Posted by Dr. Sean Harry

One of our clients recently shared this networking story with us.

“Joe” found a job posting online that looked perfect for him. He checked his LinkedIn network and found that a former work colleague was working at that company so he reached out. Following good networking etiquette, Joe didn’t ask for help getting to the hiring manager or for any favors from his old friend. Joe simply called to re-ignite the relationship and to ask some questions about the company culture, how his friend liked working there, etc. Joe focused the conversation on what he could do to help his old friend. They talked for about 30 minutes. During that time Joe and his old friend caught up on work, family, their careers, and a variety of other topics. It felt good to reconnect.

After half an hour or so, Joe said, “Well, I better let you get back to work. That’s about all of the questions I have. I’d ask you more about the position I’m interested in applying for, but you probably don’t know much about it.”

Joe’s friend responded, “Actually, I know quite a lot about that position. I am the hiring manager.”

Silence.

Joe had not intended to use his relationship to gain any favorable treatment so he apologized to his old friend and told him that he hoped it didn’t make him feel awkward. A bit embarrassed, Joe signed off by saying, “I’ve put my application in through you website. I don’t want you to be surprised if you see it.”

His friend replied, “Joe, send your resume DIRECTLY to me. You fit the bill, and I want to include you in our formal interview process. Ultimately our entire management team will make the decision, so I can’t promise anything. But, I DO think you are a very qualified candidate.”

Joe did all the right things when it comes to networking and it has paid off. He focused on the needs of his friend. He reached out to rekindle an old relationship, but didn’t ask for any favors or special treatment. He learned about the company and got more information about the job – but he DIDN’T ask for a job!

Great work Joe! Thanks for showing us the right way to use networking in the job search!

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Dr. Sean Harry has more than 20 years of experience in training and motivating people to achieve their goals and reach their highest potential. He has helped accomplish this as a Career Coach, as a University professor, as a Pastor, and as a Motivational Speaker.
You can find him on twitter: @sharrypdx, and @careers20

Filed under: Career Advice , portland twitter, portland jobs, Portland Job Seekers

Portland Jobs Listings/Tweets from the various accounts the last few days (plus tweets from friends on twitter):

• pdxbizjobs: NIKE Factory Store seeking Department Manager (2+ years’ general retail experience) http://tr.im/nikeretail0419 #pdxjobs
• pdxtechjobs: Nike seeking Java App Engineering Intern (Full time student entering Junior or Senior year) http://tr.im/nikejava0419 #pdxjobs
• pdxsalesjobs: Niketown Portland seeking Sales Associate http://tr.im/nikesales0419 #pdxjobs #pdx
• pdxcreativejobs: Interactive Art Director gig in PDX w/ White Horse: http://budurl.com/ADJOB #pdxjobs
• PDXJobs: NIKE Factory Store seeking Department Manager (2+ years’ general retail experience) http://tr.im/nikeretail0419 #pdxjobs
• pdxmarketingjob: Wieden+Kennedy seeking Digital Associate Media Director. Info: http://pdx.be/wieden-0414 #pdxjobs
• pdxtechjobs: The New Group is hiring a Senior User Experience Designer http://pdx.be/new-user-0414 #pdxjobs
• pdxcreativejobs: The New Group is hiring a Production Designer (web production role) http://pdx.be/new-prod-0414 #pdxjobs
• pdxgreenjobs: Focus the Nation Town Hall: Seizing the Opportunities of the New Energy Economy | April 17 http://pdx.be/focus-0417 #pdxjobs
• KGWNews: RT @PDXJobs: (Please Retweet) Have a Portland job opening/know of a job opening? @, email, DM. Looking for a job? Follow me. #pdxjobs
• pdxcreativejobs: Wieden+Kennedy (@wiedenkennedy) looking for an Audio/Visual (A/V) Production Manager http://tr.im/wiedenav #pdxjobs
• pdxgreenjobs: April 21: Urban League of PDX Job Fair: “Bridges to Sustainable Jobs” (via @brampitoyo) http://tr.im/fair0421 #pdxjobs

——————————–Related Posts–

• Focus the Nation: Seizing the Opportunities of the New Energy Economy | April 17
• Monday Staff Meeting: The Hiring Game
• Portland Job Listings (Tweets) | April 3-8

A reader recently commented: “Dealing with recruiters, hiring managers, and HR is a game where the odds are stacked way against you. One never knows what it is that gets you eliminated from consideration. And often times, they just go with an internal candidate they identified way before they advertised the position you applied for.”

This is a VERY interesting observation. Many people feel its true that applying for a job is a “game” and that the odds are stacked against the applicant before the game ever begins, but think about it from the standpoint of the employer. Who would YOU rather hire? Someone you don’t know that you pulled out of a stack of 1,000 resumes? Or someone you know or have met through someone you know? I’m sure MOST of us would rather hire the latter. People hire people they know, because finding someone who is the “right fit” is often MORE important than finding someone who has the skills you need. You can always train people new skills. But if someone is not a good fit for your organization. . . well, you can’t really change that, can you?!

