Q&A: When to Apply When You Can’t Network In

Hi Sue,

I want to apply for a position I found at Heidegger’s Transparency Institute. It would be for a policy research role. When I went on LinkedIn to find people who work there, I found that a former colleague who I got along wonderfully with, is on the Board of Directors.

I sent her a nice message, explained how I found her, wished the family well and asked if she would be willing to get coffee and chat about non-profits and policy. Eek! I wanted to make the connection between us, the work and the job opening without saying all that. I am really hoping that this was all proper etiquette.

One question, is: The job has been posted a week. Do I wait to hear back/hopefully meet before applying? Or go ahead and submit?

Thanks to you and the Action Accountability Group for helping me be a risk taker!

Sally

 Hi Sally,

Thanks for your note. The nuances of managing job search and relationships take some thinking through to master them, just like you are doing.

Your approach to your former colleague is perfect and fills in the middle steps before asking if she knows of the opening, what they’re looking for, if she can advocate for you, etc. Please slow down about asking about the role. Sometimes there are other changes or information that is relevant to your desire to apply in the first place. Also, your friend can give you insight into how you might fit in there, or even other options unrelated to Heidegger that exist out in the community that may interest you.  As you may recall, the first practice we adopt in transition is expanding our seeing of opportunity and where we might fit in.

If you get to talk with her, you may find there is a search committee or recruitment firm who is leading the process and that is additional information for you to use for navigating. Depending on the guidelines of this particular organization, as a Board or even committee member she may not be in a position to talk about anything. I know you don’t want to put her in a difficult situation. The gentle approach you’ve adopted mitigates the risk of her having to shut down contact. 

Yes, it would be better to talk with her before you apply, which brings up the second part of your question: As far as how long you can you wait to apply –

Does the post say anything about when submissions need to be received?  If it’s a month, then you get to wait to see if you and your friend can connect. You could wait till the second last day, if you know it, to apply, to allow you time to see your friend.  I say second last because sometimes there are glitches in our timing or the system and that still would leave you a day to make changes, reload, etc.

Since this is a smaller organization, one option is to call and ask whomever answers the phone how long the position will be available. You would add that you are intending to apply within their window and would like to talk to someone you know about it so you can include more insight in your cover letter/application.  The idea is to convey your excitement along with seeking knowledge. 

When it’s a larger organization, you can try calling the hiring department or HR.

Since at this time it is just before the end-of-year holidays, we don’t know if the posting will be given a full month. If you are unable to find the date the job post is closing, I would apply by the last business day of the year.

It sounds like this could be a really good opportunity for you, using your favorite strengths. I can’t wait to hear what you find out and how the opportunity unfolds. So glad you’re pursuing it.

Hope this helps,

Sue Nelson

 P.S. To those who are reading this blog post:

This column and article fit into a much larger coaching philosophy and practice that we can’t address in these pages.  There are several blog posts tagged as coaching. Searching for that term will help you find other suggestions to help you in your transition. In the meantime, if you need assistance, or you’d like to know more about what coaching through The Job Search Center entails, please email me at Sue@TheJobSearchCenter.com  or call 216.395.7433.

Best Week for Job Offers!

THE WEEK OF THE YEAR that the most job offers are made and accepted is the week between Christmas and New Year’s.[1]

The reason the last week of the year is so packed with job offers is due to three things:

-           People who were waiting for year-end bonuses before giving their notice, are ready to leave their positions. Yet employers still need the work to be done.

-           Organizations and departments with December 31st fiscal year-ends either have to get people into position or they’ll lose that budget, or b) they have budgets beginning January 1 and want to get a person in place ASAP.

-           People are just in the mood to give and receive so more of this activity extends to the job market as well.

So, this is a great time of year to be networking!

Opportunities come up suddenly at this time of year. Be out there. Be available. And if others offer to help, express that the key is for you to be seen as available and KLT - known, liked and trust. “Your personal referral,” you can say, “ is the best regard and referral I can have.” 

If you have more time, you can tell them three things that will help them identify helpful contacts:

a.         Tell them the type of work you would like to do. Maybe you can add the types of employers who use that kind of work. Telling them kinds instead of particular organizations helps them be creative and tap into the network that they have.

b.        Tell them the kinds of people you would like to meet that could help introduce you to these types of employers, and

c.         Tell them the 2 or 3 lines that people often say when they are frustrated and are in the throes[2] of needing someone like you.  

It can be harder to reach people at this time of year, yet they are chattier when you do.

This is a great time of year to touch base with people you already know and ask them to reconnect.  Even and especially if they are people you like, but haven’t seen in a long time (like a colleague from three jobs ago that you really enjoyed working with).

With these already-friends, you are more likely to get appointments and they are more likely to keep your interests in mind. Plus, these are easier networking conversations. They already know your strengths and you can relax and be personable with them, too.

When you are attempting to set up meetings with people who are new to you, you might try these words from Dominic Bonacci who recently concluded a very successful search:

The purpose of getting a cup of coffee was to get to the next cup of coffee. [I told them,] “I don't expect you to have a job to offer me but [to] learn enough about me to introduce me to a few more opportunities for coffee.”

[1] The exception to this is banking and financial services that work on year end closes.  These people will have their turn in early January, before tax season gets into full swing.

[2] Throes is an old-fashioned expression I like because it’s sooo DRAMATIC!!!. It means, “intense or violent pain and struggle, especially accompanying birth, death, or great change,” (Google Dictionary), and this is how people sound when they really need someone like you.

For Job Search Coaches: Thoughts on Handling Requests for Handling Special Needs in Transition

This question was sent in by a fellow job search adviser.

