Career



The business of networking



Getting a job requires a lot of effort, commitment, dedication, confidence and hard work. But as the experts will tell you, securing that coveted position also requires the confidence and courage to “think outside the square”.

General manager, corporate services, at Hallis Recruitment, Paris Fent, subscribes to that old adage: “It’s often not what you know but who you know”. She also identifies strongly with the advantages of face-to-face networking, which she says often sets applicants apart.
“If someone you meet appreciates your keenness and motivation to listen and learn there is a high likelihood that they will be inspired to mentor you,” Fent says.

“When I started moving beyond HR and trying to extend my skills in a broader consultative capacity, I connected with someone who helped me onto the pathway. That person – with whom I’d worked with for about five years – recognised my motivation and wanted to mentor me, which really helped fast-track my career,” she says.

Get back in the box



Although Fent agrees job-seekers should think laterally about how to access job networks, she advocates a conservative approach when submitting CVs. When it comes to the act of applying for work, she says jumping too far outside the box “might not always be a good thing”.

“There are lots of novel ways to find work. Sending in a video application might be suited to, say, a career in TV or advertising – but unless you trying to forge a pathway in the arts, I’d be very careful about whether this would be worth the effort. Similarly, if you want a career in finance, then standing outside your prospective employer’s office wearing a sandwich board that says ‘Hire Me’ might not be the greatest move,” Fent says.

“Although you might be setting yourself apart – it might not be in a good way. In fact, you might find prospective employers are judging you on a completely different set of criteria – that has nothing to do with the job. That is wrong in itself … and possibly illegal … but it’s still a likelihood,” she says.

The business of CVs



Fent says understanding the basics of a good resume is the best way to make your application stand out. She adds that treating a job search like a fulltime job can also yield positive results.

“Invest the time in reading the job ad … approach it like a school assignment. What are they looking for? How do I match to that criteria?”

“Your resume needs to be well-formatted, customised and succinct. There is pressure on recruiters to sign candidates quickly … and some of them are looking for a speedy placement. Use this knowledge to your advantage and understand that the more closely aligned your application is to the job criteria the more likely it is that you will advance to the next stage and get an interview,” she says.

Don't be a Twit(ter)



Although Fent advises those who are looking for work to attend industry seminars and conferences, she also warns against the possible pitfalls of using networking sites such as facebook and Twitter to try and connect with future employers.

“How you represent yourself on Facebook and social networking pages might not be how you want to represent yourself in a professional context so I’d have to warn job-seekers to be very cautious about that,” Fent says.

“Even if you present yourself in a very favourable light, you may have a friend whose opinions or status updates might implicate you by association and therefore reflect badly on you. If you want to use social networking, try LinkedIn, not Twitter,” she says.

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