If I may add to this please, we often talk about “networking with the newly departed” as a simple way to get to the front of the line quickly.

Rather than rewrite the piece let me provide a link: http://www.putamericabacktowork.com/networking/zero-60-how-to-network-like-a-headhunter/

All the best.

David Perry
coauthor, Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters 3.0

The importance of networking can’t be over estimated, particularly in todays age of information overload, where your connections can help focus your attention on the intelligence that’s actionable and relevant.

Linkedin co-founder Reid Hoffman put this really well in his book “The Start Up of You”, where he states :

“People offer personalized, contextualized advice. Friends and acquaintances know your interests and can tailor their information and advice accordingly…People can filter information you get from other sources. People can tell you which books to read; which search results to ignore; which people to trust or not trust.”

I also agree with the idea of reaching out to peers rather than managers or HR people. However I would point out the importance of building a diverse network.

People tend primarily to seek out others who do what they do and see the world as they do, decreasing the odds of developing truly innovative insights outside of their narrow domain of expertise. On the other hand, the most successful networkers are those who are look to connect people across different groups.

This concept was first observed by the sociologist Mark Granovetter who identified the importance of “weak ties”. In terms of career development, Granovetter demonstrated that our most valuable connections are often those we may not know very well but who are to provide a bridge to new opportunities outside of our normal social groups.

When looking at networking therefore we should not rely on contacts to whom we are close, hoping that they in turn will know somebody who knows somebody who will want what we have to offer. Nor should we simply try to make as many new contacts as possible in the hope that one in a hundred will pay off. Instead we are looking to bridge these gaps in networks, areas in which we are clearly qualified to add value.

Would love to hear your thoughts.

They may end up working there, but it’s their decision whether to move ahead.

For the sort of conversation I’m advocating here, you specifically choose not to talk to the people who could hire you. Your professional peers will “tell it like it is.” You’re not desperate, you have a job; so you want to find out what a workplace is like.

And I find that professional peers will at least answer an email (include your LinkedIn or other profiles to show them who you are). They, whether they then do a phone call or meet you depends on how it goes from there.

But if a software developer, for example, contacts another software developer, they may find someone who, though busy, is glad to talk to a professional peer.

http://davidhuntpe.wordpress.com/2014/02/23/the-cost-of-crazybusy/