I’m willing to stake my professional reputation on the precept that over 85% of executive level jobs are secured from some form of networking. Throw a stone at the colleagues you can see from your desk and you are bound to hit somebody with a story that leads back to someone who knew someone who got her/him the interview that got them the job.
The Department of Labor only commits to 70% of all hires, but they don’t differentiate with that figure between blue and white collar workers. And if they did, my estimation may be conservative. It costs employers too much money to recruit a high level employee to risk not having some type of ‘context’ of the person we are giving responsibility too. Frankly, what we really want to know is…that the person who has just given us stellar credentials and a polished resume won’t upon their first week of employment start snapping gum and singing show tunes in the middle of board meeting.
Think about it. We are given a finite period of time in which to assess another human being as to their worthiness to; not only fill a position in our organization, but to play well with others, dress appropriately, have a strong work ethic, not talk on and play with their cell phones when it’s not job related and the list goes on.. .
Tech Valley Connect is founded on this very idea. Our dual career support business model is about getting newly relocated professionals assimilated both professionally and personally in the community they have just moved to. By forming a consortium of employers in the Capital Region who commit to high level informational interviews for spouses of new hires, we have accelerated the job search for spouse/partners 28% faster than the national average. These are not job interviews. They are face to face informal discussions with decision makers in the spouse/partners field – building a professional network that has some weight to it.
Tech Valley Connect is (but not for long…) the only organization in the country modeling a regional commitment from employers to spousal employment by committing to these informational networking interviews with newcomers. As a progressive and rapidly growing community, the Capital Region has raised the level of sophistication of its infrastructure by embracing this unique retention tool.
In American culture, it is common to see people shaking hands. When someone reaches their hand out to you, your body moves with instinct to take the hand. That’s why this works. It’s very difficult not to take the hand. This is networking at its finest hour. This… is how people get jobs.
By: Angela McNerney, President
Tech Valley Connect
[email protected]
