It’s not about what you know. It’s about who you know. This little gem can be discouraging for the thousands of recent college graduates who are looking for work but have a small or non-existent network. If you don’t know the right people, it can be nearly impossible to land your dream job. The good news is that making connections isn’t as hard as it seems. Let’s take a look at how you can improve your chances of landing the job you want while building a strong professional network at the same time.
Differentiate Yourself
You’ve heard it before. In order to get noticed in a stack of 1,000 resumes, you have to make yourself stand out. But it’s not just about the resume. It’s also about demonstrating why you are a good fit for the job. Create a YouTube Video, spend time researching the company, and demonstrate knowledge of the company’s needs and how you can meet those needs.
Show, Don’t Tell
Don’t just list your qualifications on your resume. Show the company what you can do by putting together a sample project ahead of time. In her post on getting hired without connections, Karen Cheng describes putting 100 hours of preparation into a single job interview. If you’re going after a high-stakes job in a desirable sector, extensive preparation can set you apart.
Yes, LinkedIn Matters
LinkedIn is foundational for your professional network. If you haven’t created a complete profile, do it now. Then, join groups in your industry, talk to people, ask for endorsements, and post frequent updates highlighting your experience and skills.
Find a Personal Connection
Almost everyone knows someone. You might not know someone who works at the company you’re applying for directly, but you may know a friend of a friend. That’s a place to start. Utilize the connections you already have—friends, teachers, former bosses, co-workers—and let them know what kind of position you’re looking for. You never know when that information will make it to the right person.
Target the Company You Want
If you know where you want to work, go ahead and present yourself to that company. Talk to someone who works there, put together a marketing plan, create a potential solution to a current problem and demonstrate the value you would bring to the company. Recruiting can be a messy process for employers to go through, and by being proactive, you may be able to earn the attention of the hiring manager before he or she has to sift through all those resumes.
Bottom line: In order to get the job, you have to stand out from the crowd. Be creative, be proactive, and demonstrate your unique value in order to land the job you want.
