- So What is Networking Exactly?
- How Does Networking Help You Land a Job?
- How Does Networking With Veteran Employees Increase Your Chances of Getting an Interview?
- Summary
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
How Does Networking With Veteran Employees Increase Your Chances of Getting an Interview?
Many firms and organizations are not good at assessing individuals’ talents—an applicant’s recurring patterns of thought, feelings, actions, and behaviors that naturally equip the individual to excel in a job. Therefore, the applicant, using networking and communications skills, has to take charge and be able to demonstrate her talents and how she will benefit the employer (Gallup, 2009).
What exactly do job applicants have to do? They need to demonstrate that they will or can do these things:
- Reduce the cost of the hire and lower the employee turnover
- Rate and improve interpersonal relationships with other employees
- Adapt quickly to change, be easy to manage, and be quicker to learn roles and therefore have a shorter learning curve
- Be more productive, more precise, and more consistent, missing less work, producing higher quality work, making fewer mistakes, reducing management’s anxiety and stress, and exceeding expectations
- Produce greater customer satisfaction, greater customer retention, and higher profits
To explain all this and make your case, you need the undivided attention of the decision maker. You can’t communicate on your resume that you can do all these things. Let’s go back to the main question from our example: Why did networking with veteran employees increase Mike’s chances of getting an interview by more than 50%? It was because other veterans could adequately assess his military skills and talents. They fully understood his experience and knew that he possessed the interpersonal skills, intellect, and work ethic to excel in the position. He hadn’t even met these veterans, but they already were in his professional network and willing to give him a shot because they had served in the military and understood Mike’s capabilities. The question now was whether they wanted to work with Mike for eight to ten hours a day.
Conversely, employees with no military experience could not adequately assess Mike’s military skills and experiences, so they were less likely to give him a chance and instead went with a candidate whose experiences and talents they understood better.
Does all this make sense? If not, go back and reread this chapter. Understanding why networking is important and knowing the foundational principles of successful networking are crucial to getting the most out of the rest of this book.
Veteran Profile Andrew S. Roberts
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I served in Iraq as an artillery battery commander. Our mission was turned upside down in 2003 after the initial invasion. My unit ended up providing a wide range of services, from patrols and checkpoints to civil affairs and training the Iraqi security forces. As the enemy activity increased around me, so did my anxiety. By the time I came home a year later, I was suffering from a pretty decent case of post-operational stress, although I didn’t quite realize it at the time.
The stress and anxiety that lingered with me after my return didn’t exactly help my job search. I was still in somewhat of a combat mode when I got back, and I really didn’t care what I did for a living. I was just focused on “getting a job.” I accepted the first offer from the first company that called me. It was with a home builder in California. It was a great company with a lot of room to grow, but I hated it. I quit after six months because I was not fulfilled. I felt I had no purpose, which I have since learned is extremely common among returning veterans.
A year later I moved closer to friends and family in New York, which was helpful for my stress. I was living at home with my mom and dad and realized I really needed to get out of this rut and get my independence back. I still didn’t know what I wanted to do but thought that maybe I could get a job in New York City in commercial construction. So I wrote about 15 letters and sent them to 15 people from construction companies in New York that sounded important. (I looked at their websites.) I wrote and commented on the specific qualities or projects each company was working on, explained my situation, and asked them for an interview. I also enclosed my resume. To my surprise, three companies called me, two interviewed me, and two offered me a job. I accepted a position and was really happy to get my independence back. I was working in construction again, but this time working on hospitals. It felt a little more fulfilling; at least this job was going to help people someday. I can admit now, though, that I knew in my heart this still wasn’t the right job for me.
I spent every free minute I had reading about Iraq and Afghanistan. I read the newspapers, watched news shows, and was very interested in government and politics. I thought about it constantly. I felt for the men and women still fighting. I was passionate about the struggles recently returned veterans were having. And in a truly serendipitous moment I learned that the director of a major veteran’s organization lived on my street in New York City. I called the organization and started volunteering immediately.
It was like true love: “When you know, you know.” I knew this was something special. After six months of volunteering, I let them know I was available full time. They interviewed me and then offered me a job at about $20,000 less than what I was currently making. It was a big shock to me. Was I willing to give up a good salary for basically a terrible one, just to do something I cared about?
The answer ended up being yes, and I look back at that decision as one of the best I’ve ever made. The job itself ended up not being the best one for me, but I was now 100% fulfilled, and I was in the right field. What a great feeling to wake up every day loving what you do!
As I entered the field of “veteran’s advocacy” I began interacting with many other people working on similar projects. I worked hard, but I also kept my eyes open. I soon learned there was a job available with the government that was paying nearly $40,000 more than I was currently making, and it was a leadership role. It sounded too good to be true. I applied for the position, and because I now had relevant experience, I was hired.
My initial cut in pay got me into a field that I love and enabled me to earn a good salary. Since working in this field, I have met many people from a variety of walks of life who all have a shared interest: veterans and their families. I’ve joined groups and volunteered for causes I care about, all in connection to this cause. The people I’ve met are my network. They have helped move me ahead in life.
I’ve since moved on to an even more fulfilling job at an even better salary. There were two keys to this: finding a field I cared about, and making connections with others who had the same passion. I made the connections because I wanted to help as many people as I could, and in turn they helped me. They have supported my mission, helped me find new career opportunities, and mentored me to heights I didn’t know I could achieve.