PRDV217: Introduction to Sales

Did you know that 80 percent of jobs are filled through networking? Networking is sometimes referred to as the "hidden job market" because many jobs are filled before they are ever posted. This is true now more than ever because of the challenging economy. Traffic at job boards like Monster.com, CareerBuilder.com, and Yahoo! HotJobs is up 37 percent over last year, meaning companies are deluged with résumés.

Despite the influx in résumés, companies are using more networking – traditional and online – to fill their open jobs. About 50 percent of Facebook's new hires come from referrals from existing employees. According to Molly Graham, manager of Facebook Human Resources and Recruitment, "One of our main philosophies is to get smart and talented people. They tend to be connected."

Zappos, a billion-dollar online retailer of shoes and apparel that was recently purchased by Amazon, has taken employee referrals to the next level and has implemented software that lets employees use their LinkedIn and Twitter contacts. The software uses an algorithm to identify people who might have a skill set and experience match for open positions and then allows employees to invite the prospective candidate to apply.

So now you can see why networking can be a very effective method to potentially learn about or land the job you want. But you might be wondering where you start and exactly how your network effectively. Like everything else in selling, you need to develop a plan.

Create a Networking Plan

Before you start, it is a good idea to review exactly what networking is and what it is not. Just as in selling, networking is about building mutually beneficial relationships; it is about the exchange of value between people, usually over the course of time. Someone might help you now, and you might help that person or someone else later. It requires a relationship and ongoing commitment.

Networking is not a quick, easy way to get a job. Although it can be instrumental in helping you get a job, it is not easy, and it might not be quick. You should approach networking for the long term and realize that you will help some people, and some people will help you. You have the power to help others and ask for help; that is how networking works. To help guide you, here are six power networking tips.

Power Networking Tip #1: Network with Confidence

Do not think of networking as begging for a job. Start building relationships with people – family, friends, professors, and executives – now. That will allow you to build relationships and potentially help someone before you begin your job search. When you begin networking to find a job, be yourself and get to know as many people as possible using the methods described earlier in the chapter (e.g., professional organizations and events).

Keep in mind that you may have the opportunity one day to help the person with whom you are networking, so network with confidence. You will be surprised at how many people are willing to help you because you ask. The fact is people want to help you; they want to see you succeed.

Power Networking Tip #2: Join Professional Organizations

There is no better place to meet people you want to work with than to go where they go. Professional organizations such as your local chapter of Sales & Marketing Executives International, American Marketing Association, Entrepreneurs Organization, Public Relations Society of America, and others provide the perfect environment to meet people in the industry in which you want to work. Start by exploring the professional organizations on campus.

Many are local chapters of national organizations designed to encourage students to get involved. If you do not know which organization is best for you, ask a professor; she will gladly provide some insight. Or go to a meeting and check it out; most organizations allow nonmembers to attend at least one meeting or event at no charge. A good number of professional organizations offer student membership rates that are designed for student budgets. Besides providing an excellent method to network, being a member of a professional organization also enhances your résumé.

But do not just join – get involved. You can impress people with your skills, drive, and work ethic by joining a committee, planning an event, working on the organization's Web site, or another project. It is a great way to build your experience and résumé and impress prospective employers. At the same time, you can be developing professional references to speak on your behalf.

Power Networking Tip #3: Create Your Networking List

Networking, like selling, is personal. So list all the people you know with whom you can network. Do not disqualify anyone because you think they cannot help. You never know who knows someone who might be the link to your next job.

Follow the same strategy for your personal networking as you would use for networking for selling: write down the four Fs - friends, family, friends' family, and family's friends using a format like an example shown in Table 3.2, "Sample Networking List." But do not stop there; include your manicurist, insurance agent, hairstylist, and anyone with whom you have a relationship. Do not forget to visit your school's alumni office. It is always easier to start networking with people with whom you already have a relationship.

