For this year’s Job Action Day, I’m contributing to “Start Up.” According to Quintessential Careers, “Start Up” refers to the whole mindset of being the CEO of your career; having a portfolio of portable skills, a great network, flexibility, a project-mentality; not sitting at the computer visiting job boards, but getting out there, meeting people, and knocking on doors.

Get ready to take action.

In any economy, good times and bad, it’s important to take control of your career search and not rely on the “spray and pray” method—spraying your resume all over internet job boards and praying someone calls you. By taking an active role in your career, you land a job by choice, not by chance. Won’t it be nice to control your career destiny?

Get Personal

Networking is simply the No. 1 way people land new jobs. According to National University’s 2026 report, “82% of employers utilize employee referrals as a primary candidate source.” In fact, according to the report, “referrals make up only 7% of applications but account for 30–50% of all hires.”

Additionally, you can contact companies directly through their websites or by mail. Send your resume and cover letter to the key decision-makers for your target job. Better, of course, is to network your way into the company through your personal contacts, including using LinkedIn to make greater inroads.

And finally, job boards. Job boards are the most passive way to search for a job.

If you want to use a job board, I recommend using your professional organization’s job board first, like the Association  for Talent Development (ATD’s) Job Bank (jobs.td.org) or the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA’s) Job Center (http://www.prsa.org/jobcenter/). Oftentimes, jobs posted in a professional organization’s job bank are not posted elsewhere.

If you wish to use the major job boards, I recommend doing a little investigative work. Read the job posting and then see if you have a connection at the company via LinkedIn or a contact whom you’ve identified as having a connection (two degrees away). In this way, you will learn more about the organization through your connection and be able to make a warm referral to the appropriate decision-maker. Do follow the job postings’ requirements and procedures; just use your connections to take your application to the next step.

 

How to Choose a Networking Group

When deciding upon joining a networking group, ask yourself the following questions: Who needs to know about you to help you reach your goals? Does this networking organization serve your target audience for your career goal? Does it have members who are your audience? If not, it’s probably not the group for you.

What groups should you join? Join at least three types of groups:
1. Peer group for brainstorming, education, commiserating, and more importantly for creating referral or alliance partners;
2. Prospects: a group that is your ideal target market or knows your ideal target market.
3. Professional business group or leads group, including professional associations, such as ASTD, PRSA, ISM, and others. Hiring decision-makers often Google your name before meeting with you. Being associated with a professional organization can boost your online presence.

Now that you’ve chosen your top three groups for in-person networking, make a plan. Take five minutes before each networking event to:
• Rehearse your sound bite
• Identify key players whom you would like to meet
• Make a goal to meet at least three new people

What to Say at Networking Events

Have at least three open-ended questions you can ask any person at the networking event.

Here are open-ended questions that encourage conversation:
1. What brings you to today’s meeting?
2. What one or two things would you like to take away from this event?
3. What’s the coolest thing that’s happened to you all week?

Never ask: “Do you know anyone who’s hiring?”

Your goal is to create real, helpful connections, NOT to close the deal, land a job offer, or collect the most business cards in the room.

Let us know how this works for you and share your story! Good luck!

Want more help taking your job search to the next level? Check out “Rock Your Job Search™.” This workbook includes proven strategies such as: How to Network Effectively Online; How to Ace the Interview; How to Negotiate the Offer and Get the Salary You Deserve, and much, much more. Includes: workbooks, audio, and extra bonuses. Enjoy!

® 2011 – [updated] 2026 | Wendy Terwelp | Opportunity Knocks™ | All rights reserved.