If you must be blueticked, understand it might take a while before your friends get you a job. Save your friendships for good times.
Sandra, “Hey Tim, what have you been up to? Long time!”
Tim, “Hi Sandra, I’ve been good. Working extra hard to take my career to the next level.”
Sandra, “Sounds great. Speaking of careers, I’m seriously looking for a job and I know I can count on you to hook me up.”
Tim, “I won’t make promises but I’ll try my best.”
Most of us have been on either side of this conversation and know how this is likely to turn out. Sandra might end up being blueticked - her follow-ups on whether Tim has come across any suitable opportunity going unanswered.
Leveraging on your networks and referrals is without a doubt one way of looking for a job. However, these methods are not reliable and effective. Your friends feel for you and would want to help but they don’t know how. It does make sense to reach out to the people who we trust and believe they understand us the most for help. But did you know friends might not be the best to offer you professional support? Here is why.
They don’t “know you”
Your friends only know you at a personal level and not at a professional, unless they have worked with you before. For this reason, your friends might not be in a position to recommend to you roles that match your skills and passion.
Reputation is a factor
Have you been in the same work environment with your friend before? Do they know your work ethic? Will they be willing to vouch for you in a professional setting?
Giving your friend your resume to drop at their HR department is indirectly chopping down his social chips at work. You will be making him to solicit for favors from his HR colleagues who might be disinterested.
Limited time and resources
Let’s be honest, most of the people you’ll ask to hook you up with any job opportunity that comes their way will only remember about it when you call, text or meet. Reason being, they too have a lot going on and taking time off their schedule to look for a job for you is not a priority.
Your friends do not have the necessary resources that will help you get the job that you want. Being the smart person that you are, you should know you have higher chances of getting a job by joining career communities where hundreds of job opportunities and other resources are at your disposal.
If you must be blueticked, understand it might take a while before your friends get you a job. Save your friendships for good times.
