19 2. You have been referred to, or given the name of, a contact by a friend or colleague who knows you are interested in a particular career field. You may write to someone you have not met before, but has been referred to you by a mutual acquaintance. 3. You have discovered the name of a potentially valuable contact through your own research. TIPS ON MAKING CONTACTS Research the person on LinkedIn or other Internet site to help make your networking letter more personal. Talk to your coworkers or friends who might have worked with the person. MENTION THE REFERENCE AT THE BEGINNING Ensure that the opening sentence mentions the name of the person who referred you to the reader, such as, “John Smith suggested I contact you.” This establishes a connection with the reader before moving on to your request. EXPLAIN WHO YOU ARE AND WHY YOU ARE CONTACTING THEM Make it clear that you are seeking information so you can further your knowledge of a certain career area or to determine your next step. You may share that you are actually looking for a job, but never ask for a job. It is generally more effective to ask a contact you are unfamiliar with for assistance with names of people to contact, than it is to ask for a job. Often, if your letter is polite and persuasive, people will be interested in talking with you. Let the person know how they can best help you. They cannot read your mind, so depending on what you want, ask if they have time to meet with you. They can offer insights about the current job market in that field, how to approach your job search or suggest other people you should talk to about your job search strategy. CONFIRM A CONVENIENT TIME TO TALK If you call, ask when would be a convenient time to talk. Give your contact a chance to speak with you now or to make arrangements for a better time. TELL THEM WHY THEY ARE A SPECIAL CONTACT FOR YOU If you have a mutual friend or acquaintance, mention their name. Tell them you appreciate their input and that you recognize that their time is valuable. BRIEFLY DESCRIBE YOUR SKILLS Use your 60-second elevator pitch. Let the person know what you have to offer and how they can best help you. ASK FOR ANOTHER CONTACT If you are contacting someone you have not met before, you may choose to ask them to suggest another person to contact. If they can’t help you, ask if they know anyone in the industry who might be willing to talk to you - not necessarily about a job, but about your job search strategy. If they suggest getting in touch with someone else, ask their permission to reference their name and then follow up on their suggested contact as soon as possible. WRITE THE NEXT STEP YOU WILL TAKE TO MAKE CONTACT When sending a letter or email message, let the contact know you will follow up in the next few days to discuss a possible meeting. DON’T BE AFRAID TO SHOW YOUR PERSONALITY IN THE LETTERS Show your personality while keeping the letter professional. Just remember to keep letters short and relevant to the networking request. NETWORKING IS A TWO-WAY STREET Staying open to future communication is crucial to networking. Your networking contacts are interested in what you’re doing as much as you are interested in them. If you have a resource that you think one of your contacts would appreciate, pass it along to them. If someone referred you to another contact that was particularly helpful, write to the person who referred you to thank them and let them know.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTM2NjgzMA==