Five Steps to Maximize Your Networking Success
Networking is the number one method for securing a new position
or career. No, it doesn’t mean going to large gatherings,
being uncomfortable talking to strangers, and giving away as many
cards as you can. It does mean connecting with people so that they
can help you further your goals to either finding a new job or new
career or even keeping the one you have.
Networking is nothing more sharing time, information, resources,
and opportunities. Success is not just about what you know, it's
who you know...and how you keep it all organized. Since 80 percent
of jobs are found through networking, you can't rely solely on the
big online job boards or the Sunday Help Wanted ads.
So let’s get started. To effectively utilize your extended
network of professional and personal relationships you have to have
a plan. These five steps should help you maximize the time you
spend networking.
1. Develop Your Contact List.
Networking contacts can be divided into two different
categories.
a) These consist of friends, relatives, neighbors, parents of your
children’s friends, etc. These are people who do not
necessarily work in nor know much about your industry. They know
you on a personal level and might be a good source of learning more
about how others view you, your strengths, and your weaknesses.
They might be able to provide information on different industries
that could utilize your experience and skills based on their
knowledge base. Additionally, they may have access to people in
your industry through their social network and could be a good
source of referral.
b) People from your industry such as past and current co-workers,
former and current managers, former or current clients, industry
analysts, recruiters, members of professional associations,
industry convention planners, and industry journalists. This group
of professionals would be a great source of industry and specific
company information, knowledge of company activities (whether they
are hiring or firing), an excellent source of referrals to
potential hiring managers, great exposure to the largest number of
people that could impact your job search significantly.
2. Create the Script.
For many people, networking is uncomfortable for a variety of
reasons. To ensure that you are not stymied by the process, it is
best to create a script(s) for you to use when contacting a variety
of people across a broad spectrum of industries, specialties, and
degrees of separation. This script, no longer than one minute in
length, should remind them or inform them of your background and
areas of specialty, highlighting any event that illustrates your
expertise in a particular area. This is also where you tell them
that you would like to set up an informational meeting where they,
experts in their own field, could enlighten you regarding the
newest industry trends, who the industry leaders are, contacts they
may have that might be helpful to you in providing further
information. It has been my experience that when my clients
don’t ask for a job or job referral but rather for that
person to share their knowledge and expertise, they often walk away
with excellent referrals and sometimes potential job
situations.
3. Setting up the Informational Interview.
The goal of this meeting is to walk away with at least two names of
people in the industry/company in which you have an interest in
working.
Using your list from step 1, create a chart that indicates how
close your relationship with them is, their place of work,
position, what you hope to gain from them and what, if anything you
can do for them. Start with people you know well first. Strong ties
provide people with greater motivation to be of assistance and are
more easily available and accessible. It is also a great way to
practice your script and learn how to improvise based on questions
that come up.
4. Become the Expert.
These informational meetings should be a great source of current
information, not only on the industry and the companies involved
but also on the people within the industry and the various jobs and
positions they hold. This also affords you the opportunity to find
out where the needs or weaknesses are in the industry and how you
can become the expert at filling these needs.
5. Conferences, Associations, Groups
Find out about conferences being held in your area of interest.
Attending enables you to extend your network and create greater
possibilities for job opportunities. Before you go, create a plan
of which groups/companies/people you want to make sure you make
contact with. Conference planners generally provide this
information at signup. If the cost of attendance is prohibitive,
see if there is any way for you to work or volunteer at the
conference providing you with free or greatly reduced entrance
cost. Join any alumni or business associations and groups that
provide a forum for members. By getting lists of members it will
enable you to search out those that might be able to provide
assistance in your job search.
Now the rest is up to you. Good luck with your networking.
