Help a Friend With a Network Connection

Today the Bureau of Labor and Statistics announced that only 74,000 jobs were created or added in December, 2013 when that number was expected to be 200,000. Insiders said these low numbers could in part be blamed on the severe cold weather in December and that it kept people inside rather than out looking for work.  Hummmm, that kind of makes me scratch my head. On top of this, 347,000 people just dropped out of the workforce in December. They gave up. That's a number I believe. 

This news brought me back to a class I gave a few days ago.  A participant asked about re-entering a field that he had left several years ago and how difficult it is to get a foot back in the door. We were talking about networking at the time and how up to 85% of jobs are filled through someone you know. He said he tried the tips and thought he was doing everything right but no one, not even the friend with whom he used to socialize after work would get back to him. What was he doing wrong?  I don't know the technique he used but I have heard this before and have to say that I don't think that he is doing anything wrong.  I think that the people on the other side of the network call or email are just not helping.  There I said it.

Maybe there are new company policies about networking or maybe the contacts are getting swamped with requests. I wonder what would happen if just one person passed along the resume of a friend to a hiring manager or HR department? Things would definitely change but I'm afraid that's a pipe dream.

Your contacts have a job (and I'm guessing that because of the changes in the economy and workplace that they are overworked) and they are lucky.  This trend of not helping someone who asks for some networking help is depressing and discouraging. 

Helping a network contact is not like hugging someone with leprosy; you won't catch it. Lend someone a hand; give someone a break*. Then, after your help, it's up to them to prove themselves.

Several times a week I work with people who can't catch that break. They are good people and any company would be happy to have them. They are real people with real needs and real families to feed and mortgages to pay.  They are like you and me... heck it WAS me five years ago.

The numbers today are discouraging and it looks like things aren't going to change.  Wouldn't it be nice if we all stood up and offered to help a friend by making a network introduction? Everyone knows someone. Everyone.  For goodness sake people, help someone, make a connection. Give someone a second chance.

* A moment of luck in difficult times. Idiom Quest