Develop Relationships
Develop Relationships
Transcript
We now understand that we are a social species, that we need to be around and connected to other people in order to survive and to thrive. We also made the argument that those veterans who proactively go out to meet others and to find ways to serve their communities are more likely to make successful transitions from service to the civilian world. Now, we want to provide you with some practical tips and strategies so you're able to go out in your communities and begin building meaningful relationships with others.
Let me start by giving you a personal example of how important relationships were in my career search. During my transition, I applied to 34 companies. In 16 of those companies, I just applied online. I was not able to connect with any employees or veterans who worked at these companies. And I ended up getting zero callbacks for interviews. And for several years thereafter, I received those automatically generated rejection emails, almost as if they were mocking me.
In 18 of the companies, however, I was able to connect with a veteran or just a regular employee who worked there, whether it was through a mutual friend, or even just a cold email through LinkedIn. But I was able to meet with them in person. And out of those 18 companies, I was invited in for interviews at 10 of them. And out of those 10, I ended up receiving three job offers. So literally, the difference between getting an interview and then a job offer and not even getting a phone call back was being able to meet with a person at that company.
So why is that? Why was I only able to get an interview at companies in which I was able to physically meet with someone? And it really boils down to one thing, and that's trust. Through my personal engagements with these professionals, I built enough trust with them that they felt comfortable vouching for me within their organization. They trusted that I was reliable, that I was serious about the career path I was pursuing, and that I could transfer my military skills and experiences to the civilian sector, and that I had the potential to be a value add to the company.
Trust and reliability are the cornerstones of building relationships. And there are three different types of professional relationships that you may develop throughout your careers. And I'm sure all of you have already experienced at least one or two of these types during your time in the military. And these are coaching, mentorship, and sponsorship. So a coach is someone who simply provides you feedback on a certain subject, like your resume, presentation skills, and perhaps advice on a career path. It could be a family friend, someone you met at an event. And you can actually pay for a career coach.
However, the key here is that there isn't any long term personal or professional relationship with a coach. They provide you some advice, and then you either take it or you leave it. A mentor is someone who provides you with support and encouragement. There is a sustained relationship with a mentor. He or she may provide you feedback over months and maybe even years. A mentor may be earned, meaning you develop the relationship over time, or a mentor may actually be assigned to you through various programs. There are several veteran mentorship programs out there that connect corporate executives with transitioning service members.
Now, a sponsor is the gold standard of relationship building. Sponsors advocate and they advance you. Sponsors put their reputation on the line on your behalf. They are the ones who pick up the phone and they vouch for you. Sponsors must be earned. You cannot ask someone to be your sponsor, and you cannot pay for one. Research by the Center for Talent Innovation estimates that less than 17%, or only one in six professionals, actually have sponsors. And that makes sense if you think about it. You're not just going to put your reputation on the line for just anyone, right? People need to earn your respect and your trust before you're going to pick up the phone and say, Mike's a solid guy. He would be a great fit in this position here. And in the veteran community, sponsorship is even more rare. We found that only 2% of veteran professionals currently in corporate America have sponsors, which may be one of the reasons why transitioning into new careers can be so challenging.
So when we look at why I was able to get interviews at 10 of those companies, it's because the person I connected with and built a relationship with, they sponsored me. They vouched and they put their reputation on the line for my behalf. And these are exactly the type of relationships that you need to develop when making your career transition if you want to get that interview and be considered for that job.
So how do you go out there and begin to develop relationships? Here are a few tips. First-- and veterans ask me this all the time. How do you actually go out there and ask someone to get a cup of coffee and to have a conversation about your transition? It can be a very awkward thing to do for many. And I say that, first of all, people love to talk about themselves. So when you're reaching out to others, tell them that you're interested in learning about their career path. Ask them about what they do at their company. Ask them about their industry that they're in. Ask them about their company and the divisions and their business model. Let them do the talking. Let them feel like they are the ones who are teaching you.
So at this point, you're sort of intelligence gathering right now. And also make sure that you research the person you are meeting beforehand and his or her company and prepare some questions. Bring a notebook. Take notes. Ensure that they know that you took the time to prepare for the conversation and that you value their time. Remember that every little detail matters. Be on time. Dress for the position you want. Make sure that you would adhere to proper email etiquette when you're communicating. Don't give them any reason to not help you.
Have an idea of what you want. The absolute worst thing that you can do is tell someone that you'll do anything, because you can't give them any opportunity to really narrow down and help you out. Give the person some direction, help them help you. Do not explicitly ask for a job or an internship. Chances are the person you're meeting with cannot hire you, so don't put them on the spot. They know what you're after, so you don't need to ask for it. Keep the conversation informative and casual. Ask to be connected to other veterans at the company. The more people you can network with, the better. Follow up 24 hours later with a thank you email or, if you really want to stand out, send a handwritten thank you card.
