If you are jobless or are looking for a job change, you may be prone to this. Do not do desperate networking. It is counterproductive.

1. An excerpt from the book

2. A note on
desperate
networking
• Assume someone you
know calls you up and asks
you to help them get a job.
You probably will tell them
that you will do what you
can and maybe offer some
immediate leads or advice.
• Now this person calls you
up again, let’s say, in a week.
There is a good chance that
you won’t answer the call!
Sounds familiar? Here is
why:
1. You probably do not
have any update on the
last conversation you
had, when you
promised to help. You
are already feeling
guilty about not having
done something yet.
2. You may be annoyed
with the frequency of
the follow up. While it is
just one of the things
that you may want to do
when you get the time,
for the jobseeker it is
most urgent.

3. • In both the cases, you probably
are avoiding any sort of negativity.
Someone desperately seeking a job
is a problem. You want to stay away
from it, like from many other
problems.
• Now, imagine how will it work if
you were the jobseeker?
• We invariably miss this point
when chasing our contacts for help.
Many of them are genuinely unable
to help, though they will not say it
out of sheer politeness.
• How do we, then, get help?

4. - Do not sound too desperate:
People run away from SOS calls. If
you want to stay in touch, talk
about something else too. In
regular times, I would strongly
suggest that you don’t mention
your joblessness or desperation.
Just call for the sake of calling.
Have social or business talk,
promise to call again. Hang up.
- Do not put the onus of helping
you on them: The moment you
state expectations or show your
contact that you are dependent
on their help, the person would
probably stop communicating.
Your problem is your problem
alone, not theirs. Why would
someone act as drastically as you
want them to?

5. - Do not ask or go for Mercy-Jobs: In
true businesses, there is nothing like
a Mercy-Job. What many people try
on professional networking sites is
akin to begging for help. Their goal is
to get someone to help them get a
job, most probably someone who
makes hiring decisions.
Businesses are not charities.
Probably, no one would come
forward to help someone who has
publicly declared their desperation.
At best, they may write a comment
like “commenting for better reach”
or “sharing in my network”. Beyond
that there is hardly anyone who
would really respond to the post.
Here is why this is such a bad idea:
 People who make hiring decisions are
serving businesses by way of getting
good talent from the market. They
will suit themselves to get the best
deal.

6.  If you post a desperate message
saying “I need a job, I am jobless for
months, I cannot meet my expenses”
etc. You are openly declaring that you
are down and out. People hire
positivity, not desperation. A job is
important, candidate is not. If
someone does approach you, they
may hire you for a lower amount
than you are worth. Or worse, they
may offer you something to get along
for now.
 If your pitch in the job market is
“have pity, hire me” then you are
losing out on the respectable jobs
that you are worthy of. You are a
reject even before you are
considered.
This presentation is an excerpt from the book
“Bouncing Back from a COVID Layoff” and is
copyrighted material. For more details visit
www.zainkhan.in