+ALLIES: Friends help friends recruit
Amplify your and your friends job search.
Recruiting doesn’t have to be a solo sport. We commonly tap on our friend for referrals and introductions. But there are other way they can help.
By sharing job opportunities you can amplify each others search. Having access to another network is powerful in the search process. Plus algorithms surface different jobs on different feeds.
Regardless of whether you’re the one looking for a job or not, you’re both scrolling through feeds. So why not help each other out?
Get the green light
First, get the green light. Ask for or offer to help. Ask friends that may be helpful to keep a watch. If a friend offers to help, ask them to pass along opportunities. Asking for or receiving help can be hard but many friends want to help because they care about you. Hence the phrase “a friend in need is a friend indeed.”
Define what types of jobs you’re looking for using keywords they can quickly match like the function, level, or industry. Your friend may not be a domain expert so keywords help them filter opportunities.
“I’m in the process of looking for jobs. If you see anything, will you please pass it along? I’m looking for marketing manager roles in the food industry.”
⁉️ What if you offer help and your friend is all good? Respect their boundaries.
💬 I asked a friend to send me marketing roles. When a role that married my love for dogs and marketing came across his feed, he texted me the role. The role didn’t hit my feed till a week later.
When sharing an opportunity
Respect boundaries - Don’t be pushy or monitor. Let your friend decide whether to apply and to share progress of the application.
Right fit - Don’t send anything and everything. Make sure it fits their definition.
When receiving an opportunity
Thank your friend - Regardless of whether the job is a 100% match, it adds to your pipeline. Remember your friend is doing their best to help. It is up to you to apply or not.
Be prepared - In addition to application materials, keep a short bio ready that your friend can copy and paste if they need to make an intro.
➕ If you see a great opportunity but don’t have a friend in mind, reshare it on your feed to amplify the post across your network.
Now that the light is green, where do you look? Here are a few suggestions.
Who to ask
Same Function
Your friends with complementary expertise have visibility to gaps on their teams or other teams. These friends will have a network with the same umbrella function as your’s like “marketing” but with a different lens based on their expertise like “strategy” or “creative.” Old teammates are a great place to start because they know you and your domain expertise.
Same Industry
Your friends in the same industry have visibility to roles across functions. To keep up with the industry, they will be following news and trends where opportunities get posted.
💬 While browsing an automated job listserv, I came across a property management role. Since it isn’t my domain expertise, I checked the job description and then shared it with my friend who works in the real estate space. Even though it wasn’t fit, she appreciate me thinking of her.
Recruiters
If a recruiter reaches out and the role is not a fit, consider recommending a friend that is. Recruiters want to fill the role with a great candidate and appreciate recommendations. Share the info you gathered with your friend so they have a head start in their interview.
Thanks for sharing this opportunity. I don’t think I’m a fit for this role but I know someone who may be. May I check if it is okay to share their info? If they say okay, I’ll email you.
💬 My friend takes every recruiter call and interview she gets. If she thinks someone in her network is a fit, she will recommend them to the recruiter. The recruiter get another candidate in their pipeline and her friend get another opportunity.
Professional Groups
Your friends may be in different professional group where opportunities get posted. Many of these groups have barriers to entry like an application. Any referrals in these communities carry more credibility because the recruiter knows the recommender has met those requirements.
When you’re scrolling through your feed, why not help out a friend? Amplify each others search by keeping a watch.
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