Demystifying the rules of networking

By Denise Kersten, USATODAY.com

If you've ever read a book on job-hunting, you've probably encountered a statistic that says 80-85% of job offers come through networking.

Personal contact, it seems, is essential to getting a new position.

But despite the numbers, many job-seekers remain in resume-overdrive, or try to click their way to a new career.

"Our culture tends to act as though we all naturally know how to network," says Donna Fisher, author of Professional Networking for Dummies.

For Josh Lewis and Justin Mink, both of northern Virginia, networking is second nature. Lewis used a connection he made during his senior year at Cornell University to land a position at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Mink networked his way into a new telecommunications sales job that offered him a 40% pay raise.

But judging from the reader e-mails I've received on this topic, networking isn't always an innate ability.

Understanding these five fundamentals can make networking less intimidating:

1. Networking is not sales.

Lewis met his contact at the EPA during a one-week 'externship' while he was still in college. Afterwards, he not only sent a thank-you note to his mentor there, but continued checking in via e-mail every month or two.

Though graduation was nearing, Lewis never asked for a job. Instead, he broke the ice by asking how the man's children were doing on their sports teams, a detail he remembered from their conversations. Lewis kept up the correspondence for several months, often requesting advice on whether he should go to graduate school or enter the job market immediately after graduation.

According to Katherine Hansen, author of A Foot in the Door, Lewis took the right approach. Asking for advice both flatters your contacts and gets them thinking about your situation. "They're automatically invested in you," Hansen says.

For Lewis, it paid off. Though he never directly solicited job leads, his contact notified him as soon as there was an opening and encouraged him to apply. Lewis did, and got a job as an environmental engineer.

2. Networking is P.R.

Creating a positive buzz around yourself is critical in networking.

"Your job as a networker is to teach the people you know to trust your character and your competence. And that way they will be inclined to pass you along," says Anne Baber, author of Make Your Contacts Count.

Mink did this skillfully. He had already accepted a job offer when he interviewed with another company, hoping to learn more about the firm and its approach to the industry. The interview went well, but Mink still went to work for the company where he'd accepted an offer.

Mink checked in with his interviewer via e-mail every four or five months, and updated him on his recent accomplishments.

By sending a few messages, Mink accomplished two networking essentials: He established a strong reputation and stayed fresh in his contact's memory. "It really only takes a couple of minutes," Mink says.

Those minutes were well spent. When the interviewer took a high-ranking position at a start-up, he brought Mink with him — at a significantly higher salary.

3. Networking is not a spectator sport.

Face-to-face interactions make networking an effective job-search strategy. Unfortunately, they're also what make it so scary.

True, when you send a resume, you don't have to deal with potential rejection up front. But you won't get the results you could with some one-on-one networking.

"I think everybody knows where most of those resumes go," Fisher says. "But we pretend. We still want to do it that way because it just feels safe and comfortable."

But that's not going to get you a new job. Neither is simply meeting new people.

When you make a new acquaintance, have a clear focus in presenting yourself and requesting their help. Tell them what you're good at, what you like to do and what you're looking for — without scaring them off by asking for a job. Include concrete details that make you memorable, like an award you won or a problem you solved at work.

Most importantly, ask for more contacts. It's this 'second generation' of networking — two or more degrees of separation — where people make connections that lead to job offers, Baber says.

In informational interviews, aim to get three new names from each person you meet. If you succeed in building rapport and presenting yourself as an asset, they may offer to make a phone call or arrange an introduction on your behalf.

Most importantly, always show appreciation for the favors you receive.

"Anybody along the way that does the slightest bit of help should be thanked, preferably with a thank-you note," Hansen says.

4. Networking is not a one-way street.

Focusing on what you can get out of your colleagues is the fastest way to sabotage your networking initiative.

Instead, try to build an alliance — the business version of a friendship — based on shared interests. Consider not just your needs, but your colleagues' as well. Do you have any leads or contacts that would interest them?

