For mega-brands like McDonald’s or Coca-Cola, the goal is to be the first thing people think of when they’re hungry or thirsty. And job seekers should strive for that same top-of-mind awareness when it comes to furthering their career.
Today, most new positions are filled via networking contacts. That’s why being top-of-mind with your contacts is so very important. It’s easy to send an email or resumé, but the key to staying atop someone’s radar is to keep in touch in an appropriate manner.
The hardest part of staying in touch and staying top-of-mind is to find that fine line between too much and not enough contact. However, with all the prompt and reminder systems available, via your computer and even a cell phone app, it’s easy to set up different reminder schedules for different contacts.
To find the right frequency, try a method we call “watering the plant.”
Think of it like this: Some contacts are like cactus, in that you only water or check in with them occasionally. Others are like a potted plant in an Oklahoma August and need water and contact frequently. Just remember to reach out to every one of your contacts with an email or phone call on some form of a regular basis, because if you don’t ‘water’ them enough, they’ll dry up and wither away.
Finally, it’s better to err on the side of too often rather than not enough contact to maintain top-of-mind awareness. Forgetting a contact means they’ll likely forget you down the road. And if you’re seeking a new job at the top, making sure your contacts have top-of-mind awareness of your name and skill set is more important than ever!
