The Job Search Network Group Guide

By Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter

Howdy!

I’m Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter and I have been a head hunter since 1972.

I have written four books about job hunting:

“Get Yourself Hired NOW!”

“Get Your Job Search Organized NOW!

“No B.S. Job Search Advice” and

“The Single Best Question You Should Ask on Any Interview”

They are available at www.GetYourselfHiredNOW.com in print and as eBooks as well as for the Kindle on www.Amazon.com

When I first began as a recruiter, resumes were written on parchment paper and mailed, networking was done by calling someone or dropping a note in the mail, and people located open jobs by answering ads in the Sunday newspaper.

Today, the only thing that remains the same is that people still need to network by telephone plus use many of the newer tools to help them connect with others (sorry, newspapers: you just aren’t that important for job hunting any more).

In this special report, I want to look at some of the major online networking groups that help job hunters because they just do not receive the same attention that “The Celebrity Social Networking Services” do. Soon, we will launch a website to offer information about more than just this initial group.

Feel free to share this report freely and subscribe to my job search ezine, No B.S. Job Search Advice at www.JeffAltman.com If you subscribe, you will also receive 60 days of job search tips, plus weekly emails of additional tips in “The Monday Kickoff” and “The Thursday Push.”

If you have suggestions of other network groups we should add, email me at JeffAltmanSearch@gmail.com and we’ll investigate them and decide whether to include them in the next edition.

Jeff Altman

The Big Game Hunter

P.S. Groups are NOT presented in any order nor does my writing about them mean an endorsement of any as fitting your needs. DO YOUR HOMEWORK and investigate any and all services before joining.

What is a Job Search Networking Group?

A job search networking group is an organization, a business, a service or a place where people will mingle to share leads and other information to help one another find work.

Successes and failures are often shared with one another.

Methods of finding leads.

Actual leads, strategies and tactics may be shared.

Some networking groups are like group therapy for job hunting.

Others are extremely task oriented.

Some meet in person.

Others only meet online.

I don’t what is best for you but I do know that networking and connecting is consistently the most effective way that people find work.

Some charge dues.

Some are free or charge for meeting attendance.

What is important is finding networks where you can learn from others, get leads and coaching from leaders and participants . . . and for you to share the same with others.

Execunet

Execunet is a private network for senior–level executives with meetings throughout the USA.

You'll can connect with thousands of business leaders in a host of industries and functions, executive career advisors and recruiters as well as tap into both the open and hidden $150K+ executive job market.

In addition, they write a very good newsletter, offer exceptional special reports, articles, a knowledge center, and a bookshelf of information on their website on a host of industry topics PLUS a data base of available positions.

They are not industry specific or function specific.

www.ExecuNet.com

The Financial Executives Networking Group

Founded in 1991 by an out of work over 50 financial executive, TheFeng as it is called is a site for financial executives to have a forum to share job opportunities and experiences.

Since 1995 when its membership was 64, TheFeng now has over 35000 members in the USA and internationally. Over 1500 senior level job leads are emailed to members each month.

Members have been Financial Officers, Controllers, Vice Presidents of Finance, Treasury, Tax, or Mergers & Acquisition

www.TheFeng.org

Netshare

Netshare is a membership organization for individuals who are actively searching for new positions or passively monitoring the job market.

They offer the opportunity to:

Participate in a conference call with their CEO and other Netshare

Calls in to a weekly “Ask the Coach” program

Virtual forums and in-person networking meetings

A data base of job openings

Free resume critique

Teleseminars

www.Netshare.com

The Five O’clock Club

The Five O’clock Club is a 120 year old national outplacement and career counseling network with certified career counselors across the United States.

Members learn a specific language for communicating (or lexicon) focused on the individual tasks that need to be performed to find work.

As opposed to other networking groups, only 40% of their members earn over $100000 per year making it the most available of the networking organizations

Its methodology, as outlined in its four books, is a targeted, strategic approach to career development and job search.

It affords members a Job-Search Strategy Group, Weekly Presentations via Audiotape, Small Group Strategy Sessions, Networking with other members, and access to private coaching (at an additional charge)

http://fiveoclockclub.com

Women in Technology International

WITI started in 1989 as an organization to support women in all areas of technology and has evolved into several subgroups under the WITI umbrella.

WITI Professional Network: For women who consider technology central to their careers, it affords connections and information

WITI Corporate Network: For organizations who want to reach decision makers and hire "star" employees

WITI Global Executive Network (GEN): For VP and C-level women WITI Student Network: a network for college and university students

And, in case you were wondering, they partner with men.

www.WITI.org

The Technology Executives Networking Group

Membership includes over 4,500 senior-level Information Technology executives who hold the rank of Chief Information Officer, Chief Technology Officer, Vice President or Director of technology in organizations of all sizes and industries.