You may also need to take a friendly stance with people you'd normally think of as 'the enemy.' Though professional organizations are by far the most effective source of networking contacts, people often view the other members as competition for jobs, rather than allies.

"Your next job is going to come from a competitor," Baber says. "So get to know them and collaborate, don't compete."

5. Networking requires patience. Start now.

Lewis and Mink were wise to begin networking well in advance of when they would need new jobs; their efforts took several months to yield offers.

Forming alliances is easier when you're not actively looking for a job. If you don't have an immediate need, focus on building mutually-beneficial relationships that will pay off down the pike.

Many people aren't aware of current openings at their company. But if you network successfully, they'll let you know when they learn of one and they may even do some extra digging for you. That way, you'll hear about the position before it hits the classified ads and you'll have an internal contact for advice and referrals.

Think of building your web of contacts as knitting a safety net. It's a time-intensive process that requires lots of maintenance. It can quickly save you if you fall, but if you're already out of work you've waited too long to start knitting.

Mink's firm was hit by the economic downturn and he's now out of work. But he has a strong network to fall back on — he's miles ahead of job seekers who haven't laid their groundwork.

If you do need a job right away and haven't launched a networking campaign, don't give up. Everyone has a built-in network of friends, family members, former co-workers and professors — even neighbors.

Begin working connections with people who are most invested in your success. It may take you longer than those who've been grooming their network for years, but it's never to late to start.

Original Article   

Green Job Search Tip of the Week: Making the Most of Career Fairs

Green Collar Blog is pleased to introduce a new feature "Green Job Search Tip of the Week."  This feature is designed to provide job seekers with practical tips and suggestions for your job search.
This week's tip is "Making the Most of Career Fairs."
Background: With the growth in the green economy there are an increasing number of career fairs that focus exclusively on green jobs.  These events generally have names such as "green job fair" or "environmental career fair."  While a number of these events are produced by colleges and universities there are some that are open to the public.  Green Collar Blog maintains a calendar of green job fairs and other events relevant to job seekers.
Below are 10 tips for job seekers who are planning to attend a job fair.  These tips are also intended to be applicable to general interest job fairs as well as green-specific events.

1. Prepare.  Preparation is the most important step to get the most out of a career fair.  Before you attend the career fair, review the list of participating organizations and positions they are currently recruiting for (for an example, see this post). Based on this information, prepare a list of the organizations at the fair that you want to speak with. You can then research these organizations in advance of the event and come prepared with questions to ask and talking points for how you'd be a good fit for their current opportunities.
2. Make your first impression a good one.  One way to think about pairticpating in a career fair is that it is your initial interview with an organization.  As such, you should take steps to make your first impression a positive one. Such steps include dressing appropriately and smiling.
3. Bring your resume. While not every organization you speak with at a career fair will be accepting paper resumes, some will, so plan to bring some copies.
4. Don't come too early or too late.  When planning your schedule for attending a career fair, don't arrive too early (some employers may be late and will not have arrived) and don't arrive too late (some employers may leave before the official end of the program or may be tired by the end of the fair).
5. Step up to the table.  In many instances, employers will not solicit job seekers as they are walking past various tables and booths.  Instead, you should approach the table or booth and introduce yourself to the employer representative.
6. Listen. When you stop by an employer's table the employer representative may already be speaking with career fair participants.  If you listen while you are waiting, you may learn information that could be helpful for when it is your turn to speak to the representative (see next tip).
7. Have questions, answers, and icebreakers.  Once you step up to the table you may want to have a couple of questions ready as icebreakers such as: "How has the day been going?" or "What types of jobs do you have available?"  You should also come prepared with answers to questions you may be asked such as "What brought you to today's event?" or "What types of jobs are you looking for?"  Where possible, highlight relevant aspects of your background or qualifications (for example, if an employer mentions that they are looking for a solar sales representative, you could mention your prior sales experience).
8. Obtain follow-up information.  If you are interested in following up with the employer, be sure to obtain contact information for the employer represenative you are speaking with (and anyone else that the representative indicates you should follow-up with) before you leave the employer's table.
9. Follow-up.  After the event, send a thank-you e-mail or conduct other follow-up as appropriate based on the information you obtained.
10. Relax.  Career fairs can be stressful for some people, but keep in mind that these events are designed to bring job seekers and employers together.  Employers attend these events to meet potential candidates, so they generally will be happy to speak with you. Hopefully the tips listed above will help you relax and make the most of the event.  Good luck!

