How making Jobcase connections helps your job search

Making connections on Jobcase and other platforms can accelerate your job search and help you land your dream job. Here are ways contacts can help you find work faster and the best ways to reach out.

Many people think that the only way to find jobs is to search online boards and blast your customized resume out to hundreds of openings, but being referred by an internal employee is the most helpful when it comes to landing your next job! Here are a few techniques to find contacts at the places you want to work and reach out effectively to them.

What are Jobcase connections?

Jobcase connections are people who become part of your contact list on the Jobcase platform. When you’re connected to someone, you can easily start a conversation or keep track of their engagement in the community.

You can also see how other people are interacting with your connection. Every new connection opens the door to endless new ones.

How can contacts help you land a job?

Let’s look at a few benefits of connections and how they can help you get a job.

1. Get your foot in the door

When you are sending applications out to dozens of potential openings per week, chances are your resume is often ending up in what’s known as the application black hole — the space in time between applying for jobs and hearing back from potential employers. Unfortunately, many applications end up in this phase and don’t often get pulled out for consideration.

Having a contact at a company (current or former employee) will help tremendously in getting your foot in the door. An internal contact can help alert you of job openings that may not be publicly listed and can also personally mention your name to the hiring manager.

Even mentioning your connection at the company in your cover letter or screening interview can help move you along the hiring process!

2. Get answers to questions you may have about potential companies

When you’re on Jobcase, and you’re connected to someone who works at a company you want to work for, you can reach out to them online and start a conversation.

Asking questions shows your interest in what they do. This helps you grow your relationship with this person further. But it also helps you find out more about the company. You can also get some insight into that person’s own career choices and what it’s like to do what they do.

3. Find out more about the hiring process

For job seekers, the job search process is typically the same. You’ll need to send a resume (and maybe a cover letter) to apply for the job you want. If the hiring managers find your resume interesting, they’ll call you up for an interview. You may go through a few more rounds of interviews before you get a job offer.

But it can look different from the company’s perspective. How do they judge which candidates have the most potential? Every company has a different hiring process.

If you’re connected to someone who works at your dream company, you can ask that contact about it by sending them a message on Jobcase. They may know what this company considers a good resume or what they look for in an interview.

4. Learn what it’s like to work there

The realities of a job can differ from what it looks like on the outside looking in. What is a day really like at that company you’ve wanted to work for?

Having more Jobcase connections can let you peek into the realities of many workplaces — whether they discuss it in the community or have a chat with you directly. You can steer clear of red flags and even consider companies you would never have thought about.

5. Make it easy for your connections to learn more about you

When you’re connected to someone on Jobcase, it’s much easier for them to learn more about you and what you can bring to the workplace. People connected to you can see more than just your profile info and your resume — they’ll also see you getting involved in the community when they’re scrolling through their feed.

It’s easier for them to gather all that info if they consider you a candidate for a job. You’ll also be top of mind compared to someone they’ve never been in contact with.

How to make new connections on Jobcase

Now that you know why making Jobcase connections can help your job search, here’s how you can do it.

If you know who you’re looking for

Do you already have a specific person you want to add as a connection? If so, here’s the process you can follow.

First, log in to Jobcase and open the left-hand menu. You’ll see an option called “Search for people.”

Click on that option. This will take you to the People Search.

Once you’re there, search the name of the person you’re looking for. If this person has a common name, you can use the advanced search.

Once you start searching, some names will pop up. You can click on the name of the person you want to connect with.

When you’re on someone’s profile, click Connect to initiate the connection request. You can also send them a message if you want to introduce yourself.

If you’re searching for someone at a specific company

What if you don’t have a person in mind but want to find potential connections at a specific company?

Start by going to browse popular organizations. You’ll see a huge list of organizations that are available in the Jobcase community.

Search the name of the organization in the search bar. Once it comes up, click on the organization’s name.

You’ll land on this organization’s page. Go to the People tab. You’ll see people who have experience working there. Some may still be working there, while others may have moved on. You can look through these people and see if you have mutual connections.

How can I find contacts at my target company?

Here are a few strategies for finding connections at a company. Traditionally, the best contacts are those you have a connection with already. These individuals can be past coworkers, friends, family, neighbors, teachers, classmates, and so on. However, there are times when you won’t be sure if there is someone in your immediate network you can reach out to.

• Connect with people via social media.
  Finding individuals on social media sites like Jobcase, LinkedIn, and Facebook to give them a “follow” is a great place to start. You will also be potentially exposed to second-degree connections, which can help you find further contacts for your network.

• Contact a career services office.
  If you are a student or recent graduate, career services or alumni offices typically have databases of alumni who are willing to help with networking opportunities.

• Ask your friends and family.
  Putting feelers out to friends and family is another great way to build connections. Let those around you know what company you are interested in applying to and the type of work you’re interested in. Then ask if they know of anyone who could help. They don’t have to be a close relation; just a name and email address would do.

What are the best ways to reach out to contacts?

When you’ve got the contacts you’ve identified that can help with your job search, extend a professional, concise message expressing your interest in the company and ask if they can help you with your job search journey.

Ask if they would be available for an informational interview to discuss the company, the role you are interested in, and how they were able to get into the position they are in. You can do this via Jobcase messaging, email, or phone call.

Here are some other tips for making connections:

• Add your connections directly to your Jobcase profile.
  With Jobcase’s People Search tool, you can easily search for people you know and sync your contacts to find and connect with people you know in real life. Add your personal contacts today, and let the networking begin!

• Never wait to form relationships.
  Stay proactive and find people to meet with before a job opening is available. Besides, hiring managers are always looking to hire the best talent! Think about what future opportunities you could be first in line for.

Give your job search a boost with your Jobcase connections

Even if you don’t attend a ton of networking events, it’s possible to grow your network by making connections on Jobcase. You’ll find plenty of like-minded people to share ideas with and open doors to new opportunities. You can sign up for free if you don’t have an account yet.

What other advice do you have for individuals trying to make connections?