Pareto was an Italian economist who observed that twenty percent of the Italian people owned eighty percent of their country’s accumulated wealth. Pareto principle applies to the job search:

– 80% of the job posted have failed to find the right candidate through the Network or internally (the vast majority of job openings are never advertised or publicly announced, but filled through word-of-mouth or networking — known as the “hidden job market”).
– If you’re investing 80% of your time on : books on how to write a resume, apply online, read the classified, send your resume by email etc…, 20% of the time your resume will be read/send to the right person.
– To send your resume to the right person, you need to network 80% of the time and spend only 20% of your time sending your resume/applying online
– 20% of the people you know (1st degree of separation) will lead you to 80% of the opportunities
– 20% of the companies on your target list will interview you if you are qualified, 80% will read you if you have a good resume
– Again if your are expert/qualified with the right soft skills, you will receive 20 offers out of the 80 interviews you had
etc….

To develop your network you need to:

1. Put together a list of target employers. Conduct research to identify prospective companies.

2. Be proactive. Initiate contact with the vitual N+1. The preferred method is to obtain an introduction through a mutual contact such as an internal contact, a former or current employee, a consultant or a respected Recruiter.

3. Develop a value proposition to present to potential employers- the ‘free lance approach’ can sometimes lead to create your future position within the company.

4. Follow up on a regular basis. Build trust and encourage interaction beyond the first contact.
Stay on the decision-maker’s radar. Rule: Polite, persistent pings move the process forward (ex: offer assistance, share an idea, send a link).