Five months of networking, still no new job
You're doing all the right things to land a great position, but aren't getting anywhere. What's wrong?
 (FORTUNE) - Dear Annie: Is it really true that senior-management jobs are more often found through networking than by any other means? I'm skeptical, because it just isn't working for me. I'm in charge of international marketing for a division of a large global company. In the aftermath of a merger last year, my job is less interesting than it used to be. I'm ready to move on, and since January I've been doing everything the networking experts recommend: going to conferences, heading up a trade-group committee, getting in touch with former colleagues and other acquaintances to hear the scuttlebutt about possible openings, etc. But so far, nada. What do you think? -Net Zero Dear NZ: I think you haven't given it enough time yet. Five months may seem like forever when you're anxious to make a change, but networking your way into a senior-management position may take longer.
A few statistics: ExecuNet, a career-services network for executives earning $100,000 a year or more, reported in its latest annual survey of the senior-management job market that 70% of human-resources chiefs say they rely heavily on referrals and other networking contacts to find candidates for executive job openings, which are almost never advertised anywhere (on job boards, for instance). Doing all the right things, as you have been, puts you out ahead of most of your competition. The ExecuNet poll shows that, while 84% of senior managers agree that broad networks of personal and professional contacts are crucial to success, just 19% say their own networks are in "excellent" or "very good" shape. "Networking is time-consuming," says ExecuNet president Mark Anderson. "But sooner or later, the payoff will be there, and probably when you least expect it." Anderson recommends that everyone - not just people who are currently seeking a new job - spend at least one hour a week getting to know peers at other companies, going to work-related social events, or even meeting new people through volunteer work. "Over the course of a year, just one hour a week adds up to a full workweek of effort, and you'll be amazed at how many new connections you've made," he says. Anderson speaks from experience. Some years ago a friend from an old job told him about ExecuNet, and he started looking into it. Later the same year, Anderson went to a Stanford alumni luncheon and got to chatting with ExecuNet CEO Dave Opton. The two hit it off, and Opton eventually hired Anderson. "I got this job through two different networking events that were six months apart. It's not always quick," he notes. "People tend to attribute a promotion, or a great move to another company, to luck, or to being 'in the right place at the right time.' But far more often, it's the result of networking," Anderson adds. "The more people know who you are and what you're good at, the 'luckier' you're likely to be." So hang in there. Dear Annie: I read with great interest your recent interview with MBA Focus CEO Greg Ruf. Could you ask him one more question for me? I want to make a career change into consulting from finance and accounting, and I think an MBA from a top school like Wharton or Chicago would help. However, I don't know if I can get into these schools because, although my grades in college were excellent, I went to a state university, not some fancy Ivy League school. Do I still have a chance? -3.9 GPA Dear 3.9: Certainly. "The top MBA programs are trying to admit people who will be successful in business, because this is what keeps their rankings and reputation high," says Ruf. Where you went to college is not important, he adds. What is? "Your work experience since you graduated, leadership ability, drive, and of course your score on the GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test)." Good luck! ------------------------------------ 100 Best Companies to Work For: See the list
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