When I was a kid one of my favorite books to read through were field guides. The singular focus on presenting a large amount of information quickly and efficiently without lots of background makes field guides both primer reference manual when learning a new subject. In Stop Job Searching, Start Networking Brad and Courtney have succeeded in putting together a definitive field guide to networking your way to your next job.
The book is based on the premise that most people spend most of their time during a job search doing things like scouring online job boards and posting their resume to be found by recruiters and very little time networking with people who can lead them to their next opportunity. This despite the fact that time and time again research shows that networking can be as much as five times more effective to a job seeker than applying to jobs online or from the paper. They conclude, correctly, that either job seekers don’t know how effective networking can be in their job search or that they know how valuable it is but are intimidated by not knowing how to network effectively.
While experienced networkers may only find a one or two new insights; for anyone new to networking or in the early stage in their career this book offers a wealth of practical tips and techniques for developing and implementing a successful networking strategy. They discuss the best way to approach networking events, career fairs, and even how to network outside of traditional settings such as at a baseball game or just hanging out with friends. For people who may be unsure of what to say, or intimidated when approaching new people, they provide scripts that can be adapted to help break the ice and get a productive conversation flowing.
The book fun and easy to read, I finished it in about half an hour, and after your first time through can be easily used as a reference and template for your networking activities. If you are in the midst of a job search, or just looking to sharpen your networking skills, I encourage you to put this on your reading list.
