Build Relationships and Advance in Your Career
What does networking mean?
Networking is not a mere exchange of business cards at a cocktail party nor is it bragging about yourself or begging for help from people you barely know. According to most experts, networking is building relationships on the basis of trust that involves a give and take. Lynne Waymon, co-author of the book “Make Your Contacts Count” says, “It’s about teaching and giving. Teaching people who you are… and what kind of opportunities to send your way. And it is about giving -- listening so generously that you can also help people accomplish their goals.”
Networking is not optional anymore; it is a crucial skill to master.
When should you network?
Most people wait to build their network after a crisis hits them -- like a job loss- then they scramble to make contacts and find a job. But such an attempt is doomed to failure. You should already have an effective network in place that can help you in such a situation, experts advise.
“One of the biggest mistakes that people make is that they stop networking once they get their job,” explains networking coach Diane Darling of Effective Networking, Inc. Not only does networking help you find a job, but if you want to grow in your career you need to network within your current company and outside your workplace. Your network, once efficiently in place, becomes not only something you maintain on a regular basis like a chore, but it becomes a part of your lifestyle. After a while, “networking is maintaining a type of friendship,” explains HR expert Lily Garcia.
Why is it important to network?
Quite simply, it works. In an August 2009 survey conducted by global outplacement consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc., human resources executives were asked to rate the effectiveness of various job-search methods on a scale of 1 (least effective) to 5 (most effective). Networking averaged a 3.98. About half (48 percent) of the respondents gave networking the highest effectiveness rating of five.
In today’s workforce finding a job is not as simple as attending a job fair or sending out a killer resume. “It is a very competitive job market and people who know people in the right positions are going to get jobs,” says Garcia. “And this is especially true the further along you get in your career.”
It is possible to get entry level positions by going through the normal application process, but very often when it comes to landing senior level positions, having an inside contact will make all the difference, Garcia says.
| Do’s | Dont’s |
| Know your goal and have a strategy | Don’t wait until a crisis hits; network now |
| Be confident; find a role model or a mentor you can emulate | Don’t be a wallflower - make an effort to socialize with co-workers at events |
| Say thank you often and smile | Don’t ask for a job, ask for advice first |
| Brag about your skills. | Don’t be afraid to ask questions |
| Make a good first impression | Don’t shy away from exploring online networking groups like Ryze or LinkedIn |
| Follow up with a new contact as soon as you can | Don’t join tons of networking organizations; two or three may be enough |
| Send a Christmas or holiday card to re-establish contacts | Don’t put things on Facebook you wouldn’t want a new boss to see |
| Learn to listen attentively | |
| Gain trust and learn to trust, in order to build friendships |
So how can you develop a robust professional network?
When starting out with a networking effort it is important to have a clear goal in mind. The goal could be finding a job, changing jobs or growing on the job -- whatever the desired end result -- you need to strategize accordingly.
It is hard for many people to fathom that networking needs a goal and a plan. As William Simmons, president of the executive search firm Management Advisory Group points out, “Networking is a highly strategic function. People often mistake it to be just handing out cards, but networking done right is sophisticated. It involves research; it involves getting to know people well; it involves following up.”
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