Original Article

How to Make Your Job Search More Like a Job

Whether you're on salary or on the hunt, you need to manage your time and energy. Approach the latter with the same focused structure you'd give the former.

By Debra Donston-Miller

You've probably heard it said: A job search is a job in itself. But are you treating it like one?
When you're working in a traditional environment, your day might look something like this: You wake up with an alarm at a regular hour. After some coffee, you shower, don a professional-looking outfit and head out, timing your commute so you can start your day at 9 a.m. sharp. While at the office you have a regular routine, punctuated by collaboration with colleagues, phone calls, e-mails and the like — all in the name of meeting specific goals. At the end of the day, you turn off your computer, shut off your light, and head home to relax and spend time with friends and family. The next day, you do it all over again.

Not everyone's job looks like this, and not every workday looks like another, but experts who spoke with TheLadders said your job search should look an awful lot like the aforementioned scenario.
One of the most important things to do is also one of the most basic: Get up, get dressed and get going early. Starting your day with purpose is key to ensuring that the day will be productive.
"First thing, and I'm not trying to be funny, is get dressed," said Bruce Hurwitz, president and CEO of Hurwitz Strategic Staffing, an executive recruiting agency. "Granted, you're not going to an office, but the desk where your computer is, is now your office. You've got to feel professional, so get dressed. You can't do it in your PJs — it won't work."

Also important is dedicating space to your job search and optimizing that space for the task at hand.

Hurwitz recommends making the area in which you conduct your job search as much like your old workplace as possible. "Atmospherics are very important," he said. "If you feel like you're at home and not working, then you're at home and you're not working. Do whatever you would do in your office. If you had a radio on for background noise in your office, turn on a radio. Don't change your work habits. Your work habits have to stay the same, whether you're employed or whether your work now is finding a job."

In addition, goals and objectives are just as important in the job search as they are on the job.
For example, Karla Porter, director of workforce development and HR for the Greater Wilkes-Barre, Pa., Chamber of Business and Industry, recommends setting goals for the number of phone calls you will make and the number of resumes you will send out each day.
And, just as you would be accountable to a manager for what you accomplish in the workplace, you need to be accountable to yourself for what you accomplish during your job search.

Hurwitz recommends keeping a searchable log of all of your job-search activities: contacts with whom you spoke, which resumes you have sent out, what follow-up you have done, what cold calls you have made. Such a log will help in very pragmatic ways, such as avoiding duplication, but it will also help you spot trends and opportunities — kind of a customer relationship management (CRM) system where you are the customer.

The 20-hour work week

Career experts also note the importance of establishing set hours for your job search, both to make the process more effective and to maintain a healthy mindset. By not explicitly "shutting it off," your life can easily become consumed by the quest for work.

While experts agree that applying workplace principles to the job search makes the process more productive, they say that 40 hours a week is too much to dedicate to scouring the Web, polishing your resume and making follow-up calls.

"What used to take 40 hours can now be accomplished in 20," Porter said. "Being unemployed is stressful enough, and it's overkill to spend 8 hours a day dwelling on it."

Porter recommends using some of the "other 20 hours" a week volunteering or focused on some other pursuit. In addition to the good you do for yourself by doing for others, volunteering can lead to networking and job leads, she said. Hurwitz advises job searchers to use part of their day keeping current by reading industry journals, taking classes and searching for relevant news articles and blogs.

In the end, say experts, whether your week is filled with work or with looking for work, it's important to do one thing: Take the weekend off.

