Helping the Job Seeker Without Hurting Yourself

 By EILENE ZIMMERMAN

Published: June 6, 2009in the NY Times

Q. You
have been receiving several phone calls a week from people seeking help
in finding a job. Although you want to be helpful, there is a limit to
the time you can spend thinking about someone else's job search. Whom
should you help?

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Chris Reed

A.
Those who are looking for work rely heavily on their networks for leads
and often believe that because you have a job, you must know of other
jobs. Because of layoffs and cuts, however, it is more likely that your
job responsibilities have increased and that you are feeling insecure
about your own position.

Yet it's a good policy to help if you
can, because you never know when the tables will turn. To avoid
becoming overwhelmed, establish a system to process calls you receive,
said Thom Singer, a business development consultant in Austin, Tex.,
and author of "The ABC's of Networking."

"Often the issue isn't
that you're getting too many calls; it's when the calls are from
friends of friends or strangers, people you cannot vouch for," Mr.
Singer said.

Start by asking callers what they want - whether
it's an introduction, job search advice or résumé assistance - and then
determine if you can help.

"I set a clock alarm for 10 minutes
and in that time I see if they can tell me their story succinctly and
articulately," said Duncan Mathison, president of Duncan Mathison &
Associates, a career coaching firm in San Diego. "I want to determine
if they know what they want and see what they bring to the table."

Q. Do you need to meet face-to-face with everyone who requests it?

A. If
you plan to refer the caller to someone in your professional network or
at your company, take time to sit down with the candidate first,
because your credibility is on the line, Mr. Singer said. "Have them
come to your office for a 30-minute informational interview," he said.
"If you refer them and they screw up, that will reflect poorly on you."

If the person asking for help is a client or a relative of a
client, you should meet with that person, said Sally Haver, a career
counselor and senior business development executive at the Ayers Group,
a career transition consulting firm in Manhattan. "For corporate
clients and prospective clients," she said, "I will go out of my way to
help, because I view it as part of my overall marketing plan, which
includes building and maintaining relationships."

Q. What kinds of requests can be handled over the phone?

A. If
the best you are prepared to offer someone is general career advice or
information about your industry, you can talk over the phone. "Set a
time limit for the call so you can get back to work quickly," said
Susan Bartell, a workplace psychologist in Port Washington, N.Y. The
time limit will help you avoid becoming emotionally drained from
listening and trying to help people in need, she said, especially if
you're taking several of these calls a week.

Compile a list of industry-related resources that you can give to callers.

Q. If you try to help too many people, do you run any risks to your own career?

A. Yes,
because you risk using up your political capital. Use your connections
sparingly and wisely, and tap your most treasured contacts only for
very important favors, Ms. Haver said. If a person's connection to you
is very tenuous, she said, give only general advice. On the other hand,
a successful referral can be a boon to your reputation, Mr. Mathison
said.

Q. Is there a way to politely decline to give help?

A.
Always be kind to a job seeker, because this is an especially difficult
time to be unemployed. "Tell them, ‘I wish I could help but right now I
do not see a connection with any opportunity.'" Mr. Mathison said.
"Then add that they can send a résumé and if you see something that
fits their background, you will pass it along."

If you know you
will never be able to help the person, tell him or her that you
appreciate the call but don't think that you can be of any assistance,
he said.

Q. If you're the one asking for help, what is the best approach?

A.
One of the worst things you can do is to ask point blank if a contact
knows of any jobs, said Allison Cheston, a career adviser in New York
City.

Networking is a lot like dating, she said: "You don't want
to seem desperate; you want to put your best foot forward." Give a very
brief - and well-prepared - explanation of your skill set, background
and what you have to offer an employer, she said.

"The goal is to
figure out what you are good at, where you can do it and then find
people who can help you get into that organization," Ms. Cheston said.
"Companies make room for those who have something to offer."

Approach
your networking call as you would an informational interview, Mr.
Mathison said. "You have an obligation," he said, "to do your research,
be well organized and know what you want."

Very specific requests
can be effective - for example, asking someone you know at a company to
forward an e-mail you have written to a hiring manager, as opposed to
asking that person to write an e-mail on your behalf, Mr. Mathison
said. "Always make it easy for the person you are calling," he said.