Think, plan before meeting with job contact
Think, plan before meeting with job contact
"Is this meeting really necessary?"
That’s what contacts ask themselves when you arrive unannounced, all smiles and good cheer, wanting to have just a few minutes of their time. Because the surprised hosts are reasonably well-behaved folks, they aren’t apt to have you arrested for trespassing. Instead, they flash a slightly sincere smile and utter a tight-lipped response. "This is a surprise," they say. "What can I do for you?"
What they really want to know is what were you thinking by showing up without an invitation in the middle of the worst day of the week.
Job seekers: If you want to maximize networking opportunities and minimize rupturing relationships, mind your manners, ask for appointments and do some careful pre-meeting planning.
If you need some help with what that looks like, here are a few questions to ask yourself (and answers) for you to consider:
• Whose job is it to get me a job? (It’s your job.)
• Why do I want to talk to this person? (You have a shared acquaintance or interest; he has a perspective you want and don’t have.) • How can this person help me? (By providing suggestions you could pursue, "connectors" you could call, options and possibilities you could consider.)
• What will this person need to know from me to be a resource for me? (You value his opinion. You know what you want; you have specific strengths and proven capabilities that qualify you for positions you seek.)
• What are my specific strengths and capabilities? (Draw from positive experience, ask the people you’ve worked with in the past, and stay job-focused, achievement-oriented, reality-based and goal-centered).
• How much time is this person likely to give me? (20 minutes, 30 on a good day.)
• How will I know if our meeting is successful? (He’ll have ideas that resonate for you, and names and contact information of people who might have leads for you.)
While you’re mulling over your answers to these questions, here are a few concerns and questions your prospective networking contacts are likely to surface:
• "When Tom (Dick, or Harry) called, he said that he wanted to talk about his job search and how I could help him. I hope he’s focused when he gets here; I’m on a tight schedule with a lot on my plate."
• "Why me? There must be a number of people he could call who know him better than I do."
• "What am I willing to do for him? How involved do I want to get? How much of this person’s search am I willing to take on? I don’t know yet."
• "How much time will it take? I want to help him, but I don’t want to overcommit. If I find out I’m a name he pulled out of a hat, I won’t participate."
• "What do I want in return? I’ll want to know that he appreciates my thinking and is respectful of my time. That he’ll arrive prepared, organized and realistic about what I can do and what I’m not likely to do. That he’ll conclude the meeting without my having to conclude it for him and that the outcome, for each of us, will be worthwhile."
• "Given my concerns, why am I open to talking with him? If I were in his situation I’d want someone that I respect to do the same for me. I’ve been through good times and bad, so he could benefit from my perspective and experience. We share some common interests and know some of the same people, so I’m doing a favor for them when I’m doing a favor for him."
Joyce Richman is a speaker and career coach conducting seminars and workshops throughout the United States, and the author of "Roads, Routes & Ruts: A Guidebook for Career Success." You can reach her at 288-1799 or JERichman@aol.com. Watch Joyce Richman's latest career advice Wednesdays at 6:35 a.m. during "The Good Morning Show" on WFMY News 2 or visit http://www.digtriad.com/business/columnists/career_minute/
