Stupid Job Search Mistakes: Job Search without Networking | JobSearchTV.com

I thought I would do one of those videos about stupid job search mistakes that people make and this one talks about networking or job search without networking. What does that translate into? You're only looking at ads; you're only contacting recruiters.

Now, understand, just on on the basis of the obvious, not every job is posted. We've all heard of the hidden job market, right. The hidden job market is jobs that are not advertised jobs that are not known because recruiters don't know about them. You're missing out on all of those.

Do you think every company is using recruiters? Of course not. Do you think every company is advertising either in print or online? Of course, not. Seehe statistics are very clear about even it, in those cases where firms are using recruiters that, frankly, 25% of positions are filled as a result of recruiters and as a result of job ads.

Now, I think the numbers are a little fuzzy. So what I always do is I round them up and make it 30% because some recruiters use job ads there's some overlap in there. I want to give it the benefit of the doubt. 30% the positions are filled by recruiters and job ads, which means you're missing out on 70% of all opportunities by not. Does this seem smart to you?

Now, what is your network to begin with? Now, following the LinkedIn model, it's everyone who you know, and everyone that they know who you don't know. I have to say that part-- the people that they know who you don't, is a big part of how you'll find the job. Again, the statistics show that if 30% of positions are filled by recruiters, and job ads, 70% comes from networking and 70% of those come as a result of people that your network knows you don't.

In other words, 49% of all jobs, almost 50% of all jobs come as a result of introductions to people that your immediate network knows who you don't. In other words, using the LinkedIn vernacular, second level connections. So you have to always be out there and talking to people because, the fact is, if you don't talk to people every five years, 10 years, how motivated, do you think they are going to be to help you.

It doesn't mean you shouldn't reach out to them and reconnect and be social with them. "Hi, how are you? It feels like 100 years since we last spoke. I just thouught I would reconnect," and you say nothing about your job search the first two or three times you speak with them.

Then, you say, the fourth call, you might talk about, "I decided to go look for something." You don't talk about that you've been looking for three months and you don't have anything. You talk in terms of, "I just started to think about looking for another position. I would appreciate any support that you can provide." Be clear about what it is that you're looking for that they might be able to help you with.

But it is ridiculous that you don't use networking as part of your search, and that you only focus on recruiters and job ads.