And lastly, ensure that you follow up and deliver on what is asked of you in a timely manner. It is your responsibility to develop the relationship. So when you start to transition, people are going to tell you that you've got to get out there and network. It's about who you know. But you know what? That's no longer the case today. It's not about who you know. It's about who knows you and who trusts you. When an opportunity comes, be the person who gives instead of asks and you will begin to have opportunities come your way.
Let me start by giving you a personal example of how important relationships were in my career search. During my transition, I applied to 34 companies. In 16 of those companies, I just applied online. I was not able to connect with any employees or veterans who worked at these companies. And I ended up getting zero callbacks for interviews. And for several years thereafter, I received those automatically generated rejection emails, almost as if they were mocking me.
In 18 of the companies, however, I was able to connect with a veteran or just a regular employee who worked there, whether it was through a mutual friend, or even just a cold email through LinkedIn. But I was able to meet with them in person. And out of those 18 companies, I was invited in for interviews at 10 of them. And out of those 10, I ended up receiving three job offers. So literally, the difference between getting an interview and then a job offer and not even getting a phone call back was being able to meet with a person at that company.
So why is that? Why was I only able to get an interview at companies in which I was able to physically meet with someone? And it really boils down to one thing, and that's trust. Through my personal engagements with these professionals, I built enough trust with them that they felt comfortable vouching for me within their organization. They trusted that I was reliable, that I was serious about the career path I was pursuing, and that I could transfer my military skills and experiences to the civilian sector, and that I had the potential to be a value add to the company.
Trust and reliability are the cornerstones of building relationships. And there are three different types of professional relationships that you may develop throughout your careers. And I'm sure all of you have already experienced at least one or two of these types during your time in the military. And these are coaching, mentorship, and sponsorship. So a coach is someone who simply provides you feedback on a certain subject, like your resume, presentation skills, and perhaps advice on a career path. It could be a family friend, someone you met at an event. And you can actually pay for a career coach.
However, the key here is that there isn't any long term personal or professional relationship with a coach. They provide you some advice, and then you either take it or you leave it. A mentor is someone who provides you with support and encouragement. There is a sustained relationship with a mentor. He or she may provide you feedback over months and maybe even years. A mentor may be earned, meaning you develop the relationship over time, or a mentor may actually be assigned to you through various programs. There are several veteran mentorship programs out there that connect corporate executives with transitioning service members.
Now, a sponsor is the gold standard of relationship building. Sponsors advocate and they advance you. Sponsors put their reputation on the line on your behalf. They are the ones who pick up the phone and they vouch for you. Sponsors must be earned. You cannot ask someone to be your sponsor, and you cannot pay for one. Research by the Center for Talent Innovation estimates that less than 17%, or only one in six professionals, actually have sponsors. And that makes sense if you think about it. You're not just going to put your reputation on the line for just anyone, right? People need to earn your respect and your trust before you're going to pick up the phone and say, Mike's a solid guy. He would be a great fit in this position here. And in the veteran community, sponsorship is even more rare. We found that only 2% of veteran professionals currently in corporate America have sponsors, which may be one of the reasons why transitioning into new careers can be so challenging.
So when we look at why I was able to get interviews at 10 of those companies, it's because the person I connected with and built a relationship with, they sponsored me. They vouched and they put their reputation on the line for my behalf. And these are exactly the type of relationships that you need to develop when making your career transition if you want to get that interview and be considered for that job.
So how do you go out there and begin to develop relationships? Here are a few tips. First-- and veterans ask me this all the time. How do you actually go out there and ask someone to get a cup of coffee and to have a conversation about your transition? It can be a very awkward thing to do for many. And I say that, first of all, people love to talk about themselves. So when you're reaching out to others, tell them that you're interested in learning about their career path. Ask them about what they do at their company. Ask them about their industry that they're in. Ask them about their company and the divisions and their business model. Let them do the talking. Let them feel like they are the ones who are teaching you.
So at this point, you're sort of intelligence gathering right now. And also make sure that you research the person you are meeting beforehand and his or her company and prepare some questions. Bring a notebook. Take notes. Ensure that they know that you took the time to prepare for the conversation and that you value their time. Remember that every little detail matters. Be on time. Dress for the position you want. Make sure that you would adhere to proper email etiquette when you're communicating. Don't give them any reason to not help you.
Have an idea of what you want. The absolute worst thing that you can do is tell someone that you'll do anything, because you can't give them any opportunity to really narrow down and help you out. Give the person some direction, help them help you. Do not explicitly ask for a job or an internship. Chances are the person you're meeting with cannot hire you, so don't put them on the spot. They know what you're after, so you don't need to ask for it. Keep the conversation informative and casual. Ask to be connected to other veterans at the company. The more people you can network with, the better. Follow up 24 hours later with a thank you email or, if you really want to stand out, send a handwritten thank you card.
And lastly, ensure that you follow up and deliver on what is asked of you in a timely manner. It is your responsibility to develop the relationship. So when you start to transition, people are going to tell you that you've got to get out there and network. It's about who you know. But you know what? That's no longer the case today. It's not about who you know. It's about who knows you and who trusts you. When an opportunity comes, be the person who gives instead of asks and you will begin to have opportunities come your way.