Networking: Paradigm Shift
It's a challenging situation. Unemployment rates are skyrocketing, and internal talent acquisition departments are running on minimal resources. Employees are anxious about job security, and the markets are highly volatile, adding to the overall uncertainty. We're left with numerous pressing questions: How will COVID-19 progress? When can we expect a suitable treatment or vaccine? Is another wave on the horizon? How are consumer habits changing, and will these changes persist? What about returning to activities like attending Lightning games? These are vital inquiries, and we crave answers.
However, it's important to acknowledge that sometimes the answers don't matter as much as our response to uncertainty. When faced with uncertain circumstances, it's natural to feel fear and become immobilized. Yet, there is an antidote: taking intentional action.
Now is the time to act. We find ourselves in the most intricate job market ever witnessed, where sitting back and waiting for recruiters to reach out or simply applying to online job postings won't suffice. It's time to rethink our approach. Consider this: when the job market begins to recover, overwhelmed talent acquisition teams will be flooded with hundreds, if not thousands, of resumes for each position posted online. If you thought applying online was ineffective before, you haven't seen anything yet. But don't fret; I have a better suggestion: start networking—start yesterday. Networking is the key to liberation.
Take intentional action by networking effectively. As someone who interacts with hundreds of active job-seekers every year, I understand the discomfort people feel when I mention networking. Why is that? It's because most people approach it the wrong way. I can confidently say this because I made the same mistake for years before I changed my mindset and transformed my networking approach. When I began my networking journey in Tampa, I was new to the city, my company, and networking in general. So, I did what seemed logical—I sent out LinkedIn messages and attended local networking events. It was awkward. I became that uncomfortable salesperson striking up conversations about sandwiches with anyone who made eye contact. It was a nightmare for both myself and those around me. On the bright side, I did meet some patient and personable individuals whom I'm still in touch with today. However, those connections didn't provide any tangible value. It was an awkward experience and a waste of time.
That's when I changed my perspective. I realized that I needed to shift my mindset when it came to networking. I had to redefine "value." As humans, we need to compartmentalize the gains we derive from certain activities—we need wins! So, I crafted my entire networking strategy around learning new skills and gaining fresh perspectives from others. I took a hard look at myself and identified areas of weakness that I could intentionally improve. I decided to focus on three aspects: (1) Public Speaking, (2) Brand Development, and (3) Leadership. I reached out to my immediate network, sharing my desire to enhance these areas, and asked them three questions: (1) Whom should I contact in Tampa for Public Speaking advice? (2) Whom should I connect with for Brand Development insights in Tampa? (3) Whom should I approach for Leadership advice in Tampa? Then I asked, "Would you mind introducing me to them so I can learn from their experiences? I'm genuinely committed to intentional development in these areas, and I would truly appreciate it!" This strategy can be adapted by anyone looking to learn something new, regardless of their field or occupation. (No offense to dog walkers—I'm sure it's a great job!)
Admittedly, I am no Simon Sinek. I will not be giving TED talks any time soon. But I have really enjoyed the journey and I have met some amazing people using this strategy. You would be surprised how such a seemingly simple shift could be so effective. I now had something to talk about. I had questions to ask people. I had fresh new insights to gain. I had wins! Some of the people I connected with introduced me to other people, who introduced me to more people, who they felt might be able to help me in my pursuit of intentional development. Some of those people became strong mentors for me that have impacted my professional development in a BIG way.
I know what you are thinking. How does learning or developing a new skill set help me actually get in front of the right person and land a new job? The strategy from this point on is simple. Leverage the network that you have built in order to get in front of the right person. You have been having awesome conversations. You have asked if there is any way that you can help them, to show your gratification. You have helped. Every conversation at this point has helped you to learn and build out your network with people who live in your market. All of this can be done with a plan and a Zoom account. Not only have you built a large network, but the people that you have connected with have unconsciously evolved into a Mentor for you. At the end of the day, it feels good to help people who need your expertise and people like helping in areas that they are knowledgeable in. You have an army of Mentors to lean on to ask for introductions to different companies in the area... and you learned a thing or two along the way.
Happy Networking!
Bobby Hite