Name	Relationship	Email	Phone	Date of Contact	Follow-Up Date
Manny Romeo	Dad's friend at Crane, Inc.	mromeo@craneinc.com	616-787-9121	March 4	Need to touch base again at end of the month
Marie Jennings	Mom's friend	mjennings@comcast.net	616-231-0098	March 6	Early April (April 6)
Jamal Isper	Dad's friend at Polk & Polk	jasper@polk.com	791-887-9091	March 10	March 17
Shalee Johnson	Hairstylist	Not available; will talk to her on my next appointment	616-765-0120	April 7	To be determined based on first contact
Rajesh Sumar	Director of Alumni Relations at school	rajesh.sumar@university.edu	891-222-5555 ext. 2187	March 12	To be determined based on first contact
Annette Roberts	General Sales Manager, Castle Controls	aroberts@castle.com	888-989-0000 x908	March 12	To be determined based on first contact

Table 3.2 Sample Networking List

Power Networking Tip #4: Know What to Say

Everyone tells you to do networking, but what do you say after you create your list? You will be delivering your brand message to everyone with whom you are networking, so be specific about what you are looking for. Always take the opportunity to expand your network by asking for the names of other people whom you might contact. For example, assume you are networking with Vera, a friend of the family:

You:	I really enjoy marketing and advertising. In fact, I am looking for an internship at an advertising agency in account management. Do you know of anyone who might be looking for an intern for the summer?
Vera:	I do not really know anyone at an advertising agency.
You:	Thanks. I was wondering if you might know anyone who might know someone who works at an advertising agency.

You will be surprised at how many people may be able to give you the name of someone you can contact. Not everyone will give you a name, but if you do not ask, most people will not think about whom they might know.

You might also network with someone who gives you the name of someone to contact. For example,

You:	I will graduate from State College in May with a degree in business administration. I enjoy the idea of helping people increase their company's sales, so I am looking for a job in selling. Do you know of anyone who might have an opportunity in sales?
Jon:	Have you talked to anyone at Universal Parts? They have an excellent training program, and the sales reps get a company car. You might want to touch base with Chris Reddy, who is one of the sales managers. I can give you his contact information.
You:	Jon, I really appreciate your help. Can I mention your name when I contact him?
Jon:	Sure. Chris is a great leader and is always looking for good people.

When you contact Chris Reddy, it is best to make contact by phone, if possible. That way you have an opportunity to create a relationship (remember how important relationships are in selling, especially when you are selling yourself). A phone call might start like this:

You:	Hello, Chris. My name is Rakeem Bateman. Jon Keller suggested I give you a call.
Chris:	Hello Rakeem. Jon and I have known each other for several years. How do you know Jon?
You:	I met him at a Sales & Marketing Executives International event last week. He was one of the speakers. I enjoyed hearing what he had to say so much that I stayed to talk to him after the event. I will graduate from State College in May with a degree in business administration. I enjoy the idea of helping people increase their company's sales, so I am looking for a job in selling. Jon suggested that I touch base with you to find out if Universal Parts might be looking to expand their sales organization.

If someone has referred you, always include that in your introduction. If your networking occurs via email, you should do the same thing. When you send your résumé to someone with whom you are networking via email, it is best to include the three bullet points from your cover letter as the body of the email. That allows the person you send the letter to to see at a glance that they want to open your résumé. Usually, the person you send your résumé to forwards it to someone else. Writing a short, easy-to-skim note helps tell every recipient what you have to offer. For example, see Figure 3.5 "Sample Email for Networking" for a sample email to Chris Reddy.

Figure 3.5 Sample Email for Networking

You can see that when you are networking you want to focus on being specific about what you are looking for, asking for names of people with whom you might network, and creating a relationship with those people.

Power Networking Tip #5: Online Professional Social Networking

Social networking sites can be a more powerful job search tool than most people realize, and their power can go both ways: The sites can work in your favor, but they can also work against you. When you're preparing to apply for jobs, keep in mind that many employers search social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace to weed out applicants who might not fit with their company culture. Twenty-two percent of employers claim to use social networking sites when considering potential hires. Of those employers, 34 percent said they chose not to hire a candidate based on the information they had dug up about that person online.

One human resources manager based in Seattle says she has turned down an otherwise promising job candidate's application on many occasions after visiting the applicant's networking profile. "Sometimes there are compromising photos or videos posted out there where anyone can find them," she says. "When that happens, those applications go right in the trash."

Elizabeth Lee, personal communication, June 26, 2009. You can find out all kinds of things about a person from his MySpace profile that you couldn't necessarily learn from his cover letter or résumé! As social networking expert Patrice-Anne Rutledge says, before you go on the job market, make sure you "get rid of your digital dirt." In particular, look through any videos or photographs you may have uploaded to your profile, any Web sites you may have linked to, and any personal information you reveal that may be controversial or reflect on you in a negative light.

