The Power of a Good Network

A big part of what we do here at Turner Hopkins Immigration is coaching people not only on the Visa process, to reach a successful outcome, but we also give plenty of advice on the job search - which usually forms a key role in the Visa process anyway.

I have always been a big advocate for the power of a strong and useful network as part of that job search process, particularly in a country like New Zealand, where who you know, often weighs in far heavier that what you know. How you build up a network and then manage it, to become a part of your job-search toolkit, is often harder than it sounds, but it can pay dividends to anyone trying to tackle that most complex of challenges - the migrant job search.

I was also reminded of how powerful a good network can be this week, when I was able to solve an issue for an employer relatively quickly, and that has lead to more employers, in the same boat, reaching out to us for assistance - all of this came from being connected to various people on LinkedIn and seeing an opportunity to lend a hand. Good connections, to the right people, that you manage effectively, can be a very useful thing to have.

For most migrants, the biggest challenge is in trying to create a network in New Zealand, when you are on the other side of the planet, but in fact that part might not be as hard as it sounds, particularly not if you have friends, former colleagues or family who have already made the move here (and a large number of migrants move for that very reason - family or social connections).

Networking is also far more complex and intricate than simply consuming endless cups of coffee with people you don’t really know and it involves a lot more than just apps on your mobile. To make a network a key part of your job search, I have a few useful tips that might help, all based on practical experience.

Done right, networking can be incredibly useful and I have seen many a client, secure a good job through their contacts and networking efforts, saving time on the relentless, “click to apply” that job search websites offer. In fact, in the last week I have had a client secure a potential role, with a company whose director is a close contact of someone I have worked with for years - the world is as small as you can make it.

Start Small and Grow

Most migrants already have the seed of a network in place, without even knowing it. If you have friends or family here, or former colleagues who have made the move, these are all people that can help you put down virtual roots in New Zealand. Start by having a good look at who you know that might have made it to this side of the world and then reach out to those people directly.

In my experience, migrants help migrants and most people who have made it across are more than happy to assist, even in a small way, those that are looking to do the same thing. However, be tactful. If you haven’t spoken to a person in several years and then bombard them with requests for help to secure a job offer here, that wont go down well. Start small and make contact, then build up from there.

Social media is great for this, but also engaging directly with people on email or giving them a call is also useful. Work at it, steadily - it takes time to develop these connections and even more time to manage them. Eventually those small-starts will lead to further connections and a wider network, which is ultimately what you are aiming for.

Even though I might have suggested it is more than just “drinking cups of coffee”, the personal connection (including coffee catch-ups) is still very much a part of doing networking well. That might not be possible when you are on the other side of the world, but when you do arrive here and are hunting down that job, having a coffee and a chat with any people in your network is a great idea - plus we have really good coffee here in NZ.

Manage and Maintain

Once you have built up a few connections, the key thing is to maintain them. Networking is not a “set and forget” process and you have to build in some discipline in terms of keeping in contact with people, following up on new connections and ensuring your list of connections remains useful.

One of the things I recommend, when it comes to using LinkedIn as an example is to ensure that you dont just use it as a source of “leads”. You have to also post information back to your network, about your area of expertise. For example, if you are in ICT, then provide people with some insight in to your industry on the platform - your connections will see you commenting and it demonstrates that you know your stuff.

Every now and then its good to do a bit of a “cull” of your connections as well - removing people that you no longer engage with. It is far easier to manage a simple, useful network than to try and talk to everyone all of the time.

Keep it Useful

As your network grows it is easy to get a little complacent, and you have to remember that your network is only useful when you are contributing to it. Having a big pool of people you know, is great, but often having a small pool of people that are actively engaged and that you can get value from, in terms of connections and job search advice and contacts is the goal.

There are also so many different apps and websites that you can get completely lost in, trying to manage a network and my suggestion is to stick with one or two that work for you and your industry. Social media generally is a bit of a gamble, but if you narrow down the field to the platforms that your potential future employers are using, you can keep it manageable. The apps are also just one part of having a network - a lot of my clients secure work, through contacts that have been built via friends and family - where there is an easy “foot in the door” and often a glowing endorsement.

Also remember that everything you do on social media platforms is generally visible - and its easy to make personal comments that dont always reflect the image you want a potential future employer to see. If your goal is to use these platforms to build a good job search network, then try and keep the more personal stuff on a different platform or remove it entirely.

Pay it Forward

Networking works in both directions and you have to contribute as much as you take from it. For example, if you are getting some good feedback and potential job search connections, you can use those same connections to help others in the same boat. Also remember that your connections aren’t purely working for you and you need to be able to give back (information or other contacts) as part of the process. The more you put in, the more you get out is a good way to think of it.

The networking process eventually takes on a bit of a life of its own and you will have people contacting you, rather than the other way around - with the end goal being that these contacts and connections will eventually steer you towards a potential job offer. However once you have achieved that goal, don’t forget about your network, because it can be useful on a much longer-term basis.

Keep in touch with people, catch-up and check in, because the contacts you have developed along the way might come in handy or you might be able to help them in some other way, particularly as you settle yourself in to your new country and surroundings.

New Zealand is a small place - we like to think of ourselves as a “big, little village” and so understanding how networking and contacts fit in to your job search is really crucial. It doesn’t replace the more traditional methods of using job search websites, recruiters and the ‘direct to employer’ approach, but it works as a really good supporting act.

It might also be something that you “dread” doing, because let’s face it, networking is not everyone’s cup of tea, but even the most shrunken of violets can still create a small but very useful network that can add that little bit extra to the job search process.

If you are considering the move or already knee-deep in to it, and struggling to crack that job search nut, perhaps think about whether you have a good network (or any network at all) and what else you might be able to do, to grow your contacts. For more advice on how this works as part of your overall migration journey, get in touch - we might just be the first (and most important) contact you make.

Until next week…