YOUR NETWORK WILL GIVE YOU A HEAD START

Imagine you want a certain student job or internship. 200 people are also applying for the job. On paper, they all have the same skills as you have and are just as qualified. That is the picture Helmut Bloos paints of the current situation being on the lookout for a job. Helmut is a master’s student at Roskilde University and is currently working part time as a community manager at Rocket Lab.

"To get a job, you have to be ahead of the market so to speak. You have to be ahead of the other candidates applying for the job. In my experience, you have to make sure you are the first one to be interviewed for a job opening," Helmut explains.

So far, that strategy has paid off. Every job or internship he has ever had has provided him with new skills and new people in his network.

My jobs have provided me with a network with people to address in the future. It’s really important to have people to reach out to, who believe in you and appreciate your skills, Helmut

This is how his network has gotten him several jobs:

“I got my first job through the a-kasse. It was an internship at a company working with co-working spaces. I build up a network and the skill-set, so the owner decided to hire me as a student assistant when I started my master’s degree. In the same period, I managed to get one more job, because my boss recommended me. I got a job as a researcher at a company who was developing an app for co-working spaces in general,” Helmut says and continues:

“Unfortunately, I lost both jobs because the companies went broke. Luckily, another company wanted to re-open the co-working space company. Through my network I got the boss’s phone number and called him right away. I was the first one to get interviewed. I believe that improved my chances by 90 percent. And I got the job.”

Network on LinkedIn

The best piece of advice regarding job search is according to Helmut as simple as this:

"Network, network, network. Use LinkedIn to connect with relevant people. With traditional business cards you cannot see all the connections. You can do that on LinkedIn and therefore get a successful match. Using your network and LinkedIn is the best way to increase your chances of being the first person to get interviewed. And I would advise people to call the employer as well to get a head start."

Helmut has gained a lot from his network, though he is also willing to help others. He opened up his opportunities when he became one of the graduates, who have joined the Graduate Network in FTFa.

“It was nice to encourage others who were in the same situation as me. As far as I remember, I recommended one of the other graduates to a company, where she ended up getting a lot of experience through an internship.”