Giving Thanks, ask friends and family for help

You might have heard the term “networking.” That it is a great way to meet people. That by networking, it can help you get a new position. Well, I have advised people to something similar to networking. But to do it with their friends and family. It is what I call “Building your Team”.

Your team is anyone you know that you would consider family, friend, relative, and close acquaintances.

I have done a variety of seminars and I will ask, “Who in your close circle of friends and family has your resume? Who knows what you do for a living? Who knows what you are looking for?” The answer usually is not many, or no one.

I find that people will not talk to family, either because they think that looking or a job is embarrassing, or they felt they could not help.

Why would you go work with a group of strangers in a “networking” environment and not work with people you know?

So where do you start?
Start with describing what you do.

This way people in your team can describe it to people they know. My father got me a job when I was back from college. Now he didn’t know anything about computers, but there was a computer department. He knew that I worked with computers, it seemed simple enough, and yes they did need help. I got the summer position.

If you make it too hard on your team, they won’t be able to promote you …. Keep it simple.

Next let your team know what you are looking for in very simple and clear language.

Have them ask around. Do they have a department that deals with “your wants”? Have your team look at internal job postings. Have them gather contacts and phone numbers for you.

Now It’s up to you to take any information you get and run with it. You need to send the resume, make the call, it is not for your team to do the work. It is you to you.

Be thankful for your team this holiday, help them help you.