The Power of Networking — 5 Essential Tips for Job Search
How I used LinkedIn to move my career to London.
My goal was to apply to 100 jobs.
I live by Peter Drucker’s saying: “What gets measured gets managed”.
1) You need to have a system when you’re trying to achieve a goal. For me, setting realistic, measurable goals worked, and I’ve always applied it in my life.
The first-ever job I had in the UK was as an Outsourced Marketing Assistant when I was 18, for a company that worked with charities. Often we aimed to knock on 100–150 doors to get approximately three sales; if you’re lucky, you could get ten deals or more. Through this job, I built my foundation for meeting KPI targets and developing a strong work ethic. I left this job after one month, as I realised I wanted to pursue higher education, and the nature of the situation didn’t suit my goals. I applied the same principles when I was looking for jobs.
I aimed to apply for 100 job vacancies, and this resulted in two responses. Hugo Boss was hiring; I had an interview with the Area Manager. I feel as though it is the best interview I had, as I met all the criteria for the job, and the employer hired me on the spot.
At the end of 2018, I noticed several recruiters had reached out to me for job opportunities in London. At the time, I ignored it because I was content with my job, not realising how much this means and how it would help me in finding new opportunities in the future.
2) I use LinkedIn as a tool to connect with likeminded people, also to communicate with my clients from my previous job, and I use it to keep in touch with them. I grew my connections by adding more people who work in my company. As they move on with their careers, my network expanded, and I got more exposure to new people and recruitment agencies.
I decided to move to London, as I was living in Essex at the time, meaning I had to find a new job. In March 2019, my journey of looking for jobs started again.
I replied to all the opportunities offered to me, not impulsively but carefully, as I made sure to check the legitimacy of their profile. I arranged two meetings with two different agencies.
If you don’t have any leads, it’s not the end of the world. I suggest you google all the recruiters you can find. Add them on LinkedIn, and you can even apply directly to the sites. However, I find connecting on LinkedIn to be more beneficial because the more you build your connections, the more opportunities open for you.
I understand that it may be intimidating to message people you don’t know but trust me. If they’re hiring and you present yourself to them, they will appreciate your dedication and effort. See the photo below as proof of my experience.
I got an interview with an AI company through LinkedIn.
“ I thought to myself, everything is possible. This is when I realised the power of networking”
Although I cannot emphasise enough that the job role is essential, I lacked preparation for this meeting, as the job description wasn’t specified clearly.
On the other hand, the first interview with the agency went well, they were pleased with my experience, and they told me about an opportunity in Mayfair, and they could arrange the meeting with the manager now if I’d be happy to do so. I think to myself, yes just do it even though I’m so nervous and everything was on the spot.
“So there I am googling the company while I walk to the location of the interview
I work in the menswear department as a suiting specialist, and the brand that I was applying for was luxury womenswear and celebrities wear the brand. The second job interview I had was for a suiting specialist role; this one is an internal recruiting process. The responsibilities didn’t meet my previous experience, as I lack experience in bespoke tailoring.
4) Say yes to opportunities. Evaluate your experiences and learn from them.
When applying for jobs expect that you will not get it right away, there are moments where you will feel like it is not going anywhere don’t lose hope. Consider the economic situation and competition. Research what’s available and just keep applying until you get a response.
For all the unsuccessful job applications I had, I gained knowledge on the interview process, and I used it to prepare for my next interview. Also, before saying yes to a meeting, I now consider reviewing the descriptions of the job and what it entails, which helped me narrow down any job interview offers.
Lastly, the meeting I had with a different recruitment agency went well. There’s a job role that fits my experience perfectly. So I went to the job interview in Savile row, Mayfair. I got to the next stage of the interview process with the area manager. I was so nervous, but I did my best to be confident with my experience and with my knowledge. Also, I verbally expressed my passion for menswear and customer service. To support this, I provided my KPI target for the year (£250,000 Target vs £258,000 Achieved) and mystery shop results (112%, achieving the highest evaluation by getting extra points and meeting all the criteria). The application was a success! It’s already been a year since I started my new job.
5) The main thing you need to do is extensive research about the brand or company. For example, what is the foundation of the company? What type of clients does the company have? Etc. Having this commercial awareness will help you with the interview. Always ask questions.
The interview process usually ends with “Do you have any questions for me?” Don’t be afraid of doing it so because asking a question shows your willingness to learn about the job. Prepare questions before the interview. See the examples given by Jonathan Yabut:
- Why is the position vacant?
- How big is the organisation, the department, the team?
- Who will I be reporting to in this job role?
- How is the company financially performing today?
- How is the company culture?
- Apart from the salary, what is the reward philosophy of the company (benefit, promotions, bonuses)?
- What are the next-level opportunities if I succeeded in this role?
- What are the expectations of the employee during the probation period?
In my experience, often, I would ask questions such as:
9. How is their journey like with their current job role?
10. What do you like about working for the company?
Thank you for taking the time to read about my experience, if you’re currently looking for a job. Good luck! I hope this would benefit you.
Kelaiah is a writer and a fashion stylist. She lives in London with her cat Leo.
