In today’s marketplace most candidates we engage with are working two well trodden paths when looking for a new position – the online job boards such as Monster and company website’s or career portals; but are they missing a trick?
It is suggested by some commentators that as many as 70% of jobs are never advertised! The actual percentage number ranges quite considerably, but one thing we can be certain of is that many roles are filled through this route. OK, roles in the public sector have (are supposed?) to be open to all, whilst private sector employers always have more freedom; whatever the sector there are still many hiring managers who prefer a recommendation or a targeted approach to wading through hundreds of applicants after posting an advert on the web.
We see examples of this all the time, even for roles where recruitment companies are involved or where there is a solid HR recruitment process that must be adhered to! If the hiring manager feels they have identified the right candidate, they will generally remove all obstacles to getting that person on the payroll!
So how do we tap into these opportunities? There are a number of different approaches that can be taken into consideration, but be warned, they require effort, planning, research and some cases getting out of your comfort zone. Choosing a different path from the masses is not easy – if it was, everyone would be doing it.
Organisation Referral Schemes
Many organisations in recent times have decided to use their own employees to push their recruitment campaigns; referral fees have been on offer for any employee who recommends friends, family or past colleagues who they then hire. Think about your own network, both past and present and be prepared to step up your efforts to find out who in your network may have access to the organisation / role that you want.
Wider Networking
Good old fashioned face to face networking can’t be ignored; it works! It works because it’s all about widening your own network and when your own network is larger it follows that there are more opportunities to be farmed. You may gain insight into a company that has an open opportunity, a possible opportunity or referrals and recommendations. Sometimes the power is a simple as someone “just putting a good word in” for you. More recently there has been a rise in online or social networking (more information below on how to get involved in social networking) but still it is not as effective as a face to face event.
Ask yourself, when was the last time I went to a project management event, seminar, conference or exhibition? If it’s been a while, your network will probably be a little on the small side or full of the same old faces.
Book on to your next event and be prepared; effective networking starts before you arrive. Make sure you have your business cards ready (if you’re not working, consider investing a few pounds on the business card machines available on the high street). If possible, see if an attendee list is available beforehand (you can plan who you would like to speak to). Remember that networking is a two way street; it’s much more effective if you have something to offer a contact rather than just wanting something from them.
It’s also an opportunity for you to follow up afterwards, so make sure you take that business card and make a quick note on the back (who they were and what action you’re going to follow up with. Networking situations can be daunting for some; walking into a room full of strangers, not too sure who to approach or what to say. All I can advise is deep breathe and open with the usual conversation starter; “what brings you here today.” The only other piece of advice is how to break away from a conversation; you don’t want to end up talking to just one or two people, the goal is to have as many effective conversations as you can. Around five minutes is a good time to break off, get a coffee and have a walk around to find your next contact.
Have a practice; come along to the Best Practice Showcase on the 24th June in London, it’s free to attend and over 500 project management professionals will be in attendance.
Targeted Research
You can target the organisations you want to work for directly rather than wait for the organisation to release vacancies; many line managers will look at the good speculative CVs they received directly before advertising a position. This approach works well when you have really targeted organisations well and you know they will need your kind of skills and experience in the future. Before commencing you need to be clear about who you are and what you have to offer; practice the 30 second pitch that tells anyone you come into contact with; who you are and what you can do. Don’t try and be everything to everyone – if it’s clear, concise and to the point you will leave the right first impressions…
If you want to read more of this article, you’ll have to subscribe to the project management & recruitment issues newsletter we published it in first – Project Management Tipoffs. Originally printed in the June edition that went out last Thursday, we’re allowing new subscribers this week only a chance to register and receive a free copy of the June issue, a way of previewing all future monthly editions. Subscribe today!
Twitter: EdWallington
Hi Lindsay,
Yet another pertinent and timely post!
The old adage of ‘it’s not what you know, but who you know’ still rings true, and likely always will. Networking is key to securing the next role, and as you say many vacancies are not listed, particularly in the larger job search engines.
Given the current economic climate, and seeing how many project managers are applying for the limited number of vacancies available (I have seen some jobs with greater than 40 applicants), the chances of getting past HR gatekeepers is getting harder. So why don’t we by-pass them, and go straight to the decision makers?
I support your points above, especially re: networking, attending seminars, conferences etc – especially for those who are predominately home based (an increasing trend) – there is no better way to meet other project managers, discuss current trends and techniques, and meet your next employer!
Best regards,
Ed
Twitter: projectmgmt
Thanks Ed, totally agree about finding ways to bypass those blockers! But there is still something line managers can be doing in educating their HR people about what they really want/ need in their project management staff. We still see too much Prince2 badge stuff in specs, 9 times out of 10 it’s not even used by the org.