Top 10 Networking Tips
In Search of Your Ideal Job? Network!
Everyone’s heard the saying, "It’s not what you know but who you know." Companies are doing everything they can to hire the right people, especially in a candidate-tight market.
As a result, they are increasingly relying on referrals and their own network to identify potential hires. Reliable, good employees know other candidates.
So you want to improve your networking skills. Here are some qualities to remember:
n Learn -- Who is in your network? Start a list of who you know? Sit down with a sheet of paper and write down all the people who come to mind. Do not be restrictive on your first draft. Remember, your network should be diverse. The more imaginative you are the more likely you will find you have contacts in many different affiliations – current colleagues, former colleagues, bosses, friends, family, neighbors, school contacts, contacts from charitable organizations and so on. Set aside time every few months to go through your list of contacts, if you haven’t heard from someone drop them an email.
n Inform -- Have a 15 second "elevator speech" that describes who you are and what you’re looking for – something that invites conversation and interest from the other party. For example instead of I am the Controller for a local manufacturing firm, you might say, "As Corporate Controller of XYZ Manufacturing, I am on the senior management team. I enjoy teamwork and getting the perspective of all aspects of company operations. I participate in all major decisions of the company."
n Clarify -- Be specific but do not be not presumptuous. Sometimes people assume that a friend or contact has just the job we are looking for. Do not assume anything. Instead of, "Can you help me find a job? Say, "I’ve written my resume and would love your feedback. Do you have 30 minutes in the next couple of weeks? I would like to get your advice." Asking for advice is far less threatening and it can be more productive than asking for a job.
n Welcome -- You can be friendly and still be respectful of your contacts’ time constraints. Find out if your contact has the time to talk. If so, a little small talk can go a long way. It can put people at ease and make them open to more serious conversation. If you meet your contact for the first time at an event of some sort, then you might ask what brought them to the event. Find out about what interests them and where they are in their career . . . they will be flattered you asked. It is likely they will ask the same questions of you. Be a good listener, people love to talk about themselves. Remember, if you talk more than the other person, there is a real possibility you aren’t getting to know your new contact as well as you might otherwise.
n Open-up -- Networking doesn’t just happen at events – it can happen at the grocery store, at a friend’s birthday party, in line at the DMV or on an airplane. Find ways to introduce yourself without being overbearing. Realize that this can be a bumpy road and you may step on a few toes, but in the long run, you only learn by practicing.
n Follow-up -- Don’t just feel appreciation for help from a contact – show it – ideally with a personal note that is sent within 48 hours. Thanks should include an offer to reciprocate. Don’t stick the cards you get in your Rolodex when you get back to the office. Make a plan for following up – to reach out and reconnect with the people you’ve met. There are many tools available to keep you organized and in touch with your network.
n Connect -- Sign up for tools such as Linkedin. com that connect you into a large online network of more than 13 million professionals from around the world. This and other amazing tools are available to jump start your network!
n Join -- Joining professional organizations – but be careful, your time is valuable and people in these organization recognize superficial commitments. Do some research – use your network to find out which organizations are recognized most in your area. Before making a commitment to join, attend a meeting or two.
n Initiate -- Host a mixer of your own and introduce people in your network to each other. A friend of mine hosts a chili cook off dinner every couple of months. He invites people from all areas of his network. It is a great setting to get to know people better. n Reciprocate -- Pay it forward. A network is like a circulatory system, the energy must flow freely. In order to be successful in networking, people you contact have to respond to you. Likewise, unless you respond to others, your network will whither. Michelle Patterson is founder and managing partner with TouchPointe, headquartered in Ladera Ranch. TouchPointe is a senior level consulting and recruiting firm, specializing in the placement of finance, accounting, and IT professionals in both interim and permanent positions. You can contact TouchPointe at www.touchpointe.com or 949-218-0866.