Want a Job? Use a Job Developer’s Techniques

By CAREEREALISM-Approved Expert, Melissa C. Martin
A colleague of mine passed on information on how he lands jobs for clients. (And dare I say these clients have barriers the competitive workforce may not have). “D’s” title is ”Job Developer,” which means he meets employers regularly, nurtures his network of contacts and then matches available jobs to assist clients. This last point about networking is a moot point for your job search.
Ironically, employment specialists do not always practice what they preach; some confess they do neither network actively, nor nurture their existing contacts. This is imperative, no matter if you are unemployed or not. Research indicates you stand an 80% chance of landing your next job from someone you have met or contacted. Those are formidable odds. And something should be said about the so-called “weak links,” which are people who appear to be irrelevant to your job search.
Once, when I was laid off by surprise, I immediately turned to my circle of contacts, and fortunately, I received two job offers in a week and ultimately accepted a satisfying position.
Just as job developers aim to attract employers to assist their clients, job seekers need to attract employers to demonstrate their value. Enter the “exchange theory.” This theory, is designed to build a bridge between a need and a solution. In short, you give something and you get something. How does this help you as a job seeker? Read on…
Employers, on the whole, are motivated by 2 factors: their needs must be addressed. For example, improve customer service, boost productivity levels or reduce costs. Secondly, employers must perceive value in hiring you. Translation? Each party in the “exchange” must perceive the benefits of hiring must outweigh the employer’s costs. For example, convince the employer that you can help him/her with a high turnover (hiring is expensive) or being a reliable employee.

As a matter of fact, an employer told me earlier this year she was disenchanted with job placements from college students because they are NOT reliable. In spite of a shaky economy, employers have consistently told me the number one thing that attracts them is loyal employees. Yes, I realize contract work is very prevalent but job seekers need to be mindful of this.
The other technique job developers use is related to the market theory. What’s the gist of the market theory if you are unemployed? Features and benefits. In other words, if you are preparing yourself for an upcoming interview, what would you identify as your “features?” Perhaps your unique talents or credentials? Your new blog that held sway with those in your chosen field? Bilingualism? Diverse experience? Now think about what benefits you can present in an interview? Perhaps stellar performance ratings? Be prepared to incorporate the exchange and market theories into your active job search. Obviously, it works for job developers to create employment. Why wouldn’t it work to propel your job search? You don’t have to be a marketing specialist to embrace these techniques.
Incidentally, my colleague asked me to assist him with short-term placements. I “hit the streets” and espoused the exchange theory for the benefit of those disadvantaged clients. It worked! I landed job placements for him, using the principles of job development. You can too!
Speak to the employer’s values and goals. Assure the employer that by hiring YOU, the company will enjoy short-term and long-term benefits.


Original Careerealism Article

The tricks to recruiting top talent

VIRGINIA GALT

When Jonathan Lister left his position as country manager at Google Canada to establish LinkedIn's first Canadian office, it wasn't because LinkedIn came up with some sort of killer offer.

What excited Mr. Lister was the chance to play a transformative role in LinkedIn's growth as it attempts to dramatically change the recruitment industry.

“We are going through this period of great revolution that's been driven by the Internet and by digital media. The chance to be a part of that, that's what it's all about,” Mr. Lister said from his uptown Toronto office, which will house 10 employees by the end of this year, double that next year.

The chance to make these kind of game-changing difference is what matters most to rising stars when they consider new opportunities, executive recruiters say. It matters more than money – although money is important – and more than big titles.

So when it comes to the art of the pitch, it has to be customized – and subtle.

Mr. Lister was at Google – a place cited by “best employer” lists as the to-die-for workplace – and not at all looking for another opportunity when he got an inquiry from LinkedIn, the world's predominant online professional networking site: Did he know anyone who might be interested in expanding LinkedIn's presence in Canada?

Mr. Lister provided a few names, but Arvind Rajan, vice-president of international operations for LinkedIn, gently persisted. “The more I learned about what LinkedIn was trying to do in Canada, the more excited I got,” said Mr. Lister, who assumed his new role in June.

