Harness The Power of a
Personal Introduction

The real key to a successful Executive Job Search lies in the quantity and quality of personal introductions you get. It’s often the result of your personal networking activities. If you connect with the right people who know who the key players are you will soon be uncovering the single most valuable but elusive commodity that should be the ultimate goal of all your activities . . . the hidden job market. “It’s” out there, but you have to do the detective work to find it. Actually, all you have to do is find the people who know where it is.

Personal referrals take many forms, but there are two that should be of primary interest to you. The first are those over which you can exercise a fair degree of control . . . referrals that can lead to a personal introduction. Imagine starting off a letter or a phone call to a perfect stranger with the name of a respected colleague: Tom Whitworth suggested I contact you . . . .” Your chances of getting an audience just went up 500% to 1,000%.

The second is a bit more subtle. It’s when someone you’ve made contact with passes your name on to a friend or business associate and you get a call. Was it a spontaneous act? Yes, at least to a degree. But you can control this kind of referral too through consistent networking and diligent follow up contacts.

One Person Leads To Another . . .

It’s not really who you know as much as who knows (about) you that leads to a referral and a potential personal introduction. That’s why it is so important to make sure the right people know who you are, what you do and what you’re looking for.

It’s not just the direct contacts you make. It’s the second and third-generation referrals that geometrically expand your networking base and reach well beyond the limits of your personal sphere of contacts. Think of it as “viral marketing” where everyone you know becomes your personal talent agent on the lookout for opportunities.

Of course, they have to know (and believe) something of value about you and your skills to make those referrals.

It’s up to you to keep the inner circle warm and thinking about you. To give them what they need to willingly say the right things about you to the right people. You do this philosophically by creatively thinking of ways to help them with whatever their primary interests are . . . whether it’s developments in the microchip business or baseball, celebrity antics or world politics. But, how do you get started if you don’t know the key people? Well, the important thing is to get started . . . but, there are some techniques that will be more effective than others.

Five Basic Activities That Will Launch Your Personal Network

Who You Know - Start with people you know in the industry. Ask them for names of important senior executives and, if appropriate, request a personal introduction . . . if not to the senior person, to someone who knows him or her.
Know Who You Need to Know - Find out what firms do business with your target companies and call on them by setting up Informational Interviews or getting their input for an article or white paper you’re researching. (Be sure to ask them if it’s OK to cite them as a resource when it’s published.) When you talk or meet with them always ask for names of people they know who are authorities in their (your) field.
Infiltrate Organizations - Volunteer to work on a committee in one or more trade or professional associations in the industry and get to know the key players. Always ask them for names of people who are decision makers in their companies and authorities in the field.
Research Industries - Acquire the back issues of industry publications and research the articles and authors. Use their article as a reason to contact them to discuss developments in the industry and request names of (other)decision makers you should interview.
Strategic Outreach - Place calls to national organizations in the industry (preferably out of town) and ask them for names of key players in the local area (say, within 50 miles of you) who they feel would be good resources for your “research.” Be sure to get the name of the person at the national office to use as a referring name when you contact the local members. (This is a special technique that we’ll be explaining in more detail.)

Now What? How Do You Turn Contacts Into Referrals?

There are definitely more than five ways to accomplish your objective, but this should be plenty to get your neurons firing on all eight cylinders. Local Chambers of commerce directories, trade shows and other community or industry events should provide you with an abundance of contacts. And always write the names of referrals on the back of business cards of the people you talk with. Don’t rely solely on your memory.

Once again, now that you have a list of potential contacts and the names of people who have referred them, you have the basis for a series of telephone calls and/or Personal Referral Letters to send out to these target contacts. Your letters are sure to be read if they start out this way:

“Dear Mr. Hastings:
John Merryweather of the National Carbon-Based Manufacturing Association suggested I contact you . . . ”

If you’re particularly skilled at networking, you will have succeeded in getting some of these people to fire off an email with a personal introduction to you; they may even pick up the phone and set an appointment for you. But that isn’t going to happen most of the time. Be content that you have the name, some “rationale” for contacting them and the name of someone they know “suggesting that you contact them.”

Use This Information Ethically

Be sure you take full advantage of these potential contacts. Be creative in eliciting names, but conduct yourself ethically and professionally. When you’re operating at this level, reputations are very important. Don’t abuse either the people who are giving you help, time and advice or the Executive Job Search Process. And, return the favors when you can with a personal introduction of your own. This is not likely to be a one-time occurrence.

Primary Sources of Personal Referrals

Former Employers are often in touch with people in their industry as well as their professional circles that includes bankers, accountants, attorneys, etc. Obviously, approaching a former employer may or may not be appropriate.

Former Competitors can be some of the best leads . . . but, be cautious as some business owners are ruthless in sending only unprofitable business to competitors and referring good people only to the weakest companies they consider competition. Sales People you know or meet at business meetings or industry conferences, etc. can be excellent referral sources and may be able to make a personal introduction,too. It all comes back to the quality and quantity of your research and the energy and skill you put into your professional networking activities.

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SBI!