Tell people you are looking for work

Saying “I’m looking for work” to someone who is not a recruiter can feel like asking for a favour, and saying it to a friend or an acquaintance can feel worse. One person calls networking fake and stressful, particularly if you already find talking hard, and still a necessary evil for finding a job. Some people say asking strangers directly for work is embarrassing. This page is for the reader who has been holding it back for that reason.

Tell people you already know, one at a time, that you are looking for work; if you are still employed, do not tell your employer or anyone who might pass it on to them.

Many people say jobs, internships and promotions are often found through personal connections and referrals, not through resumes and formal applications alone. Some people say that telling people you are looking lets them make connections for you that you could not have predicted, and that staying silent shuts those off. One person says a referral also gives the person who vouched for you a stake in how you do, which pushes you to work harder; another says a personal reference carries more weight than a resume, because it signals both skill and fit.

Who to tell

One person suggests telling everyone you deal with, including shop staff, bank staff and acquaintances, because they often have indirect links to people who hire. One person says jobs can come from chance meetings, such as someone you run into who later speaks for you to an employer. One person says that even if your own circle is small, friends and family with wide circles can help, and another says experienced professionals further along are often glad to introduce a younger person around, if you come with real interest rather than desperation.

One person says asking in person, or phoning a business cold, can lead to a quick hire without a resume; another warns that cold approaches may bring low starting pay. One person says belonging to an online group that has run for years led to friendships and jobs.

One at a time, and give as well as ask

One person warns that a form letter sent to a whole contact list is counterproductive and can damage your reputation, and says individual check-ins, spaced well apart, work better.

Some people say good networking is not self-promotion; it means helping others, introducing people and building real rapport, so that people help you when you need it. One person says that helping others can be exhausting and unreturned, and that it can make you reluctant to invest in these relationships again.

If you are an introvert, one person says introverts can network well, especially one to one, and another says being drained by company is not the same as being awkward. One person says that if you are anxious, you can build a professional manner for these conversations while staying anxious privately.

What can go wrong

Telling your current employer is the one thing to avoid; one person warns that telling your current boss is risky and generally advised against.

One person warns that saying you are out of work can stigmatise you if it drags on. One person warns that referral routes may be less effective now, with candidates redirected to online portals, though another person’s own experience counts against it. One person warns that some offers found through informal contacts are exploitative, with no salary or insurance.

Who this page is not for

If you are in a job and want to keep it, this page is not about telling people at work. The page on looking while you still like your job is closer to what you need.

If you have very few contacts, this page does not cover how to start; it does not give scripts either.

If your field hires on what you can show, such as a portfolio or a test of your skills, one person says that skill matters more than connections there, so the page may weigh less for you.