1. 1
August 19, 2015
Networking:
Turning Current Contacts
into Career Connections
Pam Parker
Systemware Professional Services, Inc.
pam.parker@systemwareps.com
972.628.9645

2. Systemware Professional Services
2
 Private technology consulting firm
 Founded 1991
 Offices in Dallas & Atlanta
 Primary services
 Strategic Staffing
 Solutions
 Quality Assurance & Testing
 Managed Services
 Woman owned – WBENC Certified
 Awarded 2 patents for QA processes
 Software sister company
 Enterprise Content Management - Content Cloud

3. Networking
 Big News: Over 60% of active job
seekers find jobs by networking
 and over 90% of not so active
 candidates find their jobs the
 same way!
 Spend more of your time Networking
rather than applying directly to job posts
60%
90%

4. Personal Connections
 Networking ≠ meeting as many people as
possible
 Networking =
 meeting a few people who can vouch for your
performance & refer you to others
 gathering & sharing information that will help you and the
other person
 Always send a thank you note for any networking
help you receive!
 in person (or email if you don’t have an address)
 Never take networking help for granted
 Ask your connection how you can return the
favor…then follow-up

5. Where To Start Networking
 Make a list of everyone you have worked with
that you would want to work with again
 people that know your work ethic & quality of work
 Keep track of who you contact & follow up
 know where your resume is being submitted
 Remember: your goal is to be presented to a job
before it is even advertised!

6. LinkedIn – Great place to Start
 Have a *GREAT* LinkedIn page
 best place for professional social media & networking
 Your LI Page should read like your resume
 make it clear you are looking & want to be contacted
 make it easy for them to contact you
 set up a job search email address & put it at the top
 tell them what you are looking for & why they should to hire you
 check your writing for grammar & spelling errors
 Have a concise answer to ‘why should I hire you?’
 no generic words - substantial details to back up what you say!
 remember to answer the ‘Why’ in your summary
 Translate this to your resume

7. You have a LinkedIn Page –
What’s Next?
 Reach out to your connections on LinkedIn
 tell them you are looking to make a career move & ask to connect
 ask for your resume to be passed to the right person in their
company
 give them permission to pass your resume & help you continue your networking
 ask if they’ve heard of anyone hiring or know of a company that
hires similar skills to yours
 request for them to write a recommendation on your LI page
 Share what you’ve gained in experience since they
worked with you
 Tell them why someone would want to hire you
 Review their contacts for leads (they may not remember
someone that could help)

8. User Groups
 Networking with people who have similar skills
 Join LinkedIn Groups that share similar interests & be active
 comment on LI page posts
 go to their meetings and talk to people
 Networking is communication – you have to talk to network!
 DON’T:
 Disclose too much & never be bitter
 Complain about age discrimination or having old skills
 Talk negatively about your previous employer
 Find something positive & current in the skills you
possess to discuss & share at the event!

9. Working with Recruiters
 Don’t just depend on a recruiter
 client pays their fees & is driving the process
 Clients expect the recruiter to identify the best candidate
 the most recent experience
 the right skills
 the right cultural fit
 Focus on networking with the right people in the right
company & the right job for you
 Network with recruiters
 large network
 exposure to the market
 good ones are willing to help you – share a referral & see their
willingness to help

10. Mistakes Job Seekers Make
 not networking
 waiting on a Recruiter
 only applying to job postings on Dice, Monster,
Indeed, etc.
 disclosing too much information in conversation
 poor grammar & spelling mistakes on LinkedIn
profile, resume, & in emails
 not having a compelling resume or profile

11. Networking - a great resume
 You got their attention, now share your resume!
 Your shot at showing why you're special
 Write letter to hiring manager
 Use concrete examples and details (math) to
show work accomplishments vs. self-descriptions
with action words (verbs)
 Once you have a great LI profile with
recommendations, add the link to your resume

12. Networking
 Remember: everyone you meet is able to
help you network – but you have to ask!
 Neighbors, Church group, Classmates, Parents,
Vendors (hair stylist/barber)
 You will be amazed who knows who when
you start talking to people with Networking
in mind!

13. Dad taught
me a lot of
things over
the years…
Networking
was not one
of them!

14. 14
Discussion

15. 15
August 19, 2015
Networking:
Turning Current Contacts
into Career Connections
Pam Parker
Systemware Professional Services, Inc.
pam.parker@systemwareps.com
972.628.9645