Written by: Michelle Schafer, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
As I embarked on my morning run one day, I was struck by how beautiful the sky was, with the sun starting to peek through the network of clouds. We all have our own network – people who surround us from all aspects of our lives. Family, friends, co-workers, fellow parents at our kids’ schools and activities, people we met while taking a course or those we have met while volunteering. If you are looking for your next fulfilling job, now is the time to lean on this network of support. As we know, building (and tapping into) relationships with others are the most impactful job search activity, and the one to devote the most energy to.
Cognitively, clients will tell me they understand the return on their investment of time is the greatest with networking activities, and yet just thinking of engaging with others creates anxiety. Some clients will lean heavily on limiting beliefs – stories they create for themselves that are founded on assumptions, self-judgements and past experiences. These negative “stories” cause them to believe they can’t network, or won’t be successful at it, so they don’t even try. And in this pandemic, this narrative has taken centre stage.
“People are too busy / stressed in this pandemic to want to help, so they will probably say no.”
“Networking isn’t effective over video.”
“I don’t have much of a network, so I have no one to ask.”
How would you know if you have a limiting belief that is preventing you from moving forward in your search? These observations may sound familiar:
·You have a pattern of making excuses when asked about your networking progress
You resist suggestions to pursue senior-level contacts and prefer to only reach out to contacts at a lower level in the organization
You struggle with assembling a list of potential contacts who could help
You have “catch-up” conversations with contacts with no “ask” for further assistance
The truth is, most people do want to help. They remember what it was like to look for work and they love talking about themselves. And, as we’ve found through the pandemic, it’s very possible to build good connections over video – and networking can even be easier in a virtual format. It takes courage to reach out, but if you don’t ask, you don’t receive!
While a positive mindset can help you move forward in a job search, limiting beliefs will hold you back, create anxiety or keep you “stuck.” These beliefs can wield a lot of power – and the more your limiting beliefs are driving the job search, the more you will be challenged with articulating your achievements, seeing the possibilities (versus roadblocks) and reaching out for help.
How can you take steps to move past these beliefs, embrace a new mindset and create new “stories” that will lead to job search success?
Remind yourself of the importance of networking, and that it is an accepted (and expected) job search activity. This is especially true if you need to find new work quickly. Networking activities should comprise over 80% of a job search. A simple request to ask someone to get a resume into the hands of a decision-maker can be a “way in” to get an interview.
Reframe the word “networking” – For some, just hearing the word is anxiety-inducing, and they may feel the idea of networking is challenging to navigate. Encourage yourself to have “informational interviews” versus “networking conversations”. With these interviews, you can explore possibilities and get curious about an organization and how your skills and experience fit. A new name can make the activity less daunting and more accessible.
Follow up with network contacts – two weeks from the time of the first contact is a reasonable timeframe. A no response does not mean the person doesn’t want to help – they may just be busy with projects, away on vacation or immersed in other work. A “nudge” to let the person know you are still interested to meet may be a helpful reminder.
Explore why you struggle with asking for help – there may be underlying shame and fear from your job loss that lurks beneath your resistance to reach out. Seek support to unpack these feelings and create a new narrative for yourself, or explore professional resources. Asking for help is a sign of strength and shows initiative.
Develop language for meeting requests so you get noticed – an email request can briefly capture who you are and the value you can offer, how the person can help (e.g. information about a new career path, perspective on challenges and opportunities within a specific sector) and potential dates to meet make it easier for you to get noticed and receive a response.
Ask yourself what would open up for you if you reached out to a senior-level resource, and what would you be closed off from if you did not. The possibilities may be more accessible this way, as well as what you won’t get a chance to experience if you decide not to try.
Reaching out has its benefits. In the past few months, two people from my network reached out to see if I had contacts at the companies they applied to. As newcomers to Canada, they may have experienced some discomfort as they worked to establish their networks in a new country. I was able to connect them with the respective hiring managers, and both candidates got interviews and were later hired.
Like the clouds we admire on a sunny day, these clients are surrounded by a supportive network. They knew people were close by to help, and reached out to ask, even though it was uncomfortable to do so. You are driving the bus for your job search, and can move past your limiting beliefs, embrace a new mindset and achieve job search success.
Michelle Schafer, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Michelle Schafer is an International Coaching Federation Certified Coach and Facilitator, specializing in career transition and leadership. She is the owner and founder of Michelle Schafer Coaching, empowering people to achieve career fulfillment. Michelle has personally experienced two significant career transitions through restructuring and has reinvented herself for new careers both times. She deeply understands the physical, emotional and mental impact associated with a job search. Michelle is passionate about people and inspired by their progress, working with clients at all levels of an organization and across sectors including federal and municipal government, high tech, not-for-profit and financial services. Michelle offers coaching 1:1, in groups and recently was certified in the foundations of team coaching with the Global Team Coaching Institute.
