you anyway," he said.
Cleavinger said that instead of asking for a job, inquire about other people you should connect with who might be willing to have similar conversations.
"It's expanding the size of your listening audience, because recency is going to remind them that you're amazing," he said.
Stein, who previously worked in Big Tech at firms including Facebook, Google, and Salesforce, said he recently followed his own guidance on networking by meeting with a high-level executive in Silicon Valley.
Stein said conversations like these are a chance to build a genuine connection. The exec ended up giving him some "fantastic advice," including guidance on how Stein could use his experience in tech to differentiate his company's offerings.
Another perk of networking? Human-to-human interactions are also often far more enjoyable than submitting applications.
"It's more fruitful," he said. "And you make a friend or two sometimes."
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