Knock Knock.

Who's there?

Iwanna.

Iwanna who?

Iwanna job... any job...

I know... I get it...This joke falls totally flat... just like a generalized request for employment you might put out to your friends, colleagues, and network contacts. 

The WORST thing you can do is say, "Help... I need work... any job will do!"  People want to help you, don't get me wrong, but none of us are job boards and aren't repositories or list trackers to keep tabs on every single job opening out there.  We're human, remember?

Your network WANTS to help you.

But until you get specific, our hands are tied. It's like we mutely watch you flail around, because you haven't given us anything we can grab on to in order to reel you in with a hot lead.

A more effective way about going about requesting help from your network is to either identify SPECIFIC job openings or TARGET companies at which you would like to work.  That provides those who want to assist in your job search something to latch onto.

If you can tell me specifics, then I have something concrete that I can act on, and then go to my network and see if I either know someone who might connect you to the job opening or to prospective employers. 

Many job seekers fail to understand this basic rule of asking for help... specifics get you farther in terms of assistance from your network than vague generalities.

Be specific.  Be focused.  And you'll be pleasantly surprised at how the pieces start to fit together.  Your job search could be a lot faster because of it!