How networking can help you secure your next job - 5 top tips

Jobseekers increasingly rely on networking to gain a competitive advantage when looking for a job. And the evidence shows that it works. 

The CIPD’s Resourcing and talent planning report 2022[1] in partnership with Omni RMS, found that the top four most effective methods for attracting candidate applications in 2020, 2021 and 2022, were:

1. An employer’s website (47%)
2. Professional networking sites, such as LinkedIn (45%)
3. Recruitment/search consultants (44%)
4. Internal advertising to their existing talent pool (39%)

LinkedIn’s Global Talent Trends agrees. A survey of nearly 16,000 LinkedIn members across 17 countries, found that 80% of professionals consider networking important to career success and 70% were hired at a company where they had a connection.

And according to Jobvite’s Job Seeker Nation Report[2], networking continues to be the ‘most effective way to find a job’, with 30% of respondents stating that they found their current or most recent job through networking.

Therefore, being visible, active and effective on networking sites should give you a significant advantage in the job-hunting arena.

So if networking works why don’t more of us do it? Or do it more often? Possibly because many of us don’t like to network.

A Harvard Business Review article ‘Learn to Love Networking’ 2016, found that a common complaint from the 165 participants, who were lawyers at a large North American law firm, was that they hated networking. Many said it made them feel ‘uncomfortable and phoney’.  But the study also noted that networking is a necessity in today’s world and brings many benefits, including: ‘increased job and business opportunities, faster advancement, and greater status and authority’. And that building and nurturing professional relationships also improves the quality of work and increases job satisfaction.

The hidden job market

According to a study by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 70-80% of job openings are never advertised publicly. Instead, they're filled through networking, referrals, or other forms of informal recruitment. So if you’re not networking, you’re losing out on job opportunities.

So what is networking and how do you do it well?

Networking is about building and nurturing relationships with individuals, groups or companies by engaging in meaningful conversations, asking questions, offering advice and showing an interest in what the person or organisation is doing. This sort of interaction provides valuable insights, support and opportunities that you might not otherwise find through traditional (job search) methods and can lay the groundwork for future job, work and career opportunities.

Sharing is key.  Many people grow their list of connections or followers online, but rarely engage and interact with others beyond asking if they’d like to connect.  I’ve been guilty of that myself.  But if you’re looking for a job or to build and nurture professional relationships, it takes more than this. 

Of course, networking happens offline as well as online and I’ll be talking about ‘offline’ networking in a future article. Here are my top 5 tips for successful online networking:

1. Review your online profile

Your profile on LinkedIn and other platforms should accurately reflect your up-to-date skills, experience, achievements and career goals. If you were looking at your own profile for the first time, would you be impressed? It’s difficult to be objective about this, so ask a friend or family member for feedback on how it could be improved.

Or take a look at the many ‘how to’ videos – such as this one by René Delescen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZ2xiTvVhpM&t=763s – that will help you improve your LinkedIn profile.

2. What’s your goal?

What do you want to achieve through networking? In this article, we’re focussing on networking to help you secure a new job. So think about individuals, organisations and recruiters who can help you achieve this or have access to people or organisations you’d like to be introduced to. 

But networking can also help you gain industry insights, develop your skills and knowledge and expand your professional circle. Having a clear goal will direct your networking efforts making them more targeted at the right individuals and organisations.

3. Personalise your approach

When trying to connect with others, tailor your message. Read the person’s profile to understand more about them. Mentioning mutual connections, common interests and professional groups you share can help you establish rapport.

4. Add value

Building strong, long-term relationships is key to unlocking the full potential of your network. So consider what value you can bring to your network. Perhaps share industry insights. Offer support and advice. Like, share and comment on posts. Participate in group discussions and make introductions to other professionals.

Being helpful and supportive will help you build trust and goodwill within your network, making others more inclined to reciprocate in the future. Extremely useful if you’re job hunting.

5. Patience & persistence

Results may not be immediate, but continuing to invest in building and nurturing your network has the potential to open doors to new opportunities and possibilities.

CONCLUSION

Networking is an ongoing process, which takes time, effort and resilience. But by implementing these tips, you can network effectively to uncover job opportunities, gain valuable insights and advance your career. If you approach networking with authenticity, professionalism and a willingness to build mutually beneficial relationships, you’ll be successful. And the more success you experience, the bigger and more productive your network will become.

[1] https://www.cipd.org/globalassets/media/knowledge/knowledge-hub/reports/resourcing-and-talent-planning-report-2022-1_tcm18-111500.pdf

[2] 2022 Job Seeker Nation Report: Dynamic Motivations of Modern Workers