Eleven months into my new job when wham! the top 4 company leaders (CEO, COO, CFO and CCO) were all let go. I strapped in for the rocky road ahead as the company tried to figure out what to do next only to emerge two years later with the company being sold, my office closing and me being out forced to re-consider my options for what comes next.

No matter who you are or what level you are in the company, sooner or later, all of us find ourselves looking for something new. Sometimes we decide to leave on our own, sometimes we are asked to leave and sometimes, as in my case, an unforeseen event out of your control happens and that amazing job suddenly goes away.

So here I find myself, like many others, looking for a new place to hang my hat. Looking for a job is not a fun activity. It is time consuming and can be discouraging.

I know it is cliché but networking is the key to finding your next job. It is a rare thing that people find a job from the online job boards.  The good news, though, is that there are many people who are willing to help. If they are going to be helpful, it is up to us to give them the right information.

Here are some suggestions on how to help people help you in your job search.

  1. Know what you want to do – “I’ll do whatever” is not very helpful at all. Be specific on what you want in your next role. Ambiguity is not good. If you don’t know what you want, how am I supposed to help you. Being too flexible makes it harder for your contacts to know where to start helping you. Of course, the flip side of that is being too specific. There is a happy medium in there. Figure out what it is and share it.
  2. Know where you want to be – Do you have a specific company you are interested in? If not, how about the type of company? Do you have a specific industry you are looking at? Do you want to be at a big or small company? Work on a large team or small team? 9-to-5 or entrepreneurial? Fast paced or DMV? Knowing this helps picture the company that we know where you might fit.
  3. Know what makes you different – what makes you that unique and special snowflake? Why should an employer hire you instead of all of the other candidates? Come up with 3 reasons why you are great.
  4. Know how your contact could help – Some people will be able to help more than others. With each networking engagement, have a sense for how your contact may help. Perhaps they are in an industry in which you are interested in working or they work for a company you are interested in or they may know someone who is. Have an idea of what you would be interested in finding out from your contact before you contact them. In most cases, your contact may not be able to lead you directly to a job but that is not the purpose of networking. Networking is about making connections and building relationships.
  5. Open your mouth – let people know you are looking for work. There is no need to be pushy about it but if they don’t know, they can’t help. You never know who may know of the perfect job for you.
  6. Show gratitude – Remember that your contacts are willing to help where possible but they don’t owe you. It is not their responsibility to find you a job, it is yours. Be grateful for the time and effort people put forth on your behalf.

I hope these suggestions help you as you look for the next great job.