There are loads of wrong ways people have asked for help in their job search.
From “Can you send my resume to all the recruiters you know?” to the outright “Get me a job!” demand, when you’re desperately looking, you don’t want to wind up further from your goal because you’re not respecting the other person’s time (or interest).
So while I’m not saying the approach below is one-size-fits-all, it is one that impressed me enough to make me want to help.
I received this message on LinkedIn*:
Hi Everyone,
Thought I would send a brief message via LinkedIn to my favorite Twitter network. I just wanted to let you know that the company I have worked with decided to move to another state quite suddenly. To make a long story short, my state’s team was laid off and so I am on the look for a new opportunity, preferably in the same area. I am also open to working remotely, even if it’s part time. If it’s the right company I would also consider relocating. I just wanted to ask if you could keep a look out for any opportunities/positions that involve social media, marketing, entry level sales and/or brand management. I know that’s a ton of stuff but just thought I would get the ball rolling since I didn’t expect to be out of work.
Please don’t feel pressured at all. I just wanted to connect and start exploring my options. You are all a great part of my day and I always appreciate the daily motivation!
If you want to email me or need anything like a resume just let me know. Thanks and see you on Twitter.
What’s so great about this message:
- The job seeker sent this message to a group of us, but it was very easy to see it was a SMALL group, which still kept it personal.
- All of us in this group are persons she’s interacted with before and on a consistent basis, not just suddenly after a long absence.
- As a recipient in this group message, I appreciated that I knew everyone else (this isn’t a requirement, but a very nice-to-have).
- The job seeker never once asks us to get her a job. Instead, she tells us what she’s looking for and where, and leaves the choice entirely up to us.
- The message itself is engaging and friendly, and talks to us like we’re all people. You’d be surprised at how many such messages don’t.
Your takeaway:
Whether you send your job search message to a small group or one person at a time, keeping it light, keeping it relevant, and establishing some kind of common ground beforehand can positively influence someone toward helping you.
How do you recommend job seekers get the word out?
*Used with permission from the job seeker and scrubbed of identifying details.
