It's time to fill your diary if you're looking for a new job

The keys to effective job hunting, especially for senior executives is to have a diary full of networking opportunities and to use those opportunities to maximum effect.

I've written elsewhere about the detailed to-dos and do nots, but this is a recap and a slightly longer explanation of some possibilities.

Although I am writing this on January 3rd it actually applies at any time for the executive job hunter.

I hope that you took my advice, before Christmas, and have a few people already in your diary for January.

Face-to-face meetings

Now, go through your list of specific network members. Some will be people you've met many times, some will be people you've only met once or twice - possibly at small group events. Identify the ones you feel it would be good, or is timely, to meet face-to-face. Send them an email suggesting coffee/tea.

Then go through your extended list - probably on LinkedIn - and find other people including some you have probably never met. Send them a message suggesting a telephone chat or, if their location matches any of your other appointments, a coffee or tea.

Now it's time for the LinkedIn groups that you've been active on over the last few weeks. Write out a list of the people who you have exchanged messages with in the forums or directly. Add to this list, the names of the 'key influencers' from each of the forums. Finally, have a look to see if there are any groups of which you've never met the owner, and add them too. Again, send them a message suggesting a telephone conversation or face-to-face meeting.

If you are going to have to travel aim for a minimum of four appoitments in that place and be prepared to spend a long day at it. Then, if one, or even two, postpone you still have a good reason to go even if you want to try rescheduling the times.

Telephone meetings

Treat telephone calls as seriously as you would a face-to-face meeting. Begin with an image of what you are hoping to get from the conversation (a recommendation to someone who might have an opportunity for you or knows someone who will). Keep notes throughout. Offer some kind of help to the person you're speaking to. Follow up meticulously later that day or the next at the latest.

Group meetings

Now go through the diary adding in all the networking meetings that you can attend - you should have these already which is why I didn't say this earlier. This time, see if there are any events that you'd not thought of before or had dismissed. In most places of the UK, there is at least one business networking event every week.

Discover where they are and add them to your diary.

Do the same for your professional bodies and associations.

If you are in London, or have to visit it, add in the public meetings of the RSA, Gresham College, and any other institutions.

Remember, you attend small groups to meet people briefly and then to invite them to a one-to-one conversation later. You DON'T go along to stand and chat to three or four people all the time.

At larger meetings, such as the public lectures, you aim to target a small number - the people who either appear worth speaking to (from their dress sense or demeanour) or who stood out from the crowd by asking an intelligent question. Be ambitious, aim to speak to (and collect the contact details of) 6 or more people at a typical lecture type event.

Follow up

From a typical small group event, aim to follow up with everyone that you spoke to (generally 8 to 12 is a sign of a good networker) and also with anyone you saw there but didn't speak to. It does no harm to send a message to anyone you've met there before but didn't see this time.

It is often hard as a member of the audience, to get to meet that many people at a lecture type event, but the minimum should be the organiser(s), the key speakers, and the people who asked questions.

The ultimate objective

Again, remember that your penultimate objective is to have a face-to-face meeting with each of these people later. In most cases, this won't be immediate, but something that you'll work towards over a couple of weeks, by helping them to see you, like you and possibly feel some trust towards you.

Your ultimate objective is for EACH of these people to say; "I really think you ought to speak to..., I am sure that they will have a role that you'd be perfect for."

Now, if this makes a kind of sense but doesn't totally - download my free ebook "http://www.executive-post.info/2011/the-senior-executive-emergency-job-hunt-ebook/">The Senior Executive's Emergency Job Hunt". If you've already done that, then give me a call today - my number is below. Let's talk it through, because having appointments with people is key to finding your next role!

Best wishes

Graham Wilson - 07785 222380
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