I recommend that job seekers get up, get away from their computers, and connect with people in real life.
Has anyone actually done this? Have you initiated a break from social media websites for an hour? A day? A week? What were your experiences? Did you come back feeling refreshed? Did you recalibrate your job search while you were away? Did you make or solidify meaningful connections?
Or did you miss the computer? Did you wonder if you missed out on a job lead because you were away from the screen? Did you feel a longing to connect on Facebook? Did you go back and count how many times your name was mentioned on Twitter?
Tell me your story.
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I went to two seminars last week. One was sponsored by my local SHRM and one by the Michigan Chamber of Commerce. I like to go to seminars because I can network and earn re-cert credits at the same time.
The first event was about Change Management. We did some work in small groups and I ended up in a group of 5. 3 of us in the group were “in transition”. Welcome to Detroit.
At the second I used the break times to introduce myself to people directly and made a point to chat up a woman who was with a consulting firm and claimed they were hiring. The facilitator turned out to be a former student. Most of the people seemed to be more interested in document retention (the day’s topic) than talking to me, though.
I try to go to an outside function weekly, but I almost always come back depressed. It’s amazing to me that people online seem far more open and willing to engage than many people do in person. I’ve also tried to hook up with individuals who were vendors or salespeople to me when I was working and mostly get blown off. It seems that I have nothing to offer these people if I don’t have a job.
I don’t dismiss the value of face to face connections, but sometimes I feel like they are just another useless piece of advice. Or I could just be in a crappy mood because one of my dogs got hit by a car. I’ve been connecting with a lot of vets and vet techs this week, too.
I have been gainfully employed for one month today! But in the 10 months I was out of work, I did have to take breaks from the online world. I got frustrated when I kept finding the same jobs posted on the job boards, getting nowhere with trying to network and put the word out that I was looking, and even Facebook gets boring after a while. I went once to a local job fair that promised to be “different” – they had a rep from each company get up and speak about what they had available, so you didn’t have to keep waiting on line for nothing. Problem was, 90% of the jobs were in sales (not my field). While it was nice to commiserate with the people seated nearby waiting for the thing to start, I got the distinct impression that no one truly wanted to network – everyone was sizing one another up as the competition. My faith in networking was restored when I heard about my current job through my LinkedIn network, but after that experience at the job fair, I was ready to go right back online, where at least I didn’t have to feel the eyes on me sizing me up.
I just started at a new job, but while I was looking for a job the past few months, I realized that no one actually applies for a job to a human anymore. Everything is online, via Taleo or something similar, and when you send your resume in, you really feel like you’re emailing to the black hole. When I was last working (in 2000 before I had my kids and stayed home for 962 years to get them raised and off to school) candidates would fax (!?) or mail (??!!) their resumes in and we would call them (!!) to chat or send them a “ding” letter. But we would always try to connect in some way. I sent a resume to Nordstrom to try to get a job in their HR department and never heard anything back. So I went to the nearest store and wanted to “apply in person.” The HR department came out from behind their door and looked at me; guess they had never experienced that before.
Anyway, I guess my point is that, when job-hunting, unfortunately it seems that you have to stay at your computer if you want to get anywhere. That is what I’d like to change. Or how about a happy medium? Email your resume to an email address instead of a — what would you call Taleo –a resume engine? At least at the other end of an email address sits a person with whom you can follow up! There’s really no dignity left in job hunting!
The last position I received was after posting my resume online— and just walked away and did my same routine without ADD obsessing on what feedback I’m getting every two minutes—
REFRESH Dammit!!! REFRESH!!!
it’s like exercising an important muscle so it doesn’t atrophy. i worry that one day we’re all going to forget how to have a live conversation with human beings. i have nightmares about sitting around the table with my family and texting one another. this morning my daughter called me and lori out for being on our blackberries at the same time. ugghhh. i usually try to use the weekends to disconnect, but am not always great at it. good reminder to us all – exercise that (real) social muscle!
I remember in my senior year of college (way back in 1994!) we were just getting e-mail and they had this called relay@cornell.edu – the closest thing to instant messaging they had at the time. I even did my senior paper on how this communication technology seemed to be changing and improving communication reticence… blah, blah, blah, I know! Maybe for a while it helps people get out of themselves – and seem more forthcoming and outgoing, etc, but communicating behind a computer is safe – and networking is admittedly very hard.
