Posts Tagged ‘Ntroduction’

We here at Ntroduction always like to take in feedback from our providers and members. Recently we did just that and out together a list of tips for job seekers to consider when using Ntroduction. Hopefully these tips will help you turn you’re introduction into your next dream job.

• Don’t ask for introduction simply for a referral fee – Ntroduction may not work if you do not provide additional details, meet with the provider or if you are not willing to discuss your business model.
• Be very clear about your professional standing – If you have a lot of experience in various fields, even have brand names experience but don’t offer details. The ‘my service/job/offerings is unique and you cannot find it elsewhere’ pitch. For example, a Seeker requested an introduction to a CFO recently but failed to highlight that he has a mix of Financial Audit in Manufacturing and Supply Chain markets – eventually, after about 5-6 weeks, when the provider curiously asked for more details, the Seeker provided this and the seeker landed the job within 2 weeks.
• The provider sees nothing unique in your pitch – Don’t come across as every other job seeker/consultant/consulting company/Product sales professional if you have the brand name companies and other solid experience that sets you apart. Ensure you are very solid in how you differentiate. For example, a consulting company recently presented to a provider and the provider said, ‘tell me something different- I meet people like you three times a week’. On presenting the comparison that ‘While my competitors offer a wide scale staff augmentation services, we provide teams to lead Organization Metrics to save you money and project better – we come in as a team and ensure you are satisfied before our team leaves’. Presenting unique values is one thing, comparing with and showing how you rise above the other candidates is how you get the job.
• Provider does not see you as a candidate for a C-level introduction – Perception matters – Your attire and attitude add to a provider’s perception of you. How you carry yourself, how you dress and how you present yourself make a huge difference.
• Provider believes you are not flexible enough to do the project or job – Don’t come across as inflexible. This includes your rates not being flexible or not willing to make changes for the job.

Hopefully these tips will help you make the most of your Ntroduction so that soon you’ll find yourself with the job of your dreams.

Though there will probably never some a time when job boards, newspaper want ads and employment agencies will ever become obsolete, the fact remains that in this day and age the true key to getting a job is who you know. Of course there has always been a lot of stock in that ideology since the beginning of time, but now who you know is really the name of the game when you’re playing the job hunt shuffle.

Research and studies are showing that not only are job seekers looking more at their online and real life network to find their next job, but employers are looking more to other employees or other personal referrals when looking to fill open positions.

Jeremiah Owyang of Web Strategy did a 5-part series based on a survey he took recently titled, “Jobs in a Recession.” In the first series of results Owyang found that of the all the respondents that had found work since September 2008 (when the recession started) 43% found those jobs through their immediate online network of friends, colleagues, alumni, or family. This is why many insiders and corporate insiders recommend devoting the majority of your job search time to networking.

The same can also be said for companies looking to hire, who trust a good referral more than a generic reference. This is why so many companies are either implementing new employee referral plans or building on plans that already exist.

A recent article on Martketwatch.com talked about just that. According to the article a good majority of positions are never even advertised because companies are choosing to rely on employee recommendations instead.

Companies such as Prudential and Vistaprint both offer lucrative employee referral programs. This benefits the company, who is hiring based on a trusted recommendation, the new hire, and of course the employee who made the recommendation who is not only helping the company succeed, but also making some quick cash in the process.

Prudential’s program offers $500 and $2,500 for each successful referral, depending on the job level. Vistaprint has the “Everyone Here is a Recruiter” program, which offers employees not only a home theater system for the employee with the most referrals hired, but also a $1,500 referral award for each successful hire. It’s no wonder that 48% of Vistaprint’s new hires in 2008 came from employee referrals.

This is a big part of the theory behind Ntroduction as well. With the majority of new hires coming from personal referrals, it’s important to know the right people. Be sure and check out our leads or list you own and see how YOUR network might work for you.

Job losses - How Ntroduction can help

I was yawning  at the San Jose airport waiting for my friend who I had not seen for over 14 years (limited to email, phone calls) and  news Flash on the TV monitor in front of me, shook me – CA has 14% unemployment.

Man! – That might be a bit exaggertated. I would say perhaps 12% would be near to reality. I opened my iphone to check emails and my friend had sent me this link which is related to CA job situation.
Lets not feel happy comparing to the last year’s July planned job cuts as that’s not a happy news but overall, Say I am walking on a street of 20 people, 3 of them are without job in CA – Scary isn’t it?

These  are lost jobs to outsourcing or corporate greed or stockholders pressure or M&A. Whatever the reasons are, most of the jobs are ‘Gone Baby Gone’. What happenned to the promise by President that companies sending jobs would be taxed more?

I was talking to a friend, Director of IT in leading storage company and he agreed with me that IT jobs are now outsourced every second as we speak. So, , my advice to future employment force is to stay away from IT and look for something that is core to the business and that would be essential to keep it within corporate.  I would suggest you to browse professional introductions Seeked and provided and you will get an idea of what seems to be in demand.