Doug Lester: Never Lose Networking Momentum

Navigating the evolving job market can at times feel like a daunting task. Sending multiple applications every week and not receiving positive feedback can feel like a dead end. So, you turn to your contacts but are unsure about where to start or how to go about it. If you’re feeling stuck and looking for a way to progress, we’ve got you covered. 

Doug Lester, renowned career strategist and executive coach to high achievers and highly ambitious professionals, returns for a third Covve Masterclass to offer guidance on creating and maintaining momentum when searching for a job. He suggests creating a habit out of asking a simple yet effective question when speaking with your contacts for your job search networking campaign:

Now that you know more about me, who else do you think I should speak with?

The purpose of this question is to help prevent a common problem — running out of people to reach out when you’re networking for a job. When you remember to ask the question Doug suggests, you expand your network and gain referrals to new contacts. They can then introduce you to opportunities that may have been previously unknown or inaccessible. Referrals are critical to maintaining momentum in your job search. 

Doug suggests that every time you conclude a networking conversation, it is paramount to ask the question so you can get the names of more people that you can reach out to. That way, your existing contacts will be prompted to refer you to another professional who can offer further insight, advice, and opportunities to aid you in your job search. And you will never run out of people to reach out to.

For example, you may have a former colleague or friend who is looking to help you overcome your job search challenges and refers you to one of their trusted contacts. You reach out to the contact they shared with you, discussing your job search. At the end of that conversation, you ask them who else you should speak with, leading you to gain another referral, and potentially a new contact.

A crucial part of this process is staying organized and appearing well-informed about the referrals you’ve gotten and the new contacts you’re making. Doug suggests that the most efficient way to achieve this is with a personal CRM, such as Covve. 

Even though Doug isn’t looking for a job, he still uses Covve to keep notes on his referrals and the interactions he has with his contacts, tracking important information about them such as their experience and interests. And he also uses Covve to set reminders to follow up with the people he has been referred to. As a result, he stays organized, grows his network, and keeps up with the contacts that are important to him, his life, and his business. 

For the latter half of Doug’s third Masterclass, he dives into the features of Covve’s personal CRM tool and how you can use it to optimize your job search networking campaign. It is all about creating efficiencies and automating some parts of networking, so that you can commit more time and energy to the part of networking that matters most: the people you are connecting with and making them feel valued and heard.

You can watch Doug Lester’s third Covve Masterclass for free, and receive a 15% discount for a Covve Pro account with Doug’s Masterclass coupon.