Does this sound familiar?
*1 New Message*
“Hi Mark,
I came across your profile and thought you’d be a great fit for a Marketing Director role with one of my local clients. Do you have 5 minutes to hop on a quick call, would love to share more information!
Thanks,”
—
Would you answer this?
Would you give them 5 minutes?
Speaking realistically, most people would not give this message the time of day. If anything, chalk it up to a quick “not interested”.
Ok. I get it. (A little bit)
You may be happy in your job. You may be extremely busy. This may be the 6th message you’ve received today.
But you know what: We ALL have 5 minutes.
Here’s the thing:
- You don’t know what you don’t know – I can appreciate being satisfied with your job, I do. However, you have no idea how many people I’ve talked to over the years that were happy with their job, but found great value or interest in the new position, simply because they were open-minded. When you’ve been off the job market for a while, it’s harder to keep up with hiring trends, job prospects, and what other companies may be offering to professionals like yourself.
- It could be a fit for someone else – I’d like to think we all want to look out for our friends and family. Maybe you talk with a recruiter and you really aren’t interested or it’s not quite a perfect fit. Hey, that’s ok. The conversation wasn’t a total wash; you made a new connection, learned about what the industry is doing around you, but most of all, there’s a chance you can provide a referral to someone that COULD be a good fit.
If you do decide to be open-minded (and I hope you do), be present during the conversation. Choose to set aside time without distractions and take in every detail. I can’t speak for other companies, but our team takes a deep dive into team culture, expectations, and painting a picture so you can fully understand the opportunity.
The biggest takeaway?
Build connections so you have an advocate when you ARE looking.
During our conversation, the goal is to get to know you inside out, upside & your likes and interests. Why? Because whether or not this initial reach out fits your experience and skills, learning about who you are will provide valuable insight so the next reach out will be even more tailored and appropriate for you!
The overall consents is that networking is valuable, right? Include recruiters in the mix. Because you never know when you’ll need someone on your side to help find your next career adventure.