Teng operates chapters in many US states, a Yahoo Group where leads are shared (active members are expected to share at least 3 job leads per month), encourages its working members to hire their job search brethren plus useful articles.

In addition, Teng also provides:

Information about and introductions to target organizations

Vendor information, contacts, and unbiased references

Workshops, presentations, and networking events sponsored by local chapters

Special interest groups which facilitate member interaction on topics of common interest.

A network of peers who are willing to share experiences, advice, and support

www.TheTeng.org

From Monster.com:

SalesHQ, InsideTech, Excelle

From CareerBuilder:

BrightFuse

Each has a different focus.

SalesHQ for sales professionals

InsideTech for technology professionals

Excelle for women

BrightFuse is a general networking site

The notion is to share ideas and information and, through the sharing, become known, develop a personal brand and find work.

http://my.monster.com/communities/default.aspx

http://www.brightfuse.com

Yahoo Groups and Google Groups

Yahoo is the Big Daddy in this space (Google is a clear #2). Each offers many groups worldwide based upon geography and/or function and/or skill.

Jobs are posted and information shared. Some are places where recruiters place job listings (for free) and some un-moderated groups are dumping ground for spam you don’t want to receive. Both will allow you to configure your emails to receive a daily digest; individual emails or just read them on the web.

Google allows you to restrict emails to those with specific keywords.

http://groups.yahoo.com

http://groups.google.com

The International Alliance for Women

This organization is an umbrella to many women’s groups internationally including The Financial Women’s Association, Executive Women in Government, Company of Women, Board of Director’s Network, Women Presidents’ Organization and many more.

The full list is at http://bit.ly/90o3S4

This umbrella organization provides its members with:

Electronic Member Directory

Electronic Newsletters and Communiqués

Web Site

Presidents’ Discussion Forum

Each Chapter offers its particular meetings and networking opportunities.

http://www.tiaw.org

Marketing Executive Network Group

This group is for marketing executives who have held positions of $160,000 or more and have held a VP title or above in Marketing, Advertising, Sales Management, Public Relations, Corporate Communications, Investor Relations, Market Research, Direct Marketing, Business Development, Strategic Marketing Alliances, Strategic Planning, Corporate Marketing Planning Product Management, or General Management (in a marketing-driven business).

Local chapters meet about every 4 weeks and MENG members have access to the Guide to Executive Job Search. Members also have free access to the Career Maximization Webinar Series, a Marketing Insights Webinar Program and a Social Media University Webinar Series.

MENG partners with OneSource to provide members integrated content from over 30 diverse providers representing 2500 separate information sources. OneSource offers an extensive library of integrated company-linked business information covering 1.7 million companies and 6 million executives. Use of the OneSource database is free to MENG members.

We also have a partnership with BlueChipMarketer.com that allows marketing executives to find consultants for their businesses, and have partnered with Netshare, ExecuNet, TheLadders, Salary.com, MarketingProfs, PrimeGenesis, JibberJobber, Blue Chip Marketer, PINK Magazine and PrivateEquityInfo.com. Each company offers a discount to MENG members who subscribe to their service via a link from the Members Section of the MENG website.

Members also receive discounts in trade organizations, information resources, professional services, and insurance. For example, MENG has arrangements with professional coaches, resume writers other professional service organizations, and a variety of professional service firms.

http://www.mengonline.com

LinkedIn

Another online networking resource where you can search groups based upon skill, interest, locale, job function and a host of other criteria.

I have found that LinkedIn has replaced Yahoo and Google Groups as the place to be for online networking.

You cannot join more than 50 groups but, other than a recruiter, who needs to join that many anyway?

Try to focus as tightly as you can on your geography and skills and, as you write online, try not to just write to be seen and heard. Be purposeful and helpful.

If you want to take advantage of my connections to reach out to someone, feel free to send a connection request to me. My public profile is at:

http://www.linkedin.com/in/TheBigGameHunter

I do not accept connection requests with other recruiters

www.LinkedIn.com

Other Networking Groups That Might Be Helpful

Corporate Alumni Groups

Many corporations have set up alumni groups to maintain contact with former employees. These groups often offer job boards and networking opportunities.

Government Alumni Groups

Services for former employees of different agencies of the government

Ex-Military Service Groups

No matter what branch of the armed forces you served in and often for different units, there are groups that provide information and networking opportunities

Meetup Groups http://www.meetup.com/

You need to dissect your life to use meetup— Where do you live? What do you do? What have you done in the past? What skill do you possess? Whatever your answers are, often there is a Meetup related to what you have done and where you live.

Religious Groups

Throughout the country, religious groups have opened up to help the people in their communities come together to help one another. Often these groups have Yahoo or Google groups to communicate leads between meetings

Outplacement Firms

Often, outplacement firms have both online and in-person networking groups available to help. ASK THEM!

Job Fairs

Those name tags people wear and the business cards you collect can be the beginning of a networking relationship OR a way to re-connect.