Introduction
Time has come to seek support from our social network (not digital social networks, but the people we know and the people they know). People are social animals, we live together and we all have our social networks that can also become our support networks for finding the right job.
Objective
To reflect on your social networks and how you can turn them into support networks for finding your dream job.
Step 1: Prepare
Go back to the previous exercises and make a list of your needs that you have uncovered while doing the tasks (ex. Me & My Goal, Guided Investigation). Needs related to:
- Family duties.
- Qualification.
- Work experience.
- Finding a job.
- Others.
Step 2: Available resources within your network
For each of the listed needs think about how your social network (family, friends, neighbours, acquaintances, friends of friends, etc.) can help you satisfy the needs. Here are some examples:
Needs related to family duties:
- Need: I need someone to take care of my kid, while I go for a job interview.
- Possible support: My neighbor, who has a child the same age, can take care of my child and then I will return the favor.
Needs related to qualifications:
- Need: I need a professional training for the job I want to apply for.
- Possible support: I can go talk to the job counsellor from the employment agency about where it would be best to take the training and if there are any options for the training to be subsidized.
Needs related to work experience:
- Need: I need previous experience in a similar job if I want to be hired.
- Possible support: I can check with my friends and acquaintances if someone of them works or knows someone that works in this industry. I can ask them for are commendation to do some volunteer work for their organization in order to gain this experience.
Needs related to finding a job:
- Need: It is difficult for me to find suitable job announcements.
- Possible support: I can check with my friends and acquaintances if someone of them works or knows someone that works in this industry. I can ask them to inform me if and when a job opening appears
Other needs:
- Need: The process of finding a job is slow and difficult and I often lose hope or confidence.
- Possible support: I can create my own support group. Find 2 or 3 people in the same situation and you can agree together on what steps you make, you can share experiences and support each other. It is known that when you make a commitment in front of other people chances are much higher that you keep it. This will help you stick to you decision.
Step 3: One step further – Expand your network
Now you know how to use your network. But you don’t want to stop here, you want to go one step further and learn to expand your network. Here are some tips on Networking:
- Attend meetings/events/trainings. Actively look for events related to job search or to your profession that you can attend. Take part in these events –this is how you meet new people that can help you find your job.
- Always consider meeting new people as a new opportunity, don’t be shy.
- Sometimes places like a sports club or gym or even the kids’ playgrounds are excellent places to connect with interesting people. Talk to the people wherever you are.
- Don’t be afraid to ask and share.
- Ask people where they work and what they like in their job. Remember, the single best way to make friends is to show genuine interest in the other people.
- Don’t hesitate to ask for exchange of contact details or if you can add them on LinkedIn, Facebook s.o.
- Share about yourself – what you are looking for, what your interests are and s.o.
We know it takes courage, but you are ready. Go for it!