Small- to mid-sized businesses with dynamic and intelligent ownership hold enormous appeal to some senior executives in large companies, said Tom Long, a Toronto-based executive recruiter with Russell Reynolds Associates. These candidates feel stifled by the bureaucracy or by the realization that they will never be chief executive officer no matter how talented they are, how smart they are, or how much time they put in at the expense of family.

“Typically, these [small and mid-sized enterprises] are higher-growth environments where you are going to see not just incremental change at the top and bottom lines, but you are going to see very significant change,” Mr. Long said.

And typically, part of the pitch is an equity stake, on the assumption that the star recruit will play a pivotal role in building the business, Mr. Long said. “They want the opportunity to really ride up on the increase in the value.”

However, one offer doesn't fit all, and with high performers in particular, the sizing-up process is very much a two-way street, added Katie Dolgin, founder of Toronto-based digital recruitment agency Dolgin Search Group Inc. The initial approach should be discreet and exploratory, because the sought-after “A-player” candidates are employed elsewhere, doing well and not cruising the job boards, she said.

Both Mr. Long and Ms. Dolgin said it is crucial to ascertain what motivates these candidates before making any pitches.

Ms. Dolgin specializes in recruiting rising stars. For them, she said, key drivers are challenging work, the opportunity to make a difference, professional development, flexibility and autonomy. Commissioned last year by online classified site Kijiji to recruit an Internet marketing manager, she found 27-year-old Bruno Roldan, a highly regarded up-and-comer at a marketing agency.

“I was doing well, but I didn't feel I was really making a difference to the bottom line of the business I was working with,” Mr. Roldan said in an interview. “This, to me, was the No. 1 thing.”

Mr. Roldan said he has far more scope in his new job, as well as more professional development opportunities – since joining Kijiji in January, he has been to Amsterdam for a course and to London for an Internet marketing conference. And then there's the fun factor – free lunches and foosball matches every Friday.

“We have a fully stocked kitchen. I always joke that had they told me that, I would have taken this offer without hesitation,” he said. “I didn't need to know about anything else.”

For younger employees especially, workplace culture matters, said Ms. Dolgin. “It's their home away from home.”

Stock options are an attractive part of the package as well, Mr. Roldan said.

Employment lawyer Stewart Saxe, a Toronto-based partner with Baker & McKenzie, said small and mid-sized business owners in particular should consider offering a piece of the action to prospective recruits – especially if they cannot compete with the salaries paid by large corporations.

“It may well appeal to exactly the person you want – a young, dynamic go-getter who is prepared to put some of their skin in the game in order to get a good return.” Mr. Saxe said.

Top desires of a job seeker

Money: “Most of us who deal with this have a rule of thumb that you have to give at least a 10-per-cent increase to move anybody,” says Toronto employment lawyer Stewart Saxe of Baker & McKenzie.

An equity stake: “The real upside is in the equity participation if you are at a senior enough level,” said executive recruiter Tom Long of Russell Reynolds Associates. “What they are looking for is the opportunity to participate … and have a home run.”

Work-life balance: “Three weeks of vacation is now pretty standard. In addition, some shops close between Christmas and New Years, and a lot of firms are also giving five personal days as floaters,” said Katie Dolgin of Toronto-based Dolgin Search Group. “Flexibility, being able to work from home occasionally if they have a sick child, is important.”

A safety net: This is particularly important for executives who leave big jobs for smaller, younger enterprises, recruiters say. Many candidates will insist on severance clauses to protect themselves if things go south.

Original Article

Building Your Personal Brand With Social Media

The Internet has become an incredible resource for developing your career, networking, job searching and more.  No longer are we only given the opportunity to show employers who we are through a one-page resume.  In 2010, we can create our own website, blog, Facebook profile, LinkedIn profile and more.
We have the power to define our own brand promise and create new ways for business connections and hiring managers to find us every day.
This week, I had the opportunity to interview Dan Schawbel, author of the No. 1 international bestseller, Me 2.0, about personal branding as the second edition of his book prepares to hit stores.  I was particularly interested in learning what Dan thinks about personal branding via social media as it applies to men vs. women in the business world.  Keep reading to learn his insightful answer to that question and more.