Then there is the cost of hiring. Consider that it costs about 1.5 to 2 times the annual salary of the employee per hire. That means, if I am paying someone $70k per year the cost to hire them is somewhere between $105k and $140k. If they end up not fitting into the organization I might have to pay that out again in 6 – 18 months. However, if I hire someone I know (or meet through a friend, colleague, current employee, etc) my chances of finding a good fit are much better – thus saving the cost of hiring someone else within 6 to 18 months. Again, which would YOU prefer?

Since THAT is the game, the secret for job seekers is to activate your network to be the person with the odds stacked in YOUR favor. Use your friends, colleagues, and former co-workers to find out where the opportunities are. Have them submit your resume or introduce you directly to the hiring manager. When you do get in front of the hiring manager, don’t focus on your needs. Instead focus on THEIRS! Show them what you can do for them – how you will help them achieve their business goals and cause their business to grow. Give them concrete examples of how you have helped previous employers make or save money. And don’t forget to make sure that you and the company are a good fit.

If you need help activating your network, find a good coach or mentor. Use Twitter, Facebook, and other social networks to help you – but remember, ALWAYS focus on what you can do for others. People don’t care what you know or are capable of until they know you care about them and their needs!

Happy Hunting!
_______________________________________
Dr. Sean Harry has more than 20 years of experience in training and motivating people to achieve their goals and reach their highest potential. He has helped accomplish this as a Career Coach, as a University professor, as a Pastor, and as a Motivational Speaker.
You can find him on twitter: @sharrypdx, and @careers20

*Read more “Monday Staff Meeting” posts by Dr. Harry, a new series to help job seekers in Portland Oregon.

Portland Jobs Listings/Tweets from the various accounts the last few days (plus tweets from friends on twitter):

Thank goodness for spring! You are looking for a job, and spring is Job Fair time. But before you head off to your next Job Fair adventure, there are a few things you should know

• There are going to be LOTS of people there and very few jobs . . . if any. You may be going to a Job Fair looking to find a job, but employers go for a completely different reason. Most companies don’t show up with jobs to offer. Companies are there to promote themselves and assess job seekers. They are seldom there to offer jobs.

• Company representatives will see dozens (perhaps hundreds) of job seekers at the fair. The chances of them remembering you from the Job Fair are slim. Your best bet is to get a verbal commitment for a conversation at some time in the future. Get a name and email address, and follow up immediately after the event.

• Take plenty of copies of your resume and business cards. Give them out liberally – even to other job seekers.

• Have a strategy, set goals, and know what you want to get out of the Job Fair. Since landing a job at a Job Fair is not realistic, your goals should simply be to make a certain number of connections that will lead to a face-to-face meeting within the next week or two. A good goal is to come away with 3 solid follow-up “leads”.

• Other job seekers might be your best bet for making contacts. Don’t neglect making connections with other job seekers. They can be a great source of information and support.

• Use the job fair to assess opportunities. While specific jobs may be few and far between, you can tell what areas of the economy are gearing up for growth. Companies are not going to waste their time or money by going to a Job Fair if they have no plans for growth in the near future. Be aware of the companies and industries represented. They may be hiring soon.

• Follow up. My mentor, Kathie Nelson says, “The money is in the follow up.” A Job Fair is a great place to meet people. If you want to turn those meetings into potential job offers you MUST follow up.

• Follow the advice of my good friend, Cleon Cox III – “Meet people, learn something, and have fun!”

Job Fairs can be a lot of fun and very instructive for your job search. Just be realistic about what you hope to accomplish from attending the fair, and you won’t walk away empty-handed. Go looking for a job and you will be disappointed. Go looking to make connections and you will succeed.

_______________________________________
Dr. Sean Harry has more than 20 years of experience in training and motivating people to achieve their goals and reach their highest potential. He has helped accomplish this as a Career Coach, as a University professor, as a Pastor, and as a Motivational Speaker.
You can find him on twitter: @sharrypdx, and @careers20

*This is the first “Monday Staff Meeting” post by Dr. Harry, a new series to help job seekers in Portland Oregon.

——–Related Posts:———

• Portland Jobs: March 20-25, 2009
• Portland Twitter Jobs

From engineworks:

Should my business be on Twitter?
Everyone is Talking about Twitter

Twitter is gaining a lot of attention lately, for um…gaining a lot of attention. The site’s popularity even warranted a news story on CNN this week, leading to millions of social media laggards to ask two questions: ‘wait, what is Twitter?’ and the more introspective, ‘Do I need to be on Twitter?’ Read more at engineworks

———————–Related Posts–

• Portland Twitter Jobs
• Getting back to work: “Tweets” help job searchers | KGW

From Shop Symposium:

35 Local Business Leaders Join to Educate Business Owners
Second Annual SHOP Symposium for Portland Retailers and Entrepreneurs

Tickets are still available to the second annual SHOP Symposium, a one-day conference for small business owners and entrepreneurs looking to draw an edge in what may seem an over-saturated market. Like last year’s selling-out SHOP/08 (touted as “fabulous”, “uplifting” and having “contagious energy”), Portland’s unique SHOP Symposium is a forum fit to educate and equip Portland’s business-minded individuals, with 35 leaders in the Portland business community speaking on panel, adding to a lively, educationally rich dialogue followed by an audience-approved Q & A.

