Online applications have simplified job searches but do not guarantee that an applicant will be noticed. Employers are increasingly using automated screening systems, and employment experts advise building useful contacts.
Networking is the building of professional connections that help in a career. "It is not just a nice bonus. It really sets you apart and gives you an advantage," says Catherine Fisher, vice president of communications and a career expert at LinkedIn.
Not everyone knows how to establish such connections. In-person events are useful, but contacts are increasingly made in online communities, social networks and virtual meetings. The COVID-19 pandemic changed communication habits: video calls and work chats have remained. For those who studied or began their careers during the pandemic, opportunities for in-person acquaintances were limited.
Rekius McGee, 24, who hopes to get a permanent job in marketing or communications, believes that reduced communication with classmates and professors prevented him from building connections naturally. He attended virtual job fairs and contacted college alumni and recruiters on LinkedIn and Handshake, a platform for students and early-career professionals. After interviews that did not lead to an offer, he stayed in touch with the interviewers.
Matt Berndt, a leading career strategist at the platform Indeed, warns: the main mistake is treating networking as a transaction, reaching out only when you need something. Instead of asking about vacancies, ask for advice or information about a career. "If you ask questions that allow the other person to draw on their experience and give a substantive answer, you get a chance to get to know them, and they get to know you," Berndt explains. Another way to start a conversation is to comment on a person's posts on social media.
Nisha Chittal, chief of staff at the website Vox, advises writing briefly and to the point: a short introduction and a specific request. If you are interested in vacancies, ask whether the contact has an open position for a specific role. "If I get a ten-paragraph email with a life story and it is unclear what is being asked, it is harder for me to figure it out and help," she adds.
Fisher recommends asking for a 15-minute conversation; it is easier to agree to that than to a long meeting. Examples of questions: what skills do you always look for when hiring; what is unexpected about this role; what would you do differently if you were starting out in the industry. The format - phone, Zoom or an in-person meeting - can be discussed together.
Olivia Mast, 25, estimates that over two years she sent thousands of applications for digital marketing jobs. Several months ago, thanks to connections, she got a temporary job at a nonprofit organization where a graduate of her college worked. They met on LinkedIn and stayed in touch. When Mast posted that she was looking for work, the contact wrote to her about a temporary vacancy.
But connections do not always help. Mast applied for a vacancy at an advertising agency where a friend's partner offered to put in a word. Before he could do so, she received a rejection, which she believes came from an automated screening system.
Chittal believes that a quick rejection after an online application does not close the door: a personal recommendation can work, because recruiters receive a flood of applications and value information about promising candidates. "Anything that helps establish a personal connection and stand out among hundreds of applicants is useful," she concludes.