Advice: It’s not always right, it’s not always good, and it may or may not work for you.

Steve put the finishing touches to his resume last week and boy, was he proud of it. He showed it to Ralph, one of his good buddies and General Manager of Acme Corporation. Steve called Ralph a couple of days later; essentially to network of course—-but he used the resume as his icebreaker. “So, what did he think?”

“It’s pretty good” agreed Ralph, “But… I think you need to include some of those projects you did with Idol Inc., back in the day. They were pretty important and I think having that experience with DOS and Windows for Workgroups is something that would allow employers to know that you have experience that goes back to the early days”.

Steve was disappointed that he didn’t get the glowing praise he felt his resume deserved, but appreciative. He respects Ralph and although his ideas are a little at odds with what Steve has heard about listing outdated technologies and making a resume too long with old information, he knows that Ralph is a General Manager, so he must have insight. Steve fires up the laptop and adds some projects from the early eighties and briefly includes his pioneering work with DOS and Windows 3.1.

Next on Steve’s to do list is to call Sandra. Sandra is a System Administrator and she works for HCM, a leading technology company where Steve is keen to get a foot in the door. Sandra agrees for Steve to send his resume to her, and again Steve calls her a few days later to follow up. Sandra is sorry but she’s checked around with people “in the know” and it doesn’t seem like anything is coming up that would suit Steve’s skills at HCM any time soon. Sandra really wants to help Steve. He’s such a nice guy and she has worked with him before. The conversation is ending a little awkwardly until Steve asks whether she thinks the resume would be well-received at HCM. Well! This is something with which Sandra can help and she takes her time pointing out items that HCM look for in their employees. For instance, she knows that HCM loves employees that are enthusiastic and motivated, so Steve should include that, as well as being well organised, a team player and a good communicator.

Following the call Steve again fires up the laptop and spends some time looking at his resume. He’s reluctant to make Sandra’s recommended changes because he’s read books and articles all over the internet that say how cliche they sound. Plus, he has real examples of those particular skills many times over in his document. He’s always been told that it’s better to show “how” rather than just state a fact without proof. But, he sighs, he does want to work for HCM and it makes sense to follow Sandra’s advice. Steve adds the extra bullet points and saves the resume version 4. He shrugs, he’s getting somewhat tired of all this advice. He just wants a job.

Today is a new day but Steve has failed to shrug off the dark mood that followed Sandra’s call yesterday. He has John, the CIO and friend to call today and Betty a former colleague and now IT Manager. Frustratingly, neither know of any jobs but they too can offer advice. John tells him that those cliches on his resume are dumb. Betty suggests that old information such as AS400 and DOS and information going back to the ’80s is madness as it just makes him sound as old as Methuselah in technology terms.

Now thoroughly confused and dejected, Steve sits head in hands at his laptop resisting the urge to throw it out the window. All he needs is the one perfect document that will make everyone happy and he can get that job! He knows it!

STOP!

The fact is everyone has different opinions on what constitutes “good” or “right” and that doesn’t start and stop at resumes. It can cover works of art, books, religion, freeways, politics, architecture, movies—-in fact ask anyone’s opinion about anything and you’ll receive a multitude of them.

And….they’re not always right and they’re not always good, and they may or may not work for you.

One thing is for certain, listening and actioning them all is the definition of insanity. Changing the resume because Ralph is a General Manager is no more valid than changing it because Val is the tea lady. Sure, he has his own opinions about what he’d like to see if he was viewing the resume. The likelihood though is the HR department will receive it first or the recruiting agency and again, in all likelihood, it is the department head or team leader who will be interviewing and making decisions. Ralph’s opinion (like Sandra, John and Betty) is a personal opinion. It’s not The Great Resume Truth.

Steve needs to do three things.

• Trust himself (or the professional who wrote his resume) that his presentation is the best it can be.
• Heed only the advice of career professionals such as recruiters who can advance his candidacy to the next level for a real job currently in motion if he tweaks his resume as a “once only” document to match the client requirements.
• Develop a new “icebreaker” in networking conversations! Instead of asking for an opinion on his resume (which we have now learned are in abundance, usually contradictory and overall not that helpful), Steve would be better placed developing a list of questions such as “Have you heard anything on the grapevine?”, or “How is that project going with Brown Corp? I heard it was in trouble” and a range of questions to elicit information with which that he can move forward—instead of constantly revamping his resume on the theoretical personal whims of people for jobs that don’t exist.

Sometimes too much advice, is just too much.

