You always hear that most people get their job through networking– upwards of 75% in fact. Years ago, my networking consisted of starting with those I knew, and I just kept following leads from one contact to the next. However, it didn’t feel like the most productive use of my time since most of my close contacts referred me to people who were not in my field. That’s when I started doing Targeted Networking.

Yes, this is a more gutsy approach since you’ll probably not know the person you’re reaching to, or you will not have been referred by a mutual colleague. But, if you are professional and prepared, you have nothing to lose! Here’s an overview of the process. In my forthcoming book I’ll go over this in much more detail than I can in a blog format.

1. IDENTIFY YOUR TARGET – Use LinkedIn alongside your Target Company List, and identify the person with whom you’d like to have a networking meeting and his or her job title. Log in your spreadsheet the names of 1 or 2 other people with whom you could possibly meet, but start with the best contact (usually NOT the CEO, President, Owner, but someone working in your target department.)
2. ADD AT LINKEDIN –Note if you both have some common colleagues. Personalize the request. Add (connect with) him or her at LinkedIn.
3. LOG CONTACT INFO – Research his or her email address and phone number, adding them into your spreadsheet. Use email-format.com or Google to figure out the email address without having to call the company. (That frequently will not work anyway since receptionists usually shield employees from unsolicited callers.)
4. REQUEST THE MEETING – 4 days after your LinkedIn add, email to request a networking meeting, thanking the person for connecting at LinkedIn if that has been the case.
5. CALL, IF NEEDED – If there’s no response to that email in 3-4 days, call.
6. VOICEMAIL – Give the person 2 calls at different times during the day if needed. Don’t leave a voicemail if you end up not reaching them.
7. FURTHER FOLLOW UP – If you still haven’t spoken in the calls mentioned above, call once more the next day. Do leave a voicemail this time if you are still unable to reach him or her.
8. THE FUTURE POSITION DROP OFF – If 3 days have passed since the aforementioned voicemail and you have no response, you can either try the process again with someone else at that office or draft what I call a “Future Position” Letter (introducing yourself, pitching your strengths, and noting the type position you’re seeking) addressed to the person you suspect would be hiring you or the CEO, President/VP, Owner, etc. and drop it off in person.
9. YEP, FOLLOW UP CALL IF NEEDED – If you were unable to meet the potential hiring manager during the drop off, call in 4 days.

It’s very important to track the whole process in your networking spreadsheet. And, of course if you are successful anywhere during steps 1 through 7, book the networking meeting, prepare, meet, follow up with a thank you card, and then call or email to follow up in 7 to 8 weeks to see if the contact has heard of any open positions or thought of anyone else with whom you should connect.

Have you done targeted networking before? If so, share your thoughts on its productivity, any spins on how you do it, or questions.

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