If you’re looking for a new job the key is to stop thinking about what other people can do for you according to Hamish Davidson, chairman & senior partner of executive recruitment company Rockpools. Here he offers some common sense advice on job hunting at a senior level
Before I start spouting the obvious at you, put yourself in my shoes for a moment. I get an email from you, explaining how you are looking to move jobs and attaching your CV. It’s one email sent en masse to 30 recruiters at the same time. Efficient for you—but how special does it make me feel? And how would you feel about being a recipient of this type of group email?
Or, maybe I get an email from you, reminding me that we met five years ago, the last time you were looking for a job. You bring me up-to-date on the role you landed then and what you’ve achieved since. Now, you say, it is time to move on again and another meeting would be useful and you will be calling my PA to arrange such. This is the first time I have heard from you since last we met. How do you think I feel?
The point of these scenarios is that they illustrate what not to do when you are looking for a new role. There are some simple rules that apply when you are looking for a job, at whatever level:
Treat other people as you would wish to be treated
Don’t abuse folk—even recruiters. If executive search firms agree to see you, write and say thank you afterwards, let them know when you get a job, and put them on your business Christmas mailing list. Networking for life is about staying loosely in touch, never knowing when you might need someone to do you a favour.
When job-hunting, networking is all about visibility and profile
If I don’t know about you, why should I headhunt you? If other people don’t know about you, why should they recommend you? You only get out of networking what you put in, so you have to make the running in terms of staying in touch.
And why would anyone want to recommend you anyway?
There can only be three reasons:
1) They love you totally and will do anything for you. Hopefully there is a small group that fall into this category; 2) You have paid them to recommend you—possibly, but let’s ignore this lot; and 3) they feel “morally obligated” to try and help you. This is the key group. And why would anyone feel that way? Because of favours you have done for them in the past. So here we have the key to networking: stop thinking about what other people can do for you and start thinking about what you can do for them. Build a bank of moral debt in others, owed to you.
Your personal brand, the values that you stand for and live by, and how you behave towards others. These are crucial in job hunting
Be remembered for being a nice, genuine and courteous person, rather than a “fair weather” friend or ungrateful.
Posted 23 November 2007 : Director.co.uk