“The Internet?  We are not interested in it.” – Bill Gates, 1993

In 1989, we purchased our first home computer. It was around $1800 and even more if we added an item the salesman assured us we couldn’t live without… a 10 megabyte hard disk! (Yes I said 10 meg). Hubby was all for it. “It will be so much easier” he said. “You can save your documents on the hard drive.”

I couldn’t see the point. I was saving all my documents to the five-and-a-quarter-inch floppy disk already!

This you-beaut 10 megabyte hard drive seemed to be a no brainer for hubby, so with a cavalier attitude we handed over the extra cash as if were supremely wealthy and became co-owners of a brand new computer with monochrome monitor and a hard drive.

You may wonder why I’m telling you this story (other than to reinforce my fossil-like age) and what on earth it has to do with networking using social media. Well, it illustrates a point. New ideas and concepts aren’t always “just a fad”. Often they evolve and grow and change the world. Where would I be today if I had resolutely determined to keep that machine without a hard drive? Or if I’d never tried to use an ATM? I would have been forced to move with the times at some point, but how much learning would I have had to do to catch up? And how far behind everyone else would I have been?

That’s what reticence to embrace new ideas can do, and it’s a real problem for jobseekers who fail to adopt the concept of networking as a real and important aspect of the job search today.

“I see little commercial potential for the Internet for at least ten years.” – Bill Gates, 1994

Which brings me (as you knew it eventually would) to networking, social media and the job market. There are many people who are standing still, spurning the concept of networking and social media and dismissing it all as just a fad. Lack of foresight into what is happening around them still sees people pour over the newspaper classifieds in the weekend edition, circle jobs that appeal to them and follow the instructions given to send in a resume or call a specific number on the Monday morning. They’re miserable when no-one calls and they scratch their heads in amazement.

But things have changed.

Why? Because today, people and jobs aren’t clear cut as they used to be. Not by a long shot. Today a University graduate could have six years of management experience in a fast-food chain; she could operate an e-Bay store successfully, be a sought-after blogger, or have built a personal brand in any number of disciplines on the ‘net. A person like this needs more than the conservative, traditional approach or will never be seen for the multiskilled individual she is. Gone are the days of being a secretary for life with a narrow set of skills. Today is about adaptability, flexibility and multiple income streams and as jobseekers have embraced a range of skills and experience, the methods by which they need to get noticed have had to change too. The traditional ways will simply not work as they have in the past and this is where networking and social media has been a boon to jobseekers.

“The problem of viruses is temporary and will be solved in two years.” – John McAfee, 1988

Today it’s all about relationships; getting known, being liked, and receiving recommendations. Networking via social media using sites such as Linkedin, Twitter and Facebook can provide you with unprecedented insight into companies, what they do, how good they are to work for, and can give you access to decision-makers. Far from being one of the herd of people who Lemming-like send their resumes to the email address in the advertisement, you could have found out the job specifications weeks before the job was advertised and at the very least, tweaked your resume and cover letter to show the perfect synergy between what they want, and what you’re offering.

The important thing about networking, whether using social media or not, is that relationships take time.

Building trust takes time.

Perhaps you’ll recall a scene from the movie “GroundHog Day” where the main character Phil Connors (played by Bill Murray) having experienced the same day over-and-over again is impatient to speed up his relationship with love interest, Rita. His manic approach to building the relationship in fast-forward scares her and she backs off feeling overwhelmed and afraid. That’s what happens with networking when you approach it from the perspective that you want someone to do something for you or give you something. Just because you’re using technology to communicate, doesn’t mean relationships are established any quicker than they would be in the workplace or in your neighbourhood.

Networking via social media is no quick fix to your joblessness, but instead is a continually evolving and growing set of relationships that in time, can provide you with information you need to be more competitive, or to be found through the “brand” you have established with decision-makers.

By all means, if you feel comfortable going the traditional route such as newspapers, job boards, SEEK and more, then continue to do so but step outside your comfort zone and add the networking component as part of your tool kit. Why stand still when a new experience is waiting? A chat with friends over coffee, a call to an employer or connecting via social media, are experiences that are free, fun, and may just open up new doors for you. And it doesn’t matter whether you’re naturally shy as social media allows you to be “out there” without physically having to do so (at least for a while).

Don’t be the guy contemplating the need for a hard drive or you’ll be trying to play catch-up when the traditional way disappears forever.

Interacting with other humans isn’t just a fad. It’s LIFE.

