Checking Your Referrals

This is a lesson in protecting your reputation. Before you meet with someone – see what you can learn about their business dealings.

In this environment, you want to take every referral possible. But it is important to make sure that referral will bring you closer to a decision maker.

I was able to meet with Clyde (Surprise! Not their real name). He was very gracious, professional and extremely well connected. Our meeting resulted in sixteen network contacts. Wow! That is a candidate’s dream – a week’s worth of networking in a single meeting.

Being so stoked about the meeting, I told my colleagues. Then a good friend said “I’d be careful tying your name to Clyde’s. His business reputation is very mixed”. In time, I found this was very true, nothing unethical, but let’s just say he took care of himself.

Thank heaven my friend said something, as I’ve networked with people who prefer to not deal with Clyde. Bullet dodged, lesson learned.

I did follow-up on Clyde’s contacts, but I was certain to establish my relationship with him as one of networking for a new role. I inserted this point in the opening sentence in my networking e-mail. (For a template on networking e-mails, please look under "Tools" at www.candidateschair.com).

Good luck today!

Mark Richards

www.candidateschair.com
Job Search from a Candidate's Perspective - Advice and tools for search organization and networking

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