Job Referral Vs. Advocacy
You know it’s who you know, so you spend more time networking than cold-applying to jobs. And yet, not all referred job leads are created equal.
In this wonky 2024 job market, you know by now there is no silver bullet to getting in the interview pile for a legit job. Not a ghost job.
There is one approach that I believe may help far more than having the perfect CV layout or social media profile: advocacy.
More on advocacy on my TikTok account: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTNkGLh9R/
A referred lead for a job opportunity or job referral might be as simple as getting some basic context about the job, and then loading your CV and custom cover letter into the employee referral portal. A job referral might go deeper with more context, but it’s not the same as advocacy. I’m not saying to reject this type of help. Absolutely take it! It’s the most common way we get any help as job seekers.
What I am aiming for is for you to seek more active support whenever possible. This work begins when networking. It may start as a seed in a conversation, and over time, the opportunity can grow into a deeper connection.
More on advocacy on my TikTok account: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTNkGLh9R/
When a person generously gives their time to invest in your connection with a potential employer, they care about your success in a way that can change the trajectory of your job search. There are many right ways to do it. Here is one example: When a person advocates for you, they are actually speaking with the hiring manager or management, saying, “This talented person is a perfect for this job because of x, y, and z. Let’s get them in the interview process right now, so you can hear about their experiences first-hand.”
The advocate also practices the art of follow through as well as you do, so they keep your name and application front and center of the interview process. What a gift, in a time of ghosting/sneaping, canceling jobs, and posts that were never intended to hire someone.
It still might not work out for you, but without their advocacy and investment in you, there may have never been a chance. I offer a challenge at the end, here, with two questions:
How might you change your networking discussions to share your strategy of advocacy?
Could you be someone’s advocate? Meaning, do you know enough about any of those in your network to provide advocacy for them if they asked you? What would advocacy mean at your company?
Stay strong in your search! Take The Intentional Job Search class today.