On the other hand, professional social networking sites are tools you can leverage to great advantage in your job search if you use them proactively. LinkedIn is the biggest and most frequently used networking site. Still, there are several others, including Jobster, Ryze, ZoomInfo, and Plaxo, that allow you to create a professional profile and find contacts in your target industry or at target companies. Although it is easy to create an account on these sites, you will not get the full benefit unless you do two things: make an effort to keep your profile up-to-date and try to grow your network. Here are a few social networking tips to keep in mind:

• Make yourself stand out. Think about the skills and qualities that make you unique. What sets you apart as your own distinctive brand? Your online networking profile should reflect this. Do not just reproduce your résumé; make your profile into your "elevator speech," highlighting your interests and using powerful words to describe your experience and talents. Your network profile is searchable on Google, so consider the keywords you use to describe yourself.
  
  
• Publicize your profile. LinkedIn allows you to search your email address book for contacts that also have accounts, so you can easily grow your network. You should also be willing to ask people you know in your industry, including professors and mentors, to join your network. These people are well-connected and want to see you succeed. In addition, you can start using your LinkedIn profile badge on outgoing emails and, if you have one, on your Web site. When you publicize yourself this way, people will start linking to you. Many companies and recruiters are accelerating their use of LinkedIn. "We could not believe the candidates we got" from LinkedIn, says Scott Morrison, director of global recruiting programs at software giant Salesforce.com.
  
  
• Ask for recommendations. As you begin to build a professional network online, you can use it the same way you would use a regular social network. Ask people for recommendations of your work and referrals to new contacts. Maybe a former professor knows the marketing manager at a company where you want to work; ask them to introduce you. Requesting this can be terrifying at first, but have confidence. Remember that your professors, mentors, and fellow professionals want to help you, and when they can help you, they will. But you will not get the help if you do not ask for it.
  
  
• Join groups. Start by joining The Power of Selling group on LinkedIn. Sites like LinkedIn have thousands of groups that are specific to interest, location, hobbies, and industry. Join your local professional group – the Chicago Sales and Marketing Executives group, for instance – and join your school's alumni association. Your alumni group is an extremely important connection to make because people are almost always eager to help their fellow alumni succeed. But do not stop there; search for other groups that are in the industry you want to pursue. You can just listen to the conversation and then jump in when you feel comfortable.
  
  
• Create content. Think about when you are considering making a major purchase. What do you do? You probably research online to determine the pros and cons of each alternative. Employers do the same thing, so be sure your profile is compelling and up-to-date. In addition, use your social networking pages to create content to demonstrate your skills.
  
  For example, write a blog and link it to your Facebook page or post tweets on Twitter about a project on which you are working, a topic about which you are passionate, or even your job search. Get people to follow you and engage in the dialogue. Direct them to your personal Web site, samples of your work, or the content you have created. Social networking gives you the opportunity to show and sell with content that you create.
  
  
• Search the social networking job boards. More and more employers are using professional social networking sites to post jobs and seek out prospective employees. It is worth your time to review the job postings using the appropriate keywords.

Power Networking Tip #6: Follow-Up

It might seem like networking does not always work. It is good to remember that networking is all about the exchange of value. Sometimes, you may not find people who want the value you have to offer at the time you are offering it. Do not be discouraged. Follow-up is important in every part of your job search, so follow up with everyone you network with. Sometimes, people are simply distracted or overwhelmed when you first contact them. Or sometimes, their situation has changed, even in just a few days; you will not know this unless you follow up.

It is best to follow up by phone within one week of contact. It may seem easier to follow up by email, but you increase your likelihood of success and building a relationship when you follow up by phone. Do not simply leave a voice mail message, as it is unlikely that someone will return your call. Continue to call until your contact answers the phone, or leave a voice mail and tell them when you will call back, along with your email address. Then, call back when you say you will. You will be pleasantly surprised at the results.

Remember that networking is an ongoing process, whether you are looking for a job or not. When you establish a relationship with someone, keep in touch with them. You should touch base with people in your network at least once every four to six weeks. It is good to call to catch up, but an email can be just as powerful. Send a link to an article or video that you think she will like. It is a perfect reason for keeping in touch and helps establish you as someone who delivers value, even when you are not looking for something.