Once you meet an “in” person, it’s time to start networking. Networking is a vitally important part of 21st century career success, and is something you should embrace, not something “fake” or “manipulative.” “Networking by 5s” is a technique that will enable you to build a network of supporters in lightning speed.
Here’s how it works:
- Ask your “in” person to give you the names of five people who might be willing to share five minutes of their time to tell you about what they do for a living.
- Set up these “information sessions” with the intention of getting to know this person, and that is all.
- Whether in person or on the phone, become an interested listener, and learn everything you can about what this person does, and how they got to be doing their job.
- Know that this meeting is not about you. Ignore your need for a job and focus on letting the person in front of you tell their story.
The funny thing is, that by being a good listener and letting people talk about themselves, they’ll end up thinking that you’re wonderful. By showing genuine interest in them without asking for anything in return, you are giving them the affirmation that all humans need.
Because of this, they will take an interest in you, and when they do tell them a little about yourself and what you’re interested in doing. Share your résumé with them, and before the meeting concludes, ask them for the name of five of their colleagues who might be willing to talk to you for five minutes.
This technique, of meeting five people for five minutes at a time, is the absolutely best way to fast track your job search. With each successful meeting you have, with each new group of five names, you increase your career network exponentially by a factor of five. Within weeks, you can know tens of people who are doing the kind of work you want to be doing. When an opening for a job interview materializes, your new connections will be ready to recommend you!
