Networking
Many job openings are never
published in the newspaper or posted online. This is more likely to be
true for positions that require higher levels of responsibility and
offer higher salaries. Prospective employees learn about these jobs
through their network of friends, neighbors, family members, current and
former colleagues.
Spouses groups, social
clubs, children’s sports teams and church groups are just a few
examples of networks that may be helpful in a job search. By expanding
your personal network, you not only connect with those you know and
meet, your reach grows exponentially because you have indirect
connections with all their friends, colleagues, neighbors
and family members. Your neighbor’s co-worker’s cousin may
know about the perfect job for you!
Your personal network can also
serve another function. Surrounding yourself with people who know and
care about you can provide tremendous moral support, particularly if
you’re feeling down about being unemployed, says Bobbie
Bruzdzinski, a Coast Guard spouse who wasn't prepared for the emotions
that accompanied her periods of unemployment.
“I knew being
unemployed would have an impact on our financial situation, but I
didn’t realize what an impact it would have on my psyche. I felt
so alone and isolated. When we were living in the
San
Francisco area, I applied
at a temp agency and found myself sitting between a lawyer (who
coincidentally was also a Coast Guard wife) and a nurse. I didn’t
feel so bad because I realized I wasn’t
alone.”
It’s admittedly
more difficult to network when you are new to a community, but
Bruzdzinski stresses the need to be proactive and take action. When she
married and started moving around the country with her husband, she felt
like she’d lost her entire network. “I had colleagues who had
very prestigious positions and great connections in my old industry; I
had lots of family and friends. It was hard to leave all that, but it
didn’t take me long to realize I’d have to build a new
network. I took the ombudsman training offered through the Coast Guard
and then started a wives community. We’d get together once a month
or so and just float ideas. It helped boost our morale and was a great
source of support in a lot of areas, including job networking. I was
helping others, but I was also helping myself.”
| 
