By: John Glover (MBA)
Have you ever tried to actually find a needle in a haystack? To shuffle through the straw and dust in an effort to locate a tiny piece of metal? Well, if you’re currently in the market for a new job, I’m sure it feels pretty similar to the stress detailed above. With competition in the job market continuing to rise, many unemployed people feel as though they’ll never be able to land a job. Unemployment rates continue to fluctuate, and unfortunately, it just seems like there are not enough jobs for every candidate.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this past April held the lowest number of job openings this country has seen in years. Even increasingly qualified candidates are struggling to secure an interview in today’s market. Applicants are sending out dozens of applications a day and yet receive no response from employers. This reality can be incredibly frustrating and discouraging.
Finding jobs to even apply to these days seems challenging. Sixty-five million people use LinkedIn during the week to try to locate jobs they can apply to. Candidates of all ages remain infuriated by qualification requirements that seem to close the doors right in their faces. Younger professionals can’t provide work experience, which is often necessary for jobs, and they grow frustrated that nobody will give them the chance to gain that experience. On the other hand, highly qualified candidates are dissatisfied with the compensation that is often attached to the lower-grade jobs they are sometimes obligated to take.
However, all hope does not have to be lost quite yet. Yes, job opportunities are scarce, but networking can serve as the lifeline that connects you to potential employers. In an incredibly competitive market, personal connections give you an edge. Now, I know what you’re thinking: Networking is just a fancy word for talking to more people. But it is more than that. It is more than just collecting business cards or connecting with people on LinkedIn.
“Networking is like dating. It’s a great way to put yourself out there in the hopes of securing a long-term partner, or in this case, a job. LinkedIn and Indeed are good first steps when looking for your next job, but they aren’t the end all, be all,” says A.J. Mizes, CEO & Founder of The Human Reach. It’s about building genuine relationships that can lead to new opportunities, recommendations, and introductions to hiring managers.
Mizes proceeds to share: “A recent study by LinkedIn showed that over 80% of roles hired in the last 18 months were done via referral. This means that networking is a key factor in the hiring process. It’s important to play to your advantage and use the resources you have to get to where you need to be. Networking isn’t just handing out your business card to people or connecting with them on Linkedin; it’s having open conversations about your role and discussing potential opportunities.”
Networking can feel daunting, especially if you’re shy or unsure where to begin. Social interactions, in general, can harbor an undertone of anxiety. The good news is that networking doesn’t always require formal events or a crazy amount of effort. Start small. Look at the resources and relationships you already have and try to grow from there.
Mizes concludes by saying, “Networking benefits people on both sides, you as a potential employee and employers who want to drive profitability, so investing time and energy into this is not a waste. A lot of people think the job application process is fully out of their hands, but that’s not true. Using your connections to secure an interview or a job is the name of the game these days.“
Between the neverending job applications, endless searching on job boards, and tiresome tweaking of resumes, job hunting feels like the struggle of a lifetime. But, there is hope that one day, you will prevail in the competitive market and land the job of your dreams. It all starts with the people around you!
Published by: Martin De Juan