I’m thrilled to be a member of the Career Collective, a group of professionals providing themed blogs on a range of job search and career issues every month. This month’s topic is networking tips and techniques.  Please visit my colleagues’ links below to learn more of this interesting subject and check Twitter #careercollective to find out more.

• 5 Little Secrets About Networking, @Careersherpa
• Networking: Easy as 1, 2 , 3, @WorkWithIllness
• How to Take the Intimidation Out of Networking, @heathermundell
• Networking for the Shy and Introverted, @KatCareerGal
• A tale of two networkers, @DawnBugni
• Introvert or Extrovert: Tips for the Job Search No Matter Which ‘Vert’ You Are, @erinkennedycprw
• Networking for Job Candidates Who Hate Networking, @heatherhuhman
• Networking? Ugh! @resumeservice
• Network, Network, Network, @MartinBuckland @EliteResumes
• 3 ways to make networking fun for introverts and extroverts, @Keppie_Careers
• Grow Your Career Networking Seeds Organically, @ValueIntoWords
• Networking: It’s a Way of Life, @WalterAkana
• Social Media Networking & Your Career, @GayleHoward
• Networking for the Networking-Phobic, @JobHuntOrg

The buzz today is about networking. Everyone networks as we have been told it is the key to penetrating the hidden job market.

That’s true. Absolutely.

You find out more through talking to people than you ever could ploughing through the classified ads, which let’s face it, represents the largest pool of candidates for one job you’re ever going to be up against and where competition is the strongest. When someone says to you: “There were 800 candidates for that job” I’ll bet you it was advertised in the paper or on the internet. Makes sense doesn’t it?

Yell the loudest and you’ll get the most attention. From everyone.

Then there’s networking.

Today, savvy jobseekers are posting profiles on Linkedin and Twitter, Facebook, Naymz and more all trying to connect with people who they hope will be able to do something for them. The problem is, no-one exactly seems to know what they are doing. Sure, add someone to your Linkedin list. Go for it. Now where’s the job?

To many people, networking means asking for a job.

For example: “I found Fred Smith. He used to work with me ten years ago at ADD Corporation. I asked him to be my buddy on Linkedin, he agreed, I asked him if he had anything at his company and he said ‘no’! So I guess this networking thing doesn’t work at all!”

This is common. People are running around adding contacts to online networking sites and then not knowing what to do or why they did it!

Let me share a recent success story of one of my clients. A senior executive, you’d think it would be relatively easy to pick up a new gig right? Wrong. Senior executives get the “You’re too qualified” tag daily. Once an individual has been a C-Level executive then recruiters and employers pigeon-hole him or her immediately. And when you’re at the top of the pyramid just how many opportunities that are within that narrow confine do you think there are? The average unemployed executive looks for his next gig solidly for a period of between 6 and 12 months. 6-12 months of wasted talent while “needle in haystack” jobs arrive. (And then of course you still have to be the successful candidate even when they do come up).

Here’s how my client, used his network to create a job that didn’t even exist.

First, he made contact with vendors, clients and past colleagues. Of course he made it known he was seeking a new opportunity, but there was no pressure. They didn’t have to do anything for him. There were no expectations or obligations. They were off the hook so free to accept a catch-up over coffee without the need to act.

In one particular conversation, the networking contact talked about the challenges of his job; just as we all do from time to time he bemoaned a project that had started out badly and was continuing to go “pear shaped”.  The candidate’s ears pricked up.

A project not going well? Had he just heard an opportunity?

One casual coffee and the candidate knew that there was a problem to be solved.

He also knew he could solve it.

Now the challenge. How could he get before and convince the main players that he was their knight in shining armour? The candidate contacted his network that he knew would have access to information on this project. More casual coffees and lunches, helped him build a greater understanding of this high profile project from a diversity of sources. Piece by piece the candidate started to put together the jigsaw. Snippets of information slotted together and key decision makers were pinpointed.

It was time to leverage his network to get an introduction from his friend on the project who was by now keen to involve someone else to take the pressure off.

At first, the meeting with the senior executive was just a “Let’s have a chat” session. However as the candidate demonstrated an in-depth knowledge of the project based on the picture he had put together, it was clear to the decision maker our candidate was going to be valuable.

The company was interested. Very interested.

In fact, after internal discussions, a position was created to deal with this project’s problems.

Guess who got the job? And from a candidate pool of one. Why start a recruiting campaign when the solution was before them?

This is the power of networking.

A job that didn’t exist, exists now. Cobbled together from some casual coffee and chats, a keen ear, insight and the confidence to find and present a solution to the person who needed it most and at the time he needed it the most.