In a recent post, I opened up to y’all about how I had recently been laid off.  

I also mentioned how I was networking to try and find a new job. 

Today I wanted to go into more detail on exactly how I established that network and how I am using it. 

I know I have said several times in the past to build and use your network, but I really have not gone into enough detail. I do know that many of my readers still work in hospital and clinical settings so they may not have quite the network that I do at this point in my life. Hopefully though in the future, when I say “use your network”, especially during a healthcare job search, you will have a better idea of how to use that network.

1. I obtained reference letters from colleagues.

Many job sites give you the option to upload more than just a résumé and cover letter.  Having a letter of reference from somebody you worked directly with can carry weight with future employers. These letters would be from people who know your work ethic because they’ve seen it on a daily basis. And honestly they’re not gonna write a letter for you if they don’t think you deserve it. They don’t need to be from managers either! These letters can help validate your value as an employee and coworker to potential employers.

2. I started talking to my immediate friends (outside of my current coworkers) about my layoff, and finding out if there was anything available in their companies. 

Many companies offer their employees bonuses if they refer somebody who then gets employed. People will want to help you get a job at their company because they will get a financial reward. Don’t be shy about reaching out.

• My network proactively reached out to me. One friend who I had previously worked with heard through the grapevine that the layoff was coming. She contacted me before it was even confirmed to ask if I wanted an introduction to her recruiter for a potential position with her company. 

• Talk to friends. I told one friend from a previous job that I was getting laid off, and he immediately told me about positions that were open in my old company, both full-time and PRN. 

• Talk to previous managers. I called an old manager, just to tell him that I have been laid off. He made me aware of multiple positions that were going to be opening in the near future and who I should contact about them. I immediately found one person on LinkedIn, connected with them, and messaged them so that I could be on her radar. The other was a former coworker who had recently been promoted to manager. 

• Reach out to more remote connections. I saw a job posted at another company that sounded interesting and I know the regional manager; he used to call on my clinic back in my hospital days. I messaged him to ask about the position and he submitted an internal referral for me.

•  Accept help. I started looking at internal jobs at the company I was just laid off from.

For context, I was working for a contract company. I absolutely expect and plan financially to be laid off from contract roles, and if you go the contract route I HIGHLY suggest that you do the same. 

However, because this was a layoff and not a firing I am still eligible to be employed by the contract company that I worked directly for. My manager immediately started looking for positions and sending them out to everyone on our team. She has personally gotten in touch with managers of the other hiring teams, if we were interested in a position there. And because my manager is awesome (it’s not her fault we were laid off), she is also reaching out to people in her network if we find a job to apply for to supply a reference. (Seriously, I’m a little bummed I’m not working for her any more. She was an amazing advocate for us.)

3. I started getting connected to friends of friends. 

A friend of mine applied for a job. She knew someone who worked at that company in the same role (her network). She found out from him that she was not a good fit, but thought I would be perfect for it. She introduced the two of us, and he then introduced me to the hiring manager. They are both now in my network if I ever apply to that company again.

I ended up not getting hired due to geographical constraints, but getting a chance to talk to the hiring manager before HR can give you a huge advantage in the interview process. This is sometimes called an informational interview, and it’s incredibly valuable.

4. I posted on my local GroupMe groups to see if their companies were hiring. 

If you’ve never heard of GroupMe, it is a messaging platform where groups are formed based on various interests. In the pharmaceutical world, sales reps will use them to trade appointments. When I found out I was getting laid off, I went into my GroupMe groups and asked if anybody’s company was hiring in my area. I got a couple of solid leads there.

5. My whole team has been working to lift each other up.

I’m not sure if I specified this earlier, but my entire team was let go. We have all rallied around each other to help each other find jobs. If we see something interesting in a different territory, we will post it in our group chat to pass along the opportunity. We have also gone out of our way to introduce each other to recruiters and provide connections within other companies if we have them.

How I built my network:

Looking back, none of this happened by accident. The reason I had a network to lean on is because of small things I did over the years. 

Building your network is not something that happens overnight. I remember conversations years ago with my non-healthcare, more business-oriented friend, where we talked about how I should go about networking. Most of these were small, simple actions that didn’t feel like networking at the time.

1. Talk to reps at work 

I noticed through the years that nurses don’t like to speak with the pharma and med device reps who call on their units. I get it. You are busy with patient care duties, and this is an interruption that you don’t feel you have time for. 

They are your allies!

Take the time. Even just a couple of minutes of your time is going to feel like a win for them (having worked that side, it’s hard to get people to talk to you!). Swap business cards. Ask if they are hiring in your specialty. Tell them you are interested in working as an educator or CAS or research, whichever is applicable . Ask them to forward your resume to HR. Ask to connect with them on LinkedIn. 

Even if there is nothing available now, when a position opens in the future you now have a contact inside the company. Reach out and ask that person for a referral. 

Remember, if they refer you and you get hired, they get a bonus. 

By interacting with the reps instead of ignoring them or blocking them at the door, you now have someone who will reach out to you if a job fitting your wants gets posted. I got several interviews while working in the clinic because the reps called me, told me about the position, and got me an internal referral. As a matter of fact, my first non-clinical job came from one of the reps who regularly called on my clinic- she suggested a company that I had never heard of before, and they just happened to be hiring.

2. Talk to reps outside of work 

Have you ever been out and about and seen someone in scrubs and wonder what they do? Why not ask! 

I’ve struck up conversations in lobbies, elevators, waiting rooms, and airports with people I see in scrubs. I find out about companies I’ve never heard of, new treatments and tests, and again, I swap business cards and link up with them on LinkedIn. 

3. Talk to reps at conferences and meetings 

When you go to meetings, conferences and congresses, make sure you speak to the reps, especially in the vendor rooms. 

Everyone goes to these meetings. Are you interested in research? There are CRAs  everywhere. Interested in being an educator or CAS? They are there and probably working at their company’s table in the vendor room. Interested in informatics? I bet the Epic team is there somewhere. People in atypical healthcare jobs love to talk, and want to tell you how great their jobs are and how much they DON’T miss interacting with patients. Once again, swap business cards, tell them you are interested in working there or in their position and connect with them on LinkedIn. 

4. Message strangers

This is one of the most underused networking strategies, especially for healthcare professionals.

This might be a little out of your comfort zone, and that’s ok.

If you see a person on any social media platform that has your dream job, message them. Ask them questions- how did they get the job? Is there any specific education or certifications required for this role? Is there any work experience you need to get their job? 

If you see a job post that you are interested in applying for, look through the company’s LinkedIn “People You May Know” section. Find someone, anyone with that title, and message them. Ask how they like the job, how they like the company, and any other questions you may have. 

Both of these feel a little forward, but this happens all the time. I’ve had people message me on Facebook, Reddit and LinkedIn, with people asking me the exact same questions I listed above. I never had anyone reach out to me like this when I worked for a hospital. 

Be brave! The worst they will do is ignore you. But you will probably be surprised at how quickly people respond to you.

Final Thoughts

If there’s one takeaway from all of this, it’s that networking isn’t a single event. It’s a series of small, intentional interactions that add up over time.

Most of my network wasn’t built during a job search. It was built over the course of years, and I have continuously expanded it. When I needed it, it was already there.

If you’re reading this and thinking, I don’t have a network, start today. Send one message. Have one conversation. Make one connection.

Future you will be very glad you did.