Networking and Career Succession Planning in the Workplace

The Role of Networking in the Job Search

Who you know is far more important than the job search process itself. Networking "levels out the hierarchy" that connects employers to employees (Chernow, 2003). Networking is a means of communication whereby a CEO might be connected to a clerk. It is a complex process that involves establishing and then building upon relationships. In a society filled with look-alike candidates — where hundreds of people present themselves to employers with identical skills, educational backgrounds, and abilities — networking and the creation of interpersonal relationships allow some candidates to stand out from others. Busy hiring managers do not have time to sift through the thousands of applications they receive for a limited number of job openings. Because of this, establishing an "in" at any corporation through networking and other relational avenues is a reliable mechanism for building success and landing a job under less than ideal economic circumstances.

To understand the importance of networking, one must first examine the employment process without it. Many scholarly publications, books, and even managers will assert that the key to success in the business world is having exceptional interpersonal skills, a positive attitude, personal mastery of time, and a great deal of perseverance (Brindle, 2000). Of all of these, interpersonal skills are the most important. Unfortunately, hundreds of thousands of people have mastered these business techniques yet still failed in the employment game. Frustrated, these individuals have nowhere to turn.

This is where reality sets in. In today's world, charm, interpersonal influence, and time management are important — but inadequate if one lacks the ability to navigate the "labyrinth of political workings" that make up society's complex organizations (Brindle, 2000). The key to success and promotion lies in any one person's ability to build effective and complex working relationships. Relationships are the building blocks of success.

Interpersonal Relationships as Career Capital

For networking to be successful, people must understand that power lies in leveraging relationships that help others — not necessarily those that benefit only the individual attempting to gain personally and professionally (Marken, 2001). Building networks helps people feel more connected. In a society where impersonal communication dominates, supplementing those impersonal contacts with active networking can have a powerful influence on business managers (Marken, 2001).

The biggest advantage of networking is that it helps you identify people who might assist you in achieving your goals (Noe et al., 2003). Those people in turn help provide you with the resources you need to succeed. Networking can occur anywhere — at business conferences, seminars, and even at sporting events (Noe et al., 2003). The reality is that a hiring manager is much more likely to hire someone via word of mouth, or someone who has already proven themselves, over a complete stranger. Far too many unknowns exist in today's society.

The job search process is important in its own right. It allows job seekers to identify avenues for success and growth. Solid job search skills include the ability to aggressively identify opportunities, craft a resume that speaks to a hiring manager, and present oneself in a professional and attractive manner. The job interview is critical to the success of a potential employment relationship. Landing that first interview is a tremendous milestone in the job search process; getting there, however, takes a great deal of strategizing and finesse. Networking can help a candidate overcome this hurdle and manage to meet with the individuals making hiring decisions in an organization.

Having great job search skills is not enough, by itself, to land a job in a society where hiring managers nationally and internationally receive hundreds or even thousands of resumes for a single open position. A professional resume is often the only information a hiring manager has about a candidate, and that is rarely enough to make an impression in a sea of equally professional resumes. Often, selecting the best candidate depends on a variety of factors. In a pool where everyone has the same level of education, skills, and ability, the candidate most likely to succeed is the one who has built a network of opportunity around them. If your resume reaches the desk of a corporate hiring agent because someone referred you, you are far more likely to gain an edge over the competition.

Even if an individual does not personally know people within an organization prior to a job interview, they may still benefit from having participated in social venues related to their field. For example, consider an individual up for an executive position in Human Resources. In the course of their job search, they have joined several local, national, and perhaps even international organizations related to that field. The chance that they will know someone within those member organizations who is connected to the hiring manager is fairly good. Even if they never meet that person directly, the hiring manager may be a member of one or several of those organizations — and that shared affiliation automatically creates a comfort level and bond between interviewer and candidate.

The Employer's Role in Career Succession Planning

The vast majority of employees aspire to climb the corporate ladder and advance their careers. Many rely on their employers to provide appropriate career development opportunities, and express frustration when adequate promotional and directional tools are not offered. The reality, however, is that it is not the employer's duty to provide employees with career development opportunities.

The responsibility for advancement lies primarily on the shoulders of the employee. Employers are obligated in certain circumstances to provide a "career path" of sorts. This is evidenced in many civil service positions where a line of succession exists for most roles, even those at the administrative level (Noe et al., 2003). Even administrative assistants may have the ability to climb a ladder of increasing responsibility. The reality, however, is that the majority of organizational leaders are far too busy managing the day-to-day affairs of a business to devote adequate time to helping employees with career development.

Human Resources professionals are often tasked with developing career ladders within an organization (Noe et al., 2003). They work in conjunction with business managers and employees to outline a hierarchical pattern of opportunity. In some organizations, hiring policy is constructed in a manner that does focus on internal candidates, seeking out employees already working within the company for promotion. This practice is not standardized, however, and a vast majority of employers are equally willing to hire external candidates for promotional positions.

An employee has a responsibility to take charge of their career growth. If they aspire to climb the corporate ladder, it is their personal duty to make their intentions known to their employer. By doing so, they open the door to potential mentorship programs and coaching opportunities. No organization, unless it has strictly outlined a career path in an employee's contract, is obligated to establish a mentoring program or to promote an employee's career interests by law. Most employees assume that such opportunities exist, and further assume that their supervisor or manager will automatically recognize them as the ideal candidate for promotion.

Conclusion: Shared Responsibility for Career Development

From a moral perspective, employers should be obligated to provide career ladder opportunities for employees. Unfortunately, the vast majority of employers operate only in the present and do not take advantage of the long-term benefits that career succession planning might offer. Employers typically maintain the position that they are under no obligation to promote the career development of employees. Employees are left, then, to pursue supervisors, managers, and Human Resources professionals and engage them in discussions related to succession planning. Even then, an employer is not "obligated" to promote or develop an employee; however, they are much more likely to take notice of an employee's motivation and desire for achievement and to assist in the career development process.

References

Brindle, Margaret, & Mainiero, Lisa. (2000). Managing power through lateral networking. Quorum Books.

Chernow, Cindy. (2003). Networking vs. not working. Engaging Multiple Generations at Work.

Marken, G. A. (2001). Power networking: 59 secrets for personal and professional success. Public Relations Quarterly, 46.

Noe, R., Hollenbeck, J., Gerhart, B., & Wright, P. (2003). Human resource management: Gaining a competitive advantage (4th ed.). McGraw-Hill.

Swieringa, Joop, & Wierdsma, A. (1993). Becoming a learning organization. Addison-Wesley.