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| CRBJ Home > September 2006 | |||||
Find contacts to finesse your job huntPeter Gray
My inbox and my neighborhood contain proof that people really are attracted to Madison from all over the country for its quality-of-life reputation. And I've found that employers here are more receptive to importing non-local workers than are employers in bigger "talent magnet" cities like New York, my hometown and old recruiting turf. There, employers assume they can always find local candidates and typically dismiss out-of-town hopefuls as a hassle. Here, employers can be more receptive, but they still need convincing. Out-of-towners seeking jobs here who don't have some local connection to Madison have the highest hurdle to clear in getting em-ployers' attention. The scenario employers like best is the "boomerang" professional: someone who grew up or went to school here, then moved away and got solid work experience, and has now decided to move back to Madison to settle down. Witness my recent e-mail exchange with "Mike," who contacted me for advice through our business school alumni network. His move was not to Madison, but the same principles apply. (Some details changed.) "Peter, I am happily employed as the Director of Finance of an automotive supplier in Michigan. However, I would like to get back down to Florida (family and warm weather!). I was wondering if you had any contacts in the Orlando area that I may introduce myself to and see if they were aware of any potential opportunities. I have attached my resume for your reference. Best regards, Mike." I replied to Mike: "Can't say I have any better contacts in Florida than you do ... I'd advise you to network with alumni and family contacts by asking them for local intelligence and contacts, not jobs. People tend to get uncomfortable if you ask them point-blank to help you get a job. (In retrospect Mike probably had that figured out already, from the way he approached me.) Tell them what functions and industries you're looking for. It's best to stick with your strengths -- finance at a manufacturer would be your clear strong suit. Ask what are the biggest and best local employers and recruiters you should be targeting. Focus the emphasis on employers: as a recruiter, I know that most positions get filled without our help; our job is usually to be there as a fallback if management's own hiring efforts are not working. Then ask if they can suggest any good contacts at the top, in your target department, in HR, or among recruiters. When you talk with employers and recruiters, make it clear that you have local roots and you are committed to moving back there as soon as you find the right job. They often don't want to bother talking with out-of-towners about job openings, so you need to make it clear they are not wasting their time. Once you have a handful of meeting invitations, plan a trip down there, make the rounds, and gin up more meetings to fill out your schedule. Best of luck, Peter." If you do manage to land a job in the community you're targeting, can you expect to be offered a relocation package? Maybe. It depends on your seniority, the employer's size and financial health, and on how the interview process plays out. There is a balance of negotiating power: Did you have to pursue them persistently for the job? If so, you are less likely to be offered relocation (and you have less leverage to ask for it) than if they courted you and did handstands to win you over. By the way, several weeks later I heard back from Mike: "Good news! I have been successful in landing a job in Florida. I will be Group Controller for a division of a major manufacturer in Tampa. Apparently the alumni magic helped. The CEO and CFO went to our school." Peter Gray is the head of executive recruiting at QTI Professional Staffing in Madison. If you have a question or idea for a future column, contact him at peterg@qstaff.com. peterg@qstaff.com madison.com ©2009 Capital Newspapers. All rights reserved. |
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