In regard to networking, how much do you think it plays into attaining employment and career advancement?

SGT Jamell Culbreath — Wed, 03 Jun 2015 11:33:37 -0400

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Jun 3 at 2015 11:35 AM

Capt Seid Waddell — Wed, 03 Jun 2015 11:35:16 -0400

Networking is the single most important thing to do in a job search.

When the company I had worked for had a major layoff they brought in a job search firm to advise us on methods to find new employment.

The first thing the coach did was to ask everyone in the room how many had found the job with the company through want-ads. Nothing.

Then he asked how many had found their jobs through employment agencies. One or two hands went up.

Then he asked how many had found their jobs through someone they knew - the rest of the hands in the room went up.

The upshot was to get our resumes in order, and then ask everyone we knew if they knew anyone that might be hiring someone with our background. Then you contact anyone they mention and ask them the same thing, using the name of the person that referred you to them. He said not to ask whether they had a job for us, but if they knew anybody that might have one.

This takes the pressure off the contact and gets them in a cooperative mode. If they have an opening for you they will say so; otherwise they will refer you to people they know that they believe are hiring.

This advisor said that by the time you get to the third ring of referrals you would have offers.

For me, someone at the company (I suspect a supervisor) had someone in New York call me about a job in Ohio - that I got, at a considerable increase in both salary and responsibility.

Networking is the key.

This takes the perso

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 3 at 2015 11:43 AM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 03 Jun 2015 11:43:25 -0400

Can make a huge difference

Response by SGT Nia Chiaraluce made Jun 3 at 2015 11:43 AM

SGT Nia Chiaraluce — Wed, 03 Jun 2015 11:43:57 -0400

I think it plays a major factor just as much if not more than how you sell yourself and your skill set. I was once told nobody wants to hire their next boss, from that I hold the mindset of selling myself as an asset that can boost whatever that company is already offering. Where the networking comes into play is select your references wisely. Select the ones who will pitch you in the manner that you have presented yourself to have. Too much praise can actually hinder your chances of being hired.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Jun 3 at 2015 12:02 PM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Wed, 03 Jun 2015 12:02:41 -0400

Networking is the difference between having a resume in a pile, and "I know a guy" when a job/position opens up.

Networking should be a passive good habit that you should foster, just because it helps develop a "brain trust." We can't know everything, but we can know a guy who knows a thing. That in turn creates a network.

Response by SPC Donald Moore made Jun 3 at 2015 12:24 PM

SPC Donald Moore — Wed, 03 Jun 2015 12:24:32 -0400

In the civilian sector, networking can be crucial because it can allow you to find out about opportunities that you might otherwise have not been aware of. Additionally, with regard to the career advancement, if the hiring official is already aware of you, they can select your resume when it comes across their desk on the cert.
It can be difficult to contact the correct people from the outside, but you may be able to contact someone that knows somebody.
Never burn your bridges.

Response by SP5 Roberta Sanchez made Jun 3 at 2015 3:57 PM

SP5 Roberta Sanchez — Wed, 03 Jun 2015 15:57:50 -0400

I think it plays a major part in the process. These days, it is who you know that can get you a job and not always your qualifications. By the time something is advertised for a company it is already old news. Why? Because of the approval process it takes to get information to the public. Going to gatherings or joining groups on a computer is a more realistic of finding intelligence that will lead you to a job.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 3 at 2015 7:33 PM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 03 Jun 2015 19:33:07 -0400

Honestly unless your network is specific to your location, or you are looking for high end professional or craft jobs (CEO/CFO, woodworking, sculpting, metal working, etc.) it probably does not matter.

No one at the local Walmart cares if you know the Vice Wing Commander at Base X, or if General Blah Blah thinks you are the best thing since sliced bread, but if you went to school with fruit managers cousin you may get a leg up.

On the other hand if there are only 10 people in the world that can make a "willywanki" out of bamboo and 10 of them say you are the next greatest "willywanki" maker you'r probably be ok also.

Guess what I'm getting at is it's all relative to the job and/or local you are looking at .

Response by SP5 Michael Rathbun made Jun 4 at 2015 10:03 PM

SP5 Michael Rathbun — Thu, 04 Jun 2015 22:03:02 -0400

Don't know for others, but nearly all of the job offers that have fished me out of the swamp of unemployment over the last thirty years have come from my network of contacts. Including the one I now enjoy, even though I have never met the person who hooked me up with this employer.

I got my first job after Viet-Nam from a newspaper help-wanted ad (but then, the entire office was vets who knew what they were looking for and saw it in me). Everything after that was network until a really rough patch in 1997 when an all-female tech recruiting company placed me in an interesting job. After that, it's been 100% network. Another rough patch, sent in over 300 apps and resumes over that 18 months of unemployment, and both of the subsequent gigs came from network contacts.

So, yeah, cultivate your network.