I awoke this morning to find an email from my friend and associate, Bill. He recently accepted a job as a Chief Marketing Officer, (CMO) and will be relocating to the frigid north within the next six weeks. The CMO position carries a big risk of short tenure/high turnover, so I am sure that Bill received an offer he couldn’t refuse. He suggested that we get together for a Cigar and Whiskey prior to his relocation. He also asked about continuing his membership with my networking group as he feels unable to make a meaningful contribution. Bill’s question is common for people that have landed full-time employment. I hear it often, especially from Baby Boomers. I happily accepted his offer with plans to answer his question while indulging our favorite pass-time.
During my 20 years as an Executive Recruiter, I’ve seen a vast number of my peers lose their jobs and high salaries to be thrust into the job market. They weren’t ready to retire, maybe they couldn’t. They may have had the benefit of an out-placement program, which is a good thing, but often they didn’t. They got to work on their job search. They updated their resumes, bios, LinkedIn profiles, and other collateral material. They became reacquainted with online tools to research prospective companies and seek opportunities. They may have joined a networking group or two. Some even took to blogging.
They faithfully executed of their plans, scheduling coffee meeting after coffee meeting and attending networking meetings. Their job search may have lasted six months, nine months, or sometimes over a year. Eventually they reconnected. They found a job that met their requirements and went back to work. Life was normal again.
They didn’t care for unemployment, so they worked hard to ensure success at their new jobs. They invested extra time and effort on behalf of their employers. Before long, they had little free time available for networking. That’s where their problems began. As they backed off their networking activities, their networks began stagnating.
But that’s not the end of the story. Often, I saw those same people starting a new search, sometime within months, often within a year. It is happening more frequently today. In some respects, a short tenure may be a blessing in disguise. It probably means that one’s network is still intact, available to be resurrected without much effort. That may be something of a paradox. Unfortunately, the longer one is gainfully employed, the greater the likelihood their network will wither and become unproductive.
Job tenures are getting shorter and shorter, especially for Baby Boomers. The labor market is more volatile and dynamic than ever. Today, a two-year tenure is the norm for a baby boomer’s next job. In many respects, two years isn’t that long. However, it is long enough to render one’s network so unproductive that significant time and effort is required to re-energize. The market is dynamic. It continues to change. Without constant attention the value of your network will become a diminished asset.
My recommendation is to reserve enough time to maintain and enhance your network when you find your next job. Try to remain active with one or two networking groups to maintain your skills. Professional Associations rank high with me as they offer professional development as well as networking opportunities. If possible, seek out leadership roles to further enhance your visibility and resume. LinkedIn should remain a high priority. Make sure that your profile is always current, especially your contact information. Engage with one or two groups, commenting on posts, and consider creating original content for publication. Finally, be a resource to other job seekers by accepting their meeting requests.
It’s a bad idea to stop networking after landing your next job! It is a fundamental mistake I frequently encounter with job seekers. Your network is a major asset, but it’s fragile. Handle with care!
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