What is one way to say that you’re looking for a job, without killing the conversation?
To help you mention that you’re looking for a job without killing the conversation, we asked career experts and CEOs this question for their best insights. From talking about learning, not searching, to pitching an idea, there are several strategies that may help you mention your current job search, while maintaining a discussion.
Here are nine ways to say that you’re looking for a job, without killing the conversation:
- Talk About Learning, Not Searching
- Start a Conversation Using Social Media
- Frame It Around Self-Improvement
- Say You are Keeping Your Options Open
- Ask for Advice
- Mention Any Interviews You’ve Had
- Take Advantage of Your Profile Picture
- Start a Genuine Conversation First
- Pitch An Idea
Talk About Learning, Not Searching
One way to broach the topic of a job search without killing the conversation is to focus on learning rather than applying. By mentioning skills you are working on and topics you are studying, you can show that you are taking initiative on self-improvement and are serious about earning a better position. You can mention the goals of this learning, and incentive your conversation partners to offer job leads or introductions.
Tasia Duske, Museum Hack
Start a Conversation Using Social Media
Share content on your social media that showcases your knowledge. Let your contacts know that you’re up-to-date on the latest trends by sharing information about your expertise. When people see that you know what you’re talking about, they’re more likely to comply with an occasional request to assist with your job search. With the right preparation and mindset, you can tell your contacts that you’re looking for a job without scaring them off. Keep in mind, most people want to assist.
Paw Vej, Financer.com Ltd
Frame It Around Self-Improvement
No one is ever going to fault another for trying to improve themselves. Self-improvement is an admirable and worthwhile process, especially in the context of professional development. As such, if you’re looking for a job and don’t want to kill the conversation but need to mention it, frame your disclosure in the context of self-improvement. Make it clear you’re looking for a new job because you want to propel your career, develop your skills, and overall, just better yourself. There is no shame in wanting better for yourself, and people should respect that. The key is to be humble when explaining this. If you take a conceited or cocky tone when explaining your desire to be better, it might change the recipient’s attitude. So stay humble and simply explain you’re seeking self-improvement.
John Ross, Test Prep Insight
Say You are Keeping Your Options Open
Simply mention that you’re keeping your options open. You never want to come off as desperate or off-putting by deliberately asking for a job—especially towards connections that you haven’t properly established a rapport with yet. One way to smoothly say that you’re looking for a job is to do so in as less a soliciting way as possible. Try saying something like, “I’m eager to find a position that’s a good fit for me, so I’m keeping my options open.” This is a simple, non-conversation killing method to express your interest to find a job, without coming off as desperate or off-putting.
Michelle Arnau, Rowan
Ask for Advice
Frame mentioning your job search as asking for advice. If someone mentions that they’ve pursued a certain career or work in a specific industry you’re interested in, casually mention that you could use advice from someone like them about your career journey. Most people love to share about what they’ve learned. So not only will you subtly let them know you’re searching for a job, you’ll make a meaningful connection and get some good advice to boot!
Sara Bodner, Conklin Media
Mention Any Interviews You’ve Had
Mention any interviews you’ve had throughout your job hunt. Then you can continue the conversation into a discussion about how the interviews went and you could even end up getting some advice from those you are speaking with about interviews in general. Many people get nervous about interviews and struggle with them, so there’s bound to be many subtopics to discuss under this one.
Drew Sherman, Carvaygo
Take Advantage of Your Profile Picture
LinkedIn offers the option to edit your profile picture with the information #OpenToWork. What’s great about this option is that it lets you reach out to contacts and other resources without needing to mention the often awkward question of whether your contact knows of any work opportunities. You can focus on the conversation, and your contact, seeing your photo, can comfortably let you know if he or she knows of any opportunities. Just make sure you don’t change your profile picture if you’re still employed and haven’t told your employer you’re seeking a change–otherwise you can expect an even more awkward conversation with your current company.
John Jacob, Hoist
Start a Genuine Conversation First
To make your networking effective and subtle, you must first set the right context. How do you build up your case before you drop that key information? You should show respect by actually listening to the other person. Engage in the conversation genuinely, and ask questions to show interest. They’ll feel appreciated and thus more receptive to what you have to say later on. Then comes the tougher part. When you’re networking, an important skill to master is the art of speaking about your experiences and achievements without coming across as obnoxious, self-centered, or salesy.
Pick out the right moment to talk about an exciting project you’ve worked on or a work-related curveball you’ve had and how you dealt with it. Add in some humor or unexpected twists to captivate the other person. Then ask if there are any similar projects the person knows of. If you want something different from what you’ve specialized in, say you’ve always wanted to get into “xyz” and take it from there.
Nicole Ostrowska, Zety
Pitch An Idea
At most places you would want to work, people dig what they do. If you’re looking for a job, show expertise by diving “into the weeds.” 9/10 times someone who loves their job will be happy to “talk shop.” Once talking through issues with their industry, projects, and so forth, show thoughtfulness in your responses, and maybe pitch an idea or two! Talk about past times you’ve solved problems related to what you’re talking through. And express genuine interest and excitement! Once you’ve talked through these topics, it’s not nearly as hard of “an ask” to say you’d like to get involved.
Merrill Cook, Arist
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