When I got into this business of Recruitment, I was the type of individual who worked at one company for close to 2 decades and suddenly found myself with a severance package and time to think. I was fortunate that the company gave me a generous amount of time to find a new career.  

When I first started in this business, I had a senior VP role that I was hiring for and was surprised at the number of applicants that came pouring in. I recall at least a few hundred, alone, in the first few days of posting the role. 

My days were filled with interview after interview with the objective to meet with as many candidates as possible, one reason to find a candidate for the role but, at the same time, I was intrigued to meet other people that were in the same situation as I was when looking for work.  

Some of the same themes kept popping up among candidates  

Didn’t think they were ever going to be “let go” No time to meet recruiters when they were working  Never bothered to network while they were working because they were too busy at their job Didn't go on interviews because they were too loyal to their company  The only people they knew were people that worked in their industry Didn’t put in effort to build relationships with recruiters because they didn’t think they needed to

Here are a few tips (because one day, you might find yourself in a position where you need a little help in your next career)  

Network, Network, Network 

I wish that while I was working, I had networked regularly with people both inside and outside of my industry. I never thought connecting with people on the outside would be very beneficial.

Put Time into Your Calendar to Network 

I don’t care what industry you’re in, you should put time in your calendar to network with at least one person every week. If you could meet 50 new people a year, you'll never know who can help you or who you can help in the future. 

Go Outside of Your Comfort Zone 

So many people get stuck. When it comes to networking, most keep their connections within their industry. Make sure that you are reaching outside of your industry. Joining a networking group is a great and easy way to meet like-minded business people who are outside of your industry.  

There are hundreds of Meetups in your city, right now, that can be found with a few swipes on your phone.

The old adage “it’s not what you know, but who you know” still rings true, especially when it comes time to find a new job.  

Meet with Recruiters 

Finding a good recruiter is like finding a good mechanic. You need someone you can trust. Having a relationship already developed with one or more recruiters before you need a new job is the best way to ensure that someone’s got your back should you ever find yourself facing an unexpected job loss. 

So, what are you waiting for? Get out there and start networking. If you want, I’d love to connect, even if you’re not looking for a job right now. You never know how we might be able to help each other in the future 

 Joe Penic