When you make a connection during your job search, you’ll have a brief opportunity to make the most of the encounter. Sometimes you’ll have more than 30 seconds, often you’ll have less, but you want to get it right with that person to enlarge your circle of helpful contacts. Here are some key things to remember:
- Eye Contact – Look the person in the eye or, if it’s a group, look around at each of the people in that group while you’re speaking.
- Handshake (if appropriate) – Be firm, but don’t try to crush their hands.
- Delivery (the heart of the matter) – Identify your career focus, cite several significant accomplishments to demonstrate your successes and then describe exactly what you’re looking for. You can identify several companies where you’d like to work (they may have a friend or neighbor who might work there), but also refer to that industry.
- Referrals - Finish by asking for a referral who might be open to discussing your field of interest further. An open ended question is far better than one that’s closed. For example, instead of saying “Do you know someone…? (they could simply say “No”), try, “Who do you know…?”.
- Caution - DO NOT ask if they have a job or know of one. If you impress them (in a good way) and they know of an opening, they’ll tell you.
- Jargon – Drop military jargon, of course, but you can use jargon for the industry where you’d like to work if (and only if) that person is in that industry, e.g. at a trade show, industry professional association meeting, an informational interview. The latter can make you sound more like an insider.
- Practice - until it sounds conversational (not a script) and you are able to adjust the length, as needed. You may feel a bit awkward practicing with someone (necessary, though) but it’s less awkward than being unemployed.
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