Susan Gunelius: How is the new version of Me 2.0 different from your first, highly popular edition?
Dan Schawbel: Since the first edition of Me 2.0 came out in mid-2009, technology has changed rapidly, new research has become available, and there have been more case studies available. This edition has more advice and examples for older generations, who read this book out of curiosity and necessity because they are unhappy with their jobs, can’t get a job or are looking for support in dealing with new technology.
There’s also a new chapter on how to use social networks in your job search step-by-step, including Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. I see this chapter becoming extremely important to the millions of job seekers right now who are using traditional methods that are no longer relevant, including classified ads and job boards. There are also new recommended tools and resources, and more advice on Twitter and other networks that weren’t as popular in 2009.


How has online branding changed in the few short years since the first edition of Me 2.0 was released?
We’ve entered what I call “the age of resistance.” There is so much content online now, and so many advertisements, that it’s become harder to get noticed and to get your message out there. For instance, there are 2 billion tweets on Twitter each month (from Twitter’s CTO), and there are 500 million people on Facebook.
Personal branding is how you identify what makes you special, and then communicate that to the world. The advice in Me 2.0 has become more important because the internet is the global talent pool, and if you want to be in that pool, you need an online presence, and if you have an online presence, you need to manage it. There’s simply no way around it right now!
People need to be able to find you online if you want to attract new opportunities and have a successful career. Me 2.0 will walk you through the personal branding process: discover, create, communicate, and maintain. In the second edition, each step has more advice and tactics that you can use to become known for something, and achieve success.
How does branding influence entrepreneurship in 2010?
Aside from establishing your company’s identity, you need to create your own online presence as an entrepreneur. I recommend that entrepreneurs brand themselves as expert sources in something that relates to their company idea. For instance, if you own a bakery whose customers are students at a nearby college, then you’re the “bakery expert for students” and you can talk about what baked goods students purchase the most, and your favorite recipes. When entrepreneurs become experts, they are able to get media attention, and use those opportunities to promote their companies.
How can an individual monetize a personal brand?
Great question, especially since most people waste so much time on social networks these days. There are numerous ways to make money if you’re building your personal brand, including blog advertising, consulting, speaking, royalties on book sales, eBook sales, social network advertising, and endorsements, to name a few. You should be creative with your business model, and figure out a long-term monetization plan, because some of these strategies will only work when you have a significant follower base.


What are the biggest personal branding mistakes that you see being made, particularly in the online space?
One mistake that’s commonly made is creating an online presence but failing to monitor and manage it. By having your last blog post dated 2009, you’re showing employers that you’re not committed. When you establish your online profiles, there’s an expectation that you’re going to be delivered fresh content on a regular basis. It’s your promise to your audience. Another problem I see is when people over-promote themselves online, putting links within blog comments, or just using their Twitter profile as a promotional tool. This doesn’t work and actually makes you look bad.


How would you explain the importance of personal branding for career development to businesswomen vs. businessmen?  What steps can businesswomen take to develop their brands and boost their careers in the male-dominated business world?
The same career and branding advice I give to men, I give to women. Everyone in the world needs their own website (yourname.com), existence on only the top three social networks (Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter), and enough time to dedicate to ensure each property is updated and relevant. The Internet puts everyone on the same playing field, and it’s up to you to decide how you want to be judged in and out of the workplace.
Figure out what your personal mission is, your long-term and short-term career goals, and what you truly want to be known for. Then base your personal brand around that, and use it to network with other people in your field. The possibilities are endless and the results are real.

About Dan Schawbel
Dan Schawbel is the author of the upcoming Me 2.0: 4 Steps to Building Your Future. He is known as a “personal branding guru” by The New York Times, and the Founder of Millennial Branding, LLC. Dan operates the syndicated and award winning Personal Branding Blog, and publishes Personal Branding Magazine. Recently, he was named to the Inc. Magazine 30 Under 30 list.

