Unit 5: Networking & Research
Getting to know the right people and letting them get to know you
Job search is a holistic process – every aspect needs to be completed thoroughly to afford participants the greatest likelihood of success. Unit 5: Networking & Research is, however, the decisive unit: candidates who perform well in this unit will almost certainly get good jobs; those who don’t will find it that much harder.
This unit requires participants to take significant risks – the risk of rejection is a very real risk to everyone. Therefore, it is essential to use strategies to maintain the positive self-image, the self-confidence. Keep to routine: start each day with a joke-swapping session or short, funny video/DVD and then work on sharing achievement statements and Key Skills Statements (KSS). Once these activities have been completed, work steadily through this unit, making each step small and encouraging plenty of discussion especially on how best to tackle each task. And before any participants go out to start conducting network interviews, the group should study Unit 6: Positive Self Image.
Estimated Time Required: 4-6 hours
Learner Outcomes:
explain how successful job search uses the techniques of a successful sales rep
explain why 5 really good applications are more likely to win a job than 50 mediocre applications
understand the importance of networking and how to set up and carry out network interviews
know what questions to ask and the 4 ‘eyes’ of how to give value at a network interview
plan your telephone calls and how to develop your telephone image
plan each day to ensure maximum success in the job hunt