| Best method for tapping into the hidden job market USNews.com The recovery was supposed to start by summer, no fall, no, now maybe next spring? Companies that thought they could hang on continue to go under the waves. That’s why it’s so important now to figure out what you really want to be about. This is the time to learn who your friends really are. The key to making it in the networked economy, it turns out, is your personal network. A personal network used to mean some friends from work, from church, and from the neighborhood. Before the Web was spun, our contacts were usually fairly narrow. Ideally, you already keep in touch with an assortment of former co-workers, colleagues and industry peers who will notify you about job leads before they go public. More important than what you know is who “knows what you know”. Make sure you’re on the radar of people who have access to the kind of job leads you want. If you’re looking to work for a specific company, the key is to connect with a current employee. That might mean asking contacts in your network. An easy way to accomplish this online is through online networking sites, where you can essentially connect with your friends’ friends. First, ask for an introduction. Then, if you’re at a lower level, the social etiquette is to say you want an informational interview. If you’re at a high level, say you want to talk about the market and where the industry is going. —————— MilitaryConnection.com thanks you for your patronage. This web site is a portal of all things military, and we are quickly becoming the “go to” web site for all things military. We are constantly adding resources, content and features to benefit our audience. Our web site and all of the resources are free to users, and there is something for everyone. Additionally, we feature Career Articles like this to keep you informed. If you belong to a group or organization, we will post your press releases, special events, newsletters, professional conferences and seminars, reunions, job fairs, and videos to help spread the word. One of the areas of our focus is connecting candidates from the military community with outstanding government and civilian employers. We know that candidates from the military community across the board have a work ethic second to none. They make highly valued employees. MilitaryConnection.com has a multitude of employment resources including a Directory of over 30,000 employers, Job Tips, Columns, our new and improved Job Board, Virtual Job Fair and much more. We understand the importance of education. Please check out our new Education section, featuring the most up to date information on the new GI Bill, Education Articles, Education Benefits, and the Scholarship Directory featuring thousands of scholarships. When the next tour is back home, it’s on MilitaryConnection.com. |