If a contact can help...does anyone hear?

Posted by: jphatala in Social Capital, follow up, contacts on Oct 26, 2009 Print PDF

How many times have you passed along a name to a job seeker that you feel would be of help and they don't connect? I know it happens all the time! In fact, I do it myself. Hey JP you should go and connect with so and so and I never do. What message is this sending?

I think it's important to break this down and examine its implications. First, if I don't follow up with a contact that has been referred to me it represents a slight to the referrer. Second, I could be missing out on an opportunity to accomplish my goals, and third, I'm blocking myself access to a network of individuals that I many not otherwise have access to.

It's amazing how many missed opportunities occur because we don't follow up. The next time you refer someone try and find out if they actually connect with the person you referred them to. I tried this with 10 of my friends who I referred to others. Of the 10 friends, only 2 followed up. It turns out that both of them were able to get help from the individual I referred them to. Imagine the missed opportunities!

So what does this tell us? Most people don't follow up. However, if they do follow up, they have a better chance of getting help them if they don't..this is not rocket science.  The best thing that you can do for your clients or yourself is to track the number of opportunities that are presented to you and see which ones help and which ones don't. The last thing we want to do is prejudge whether someone can help us or not. After all, the first point of contact is not typically where the help lies, it's from the individuals they know.

The point; there's a lot of people who can help us out there. If someone is directed your way don't miss out by ignoring the potential that exists with the connection. All possible connections may lead to a better outcome. However, you will never know if you don't find out.

If a tree falls in the forest...If a contact can help..does anyone hear?

JP

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CDP Student -- Conestoga College
written by Eric Keuper, November 24, 2009
While the author has put forth an interesting question, he fails to note that we are all human and it is our individual choice as to whether or not we choose to connect or to not connect. It is our right to fail in any setting and in any relationship and, obviously at 8 out of 10 who fail to connect, most of us do. While in the manufacturing sector (15 years) and the construction sector (5 years) and now back in school full-time I can say that inertia rules. If people are not absolutely forced to make that call they won't and it's their funeral if an opportunity passes them by.
Perhaps Dr. Hatala might consider individual perceptions of whether or not the contact was desired or how it was viewed by the individual in question -- was it "forced" upon them or did they request it. Generally speaking, if an individual has no real desire for help or change they won't act on it.
John-Paul Hatala
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written by John-Paul Hatala, November 26, 2009
Hi Eric, good point. I realize that it would be impossible to predict every variable impacting the situation. However, as you say, inertia is the real enemy. So how do we program ourselves out of that? The key I believe is to bring the concept of networking to the conscious level and to not rule out any opportunity. Even if the connection will not help us, we do have the opportunity to help the contact. This may open up other opportunities from a network that we did not have access to before.

You last comment is spot on. If we're helping people make the transition back to the labour market or change careers, it's all about finding those motivational triggers that encourage them to seek help (essentially networking). One way of doing that and the research supports this, is through goal setting. If we're clear on what we want to accomplish and we 'think' someone can help us, that maybe the key motivator to connecting.

All the best, JP

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