15.7 – Work with Clients to Build a Professional Network

Purpose & Context

Career Development Professionals (CDPs) increase client visibility to employers, recruiters, and other contacts by helping clients develop a professional network to generate career development opportunities.

Effective Performance

Competent career development professionals must be able to:

P1. Assess client’s current network:
- List current contacts
- Analyze quality of contacts, e.g. relevance of experience, level of influence
- Identify gaps
- Formulate strategies to grow network, e.g. professional associations, past co-workers/supervisors, colleagues,social contacts
P2. Plan development of an online presence, for example:
- Select online technology tools aligned with client’s needs and technical competence, for example:
  - Social networking sites, e.g. LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram
  - Social media tools, e.g. lead generation, analytics, content curation, news filtering
  - Employment information websites, e.g. potential employers, recruiters and search firms, job boards, industry
    bodies
- Design social networking account, as appropriate, for example:
  - Create a profile, e.g. contact information, headshot, credentials
  - Set confidentiality and privacy settings
- Explain how to establish relationships online, for example:
  - Reach out to target market, e.g. industry, company, job
  - Accept invitations of valuable individuals
  - Connect with existing contacts, e.g. former colleagues
  - Comment on posts
  - Join groups of interest
  - Respond promptly to messages
- Explain the potential impact of personal posts on reputation and employment prospects
- Explain how to use online tools to achieve in-person meetings, for example:
  - Identify events and activities online, e.g. Meetup, Facebook
  - Arrange in-person meetings with online connections
P3. Formulate strategy to connect with others in-person, for example:
- Conduct research about people and organizations of interest before reaching out
- List topic areas about self, the person and the industry to address when meeting in person, e.g. career
  goals, key challenges, relevant experience, career path
P4. Select techniques to establish relationships, for example:
- Join a networking group
- Join a professional association
- Meet with recruiters
- Attend conferences, industry events, trade shows
- Meet with potential employers to find out about career paths
P5. Explain importance of keeping in touch, e.g. send congratulations on accomplishments, meet for coffee, share
information

Knowledge & Understanding

Competent career development professionals must know and understand:

K1. Networking best practices
K2. Social networking sites e.g. LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram
K3. Social media tools, e.g. lead generation, analytics, content curation, news filtering
K4. Employment information websites, e.g. potential employers, recruiters and search firms, job boards, industry bodies

Contextual Variables

Competent career development professionals must be able to perform this competency in the following range of contexts:

Communicating in a professional manner online is essential to prevent reputational damage, e.g. client with weak writing skills, posting inappropriate content.

CDPs must be aware of advances related to online social networking and associated sites in order to give clients current work search and career development support.

Clients may require additional support or resources, e.g. computer access, technological guidance, adaptive equipment.

Glossary & Key References

Terms

Industry-specific terms contained in the standard defined here, where applicable.

Social networking: process of conducting research and connecting with others over the internet.

Social media: internet tools, resources, and websites that clients can use to develop an online presence.

Information Sources and Resources for Consideration

Graham, Sharon. The Canadian Employment Strategist 2020 Edition: Certified Employment Strategist Study Guide. 3rd edition. Career Professionals of Canada, Milton, Ontario, 2020

Context Rating Scales

Criticality

Q: What is the consequence of a professional being unable to perform this skill according to the standard?

Minimal risk: SOMEWHAT CRITICAL

Frequency

Q: How frequent and under what conditions is this skill performed?

Routinely, regular course of procedure

Level of Difficulty

Q: Under routine circumstances, how would you rate the level of difficulty in performing this skill?

Moderate difficulty or complexity

Time Required to Gain Proficiency

Q: What is the average length of time or number of repeated events that are minimally necessary for an individual to become proficient in performing the skill to the standard?

A competent career development professional requires a minimum of one year of experience with at least 40 different clients, representing a broad range of individuals.

Autonomy

Practitioners typically perform this competency without supervision, and alone.

Automation

It is somewhat likely that this competency will automate.

Requisite Work Aids, Tools, Equipment or Materials

None