There’s an old saying that goes: “all dogs love to chase cars, but they have no idea what they’d do if they actually caught one.”

In one sense, I see a similar paradox taking place when it comes to job hunters and networking these days.  Without question, the bulk of hiring taking place is happening under the radar through networking and word-of-mouth introductions — and even in cases where a job is publicly advertised, there’s no question that a personal referral from a trusted individual can tip the scales greatly on a given applicant’s behalf.

As a result, I’m constantly encouraging people to double-down on their networking efforts and use every tool at their disposal to get the word out to their network about their availability.  This can include setting up coffees with close friends, getting back in touch with old acquaintances, taking steps to cultivate new contacts in certain fields, and periodically reminding their network through LinkedIn and other social media tools that one is still on the hunt — and available!  I’m also a huge fan of the LinkedIn “Connections Of” filter that almost nobody seems to utilize, but that’s a topic for a different article…

At any rate, back to my original point, which is that while many courageous job hunters are trying to venture beyond their comfort zone and get better at generating networking referrals, quite a few ALSO report that they have almost no clue what to ask when somebody actually takes them up on their request and agrees to chat with them!  For example, let’s say you ask an old colleague for an introduction to a hiring manager they know at Expedia, named Susan, and Susan (as a favor to your mutual friend) agrees to jump on the phone or a Zoom call with you for a few minutes.  What do you ask Susan in this situation?  What is your agenda?  And how can you get value out of the conversation even if Expedia doesn’t happen to have a role open right this minute for somebody with your credentials?  You’re the one who called the meeting, after all, so you’d better be ready to drive it…

In such situations, here’s a list of potential questions you might consider that will usually elicit some sort of positive, thoughtful response from the other party:

1) Even if you don’t have a suitable role open right now, does your company anticipate any hiring or growth in the coming months?

2) I’m sure you see a ton of resumes – any key tips or pet peeves you’d be able to share that might help a person set themselves apart from the pack?

3) With regard to interviewing, are there any recommendations you’ve have in terms of how to make a highly positive impression?  What really distinguishes an applicant in that part of the process, from your point of view?

4) Does your company ever hire through outside recruiters or staffing agencies, and if so, which ones do you typically use?

5) Given my desire to learn more about this industry, are there are any publications or websites you’d suggest that I check out?  Or groups/associations that might be smart to join?

6) Are there any hot button issues or pain points your organization is currently wrestling with more than others?  What skills or expertise, if any, are you having a tough time finding in candidates these days?

7) How is technology transforming your organization and/or industry?  Are there are any key tools, technologies, or applications coming down the pike that you think are going to be essential to success in the years to come?

8) Given how your organization is structured, are there certain roles or departments that you feel would be a particularly good fit for someone with my background?  Even if you don’t have any current openings, where would somebody like me tend to be the best fit, hypothetically?

9) Does your organization put a lot of stock in formal credentials or certifications?  If so, are there are any particular training courses, certification programs, or educational options that you feel would significantly enhance one’s marketability in this field?

10) While I obviously can’t ask you to dish dirt on your competitors, I’ve put together a list of some similar or adjacent firms in your industry.  Any chance you could quickly take a look at it and let me know if you’ve heard anything good or bad about any of these firms?

And one bonus question I’d almost always ask, for good measure:

11) If somebody was sincerely interested in working for your company, what steps would you recommend they follow?  Other than simply monitoring the “careers” page of your website, are there are any more proactive steps a person could take to get noticed or gain consideration for opportunities?

Again, not every question above is necessarily going to be right for every situation, but in general these are the kinds of inquiries I’d recommend people make in order to drive a networking conversation forward and try to uncover some useful insights.  Sure, in a perfect world we’d all hope a networking referral uncovers an immediate hiring need — but in most cases, it won’t, so your secondary objective should be to make a rock-solid first impression and position yourself in a memorable way for openings that might arise down the road.

In closing, one the most helpful insights I ever gained about networking (especially as an introvert) was the importance of framing the process as a “research project” and not a sales exercise.  It’s all about gathering information, asking questions, and figuring out the answers you’re missing that would help propel your career forward — and who would most likely have these answers.  So again, when one of your acquaintances is gracious enough to tee you up with somebody for a conversation, be prepared.  Assume the individual won’t likely be in a position to hire you on the spot, but learn as much as you can from them, regardless, by asking value-added questions such as the ones above.

Happy hunting!