However, I’m reminded of one of my favorite ancient sayings – “Dig the well before you’re thirsty” – and yes, some guy wrote a book about the same thing and now makes way more money than I do! (Great book, btw)
What that means is that you CANNOT wait til you’re out of a job to begin networking. Networking is NOT going to get you a job – it’s the relationships you created while gainfully employed (or otherwise not looking for a job) that are going to HELP you get that next job – whether through a) hearing about a job that’s not published, b) having a friend/connection who has an “in” with a hiring manager or c)when a recruiter finds you because you’re somehow connected to someone he/she knows.
In fact, I have some friends who are unemployed now and frankly, they seem very disingenuous when we’re at networking events because they almost seem to ooze “I’m only here to network because I need a job.” They almost never networked when they were employed – and sometimes even forgot about the genuine relationships that arose from their employment… How much more genuine we are when we attend these events without that agenda (which, again, is understandable – but I firmly believe, is absolutely preventable.) and it’s much more likely that people will want to talk to you. (Sad but true – one of the questions that is still the most popular when meeting people at networking events is “So what do you do?” or “Who do you work for?”)
Just my two cents, but I sincerely wish all those looking the best in their searches!
You kinda scare me sometimes Laurie, you do. Posting on things that are eerily on my mind right about the same time…
Anyhoo, I’ve been having a long fukitoll (f**k It All) moment but trying to balance it with a renewed pledge to get out there b/c sending CVs into black holes all day ain’t gotten me nowhere. But can I stand another uh, industry event where you might learn nothing & be sickened by the thought of ‘talking shop’? No. So, I’m attending a chef talk soon. Getting out there is more refreshing, less pressure when its outside your field. You’re more guaranteed to learn something and meet interesting people who may just know someone in your target sector/company.
Yeah! It’s fukitoll week; somebody make me a T-shirt.
When I was job searching, I did a mix of both. I would purposely force myself to go out into the world and mingle with real people. This was refreshing, but I ended up getting the job through a lead on Facebook.
I will say, I wouldn’t have that lead if I didn’t work on my social face-to-face skills and build a REAL relationship with that person. So…there ya go. They go hand and hand, eh?
@Joan Oh no, your dog! On a job-related note: I think that’s an interesting observation and you should write about that on your blog. You might get responses from people who would commiserate. Interesting.
@Amy I’m not sure if a job fair is a good model. I do know people who have found jobs though going out to the library and talking to someone who just happens to know someone who is hiring. Those are the experiences/connections that are important, I think. Job fairs can be so phony.
@Nicole There’s really no dignity left in job hunting! You’ve nailed it. I guess my question is this — how do we reclaim the dignity? It’s only gone if we let people take it from us.
@MattyMat You are an addict.
@Charlie Sometimes I sit on my laptop and my husband sits on his laptop and we have the TV going and we’re reading read funny websites and we send the link to one another via email — even though we’re sitting right next to one another — and we don’t talk or share a laugh at the same time BUT we do have the experience of enjoying the same thing and having something in common. Sad? Or is it the new form of marriage and communication?
@Eileen Thank you! Such a good comment.
@Geekette Your t-shirt is on order. Also, we might share a brain.
@Becky Exactly. Hand in hand.
Off topic. I miss my punkrockhr…
I’ve never had a problem connecting with people. I’m an extravert; my parents tell me I would hold conversations with adults effortlessly when I was a kid; I’m articulate; I listen; I look people in the eye; I pay attention to cues.
I’m on Facebook and Twitter and LinkedIn and all that biz, but I hardly use any of them to find work. All of the work I have (freelance writer/communication consultant) is the result of flesh-and-blood people I know.
This is not hard for me, but I think one of the big reasons social media-for jobs has exploded is because it is easier for non-natural networkers to connect with people. And I’m sure it works.
But get off the computer, get out of your house, play rec sports, join a gym and socialize where appropriate. That’s what works best, at least for me.
I have a love hate relationship with social networking, and sometimes the internet in general. Seems we have become accustomed to real-time everything- news, updates, information. It’s hard to unplug when we feel like we’re missing out on something, so we become slaves to our news feeds and most frequented sites. It’s exhausting at times.
What I’m disgruntled about currently… is the long online application process of many organizations. I’ve spent upwards of 6+ hours for a good job submission.. carefully constructing my cover letter, researching the company a bit, tailoring my resume to that position, crafting essays…. taking online personality tests, skills assessments, etc. Only to hear nothing. Or to receive a generic email two months later that the position was not created. I understand why the online submission process is lengthy… but after countless lengthy submissions, I am tired and pessimistic.
ho hum!
@Jess You have me thinking. I wrote about the candidate experience here but I think we need to say more. http://www.tcbreview.com/soundings-w10.php#soundings4
@Rick So healthy and wise.
@Amanda Thank you! I’m right here being scrubilicious. Hope you are well!