Q: I want to contact the VP of Marketing of a tech company in my area. I’ve never met the guy, and I don't know anyone who can introduce us. How can I manage to reach this person through networking , when I don’t have any connections to him?
Picture the following scenario: A person you've never met – a connection through Twitter , Facebook or Linkedin – emails you and asks that you send their resume to your HR Department.
Imagine the following scenario: Where you live, unemployment is at 10.7% . Even in spring, the weather is still cold and wet. You've been burglarized for the second time in as many months. Yesterday's commute took almost two hours – a new record. The only theater in town closed last week. Your spouse just got transferred . Or your family's persistent encouragement has finally convinced you to move closer to home.
As highlighted in last week's column, when you're looking for a job in a new city , it's possible to do a lot of your preliminary research long distance – and even potentially find a new job before you move.
Q: After 6 years in my current job, I've decided it's time for a career move and a new challenge. I have a good working relationship with my manager , and I've consistently had excellent performance reviews . But I don't want to tip off my boss that I'm looking before I have an offer in hand. Who, then, should I approach for references?
Here's a common scenario that a job seeker faces today: You spend hours searching through thousands of job postings and finally you find what you're looking for – an opening that matches your qualifications perfectly . So what do you do? Send in your resume ? Well, not exactly.
Today's column comes from David Bell, a successful job seeker who used networking to help land a new job in the current economy. I asked him to explain the secret to his success, and he distilled his experience into six key points that can help you build a better network :