Individual registration is $99 for the day or $75 each when two or more register.

For more information, please visit: www.cravebusiness.com/shopsymposium09/portland

WHO: Retailers, boutique brands, and other small business owners looking to build on their business strategies, increase profits and revive ROI.

WHY: SHOP Symposium gives a new meaning to “Support Local”. Our 35 featured speakers prove that Portland’s small business community is not like the fend-for-yourself mentality of other cities. These thriving entrepreneurs, consultants and strategists want to share their stories to encourage and equip other business owners to surge forward, past the current economic slump and past the unknowns of small business.

Featured Local Business Leaders at SHOP/09:

• Harry DeWolf, Portland District Director, U.S. Small Business Administration
• Jackie Babicky, Chair of the Small Business Advisory Council (works directly with the Mayor and City Council on policy development tailored to enhance small business prosperity)
• Search marketing expert Kent Lewis, Founder of Anvil Media (named as a top ten fastest growing private company in Portland by the Portland Business Journal)
• RYZ Wear Brand Evangelist, Ryan Christensen (called one of “25 of Portland’s Most Creative Thinkers” by The Oregonian)
• Lisa Schroeder, Founder of Mother’s Bistro (Business woman of the Year by the Portland Business Journal and Co-Chair for the Portland Business Alliance’s Downtown Retail Council)
• Curt Mudd, Founder of Emergent (former HR exec for Nau + Nike)
• John Freiss, Founder of Seven Planet
• Mom-praneur Mindee Doney, Co-Founder of Boogie Wipes (now selling in 30,000 retail stores nationwide)
• Alice Dobson, Designer and Founder of Sofada (featured in New York Fashion Week)

WHEN: Monday, April 6, 2009

7:30am – 8:30am | Registration & Check-In

8:30am – 4:00pm | SHOP Symposium

12:00pm – 1:15pm | Lunch provided by Art Bar*

• 15-minute Business Strategy Makeovers on stage with nationally-known Author, Speaker and Consultant Lisa Johnson)

4:00pm – 5:00pm | Networking Reception

WHERE: Brunish Hall (4th Floor), Portland Center for the Performing Arts, 1111 SW Broadway (downtown Portland, Oregon)

————————————–Related Posts and Industries/Jobs:

• Portland Jobs: Working in a Creative Economy | April 1
• Portland Creative Jobs
• Portland Service Industry Jobs
• Portland Business Jobs

Getting back to work: “Tweets” help job searchers
09:27 PM PDT on Monday, March 30, 2009
By ANNE YEAGER, KGW Staff

PORTLAND — Lloyd Bagtas, 26, and John Brown, 26, have a lot of time to kill because they were recently laid off.

They worked as web programmers and designers for one of the largest interactive web companies in the country.

“You would know our clients. They are big names,” Bagtas said.

Bagtas won’t forget when he was called into Human Resources. “I really don’t even talk to my boss, he’s so high on the food chain. So when I saw him with the HR person, I said uh-oh.”

The company had lost some high-end clients and had to lay off 20% of their work force.

It was Brown’s first job. “It was hard. Everyone kept telling me, you’re not going to be laid off,” he said.

Both Bagtas and Brown have been on Twitter since it started two years ago. But for the rest of those who aren’t connected, it’s one of the hottest networking tools out there.

Bagtas and Brown “tweeted” that they had lost their jobs…Continue at KGW

Update: The TV/video segment is online now

———————————-Related Posts–

• Portland Twitter Jobs (@PDXJobs) on KGW Tonight
• Portland Twitter Jobs

KGW has a story tonight on using social media to find jobs and they had me in the studio to talk about @pdxjobs. They had a couple other Portland twitterers on as well. One has been in interviews as the result of twitter and one has found a job through twitter (hopefully through @pdxjobs!)  It airs tonight at 11. Hope you enjoy & I hope I look good

(Update: Story &  TV/video segment)

In the meantime, we are working hard to make this site useful to you.

Features we will be adding shortly after the jump…

• Submit Job forms
• Job search advice and career advice (using traditional methods and social media)
• Networking events and job fairs
• Full listings of Jobs here (in addition to the tweets)
• More stuff that I haven’t thought about yet, but you can suggest below in the comments

Please Note: PDXJobs is committed to helping connect people with jobs. To that end we do not charge for any Non-Profit or volunteer job listings, we also permit local businesses with less than 3 employees to list without fee. We do however charge agencies or larger companies to list their jobs here.