Original Forbes Post

Hang On to that Gold Star Reference

Over the course of your career, you're going to work with a lot of different people on a lot of different projects. Some of these projects will be forgettable. Others will prevail in your memory for years to come. Through all the mundane tasks and meetings, you'll eventually work on a project that goes swimmingly from start to finish. The project was fun, taught you new skills, and most importantly, had a positive effect on your company. Chances are that if everything went great, you probably got along very well with the person who managed that project. In my case, I worked on a redesign of an internal HR web site that came together perfectly over the course of several weeks. The HR manager Doug and I got along really well and he was thrilled with the result of the project. When I left the company, I asked if he would be a reference for me in the future and he was more than happy to agree. Since leaving the company, Doug has provided reference checks for me on multiple occasions. We last worked together 5 years ago.

Doug is my "gold star" reference and I truly appreciate the time he takes out of his busy schedule to speak to employers who want to learn more about me. In January of 2010 alone, he spoke with three separate companies on my behalf and each call lasted longer than 30 minutes. After getting off the phone with one of these companies, he gave me a call and told me that he spoke about my past work and my professional character like I was "the Kanye West of IT" (his words, not mine). In other words, he spoke very highly of me and as he put it, he had "the right answers" to every question they asked. It doesn't hurt that Doug has been in HR for over 25 years and knows how the process works. Aside from his professional qualifications, he's a funny guy and is a blast to be around.

If you've provided reference checks for people in the past, you always know when you're about to get a call from a company. If the job seeker is courteous enough to warn you ahead of time, you'll get an email from them out of the blue asking how you're doing and what you've been up to. Then they let the news drop. "Oh, and you might get a call from *Company X* for a reference check. I hope you don't mind! Thanks!" Relationships between a "referencer" and "referencee" are typically one-sided, with the person giving the references putting in way more than they get back from the job seeker. The person who provides reference checks for you usually agrees to do so because of a positive prior business relationship. As this project moves further and further into the past, just how long can you continue to use the same person as a reference? In my opinion, I think you should be able to use the same reference over and over again as long as you stay in touch with the person and periodically catch up on recent news. You should have other, more recent references anyway to give employers a look into your latest work.

As I mentioned in a previous article, visiting your past employers just for the sake of catching up is a great way to show your references that you aren't simply interested in their ability to make you sound like a superstar to potential employers. Your references should be people you respect and who respect you. These mutual business relationships are critical to job hunting, whether it's in regards to reference checks, job leads, or any other situation where "having a friend" in the business can benefit both of you.

Two or three years after the completion of the redesign project, Doug unexpectedly found himself out of work (This was back before the employment meltdown of the past few years). I couldn’t believe it upon hearing the news and I wanted to do something for him during this tough time. Little did I know that taking Doug to one lunch would leave such a lasting impression on him. When you’re going through a difficult situation, no gesture is too small to go unappreciated and I can tell that this one get-together meant way more to him than I thought it would. As I’ve found from his reference checks since then, he hasn’t forgotten about it.

Still, after all the time Doug spent on the phone with my potential employers in 2010 (at least two hours by my calculations), I wanted to do something nice for him. I sent him a nice note along with an Amazon gift card as a way of saying thanks. We hadn't had a chance to talk since I started my most recent job and I wanted to make sure he knew how appreciative I was. If you don't talk frequently, sending thank you notes to your gold star references after landing a job is a great way of showing that you aren't just ignoring them now that you got what you wanted.

As you progress in your career, you'll find that certain people will always be a part of your professional life, no matter how much of that time you spent as actual colleagues. Make a concerted effort to hang on to the contacts that really matter by investing more than an email or two every few years. Aside from great reference checks, you'll foster a professional relationship that could benefit both of you for years to come.

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Guest Expert:

Chris Perugini is the author and creator of How To Land A Job, a job hunting website that features 100% original commentary on all things employment. From resume pointers to job application tips, How To Land A Job has something for everyone, even if you’re currently employed!

Chris is a web developer by day. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Hartford and also holds an MBA from the University of Connecticut. He lives in Watertown, CT.

Original Career Rocketeer Article