Why Should I Help You? Part 2

Lessons from real life
by Linda Franklin, guest blogger

I am more than happy to provide a connection or referral when appropriate. We all want that jump start to our next career move. Imagine my surprise, then, when I have experiences like these:

A former colleague contacted me to see about having coffee, but never confirmed. Then, a month later I received an email asking me to be a reference. It turned out I was to be a reference for an interview THAT SAME DAY for a potential job I knew nothing about. I foolishly agreed, and looking back, I can’t say I’d do it again. I have no idea what happened, since I never heard any follow up or even received so much as a thank-you.

Another former colleague is actively looking in a specific career niche. When I saw a relevant function coming up, I forwarded the notice immediately. No response.

If you are reaching out to someone for a referral, always be considerate of other’s time. And even if a lead doesn’t fit, always send a quick thanks to someone for thinking of you. A little courtesy can go a long way.
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See Linda Franklin's previous post for a brief bio and contact info.