Q: A member of my faith community is a job seeker, diagnosed on the spectrum and bi-polar (he's self-confessed this to me).  With your experience I’m looking for guidance for:

• Job seeking support, structure and guidance

• employment

• temporary financial support (he may be receiving something from our faith community)

Sincerely,

Chris

 A: Hi Chris,

I can sure understand why you want to help to this gentleman. He’s in a tough place and thank goodness there are places and people like you who want to help.

The first place I’d start in Cleveland is NAMI. There is a national organization as well. They have everything this person needs, including referrals to agencies that can provide job search assistance. If in addition to their guidance you are able to help him write his resume, LI profile, and to make networking introductions in his field that would be lovely. But please read my caveats below before you take this on.

In Cleveland, Vocational Guidance Services, as I understand them, works with more severe disabilities. They may have some insights, ideas or wherewithal to help, depending on his needs. Someone who previously had professional jobs probably would not need their services, but they could check.

One question I have that will make a difference is if he was let go for cause. If you think your faith community is supporting him, he may not have been eligible for unemployment (fired) or have been out of work so long that his unemployment insurance ran out. If he is eligible and has not applied, he should be encouraged to do so. If he started receiving it, and then did not comply and was dropped, then scheduling an appointment with the Unemployment Bureau at Ohio Department of Job and Family Services would be the next step. There’s also a lot of info on their website.

If he is in or getting near to dire circumstances, in Greater Cleveland the thing to do is call 211. They will know the most up to date resources, qualifications and procedures for obtaining them and can steer the person to available resources right away. They can deal with any crisis.

If his disease affects his ability to work or find work he may need a lot of help. Perhaps the meds don’t control his condition well enough.  Or, he may be one of the many, many people who stop taking bi-polar meds because a) they miss the mania and b) they think they’re doing well and don’t like the side effects. The place to start is NAMI.

In a case that medication doesn’t really control the problem, it may be wise to talk with someone at Social Security to see what his options for permanent disability are.  This is not a path to take lightly as it is very difficult to qualify (personally, emotionally and financially - not to mention the extensive paperwork). Once you’re receiving it, it’s complicated to change your mind later, and decide you’d rather work. Also, it’s very difficult to be approved the first time one applies. There is a workbook that can help him get started.

Quality of life often means being able to work and finding some way of keeping engaged in the community is important for well-being, as you well know. So if he does qualify for SSI, employment within the income guidelines or volunteering may be healthy options. You or someone else might be able to help him with those.

Not having any idea what his skills are (office, profession, trades, etc.) I can’t recommend any particular organization, but the usual ones we recommend for finding jobs are all good: OhioMeansJobs and any particular organizations such as Robert Half for accounting or ManPower for lower skilled work, come to mind.  If he’s at an appropriate professional level, he could attend any job seeker group.

The thing is, unless he really needs accommodation, it’s usually best to not bring up his mental health issues to anyone.  Sometimes people with a condition have a victim mentality about it, though, and wanting sympathy, keep talking about how hard they have it, which keeps them stuck. 

There’s a complicator to recommending networking and referring your friend.  If his condition cannot be reliably controlled, or if he is non-compliant with his meds, his future behavior (fit) reflects on the referrer.  This is a touchy subject because most likely, the gentleman does not intend to negatively affect someone else. And if he’s generally ok, it’s none of anyone else’s business. He just wants a job. He may intend for there to be no interruptions in his future work. Yet for all of us, life is not always the way we want it to be.  It has ups and downs that stress us emotionally leading to behaviors from our past that don’t help us. For a person with his conditions, these behaviors can be significant detriments to work relationships.

If he does in fact need accommodation, or wants protection under the ADA (Americans with Disability Act), then he needs to tell an employer about his disability or issue and what accommodation he requires to do the job he is otherwise qualified to do. The timing of that request is an issue best addressed by NAMI or an employment lawyer experienced with these issues.

I have often suggested waiting till an offer is made, but that is not the best plan in all cases.  A few times, I’ve advised candidates to say upfront (especially if the disability is visible) what they need and to bring a document they hand to the interviewer to explain and support it with relevant info the employer needs to make a decision.  It’s possible that type or strategy might be useful. NAMI or an employment lawyer who is knowledgeable about cognitive disabilities and mental health would have more insight.

More and more companies are looking for candidates with various divergent abilities who have good skills. They are willing to look at candidates and what they bring to the table. Again, NAMI may possibly have a list of employers and know the best ways to talk with employers to help them see value in the candidate. I believe they also offer some sort of ongoing support to employers as well.

Early in my career, I was working at a rehab center and recognized talent in some of the individuals I was helping. They had closed head injuries (not what your person is dealing with), but they told me they had back injuries and I didn’t see their cognitive disabilities at first.

I treated their career development as I normally would, saying they could do these professional jobs. I gave them hope for training and jobs that they couldn’t actually do because they couldn’t maintain attention long enough to get the job done, or done accurately or safely.  I set them up for a lot of disappointment and I regret that.

Working with a person in this difficult situation can be nourishing for us and them. And it requires - and the person deserves - the best guidance possible.  If it were me, I would decline working with him until there is guidance from an established, accredited person or organization that you can follow, and with care to stay within bounds of job search advice. Coaching a person in this situation is not an option since they need counseling and specific expertise that we job search coaches are not informed or licensed to provide.

I hope these ideas are useful to you and your person.  Best of luck to you and them.

With great respect for the work you do and the care you extend,

Sue Nelson

Founding Director

The Job Search Center